Lover Unbound (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #5) by J.R. Ward Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #5
Published by Signet on September 25th 2007
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 502
Goodreads
Complex and Difficult Journey for These Characters
“Because love, after all, was eternal and not subject to the whims of death.”
THE STORY: Vishous is a warrior vampire and part of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. For hundreds of years he has been cursed with seeing the future and has other unique abilities (like having a hand that kills those who touch it). After an abusive childhood, he has spend his adult life seeking control and distance from others. V meets Dr. Jane Whitcomb, a trauma surgeon and thus starts a different relationship for V. He begins to care about the human and opens up to her because he knows that they have no future so it is safe. In the process they fall in love with one another even though they know things will end.
OPINION: Complex and powerful, LOVER UNBOUND, challenges the reader. Vishous has a difficult life. He has done very bad things to people and it takes quite a while for him to open up about the pain in his own life. Ultimately, however, this story of two people who are closed up and want control of their lives is beautiful. My biggest complaint is the ending.
HUGE SPOILERS!
To resolve the issue of Jane being human and thus aging, Ward has Jane killed and ultimately she comes back as a ghost. Many readers have highly objected to this resolution even though V and Jane seem to go forward in much the same way. My objection is not the resolution (although as described below, it stopped me from reading the book the first time) but rather the book is really missing a significant view of these two character being happy together after their misery.
WORTH MENTIONING: I began reading the Black Dagger Brotherhood series before and after finding out about the big resolution in this case, I just couldn’t finish this book and stop reading the series. Recently, I decided to give the series a chance again and knowing the couple has a history after this book where they are happy helped me get through this one and accept the ending.
FINAL DECISION: I liked this book a great deal but wish that we saw more of the couple when they were happy at the end. The resolution of the story was abrupt for such a complex solution.
CONNECTED BOOKS: LOVER UNBOUND is the fifth book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood. These books are highly interconnected with stories that span several books. The books read more like an ongoing saga than individual novel. That makes it difficult to read this book without reference to the others in the series.
STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.