Sammy’s review of Blood Vow (Black Dagger Legacy, Book 2) by J.R. Ward
Paranormal Romance published by Ballantine Books 06 Dec 16
I put the Legacy books on hold, and I am happy to report that I am one book away from being caught up. To be completely honest, I wasn’t wowed by Blood Kiss, so I let the books linger on my huge TBR pile. I am hoping 2019 will be the year that I actually put a dent in it. I’m also happy I read Blood Vow because it was fantastic. The emotional arc in this book regarding Rhage, Mary, and Bitty is heart wrenching. Throw in an angry, complicated vampire civilian, and an aristocratic female, and you know the sparks are going to fly. Especially that the bad boy vampire has an immediate attraction to the one female he has sworn to protect. It’s all the ingredients to make a good book great.
Axe is a trainee at the Brotherhood compound. He and his fellow recruits are trying to learn how to fight against the Lessers and the new baddie in town. But, after the raids that killed a lot of the Glymera and civilians, the new normal is hard to get through – for Axe especially. While everyone was touched in some way by the killings, Axe’s past is full of regret, sorrow, anger, and addiction. He’s barely surviving. He has no money, no electricity, no family, and a huge chip on his shoulder. He’s been clean from drugs, only to fill that void with sex. He’s a patron of The Keys, a sex club where anything goes. When Axe walks into any room, whether you are a rat with no tail or a Vampire, you take notice. He and his crew decide to go for drinks and food on Peyton. While they are hanging out, Peyton is talking to his cousin Elise.
Elise has been sneaking off to college to get her degree in Psychology while she is a TA. She’s about to have an affair with her mentor and teacher. While she is in deep thought, she walks in the front door with her backpack right past her father’s office. Her dad freaks out because they are barely getting over all the deaths from the raids and he now wants her to be sequestered by the King. Elise calls Peyton to help her and he tells her to meet him at the bar they are hanging out at. Elise shows up and Axe has an instantaneous reaction. They are throwing off some serious vibes. Peyton is not too happy, knowing Axe’s reputation, and sparks fly between them with threats and violence.
Rhage and Mary are under pressure waiting the six months to see if anyone claims Bitty as family. Just when you think Rhage and Mary haven’t suffered enough, Bitty’s maternal uncle turns up. Rhune wants to do the right thing by taking care of his sister’s daughter. He’s a quiet vampire, lives in the south, and works for a family. He has no education, but he does have a heart of gold. This part of the book is very emotional for everyone, including the reader. Meanwhile, Lassiter is walking around being all divine and cryptic. Bitty’s bones didn’t grow properly from all the beatings she survived and needs to have everything re-set. It’s going to be very painful, since Bitty is allergic to the anesthesia. This was hard to read, I have to be honest. Bitty wants Rhage by her side. She’s been so brave. And Havers has one more bone to re-set. Rhage’s beast is having none of it. In the middle of the operating room, he lets the dragon loose. Needless to say, there are a few nurses and one doctor that will need treatment for PTSD.
Meanwhile, Elise gets help from Paradise, the heroine from Blood Kiss. Her father works for the King and asks him to talk sense into Elise’s father about the sequestering. He decides that she can continue school, if she has a bodyguard at all times. Axe jumps on the chance, one, because his bonding is tugging at him, and, two, he really needs the money. Axe has been barely living life. He has no electric, no food. The only thing he does have is hot water, sex at the club, a fireplace to keep him warm, and his regrets. Elise and Axe are doing the mating dance. Axe has no love of the aristocrats, which you will find out why and, boy, is it a doozy. Another emotionally charged part. Heartbreaking. Axe shows up with Elise at college and soon figures out that her teacher has the hots for her and he thinks they are dating. That doesn’t bode well for the teacher or Elise.
Mary is having a hard time letting go of Bitty. Rhage is freaking out because Mary is so sad, and his Bitty is being yanked from him and he can’t kill anyone. The stakes are high, with emotions running on Redbull, things are getting hairy out in the field. The Lessers are out in full force and Axe manages to save Rhage’s life. They’re all very injured. Axe does not want to stay at the compound under Manny’s care and insists he bring him to his house, where he knows he’s meeting Elise. These moments are beautiful. They move on to the physical and emotional aspect of their relationship. Axe is so guarded due to his past, which he reveals to her. While Elise is soon graduating with a Psychology degree, it doesn’t mean she knows how to make that work for her. Things progress, she’s been dealing with the death of her cousin from Blood Kiss and comes across a key to the sex club, a key she finds in Axe’s possession. She goes to Peyton to find out what he knows. We all know there is no love lost between him and Axe. Peyton tells her what it is and now thinks he was having sex with Novo, a fellow recruit whom he brought into the club and who has a huge like for Peyton. Instead of communication, conclusions are drawn and things blow up.
It’s always darkest before the dawn. Rhage, Mary, Bitty, and Rhune. Elise and Axe, the Lessers, the BDB, the trainees. Everything comes to a head. It’s bloody, violent, heartwrenching, deep secrets revealed, Elise fighting for her independence, Axe coming to terms with his past and his future. Now, this book’s happy ending is hard won. I am not going to detail it here, because then you’ll be missing out on an amazing journey of light, love, hope, and understanding, of family born by blood or chosen. Truly a wonderful book that hits you in all your feels. It sets up Blood Fury very nicely. Good thing I have that waiting for me on my Kindle.
Grade:A
Summary:
The Black Dagger Brotherhood continues to train the best of the best to join them in the deadly battle against the Lessening Society. Among the new recruits, Axe proves to be a cunning and vicious fighter—and also a loner isolated because of personal tragedy. When an aristocratic female needs a bodyguard, Axe takes the job, though he’s unprepared for the animal attraction that flares between him and the one he is sworn to protect.
For Elise, who lost her first cousin to a grisly murder, Axe’s dangerous appeal is enticing—and possibly a distraction from her grief. But as they delve deeper into her cousin’s death, and their physical connection grows into so much more, Axe fears that the secrets he keeps and his tortured conscience will tear them apart.
Rhage, the Brother with the biggest heart, knows all about self-punishing, and he wants to help Axe reach his full potential. But when an unexpected arrival threatens Rhage and Mary’s new family, he finds himself back in the trenches again, fighting against a destiny that will destroy all he holds most dear.
As Axe’s past becomes known, and fate seems to be turning against Rhage, both males must reach deep—and pray that love, rather than anger, will be their lantern in the darkness.
Read an excerpt.NA
Other books in this series:
