~REVIEW of Lorelei James' ROUGH RAW AND READY~

Rough, Raw and Ready (Rough Riders, #5)

..."Torn between the love he has...and the love he’s always wanted"

Wow, with each instalment in the Roughriders series I keep saying this one is my absolute favourite; it just can’t get any better. Well I was sorely mistakin because James has outdone herself with #5 and this one really is the best yet (no really) Now I’m left lamely trying to put into words how friggin fantastic this story is.

Ever since book #1 Long Hard Ride I’ve been wondering what happened to Trevor and Edgard and hoping for their story. I was curious as to how these delicious cowboys could get their HEA especially in a homophobic and generally not alternative lifestyle appreciating town like Sundance Wyoming. I never counted on a wife being involved but lucky, lucky Chassie Glanzer. She gets the lovin of two damn fine men here. And talking about fine men; if you’re a fan of M/M lovin then hang onto your cowboy hats because this is all kinds-of-ways hot and sexy man lovin. Of course Chassie does participate on occasion and even though I’m not a fan of the ménage, this works for me because all the partners are involved equally. There’s also an amazing 3-way love story unfolding here, full of undeniable passion, emotion and heaps of consequences which are all explored beautifully. And Yes theres a whole lotta spicy sex going on too, in just about every conceivable position/combination and location possible. Yeehaw!

Trevor and Chassie have been happily married for one year. Trevor loves his wife and life on the ranch is good but he’s never quite been able to forget about his old roping partner and he knows that sometimes Chassie can sense his longing. Trevor never expected to see Edgard again though especially after it became clear that he couldn’t be the kind of man that Edgard needed but now his secret Brazilian lover is walking right up the dusty driveway, looking as fine and sexy as ever and hoping to sort out their tangled past.

With the kind of sparks that are flying between this pair of cowboys it doesn’t take long for Chassie to catch them together (and damn those first mergers are aggressive and scorching hot) Chassie thought she knew everything about her husbands chequered past but this is really pushing things. However before she can come to terms with the fact that Trevor and Edgard were lovers she has to face the fact that she might just be losing her man because its not just lust she see’s in their eyes its unbridled love too.

Trevor promises he won’t leave but she doesn’t want him to stay out of any sense of duty, she knows he’d be forever missing his Latin cowboy and she’d be living half a marriage. So Chassie does the only thing a girl could do in this kind of situation she asks if she can watch them together and then she joins them. Of course for this arrangement to succeed theres all kinds of issues to work out and they are slightly worried about what the townsfolk are gunna think down at the local feed store but the more time they all spend together the more passion and raw emotion comes to the surface. Trevor and Edgard finally feel complete and damn if Chassie doesn’t too.

~Review of JR Ward's LOVER REBORN~

Lover Reborn (Black Dagger Brotherhood,#10)

 

 Opening Line "The bastard 's taking the bridge! He's mine!"

*SPOILER FREE*

Wow, I honestly don’t know where to begin with this review. To say that this was good is an understatement. To say that it knocked me on my ass and left me a drained, emotional wreck, is far closer to the truth. Yup, LOVER REBORN did me in, talk about your gauntlet of emotions, I mean I expected some angst but jeez! I cried (I mean really cried) I laughed, I sighed, I swore, I groaned and I gasped but in the end I also smiled.

As much as I was anticipating this book it was also with a heavy dose of apprehension; was I ready to see Tohrment find love again? Was he ready? Were any of us really ready to let Wellsie go? And most importantly could Ward make me believe in this new love? The answer is a resounding yes, I think in part because it doesn’t happen quickly (or easily) Reborn has been broken into 4 sections (1 per season) so that this book takes place over the period of a year. And it was over that year and all the shit that goes down (and oh does the shit ever go down) that Ward made me believe.

Starting where Lover Unleashed left off and with her usual flair Ward throws us into “Spring” and right into the action and pain that is Tohr. Chasing down a group of Lessers, Tohr is now relentless in his pursuit of the enemy, basically only drawing breathe to “ahvenge” his murdered wife and son. Tonight’s hunt sees Tohr launching himself off a bridge as John and Qhuinn watch helplessly from below, John issuing a silent scream as Tohr falls. And so it begins. Through 572 pages Ward proceeds to give us everything we want and then some…

Without going into spoiler territory (which is going to be hard) I can tell you of course that this is Tohr and No’one’s story. These two have a long history together and are both equally broken so it makes sense for them to get together. Lassiter is helping to move them along on the love train (in his own way) and as it turns out with a sense of urgency. John and Xhex also play key roles in their story, giving us some absolutely filthy-hot love scenes as well as showing us a marriage in transition.

Xcor and his Band Of Bastards are back and gaining strength in Caldwell. They do things here that… can never be forgiven. Sending one Brother on a mission under a decree of death. New and mysterious characters are introduced (Assail) while others are fleshed out (Throe and Zyphor.) We’re still all mixed up in the whole hot-mess that is Layla/Qhinn/Blay/Saxton; however that’s all about to change:) The Blind King still kicks ass, Ward throws a “needing” (or two) our way and gives us details of a ceremony that absolutely broke my heart. We also bare witness to a battle that gave me heart palpitations for all of its 60 pages and left some Brothers with life threatening injuries.

