Sandy M’s review of Lover Avenged (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 7) by J.R. Ward
Paranormal Romance published by NAL 28 Apr 09

Well, I have a feeling I’m going to be in the minority once again when it comes to these Black Dagger Brotherhood books. Which is just fine. ‘Cuz I’m loving the series still. I really loved this book in particular, mostly because all of the previous characters were involved in the story more than in the last couple of books and the romance didn’t suffer at all. Ward is so good at doing that, I hope she continues to so from here on out. It is a brotherhood, I want them all involved all the time in just more than a few pages each.

I actually liked Rehvenge more than I thought I would. I figured it would be a hard sell to make him hero material after all he’s done in his life, even considering the circumstances for which he did those things. But Ward gave me such emotion when it came to his character that I found myself feeling for Rehv once his interactions with Elhena really began. The scene where Elhena doesn’t stay for the evening in his home, after silently begging her not to go, he walks to the dinner table he had set for her,  “Two candles lit. Two place settings of silver. Two glasses for wine. Two glasses for water. Two napkins folded precisely and laid on top of two plates. He sat down on the chair he’d been going to give to her, the one to his right, the position of honor,” I could just feel his despair, his aloneness, his loneliness, his hopes going up in smoke along with his heart. And that’s just one of a number of emotional scenes I found in this book.

Elhena is just the mate for Rehv too. She’s strong and though she makes a mistake or two where he’s concerned, though he tries to keep her safe when all hell finally breaks loose, she’s right in the thick of things to rescue her mate when she learns the truth and truly sees the man under all mess he’s made for so many years to protect those he loves. Their early scenes together getting to know one another are heartwarming, including the phone sex, which is only one of some terrific loving between these two.

We finally see V’s vision concerning Wrath come true in this book. When it happens, it happens with a vengeance, curtailing his fighting, which is just as well since he screwed up and got himself in trouble with Beth and the other Brothers because he’d been sneaking out fighting on his own. He now has to deal with being king and understanding what that means, and the light does come on for him with help from his mate that he can even advise Rehvenge for his newly acquired similar situation.

Scenes between Bella and Rehv are some of my favorites too, especially the one near the end of the book when he asks her for permission to come closer to her and her daughter, he won’t harm either of them, after she’s learned he’s part sympath, something he’s hidden from her all her life. He’s thinking she won’t want anything to do with him now, even his presence would revile her, but he’s just beginning to learn what love can do.

The lessers scenes don’t bother me.  I know some folks are saying they’re tired of those, but now that Lash is involved as such, it’s a different ballgame the Brothers are at when dealing with him. I actually thought these scenes weren’t nearly as long as they were in previous books, so maybe that’s why I didn’t mind them all that much. And it’s conflict for the Brothers. Take them away and you have no conflict at all or Ward just has to come up with something else, which wouldn’t make sense at this point because of the overall storyline going on.

John Matthew is still having a hard time with life. Transitioning is more than he imagined, but it hasn’t helped the awkwardness that seems inherent in him. Xhex does that for him and it certainly didn’t turn out the way he expected. That’s a hard way for him to have grown up, but it’s done and their book should be chockful of every emotion under the sun. John has his work cut out for him now.

This is a big-ass book in hardcover; so much goes on, this review would be at least five pages long if I tried to hit either more highlights or my favorite scenes. As long as I can read about the Brothers, their mates, and other major characters that I’ve come to love after seven books and I get a good storyline for them and the hero and heroine, I’m going to be enjoying this series for as long as Ms. Ward continues to write it. I’m never bored. I love all the characters and how they’ve developed, even those dang lessers as long as they keep making life interesting for the Brothers. I haven’t heard whose book is up next, just assuming it’s John Matthew and Xhex, and, if so, my anticipation is quite high because of the way this book left everything wide open.

Grade: A+

Summary:
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Caldwell, NY, has long been the battleground for the battleground for the vampires and their enemies, the Lessening Society. It’s also where Rehvenge has staked out his turf as a drug lord and notorious nightclub that caters to the rich and heavily armed. His shadowy reputation is exactly why he’s approached to kill Wrath, the Blind King, and leader of the Brotherhood. Rehvenge has always kept his distance from the Brotherhood, even though his sister is married to a member. Because he’s a sympath, his identity is a deadly secret- the revelation of which will result in his banishment to a colony for sociopaths. And as plots within and outside the Brotherhood take their toll against Rehvenge, he turns to the only source of light in a darkening world- Elhena, a vampire untouched by the corruption that has its hold on him- and the only thing standing between him and eternal destruction.
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Read an excerpt here and here.

Other books in this series: