Lover Unbound by J. R. Ward

Title: Lover Unbound (A Black Dagger Brotherhood Novel, 5)
Author: J. R. Ward
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Piatkus (7th October 2010)
Blurb:

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a deadly war ragin between vampires and their slayers. And there exists a secret band of brothers like no other – six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Now, the cold heart of a cunning predator will be warmed against its will . . .

Ruthless and brilliant, Vishous, a member of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, possesses a destructive curse and the frightening ability to see th future. Tormented and abused while growing up in his father’s war camp, he now has no interest in love or emotion, only in 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 towards a future that cannot include her . . .

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Review:

LOVER UNBOUND by J. R. Ward is the fifth instalment in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. It tells the story of Vishous, a member of the Black Dagger Brotherhood who played a large part in the previous book in the series, LOVER REVEALED, as he formed a close bond with Butch. In LOVER UNBOUND Vishous has to deal with a few issues that have been building-up in the last book, he also has a chance encounter with a Dr Jane Whitcomb.

Vishous has existed on the periphery for several books, so I was interested to see what Ward would do with this story. So far, I think, this is one of my favourite stories in the series. There are some interesting revelations in this book, and the story itself is an intriguing one. Vishous is a suitably complicated character, and Ward reveals his past in this book. I also enjoyed the appearance of Dr Jane Whitcomb in this book – I thought she was an interesting and strong character.

The plot of the book is pretty much what you would expect from the previous four books in the series, so this probably isn’t the book – or series – for you if you’re looking for something original. The Black Dagger Brotherhood series is very much a Mills & Boon-esc series, but with vampires. Having said that, I found the story very engrossing and it was an entertaining read. LOVER UNBOUND also does a good job setting up the next book in the series. The book added some interesting information to the series canon, which I look forward to seeing what Ward does with it later in the series.

LOVER UNBOUND adds another intense, complex story to the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. If you have enjoyed the series so far, then you should definitely carry on with it. Ward creates a complicated and compelling story in this book, a worthy addition to the shelves of any fan of the paranormal romance genre.