 Somehow through all this Ward also manages to give us time with each and every member of the Brotherhood mansion. We get to see everyone doing their thing, giving us some special moment with each of them and that in itself says something because there are so many characters now. There also aren’t any “lesser” POV’s to suffer through; we don’t travel back to the old country or to the other side to hang with the chosen (verily.) And I have to compliment Ward on toning down the product placement and Wardisms. This book just flowed beautifully.

In fact I would have to say that Ward has hit her pinnacle with Lover Reborn. The balance here is just right; the romance, the action, the surprises and the healing. I honestly never knew where this was going to go and when that happens you’re guaranteed a great ride.

And now for the good news Blay and Qhuinn have been officially announced as book #11! That’s right the wait is over. It looks like Ward has worked a miracle with her publisher because their story was originally to be a novella and now they’re getting their very own Hardcover instalment. Way to go boys. See you Spring 2013.

"Thats right, buddy. Our future has come."

~REVIEW OF J.R Ward's LOVER AVENGED~

Lover Avenged (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #7)
  Big Stars

"THE KING MUST DIE"
And with these four words so begins J.R Wards 7th instalment of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. I couldn't wait to read LOVER AVENGED and at 642 pages Ward does not disappoint. She has encompassed it all; Surprises galore, evolving storylines, several POV's, plot-twists, humour, action, romance and of course heartbreak.

I won't give away too much here, I'll just give you a brief rundown of all the goodies involved in this intricate story. First off, and this was important to me. All the brothers make an appearance and are all involved to some degree within the story. So yes, we get shots of V, Butch, Zsadist, Rhage, Phury, Tohrment and Wrath, Ah Wrath...

Although pegged as Rehvenge's book, LOVER AVENGED belongs equally to Wrath and his continuing story. And oh how sweet it is to be back with the King. We haven't seen much of him since DARK LOVER(Book 1) but his character takes up a significant number of pages here as Wrath goes rogue from his royal duties and ultimately has to pay the consequences. John Mathew and Xhex also get a fair amount of attention and in secondary roles we have Blay and Quinn, Tez, iAm, and Payne. We are also introduced to George, a new companion to the King. Lassiter is back as the hilarious fallen angel, sidekick of Tohrment and the battle continues with the Lessers. Speaking of the Lessoning Society, Lash is simply awesome as their evolving leader taking things to a whole new level of evil.

I've never really been a fan of Rehvenge (he kind of creeped me out) but I have to say my opinion of him has now changed. His and Ehlena's love story is well done and surprisingly sweet. Ehlena makes a worthy mate but alas their romance never takes center stage (much like Phury/Cormina in (LOVER ENSHRINED.) Ehlena is a nurse from the clinic who treats Rehv after he develops sepsis from repeatedly injecting the dopamine he must take to hide the fact that he's a sympath. It's an unlikely pairing that somehow works even though Rhevenge is still a major drug lord/pimp and has his hands full running the nightclub Zerosum and being a leahdyre on the council. We do get to see a whole new side of him however and gain a much greater insight into the world of sympaths. JR manages to weave all her POV's and storylines together for one nail biting and (literally explosive finale.

My one and only gripe would have to be that JR's brotherhood language has evolved. I don't mean the terms (but yes there are more of these as well) but the actual street lingo that the brothers use when speaking to each other. I occasionally found it hard to understand what they were talking about and had to re-read their dialogue several times before I could figure it out.

I can't imagine how you could ever start the series with this book, so please don't try. The BDB is so involved and complex with so many major characters, interweaving stories and POV's that you would be utterly lost plus you'd miss out on the other 6 great books in this fantastic series, but if you're a fan you won't be disappointed, true. The brotherhood undergoes some changes and there are major developments in all ongoing storylines but the hilarious banter we all love, the intensity and excitement are all still here. LOVER AVENGED made me laugh, made me cry and I didn't want it to end yet JR has done a great job in setting things up for the next book which is to be John Mathew's story ( LOVER MINE.)

Rhev rockin the fur

~REVIEW of J.R Ward's LOVER UNBOUND~

 ~AWESOME, WITH AN UNCONVENTIONAL ENDING~

-Lover Unbound (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #5)
 

Opening Line: "I am so not feeling all this cowhide"

 

Book 5 in JR Wards sexy Black Dagger Brotherhood series is all about Vishous and "Doc" Jane. It's another great addition and I really enjoyed witnessing V let his guard down and fall in love. I found him to be surprisingly considerate and gentle especially for someone who's into sadomasochism. His falling for Jane is believable and makes sense as she's his intellectual equal and he respects her for it. She's also one of the few (human or Vampire) able to put Vishous in his place. Their story is erotic, suspenseful and ultimately heartbreaking, with revelations and surprises galore. I would suggest however that newbie's read this series in order, to get the full affect and intricate back story.

