Review: Someone to Love

Review: Someone to LoveSomeone to Love (Westcott, #1) by Mary Balogh
Series: Westcott #1
Published by Signet on November 8th 2016
Genres: Historical
Pages: 400
Goodreads
four-stars

FINAL DECISION:  Enjoyable slow burn romance.  The hero is such a kind person and his connection with the heroine lacks unnecessary drama.  I liked that these are truly kind people.

THE STORY:  Anna Snow grew up in an orphanage knowing nothing about her parents. Then she discovers that her father was actually the Earl of Riverdale, who recently died.  Even more surprising, it is revealed that Anna was actually the earl’s only legitimate offspring due to a hidden marriage and that his “legitimate” children are not legitimate at all.  Anna has inherited the entire estate of her father much to the dismay of her half-siblings.  Avery Archer, Duke of Netherby, is a relative by marriage to the Westcotts who are in disarray after the revelations regarding Anna.  Avery is intrigued by Anna and her evolution to a lady.

OPINION:  I am a big fan of Balogh’s slow burn romances.  Her characters often have mature and unorthodox relationships. What I loved most about this book is that Anna and Avery are both kind.

Avery is a man who has made a facade for himself to mask his perceived weaknesses.  He is a quiet man, and I absolutely loved that he likes Anna from the beginning and doesn’t want her to change to become the stereotypical society lady. He loves seeing how she is an original. His support for Anna without taking a position on what she should do is deeply attractive.

Anna (aka Anastasia) is a good person. I just adored her when her reaction to finding out about her inheritance is dismay.  She would much prefer a family to money. Her efforts to build relationships demonstrate her gentle and kind nature.

These two people are so nicely matched.  The drama in the story really concerns all the disarray the family is sent into when Anna’s existence becomes known. Her recreation of her own identity is the focus of the book along with the romance.

I love the quiet romance present in this book.  The characters fall in love day by day, minute by minute. Their relation to one another is based on respect and honesty.

My one complaint is that the lack of any conflict between Anna and Avery makes their story resolved too quickly, but the story is worth it anyway.

WORTH MENTIONING:  This book introduces lots of characters who have intriguing stories to tell.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  SOMEONE TO LOVE is the first book Westcott series.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 4 stars.

four-stars

Review: Blood Kiss

Review: Blood KissBlood Kiss (Black Dagger Legacy, #1) by J.R. Ward
Series: Black Dagger Legacy #1
Published by Signet on December 1st 2015
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 397
Goodreads
four-half-stars

FINAL DECISION:  Loved this one.  The combination of the new adult/next generation type story with Paradise and Craeg and a revisit with Butch and Marissa both gave the story continuity with the Black Dagger Brotherhood and the freshness of a new series not dependent upon the overarching storyline of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

THE STORY:  Paradise, the only daughter of the vampire king’s First Advisor, should be living a cloistered aristocratic life, but she wants something more.  She has convinced her father to allow her to enter into the Black Dagger Brotherhood’s training problem to learn to protect herself.  Doing so goes against all sex and class expectations of Paradise.  The training is incredibly difficult both physically and mentally but also because one of her fellow recruits has caught her eye.  Craeg is from a middle class vampire family and has his own reasons from joining the program.  That purpose does not include getting romantically involved with Paradise.  But the heart wants what the heart wants.

OPINION:  I had expected that this book would exist in the Black Dagger Brotherhood world but would be almost entirely separate — wrong.  With the inclusion of the Butch and Marissa story, this book is very closely tied to the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

The combination of these two stories give this book a closeness with the main series and yet also has a next generation feel.

Paradise and Craeg are clearly of a different generation than the characters in the BDB.  Their concerns, their values, their thoughts are shaped by the war with the Lessers including the large scale deaths of vampire families caused by them.  That event has changed the cultural values of these younger vampires.  Paradise is the perfect example.  Raised to be a pretty object, she is restless and wants something more than the life that she was expected to live.  More independent, more self-determinate, more willing to take on non-traditional roles and actions, Paradise is blazing her own trail and that includes finding her own male.  Craeg is of the working class generation (one we haven’t seen in the BDB).  He is now alone in the world after the Lesser attacks.  He is a natural leader and intends to use his training to get revenge for his family.  He doesn’t want any attachments which is why his fascination with Paradise dismays him.

I liked the different pace of their relationship as their concerns are more personal, more coming of age first romance type.  Their problems are quieter than the more angst driven BDB stories.  I enjoyed the change and I think their classmates also have interesting stories which bodes well for the future of this series.

WORTH MENTIONING:  The secondary story involved Butch and Marissa, a violent death of a female vampire that needs investigating, Butch’s issues with sexual roles of women, and Marissa’s dealing with her own past.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  BLOOD KISS is the first book in the Black Dagger legacy series.  This series is a spin-off of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.  This series is still intimately connected with the Black Dagger Brotherhood even though its focus is on the new recruits but new readers could try this out as a first book.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 4.5 stars.

four-half-stars

Review: The Shadows

Review: The ShadowsThe Shadows (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #13) by J.R. Ward
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #13
Published by Signet on March 31st 2015
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 590
Goodreads
four-half-stars

WARNING: Spoilers are contained in this review!

“Don’t do this to yourself, Trez.  Just…just know that I love you and let me go.”

FINAL DECISION:  This was an incredibly difficult book for me to read.  Many won’t consider it a romance at all because it has a sad ending (spoilers below).  I thought it was incredibly moving and beautiful but I’m glad I knew what happened otherwise I would have been angry.

THE STORY:  Trez has been on the run from his people.  Prophesy declares that Trez must be mated to the princess of his people.  Trez has spent years defiling his own body fighting his fate.  When he falls for the Chosen Selena, he believes himself unworthy of her.  Selena, herself, is fighting a fatal disease and doesn’t know how much times she has left.  When Selena experiences a crisis, Trez and Selena decide to live each day as if they have forever — even if they don’t.  At the same time, Trez’s brother iAm is trying to protect his brother.  Their people, the Shadows, intend to having the Annointed One returned to him.  Time is running out for all of them.

OPINION:  I normally avoid spoilers in writing a review believing that part of the beauty of the story is allowing the information to flow as intended by the author.  I truly couldn’t find a way to write an honest review of this book without disclosing the big spoiler of the book.

DON’T READ ON IF YOU WANT TO AVOID SPOILERS!

I personally don’t think this book can be considered in any way a romance.  It is definitely an incredibly beautiful love story, but, for me, it doesn’t fit into my definition of romance which requires a happy ending.

Selena dies in this one.  The story is piercingly beautiful.  I cried through half of it.  I admit that I knew the ending of this one before I began so I knew that there was no miracle ending coming to Trez and Selena.

I thought the relationship between Trez and Selena was heartrendingly beautiful.  The two truly did seem to experience a whole breadth of a relationship in a short time.  Because of the power and intensity of their relationship, I thought the rest of the book faded in the background a bit.  There was no wasted space and time for these two.  Every moment was vital precisely because I knew that they only had this moment..this one time.  There would never be another date, another kiss, another fight.

All the extraneous things that often are the focus in romance books were less important.  For Trez, even the overhanging threat from his people is less important than he could have ever expected.  The impending loss of Selena so overwhelms his other fears and concerns that he won’t even spare time to think on them.

The interwoven stories work especially well in this book because they provide a breather from the unrelenting intensity of Trez and Selena’s story.  The other stories don’t feel as important (there is also a significant relationship between iAm and the female he finds) but they clear the palate before plunging back into the main story of the book.

I loved everything about this book but the ending.  While the ending works and perhaps is necessary for such an honest book, I couldn’t help wanting a different outcome.  I think that might be its point though.

