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This Man #1-4
This Man: This Man Confessed / Beneath This Man / This Man / With This Man
Jodi Ellen Malpas This Man Series 4 Books Collection Set; RRP: £34.96: Description: This Man Confessed -Addictive, dangerous, your guiltiest pleasure yet: the thrilling climax to the hit trilogy. The very place where their passionate love affair began, The Manor, fills with guests on what should be the happiest day of Ava and Jesse's lives. She has accepted that she'll never tame the fierceness in Jesse, and she doesn't want to. Their love is profound, their connection powerful, but just when she thinks that she's finally got beneath his guarded exterior, more questions arise which lead Ava to believe that Jesse Ward may not be the man she thinks he is. He knows too well how to take her to a place beyond ecstasy...but will he also drive her to the brink of despair? It's time for this man to confess. Includes a bonus scene from Jesse's perspective. Beneath This Man - You've fallen in love reading about Christian Grey; you've seen the Fifty Shades movie. Now it's time for your next fix. Beyond undeniable passion is fierce love... Jesse Ward drowned her with his intensity and blindsided her with his passion, but he kept her away from his dark secrets and broken soul. Leaving him was the only way Ava O'Shea could survive, but she should have known that Jesse Ward is impossible to escape. Now he's back in her life, determined to remind her of the sensual pleasures they had shared, but Ava is equally determined to get at the truth beneath this man's steely exterior. That means letting herself get close to the Lord of the Manor once more. And it's exactly where Jesse wants her - within touching distance. This Man - If you don't know where to turn next after Fifty Shades: welcome to the sensual world of This Man, the first book in the international million-copy bestselling series... Young interior designer Ava O'Shea has no idea what awaits her at the Manor. A run-of-the-mill consultation with a stodgy country gent seems likely, but what Ava finds instead is Jesse Ward.
Paperback
First published January 1, 2019
96 people are currently reading
192 people want to read
About the author
Jodi Ellen Malpas
53 books20.4k followers#1 New York Times & Sunday Times Bestselling Author Jodi Ellen Malpas was born and raised in England, where she lives with her husband, her boys, and Theo the Doberman.
Writing powerful love stories with fierce, memorable characters is her passion – a passion that has taken her on an amazing journey into the world of romantic fiction. Her work is now published in more than twenty-six languages across the world.
Jodi's next release: The Invitation. Check it out on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/...
Writing powerful love stories with fierce, memorable characters is her passion – a passion that has taken her on an amazing journey into the world of romantic fiction. Her work is now published in more than twenty-six languages across the world.
Jodi's next release: The Invitation. Check it out on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/...
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 4, 2025
THIS MAN
Reading This Man was intense, emotional, and honestly kind of conflicting. Jesse and Ava’s relationship is all over the place — seductive, chaotic, toxic, and still somehow addictive. A lot of Jesse’s behavior would be a huge red flag in real life, but the story blends romantic fantasy with emotional drama in a way that makes it hard to stop reading. Jesse is all about control — over everything, especially Ava. His possessiveness gets extreme: tracking her, isolating her, even messing with her birth control to keep her close. In reality, that would be terrifying, but in the book’s world, it plays into this dark fantasy of being loved so intensely it becomes obsession. It’s disturbing but intriguing at the same time. When you read This Woman (his POV), things start to make a bit more sense. What seems like manipulation in This Man turns out to come from a place of fear, trauma, and insecurity. Jesse clings to Ava because she makes him feel like a better version of himself. That doesn’t excuse the things he does, but it helps you understand where he’s coming from. In his head, control equals love — because that’s the only way he knows how to love. Ava is both relatable and frustrating. She keeps getting pulled in and pushed away, and after a while, the cycle of running, fighting, and then making up gets repetitive. Sometimes it feels like nothing really moves forward emotionally — they don’t communicate, they argue, then they fix things with sex. It’s passionate, but not exactly healthy.
