Re-read Book Review: Lover Reborn by J. R. Ward

Author: J. R. Ward
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #10
Audience: +18
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: October 2nd 2012 (first published March 27th 2012)
My Rating: 3 Cups
Source: My copy
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Ever since the death of his shellan, Tohrment has been unrecognizable from the vampire leader he once was. Physically emaciated and heartbroken beyond despair, he has been brought back to the Brotherhood by a self-serving fallen angel. Now, fighting once again with ruthless vengeance, he is unprepared to face a new kind of tragedy.

When Tohr begins to see his beloved in his dreams—trapped in a cold, isolated netherworld far from the peace and tranquillity of the Fade—he turns to the angel in hopes of saving the one he has lost. But because Lassiter tells him he must learn to love another to free his former mate, Tohr knows they are all doomed….

Except then a female with a shadowed history begins to get through to him. Against the backdrop of the raging war with the lessers, and with a new clan of vampires vying for the Blind King’s throne, Tohr struggles between the buried past and a very hot, passion-filled future…but can his heart let go and set all of them free?

*Disclaimer: This review may include spoilers for past books.

Two of the most tragic characters in the the world of Black Dagger Brotherhood are finally getting their stories told, and let me tell you, my fellow readers, this was a wild ride. As always, please go visit Jamsu’s blog to read her review of the book. Let me tell you all about my feelings, of which I had many.

Blog Tour Book Review: Delighted by Lexi Blake

Author: Lexi Blake
Series: Masters and Mercenaries #24.5, Masters & Mercenaries: Sanctum Nights #13
Audience: +18
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance
Publisher: 1001 Dark Nights Press
Release Date: June 7th 2022
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: Social Butterfly PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake comes a new story in her Masters and Mercenaries series…

Brian “Boomer” Ward believes in sheltering strays. After all, the men and women of McKay-Taggart made him family when he had none. So when the kid next door needs help one night, he thinks nothing of protecting her until her mom gets home. But when he meets Daphne Carlton, the thoughts hit him hard. She’s stunning and hardworking and obviously in need of someone to put her first. It doesn’t hurt that she’s as sweet as the cupcakes she bakes.

Daphne Carlton’s life revolves around two things—her kid and her business. Daphne’s Delights is her dream—to take the recipes of her childhood and share them with the world. Her daughter, Lula, is the best kid she could have hoped for. Lula’s got a genius-level intelligence and a heart of gold. But she also has two grandparents who control her access to private school and the fortune her father left behind. They’re impossible to please, and Daphne worries that one wrong move on her part could cost her daughter the life she deserves.

As Daphne and Boomer find themselves getting closer, outside forces put pressure on the new couple. But if they make it through the storm, love will just be the icing on the cake because family is the real prize.

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

*Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC of this book from Social Butterfly PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

**Disclaimer: This book contains mature content. As a result, my review may contain references to content intended for mature audiences only.

Listen, I know I say this a lot, but it happens to be true every single time: each time I sit down to read a Lexi Blake story I know I’ll have a very good time, and Delighted was no different. I was surprised, shocked, brought to tears, and amused a lot reading this book.

Book Review: Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward (re-read)

Author: J. R. Ward
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #9
Audience: +18
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: March 1st 2011
My Rating: 3 Cups
Source: My copy
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Few authors give readers such a “powerful rush”* as #1 New York Times bestselling author J.R. Ward does in her phenomenal books of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Now she returns to that fiercely intoxicating world in a new novel of a woman’s journey from terrifying enslavement to an erotic rapture that proves equally dangerous…

Payne, twin sister of Vishous, is cut from the same dark, warrior cloth as her brother: A fighter by nature, and a maverick when it comes to the traditional role of Chosen females, there is no place for her on the Far Side… and no role for her on the front lines of the war, either.

When she suffers a paralyzing injury, human surgeon Dr. Manuel Manello is called in to treat her as only he can- and he soon gets sucked into her dangerous, secret world. Although he never before believed in things that go bump in the night- like vampires- he finds himself more than willing to be seduced by the powerful female who marks both his body and his soul.

As the two find so much more than an erotic connection, the human and vampire worlds collide … just as a centuries old score catches up with Payne and puts both her love and her life in deadly jeopardy.

This is my second time reading this book, and it was a very interesting experience. I wish past me would have kept a reading journal back when I first read this book, so that I can understand kind of what I was feeling about the book then, because I feel like now my review is going to be very different than what it originally was for the book. As always, this was a buddy read with Jamsu @ Jamsudreams, and don’t forget to visit her blog to read her review of Lover Unleashed.

