[book-review] Jodie Ellen Malpas - The American (Unlawful Men #5)

The American...

I finished this book last night at 1am. I have been wanting to read this book since it was announced in The Rising. And now it is over with makes me incredibly happy because I absolutely adored it (even more than the last if that's possible) and also a wee bit sad because it is over. 

But let me start at the beginning.

I got the ARC on Monday night, too late to start so I didn't because stupid work *laughs* Then TUE something was happening that really got me down so no reading either, but when I stated this book on WED morning before work (dumb me) I immediately was captured in the first few sentences. 

"My love," he whispers, kissing my shoulder. "Forever."

All readers of her knew what this book will be about so there's no secret in that but let me give you the official blurb like I usually do in my posts...

Temptation has never been so dangerous.

A domineering force in Miami’s volatile criminal underworld, Brad Black is respected. Feared. His deadly accurate trigger finger and indestructible persona has earned him his intimidating reputation and, up until six months ago, hookers, drugs, and protecting the Black empire was the sum of his life’s purpose.

Until he saved her.

Wild, brave, and beautiful, Pearl Kennedy is Brad’s kryptonite. A distraction. A young distraction. But with enemies joining forces, coming at them with more force and less mercy than ever before, she’s also a deadly distraction. Focusing on the end game, finding and killing their enemies, has to remain his priority.

But Brad completely underestimates the power of his connection with Pearl.

And he can’t shake the niggling feeling that there’s more to her than meets the eye.

Pearl Kennedy was saved from the clutches of human traffickers by one of the world’s most notorious criminals—Brad Black. Since being taken back to his family’s mansion in Miami, she’s felt safe and protected, despite Brad’s cold, brusque, and confusing treatment. He should disgust her—he’s flaunted his hedonistic tastes unapologetically. But no matter how hard Pearl tries to fight it, she’s drawn to the lethal, handsome killer.

Yet she knows she’s living on borrowed time, and to succumb to the attraction would be to expose herself and her secrets.

And then it will be just a matter of who will kill her first.

The monsters from her past.

Or Brad Black.

OK who really was on their toes after reading THAT blurb? I do have to admit that I really was since Brad easily and effortlessly slipped into my heart as my absolutely favourite side-character of the first few books. The fucker... *grins* 
I love his rough persona, the jokes, the easy view on his life, but in this book, we see so much more of him than before. His thoughts, his pain, his past, him changing and falling in love...

I look at her. She looks at me. And for a moment, I'm lost, no longer dodging bullets and running for my life. Instead, I'm tumbling into a gaze so expressive. So hopeful. So fucking beautiful. Falling. Just staring.

We all know Brad as the womanizer of our three boys. The man who so easily falls to temptation if he sees a beautiful woman. The man who rents a hotel room and consumes drinks and cocaine to the brim, fucking around with whomever he pleases. And everyone thinks he's not capable to change, which I have to admit found a  tiny bit sad, but it suits the whole character of him. We see him as this rough hero who pulls a young girl away from human traffickers and saves her life. We see a rough and driven man who kills effortlessly and who loves to fuck beautiful woman and have fun partying. 

Soon we learn that there's more to him that meets the eye. We learn about his parents, his Uncle Carlo (give us a book about him? please Jodie???) and his relationship to our two main characters Danny and James and their girls. He can easily love, you will find out that much when you hear his thoughts on the girls and his cousin and The Enigma. He can easily be angry as well and unforgiving. But he also cannot suppress the chemistry of a certain beautiful young red-head and himself. Which leads us to our new Leading Lady, Pearl Kennedy. I absolutely adore her. She's fierce, afraid of her past, tempted to give in and be his, a bit naive maybe but not less lovable. By myself as a reader and by Brad.

The book starts with him saving Pearl from the traffickers. A scene we got to see from Danny's POV in The Rising. During the first few chapters - which are set a few months later after the ending of The Rising - we continuously see him struggle to turn away, to do the "right thing" because he knows he will hurt her, but things are never that easy, aren't they? Well things develop and yet he continues to be a dick to her which really pissed me off (yes I screamed at him reading this). 

We also have Danny's and Rose's POV in these books (sadly no James and Beau because their story wrapped up in the last book and yes, I still missed them), which are also entertaining like usual. Yes I shouted at Danny too because he's a stupid, clumsy fuck in this one but not less deadly and lovable than in the other books. 

What I continuously adored in these books since The Resurrection is their banter toward each other. May it be Danny towards James (best lines!) or Danny and Brad. And we definitely got more in this book. 

Like the ones before this made me laugh and cry and shout and swoon and fall in love and now I am sitting here, typing these lines with a massive book-hangover and a broken and yet happy heart because The Unlawful Men are over, but also because I am happy at how this book series ended. I also have to admit that - without having read all of JEM books yet - this is my favourite series of her so far and I do hope we get more like this in the future because her writing Mafia Romance just was the best decision she ever made! 

"Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful," I muse, "for beauty is God's handwriting."

 

This book didn't only get us some of the best lines yet and thoughts, but also gave us more of earlier characters and the storyline. By the end of The Rising, we have Danny being an idiot and failing to kill Sandy. Well Sandy will make an appearance, along with Higham, The Mexicans, Nolan, Leon, the Vikings, more of The Kid and some new characters.

The plot in this one was fucking thick (like in The Rising before) and holy hell, I did not only have one moment where I thought "holy cow, she's kidding isn't she? wtf??!" so trust me you're in for a wild ride when reading the last installment of The Unlawful Men series. Yet it all perfectly wrapped up in the end and I couldn't be happier - I have to mention that again - about how things happen. I was quite shocked at the ending because we get another shot out scene in the boatyard I can tell you that one. But what made me absolutely happy was who is the better shot in this one *wink* THANK YOU for writing it like this! Also the heartbreak in this one... Ouch! But hell yes! 

Character envelopment at it finest was definitely Brad in this one. Like James and Danny before, he falls in love and changes for the woman who brings him to his knees. Who frustrates him and also makes him incredibly happy and peaceful. We see their relationship develope as soon as they both "give in" and stop being unreasonable idiots about not trying. The predjudices against them are strong in this one tho and my heart broke various times seeing the boys tell him off without even knowing they were a thing. 

Now let me tell you about the spice in this one. *giggles* On point! We get steamy and hot angry sex with Danny and Rose (like usually they fight a lot in this one because they are both unreasonable in love and worried) and we get slow and tender with Brad and Pearl. Something you wouldn't have expected if you knew him from earlier scenes but God I think it was perfect like this! A stark contrast to who Brad is as a character. A contrast to what we know of him and see him change.

"I promise I'll handle it delicately." I'll use a shotgun instead of a rocket launcher.

 

I don't want to spoil anything of the plot or scenes so I'll shut up now. But believe that this book gave me ALL the emotions again. 

We get happy moments with the girls. Boy moments when the three of them are having fun. Angsty moments when shit is going down. Spicy moments (looks at Brad accusingly because he shouldn't throw those lines around like this). Moments with the girls teasing their men and drive them insane. Moments when we see Danny as a fantastic dad who is utterly in love with his children and especially the newest addition to the family, his daughter. We get moments that make you cry (especially in the end) and we get moments that make you laugh (a lot of them actually). We get moments where your heart melts because it's a touching scene and we get moments where the bad guys are just a pain in the ass but you still love the plot.

So this is The American wrapped up in a nutshell. 

Fierce.

Steamy.

Protective.

Swoony.

Characters developement. 

Plot!

Go girls!

And utterly fucking brilliant! 

I actually cried last night finishing the book and I do cry now because it makes me so incredibly happy. Also one last thing, Jodie once more made a playlist and go listen to it! It's got amazing songs on it. Spotify.

All in all The American was a solid 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and yes I won't change my mind even if I re-read it another day. 

If you love dark romances, mafia romances, a swoony brooding hero, girl-power and a good laugh, cry of a lot of "wtf"-moments, this is the series and book for you. 

Here are links to JEM's website with all the books and the links to buy The American: https://jodiellenmalpas.co.uk/books/the-american/

"The day you need me to tell you I love you is the day I stop showing you well enough."

You're still here? C'mon fuck off and read The American now. I know you want it. *winks*