All I Am by Jodi Ellen Malpas is here!!

This is Drew’s novella <– remember him, the one who got into Coral’s clutches?!!! ( shudders)…

This novella was fun and super hot. A short read that will leave you satisfied and super happy as you catch up with the “manor gang”.

If you loved Jesse and Ava this is a must read for you. Not only do we get a totally new story about Drew but we also get delightful sneak peeks into some of our forever favorite characters lives as the book unfolds.

Drew was kind of the mysterious friend in the This Man Trilogy—we learned some stuff about him but never enough. After being burned by that twat, Coral, he is not looking for love or even relationships. He is fulfilled as a dad and a successful business man. Fucking with no attachments is a way of life for him. He is content and satisfied till Raya enters his life.

It begins as a regular scene at their club, no feelings—just getting off, but something is different this time around and Drew is faced with the reality of maybe needing more than what he has.

“I can see nothing, feel nothing, sense nothing, except her. Rules vanish. Sense abandons me. Questions vanish. Craving controls me.”

Loved the banter between Drew, Jesse and Sam. Their bromance will give you lots of laugh out loud moments as Drew navigates his emotions and feelings in this new novella by the super talented Jodi Ellen Malpas!!

First things first. So… I have a confession to make. Ready? Okay … *inhales deeply* ALL I AM was the first time I ever met Jesse. Should I feel bad? Probably. Does it soften the blow that I have all three paperbacks waiting on my shelf…? I don’t think so. Yeah, call me weird, but I have an incredible talent to hoard paperbacks of books / series I know I will love without ever having read them. You can only read a book once for the first time, right? And that’s why this crazy bookworm is procrastinating…

It does make sense to read the other books first, because now I know so much that happened previously and deprave myself of the WTF-effect of those moments – but other than that this story can stand completely alone.

With that out of the way, I loved Drew’s story, no, I devoured it. Drew is pushing forty and is doting on his gorgeous daughter Georgia four days a week. Apart from that, he still enjoys his status as bachelor and the no-strings-attached sex that his visits to a club called Hux provides. That is, until the owner pairs him with a newbie who specifically asks for a filthy, cold and emotionless f++k. A perfect match for Drew. Now why this woman, Raya, of all people should trigger more than his c++k, is absolutely beyond Drew. But as soon as he sees Raya, he knows he won’t be able to stay away from her. Suddenly he discovers that he can develop feelings that encompass more than his infinite love for his daughter…

Of course Jesse appears in this story as well, and the banter and laughter between these best friends is just hilarious! And both Jesse and Sam, both happily married, know exactly what Drew is missing – and Jesse is convinced that what Drew is now experiencing – the strong desire to crawl under this woman’s skin, to uncover all her secrets and mysteries, to hold her and never let go – can only mean one thing: He has finally found the one and is crazy in love…

I personally am not a fan of novellas, because they usually leave me with the feeling of missing something, as if the story were incomplete. And though I absolutely wouldn’t have minded it being longer – apart from the really, realllly hot sex I loved seeing Drew as the doting father for his daughter – it did not feel like it was cut short. It had everything: Emotion, passion, tension, banter, miscommunication, laughter and love.

…as for me, it looks like I need to pull those books off my shelf and finally reading about Jesse and Ava – the glimpses I got here only confirm what I already knew / feared: That this series is terribly addictive!

4.5 Stars
I absolutely loved this series and this novella was perfect! Jodi Ellen Malpas had a way with words and telling a story. Talk about angst and steam, this book had it all.

Both our main characters want an emotionless sexual relationship. Drew and Reya both have their reasons why they don't want relationships with emotions.

This story took me back to when I first fell in love with this series. I love Drew and loved him even more in this story.

4 Chain my Heart CROWNS

Jodi Ellen Mapas has delivered a novella that follows a man balancing two separate worlds, sex club and home life and bachelor and daddy. When his worlds collide, he struggles to find a new balance, but his struggle is one filled with emotion and a ton of self-realization.

Drew is a man who showcases no emotion. He likes to have sex, and sex alone, which is what draws him to Hux. Although he is devoid of emotion with what should be an intimate act, readers will love him because of who he is outside of the club. When they get to see him with his friends and Georgia, they get to see a real man. Plus, when he finally gets hit with feelings, readers get to see him fall, and does Raya make his trip a swirl of emotions. She is worth it, though, and she encapsulates all the attributes he needs in a woman to fill what he needs in all avenues of his life, helping him to find that balance, proving that, yet again, finding that one person out there who gets you and your desires is possible and makes life that much better.

I love these secondary characters. Not having read any books in the series before this one, I can say that the author still gives readers enough glimpses of them to understand their stories and see the friendship between the three men. Plus, Georgia is the cutest, and her desire for adventure at the end of the novel is too sweet.

This novella is well paced for a believable romance. The meet is set up that immediately places them in each other's path, making their instant connection believable, and they way in which she continues to throw them together matches with their characterization. The fight between them to resist each other brings tension to the story, and it seems like everything possible in Drew's life is attempting to get in their way of happiness, only elevating the will they won't they get together tension. The anticipation doesn't let up until the end, where balance is finally found.

As I said before, I haven't read any of the books before this novella, and I didn't need to do so. Jodi Ellen Malpas does an amazing job giving readers the background they need without summarizing the past novels. Readers will still be able to invest in Drew's story and enjoy the journey. My only warning is that it will make you want to go back and read the previous stories because I know that I am intrigued by the previous couples.

Drew is almost forty years old with a seven-year-old daughter and he has never been in love. All of his friends have seemed to have found their “the one”, that is something Drew is not interested in. He loves his no-strings meetings with nameless women at the Hux sex club. It’s at this club where he receives a number of a woman named Raya who wants a sexy encounter without a commitment of more. This is just the type of woman he enjoys, so he doesn’t hesitate in giving her a call.

As soon as Drew meets up with Raya, he is instantly attracted to her. After their first night together, they both realize that there is some intense chemistry between them. One night definitely isn’t enough, however, they both still don’t want anything permanent but they agree to hook up for just a little bit longer.

I loved this couple so much. I enjoyed getting to know Drew a little bit better and seeing his softer side whenever he interacted with his little girl, it was so darn heartwarming. I really liked the scorching chemistry between him and Raya as well. Despite this being a quick read, the pace in which things developed between them was really good to me. And of course, the steam was off the charts hot. Raya was really great as well. She had some things she kept hidden. It was really interesting to these two slowly let their walls come down. Overall, I really liked this read. In fact, it left me wanting a little bit more of these two. It also didn’t hurt that were able to have a few moments of Jesse in this book. Still, love that man.

“Jesus Christ, this woman could be my downfall. Could make me forget who I am. All I am.”

When Jodi Ellen Malpas announced that there was to be a This Man Novella, I could not contain my excitement and waited with baited breath and was not disappointed.
We first met Drew as a client of the Manor but also as Jesse and Sam’s friend. In This Man‘s trilogy, Drew was a reserve/private character. In All I Am , Drew loves two things more than anything: his daughter and Sex. His life is pretty well organised- a successful business, set days for custody of Georgia and visits to Hux when he fancies to release some steam.
“ I don’t trust women, and that shouldn’t be a surprise when the mother of my child used me to get pregnant so she could try to pass it off as another man’s. “

Jesse and Sam would like to see their friend settling but Drew could not disagree more. He doesn’t want the complications that being in a relationship entails. He wants sex, filthy sex with no strings attached, whenever he wants. Knowing what Drew is like, Cole, the owner of the club thinks that he has found Drew’s perfect match in Raya, a woman who is looking for emotionless sex and NOTHING more.

“ She wants cold and emotionless. You can’t get any more emotionless and detached than me.”

Drew is up for the challenge … until he meets Raya…

Reading about all the fabulous characters from the trilogy put a smile on my face. Jesse was giving relationship’s advice to Drew, come on, we all know what he is like.

“No one does crazy like you, My Lord. “

I loved him 8 years ago and I love him even more now. The relationship between Drew and his daughter was so endearing and their bond unbreakable. It made my heart melt several times!

All I Am is made of friendships moments, secrets and painful pasts. There's lots and lots of hot sex but there's also tenderness and all that yummy feelings that will just make your heart melt.


“You made me feel like the world began and ended with me. I didn’t want any of that. But I liked it.”

I was trampled by JEM’s words and once again, I want more. I would love to read Sam and Kate’s story (HINT HINT HINT)

Overall I devoured this novella and I highly recommended it as well as all of Jodi Ellen Malpas's work.

“If happiness was a chain, it would be platinum with solid hearts between every link and entwined around my swelling heart.”
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I'm so happy that we got Drew's novella and that we get to revisit this awesome group of kinky friends. It's not necessary to read the rest of the series before diving into this one, but it definitely enhances the experience if you're familiar with the characters and their proclivities.

This was only a novella so Drew and Raya's relationship bordered on instalove, but Jodi Ellen Malpas did a fantastic job of writing it so that I wholeheartedly believed the intense feelings from them. She fit an amazing amount of details and brought out all the right emotions in such a short story that I couldn't help but fall in love with it. It also doesn't hurt that it was incredibly HOT! Like, panty-melting hot!!

This is a definite must read for fans of this series and I would highly recommend it to readers who aren't sure if they want to commit to the series without getting a glimpse at what to expect.

I love it when an author allows her readers to revisit beloved characters after the passage of years and to see them subtly changed. And, frankly, how could I resist knowing it involved a very sexy single dad! I quickly re-read some passages of the This Man trilogy, though, because it’s been a while! All I Am is Drew’s story. He is Jesse’s best friend and the devoted single father of 7-year- old Georgia. She stays with him half the time, in shared custody, and he is good at dealing with Georgia’s scheming mother. His daughter is his biggest passion and his main focus.

Drew has no time to date and never gets attached, he is fine on his own, with his daughter. He doesn’t trust easily, he was deceived by Georgia’s mother. Hux is the place where he can relax and come to terms with his darkest and deepest desires. But he always keeps his life as a father separated from his one-night stands.

Raya is a newbie at the club. She is mysterious and temptation personified, she gets Drew hooked by being so intriguing and wanting a cold and emotionless tryst. Not to mention that their chemistry is off the charts. I could sense and feel the connection
between them. Because of her, he feels he is at a crossroads in his life. For the first time, he feels the need to step outside of his comfort zone. In that sense, Raya is his game changer. Neither of them wants to get attached, and yet they both deserve to achieve joy in their life and grab their chance at happiness.

The novella format doesn’t always allow for sufficient story and character development, and yet, in this case, it worked for me. Jodi Ellen Malpas’ writing is evocative, her fully fleshed out characters are established with quick strokes and they come across as likeable and genuine. I was fully invested in their story. And this author sure does know how to turn up the heat! 4.5 Stars
An advanced copy of this book was provided by the publisher, via NetGalley.

With a strong and engaging writing, Jodi brings the story of Drew, one of Jesse's best friends. He is a heartless, unemotional guy with no limits to give pleasure until he meets Raya, a young misterious woman who carries a lot of pain in her eyes and makes him feel things he never thought he could feel.

The couple meet at the Hux club and the chemistry between them is instant, palpable and explosive. They just can not stay together without touching each other and this will confuse the them a lot even more after Drew has no choice in presenting his father side.

Jesse and Sam have a strong involvement in the plot and bring a lot of dynamism to the story that has elements of intrigue and a surprising point of conflict. Too bad the book is short I wanted to see more of this couple and their interaction with the fun Georgia.
I really liked it and loved it , highlights for the cover and the title choice.
4/5 stars.
Kisses, Myl

4 stars.

“This woman could be my downfall. Could make me forget who I am. All I am.”


Up until I got an email saying that I was invited to read an arc of All I Am , I honestly had no idea that Drew was getting his own story. *goes and hides* But omg was I ever exited to read it! I mean, how can I not after getting a glimpse of him from Ava and Jesse's story.

For a novella, this was amazingly written and developed. The story really flowed well and I was so glad for everything that happened the way it did. And the fact that we got more Jesse? I can never turn that down.

“You’re pushing fifty, and the only reason you got out was because, by some miracle, you found a woman who could deal with your unreasonable arse.”
“I’m forty-six and I’m not unreasonable.” He nods, as if agreeing with himself. “I don’t know why everyone keeps harping on me like I’m some crazy ape man who has no reason.”
His bottle pauses midway to his lips when he clocks me and Sam staring at him with slightly agape mouths.


I fell in love with Drew's daughter and Raya was an amazing character. Now I do wish that the story was longer because this was totally not enough Drew for me. And I'm actually really happy that the next book that JEM is releasing is going to be Annie's story!

When we met Drew in This Man, he was the sidekick to Jessie and there was so much we didn't know about him but All I Am gives us a little more into Drew's world.

Drew has needs that only some can handle and but his desire is more than sex...it's family, it's love and it's something he sees between Jessie and Ava that he needs and never knew how bad he wants it. Georgia is his world and his little girl has his heart.

Raya is lost. She longs for nothing but little does she know the spark she has with Drew brings the fire inside that she doesn't want to extinguish. She lost someone who meant the world to her and she needs the get away, no strings, nothing but....

The fire between the two is so hot!! Drew has met the one person who can bring everything he needs to life and provide everything he's ever dreamed of. Is Drew's past the one thing that will take it all away? Can Drew and Raya only have a one timer and move on?

I enjoyed Drew's story and I keep reading the This Man Series constantly. The characters bring life to the book and this book and series is my all time favorite!!

5 Chained Stars

I really enjoyed reading All I Am: Drew’s Story. Visiting old friends is always fun! If you have read the This Man series by Jodi Ellen Malpas, this is Drew’s story, but we get to catch up with all our favorite characters from the series.

Drew Davies does not do relationships. After being burned by a woman in the worst way possible, he keeps them at bay. He lost his favorite club when his friend Jesse sold his, so now he frequents Hux, where he can fulfill all his needs with no feels. Even though his closest mates are happily partnered, he is determined to stay single and devote his life to the only love of his life, his daughter.

I loved how we saw Drew grow during this novella. He was bound and determined to avoid relationships at all costs. He lived two separate lives. The one where he was a devoted father and a good friend and the one where he enjoyed women and sex. He kept both lives separate. But as he inadvertently spent time with Raya, he finds himself drawn to her and wanting to know more.

Raya Rivers is hurting. After several unexpected blows, she wants to lose herself in coldness and no feelings. She has plans and only wants Drew to forget. But he gets under her skin and as much as she also tries to deny it, she is drawn to Drew. I really liked Raya. She was determined to steer clear of emotion, but she was also vulnerable.

When Drew and Raya connect, the impact of what they feel blows them away. But neither is ready for this, so they deny what they are feeling. They attempt to avoid each other and keep secrets of who they really are and what drives them to keep that distance they are determined to have.

For a novella, I feel very satisfied with Drew and Raya’s story. I loved the story, the characters and seeing some beloved characters. I loved how Drew fought for Raya once he realized what he was truly feeling. And Jesse and Sam giving Drew advice was laugh out loud worthy and sweet as well. Overall a great read.

4.5 Poison Apples

Drew is a father…a friend…a businessman…a man who loves to chain women up and fuck the ever loving hell out of them.

That is not all that he is…it’s just all that he’s willing to be for a variety of reasons.

Cold and controlled Drew soon finds himself wrapped up in chains and struggling to keep his wits about him when he meets a woman who wants him to get her off without emotions and without warmth, and even though it’s exactly the kind of kinky sex that gets Drew off, he finds himself redefining who he is and what he wants because just like Jesse and Sam, he’s going mad and can’t seem to stop it from happening.

I loved being back in Jesse and Ava’s world and the fact that Jesse and Sam are settled but still as wicked as ever is a testament to loving the right women. Drew has always been the mystery of the trio and I loved how all of the changes he goes through in the story are shown through his perspective, illustrating exactly who he is and why he keeps the two sides of his life completely separate.

Because Drew’s story is a novella, readers only get the start of his transformation, but because we were privy to all the ins and outs of Jesse and Ava’s tumultuous beginning as well as how they weathered the storm and became the power couple that they are, it’s clear that anyone who is as close to the Lord of the Manor as Drew is will find his way with who he’s become and all that he can be.

Take two people trying to avoid emotion and commitment and put them in a room together and what happens? This erotic and tantalizing tale.

Drew is avoiding emotion due to having his life full and happy with his daughter and work. A adorable daughter who is so spunky and sweet. He was burned by his daughter’s mom and that has him more wary. But his daughter is his world and he doesn’t want to complicate it.

Raya is avoiding emotion due to all that has happened in her world. She is trying to have no strings so she can go fulfill a dream. so she asks for a erotic evening with someone cold. And this is where Drew comes in. Although to me he isn’t a cold man. He has distanced himself to me in order to protect himself and his daughter. I think he is an amazing dad and very loving and kind. Raya is kind and loving as well but trying to hide her emotions.

So when they come together for one night of cold emotionless intimacy we get an explosion. Both feel things they don’t want to and are bowled over by the feelings. Drew is lost and trying to figure it out and Raya walks away. For Drew though the feelings take over and suddenly he is lost in where he stands on things. No longer wanting to just be emotionless but only wanting Raya.

things get messy when they meet up again but it is for business. These two can’t keep their hands off each other. The attraction is through the roof. Although Drew loves Raya he does fear telling her things. He doesn’t want to hurt his daughter if he lets Raya in his life so he takes it more warily. this does have an impact on them in the end though. And he has to go over the top with the help of friends and his precious little girl. That last adventure was hysterical. Watching Drew fall and his friends ribbing him was great.

A sexy fun story of a man who swears he will never fall falling in love with the girl who wants to forget. A story of acceptance and letting love in. On trust and respect where the main characters grow and find love and acceptance with one another and have a fun sexy journey to get there.

I was worried that I wasn’t going to remember Drew nor his connection to the This Man series, but Malpas treated All I Am as if nothing had come before it. With the perfect amount of new mixed with old, Drew’s story felt like exactly that: his story. Novella or not, there was a great completeness to his story.

Sexy, erotic, and mixed with a tangibly explosive magnetism, Malpas led us on a journey of a man, scorned by the ultimate breach in trust, from his detached sex life to finding a connection in a sea of nameless faces. It certainly didn’t feel like a short story but instead a densely-packed love story with a devoted single dad who, secretly, has a whole lot of love to give. Drew’s charm and presence drew me in, but it was the quiet and raw nature of Raya that kept me turning the pages.

Because All I Am was told strictly in Drew’s point-of-view, it lent a unique perspective on how this sort of instinctual-level connection can wreak havoc on a male’s mind. I think Malpas captured that very well, and it allowed Drew and our beloved Jesse & Sam to have this wonderful Bro Group, adding humor, fun, and a general good warmness to the story. It was a quick read, but a very good devour-able story.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review.  

Drew's story is a novella in regards to Jesse Ward's best friend that's mentioned in the This Man trilogy.  I absolutely loved the This Man trilogy and of course wanted to know more about Drew's story.  Jodi Ellen Malpas is the author of this series and she's absolutely fabulous.  Her writing will suck you right into the story.  

Drew is a single parent of an adorable little girl.  He keeps this part of his life locked up like Fort Knox.  One night he's introduced to a woman named Raya.  She's only looking for one night -- no strings attached, no emotion, just some action that could include a happy ending.  Drew's up for the challenge.  He's not looking for a relationship.  

Reading and 'watching' their story unfold is pretty entertaining.  I enjoyed reading their story.  Both of these characters are stubborn.  You'll be shaking your head most of the story.  Drew isn't neurotic like Jesse is so his ability to listen/understand/and react is a much easier process. HA!  Of course there's some understanding between the two characters.  There's also hot chemistry.  

I definitely would recommend reading this story.  It is not necessary to have read the This Man trilogy to understand this book.  However it's definitely better to understand where the men are coming from in their chatter.

***ARC Provided by Forever Yours via NetGalley***

4.5 Stars

I have not read all of the This Man books, although after this, I am going to go back and make sure that I do.

