There are things that women want, and things that women need.I know deep down, with every fiber in my body, that I need Mr. Ward.He started out as my landscape designer, but became so much more.Now, my life is on the line while living with the devil himself. I have been torn down and broken, and I don’t think I can take anymore.The man I need was never the one I married.No, the man I need is the … married.
No, the man I need is the one I was never supposed to have. He’s the one who showed me gentleness, kindness, and true love.
Ward would put up a fight for me at any cost.
I know for a fact, I could be so much happier with him…
But when I come face-to-face with reality, I’m not sure if I’m brave enough to risk it all for someone I’ve just met, even if it seems like Mr. Ward and I are a match made in heaven.
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This Story was Balls to the Wall from Book 1 until the end of Book 2.
Shanora has a way of taking her readers right to the edge, and leaving them hanging, before she completes the fall into EPIC EUPHORIA!!
Her stories always hold an underline message, that makes a needed connection to whoever is seeking solace! Her words keep you coming back for more, the best type of therapy…..
Gabrielle’s strength was tested… her boundaries push… But she fought like heck to save her soul from total destruction. She found a LOVE worth fighting for….
Will Marcel be the man she needs….
Will he be her savior….
Can Gabby open up to the man the stole her heart…. and made her feel whole again…..
Find out in the EPIC conclusion of a LOVE Fought Hard For….
I can easily give The Man I Need…. 5 Stars…. Worth Every Single Word….
Shanora please keeping writing the words that put our BROKEN back together….
The Man I Need….
GO.ONE.CLICK.RIGHT.NOW.IF.YOU.HAVEN’T.READ.THIS.DUO.YET!!
HOLY Crap…This Duo blew me away!!
It Was AMAZEBALLS!!!
I know I am pretty much writing the same thing I wrote in The Man I can’t Have-book 1..but Y’all, I am sooo in love with this DUO, it’s worth repeating!!!
Gahhh Shanora Williams…*Stands up and Claps my hands* Great job girlie!!!
Another 5 OUTSTANDING STARS Y’ALL!!!
Once again Shanora had blown me away. This book was an amazing and satisfying conclusion to Gabby and Marcel’s story.
I really loved the fact that instead of needing the man to fight her battles for her, Gabby stood up to her abuser and stuck it to him. She didn’t need other people to fight for her, but she did use their strength to help boost her self confidence and learn that she could stand on her own two feet.
I loved how Marcel stood beside her and offered his strength and didn’t get all alpha and try to take over. It proceed to me that he really does love Gabby and knows the strength she holds inside.
I also loved how all of the questions are answered and that even though some of her family did get wing, Gabby learned to forgive and trust in the Lord of her family.
Being a victim of abuse myself I know the trials and self doubt one can go through, never give up, keep fighting, you are strong enough on your own, but use the support that is given to you to reinforce your mind, body and soul.
The first book I read by Shanora Williams was book one of the Ward Duet, The Man I Can’t Have, but as an author, Shanora has been on my radar for some time. As a matter of fact, I own many of her previously published works. Unfortunately, I have a crazy work and blogging schedule and there simply isn’t enough time in the day to read all the books I want to. But one thing I can promise you after finishing the conclusion to the Ward Duet, The Man I Need, is that that will be changing!!! I will be reading anything I can possibly get my hands on by the author in the future.
For a number of reasons, I found the Ward Duet to be absolutely outstanding. While I will be keeping this review sparse in details to preserve the integrity of the story for readers, it’s important for me to touch on how beautiful I found the duet and how much I anticipate reading her work in the future. Shanora crafted a duet that offered many of the things I love in a romance: sizzle, angst, characters who offer complexity and a story that is predominately unpredictable. Gabby and Ward are drawn to one another from the moment they meet and yet, it’s not meant to be because Gabby is married. Regardless, the relationship between the pair grows beyond what is approved of and becomes taboo by societal standards. Yet, I found the story intriguing and Ward too hot to be denied… at least that’s my story and why I am choosing to make an exception on the affair that takes places between the pair. As I read the conclusion to the duet, The Man I Need, I found clarity to the storyline that I desperately needed to understand Gabby and a new depth to Ward—who I never had a hard time liking. If you like taboo relationships, intense sizzle, and connection between the hero and heroine, stories written in dual POV by authors who know how to write angst and leave you with cliffhangers worthy of chucking your kindles, then get your hands on Shanora Williams ASAP! All of those and more gave me a story that as a whole was beautiful and unputdownable! The books are sinfully hot, well written and a perfect introduction to the author in my humble opinion. Definitely five-star worthy. I wholeheartedly recommend this duet and now that it’s available for all to consume start to finish, there was never a better time for anyone who’s not had the please of reading Shanora Williams grab it and get to reading!
