Okay, so Covet got 3 stars because I pretty much screwed the pooch on this series. Thanks to a massive amount of pre-story given in Ward's Lover Unleashed for Envy, I read the 3rd book (Envy) first and really did NOT like it. Thus there are things that I know that develop in this series that I have MASSIVE issues with. It makes it hard to give a cold reading to Covet and it's sequel Crave. So know that this would have gotten 4 stars had I not had to back read. Edit: After further review and thinking, I went with my gut and gave Covet 4 stars. It's really a shame the rest of this series is so godawful terrible... it started with such promise.

Okay, so if you have been wanting a closer view of the Shadow Trez from the BDB series, this is a good book to read. He's in it a LOT and I defy you not to fall in love with that man. I'm pretty sure it's not possible. The series hero, through whom we will pretty much view the vast majority of the series though, Jim Heron, is quite likable, though he has odd moments. The angels Adrian and Eddie are equal parts hilarious and well weathered veterns of a war that is seemingly without end. Dog is... mysterious and even though he is in fact a damn dog, he's a character in his own right. The Fab Four who are angles in heaven are... mysterious and in this book you really have no clue what's up with them. Don't worry, you'll end up getting more of them than, well I could really stand in book 3. But that may just be a me thing.

Now onto Vin DiPitro and his lady love Marie-Therese Boudrau. You've met her in the BDB world and, well, consider this another look into what else is happening in Caldwell, NY where the Brotherhood isn't in on the action. She and Vin fall in love. Nuff said. I liked the couple but for G-d's sake am I getting so sick and tired of the way Ward writes about 80% of her female characters. However, special note is paid to the serious hardships of being a single mother and for that, since I was raised by one, I am grateful. And Marie-Therese is better written than most of Ward's female characters lately. Vin is a desk jockey and that's nice since I'm pretty sure Ward hates any male that doesn't run around with leather and a gun. He is however oddly built like a guy who does.

Moving onto the bad guy. Oh holy mother of something important! Is this someone in possesion of a vagina that Ward will have to revisit in EVERY book? Is... is this a female who will get ACTUAL character development? AT LONG FREAKING LAST! At this point I don't care if Devina rapes kittens and eats puppies in her off time, I'm just happy to see a well rounded and fully nuanced female character in Devina. It may honestly be the first J.R. Ward has ever written. I think I may end up reading this series fully for her.

Ward fans, I'm sorry, I'm just starting to get the sneaking suspicion that the author is writing romance series wherein the FEMALE characters are the token characters. Or perhaps I'm just in a bad mood tonight. We shall see as I continue to read her work.

Call me feeling... a case of author let down tonight.