Lover At Last by J R Ward

Lover at Last by J.R. Ward
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time take to read - 1 day

Pages - 608

Publisher - Piatkus

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Qhuinn, son of no one, is used to being on his own. Disavowed from his bloodline, shunned by the aristocracy, he has finally found an identity as one of the most brutal fighters in the war against the Lessening Society. But his life is not complete. Even as the prospect of having a family of his own seems to be within reach, he is empty on the inside, his heart given to another....

Blay, after years of unrequited love, has moved on from his feelings for Qhuinn. And it’s about time: it seems Qhuinn has found his perfect match in a Chosen female, and they are going to have a young. It’s hard for Blay to see the new couple together, but building your life around a pipe dream is just a heartbreak waiting to happen. And Qhuinn needs to come to terms with some dark things before he can move forward…

Fate seems to have taken these vampire soldiers in different directions... but as the battle over the race’s throne intensifies, and new players on the scene in Caldwell create mortal danger for the Brotherhood, Qhuinn finally learns the true definition of courage, and two hearts who are meant to be together... finally become one.


My Review

If you haven't read the previous books I would suggest doing so before reading this as there are so many things relevant to that which has passed you really need the back story. Ward usually focuses on a particular couple or love story in the books which threads to a few other story lines. If you have read the previous you will know the back story with the guys Qhuinn and Blay, unrequited love but really good friends, feeling being denied/ignored/hurt. This book has a huge focus around the two as well as the back nods to XCOR and Layla. Layla and Qhuinn, Trez & IAm and Assail and Marisol (Marisol being a new introduction).

As with the previous books lots of graphic sex scenes, body fluids - a bit more fighting in this book although I noticed a huge absence in some of the characters as we are looking at different stories and characters so not a lot of the main Brotherhood. They are in it of course just not featured much as we focus on the duos mentioned above.

Some sad themes in this one, touching on loss, rejection, pregnancy & personal growth and acceptance as homosexuality features a wee bit more in this one. 3.5 for me this time, I have I think another six or seven on my tbrm and looking forward to seeing what is in store for the brotherhood and extended characters.

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Lover Revealed by J R Ward

Lover Revealed by J.R. Ward
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 480

Publisher - Piatkus books

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Butch O'Neal is a fighter by nature. A hard-living ex-homicide cop, he's the only human ever to be allowed in the inner circle of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. And he wants to go even deeper into the vampire world—to engage in the turf war with the lessers. He's got nothing to lose. His heart belongs to a female vampire, an aristocratic beauty who's way out of his league. If he can't have Marissa, then at least he can fight side by side with the Brothers...

Fate curses him with the very thing he wants. When Butch sacrifices himself to save a civilian vampire from the slayers, he falls prey to the darkest force in the war. Left for dead, he's found by a miracle, and the Brotherhood calls on Marissa to bring him back. But even her love may not be enough to save him...


My Review

Butch is human but still very much one of the Brothers inner circle, in lover with Marissa (vampire) and knows he has no chance. He helps the brothers hunt down the lessers (those who hunt and kill the vampires) and stuck in limbo between not having his own human crew but not a vampire either. When Butch is attacked brutally by the lessers and infected, it is touch and go if he will survive and the brothers need to find out what happened to him.

The book has as usual action, slaying of vampires and lessers, we follow Butch's progress as his illness takes its toll. His battle with his feelings with Marissa and back and forth between the two, when something seems to go good, something else falls apart.

If you are knew to the series this is book 4, I would suggest going back and reading the others as you get so much back story. If you are offended by sex, especially in graphic detail, the series may not be for you. There is a lot about the society, brotherhood, vamps/lessers but sex features throughout the series and pretty explicit/detailed in the scenes it pops up. 4/5 for me this time, I cannot wait to see what is next for the brotherhood, these books have been on my shelves for years so I have a lot of catching up to do. One other thing to mention, the book has terms that the reader won't have heard of, coined by the author, all the books I have read so far have helpfully had a glossary at the start which helps no end trying to figure out what is going on and who is who within the royalty terms.

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Lover Awakened by J R Ward

Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 448

Publisher - Signet

Source - Bought online (I think)

Blurb from Goodreads

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a deadly war raging between vampires and their slayers. And there exists a secret band of brothers like no other - six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Of these, Zsadist is the most terrifying member of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

A former blood slave, the vampire Zsadist still bears the scars from a past filled with suffering and humiliation. Renowned for his unquenchable fury and sinister deeds, he is a savage feared by humans and vampires alike. Anger is his only companion, and terror is his only passion—until he rescues a beautiful aristocrat from the evil Lessening Society.

Bella is instantly entranced by the seething power Zsadist possesses. But even as their desire for one another begins to overtake them both, Zsadist’s thirst for vengeance against Bella’s tormentors drives him to the brink of madness. Now, Bella must help her lover overcome the wounds of his tortured past, and find a future with her…



My Review

If you haven't read the previous books they are worth checking out for back stories and to avoid spoilers so stop reading here! Ok so if you have kept going and haven't read the previous books The Brotherhood are fierce vampire warriors and fight for their lives against the Lessers who are trying to wipe the vampires out. We ended book two with Bella being kidnapped and if she wasn't dead she would be soon. Bella was intrigued by Zsadist, the most feared and deadly of the brothers, vile to women, scarred, survivor being a blood slave and ruined inside and out. Now that Bella is gone the Brotherhood and Zsadist are in a desperate race against time to find and save Bella before she suffers the fate of so many vampires before her.

Right so, if you haven't read the books, the previous two focus mostly on one of the brothers although everyone gets a bit of a mention. This book is Zsadist, in the previous book he used women, was aggressive, rude, violent, ruthless and we know he had suffered in the past. This book lets the reader get into Zsadists past and start to understand why he is the way he is. We see a softer side as he struggles with how he treated Bella, how he is feeling now she is gone and how helpless he is to find her.

As with the previous books there is sex - graphic in parts, violence, murder, a bit more information on the Lesser society and how they operate. If you like the previous books you will like this one, I hated Zsadist in the last book, he was brutal, pushing the limits to be honest on consent and made a bit for uncomfortable reading . This book sees him go on a personal journey, confront demons and learn some painful life lessons. 4/5 for me this time, I have quite a few on my tbrm and look forward to learning more about the brothers and what comes next.

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