Drew and Raya meet as she is looking for someone who will be cold and emotionless who she can "play" with. And, Drew fits the bill. His life revolves around his daughter and after his ex, he is more than ok with a string of one night stands that are meaningless.

Until Raya. He feels with her in a way that he never has before. And, this not only scares Drew, but it intrigues and interests him. He realizes he wants her in his life but is genuinely unsure how to go about this, how to make it happen in a way that he is comfortable with.

Until he realizes that part of the thrill of falling in love is trading in the comfort of being free of emotions for the somewhat scary path in which you let yourself really feel something for another person.

This is a lot to fit into a novella, and Malpas does this incredibly well. I really enjoyed this book, and I thought the pacing and the flow were strong and that, as it is a novella you are not able to go into detail in all areas, but the author very skillfully chose the areas to delve into, and you are left feeling like you read a full length book. Which is impressive.

You can read this as a standalone, you do not need to read all of the novels in order to fully enjoy this, but there are a couple of scenes where I think reading the others in the series will enhance the emotion and the response of the other characters as they relate to what Drew is going through.

I definitely recommend this title, and I will be going back to read all of the series.

I was so surprised and excited to see Drew getting his own story! I loved the This Man series and couldn’t wait to dive in. I thought the story would only have Drew in it but was pleasantly surprised to get another small dose of the Lord of the Manor (or I guess ex-Lord) and Ava as well as Sam and Kate. Jesse is still as unreasonable as always and I loved getting a little piece of him here. It makes me want to read the series again…or maybe beg Ms. Malpas for a follow up story! I’d forgotten how much I love her writing but it was just as good here as it was in the first 3 books. She sucked me in from page one!

There isn’t too much here that would surprise anyone that’s read the series. Drew is still the kinky alpha male we loved in the first 3 books. He’s closed off emotionally and wants nothing to do with serious relationships thanks to Coral. Incidentally, she hasn’t changed a bit. When he meets Raya, she wants nothing to do with relationships either, preferring to have only sexual relationships at a club. Of course their sexual chemistry is OFF THE CHARTS but what surprises them both is their emotional chemistry is too.

This is a definite must read for fans of the series. If this is your first book in the series, go back now and start over.

Who out there that has read This Man trilogy was as excited as I was when Jodi announced she was releasing Drew's story? Jodi is the bomb! I am so happy that we get to revisit the characters from This Man and get introduced to a couple of new ones in Drew's world. I always liked Drew with the previous books.

Okay so I am going to go there for a minute. There was always a fun rumor going on that Drew had "The Piercing". Well you got to find that one out for yourself if he still has it with the Novella! We get to read about Drew's amazing daughter. She is 7 now! Technically the story starts about 8 years later. Drew always seemed dark and broody. He has his life style that quenches his needs. Remember Coral in the series. Well for her little stunt, she had scarred Drew from trusting another woman that is not within his circle of friends.

When Raya wants a night of raw and emotionless of fun, Drew is recommended. Drew thought this would be easy. He has done it for years. He was so wrong! These two can not keep their hands off each other. I was hoping Raya is what Drew needed to finally his guard down. But she seems to be running away from something. Drew senses it. I only hoped these two could heal each other. There is a lot of bumps on the road for these two, but I simply just adored them two and the little spunky girl that is just full of cuteness.

Mr. and Mrs. Ward come back along with Sam and Kate! I went all giddy when they came into the story. I love the "guy time". Sam is still the clown of the posse. Jesse has not changed and when he is arguing with Ava, it was like coming back home to these characters. I loved how Jesse talks to Drew about finding the one. The crazy it brings in your life. You definitely reflect back on the crazy if you have read the series. All I Am can be read as a stand alone. I would recommend to read This Man trilogy one day to get the full back story. All I Am is a sexy summer short read that you need on your Kindles! Drew is sexier than ever now that he is back!

As much as I've enjoyed other books by this author, this story didn't work for me at all. I found the story to be very predictable and pretty much had it all figured out before it ended. I had a hard time connecting to the characters and the story just didn't work for me at all.