This book is controversial.  Those coming to these books wanting a HEA might be disappointed and angry.  I’m glad I knew the ending so that I could emotionally prepare myself.  This might be the best written and constructed book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, but this is not a story I’d like to revisit often.  Too real, too sad, too painful.

WORTH MENTIONING:  The secondary stories were the introduction of Paradise (who is the subject of the first book in the Black Dagger Legacy series), Xcor and Layla, Assail’s continued drug trade, and there is a new story starting with Rhage and Mary.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  THE SHADOWS is book 13 in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.  This book is better as part of the series but actually you can get the entire story in this book which is unusual for recent books in this series.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

four-half-stars

Review: The King

Review: The KingThe King (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #12) by J.R. Ward
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #12
Published by Signet on August 26th 2014
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 605
Goodreads
four-half-stars

FINAL DECISION:  I loved this book.  Returning to the beginning, Ward revisits the story of Wrath, king of the vampires, and his shellan/wife Beth.  I loved these characters when I read DARK LOVER and I loved that their story continues to evolve.  I especially loved that the guts of this story began and ended in this book.

THE STORY:  After being together for two years, Beth desperately wants a child with her husband Wrath. Wrath, however, intends never to have children not wanting to sentence them to the dangers of his life, the lack of choice in being part of the hereditary monarchy of the vampires, and also he doesn’t want the medical risks to his beloved Beth.  This causes the first read marital discord between Beth and Wrath.  At the same time, enemies of Wrath threaten his position as king, using Beth as the lever.

OPINION:  Firmly entrenched in the multi-view narrave approach to the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, I didn’t expect that we would get another book about the original couple in the series.  While this book maintains the multiple narratives (hello, Trez/iAm/Selenaa, Xcor/Layla and Assail/Sola), this book feels like Wrath and Beth, part 2 with the other stories clearly subservient.

I’ve always loved Wrath and Beth’s story.  DARK LOVER is what compelled me to begin this long journey through these books.  This book goes deeper into their relationship.  This book isn’t about the passion of coming together, but rather, the difficult journey of merging diverging goals, desires, and dreams that is the ongoing challenge of any marriage.  That is one of my favorite parts of this book.  There is no question that Beth and Wrath love one another. There is no manufactured dispute to draw them apart and make them question their commitment to one another. Rather, their different wants make them wonder how they can reconcile conflicting desires.  That is any long term relationship.

This book also brings to a close the latest attempt by Xcor and the Band of Bastards to dethrone Wrath. As this book ends, there are clearly splits in the Band of Bastards and it is uncertain what the future holds.  This book is clearly a turning point in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series which gathers up threads of the overarching story to prepare to go forward in a different direction.

Despite its length, this book just flew for me.  All the stories were interesting and I felt invested in all the characters. For me, the BDB has regained the compelling narrative that drew me to the series initially.  The stories feel more character focused and the multiple narratives feel more an asset in allowing the stories of these characters to play out in a more realistic timeframe.

I’m interesting to see whether than momentum can be maintained in the next book which is about Trez/iAm/Selena.

WORTH MENTIONING: For the first time in a long time, this book is primarily focused on Wrath and Beth. While other stories are woven throughout the book, this one is primarily about these two.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  THE KING is the twelfth book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.  The stories in this book are intertwined and dependent upon reading the other books in the series, but for the main story, a reader could get away with just read DARK LOVER and then this one.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 4.5 stars.

four-half-stars

Review: Unforgiven

Review: UnforgivenUnforgiven: The Horsemen Trilogy by Mary Balogh
Series: The Horseman Trilogy #2
Published by Signet on July 12th 2016
Genres: Historical
Pages: 400
Goodreads
two-stars

FINAL DECISION:  Oh, I wish I could have liked this book but I ended up being annoyed with the characters lack of communication, continued antipathy toward one another and then how quickly all the past was so neatly resolved.