Book Review: To Sir Phillip With Love by Julia Quinn

Author: Julia Quinn
Series: Bridgertons #5
Audience: +18
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: January 31st 2017 (first published July 1st 2003)
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: My Copy
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Sir Phillip knew that Eloise Bridgerton was a spinster, and so he’d proposed, figuring that she’d be homely and unassuming, and more than a little desperate for an offer of marriage. Except . . . she wasn’t. The beautiful woman on his doorstep was anything but quiet and when she stopped talking long enough to close her mouth all he wanted to do was kiss her . . . and more.

Plus – the epilogue II short story:
Those cute kids from romance novels aren’t actually supposed to grow up, are they?

When last we saw Amanda Crane, she was eight years old and (in her own words) a blight on the face of humanity. Now she’s grown up, remarkably well-adjusted, and ready to fall in love. All she needs is the right gentleman…

I decided last month that I was going to finally finish reading the Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn. After reading Eloise’s book I’m both happy with my decision to wait a little bit before diving into To Sir Phillip With Love, and also mad at myself for having waited for so long.

Book Review: Lover Mine by J. R. Ward

Author: J. R. Ward
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #8
Audience: +18
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: April 27th 2010
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: My copy
Blurb (from Goodreads):

John Matthew has come a long way since he was found living among humans, his vampire nature unknown to himself and to those around him. After he was taken in by the Brotherhood, no one could guess what his true history was- or his true identity. Indeed, the fallen Brother Darius has returned, but with a different face and a very different destiny. As a vicious personal vendetta takes John into the heart of the war, he will need to call up on both who he is now and who he once was in order to face off against evil incarnate.

Xhex, a symphath assassin, has long steeled herself against the attraction between her and John Matthew. Having already lost one lover to madness, she will not allow the male of worth to fall prey to the darkness of her twisted life. When fate intervenes, however, the two discover that love, like destiny, is inevitable between soul mates.

*Disclaimer: This review may contain spoilers for previous books.

Finally we have arrived at the next book on my most anticipated books in this series, Lover Mine. The reading experience was a little bit different this time, mostly because of how my feelings for certain characters have changed during this reread, but I still thoroughly enjoyed this book. Don’t forget to head to Jamsu @ Jamsudreams and read her review of this book!

Book Review: Lover Avenged by J. R. Ward

Author: J. R. Ward
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #7
Audience: +18
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: November 24th 2009
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: My copy
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Rehvenge has always kept his distance from the Brotherhood—even though his sister is married to a member, for he harbors a deadly secret that could make him a huge liability in their war against the lessers. As plots within and outside of the Brotherhood threaten to reveal the truth about Rehvenge, he turns to the only source of light in his darkening world, Ehlena, a vampire untouched by the corruption that has its hold on him—and the only thing standing between him and eternal destruction.

Rereading Lover Avenged has confirmed a few things for me: I totally have a hero type, and my love for Rehvenge is still going strong. Remember to read Jamsu @ Jamsudreams review here.

Book Review: Lover Enshrined by J. R. Ward

Author: J. R. Ward
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #6
Audience: +18
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Signet
Release Date: June 3rd 2008
My Rating: 3 Cups
Source: My copy
Blurb (from Goodreads):

In this “frighteningly addictive” paranormal romance saga there’s a war raging between vampires and their slayers. Here are the stories of a secret band of brothers like no other—six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. And now a dutiful twin must choose between two lives…

Fiercely loyal to the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Phury has sacrificed himself for the good of the race, becoming the male responsible for keeping the Brotherhood’s bloodlines alive. As Primale of the Chosen, he is obligated to father the sons and daughters who will ensure that the traditions of the race survive, and that there are warriors to fight those who want all vampires extinguished.

As his first mate, the Chosen Cormia wants to win not only his body, but his heart for herself. She is drawn to the noble responsibility behind the emotionally scarred male. But Phury has never allowed himself to know pleasure or joy. As the war with the Lessening Society grows grim, tragedy looms over the Brotherhood’s mansion, and Phury must decide between duty and love….

Reading Lover Enshrined turned out to be far more entertaining that I initially anticipated. I remember how in the past every time I reread this book I would end up feeling pretty frustrated that we didn’t get to spend a lot of time exploring Phury and Cormia’s relationship, and we instead saw more subplots being developed. This is probably my first reread where I was actually glad that we get to focus a bit more on the secondary characters than on the main ones. I’m also glad that I got to reread this book as a buddy read with Jamsu @ Jamsudreams, because I now had someone with whom to live-react to while I was reading, and I have to say we had very many feelings. Don’t forget to check out Jamsu’s review of Lover Enshrined!