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Lover Unleashed (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #9)

J.R. Ward

Start date: September 1, 2013

Finish date: September 30, 2013

Discussion: Challenges: What's the Rush

Why we're reading this: Part of our group series (re)read: Black Dagger Brotherhood …more
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Challenges: What's the Rush

* 2025 Series Read: K.N. Banet's "Jacky Leon"
By Steph , Serious series addict · 103 posts · 33 views

last updated Sep 26, 2025 08:29PM

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* YEAR-LONG CHALLENGES
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last updated Aug 17, 2010 11:14PM

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What Members Thought

Nov 19, 2010 DarkHeart "Vehngeance" rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-romance, vampires, a-jr_ward

I think the fact that I let this hibernate for months on end says a lot about what I thought of this book. I was never particularly interested in Manny, and felt Payne got he story way too quickly, so I wasn't that fussed about the book's main characters. In the end, Manny was more interesting than I expected him to be, and Payne less so. His tie in to the Brothers was neither surprising, nor particularly interesting. Is it wrong that I found V's downward spiral tedious? I didn't find myself emo ...more

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Sep 28, 2010 Kristen rated it really liked it

Shelves: paranormal-romance

Installment number nine feels more like the PNR types that hooked me into this series in the first place and less "urban fantasy". Which was a pleasant surprise. I was disappointed with the shift in categories for this series; I felt like it really harmed the last two installments. But, here, I felt like I was reading the same series that books one and two were from and it was great. The downside to this book - it felt like it was a set-up book and didn't move us forward in the fight against the Installment number nine feels more like the PNR types that hooked me into this series in the first place and less "urban fantasy". Which was a pleasant surprise. I was disappointed with the shift in categories for this series; I felt like it really harmed the last two installments. But, here, I felt like I was reading the same series that books one and two were from and it was great. The downside to this book - it felt like it was a set-up book and didn't move us forward in the fight against the Omega and the lessers. While there were a few battle scenes, we got more side stories and more of Xcor's band of merry vampires more then we got of the lessers. And the serial killer/police stuff? I just don't know what to expect coming out of that. We last saw Butch's partner in Butch's book, so why bring him back now? And why all the set up with his new partner? I am just not sure where that is going.

It was also... unique... to see so much of another couple in a book in this type of series. The troubles that Jane and Vishous have throughout are not generally seen in the the PNR genre. I am not saying it's a bad thing. In fact, it was in some ways refreshing. But it was different. We usually get these books (especially in the couple-per-book book series) and the couples pair off and live happily ever after and we never see any real struggles between them. Vishous and Jane have some real bumps to get over in this book. They do, obviously, and the troubles didn't seem contrived nor did the solution. But it was different for this genre.

When we get interaction between the brothers, the banter is great, as always. The fighting is bloody as always. The one real criticism that I have is that the slang seems to be getting... well... out of control. I have always liked that the writing and the dialogue seems to go with they way I would picture guys like this to speak. But if I have to read "true" one more time.... And the abbreviations of words like situation into sitch when it's not dialogue sometimes feel contrived and forced. Like the author is trying to hard to be cool. There were moments where I had to stop and figure out what the heck she was trying to say.

But, it still was a great read. The steaminess is back!! The faithful readers are re-paid with little nods - like the reference to George and the brief glimpses of Xhex and Rhevenge. And we are clearly being prepared for more to come with all these new characters and the potential new threat to the BDB (versus the threat the Omega poses to the entire race). My big question - who will the next book be about? Can't wait to see! ...more

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Jan 22, 2012 Nairabell rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-romance, 4-star, read-in-2012

Payne, twin sister of Vishous, is cut from the same dark, deadly cloth as her brother. After spending eons imprisoned by their mother, Payne escapes only to find her spine broken. To save her life and try to reverse the paralysis Vishous is forced to abduct human surgeon Manny Manello, the head of his field in neurosurgery. But when Payne and Manny meet sparks fly and it soon becomes clear that a romance is growing despite their different species.

This is the ninth book in the Black Dagger Brothe Payne, twin sister of Vishous, is cut from the same dark, deadly cloth as her brother. After spending eons imprisoned by their mother, Payne escapes only to find her spine broken. To save her life and try to reverse the paralysis Vishous is forced to abduct human surgeon Manny Manello, the head of his field in neurosurgery. But when Payne and Manny meet sparks fly and it soon becomes clear that a romance is growing despite their different species.

This is the ninth book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series and one I approached with trepidation. I'd heard this was different to the previous books and having read it I agree with that assessment. In previous installments the focus has been primarily on the featured couple with other storylines kept firmly in the background, while this barely focuses on Payne and Manny and has a lot of distracting plotlines.

What there is of Payne and Manny's romance was incredibly sweet and well written. Payne's spinal injury at the start of the book is delicately handled and yet accurate in terms of her emotions (I showed certain scenes to my Mum who also has a spinal injury). Manny's medical training does show through and it was interesting to see how the previous memory wipes have affected him. The Brotherhood have really changed his life, and not in a good way.

The predominant storyline of the book though focuses on Vishous and his relationship with Jane. I expected V to play a key role here as Payne's twin but his storyline takes over the book and huge chunks are dedicated to his life. It is almost as if this book is Lover Unbound part two rather than focusing on a new couple. There are also tiny cameos from pretty much every other character from the books, although most are only mentioned and never given any purpose or dialogue.

There are also three other storylines, the first being a heartbreaking view of the Qhuinn/Blaylock story from Qhuinn's perspective revealing his true feelings for the first time (their book Lover at Last is out next year) which was kept mostly in the background. Then you have the introduction of Xcor and the Band of B*****ds, a rival group to the Black Dagger Brotherhood formerly led by the Bloodletter who, while relevant to the storyline, take over with some unnecessary scenes. The third storyline is a human murder case which I expected to tie everything together so was disappointed to find not only does it fail at this, it's actually tied into the author's other series.

All in all this was an okay read and I'll still pick up a copy of Lover Reborn.

Plot: 7/10
Characters: 8/10
Ending: 9/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Cover: 8/10

Overall: 40/50 ...more

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Jan 10, 2011 ♥Tricia♥ rated it liked it

Shelves: paranormal-romance

Not as good as I would have hoped.. I had such high expectations for this book and felt let down a bit. There were parts of the book that I literally had to skip because it was soooo damn boring and all I wanted to do was read about Payne and see her get a HEA.

I did enjoy the Blay/Quinn aspects of this book, and hope they get a REAL HEA book of their own.

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Sep 17, 2010 A book away from an episode of hoarders rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, pnr-uf-fantasy, read-in-2011, literary-junk-food, my-permanent-library, automatic-buy, read-in-one-sitting, bdb, book-boyfriends

I'm experiencing a sort of 'afterglow' that I only get after coming back to reality. There are some series that I can completely immerse myself in, where the fiction becomes my everything for a short time. This is one of those series.

No spoilers; I honestly loved it. ...more

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Dec 12, 2010 Jamie ~ Bad Boy Inspector rated it really liked it

Shelves: genre-paranormal-romance, subject-pn-vampires, subject-pn-other-par-creatures, read-2011

Probably not my favorite of the series but I LOVE this series. It also had a lot of Butch and V in it so that gave it bonus points. I do like the addition of some of the new characters and hope to see a few of them ALOT more.

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