4,5
Gabby & Marcel’s story was enchanted me. The love between them is magical for a lifetime. We can easy to read the story and it was captivating. We can read the story in the present time and from Gabby & Marcel’s POV. I like that the whole time they were persistent and they despite the problems standing next to each other. However, like it was missing something. The first book was much more emotional. I felt like pulling and pulling it to me. It is missed here. I loved it, but I still not felt the same.
Shanora always manages to write some amazing books!
Mr Ward is everything a man should be. Taking care of his woman concerned about everything and helping her when it is needed.
After the ending of book one is was scared to read this book, I had no idea where we were going to be taken.
Read them! You will not be disappointed.
I couldn’t wait to finish Marcel and Gabby’s story, and I was not disappointed! This story ties all of the loose ends, gives us the feels, and gives her justice. I wish I could explain how much this story got to me, but it would give away too much! This duet was amazing! Believe me when I say you don’t want miss this story!
“And now, here I am, left with a woman’s fractured soul— a fractured soul that I pray I can help heal.”
After reading The Man I Can’t Have (Ward #1) (Ward Duet) , I immediately knew I needed to read this to get to their conclusion. If you haven’t read it yet, you don’t need to proceed with this review or with this book.
“I don’t give a fuck if I’m in jail for the rest of my life,” I rasp. “Destroyin’ you and settin’ her free will be well worth it. Trust me when I say that as soon as she reaches out to me and is ready to leave your sorry ass, I’ll be right fuckin’ here.”
Told in dual POV, the epic conclusion to the Ward duet is an emotional rollercoaster of a story. Book 1 will always be my favorite because of the intensity of the build up between Marcel and Gabby, but to I also have to appreciate the aftermath of everything and that is where this book comes in. Its raw and hard to stomach at times. Its depressing in others. But through it all, there is a beacon of hope that both Gabby and Marcel as well as the reader get to hold onto….that everything will be okay. You will not finish this without a very satisfying ending so I promise the hard times are worth it.
“I’ve got you, little thing. You’re safe with me.”
Because this story deals with domestic abuse, please proceed with caution. It will take you back to past abuse as well as current events that are hard to stomach. There is physical and emotional abuse as well as manipulation and rape. But without the awful the story wouldn’t be what it is–the author does a beautiful job covering very sensitive topics without attempting to use them to up the drama factor….as a survivor of domestic abuse (some of the very same things detailed in this book), I can honestly say she was able to convey it in a way that felt authentic and also respectful to those who have real life experiences with it.
“They never change. They just space it out, waiting for the abused to forgive them, and for another opportunity to strike.”
“It’s hard adjustin’ to what’s right after dealin’ with somethin’ so wrong. Give it time. You did the right thing by walkin’ away, trust me.”
Picking up directly where book 1 left us, we come face to face with what was hinted to all along….Gabby is married to a monster. Unable to hide the proof of his abuse this time, she vows to find a way out. But Kyle has other plans, plans that don’t include allowing her to contact anyone much less leave. Attempting one escape with Marcel already, she learns that Kyle holds to power to ruin more than just her life if she succeeds in getting out.
“And you are a sad, worthless excuse for a man. In fact, you aren’t a man. You’re a spoiled little boy who hates when he can’t have his way.”
One traumatic event leads Gabby to turn to the one man she knows can save her…..but will he want to deal with her now that he knows the truth? Can he possibly feel deep enough for her to stand by her side in the battle of her life? Or will she lose the man she was really never supposed to have due to picking the wrong man first?
“You’re too precious to hurt, Gabby.” He lifts one of my legs, thrusting even deeper. I cry out in bliss and pleasure, arching my back. “You are fuckin’ gold. You’re perfect.”
Gabby isn’t the only one with baggage, and soon Marcel’s will be revealed as well. Will it be too much for Gabby to handle or will it be untold secrets that pull them apart? And will Gabby be able to truly set herself free from Kyle before its too late? This story does end with a HEA (time jumps 2-3 times so we get extended peeks) but not before witnessing the terrifying battle Gabby must fight to finally get her chance to have the man and life she deserves.
“She stormed into my life and swept me right off my feet. Sounds cheesy as hell, but it’s true, and it’s the only way I can describe what she did to me. This woman changed my life for the better.”
Let me start by saying that I recognized the signs of abuse with Gabby pretty early on. Maybe its having been through it myself, but I understood some of her mannerisms and her habit of taking up for her husband for what they were…..it was terror. You may think she doesnt have a backbone, that shes foolish or naive for sticking it out. Maybe even fueled by money….but in this book she won me over a lot more than she did in book 1 simply because I understood her. Shanora did an amazing job at developing Gabby as an authentic feeling survivor. From her questioning herself, to thinking about how other people could be hurt, and even to her fear–its all so emotionally charged, even in the small moments that seem insignificant. I was so happy she was able to stand up and reclaim happiness.
“If it weren’t for Marcel, I never would have walked away— never would have known this was out there, waiting for me.”
Marcel is the hero of this story. I mean he is truly a good guy in a genre that is normally overflowing with anti-hero or alpha assholes. Shanora truly created a good dude without him being boring…..trust me, he has some very interesting baggage that you won’t see coming. The way he protects Gabby, cares for her, and geniunely takes on her fight as his own…..I mean he is a freaking dream. Definitely book boyfriend material times ten!
“To many, it may seem like I came in the way of Gabby’s marriage, but the truth is, I saved her from that terrible matrimony.”
I loved that the author allowed these two to build up to where they are in book 2…..its not some insta-love thing and its not just a physical attraction. Whatever it was, they saw through all the bullshit and found their soulmate in each other. Was it an unconventional start? Hell yes. A little too soon? Perhaps….but this book also shows that you cant help how or when you fall in love. You either accept it and go with it or you let the opportunity pass you by. And if you think these two don’t pick up where they left off sexually? Well lets just say the intensity isn’t lacking in that department either. Gabby and Marcel will be a fav couple of mine for a long time, they are special!
“Make me forget,” I breathe. “Please. I want to forget it.”
If you loved The Man I Can’t Have, this will be a satifying conclusion to that slow burn romance. Every question and suspicion will be answered and Shanora will leave you with the epilogue that these two definitely deserves. In fact, she earned herself a fan in me.
Without any of this, I am only half a man. I love my life. And I’m going to cherish every second of it for as long as I have left on this earth. That is my promise. This love story, although bumpy at first, is my truth, and I don’t regret a damn thing.
Emotional
I thought the first book put me through a lot, but this one gave me feels I didn’t even realise a book could pull out of me. It was so raw, emotional and heartbreaking. I honestly needed that happy ending after everything Gabby went through.
And… I’m more than a little bit in love with Marcel.
Thank you Shanora for such an amazing duet
Book 2 of the Ward Duet gave us our HEA! I fell in love with these characters in book 1, The Man I Can’t Have, and was excited to get their ending. I thoroughly loved their story, but felt book 2 lingered on a bit and the ending was stretched out. But I still loved this duet regardless!
The storyline touched on the sensitive subject of domestic abuse that made you feel the heroine’s pain. If you have triggers to this subject you may want go pass but the story was well written and very emotionally moving!
I absolutely loved this 2nd part to this duet. It helped to finish up the wonderful love story and duet to The Man I can’t have. Shora William is a great author and really brings this books home. She really explains and shows how hard it can be for a woman in an abusive marriage and that money is not everything. By Rebecca
Love can be complicated. Love can be a mess. Love can be bring all kinds of issues. It can turn nasty sometimes. It can turn hurtful. It can bleed. With all the hurt and pain, love can blossom beautifully. Love can heal all wounds. Love can mend a broken heart. Love shelters you. Love always and irrevocably be true. That is the true essence of The Man I Need. Love in all its shapes and forms. The Man I Need butchered my heart. The Man I Need took me through a journey of feels that shook me. My heart and soul sunk deeply in a heart melting and soulful book with an incredible story and amazing characters. Shanora Williams always 100% delivers. Whether, it is a taboo age gap romance or an emotional book, you know that you are getting a world class book.
