Lover Unbound

The ruthless and brilliant brother Vishous possesses a destructive curse and a frightening ability to see the future. As a member of the Brotherhood, he has no interest in love or emotion, only the battle with the Lessening Society. But when a mortal injury puts him in the care of a human surgeon, Dr. Jane Whitcomb compels him to reveal his inner pain and taste true pleasure for the first time-until a destiny he didn't choose takes him into a future that does not include her...

Another reread of Lover Unbound is complete, and I enjoyed being back with Vishous and Jane. However, after listening to it a third time, I believe V should have had an MMF story with Butch. That’s just my opinion, and not everyone is going to agree. I loved Butch’s story with Marissa but knew V had feelings for his friend in Lover Revealed. Butch and V’s friendship could have easily blossomed into more, primarily due to certain things that happened in this book to both male characters. It looks like it wasn’t meant to be, but a reader can imagine.

Storyline/My Thoughts: Don’t get me wrong; I loved Jane in Lover Unbound. She was all about her job and took it seriously, especially with a man the size of V coming through her hospital doors, and she had to treat his gunshot wound. She didn’t know exactly what V was and was fascinated with him. She handled herself amazingly well when it came to meeting the BDB members. She was a fighter, even when it came to V being stubborn and handling the rules of not telling anyone about BDB and vampires in the mortal world. She was the opposite of V, and I loved that J.R. Ward gave us a character like her to mix with the darker side of V. Although, I’m ticked with what J.R. Ward did to Jane towards the end. No spoilers from me, but just know that Jane deserved better. 

What were my thoughts on the notorious hardcore BDB member, Vishous? 

I loved V and finding out his backstory, finally. The poor guy had been tortured and treated like dirt from the beginning. There was also one thing that was revealed in this book that I found interesting. He has every reason to despise a certain person, and that person wants to make him the Primal of his kind. I could understand V’s anger, especially when he finally met his mate, Jane. He also holds the burden of helping his buddy Butch with the curse he was shafted with in Lover Revealed. V can’t seem to catch a break, and I wanted him to have his HEA. He deserved it, but in the end, something prevented him from getting a full HEA, so I’m only giving the book four stars now. 

Everything V and Jane went through in this book, being a doctor and patient first, then switching into something more because they didn’t care about vampire politics, and they got screwed over. I wished I could love this book as I did in my twenties when I first read it, but being close to forty now and realizing what was done, nope, I can’t justify five stars. I almost gave it three stars, but I didn’t want to do that to V and Jane. 

I would have also loved to see more of V’s BDSM side in this book, which never happened. It was hinted, but nothing where we saw him enter his BDSM space.

I love when J.R. Ward gives us other POVs in the BDB series and hints about upcoming books. Readers will get John Matthew, Phury, and another new character that comes forward in this book, leading the readers into Phury’s book. If you have been following John Matthew from when he was introduced, he is about to experience a change in this book. He’s one of my favorite characters, and I’ve already read his book, so I know what to expect. I’m not a fan of Phury, and I hate not liking him. You’ll have to read my review of his book on why he’s not a favorite BDB character. 

I may have changed my review completely for V and Jane’s book due to reading it a third time, but I did still enjoy it but didn’t love it this time around. If I reread it again, who knows, I may change my rating. I’m always finding something new when I do my rereads of one of my favorite series. 

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

Steam/Spice: 🌶 🌶

Genre/SubGenre(s)/Trope(s)/Element(s): Romance. Paranormal Romance. Fated Mates. Vampire Romance. Doctor/Patient. Opposite’s Attract. Slow Burn Romance. Kidnapping/Abduction. Alpha MMC. Tortured MMC.

Would I recommend this book? Yes. I recommend this series to Paranormal Romance readers. This series is a long one and can be overwhelming with how many characters are being introduced but don’t let that deter you. You may find your next book boyfriend in it.

Favorite Quote(s): “I love you. And I’m going to keep loving you even after you don’t know I exist.” 

“Falling into ruin was a bit like falling in love: Both descents stripped you bare and left you as you were at your core. And both endings are equally painful.” 

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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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