THE STORY:  Kenneth Woodfall has returned from war to find that the girl he once loved and then hated has just gotten betrothed.  Miss Moira Hayes fell in love with Kenneth and met him secretly until the long running feud between the families flared up again and she could never forgive him. She blames him for the death of her brother.  There is nothing but passion between Kenneth and Moira whether it be love or hate. When a snowstorm forces them to take shelter together, their lives are changed.

OPINION:  I really wanted to like this book after enjoying the first book in the series, but unfortunately, I just got tired of the antipathy between the characters.  Almost the entirety of the book consists of arguments and sometimes outright hatred especially from Moira.  Then at the end, she learns the truth and never acknowledges that she was a jerk. In the same way I expect heroes to grovel when they have been grossly unfair, I expected her to at least admit that she was wrong.  Nope, not here.  For me, when the conflict between the characters is so intense, I believe that it takes more than a couple of pages at the end to completely resolve the conflict.

I think the antipathy from Moira was just too strong during the book so everything else was overwhelmed. Their romantic moments fell flat because of it. Their first sexual encounter was strange and just didn’t work for me.

So what did I like?  I liked Kenneth who I felt was a much more well rounded and likeable character.  Despite Moira’s treatment of him, he was a nice guy most of the time.  I also liked the Romeo and Juliet family dispute part of the story. I also did like how Kenneth and Moira began to work through their relationship to try and have a marriage.  I just felt that the balance between hate and love was off in the entirety of the book.

WORTH MENTIONING:  The heroine has a miscarriage during the book for those who might be sensitive to the topic.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  UNFORGIVEN is the second book in the Horsemen Trilogy.  It takes place concurrently with the events in the first book and can be read as a standalone.

STAR RATING: I give this book 2 stars.

two-stars

Review: Addicted

Review: AddictedAddicted (Outlaws #2) by Elle Kennedy
Series: Outlaws #2
Published by Signet on June 28th 2016
Genres: Futuristic
Pages: 368
Goodreads
four-half-stars

“I go where you go.”

FINAL DECISION:  Friends to lovers story that is emotionally complicated, sexy and a great second book in the Outlaws series.

THE STORY:  In the post-world outlaw world, Lennox and Jamie have known one another almost all their lives.  They are the closet of friends — almost family. After the events of the first book in the series, CLAIMED, the two have moved into the Outlaws compound.  Jamie has a crush on one of the Outlaws, but Lennox knows that she will always return to him.  Jamie loves her hot friend, but what she is not willing to do, however is risk giving into the strong sexual attraction between them because their friendship is more important than sex.  When Jamie realizes that her crush is futile, she turns to her best friend and things seriously heat up between them.  The two have to discover whether it is possible to be the best of friends and the best of lovers.

OPINION:  If a hot sexy, erotic romance can depict a hard violent life and yet have a sweet romance at its core, this book it is.  Lennox and Jamie have a long relationship that they have kept as friends, but sexual attraction has been an underlying factor for a long time. The two have a deep relationship and understanding of one another.  Once they begin their sexual relationship, they discover that no matter their hopes, things are different and they must learn to navigate their new feelings and desires.  I thought the shifting relationship between Lennox and Jamie was particularly complex and subtle.  These two love one another but learn to be in love with one another.

I was impressed with how Lennox and Jamie dealt with their sexual history with others (you have to accept that these two had sex with other people while in the same room) with such equanimity.  I also loved how these two highly sexed people come to realize that they are so possessive of one another that they don’t want other people involved in their sex life at all.

This book begins to flesh out more the overarching story of the series. I have a great fondness for storylines which span a series.  I believe this gives the books more depth and reward readers, like me, who like to commit to reading multiple books.  This book doesn’t pick up that story right where CLAIMED left it (and if you haven’t read claimed, you can figure out all the pertinent points in ADDICTED).  Instead, ADDICTED gives a new viewpoint and a new set of problems that I expect with intersect at some point with the events in the first book.

Finally, this book managed to surprise me. I didn’t expect the death of a character.  I like it when writers can do the unexpected.  I ended up liking this book better than the first one because the romance and conflict felt much more cohesive.  I may even end up liking the first book better because the world these characters inhabit is becoming more familiar. I can’t wait until the next book (the romantic conflict begins here).

