Black Dagger Brotherhood series: Lover Revealed
Lover Revealed, by J.R. Ward
reviewed by KariAnn
For your reading pleasure, today KariAnn gives us her review of the fourth book in the BDB series, Lover Revealed. Again, this review contains spoilers and adult themes, so please take that into consideration before reading her post. Thanks again to Kari for providing such insightful reviews. I’ve read this series a couple of times, but her reviews make me want to read it again!
I really should be working on IPoN chapter 32, I really should. Or cleaning my bedroom, which has piles of laundry and books stacked everywhere…
But I just can’t seem to concentrate on anything but those sexy, leather-clad man-beast vampire warriors known as the Black Dagger Brotherhood! Damn you, J.R. Ward, for writing such an addicting series that keep me up ‘til 2AM every morning, never mind that I have to get up early with the kids! Gah! The Black Dagger Brotherhood series has become my crack, and I can’t seem to stop reading. I keep telling myself I’ll take a break after I finish just one more book. The problem is I don’t WANT to stop myself. Well, I never claimed to have a whole helluva lot of self-discipline.
So I just finished Lover Revealed late last night, and I’m literally twitching to start the next one, despite the fact that I PROMISED myself I would pump out IPoN 32 before starting on Vishous’s story. Not to mention that I’d write this review while it’s still fresh on mind. Well, at least I’m making good on that one, at any rate!
In a brief synopsis, Revealed is the story of Butch O’Neal, a former police detective and friend of Beth’s who was first introduced to us in Dark Lover and who got dragged into the vampire world at around the same time as Beth. Trapped on the fringes between the human world and the vampire – but not really belonging to either – Butch is haunted by a past involving a sister who was murdered when he was only twelve and a family who blamed him.
In the vampire world, he quickly befriends Vishous, a member of the Brotherhood, and the two of them form a close bond that has definite homoerotic undertones. As Butch pines after Marissa, the beautiful, aristocratic former shellan of Wrath, Vishous watches the two of them closely as their relationship first progresses, then falters, and then repeats – but whether he’s jealous of Marissa or of what Marissa and Butch have together, I’m still not exactly clear on. I think maybe a little of both. For me, the Vishous dynamic was actually the most interesting part of the novel, and I’m left feeling very curious about his story.
My personal observations while reading Lover Revealed: First of all, I REALLY missed Zsadist in this one. I fell hard-core for Z in Awakened, so I felt saddened that there wasn’t more of him and Bella in this book. There was, however, a very satisfying scene in which the character John observes Z “chasing” Bella in an erotic game of cat-and-mouse. I enjoyed that scene tremendously.
My second observation is that Butch really annoyed me for much of the book. Don’t get me wrong, I like the guy as a character, but the I’m-not-good-enough-for-her bullshit he pulled with Marissa during the first half of the book got on my friggin’ nerves. In fact, his behavior frustrated me more than Z’s bad behavior toward Bella in Awakened. But of course, I understand the need for some conflict. After all, what would be the fun in having the HEA at the very beginning of the novel? So in that light, and judging by the fact that the conflict kept me flipping through page after page in the hopes of seeing Marissa and Butch work things out, it was a smart move on Ms. Ward’s part.
Third observation: I really like the character of Marissa. There was definitely a lot of character development where she’s concerned. In fact, by the end of the novel she’s a completely different woman from the timid, “proper” female of the upper class vampire society that we saw in the first novel. At the end of Revealed, there was one scene in particular that made me practically jump up and revert back to the ‘90’s saying “You go girl!”.
Fourth observation: I don’t particularly care for the scenes about what’s going on with the lessers. Although I understand that they’re necessary for the purposes of plot progression, I find myself skimming through them. But at least those scenes are only a couple of pages long on average. (Sheesh, why should a little thing like plot get in the way of the romance and hot animal sex?) Also, although I won’t get into detail here because I don’t want to spoil it for those who haven’t yet read the book, we find out why Butch was destined to fall in with the Brothers.
All in all, The Black Dagger Brotherhood continues to be an addicting, page-turning read, and I can hardly WAIT to sink my teeth into the fifth book, Lover Unbound, which is going to be all about Vishous! Yay, I can’t wait to find out what V’s like in bed!
A couple of predictions about the upcoming novels: John will open up to Zsadist about the sexual assault he experienced, which is undoubtedly why Wrath ordered them to spend time together – because of Z’s past involving sexual abuse. My guess is that Wrath guesses what happened to John, and he thinks Z can help him. Also, Tohr isn’t dead. No way, no how. Won’t believe it until a body turns up, and even then I still might not. Rhev is going to become a member of the Brotherhood, that much is obvious. And, of course, the vampire army is going to get built up, and they’re all going to kick the lessers’ asses! Oh, and John’s not going to find out that he’s the reincarnated soul of Darius until his book (whichever one that is).
Until next time!
-Kari
Oops, I forgot about Rhage and his book. I like Rhage. Hmm… I think he would probably be after Z & Wrath for me. (I tend to like the brothers in the same order that I like their books.) And then I sorta like Butch, V, & Phury equally.
Where is Rhage in your list? I loved this review!
I wasn’t a fan of Butch having his own story told because he was human. He’s still lower on my list because we saw his human asshole side before he turned vamp and human asshole is much less easy to forgive than vampire asshole, for some reason.
I hate the lesser scenes too. In re-reads, I skip them entirely. The books are better that way.
The order of my list: Lover Eternal, Lover Awakened, Lover Unbound, Lover Avenged, Dark Lover, Lover Revealed, Lover Enshrined, then Lover Mine. Phury pissed me off. What a fucking bawl baby.
Jules – Haha, I’ll go ahead and tell you that V’s book wasn’t my favorite – and for completely personal reasons that I explain in my review. ;) I did like it though, it just wasn’t my favorite. Or my second favorite. My first two faves so far (& I’m still plowing my way through Avenged) are Awakened, followed by Dark Lover. And then I’d have to say that I enjoyed V’s book & Butch’s book equally, & then last would be Phury’s book for me.
My favorite part of Butch’s book (besides his adeptness at going downtown *wink*) was his unclassified connection aka bromance with Vishous.
Just for the record, I think you are going to love V’s book, but I’ll be anxiously awaiting your next review to see if I’m wrong or right.
The brothers are habit forming, in that you aren’t alone. I don’t love the Lesser storylines either, but I must say, they hold more appeal as the series continues, at least IMHO.
I think, for me, it was completely fascinating how Butch became a member of the brotherhood, it was not something I was expecting in the least. Lover Unbound really owned me when I read it. It’s not my favorite (though V is my brother of choice) for reasons I can’t tell you, but it ranks near the top.
Another excellent review Kari!