A review by bookbae96
A Mess of a Man by A.M. Hargrove, Terri E. Laine

5.0

Ben Rhoades seems to have it all. Sexy, smart, and successful, he's well-known around Charleston for his reputation as a womanizing manwhore. When a chance encounter brings event planner Samantha Calhoun into his orbit, Ben is immediately smitten, and will stop at nothing to get to know her. Samantha has been burned by love before. She's intrigued by Ben, but is more a forever than for the moment kind of woman. Will her love be enough to show this mess of a man what is most important in this life?

Authors A.M. Hargrove and Terri E. Laine first introduced readers to Ben Rhoades in CRUEL AND BEAUTIFUL, as the best friend to tragic hero Drew McKnight. In A MESS OF A MAN, we see a different Ben, one that has suffered great loss, and is living something of a half-life as a result. Still dealing with the grief of losing his best friend, Ben is determined that he will never open himself up to any kind of deeper emotion, opting instead for shallow encounters and avoiding commitment.

Having thoroughly enjoyed the authors' writing style in their first book, I was really looking forward to reading Ben's story. Although very different from CRUEL AND BEAUTIFUL, this book is no less engaging. A.M. and Terri have crafted a story of redemption, of self-discovery, and of the opportunity to choose love, even when love has caused much pain in the past. I really like that the emotion that has shaped Ben's character in this book is not necessarily a romantic love, but is extremely powerful nonetheless. Seeing him overcome his demons and go past his comfort zone makes for a very emotional and uplifting read. All of the characters here, from Ben and Sam, to Sam's family and girl posse, as well as Ben's family, are interesting, and really help make the story what it is. Once I began reading, it was difficult to put this book aside, because I was invested in seeing whether Ben would rise to his potential or remain stuck in the life that he had created. I also really appreciated Sam's storyline, as it is very timely, and really is a catalyst for the way that things finally play out between her and Ben.

I highly recommend A MESS OF A MAN. It's a solid 4.5-star read, and another success for the authors. I look forward to reading more from them in the future.

***ARC generously provided for an honest review.***