'Dark Lover' by J.R. Ward is the first book in the 'Black Dagger Brotherhood' series, introducing readers to a world where vampires are protected by a group known as the Brotherhood of the Black Dagger who are fighting against the Lessers, minions of the Omega. The book follows Wrath, a powerful vampire king, who reluctantly helps Beth, a half-human, half-vampire, through her transition into a vampire, leading to a dangerous and intense journey filled with romance, suspense, and dark secrets. The writing style in the book is described as flawless, with a mix of contemporary, romantic, and sexy elements that keep readers hooked from the very beginning.
The book is praised for its strong world-building, phenomenal character development, and addictive storyline that immerses readers into the lives of the characters. Readers appreciate the chemistry between Wrath and Beth, the dynamic personalities of the Brotherhood members, and the engaging plot that blends action, romance, and supernatural elements seamlessly. Overall, 'Dark Lover' is hailed as a captivating and entertaining read that offers a refreshing take on the vampire genre, with well-developed characters and a compelling narrative that keeps readers invested in the series.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings for Dark Lover include strong explicit language, themes of sexual assault, violence, and inner conflicts regarding identity and power.
Has Romance?
Yes, there is a strong presence of romance in Dark Lover.
From The Publisher:
See where it all began in the first phenomenal novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood series…
The only purebred vampire left on the planet and the leader of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who killed his parents centuries ago. But when his most trusted fighter is killed-orphaning a half-breed daughter unaware of her heritage or her fate-Wrath must put down his dagger and usher the beautiful female into another world.
Racked by a restlessness in her body that wasn't there before, Beth Randall is helpless against the dangerously sexy man who comes to her at night with shadows in his eyes. His tales of the Brotherhood and blood frighten her. Yet his touch ignites a dawning new hunger-one that threatens to consume them both…
INCLUDES A NEW LETTER FROM J. R. WARD
Ratings (190)
Incredible (31) | |
Loved It (72) | |
Liked It (47) | |
It Was OK (21) | |
Did Not Like (13) | |
Hated It (6) |
Reader Stats (308):
Read It (200) | |
Currently Reading (1) | |
Want To Read (61) | |
Did Not Finish (6) | |
Not Interested (40) |
5 comment(s)
Yet another series that I've put off starting, but no known reason. Thankfully a few challenges have gotten me to dust them off and read them.
Honestly, it took me a little while to get into this book. But once things picked up with Wrath, who Beth described as
"Perfect date material ... a vampire with the social equivalent of road rage", and Beth things got more interesting. ;) I also began to like the other Brothers and feel some of their pain. I can see that other stories in the series will most likely include them finding their mates.
**STOP HERE, IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE BOOK - SOME SPOILERS BELOW**
Bruce is a great character, strong, determined and fiercely lost in his non-life. I was happy to see him become part of the Brotherhood, albeit as a human. I'm interested to see where his budding relationship with Marissa goes in the future. I laughed out loud reading about them together, how taken he is by her. Especially when he after she kisses him he thinks,
"Where the hell was all the air in this part of North America?"
Of all the Brothers, one I'm very interested in seeing find happiness, since it's apparent he's never had any or felt love(d), is Zsadist. When he sang at the wedding and Beth's thoughts were,
"The scarred one, the soulless one, had the voice of an angel", I felt goosebumps.
Looking forward to all the books to follow!
I do have one question though, for all those die-hard BDB readers ...
When Beth was abducted and Butch was helping them, he entered the room he shared with Vishous, V was "pacing, trapped on the second floor because there was no way to get downstairs without being hit with light".
Couldn't he have just materialized somewhere else in the house? Or can't they all do that?
I was a bit bothered by the extremely macho men and the far less macho ladies. Some of the "brothers" were a tad sexist. I will admit, however, to having to fan myself frequently.
Well holy crap. It lived up to the hype. This book was delicious. Great characters, great world building, and... here's where I really have to give kudos. I'm generally irritated by PNR because I hate the rotating main characters. Generally, the central characters of the first book, being the most developed ones, are the ones I love best and I'd rather just go on with their story in successive novels. But something about the Brothers... I am THRILLED to go on and see their HEA.
Kicking myself for taking so long to finally pick these up...
Another PNR I had to read for a challenge. This one actually was fun and didn't take itself too seriously. Harmless. Funny. So ridiculous.
Dark lover is a really fun and imaginative story. I loved the romantic subplot and the epic bromance.
What can you read after
Dark Lover?
About the Author:
J. R. Ward is the author of more than thirty novels, including those in her #1 New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood series. She lives in the South with her family.
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