Lover at Last

Qhuinn, son of no one, is used to being on his own. Disavowed from his bloodline, shunned by the aristocracy, he has finally found an identity as one of the most brutal fighters in the war against the Lessening Society. But his life is not complete. Even as the prospect of having a family of his own seems to be within reach, he is empty on the inside, his heart given to another....
Blay, after years of unrequited love, has moved on from his feelings for Qhuinn. And it’s about time: it seems Qhuinn has found his perfect match in a Chosen female, and they are going to have a young. It’s hard for Blay to see the new couple together, but building your life around a pipe dream is just a heartbreak waiting to happen. And Qhuinn needs to come to terms with some dark things before he can move forward…
Fate seems to have taken these vampire soldiers in different directions... but as the battle over the race’s throne intensifies, and new players on the scene in Caldwell create mortal danger for the Brotherhood, Qhuinn finally learns the true definition of courage, and two hearts who are meant to be together... finally become one.

Lover at Last is the eleventh novel in J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series. I first read this book when it was released, and I’m glad I decided to reread it so that I could get a refresher on Blay and Qhuinn’s story before diving into the books I missed out on reading in the BDB series. I stopped reading the series in 2014 when I started working full-time and didn’t have much time to read. I’m not working anymore, so I have plenty of time to catch up on the books I missed out on in the series.

Blay and Qhuinn’s story was always one of the most-anticipated books for me when they were introduced in the series. I needed to know if these two friends would finally give in to those feelings they were having for one another. J.R. Ward gave us hints throughout the previous books leading up to Lover at Last on what was to come, but only teasers. I was happy to get their story finally but these two characters definitely had to work out some things before they finally got their HEA. 

I loved both Blay and Qhuinn for different reasons when reading their story, but I did have some minor issues with both. I knew from reading previous books that Qhuinn’s family treated him horribly, and I always felt for his character but didn’t like some of the choices Qhuinn was making for himself. He had always been a player, and Blay knew this would never change, especially when Qhuinn hooked up with Layla, so Blay decided to move on with someone else. At least he tried to move on, but the whole time, he was thinking about Qhuinn. I wasn’t fond of Blay moving on with someone else because it felt like he was using the poor guy to get over Qhuinn, which I knew could never happen. It was obvious that Qhuinn and Blay needed time apart to figure things out. It drove me crazy that these two just didn’t communicate in the beginning, but if they had, we wouldn’t have had a dramatic and emotional story. 

There was one scene in this book that definitely was emotional for me to read, and it involved Qhuinn and the brotherhood. I won’t give it away, but this scene showed Qhuinn what true family was and he deserved this so much and more. It was a pivotal moment for the books to come in the series because things are about to change for BDB. 

This book did have a lot to unpack in one book with all the different POVs and keeping up with different storylines. Sometimes, it was overwhelming and hard to keep up with, but I knew that J.R. Ward was setting up for the next books in the series. I just wish she would focus on the main storyline like she used to at the beginning of this series. I wasn’t fond of Xcor and Layla’s characters initially in the BDB series, but they are starting to grow on me, especially Layla. The poor Chosen had been through a lot, especially in this book, and I felt for her character. I hope she gets a HEA, and I’m glad it’s not with Qhuinn. Other POVs that were in this book were Assail, Sola, and the Shadows, particularly Trez. I can’t wait to read the Shadows story and find out more of their backstory, especially since they have moved in with the BDB mansion. I know their stories are going to be epic. 

J.R. Ward delivered an action-packed, emotional book when it came to Blay and Qhuinn’s story, and I’m happy these two finally received their HEA. 

Story Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Steam/Spice: 🌶🌶.5

Standalone or Part of Series: It’s part of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series and I recommend reading in order.

Would I recommend this book/series? Yes.

Genre/SubGenre(s): Romance | Paranormal Romance | LGBT Romance | MM Romance

Trope(s)/Element(s): Fated Mates | Friends to Lovers | Unrequited Love

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About J.R. Ward

J.R. Ward is the author of over thirty novels, including those in her #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling series, The Black Dagger Brotherhood. There are more than 15 million copies of Ward’s novels in print worldwide and they have been published in 25 different countries around the world.
After graduating from law school, Ward began working in healthcare in Boston and spent many years as Chief of Staff of one of the premier academic medical centers in the nation. She lives in the south with her incredibly supportive husband and her beloved golden retriever. Writing has always been her passion and her idea of heaven is a whole day of nothing but her computer, her dog and her coffee pot.

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FranJessca

Owner/Reviewer at A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog

I guess I should type a bio here. I'm FranJessca, or Fran for short. I'm the owner/reviewer behind A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog. I've been reading and reviewing books on my blog since leaving the Navy in 2011, and I will keep doing it as long as possible. My favorite genres will always be Romance & Fantasy, and I read every subgenre underneath those two genres. (Sorry, not a fan of nonfiction, so don't try to convince me to read it.)
My obsession with reading started over 30+ years ago when I went to my first Scholastic Book Fair and found R.L. Stine's Fear Street series. Later, I came across Anne Rice's novels at my public library when I was fourteen when my obsession with vampires started. I was the girl who preferred to be a vampire over a princess any day. My husband says I would leave him a heartbeat for a vampire that looked like Spike or Angel (from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) or Damon Salvatore from The Vampire Diaries. (It's true, though, and he's accepted it.)

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