Monday, April 28, 2014

Lover Unleashed (Black Dagger Brotherhood #9) [Payne & Manny] by J.R. Ward

Well, well, well, I'm nearing the end here! Can't believe it! This is the book of Payne and Manny aka Dr. Manuel Manello or as Payne calls him about half of the book "healer" :) I really liked that she called him that, so old fashioned and respectful. 

Payne FINALLY get to return to real world and leave the sanctuary behind, too bad it's only because she broken her back and needs medical attention that might not even help her, leaving her a prisoner in her own body. From the start, Payne tells V that if the operation doesn't succeed she wants him to kill her (great for V getting to know he has a sister then realizing he might have to kill her in less than a week...). Jane doesn't think she can handle this kind of operation that's why they contact Dr. Manuel Manello her boss but also a good friend from her "living days". 


Manny is struck by Payne from the second they meet. They have an amazing "click" between them and the both of them doesn't want their time to end after she recovers enough from the surgery to return to the brotherhood compound. But there's nothing she can do, she has to leave him behind..

After being scrubbed Manny can't really go back to his life, he has been scrubbed too many times (he was also scrubbed when V came to the OR and Jane left with him) he feels like he is losing it. Payne is in also not in a great shape since as it seems the operation didn't work as well as she wished meaning she doesn't want to live. On a last chance kinda deal V goes to Manny to bring him back to Payne in the hopes that love will change her mind and it does but in a really interesting way (that's the place to say that V is a total douche bag towards Manny AND Payne right up until almost the end but that's the regular problem with V - it's always about him.. he has always been a self observed bastard..) 

I loved that we have a strong woman who isn't afraid of what she wants and I love that her man - Manny - loves her as she is - the sort of Alpha Female. But that doesn't mean that Manny is a "pussy", no! he is a strong guy who needs a strong woman by his side (boy oh boy would I love to meet a guy like that in person.. I'm no Payne or Xhex but I'm sure as hell an "Alpha Bitch" which means most men can't handle me.. and I'm mostly bored with them..)

It's cool that even though both siblings got a special power from their mother, the powers are somehow different, in my eyes, they fit the personality of each. That being said, I must say that after reading this book (again) I don't understand what the Scribe Virgin's problem with Payne. She loves to fight, yeah, but she isn't feral. She is very respectful, she has morals, she is not a bad person or a cruel one, she has a soft compassionate side which we saw even in the previous book with No'one and Layla.  She is just not a "womanly woman". it's really stupid locking her up because she knows how to wield a sword.. There is so much more to her than her fighting skills, if she was inducted into the brotherhood 200 years ago she would have probably flourished. She would have been able to be a part of a family, people who care about her, can train her but also teach her about living, she could have interacted with females of the warriors and I'm sure if it would have been thus she would have found a mate (probably a warrior as well...). She is surly what they consider a female of worth. 

There is a sweet side story of Manny's new hobby - horse racing. While I'm not into this particular sport I love horses! so it was fun for me reading about them and seeing the relationship between Glory (the horse) and Manny and how it resolves.

There is an interesting connection between two characters (both having a POV in this book and that's all I'm going to say! :)) something that makes a lot of sense and kind of brings all the guys together. 

I'm giving this one 4.5 stars because I felt the subplots took too much paper from the main characters.

There are A LOT of V and Jane, which is obvious when speaking of a book of his sister but I felt that V's difficulties took too damn space. For me his book (Lover Unbound #6) and story was completed. Like all brothers he has things he has to deal with, alone and with his female but I didn't think we had to go there with him in a book which isn't even about him.. but you know me, meaning you should take in mind I dislike V... it's always ALL about him, he is the most important guy, the smartest, and the ***est of them all (too bad annoyest isn't a word..) I felt bad for Butch having to deal with V's problems. It was too much Z and Phury all over again.

Another side story I don't understand the need for was Detective José de la Cruz and his new partner Thomas DelVecchio (aka Veck). They are investigating a human serial killer. and? what was the purpose of this subplot really? The books are quite long as it is, so adding a subplot which has no meaning what-so-ever is really unclear.. As I understand the Warden wants to do something with Butch and de la Cruz in the future so she probably didn't want us to forget who he was and still.. there was no reason to give it so many pages.. 

Well, at least he had no Lessers as a POV that's a good improvement! 

What we did have as the "bad guys" - the "Band of Bastards" (from here on - BOB), they are what was left of the Bloodletter's warriors from back in the old country. I know that they have a lot of fans but they are just stupid brutes.. Well, except for Throe being the pathetic guy their leader Xcor keeps laughing at. I did like the way the Bloodletter's death was resolved though. But I do think that Xcor is WAY over his head if he thinks he can throw Wrath from his chair! He is too stupid to do what he plans to do. It's exactly like in A Song of Ice & Fire - You can be a great warrior and an amazing leader everyone follows into battle aka Robert Baratheon but when put on the Iron Throne he isn't the great King everyone would have thought he'd be. 

Quinn keeps being tormented in this book. He tries to sort of "find himself". He strikes a friendship kinda deal with Layla is really good for him (though he mostly think it's "for her benefit") because now that Blay is involved with Saxton he has someone outside of their circle he can confine with. 

Only thing left to refer to is the narrator. You know I really disliked him in the first books, but actually in the last 3 books he was really great! I wish he would have different voices to characters, especially F/M but except for that, he's really doing a good job


Additional Details: Audiobook, 18:34 Hours, 22-27 April 2014 / On GoodReads
 
 

ABOUT THE MCs

Payne
Vishous' fraternal twin sister. She is the daughter of the Scribe Virgin and the Bloodletter. Although female, she is a warrior like her brother and father. She was kept in a state of suspended animation in the chamber of the Scribe Virgin for many decades because her mother felt that she was too much like her father and therefore a danger to herself and everyone around her. However, when the Scribe Virgin grants the Chosen free-will in Lover Enshrined (BDB #6), she feels that her daughter deserves the same freedom and awakens her. Regardless, due to her mother having put her in such a state to begin with, Payne bears nothing but hatred and resentment for her. Payne and Manny's story is told in Lover Unleashed (BDB #9).

Dr. Manuel "Manny" Manello
Chief of Surgery at St. Francis Hospital and was Jane Whitcomb's old boss and closest friend until her ‘death’. After suffering a paralyzing injury while sparring with Wrath, Payne’s life (as well as her mobility) is in jeopardy. When Doc Jane realizes the damage is too great for her to repair, she goes looking for Manny, as he is a world renowned orthopedic surgeon. His and Payne's story is told in Lover Unleashed (BDB #9).

ABOUT THIS SERIES

The Black Dagger Brotherhood is a Paranormal Romance by J. R. Ward. This was actually the first PNR I've read. I've been a HUGE vampire fan most of my life, but I used to read Fantasy and Urban Fantasy. When I fell upon this series I've realized adding the romance "bit" is the best thing ever!

This series have been one of my most favorite for a long while. I really liked the way Ward built the world of the Brotherhood and in general the "Breed". They have been living besides humans but they are not a threat as they feast from their mate (partner) and anyhow human blood isn't potent enough for them. They mostly act human but as expected they have special abilities and animalistic behaviors. 

The series follows the Black Dagger Brotherhood, a contingent of vampire warriors in charge of protecting the "Breed" (Vampires) against their mortal enemies the "Lessening Society" which are a group of ex-humans transformed into soulless being with the sole purpose of harming the vampire race. The head of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Wrath, is also the King of the race but he was trying to run away from his duties leaving in his stead a group of vampire aristocrats called the Glymera. 

My main issue with this series comes from the longgggg novels with many POVs and sub-plots. Sometimes it feels like everything is happening while there is nothing to actually move the plot. I guess it's very character driven and there is a lot of shenanigans between the "Brothers" which makes this read a fun one. This is a series to anyone looking for an action packed novel with tender romance and a lot of "bro" attitude. In each book one of the brothers gets his own HEA. There are interesting coupling, not what you'd expect (or the men themselves expected) but each woman helps her Breed male find his own happiness as they are all damages in their own way. 

I've been a huge fan of the series till the 13th novel - "The Shadows", it has been a breaking point for me, because it was different (and many reading complained about it) but also because I somehow felt I've had enough. I still highly recommend this series, It's one of the best in the genre IMO.

If you love these kinds of series I'd also recommend "Midnight Breed" by Lara Adrian. There is a few similarities (mainly in the first books) bit it takes a totally different turn. I actually enjoy it a bit more than this one.


YEP, RECOMMENDED! 


Books:
1. Dark Lover [Wrath & Beth] (published 6 September 2005) ★★★½
2. Lover Eternal [Rhage & Marry] (published 7 March 2006) ★★★★½
3. Lover Awakened [Zsadist & Bella] (published 5 September 2006) ★★★★★
4.  Lover Revealed [Butch & Marissa] (published 6 Match 2007) ★★★★½
5. Lover Unbound [Vishous & Jane] (published 25 September 2007) ★★★★
6. Lover Enshrined [Phury & Cromia] (published 3 June 2008) ★★
--- An Insider's Guide (Including "Father Mine") (published 7 October 2008 ) ★★★★
6.5 Father Mine [Zsadist, Bella & Nalla] (published 7 October 2008) ★★★★★
7. Lover Avenged [Rehvenge & Ehlena] (published 28 April 2009) ★★★★★
8. Lover Mine [John Mathew & Xhex] (published 27 April 2010) ★★★★★
9. Lover Unleashed [Payne & Manny] (published 29 March 2011) ★★★★½
10.  Lover Reborn [Thor & Autumn] (published 27 March 2012) ★
11.  Lover At Last [Quinn & Blaylock] (published 26 March 2013) ★★★★½
12.  The King [Wrath & Beth revisited] (published 1 April 2014) ★★★½
13. The Shadows [Trez & Selena / iAm & Maichen] (published 31 March 2015) ★★★

As I've mentioned there are more books published in this series but I've stopped after the 13th one. 

No comments:

Post a Comment