Lover Reborn by J.R. Ward (BDB#10)
Title: Lover Reborn
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood, 10
Author: J. R. Ward
Pages: 590
Rating:
Links: Hardback, Paperback, Kindle
Book Description:
Ever since the death of his shellan, Tohrment has been unrecognizable from the vampire leader he once was. Physically emaciated and heartbroken beyond despair, he has been brought back to the Brotherhood by a self-serving fallen angel. Now, fighting once again with ruthless vengeance, he is unprepared to face a new kind of tragedy.
When Tohr begins to see his beloved in his dreams-trapped in a cold, isolated netherworld far from the peace and tranquillity of the Fade-he turns to the angel in hopes of saving the one he has lost. But because Lassiter tells him he must learn to love another to free his former mate, Tohr knows they are all doomed....
Except then a female with a shadowed history begins to get through to him. Against the backdrop of the raging war with the lessers, and with a new clan of vampires vying for the Blind King’s throne, Tohr struggles between the buried past and a very hot, passion-filled future…but can his heart let go and set all of them free?
What did you think of the book? (Why this book?, New Author? Read more by author? Keeping? Thoughts on Hero? Heroine?)
What can you say? Bloody fantastic.
At the end of Lover Awakened we are tortured beyond reason when Wellsie, Tohr's beloved shellan, is killed. They were the relationship that every Brother compared their love too because they all wanted what Tohr and Wellsie had. So to see it ripped from Tohr's arms was a blow unlike any other. You grieved for this couple and I for one wouldn't think how Ward would resolve such a twist.
Did she? She did. It was amazing to all fans when Tohr reappeared and an even bigger surprise when Tohr played a naturally large role in Lover Unleashed. But the healing that came between John and Tohr in Lover Unleashed was just the first step in a long road for Tohrment.
This book clearly showcase this with the passing of a year. We also learn why Lassiter is present in Tohr's life. Wellsie has not gone into the Fade but is stuck in the In Between because of Tohr. And they both have to fix it before she's stuck there forever.
With this we get to know No'One better. No'One is Xhex's mother. She was kidnapped by a Sympathe and used until Tohr and Darius found her but not before she fell pregnant with Xhex.
No'One and Tohr aren't all that different. They've both suffered and lost and they aren't completely willing to let the rest of the vampire world into their lives. But together they start to come out of their self-inflicted exiles. And as this story progresses Tohr and No'One jump one hurtle after another.
Just like Tohr in John and Xhex's book, John and Xhex play a role in Tohrment's book. In fact, we see their lives start crumbling apart because despite the deep connection mates have they have a relationship and they are not ever perfect.
Xcor and his Band of Bastards does intrigue me. I'm actually looking forward to Xcor and Throe's books though I'm still hoping for Trez and iAm books. There are 6 more potential fighters including the introduction of a glymera male named Assail which I hope to see more about.
Also, Ward started something for Qhuinn which I hope reaches fruition in Lover At Last.
I think what I enjoy most about Ward's writing is the in-depth feeling she seems to be able to squeeze out of all these characters. In the beginning, it felt like these characters were getting happily ever after but now we see while they've found their mates, that doesn't mean life is perfect or easy which makes their lives seem so real.
Great writing, great characters and wonderful stories.
Other Book in the Series:
