Lover Unbound: A Novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood

A novel of letting down the walls that protect you in order to connect to another soul. The difficulty of allowing yourself to feel when all you have really known was pain, and of realizing that taking that chance does not insure that there will be a happy ending, that no matter how much you try to see every possibility, fate does not take kindly to being messed with, and every miracle demands an equal sacrifice. The overwhealming focus of this novel is in balance. That no matter how you try to tip the scales in your favour, that counter weight always needs to have the equal pound of flesh. We get a good look at two new mates who are eerily similar in some ways, and yet bring out the best in the other where it matters to them. The frenzy of losing someone, and the insanity to bring them back at any cost to save your grief. We also see a mothers love of V for one of the first times he can remember, and yet his inability to let go and see the balance needing to be fulfilled, only later seeing what his words, his defiance, his hurt leading to hatred did - as well as her own mistakes and their similarities in unyeilding view that they are correct and there is no argument against their view. Its about seeing what is in front of you, and lifting the shades of the past hurts and wrongs in order to see the truth.

This novel is sinfully hot. Ward has created a novel that brings some of your darkest desires to the forefront in a most appealing way. She goes way beyond that as well, creating a fast paced, action packed tale that kept me on my toes. Ward’s voice shines through, painting a picture while sparking my imagination, drawing me deep into the world of the BDB. V might just be the most complex brother yet. His past, present and future clash with his personality in such a way that each highlight the other. I loved the snarky banter between the main characters. I also really enjoy how this novel is about so much more than simply the main characters. Readers get up close and personal with the entire BDB family throughout, getting to know each just a little bit better. John’s story, in particular, really resounds with me. I can’t wait to see what kind of a warrior he becomes. Everyone’s quirk’s and idiosyncrasies make them who they are, and are what I truly love about each of them. And the way that the characters talk is fantastic. It’s so real & raw. Even though the characters are centuries old, they speak modernly and keep up with the technology of the times, embracing the present while still honouring the past. This was a fantastic tale on so many levels. Chemistry, suspense, love, loss, and redemption all make their way into the fantastic story, leaving me with a smile on my face and reaching for the next novel in the series.

The romance between V and Jane was awesome, but like with all JR Ward books, I get a little bit distracted from the main romance because she cuts to 4 other people's points of view. They are all important people in the series, but there are kind of a lot of plots to keep track of and it gets annoying when I just want to focus on the main story and I have to read through many other people's stories along the way. The ending was a little bit lackluster for me as well.