Review: Lover Unleashed by: JR Ward

Lover Unleashed (goodreads.com)

JR Ward (homepage)

Hardcover, 489 pagesPublished March 29th 2011 by NAL Hardcover
ISBN: 9780451233165
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #9         

          I was a little worried going into this book. I did not get to read the book the day it arrived in bookstores. I went to a signing 5 days after its release. I had read every review on the internet. I was dying to read the book so I read the next best thing, too many reviews. There were some that had me concerned that this book was a miss. I could kick myself for worrying. The book was amazing. I loved Payne and Manny! I also am very intrigued by the new conflict. I was getting sick of the only conflict being the Lessers. They are still an issue, trust me on that, I don't think they will ever go completely away. There is a mega fight between most of the Brothers and the Lessers in Lover Unleashed. Ward has introduced another conflict, Xcor and his Band of Bastards. I am very interested in seeing where this is going to go. These six vampires are going to cause some major conflict! I can't wait to read more of them, not nearly enough of them in this book. I was so OVER the Lessers POV in the books. I think Xcor and his Band of Bastards (yes, this is how they are titled in the book) are going to be those guys that barely walk the line between good and evil.

          I thought Payne was an incredible character. She has lived in Sanctuary the majority of her life, with the exception of the one time she escaped. She has been raised as a Chosen. Payne is naïve to most of the things in her new world at the Brotherhood mansion. Yet she is a tough fighter. She has a couple of fight scenes that I can't mention (spoilers) but she is one tough female. Manny is simply too incredible not to love. He is such a gentleman with Payne. Every decision that he makes he puts her first when making decisions that could have consequences that affect her. I also liked the hows that allows Manny to get to where/what at the end of the book. Overall the Payne and Manny worked well for me. I enjoyed reading their story. They had a very sweet romance that worked for the book.

          The Black Dagger Brotherhood books MUST be read in order. The author does not do any rehashing and one book ends exactly where the next starts. As with every BDB book the readers are given slices of previous books characters' lives, also lives of the characters books that we have not gotten to yet. I am sure many have seen on the internet somewhere that the next book belongs to Tohr. He is barely mentioned in this book and has NO dialogue. Vishous and Jane got plenty of page time. I was left with too many how questions after reading Lover Unbound, I was pleased that some were answered. One of the side stories involves Jose de la Cruz, Butch's partner from his cop days. Jose has a new partner, Thomas DelVecchio Jr, Veck. Veck is the main character in Envy, Wards next Fallen Angel book.

5 Stars
4 Flames