Lover Avenged - J.R. Ward

Lover Avenged (Black Dagger Brotherhood #7)
                                                        - J.R. Ward
Grade: Adult - PNR
Rating: 5/5 stars

J. R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood novels have introduced readers to a "different, creative, dark, violent, and flat-out amazing" (All About Romance)world. Now, as the vampire warriors defend their race against their slayers, one male's loyalty to the Brotherhood will be tested-and his dangerous mixed blood revealed...

Caldwell, New York, has long been the battleground for the vampires and their enemies, the Lessening Society. It's also where Rehvenge has staked out his turf as a drug lord and owner of a notorious night club that caters to the rich and heavily armed. His shadowy reputation is exactly why he's approached to kill Wrath, the Blind King and leader of the Brotherhood.

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. (Description from Goodreads)

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'Lover Avenged' is my favourite Black Dagger Brotherhood book so far. I didn't think it was possible to love a book more than 'Lover Awakened' (because Z's transformation was insane), but I stand corrected. Rehvenge's book displayed so much emotion, heartache and hope. I just adored it.

Like all BDB books, we see the focus fall mainly on one male (Rehvenge) and one female (Ehelena). You know there's going to be a pattern. They meet early in the book, develop a relationship, face an unimaginable obstacle and come out on top in the end. You're probably wondering what makes this book better than the rest? Well, like I mentioned before, the emotion in 'Lover Avenged' is off the chart. I've never cried in a BDB book before, but Rehv's struggle to be the perfect male, even with his symphath side make you ache for him. I really enjoyed finding out more about his symphath history and seeing inside the colony was definitely a different experience. But I'm glad he got his happy ending; he definitely deserved it.

I've discovered that one of my favourite characters in this series is Xhex. I loved getting hints at her past, and she's had such a tough life. Her devotion to Rehv is insanely touching. There's never a doubt in my mind that they're anything more than friends, but knowing she'd do anything for him makes me sigh. We get a chance to see her vulnerability; there's more to her than the fighter-chick image she projects to the world.

I love that we see more than one story in each BDB book. I know we connect each book with one male and one female, but I really enjoy seeing the other stories just as much (unless it involves the lessers because they really don't interest me). What made 'Lover Avenged' a better book was seeing Wrath again, and not just small flashes as he's dealing with the Brothers, but an actual sub-plot that brought his role in the series to a new level. We get another look at Wrath and Beth's relationship - the connection that I've missed from them and wasn't seen much since 'Dark Lover' - and you fall in love with them all over again.

I still have a problem getting interested in the lessers. I find when they turn up in the book that I have to flip through the book to find out when the next vampire will turn up. I thought I was going to be more interested in them, because of Lash's involvement with the Lessening Society, but I was wrong. I just wanted to strangle him most of the time, or skip his parts. However, the lessers' role changed a lot in 'Lover Avenged'. There wasn't a lot of fighting and with Lash in charge there was a lot more planning for the future. I'm hoping I'll be a bit more interested in his role in the next book. I know he's going to be an important player.

'Lover Avenged' ended with a big "OMG!" moment, and I can't wait to dive straight into 'Lover Mine' and hope everything gets resolved soon.

5/5 stars


Kim
(Originally posted on Goodreads)