One weak point was the reveal about The Manor. You kind of see it coming, so when the truth drops, it doesn’t hit as hard as it should. The real issue is how much Jesse kept from her, not what he did exactly. That secrecy and emotional distance is what breaks things. Another big frustration was Jesse’s double standards. He freaks out if Ava’s near another man, but he can work around women he’s been with and expects no issues. Then if she needs space, he spirals instead of respecting her. He relies way too much on her to keep himself grounded — it’s not really love, it’s emotional dependence. Ava calls him out a few times, but their fights usually go nowhere and end in bed. It’s intense, but exhausting. Still, even with all that, I couldn’t stop reading. Jesse is such a broken character that you want to see if love can actually save him. The story is messy, emotional, and uncomfortable at times — but that’s also what makes it compelling. In the end, This Man isn’t a traditional romance novel. It deal with heavy stuff — obsession, trauma, emotional manipulation — and they don’t sugarcoat it. Jesse isn’t someone you’d want in real life, but in Jodi Ellen Malpas’s world, you can’t help but want to figure him out.
BENEATH THIS MAN
I’m about halfway through Beneath This Man, and while I do think it feels more complete than the first book, I still have a few issues. The big cliffhanger from the end of book one still hasn’t been properly explained, and I feel like that should’ve been dealt with right away. Jesse’s possessiveness is still way too much — he can’t handle Ava being around any ex, but he’s working with women he’s slept with and expects her to be fine with it? The double standard is frustrating and hard to accept. The whole whipping situation instead of drinking didn’t sit well with me either — it just didn’t make sense emotionally. And Ava doing the same thing later as revenge felt forced and kind of out of character.
That said, I still enjoy the sexual chemistry and the interactions between Jesse and Ava. Their connection is intense and definitely keeps things interesting. So even though I don’t agree with a lot of their choices, I’m still hooked on their story.
THIS MAN CONFESSED
I’m now in the third book of the This Man series, and honestly, I’m still not seeing as many of Jesse’s secrets revealed as I expected. The Manor was the big reveal in book two, but beyond that, there’s still so much about Jesse’s past and deeper emotional issues that hasn’t come out. I feel like those personal, inner truths — the root of all the secrecy — are actually the most important, and yet we’re still in the dark about them well into book three. Jesse’s possessiveness is still way over the top. I get that it’s part of his character, and it adds to the “dark romance” appeal, but it crosses the line so often. What’s more frustrating is how childish both Jesse and Ava can be — instead of having real conversations, they constantly argue, shout, storm off, or try to make each other jealous. And then, somehow, they’re fine again in an instant. It doesn’t feel realistic to me, and it takes away from the emotional depth they could have had as a couple. One thing that really bothered me was when Ava found out she was pregnant and immediately started drinking heavily, while also thinking about terminating the pregnancy. I totally support choice — and she had every right to feel conflicted — but the drinking part didn’t sit right with me. It felt careless and unnecessary, and it just didn’t reflect well on her as a character. Then there’s the whole situation with Ruth. When Jesse got violent with her, I felt like it went too far. She was annoying, yes, but at that point, she wasn’t a real threat anymore. The physical aggression just felt over-the-top and hard to read. What made it worse was that it seemed like if Ruth hadn’t shown up, Jesse might never have admitted the biggest secret of all — that he was married before and had a daughter who died. That’s something Ava should have known way earlier — definitely before the wedding. To me, that’s a huge part of who he is, and keeping that from her felt like a massive betrayal. That said, I did appreciate that the third book finally ends on a happy note. After all the drama, it’s nice to see some kind of resolution. And like I’ve said before, the sexual chemistry and intensity between Jesse and Ava is still a highlight. Even though the toxicity is a lot at times, I do enjoy a possessive, dark male lead when it’s written well — and Jesse definitely delivers on that front.
IN WITH THIS MAN
In With This Man, the plot twist with Ava losing her memory after the car accident really hit hard. It was emotional watching Jesse try to win her over again, knowing he might lose her for good if she didn’t remember how much they meant to each other. I was actually surprised that he opened up so easily this time — especially about his past — when he had been so secretive in the earlier books. And Ava, even with no memories, was surprisingly okay with it all. What I loved most was that Jesse never gave up on her. He stayed patient (as much as Jesse can be patient), still full of romance and possessiveness — which, even after four books, I still enjoy. Even though Ava had no memories, her connection to Jesse was still strong. It felt a bit unrealistic how quickly she fell for him again, but I also get that sometimes feelings go deeper than memory. Their physical chemistry stayed the same, and she was still affectionate toward him, so it felt like her heart remembered, even if her mind didn’t. When Zara showed up, I had a strong feeling we already knew her — I suspected she was either Coral or Lauren. The book dropped enough hints that it wasn’t a total surprise, but it added a little tension. One part that really caught me off guard was John’s death. That was genuinely sad. He was finally getting a shot at happiness, and then suddenly he’s gone. But the fact that he protected Jesse in the end and did something meaningful gave it some emotional weight. And naming the baby after him was such a sweet tribute — that part definitely got me.
I loved how the book wrapped up with a true happy ending. Everyone moved forward, found peace, and ended up where they belonged. Even with all the trauma and chaos in this series, that final note of happiness is what makes it all worth it for me.
Reading This Man was intense, emotional, and honestly kind of conflicting. Jesse and Ava’s relationship is all over the place — seductive, chaotic, toxic, and still somehow addictive. A lot of Jesse’s behavior would be a huge red flag in real life, but the story blends romantic fantasy with emotional drama in a way that makes it hard to stop reading. Jesse is all about control — over everything, especially Ava. His possessiveness gets extreme: tracking her, isolating her, even messing with her birth control to keep her close. In reality, that would be terrifying, but in the book’s world, it plays into this dark fantasy of being loved so intensely it becomes obsession. It’s disturbing but intriguing at the same time. When you read This Woman (his POV), things start to make a bit more sense. What seems like manipulation in This Man turns out to come from a place of fear, trauma, and insecurity. Jesse clings to Ava because she makes him feel like a better version of himself. That doesn’t excuse the things he does, but it helps you understand where he’s coming from. In his head, control equals love — because that’s the only way he knows how to love. Ava is both relatable and frustrating. She keeps getting pulled in and pushed away, and after a while, the cycle of running, fighting, and then making up gets repetitive. Sometimes it feels like nothing really moves forward emotionally — they don’t communicate, they argue, then they fix things with sex. It’s passionate, but not exactly healthy.
One weak point was the reveal about The Manor. You kind of see it coming, so when the truth drops, it doesn’t hit as hard as it should. The real issue is how much Jesse kept from her, not what he did exactly. That secrecy and emotional distance is what breaks things. Another big frustration was Jesse’s double standards. He freaks out if Ava’s near another man, but he can work around women he’s been with and expects no issues. Then if she needs space, he spirals instead of respecting her. He relies way too much on her to keep himself grounded — it’s not really love, it’s emotional dependence. Ava calls him out a few times, but their fights usually go nowhere and end in bed. It’s intense, but exhausting. Still, even with all that, I couldn’t stop reading. Jesse is such a broken character that you want to see if love can actually save him. The story is messy, emotional, and uncomfortable at times — but that’s also what makes it compelling. In the end, This Man isn’t a traditional romance novel. It deal with heavy stuff — obsession, trauma, emotional manipulation — and they don’t sugarcoat it. Jesse isn’t someone you’d want in real life, but in Jodi Ellen Malpas’s world, you can’t help but want to figure him out.
BENEATH THIS MAN
I’m about halfway through Beneath This Man, and while I do think it feels more complete than the first book, I still have a few issues. The big cliffhanger from the end of book one still hasn’t been properly explained, and I feel like that should’ve been dealt with right away. Jesse’s possessiveness is still way too much — he can’t handle Ava being around any ex, but he’s working with women he’s slept with and expects her to be fine with it? The double standard is frustrating and hard to accept. The whole whipping situation instead of drinking didn’t sit well with me either — it just didn’t make sense emotionally. And Ava doing the same thing later as revenge felt forced and kind of out of character.
That said, I still enjoy the sexual chemistry and the interactions between Jesse and Ava. Their connection is intense and definitely keeps things interesting. So even though I don’t agree with a lot of their choices, I’m still hooked on their story.
THIS MAN CONFESSED
I’m now in the third book of the This Man series, and honestly, I’m still not seeing as many of Jesse’s secrets revealed as I expected. The Manor was the big reveal in book two, but beyond that, there’s still so much about Jesse’s past and deeper emotional issues that hasn’t come out. I feel like those personal, inner truths — the root of all the secrecy — are actually the most important, and yet we’re still in the dark about them well into book three. Jesse’s possessiveness is still way over the top. I get that it’s part of his character, and it adds to the “dark romance” appeal, but it crosses the line so often. What’s more frustrating is how childish both Jesse and Ava can be — instead of having real conversations, they constantly argue, shout, storm off, or try to make each other jealous. And then, somehow, they’re fine again in an instant. It doesn’t feel realistic to me, and it takes away from the emotional depth they could have had as a couple. One thing that really bothered me was when Ava found out she was pregnant and immediately started drinking heavily, while also thinking about terminating the pregnancy. I totally support choice — and she had every right to feel conflicted — but the drinking part didn’t sit right with me. It felt careless and unnecessary, and it just didn’t reflect well on her as a character. Then there’s the whole situation with Ruth. When Jesse got violent with her, I felt like it went too far. She was annoying, yes, but at that point, she wasn’t a real threat anymore. The physical aggression just felt over-the-top and hard to read. What made it worse was that it seemed like if Ruth hadn’t shown up, Jesse might never have admitted the biggest secret of all — that he was married before and had a daughter who died. That’s something Ava should have known way earlier — definitely before the wedding. To me, that’s a huge part of who he is, and keeping that from her felt like a massive betrayal. That said, I did appreciate that the third book finally ends on a happy note. After all the drama, it’s nice to see some kind of resolution. And like I’ve said before, the sexual chemistry and intensity between Jesse and Ava is still a highlight. Even though the toxicity is a lot at times, I do enjoy a possessive, dark male lead when it’s written well — and Jesse definitely delivers on that front.
IN WITH THIS MAN
In With This Man, the plot twist with Ava losing her memory after the car accident really hit hard. It was emotional watching Jesse try to win her over again, knowing he might lose her for good if she didn’t remember how much they meant to each other. I was actually surprised that he opened up so easily this time — especially about his past — when he had been so secretive in the earlier books. And Ava, even with no memories, was surprisingly okay with it all. What I loved most was that Jesse never gave up on her. He stayed patient (as much as Jesse can be patient), still full of romance and possessiveness — which, even after four books, I still enjoy. Even though Ava had no memories, her connection to Jesse was still strong. It felt a bit unrealistic how quickly she fell for him again, but I also get that sometimes feelings go deeper than memory. Their physical chemistry stayed the same, and she was still affectionate toward him, so it felt like her heart remembered, even if her mind didn’t. When Zara showed up, I had a strong feeling we already knew her — I suspected she was either Coral or Lauren. The book dropped enough hints that it wasn’t a total surprise, but it added a little tension. One part that really caught me off guard was John’s death. That was genuinely sad. He was finally getting a shot at happiness, and then suddenly he’s gone. But the fact that he protected Jesse in the end and did something meaningful gave it some emotional weight. And naming the baby after him was such a sweet tribute — that part definitely got me.
I loved how the book wrapped up with a true happy ending. Everyone moved forward, found peace, and ended up where they belonged. Even with all the trauma and chaos in this series, that final note of happiness is what makes it all worth it for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2019
Ich hasse hasse hasse diese Reihe. Wenn ich dem -5 Sterne geben könnte würde ich es tun.
Jesse Ward stellt Ava nach, bedrängt sie, obwohl sie klar nein sagt und hört trotzdem nicht auf. Er schläft sogar mit ihr, wenn sie nein gesagt hat, weil sie es ja auch so will und nur ihrer Lust nachgeben muss. (Ihr wisst, wie man so etwas nennt?!)
Er kontrolliert sie, manipuliert sie mit Sex - nennt es sogar "Besinnungssex" zwischendurch - und erzähl nichts über sich. Er sagt ihr nicht mal sein Alter, weil er glaub, Ava hält ihn für zu alt. Nur wenn er sich in die Ecke gedrängt fühlt oder überrascht wird, öffnet er sich emotional.
Einer seiner Angestellten soll Ava beschatten, damit sie sich später seinem Willen unterwirft, weil das ja besser für sie ist. Alles schön unter dem Deckmäntelchen, dass er sie braucht und sie ihn nicht verlassen darf (!), weil er sich sonst selbst zerstört.
Und das macht er ja nur, weil er soooo eine scheiß Vergangenheit hat und sich für alles die Schuld gibt.
Immer wieder kontrolliert und manipuliert er sie. Er versteckt sogar ihre Anti Baby Pille (Gaslighting! Ava zweifelt zwischendurch an sich) und schläft dann ungeschützt mit ihr, obwohl Ava keine Kinder mit ihm will, da er eine Kontroll-Katastrophe ist und rastet dann halb aus, wenn er erfährt, dass sie darüber nachgedacht hat, das Kind abzutreiben.
Ich konnte zwischendurch echt nur noch entsetzt lachen, so schlecht war diese Reihe.
Lasst die Finger davon. Das Leben ist zu kurz für beschissene Bücher!
PS: Band 4 habe ich nicht gelesen. Innerhalb dieser Reihe hat Ava bestimmt 3 Autounfälle und im 4. Band hat sie schon wieder einen und verliert ihr Gedächtnis? Also muss Jesse sie erneut erobern? Ehhh no thank you. Den Teil werde ich mir nicht antun.
Jesse Ward stellt Ava nach, bedrängt sie, obwohl sie klar nein sagt und hört trotzdem nicht auf. Er schläft sogar mit ihr, wenn sie nein gesagt hat, weil sie es ja auch so will und nur ihrer Lust nachgeben muss. (Ihr wisst, wie man so etwas nennt?!)
Er kontrolliert sie, manipuliert sie mit Sex - nennt es sogar "Besinnungssex" zwischendurch - und erzähl nichts über sich. Er sagt ihr nicht mal sein Alter, weil er glaub, Ava hält ihn für zu alt. Nur wenn er sich in die Ecke gedrängt fühlt oder überrascht wird, öffnet er sich emotional.
Einer seiner Angestellten soll Ava beschatten, damit sie sich später seinem Willen unterwirft, weil das ja besser für sie ist. Alles schön unter dem Deckmäntelchen, dass er sie braucht und sie ihn nicht verlassen darf (!), weil er sich sonst selbst zerstört.
Und das macht er ja nur, weil er soooo eine scheiß Vergangenheit hat und sich für alles die Schuld gibt.
Immer wieder kontrolliert und manipuliert er sie. Er versteckt sogar ihre Anti Baby Pille (Gaslighting! Ava zweifelt zwischendurch an sich) und schläft dann ungeschützt mit ihr, obwohl Ava keine Kinder mit ihm will, da er eine Kontroll-Katastrophe ist und rastet dann halb aus, wenn er erfährt, dass sie darüber nachgedacht hat, das Kind abzutreiben.
Ich konnte zwischendurch echt nur noch entsetzt lachen, so schlecht war diese Reihe.
Lasst die Finger davon. Das Leben ist zu kurz für beschissene Bücher!
PS: Band 4 habe ich nicht gelesen. Innerhalb dieser Reihe hat Ava bestimmt 3 Autounfälle und im 4. Band hat sie schon wieder einen und verliert ihr Gedächtnis? Also muss Jesse sie erneut erobern? Ehhh no thank you. Den Teil werde ich mir nicht antun.
October 7, 2020
I enjoyed this series a lot. Ava and Jesse is an adorable couple who goes through a lot but still manages to find their Happy ending. However, some things that prevented this to go into my rereading wow-pile was ...
a) controlling man (Jesse wasn't possessive, he was totally controlling..to the point that he didn't even want to give Ava the choice to decide for a baby for herself by getting rid of her birth control) I strongly hate controlling men!!
b) dub-con ( yess, this series did have some serious dub-con scenes. I have no problem with them as long as they don't appear in contemporary romance which is supposed to be consensual ; it's usually a dark romance genre thing)
Simply said, I wouldn't want a man like Jesse in my life if he was the last person on Earth, thank you very much.
However, I wholly enjoyed the last book which follows a storyline about Ava's accident. It was heartbreaking and so so sweet. Love both the kids x
a) controlling man (Jesse wasn't possessive, he was totally controlling..to the point that he didn't even want to give Ava the choice to decide for a baby for herself by getting rid of her birth control) I strongly hate controlling men!!
b) dub-con ( yess, this series did have some serious dub-con scenes. I have no problem with them as long as they don't appear in contemporary romance which is supposed to be consensual ; it's usually a dark romance genre thing)
Simply said, I wouldn't want a man like Jesse in my life if he was the last person on Earth, thank you very much.
However, I wholly enjoyed the last book which follows a storyline about Ava's accident. It was heartbreaking and so so sweet. Love both the kids x
April 26, 2025
Passion
A great love story containing passion jealousy love betrayal and best of all the deep love of one man who finds the love of his life and his true soulmate.the whole collection in this series tells you the whole story of the Ward family .fantastic read.
A great love story containing passion jealousy love betrayal and best of all the deep love of one man who finds the love of his life and his true soulmate.the whole collection in this series tells you the whole story of the Ward family .fantastic read.
February 11, 2023
Jesse ward mi marido 🛐🛐
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 24, 2023
La historia habría fluido mucho mejor si la autora le hubiera agregado madurez y sentido común a los protagonistas.
November 2, 2023
Love it, love it, love it!
August 20, 2024
What in the 1950s gaslighlighting abusive hell. I made it 30% of the way. Just don't.
October 20, 2025
Beautiful!
I would highly recommend this series to everyone.
A happy, sad and absolutely fantastic read.
Laughing one minute and cringing the next.
Brilliant
I would highly recommend this series to everyone.
A happy, sad and absolutely fantastic read.
Laughing one minute and cringing the next.
Brilliant
November 4, 2025
Amazing book series
Absolutely loved this book series about ava and Jesse I couldn't put it down the chemisty and love between them was beautiful.
Absolutely loved this book series about ava and Jesse I couldn't put it down the chemisty and love between them was beautiful.
January 16, 2026
this book was amazing from start to finish. didnt want to put it down. so many twists and turns it kept you on your toes.
October 29, 2021
Amazing
Wow i was recommended this book by a colleague, so glad I decided to read it. The story of Ava and Jesse and the rollercoaster of their relationship. I will not spoil it by giving a plot line. You will love this story.
Wow i was recommended this book by a colleague, so glad I decided to read it. The story of Ava and Jesse and the rollercoaster of their relationship. I will not spoil it by giving a plot line. You will love this story.
November 6, 2019
Beautiful series, sensual and sweet
December 31, 2022
One word epic
February 9, 2024
I absolutely adore this series. It's one of my favorite series ever, minus the last book from Jesse's perspective.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews