REVIEW: Lover Unleashed by JR Ward

Title: Lover Unleashed

Author: JR Ward

Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood (book 9)

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Payne, twin sister of Vishous, is cut from the same dark, seductive cloth as her brother. Imprisoned for eons by their mother, the Scribe Virgin, she finally frees herself-only to face a devastating injury. Manuel Manello, M.D., is drafted by the Brotherhood to save her as only he can-but when the human surgeon and the vampire warrior meet, their two worlds collide in the face of their undeniable passion. With so much working against them, can love prove stronger than the birthright and the biology that separates them?

(Amazon)

OUR REVIEWS:

SONIA

I loved this book! This was the first one in the serie where I enjoyed ALL the storylines..

This was supposed to be the story of Manny and Payne but in fact their story was in the background. I think you all agree with me that this book was mostly about Vishous. Seeing the sister he didn´t know about getting injured this badly just cracked him and all the pain just had to come out somehow. No way would V have healed all the years of pain and physical and emotional abuse in just couple of weeks after he met Jane.. It´s so much believable this way!! So now V is caught in a self-destructive downward spiral that just threatens to destroy the man.
I cried for him. And I cried for Butch. And I cried for him and Jane.
And I loved every minute of it!

Manny was a hot bastard. Definitely in the same league with the Brothers. I loved how he stood up to V and claimed his female.

"It finally happened, he thought. All his life he’d wondered why he’d never fallen in love and now he knew the answer to that. He’d been waiting for this moment, this woman, this time.
This female is mine, he thought."

"Even if it killed him, he was going to save this woman.
And as Goatee’s eyes flashed with pure hatred, he thought, well, shit, it might just come down to that.."

His story with Payne would not fill the whole book but it was definitely sweet. Payne was not the kick-ass fighter from previous books but for this one book, I was ok with that (as long as she doesn´t stay like this, I want the kick-ass heroine back in the next book!).

I really liked Xcor and his band, especially Throe. Yes, they are savage and don´t consider moral as we are used to, they live according to their own rules but I love them. Given Xcor´s background with the Bloodletter, it couldn´t be different for him I guess.. But I think now, that Payne told him the truth, he will start living his own way.. Can´t wait!!

MY RATING: 5*

VHAMPY

HOLY FREAKING CRAP! This book was amazing!!! After reading Lover Mine last year, I wasn't sure if I was going to be up to the challenge of another downer BDB book. I'm glad I was wrong. This book made me laugh, cry, yell and feel.


My highlights:

Manny is now on my list of hot sexy bastards. Adding Manny to the mix of the Brotherhood was a wise move by the WARDen. Manny doesn't put up with shit--especially V's and I like that about him. I never understood why he was so attracted to Payne and Payne was so attracted to him but you know what? The two of them actually work together. Now let me say a little somethin' somethin' about Payne. In Lover Mine she was all bad ass and kicking Wrath's ass from left to right. I always thought of Payne as Xhex Jr. In this book she has so many moments of trying to be prim and proper. I guess she was trying to be like Layla? Why?? I think Payne may have a split personality or something.

V/Butch/Jane. HOLY FREAKING CRAP! I knew we would see more of V in more of the books because there was no way he would be suddenly "healed" after hooking up with Jane. It makes sense to me that V's painful past would be brought to the forefront when he learned he had a sister. W.O.W. Just W.O.W. V went from hell and back and survived because of his love for Jane and Butch. My man Butch...damn I love that man. He put V before himself because he knew it was needed but damn was chapter 37 so hard to read. My prediction is we will see the consequences of Butch's actions in future books.

Band of Bastards. OH YEAH! Fresh Brother meat with a side of naughty. I would like several serving please!!! And her is the Vhampy prediction: I believe Rhage and Throe are blood brothers. Will I be right?

All in all this book MOVED me! I read it in one day and at the end I was begging for MORE!

Long live the WARDen!


My rating: 4.75*



                                 Melissa


Usually, I don't put much thought into how they name books, but Lover Unleashed was pretty accurate. I would have to say that what was unleashed was revelations and lots of them! This was the story of Payne and Manny, but like the other girls said, their story was not the forefront of the action. A lot of growth into Vishous's past is what is embellished on instead. If you felt that his book needed more resolution in the end, well this one helped clear that up quite a bit. The relationships of V and Jane and Butch are stretched to the limits and the lengths that each go through to keep their respective friendships/relationships intact is truly amazing.


*Possible spoilers*





Ok, on to Quinn and Blay. Now this is where I have some mixed feelings. Yes, I love Quinn and Blay together and Quinn definitely had his own revelations in this book, but there was a conversation that Saxton had with Quinn about lovers and love of his life. Appparantly, Saxton is living with Blay and Saxton knows how Quinn and Blay feel about each other, even if Q/B don't admit it to each other. So why is Saxton still there? I would totally feel like a third wheel if I was him, but whatever. I'm glad Blay is getting his in the meantime, while Quinn gets his act together.

I guess I should remark about Payne and Manny since it is technically their story. I was quite impressed by Manny and how he was acting so brother-like. He definitely had some hot scenes (i.e shower) and maybe it was just me but I loved how passionate he was about his horse and shared her with Payne. Speaking of Payne, though. Where was the butt-kicking heroine that sparred with Wrath? She had been healing for so long in the book that we didn't get to see much of that. I have a feeling that we will not be hearing the end of her, though.

Ok, now on to Xcor and his band of not so merry men. LOL. I am so excited and intrigued how the Warden will take this new storyline in the future. I was entralled by Throe and I hope that is not the end of him because I really liked him. And let me tell you, they know how to show a girl a good time, too!


One last thing....I wish there were more brother moments, but there was so much going on that it was inevitable that something had to give in the book. Oh and where was Muhrder?


RATING: 4.5 STARS