Lover Unleashed - J.R. Ward

Lover Unleashed
Author: J.R. Ward
Genre: Adult Romantic Fantasy
My Version: Audiobook

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Synopsis: Pain, daughter of the Blood Letter and the Scribe Virgin and twin sister to Black Dagger Brother, Vishous, has finally been released from the Fade only to acquire an injury that has left her paralyzed. Jane, Vishous’ mate, believes that she knows a surgeon who may just be able to help her. As Pain and her “healer” Manuel become more attached to each other, Vishous and Jane have a different kind of pain that needs healing, and a new threat to the BDB has entered the scene.

Review: I was underwhelmed with this book. I have enjoyed the BDB series since I started reading the books a couple of years ago. I loved the fighting and the banter between the brothers (especially the banter between the brothers!). It was fun, and sad, and romantic, and fierce. I was SOO looking forward to the release of LoverMine last year, mostly because we got to see John Matthew grow from a gangly, awkward teenager, into a man. I just loved his character, and was very excited to read his HEA. I never created this attachment to Pain. Usually, when the books had parts with her, I was thinking “common, let’s get back to the good stuff.” So when I found out that Lover Unleashed was Pain’s book, I honestly wasn’t really all that excited about it outside of the fact that this was a BDB book. That being said, my review is probably a little skewed, and I’m not going to spend a lot of time on it.

For me, this book was lacking. I felt like there was just so much focus on Vishous and Jane (didn’t they already have their book???) and then of course Pain and Manuel, and not so much on everything else. I mean, Quinn got some time, but the time with him was just so emo-sad that his segments were kind of a downer. There was not a whole lot of fighting going on. The Lessening Society was not around much outside of the mention that they were being recruited in droves. MOST of the brotherhood was even missing. I think my favorite parts of the previous books are when the brothers are all together with their myriad of personalities colliding. They just make me smile. Where was everyone in this book?? I know, I know…there are a LOT of characters – and with the addition of the new threat – even more. J.R. Ward has just set up enough material for several more books. So I will be patient. And I will hope that the next segment will include more brothers, and less wallowing in self pity.


LOVED IT: Butch. He’s an excellent friend through and through!

HATED IT: Um, where are we going with Quinn’s story??? I’m confused.

SONG PLAYING IN MY HEAD: Smashing Pumpkins, Bullet with Butterfly Wings, “Despite all my rage, I’m still just a rat in a cage…”




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