WORTH MENTIONING: The book depicts both the hero and heroine having sex with other people before they get together and a couple of MMF scenes including the hero and heroine together.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  ADDICTED is the second book in the Outlaws series. While a reader of the first book will be ahead in knowing about this world, ADDICTED can be read as a standalone since all the relevant information is given here.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 4.5 stars.

NOTE:  I received an ARC of this book at the RT Convention from the publisher in order to write a review.  I was not required to write a positive review.  All opinions contained herein are my own.

We are also having a giveaway for a copy of CLAIMED, the first book in the Outlaws series.  Enter here by 6/30. Claimed Giveaway

four-half-stars

Review: Claimed

Review: ClaimedClaimed (Outlaws, #1) by Elle Kennedy
Series: Outlaws #1
Published by Signet on October 6th 2015
Genres: Futuristic
Pages: 368
Goodreads
three-half-stars

“Didn’t anyone ever tell you that you can’t always get what you want?  I think someone even wrote a song about it once.”

“I don’t care.  I still want to come with you.

“Sorry, sweetheart, but this is a boys-only club.”

Her agitated expression gave way to indignation.  “Wow.  So you’re rude and sexist.”

FINAL DECISION:  A mixed bag that started out slowly but won me over by the end with its intriguing characters.  By the end of the book, I liked this book enough to want to continue to read the series.

THE STORY: In a dystopian future, the world consists of an authoritative government which tightly rules cities and outlaws which exist without rules and without resources hunted by the enforcers of the government.  Hudson Lane, a privileged woman from a city, runs when an unwanted marriage is going to be forced upon her.  In the outlaw world, she finds Connor Mackenzie who leads a small band of men.  Hudson begs Connor to give her refuge.  Despite his reservations, Connor agrees to show Hudson the ways of the Outlaw world which is violent and intensely sexual.  Hudson, however, has secrets which will cause Connor to distrust her.

OPINION: This book was mixed bag.  Sometimes a first book of a new series that involves world building can feel uneven as too many things have to be accomplished in the first book.  That is true here.  For me, the book started out slowly as the numerous characters from the series are introduced and the highly sexual, violent world is introduced with its particular rules.  During these pages, I found it difficult to get connected with the characters — especially Connor.  In a way, the beginning mirrored some of the worst of erotica, with sexual encounters more about titillating with body parts and multiple partners rather than any emotional connection.  By the end of the book, I decided that some of the emotional disconnect is purposeful as it reflects the emotionless sexual encounters that are common in the outlaw world.

Once Connor and Hudson began to emotionally connect, the book got much better for me.  I genuinely began to care about the characters and their journey.  The pace of the story also began to pick up at that point as the drama of Hudson’s secret became more relevant.

Women and men in the Outlaw world are fiercely independent and both have sexual autonomy without moralistic constraints or restrictions.  Just about everything goes in the Outlaw world.

I also liked that this first book leaves some questions about what is going on with the enforcers and what the future holds in this world.  I especially like that the series seems to be created with an overarching storyline.  I prefer my series to truly be connected rather than just having completely separate storylines.

By the time this book ended, I wanted to read more about Connor’s men and this world.

WORTH MENTIONING: There is a lot of sex combinations in this one.  MMF with depictions of MFF.  The hero and heroine have sex with other people during the book both with and without the other present.

CONNECTED BOOKS: CLAIMED is the first book in the Outlaws series.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 3.5 stars.

NOTE:  I received a free copy of this book from the publisher at the RT Convention. I was not required to write a positive review.  All opinions contained herein are my own.

three-half-stars

Review: Something Wicked

Review: Something WickedSomething Wicked (Malloren, #3) by Jo Beverley
Series: Malloren & Friends #3
Published by Signet on January 4th 2005
Genres: Historical
Pages: 374
four-stars

FINAL DECISION:  Loved how Beverly made this enemies to lovers story feel real.  The issues involved are paced out so well.  I loved the connection between Elf and Fort even as I initially thought the premise was going to be ridiculous.

THE STORY: Lady Elf Malloren is on the shelf at the age of 25, the youngest of the Malloren sibling, Elf has a wild side that she feels pulling at her as her twin brother has married.  With her friend, Elf attends a masquerade at Vauxhall.  The night ends with her being kidnapped by her family’s enemy Fort Ware, Earl of Walgrave.

OPINION: I loved how this story came together.  Fort hates the Mallorens for something that happened in the past.  Fort is coming apart and doesn’t know how to handle it.  He struggles with his guilt and anger.  When he comes across a young masked woman that he ends up kidnapping, he doesn’t realize that he has captured Elf.  The attraction between Fort and Elf is palpable.

I questioned the premise of this book.  I found it improbable that Elf could hide her identity from Fort.  I still found it somewhat incredible, but ultimately, it only diminished my enjoyment in a minor fashion.

I especially liked the story after Fort learned Elf’s true identity.  There was no quick resolution to the conflict.  These “enemies” still had a ways to travel for them to have a happy ending.  Fort is a hero who evolves through the book in surprising ways.  His conflict is not what I would have expected.  Without using the words, he is clearly suffering from depression combined with guilt and self-loathing.  I have a great fondness for wounded heroes and I liked Fort as this incarnation of wounded hero because he is clearly a funny and gentle man who is tormented.  He was my favorite part of the book.

Elf is an intriguing heroine.  A conventional life does not satisfy her.  Her intelligence and determination are central to her character — along with her wickedness.  The dialogue and situations are snappy and fresh.

This was a very enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more of this series.

WORTH MENTIONING: After reading this book, I want to read the others in the series.  That is the best testament to this book.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  SOMETHING WICKED is the third book in the Malloren & Friends series. It is not necessary to have read the other books in the series.  I haven’t read them and easily figured out everything I needed to know.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 4 stars.

four-stars

Review: Only Beloved

Review: Only BelovedOnly Beloved (The Survivors' Club #7) by Mary Balogh
Series: Survivor's Club #7
Published by Signet on May 3rd 2016
Genres: Historical
Pages: 393
Goodreads
four-half-stars

“Surely everyone was entitled to some companionship, some contentment in life even when youth was a thing of the past.”

FINAL DECISION:  Absolutely loved this lovely story of two people who later in life look for companionship and find love beyond what they ever expected.  Balogh managed to finish her Survivor’s Club series in a emotional and redemptive fashion filled with hope and love.

THE STORY:  George Crabb, the Duke of Stanbrook has been widowed for 12 years after his wife committed suicide following the death of their son in the Peninsular Wars.  Now at 48 years old, George is considering marrying again since all his Survivor’s Club friends have found love.  When he thinks of marriage, however, George has only one woman in his mind.  He thinks of Dora Debbins, a woman he met briefly a year ago and still hasn’t forgotten.  He seeks her out and proposes marriage for companionship and friendship.  Dora gave up hope of marrying when a family scandal left her to care for her younger sister.  Dora has made a life for herself as an independent music teacher and yet the possibility of marrying the man she hasn’t been able to get out of her mind is seductively attractive.  As George and Dora think to build a good marriage, they find out that the past which previously robbed them of their happy ending is dangerously close to stealing their happiness again.

OPINION:  I adore how Balogh goes deep into the emotion of her characters.  While there is a storyline plot that moves the action forward, the emphasis in ONLY BELOVED is on the developing relationship between George and Dora.  George and Dora are characters which I fell in love with.  Both had their youthful dreams of love and marriage taken from them, they reached an age when they believed that the possibility of happiness had passed them by.  Instead, each had built a life helping others.  The marriages of all the other Survivor’s Club members prompt George to think about Dora again and wonder if they might find a measure of companionship, friendship and happiness together. What he knows is that he cannot love — that possibility having been burned out of him by his first marriage.

As Dora and George so obviously fall in love, there is immense sadness that these two people believe that their lives lack the possibility and hope of love.  As they reveal themselves to one another, they discover that love exists for everyone.  I love how the story develops with a maturity and yet a joyful discovery between these two people.  This story demands patience and a willingness to allow these characters their journey.  Their story unfolds slowly and patiently but at the perfect pace for these two.

I love the beauty and gentleness of the relationship between Dora and George.  I like that it reflected both their maturity and the newness of falling deeply in love.  They are both wise in the difficulties in life but also neophytes in loving and trusting and building a life together.

I loved this book and as the last book in the series, I was not disappointed.

WORTH MENTIONING:  Fans of the series will be pleased by the appearances and updates on the couples from the series.  Just what you would expect from a concluding book.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  ONLY BELOVED is the seventh and final book in the Survivor’s Club series.  It can be read as a standalone although I think the book has more emotional meaning at the end of the series.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

four-half-stars

Review: Lover Mine

Review: Lover MineLover Mine (Black Dagger Brotherhood #8) by J.R. Ward
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #8
Published by Signet on April 1st 2010
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 512
Goodreads
four-stars

John Matthew’s Story at Last

FINAL DECISION: Mult-character driven book, this story is angst filled. I thought that the story between Blay and Qhuinn stole the show from the main “romance”. At the same time, I was happy for the conclusion of John Matthew’s story.

THE STORY: John Matthew, is a vampire who is also the reincarnation of Darius who was killed earlier in the series. As this story begins, John Matthew is struggling with the disappearance of Xhex, the half sympath, half vampire assassin. The two have had a difficult relationship as John Matthew has wanted her since they first met, but Xhex has turned him away believing herself unworthy of being cared for by a man of worth. John Matthew is grieving but at the same time determined to find out what happened to Xhex. In truth, Xhex has been abducted by John Matthew’s biggest enemy who will do anything to keep her.

OPINION: Longtime readers of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series know that John Matthew’s story has been going on in one form or another since the beginning. This book brings a great deal of closure to the story. I especially liked the use of Darius’ story which winds around and then gives a satisfying sense of completing the circle and bringing closure to the story.

This book, as is true with the last several books in the series, is really a set of stories being told simultaneously. The stories are each at different stages and while John Matthew and Xhex’s stories is largely resolved, others are just beginning or are continuing. The stories in this book (John Matthew/Xhex, Blay/Qhuinn, and Murhder) have a nice sense of connection that made this mullti-story telling work well here. (There is also the story of Payne but that one is only a small part here). The real issue is that the Blay Qhuinn story steals much of the emotional center of the story here. By breaking up the stories between multiple books, there is more interconnectedness and continuity in the overall story, but the emotional climax of each of the stories is somewhat muted.

This book benefits from the fact that both the John Matthew/Xhex and Blay Qhuinn stories are filled with angst and are so well written here. I loved how the stories progressed in both cases and that kept me reading through the many hundreds of pages. Both stories are so strong that they support the length of the book.

Even with that, this book is one of the better ones in the series for long time readers. There are a lot of significant appearances by the core Brotherhood characters which makes this book more enjoyable. I’ve determined that I need a break between these books because there is so much going on in all these books. They are long and intense and somewhat crazy and it helps me to not try too hard to put all the pieces of the stories together. There are a lot of holes in the overall story and some space helps me to take these books less seriously. These books are definitely not ones to binge to me beyond the first couple of books.

But this is one of the books in the series that I could see myself reading again.

WORTH MENTIONING: This series has abandoned its paranormal romance beginnings. There are still romances but there is less emotional connection between the characters and more plotline. That’s okay, just not what I think makes the early books so amazing.

CONNECTED BOOKS: LOVER MINE is the eighth book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. It should not be read as a standalone as it is not a complete story on its own.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

four-stars