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TRAINING MANLEY : A Novel: If “all men are dogs,” who was the trainer that trained these pups?
What if the leash wasn’t just for the dog?
What happens when East meets West, and two worlds that should never collide cannot seem to stay apart?
Montreal. 2012. Manley Jaxtan Woodhardt is a Jamaican-born divorcee navigating life on the rebound charming, street-smart, and carrying the kind of baggage that follows a man who has lived too fast and loved too recklessly. He is trying to build something better. But old habits die hard.
Libby Dahoust is everything Manley is not. A stunningly beautiful East Indian medical student at McGill University, disciplined, brilliant, and quietly carrying wounds of her own beneath a composed exterior. Her world is books, ambition, and a family whose grip on her life runs deeper and darker than anyone on the outside could see.
Their backgrounds say they should take diametrically opposite paths. Their hearts have other plans.
What begins as stolen glances over pizza on Sherbrooke Street becomes a love story that will be tested by blackmail, family secrets, cultural divides, attempted murder, and a courtroom that will determine whether they get to keep each other at all.
Training Manley is a yardcore West Indian romance novel, raw, funny, warm, and completely authentic. Written in the unmistakable voice of a Jamaican man who has lived every word of it. Packed with wry humor, Jamaican patois, and the kind of cultural truth that only comes from the inside. This is not your typical romance. This is a love story with teeth.
For readers of Caribbean romance, Jamaican diaspora fiction, and multicultural love stories who have been waiting for a voice that sounds like home.
Mature content. Parental guidance advised.
What happens when East meets West, and two worlds that should never collide cannot seem to stay apart?
Montreal. 2012. Manley Jaxtan Woodhardt is a Jamaican-born divorcee navigating life on the rebound charming, street-smart, and carrying the kind of baggage that follows a man who has lived too fast and loved too recklessly. He is trying to build something better. But old habits die hard.
Libby Dahoust is everything Manley is not. A stunningly beautiful East Indian medical student at McGill University, disciplined, brilliant, and quietly carrying wounds of her own beneath a composed exterior. Her world is books, ambition, and a family whose grip on her life runs deeper and darker than anyone on the outside could see.
Their backgrounds say they should take diametrically opposite paths. Their hearts have other plans.
What begins as stolen glances over pizza on Sherbrooke Street becomes a love story that will be tested by blackmail, family secrets, cultural divides, attempted murder, and a courtroom that will determine whether they get to keep each other at all.
Training Manley is a yardcore West Indian romance novel, raw, funny, warm, and completely authentic. Written in the unmistakable voice of a Jamaican man who has lived every word of it. Packed with wry humor, Jamaican patois, and the kind of cultural truth that only comes from the inside. This is not your typical romance. This is a love story with teeth.
For readers of Caribbean romance, Jamaican diaspora fiction, and multicultural love stories who have been waiting for a voice that sounds like home.
Mature content. Parental guidance advised.
136 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 13, 2025
1 person is currently reading
4 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 14, 2025
A love story that taught me about myself
I didn’t expect Training Manley to hit so close to home. The way WritingElk ties Manley’s dog-training journey to his messy love life with Libby is pure brilliance. I’ve been in relationships where I tried to “train” someone to love me the way I wanted, and failed. This book made me laugh at those memories, but also reflect on how love is more about patience and letting go. Libby’s struggle between her culture, ambition, and desire felt so real. And Manley’s chaotic charm reminded me of someone I once thought I could fix. I couldn’t put it down.
I didn’t expect Training Manley to hit so close to home. The way WritingElk ties Manley’s dog-training journey to his messy love life with Libby is pure brilliance. I’ve been in relationships where I tried to “train” someone to love me the way I wanted, and failed. This book made me laugh at those memories, but also reflect on how love is more about patience and letting go. Libby’s struggle between her culture, ambition, and desire felt so real. And Manley’s chaotic charm reminded me of someone I once thought I could fix. I couldn’t put it down.
October 14, 2025
Sharp, funny, and painfully true
Manley isn’t just a man; he’s every person who’s ever tried to outrun their own flaws. I loved how the author layered his story with both humor and heartbreak. The scenes between Libby and Manley were electric, like watching two people learn the same lesson from opposite sides. The dog-training metaphors were spot on. I’ve had dogs all my life, and I laughed out loud at how much of their behavior mirrors ours in love and life. WritingElk writes with the kind of honesty that makes you squirm and smile at the same time.
Manley isn’t just a man; he’s every person who’s ever tried to outrun their own flaws. I loved how the author layered his story with both humor and heartbreak. The scenes between Libby and Manley were electric, like watching two people learn the same lesson from opposite sides. The dog-training metaphors were spot on. I’ve had dogs all my life, and I laughed out loud at how much of their behavior mirrors ours in love and life. WritingElk writes with the kind of honesty that makes you squirm and smile at the same time.
October 14, 2025
Unforgettable, soulful, and wildly entertaining
From the very first page, I was hooked by the wit and rhythm of the writing. WritingElk has a way of weaving emotional truth into every line. The way Manley and Libby clash, connect, and grow reminded me of a past relationship that changed me in ways I didn’t understand until years later. The humor kept me laughing, but the honesty made me tear up. By the end, I realized Training Manley isn’t about control, it’s about surrender. And that lesson? Priceless.
From the very first page, I was hooked by the wit and rhythm of the writing. WritingElk has a way of weaving emotional truth into every line. The way Manley and Libby clash, connect, and grow reminded me of a past relationship that changed me in ways I didn’t understand until years later. The humor kept me laughing, but the honesty made me tear up. By the end, I realized Training Manley isn’t about control, it’s about surrender. And that lesson? Priceless.
October 13, 2025
Witty, soulful, and surprisingly real
I picked up this book expecting a lighthearted romance, but what I got was so much deeper. The dog training metaphor hit home, especially the parts about control, trust, and learning to let go. Having gone through a few messy relationships myself, I could see pieces of my own story in Libby and Manley’s push-and-pull. It’s funny, honest, and beautifully written, one of those rare books that makes you laugh one minute and reflect the next.
I picked up this book expecting a lighthearted romance, but what I got was so much deeper. The dog training metaphor hit home, especially the parts about control, trust, and learning to let go. Having gone through a few messy relationships myself, I could see pieces of my own story in Libby and Manley’s push-and-pull. It’s funny, honest, and beautifully written, one of those rare books that makes you laugh one minute and reflect the next.
October 15, 2025
Writer & Immigrant
Libby’s story resonated with me as an immigrant woman trying to balance heritage and freedom. I could feel every cultural pressure, every sideways glance, every internal doubt. Yet, what I loved most was how WritingElk used Manley (both man and dog) to mirror the ways we love imperfectly but deeply. It’s witty, sensual, and thought-provoking, a book that lingers like a familiar scent long after you’ve closed it.
Libby’s story resonated with me as an immigrant woman trying to balance heritage and freedom. I could feel every cultural pressure, every sideways glance, every internal doubt. Yet, what I loved most was how WritingElk used Manley (both man and dog) to mirror the ways we love imperfectly but deeply. It’s witty, sensual, and thought-provoking, a book that lingers like a familiar scent long after you’ve closed it.
October 15, 2025
Retired Teacher
The metaphor in this novel is brilliant. As someone who spent decades trying to “train” students, partners, even myself, Training Manley made me pause. The prose is sharp but compassionate, and the dialogue is alive. It’s one of those books that sneaks up on you, you think it’s about relationships, but really, it’s about freedom and self-acceptance. I found myself underlining lines like old friends giving advice.
The metaphor in this novel is brilliant. As someone who spent decades trying to “train” students, partners, even myself, Training Manley made me pause. The prose is sharp but compassionate, and the dialogue is alive. It’s one of those books that sneaks up on you, you think it’s about relationships, but really, it’s about freedom and self-acceptance. I found myself underlining lines like old friends giving advice.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews