A Mess of A Man
A.M. Hargrove & Terri E. Laine
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publication Date: March 21, 2016

From USA TODAY BESTSELLING authors of Cruel and Beautiful, A.M. Hargrove and Terri E. Laine bring a new full-length standalone New Adult Contemporary Romance. This novel includes mature content, not suitable for younger readers. 

Womanizer, Man Whore, Player, Heartbreaker are all familiar names to Ben Rhoades. He prefers Money Man or Sex God, but he doesn’t let other people’s opinions rule him. And he’s only gotten worse without his compass, his best friend, whose devastating death at a young age has taught him a valuable lesson about not getting too close to anyone … ever. Until one smart and stubborn woman with eye-catching curves throws him for a loop and refuses to be tamed.

Samantha Calhoun has her life on track even after the shattering break-up with the guy she’d thought she’d wanted to marry. With her chin held high, she focuses on her career, building her business and making a success of it all. Only a chance meeting has her lost in a set of alluring steel gray eyes that have her steps faltering and her heart leaping out of her chest. Forewarned by not-so-flattering rumors plus his no-holds-bar rules, she tries desperately to play his game while guarding her heart.

Only they have no idea of the journey they’re about to undertake when their lives collide. Ultimately they’ll tackle the biggest test of their lives because she is his game changer. The one, who through the ensuing wreckage, can domesticate the mess of a man that he is.

I love this writing duo so much! When I read Cruel and Beautiful, I was stunned by the story and captivated by what happened. So naturally when I saw there was yet another book by these two, I was sold. The icing on the cake was that this book follows characters I first met in Cruel and Beautiful, expanding the world I fell into. What is the connection? This story follows the story of Ben Rhoades, Drew’s best friend, and give us insight to what happened after Drew was gone.

This book started off like any other man-whore contemporary story. We see Ben disconnected from relationships and doing whatever he wants to satisfy his needs. He is the epitome of a douche and he is closed off to anything more. The more you learn about him to more complex he becomes. Ben is broken, so very broken, from the loss of the person that meant the most to him. Decades of friendship that came to a grueling and abrupt end. The more you read about him, the more you understand his actions and his daily pain. The authors added depth to him, something I really appreciated.

Samantha is a brilliant female  lead in this book. She is spunky, kind, and above all, optimistic. Her dedication to her business is admirable and her love of friends and family is beautiful and endearing. She seems like Ben’s opposite in every way but when the sparks fly, they cannot deny it. I loved Samantha’s personality and how she was true to herself. She was strong and passionate. As you read, you understand she is struggling with something big but in the moment of reveal, you wonder how this could possibly play out in such a way that people are not hurt. Hargrove and Laine take something harsh and dive in deep. As with the first book, they do not shy away from the ugliness of the world. Instead they dive in deep and show the resilience and beauty that can still be found.

Things get messy, as they are bound to do in romantic type novels. The past rears its ugly head in many ways and there are somethings that cannot be easily forgiven. This story unfolds in dual POVs, allowing the reader to understand the full spectrum of thought and emotion both characters experience and feel. It allows the reader to understand Ben’s hesitations and sympathize with Samantha’s pain. The writing was brilliant and the overall story was well developed and emotional.

I am beyond excited to see what these two authors have coming next. A Mess of A Man is a wonderful story of life, love, second chances, and hope in the midst of hurt. Ben and Samantha are brilliant and I am ready for more!

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