The Man I Need is the final and beautiful continuation to the Ward Duet. With heart entrancing writing from the taboo queen, Shanora Williams, The Man I Need is an emotional web sticking into your heart. A soul paralyzing and deep story with powerful undertones. Man, this book really opened my heart. This book really tore out every string inside me. All the angst. All the pain. All the feels. Feels that cause an earthquake shift in your cells. Feels that made my heart ache. Feels with the power to brutalize every single part of me. Man, I was dealt an emotional blow. Empowering. Moving. The Man I Need is a stunning story of one woman’s strength. An emotionally consuming story one woman’s fight for freedom. It is real. It is honest. It is angsty. Shanora Williams wrote such a heart whelming, soul enriching and gripping story. The writing deep and heartfelt. The words sincere and echoing. I was entrapped.
Gabby and Marcel are one of my favourite Shanora Williams couples. Their chemistry so trusting and beautiful. I was swept away in their emotional ups and downs. Both have been through so much but they prevailed as a couple of strength. With every obstacle thrown at them, they had each other. That’s true and gorgeous love.
The Man I Need is everything you need in a book. A passionate story. Mesmerizing characters. Definitely a must read.
So, after that minor cliffhanger of the first book, I went straight ahead to read book 2, The Man I Need. And yes, it was EVERYTHING that I really NEED.
Thank goodness that I’ve found out about this book just before it’s final book release. Because I’m telling you, that cliffy really got me in a book hangover real bad.
Anyway, The Man I Need again from its title pretty much says a lot of this book. I am so happy that I finally got my answers, retribution (ha! Kyle!) while enjoying the slow, steady build of relationship between Gabby and Marcel.
We knew that their love story was unconventional. Yes, it was taboo. Yes, there was cheating. Do I like that? No, but who am I to judge? But what I liked about was that it stayed true to its story. This is real. This stuff happens. They have both proven that theirs wasn’t just a passing feeling or lust. It was more. There was a connection right from the start. I’d say it was meant to be; fated if you may. Maybe Marcel was sent to save Gabby, and he was what she needed as a push to get out of an abusive relationship. All I know is that whatever the reasons or circumstances, at the end of the day, love is still love.
There were a lot of moments here that I could identify with and I was choking with the emotions it has evoked in me. If I wasn’t in love already with Marcel’s character, I’d be more so in this book. He was patient, loving and supportive and exactly the kind of man that Gabby really needed at this time. I admired Gabby’s show of strength throughout this story. I loved that she stood up real soon and fight for her freedom.
All in all, this was a very emotional ride for me and has left a mark on me that I’m afraid will not go, even if I re-read this a hundred times. LOVED it.
5 Stars!!!
Stunning conclusion to this wonderful duet that captivates my attention from start to finish.
I cannot write how I was mesmerized by the characters in this story. Add to that is the complexity of the situation, the forbidden aspect and the attraction that makes this a very interesting read on my part that had reading till the wee hours in the morning.
I love that this story doesn’t evolve only in the lust area but also on the emotional part to create a well developed characters.
If cheating is not a trigger for you, I highly suggest you read this book!
This is book 2 of the Ward Duet and should be read in order.
ARC copy provided in exchange for an honest review.
Shanora Williams always surprises me with her books. The Man I Need was a good conclusion to an emotionally devastating story. It definitely felt like a well-rounded storyline with all the questions answered in this conclusion. This was a difficult series to read at times. TMIN deals with common problems in our society, domestic abuse. It makes you think about things differently, it made it all seem real… like people you may know.
Mrs. William’s writing is always descriptive and thorough. I loved Gabby in this story. I feel like she really grew into herself… she’s a strong woman that needed to be reminded of that. Marcel and Gabby have been put through the ringer so I was really rooting for them. Mrs. William’s delivers quite the emotional gut-wrenching story. It’s definitely high in drama and angst!!
I received an ARC of this book with the hope that I would leave an Unbiased Opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… my opinions.
Woowee, this was a wild ride. Firstly I was worried after reading the authors note at the start but I felt she did amazing when it came to the sensitive subject. Gabby was so strong through everything that happened that I can only applaud her for finally standing up and saving her self. She had an amazing support system and I loved each of those characters. The romance aspect while there, I didn’t feel it dominate the first half of the book. I have to say I was glad for that. It was about Gabby becoming her own person.
The suspense of what was going to happen kept me on the edge of my seat and without spoiling I’m so glad how things turned out. I’m going to say this author really made this couples HEA epic and was so glad about everything we got to see. It was beautiful and sweet and just amazing. Even if you are not a fan of cheating, this duet was beautifully done and you can’t help but love Marcel. I can’t wait to see what this author writes next. 5 stars #2OCCJD
When I started to read this book, I was a little apprehensive because the plot deals with domestic abuse. I was expecting a lot of hard scenes full of violence against a woman. To my delight, the book is about a journey. In the previous book, we see a Gabby who was unhappy in her marriage, but family and economic obligations kept her tied to her husband, Kyle. Kyle appears as a very controlling husband, selfish, arrogant and dominant in all things related to their lives. He used to travel a lot on business, so apart from unhappy, Gabby was also very lonely, since her parents and brother lived four hours away. No wonder when a hunky landscape architect comes and gives her a lot of attention, she falls for him.
They had an affair and when they come back from a stay away from home, they find Kyle home early from another business trip. This is when we get the huge surprise that Kyle gave Gabby a vicious beating and the book ends in that shocker cliffhanger.
In this book, there are some marital abuse scenes, but Gabby fights for her freedom. She gets the support of her family, best friend Teagan, Marcel her lover, her neighbor Meredith, and gets a great lawyer who will fight for her in the process. We see the process she goes through as she gains her physical freedom from the monster, then the process where she gets the emotional and legal freedom. This is a journey of growth and reconciliation with her family. There are secrets to be uncovered which hurt but also help in making Gabby stronger and resourceful.
Likewise, Marcel has some issues to resolve. He felt guilty for his sister’s death and felt he didn’t deserve love. However, meeting Gabby and having her love brings him to a new life and gives him new purpose. She fills the hole he had in his heart and although she wonders why he’s with her through all the hell they went through, it’s the love they had for each other (and don’t forget hot sex) that makes it easy to stay, help and support her.
What I liked about this book is that I didn’t see a downtrodden wife with non-existent self-esteem. I saw a spunky woman who didn’t hold back when dealing with the monster, and once she saw her freedom, she grabbed it and didn’t hesitate to make her escape. I loved it when she would show Kyle the middle finger as she told him off. She cried a lot, fought a lot, and laughed some but she survived and overcame. I wish all stories of domestic abuse ended in such a positive manner, full of hope and possibilities.
This duet by Ms. Williams was excellent. I love her style of writing. It’s not filled will fancy words and imagery like many authors do which, for me, is over the top and slows the story down. Ms. Williams does a phenomenal job telling an emotional tale that will make you laugh, swoon, and bawl your eyes out.
What began as a young married woman who is drawn to the sexy and charming Marcel Ward, a landscape architect building her dream backyard turned into so much more. Without giving spoilers, know that these books are filled with the unexpected and it will blow your mind.
This duet is not at all what you think it is, and the end of The Man I Need was so wonderful and beautiful. Shanora gave us the HEA we so desperately needed.
In this second installment TMIW/TMIN duet, it starts with a bang.. again very taboo and will push your limits, please read all warnings before beginning this duet, but so worth the ride. The author really knows how to write the hard parts of this story with the grit needed to make you feel and feel hard, but bring you back to fall in love with the a very hard topic and keep the love for these characters going without harsh judgement of such a scarring tragedy. Book two picks up in the thick of it, Kyle is brought to the light, his actions angers and fills you with hate, but how the process for recovery and development of Gabby and Marcel of a very tragic situation is beautifully written. Absolutely love how the author brought you out of this dark story line to the beautiful love story that is not traditional but still worth all the feels that bring it home for Gabby and Marcel. People need to push their limits on this one really is a beautiful love story in the end for those who may not think that they deserve it… beautiful!
The Man I Need is the conclusion to The Man I Can’t Have. This duet is amazing. Shanora has created a powerful and beautiful story about how one person can change your life. In The Man I Can’t Have, Gabby feels guilty for cheating on her abusive husband. Throughout The Man I Need she becomes stronger and fights for what she deserves. Marcel continues to be a man of his word and helps Gabby anyway he can. Gabby also learns things about Kyle’s, her soon to be ex, past.
Their relationship wasn’t supposed to happen, but Gabby and Marcel have a connection that couldn’t be denied. In The Man I Need, the relationship between them deepens. I Both these characters have their own inner struggles and through their love, those struggles become less of an issue.
***Warning: This book/series deals with domestic abuse, rape, and cheating. These could be triggers for some readers.***
I loved Gabby and Marcel. Their chemistry is hot and their understanding of each other makes their connection sweeter as their story progresses. Though I’m not a fan of cheating, Gabby’s affair leads to an incredible romance. As long as these abuse is not a trigger, I recommend this book/series. Shanora has written a duet that’s both emotional and steamy must read. I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.