Book one in a great series, that I almost couldn’t put down (aka known as the “Black Dagger Brotherhood” series).

In a nutshell, each book concentrates mostly on one of the “Brothers” from a band of defensive “Vampire Warriors” chosen to protect their diminishing species. While it is a romance series, (spiraling us through an emotional whirlwind of highs and lows when that Brother meets his “true love”), we also get a glimpse into the world of Vampire politics, social classes, and full blown battles against enemies.

With Dark Lover, we encounter “Wrath” (who is the leader of his Brotherhood, and the only full blooded vampire left). He is described as ”colossal” and stacked, with a constant menacing (albeit gorgeous) look, long black hair, and always decked out in black leather, “shitkickers”, and weaponry of all sorts.

He is sworn to protect the daughter (“Beth”) of one of his brothers, who has just been killed by their enemy. She has been raised in the human world (she is half human), has not known her Vampire father, and has not yet been through the very painful ”transitioning” into her Vampire self. In fact, she has no clue what she’s in for (she doesn’t even know Vampires exist)!

Beth, (who is also drop dead gorgeous), is a journalist who works closely with the Police department, and has plenty of suitors, none of which she has even remotely been interested in. One cop in particular (“Butch”) also takes to protecting her, which in turn causes quite a deadly encounter between him and Wrath, dragging both Beth and Butch into the Vampire world, one of which they could have never anticipated (and essentially, can never leave).

Through this book, we are introduced to the “vampire transitioning” process (Vampires are brought into being, by being born with it in their DNA, and are essentially human until they “transition” in their early 20′s). They eat regular food, feel love and bond (although the bonding process is quite interesting and a HUGE part of each book – always hot and steamy!!), and if needed, ”feed”, off of another Vampire of the opposite sex (human blood does not keep them strong or nourish enough).

So essentially, we’ve got a group of good guy Vampires (that are a long lived species, NOT the undead), who are being hunted into extinction by the “UNDEAD Lessers” (they used to be human “psychopath serial killer types” that were chosen and transitioned through evil).

Love, bonding, unusual friendships being forged, and battling evil! What more could a girl want? I loved it, devoured it, and plowed right through to the very end!

Best to read the books in this order:

• Dark Lover
• Lover Eternal
• Lover Awakened
• Lover Revealed
• Lover Unbound
• Lover Enshrined
• Coming soon: Lover Avenged (April 28th 2009)

Related posts:

1. Book Review – “Lover Awakened” by J.R. Ward
2. Book Review – “Lover Eternal” by J.R. Ward
3. Book Review – “Lover Revealed” by J.R. Ward

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