Review: Lover Unbound (BDB 5)

Summary

Lover Unbound by J.R. Ward focus on one of the brothers that readers saw very little of in the previous books. Vishous, like several other brothers, has a curse he must live with. Vishous must be careful not to touch anyone he cares about with one of his hands, as doing so will most likely kill them. In this novel, Vishous finds out he inherited his curse from his mother, the Scribe Virgin. He also finds out that she want him to be the Primale and sire children to propagate so that the vampire race will grow and become stronger. He has never particularly enjoyed sex, but the situation becomes even more complicated when he is shot and rushed to a human hospital. It is there that he meets Jane, the surgeon who operated on his heart. And a bonded male without his female is just an empty vessel.

Jane has had a difficult life. Her dearest friend and sister died when she was little. After Jane's sister passed, Jane was left alone with a family who no longer cared. Jane's life and her sister's death led Jane to become a surgeon. As Jane is working one evening, she receives an unusual trauma case. As she operates on the man's heart, she discovers that his heart is abnormal. Her patient's heart has six chambers, and she knows that he is not human.

Review

I love the way this books begins! It starts out with Jane consulting an ouija board and receiving an unsettling answer to the question of who she will one day marry. The next morning, Jane wakes up to find that her dear sister has died of a congenital heart defect. This trauma is quickly followed by Vishous being shot in the chest. I love the feeling the beginning evokes, adrenaline and despair. The rest of the novel progresses in a predictable manner consistent with the other books in the series. The novel resolves in several parts. I thought the first part of the resolution was a bit predictable. However, the second part of the resolution threw me. I have to say, I do not know if I like the final product. I think I will have to continue to read the series to know whether or not I am satisfied with this particular resolution. I have a feeling Ward has a few surprises in store for her readers. I do like the resolution between Vishous and his mother. The last scene in the books is a touching display of the love between a mother and her child.

Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Review: Lover Revealed (BDB #4)

Summary

Lover Revealed by J.R. Ward is the fourth installment in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. This book continues the story of the unofficial brother, Butch O'Neal. Butch's character was first introduced in the first novel in this series Dark Lover. Butch is a no-nonsense kind of guy who is as tough as nails. He has to be to be able to live with the Brotherhood. It is ironic when he falls for the charming and very feminine Marissa. One night when Butch is out on the town, everything goes horribly wrong. Butch comes across several lessers and is kidnapped and tortured. The Omega  treats Butch to a special surprise that will change Butch forever.

Marissa was once Wrath's shellan. After renouncing Wrath of his obligation, she moved back home with her brother, Havers. However, as fate would have it, she has been disgraced by the glymera due to her now tarnished reputation. In an effort to protect her, Havers kicks her out of the house. With nowhere to go and only an hour until dawn, she is forced to rely on the kindness of the Brotherhood.

Review

I really enjoyed this book. After reading the previous three books in Ward's BDB series, I have gotten to know and like Butch. It is nice that his story is finally told. The beginning of this story is heart-wrenching and a bit traumatic. Butches kidnapping scene is just horrific, which makes for a very entertaining read. While things start off looking quite hopeless, it is nice to see how events conspire to work out for the best. What I particularly liked about this book was that while it was still a romance novel, there seemed to be a good bit of plot that drove the novel as well. Ward did not focus only on the relationship between Butch and Marissa, but also on the war between the vampires and the lessers. If you have not read this series, I definitely recommend giving it a try!

Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars