In Jesse, the second of the New York’s Finest series from author Christopher Harlan, Jesse McMann and Haddie O’Neil meet again in the most unlikely of coincidences. After a chance encounter reignites their attraction from last year, their lives quickly become intertwined in ways that neither could have expected when they first met.Haddie is a woman starting over. After a failed business and a … business and a series of poor relationships pushed her from California to New York, she’s now rebuilding her life in Queens. A year after surviving a near fatal encounter, she takes a job working at a shelter for at-risk teens, not realizing the danger she may be putting herself in. Her one regret? Not making something meaningful happen with Jesse when she had the chance.
Enter Detective Jesse McMann: Calem Walter’s former partner, Jesse is dealing with the lingering impacts of PTSD from his experience in the military, while simultaneously doing some of the hardest work of his career. Transferred to the Queens gang unit from Manhattan homicide, he may have encountered a group of criminals more extreme than he is. Can he overcome the ruthless danger posed by the gangs? Will Haddie and Jesse finally come together after events seem positioned to keep them apart?
A Happily Ever After (HEA) contemporary romance series with each book set in a different borough, the New York’s Finest series follows the interconnected lives and loves of five NYPD officers. The events of book 2 take place in Queens. Book 3, Quinn, will be set in Brooklyn.
more
Jesse is the 2nd book in the (New York City’s Finest Series) by Christopher Harlan and is a second chance romance novel. It is the story of Jesse McMann, who is a NYC police detective who has recently transferred to Queens to work with the gangs unit, after working in Manhattan as a homicide detective for many years. Before becoming a NYC police officer Jesse served three tours in Afghanistan, and sees a psychologist to deal with the resulting PTSD. One evening when Jesse is alone and visiting a bar in the Flushing neighborhood that he and his police detective buddies sometimes frequent together after work, he recognizes the voice of a female that he is quite happy to hear come up and speak to him. It turns out that this voice belongs to Haddie O’Neal, who is the best friend and the former roommate of his former partner, Calem’s fiancee. Haddie and Jesse were supposed to go on a date when he worked in Manhattan, but he was shot by a serial rapist who had appeared at Haddie’s door the night that they were to go out on their first date. They had lost touch shortly after that even though they had both had been very attracted to one another.
It turns out that Haddie has recently moved to Queens, too, and taken a job at a shelter in the Flushing neighborhood where she now works with teenage students who are at-risk. The shelter is in a very dangerous neighborhood with a lot of the kids there being pressured to join gangs. Haddie is not deterred because she really wants to help these kids; it turns out that she had been a troubled teen who had deeply benefited from the help of an adult who recognized that she needed some help when she was in the 10th grade. Haddie had been able to graduate with a high enough GPA to get into Cornell with a scholarship because of this help, and wanted to pay it forward. When Haddie runs into Jesse at the bar it was right after she had accepted the job at the shelter, and had gone there alone to have a drink to celebrate. After she recognizes Jesse and speaks to him, they end up going to a wine bar and spending the rest of the evening together talking, agreeing to go on a date together a week later. Can Haddie and Jesse get a second chance at romance after this unexpected encounter?
I really enjoyed this book by Christopher Harlan. He writes wonderful characters, and is extremely knowledgeable concerning the subject matter of police work, and working with at-risk teens, which makes the book very interesting. I highly recommend this book!
This is the second book in this series and i really enjoyed it! With action, real life issues and steam, this book is a great addition to this series!
Jesse McCann is a war veteran and former Manhattan Homicide detective who is now working as an investigator with the Queens gang unit. One could say that” serve and protect” accurately describes Jesse’s personality and his work ethic. He has a strong sense of responsibility which extends to his family, friends, and the people of Queens. Community policing is very important to him and he is dedicated to putting an end to gang violence in the neighborhoods he is protecting. His life would be perfect if he had someone to share it with and he knows who he wants it to be. He met Haddie last year and he was immediately attracted to her. On the night of their first date, Jesse was shot by the Manhattan rapist, who had also attacked Haddie. She nursed Jesse back to health, but then they went their separate ways. He has thought and dreamt about her this past year and he desperately wants and needs to see her again.
Haddie O’Neil is also living in Queens, where she has a new job as a counselor for an at-risk youth center. She is looking forward to helping the kids and hopes to make a difference in their lives. Jesse saved her life last year, and she didn’t think twice about taking care of him until he could go back to work. She would always regret that they never got to go on their first date. It just wasn’t the right time for them to be together. Haddie knows that Jesse is working in Queens and she hopes that somehow their paths will cross.
One night after work, Jesse decided to go out for a beer. He was sitting at the bar, when he turned around and saw Haddie. She was just as beautiful as he remembered, with her sexy smile and sparkling eyes. He had wanted Haddie since last year and he wouldn’t let her get away again.
Will Jesse and Haddie finally go on their first date and will it be worth the wait? Will Haddie be able to deal with the pressures of Jesse’s job or will his past come between them? Can they work together to keep the kids at the youth center safe?
“Jesse” by Christopher Harlan is the second book in his New York City’s Finest Series and it was amazing. Jesse and Haddie’s road to happiness was filled with self reflection and personal growth. Jesse and Haddie were always meant to be together and this was the perfect ending to their journey. I really love this series and I am looking forward to the next book, “Quinn” , which takes place in Brooklyn.