BOOK REVIEW ~ LOVER AT LAST BY JR WARD

Title:  Lover At Last ( Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 11)

Author: JR Ward

Release Date: March 27, 2013

Reviewer purchased own copy of eBook

Qhuinn, son of no one, is used to being on his own. Disavowed from his bloodline, shunned by the aristocracy, he has finally found an identity as one of the most brutal fighters in the war against the Lessening Society. But his life is not complete. Even as the prospect of having a family of his own seems to be within reach, he is empty on the inside, his heart given to another....

Blay, after years of unrequited love, has moved on from his feelings for Qhuinn. And it’s about time: The male has found his perfect match in a Chosen female, and they are going to have a young—just as Qhuinn has always wanted for himself. It’s hard to see the new couple together, but building your life around a pipe dream is just a heartbreak waiting to happen. As he’s learned firsthand.

Fate seems to have taken these vampire soldiers in different directions... but as the battle over the race’s throne intensifies, and new players on the scene in Caldwell create mortal danger for the Brotherhood, Qhuinn finally learns the true definition of courage, and two hearts who are meant to be together... finally become one.

Book Review 

(singing) "It's been a loooong time comin'!" AHEM. Let me get my thinking cap on here ***makes minor adjustments***

Holy Freakin' Shit!

Okay. You know when a book's upcoming release gets a lot of hype and you're anxious about said book and you gnaw on your nails because you're so damn excited but nauseated at the same time? 

Yeah ~ LOVER AT LAST is like that. I was so worried about how this book would go. It really had only two ways to fall: 

1.  A big bust and major disappointment because what you really wanted to happen really NEVER happened.

2. A huge surprise and you're drooling all over yourself, banging your head on any and all hard surfaces because your girly bits are exploding, AND your toes have gone into perma-curl mode so that you have to get a crow bar just to uncurl the bastards. 

Well, the WARDen totally surpassed my expectations and I did a whole lotta number 2. ER...I mean, I banged my head on any and all hard surfaces and had to use a crow bar to uncurl my toes. NOT that number 2. 

Moving on...*blushing furiously*


Qhuinn and Blay's story has been a secondary story throughout all of Ward's books. Now they have moved to the spotlight, where their HEA shines brilliantly with epic sex scenes that blew my mind, startling WTF moments when an unexpected body pops up from vat of Lesser blood, and show-stealing secondary plots that were phenomenal and just as riveting. 

As I was reading, I couldn't help but squee a little to myself at all the possibilities that kept flying around. We get to see so much more of Trek and Assail (who I have to say is really smexy and fast becoming a favorite) and see a softer said of Xcor who continues to pine for Layla. 

Then there are the hilarious WARDisms (as I like to call them) that just make me smile as I read them. You know what I'm talking about...

Yup, someone was popcorn-and-Milk-Dudding it from over on the left by the staff entrance.

 
Listen, I gotta go. I need both hands to hold my gut as I laugh my ass off attcha. Later. 

Holy inappropriateness, Batman. And too bad that fact did nothing to change his thought pattern. 

"Annnnd this explains why they say the female of the species is more dangerous than the male." "Word," someone muttered from out in the hall.  

But my fave line? 

And Qhuinn felt well and truly owned for the first time in his life. It was...nothing short of a miracle.  

To me, that line summed it up perfectly -- It personifies how Qhuinn for years felt alone, ostracized from his family, and unwanted. It was a profound moment for me in LOVER AT LAST.

There are numerous fantastical and fanatical moments in this book--but only one disappointing factor that stops me from giving this a full 5 star rating. It has NOTHING to do with plot development, characters ARC's, editing, etc. WARD is just too freaking brilliant in that department. 

It was the fact that I missed my original six Brothers and how they made me laugh out loud in the most awkward of places. Especially Rhage. He always had the knack for making me crack up, but this time around I didn't do much of that. And Lassiter would make my sides hurt at his hilarity. It just felt a little forced this time around.

But I will always remain a dedicated WARDen fan, re-reading her shit, because---you can NEVER get too much of the Brotherhood. 

Not. Possible.

On a side note ~ To know that the next book (THE KING) will be about Wrath and Beth? Well, that's just the happy-happy to my joy-joy and made me giddy as all get-out.