LOVER REVEALED

Author: J.R. Ward ISBN: 0451412354 3/2007 PARANORMAL Publisher: BALLANTINE/ONYX

Butch O'Neal is a fighter by nature. A hard-living ex-homicide cop, he's the only human ever to be allowed in the inner circle of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. And he wants to go even deeper into the vampire world—to engage in the turf war with the lessers. His heart belongs to a female vampire, an aristocratic beauty who's way out of his league. If he can't have Marissa, then at least he can fight side by side with the Brothers... Fate curses him with the very thing he wants. When Butch sacrifices himself to save a civilian vampire from the slayers, he falls prey to the darkest force in the war. Left for dead, he's found by a miracle, and the Brotherhood calls on Marissa to bring him back. But even her love may not be enough to save him....

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

I can admit that since reading J. R. Ward's LOVER ETERNAL, most paranormals fall short of the perfection that is that book. Unfortunately, Ward's own follow-up, this latest novel of The Black Dagger Brotherhood, LOVER REVEALED, is one of them.

Don't get me wrong. There is not a bad Brotherhood book in the bunch. All of them are necessary in telling the complex and riveting story of vampires united for a cause. It's just that some are better than others—sexier, deadlier, shocking and engrossing. And though LOVER REVEALED has some great moments, it isn't exactly my top pick for the series. I love the hero, Butch; I love Vishous; I love the plot involving the Lesser praying for deliverance; and I love poor John being lost, yet found. What I don't love is the heroine, Marissa. She's too soft and too refined for such a man like Butch.

Read LOVER REVEALED because J.R. Ward is on top of her game and always delivers a book that I cannot put down, even when I run across something I don't quite get or like. Read it, too, because it features some great scenes between the brothers and their struggles with each other and themselves. And read it lastly because it contains some moments that still stick with me two days after I finished it, and because it sets up the next book that I know will be the greatest yet.

Shannon Johnson