false 1240662 0451222725 9780451222725 3741 379 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1212625389m/1240662.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1240662.Lover_Enshrined 20248 J.R. Ward 34560 3890 4 17 false Sun Jun 08 11:13:17 -0700 2008 Sun Jun 08 11:17:22 -0700 2008
Okay, back to Phury and Cormia. Because Ward’s other novels are PNR you get evenly spaced sex scenes and satisfaction fairly soon. Not so with this one. Ward does something in LE that I have never seen before. She takes the first sex scene with Phury and Cormia and spreads it over 2/3 of the book, breaking it up with cliffhangers. Seriously, I kid you not. Cliffhangers in one sex scene. Can you spell FRUSTRATION?

I lost count how many times Phury and Cormia started to have sex for the first time. He would penetrate a little bit. Then change his mind and pull out, leaving her a virgin. I got to the point where I wanted to tell Cormia: “Girlfriend, the next time Phury does that, grab the Brother by his shoulders, push hard, and impale yourself! Just do it!” Dear Goddess, I know these characters aren’t real, but I am, and I need RELIEF! *big smile*

It’s kinda like when you’re in high school and college. I don’t know if you did this, but I grew up in the Appalachian Mountains, and this is what mountain girls do. When we find a guy we like enough to have sex, we did it in stages. Remember that? One date we’d let him get to “first base.” The next date “second base,” then “third base,” then we’d let him hit a “homerun.” Well, let me warn you. Phury and Cormia have many more “bases” than four in their relationship. And when they finally hit the “homerun,” they make a heartbreaking, agonizing mess out of it. In fact theirs is no easy relationship. The word that comes to mind is PAINFUL (yes, in all caps).

But, you know what? The HEA ending is so incredibly sweet it makes it all worthwhile. Lots of wonderful changes lead up to it, too. As a fan of Phury, I couldn’t be happier with how things turned out with Cormia. This alone makes the entire novel worthwhile for me.

I’m not going to say more, because this novel is packed with surprises in all the subplots, so no spoilers from me. However I do want to say something about the condemning voice in Phury’s head. The one he calls the Wizard. I believe Ward uses the Wizard as a metaphor for the condemning voice in the head of every child who has been emotionally and verbally abused. It’s composed of all the horrible things your parents ever said to you. It’s also composed of all the love you were denied. Trust me, all abused children hear that voice, and it doesn’t go away when you grow up. The good news is you can silence it, and it’s simpler than you think. All you have to do is realize the truth: the Wizard is a liar. Talk back to that voice, call every condemning comment a lie, and the Wizard will eventually shrink and disappear. This voice is not exclusive to addicts. Every addict I’ve ever known started out as an emotionally or verbally abused child. That’s where it starts. How your life turns out depends on how much you listen to and believe the lies the “Wizard” tells you 24/7. Yeah, the Wizard never shuts up, until you shut him up.

IMO this novel is a major literary accomplishment for Ward in the genre of urban fantasy. If you haven’t read it yet, all I can say is buckle your seatbelt. You’re in for a wild ride!! *big smile*
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