LOVER UNBOUND sees everyone from previous books returning and there's a lot of growth involved within the story as a whole. As usual JR has several distinct plotlines running simultaneously and a host of secondary returning characters who continue to grow and evolve.

As we begin Vishous is having dirty thoughts about his roommate. Even though he's disgusted with himself he can't seem to stop wanting what he can't have, and watching Butch all lovey-dovey with his wife Marissa is driving him crazy. Good thing he has his S &M outfitted Penthouse and a list of females eager to be bound and dominated. Its while at his `love nest' that the Scribe Virgin makes an appearance blowing his mind with some life changing news and demanding that V become `Primale' (basically he must marry a harem of chosen females and propagate the declining vampire race) Not really V's cup of tea but that's the least of his problems as that very night sees him getting shot in the chest and taken to a human hospital where he's operated on by trauma surgeon Jane Whitcomb. Jane is a no nonsense woman; strong, brilliant and forthright she's also head of the department and has an interest in genetics, so when Jane see's V's unusual heart and characteristic Vampire traits she's more than intrigued.

Interestingly all the brothers `feel' V's injury and know instinctively that something is wrong. When they eventually find him the boys have to extract V from the hospital and cover up any evidence that he was ever there. This is a great scene as Phury, Rhage and Butch short out video monitors and alarms, fitz computer files and `scrub' nurses minds. To make things even more complicated V insists on kidnapping Jane so she can continue to care for him back at the mansion.

And... back at the mansion; Wrath is livid that Jane has been brought into the Brotherhood's world. Only allowing her to stay until V has recovered then she must be `scrubbed' and released. Butch is sick from inhaling Lessers and after Jane witness's a healing session she assumes V and Butch are a couple. This doesn't bode well for V who keeps thinking "mine" whenever he looks at her. Luckily he's able to perform certain acts in her dreams (nice.) Bella is having some complications with the pregnancy which in turn is making Zsadist a little crazy. John Mathew, Blay, Quinn and Lash continue their training and wait for `the change.' We are introduced to Cormina and JR gives us a fascinating look into the Scribe Virgins world. The Lessers remain relatively quiet throughout our story until towards the end and then, wow! We also get flashbacks of Vishous in his father's war camp and discover why he got his tattoos. V's darker sexual tendencies are also explored and in a very touching scene he and Butch talk about their feelings for each other.

Phury again plays a major role as we are set up brilliantly for the next book (LOVER ENSHRINED) He's having some major issues with anger management and feelings towards his twin's wife which is causing him to overindulge in `red smoke'. Ultimately Phury sacrifices again for the good of others.

This great book was a re-read for me and as you can tell a lot happens. Unfortunately I still had a hard time with the ending, it just doesn't sit right even knowing the outcome. All I will say is that its an untraditional HEA and you'd better have some Kleenex handy. The closing chapters do however contain one of my favourite scenes from the entire series and once you've read the hot chocolate scene you`ll know what I mean...Sigh

Highly recommended for fans of the sexy yet troubled Black Dagger Brotherhood.

~REVIEW of J.R Ward's LOVER AWAKENED~

 ZSADIST, YOU BROKE MY HEART

++BIG stars



 

Opening Line: "Goddamn it, Zsadist! Don't jump--"

This is an amazing book and my favourite in the series. LOVER AWAKENED tells the agonizingly painful story of Zsadist, a former blood slave and most feared member of the Blackdagger Brotherhood. After Zsadist rescues the beautiful, aristocrat Bella from the Lessoning Society's torture facility she refuses to leave This side (or bed.) Craving the strength and security she now finds only with him. And it's with her growing love and patience that this reluctant hero ultimately `awakens'. It's a bumpy ride for our pair and this relationship will leave you in tears, both of joy and sadness as we witness Z's transformation from the `cold one' into a male of worth. A multilayered novel L.A of course has several stories and POV's running simultaneously and the action never stops. Full of suspense, erotic and ultimately heartbreaking.

Introduced briefly in the past two books, we now get to find out what made Zsadist the way he is. A confirmed sociopath who avoids all relationships, Z is scarred, pierced, tattooed, violent and illiterate. He's the most feared Brother and distrusted by all because of his intimidating and just downright mean nature. He enjoys pain yet can't bare any kind of physical contact due to the years of physical and sexual abuse he suffered during his time as a blood slave. Zsadist makes for an unlikely romantic hero but JR brilliantly gains your sympathy and you will grow to love this misunderstood and abused character.

Phury as Zsadist's twin plays a major role here, and through a series of flashbacks we learn the details of Z's enslavement and Phury's daring rescue of him. It's a striking scene resulting in the loss of his leg and Z's brutal scarring. Phury has spent his life consumed with fixing his twin and is riddled with guilt, sacrificing time and again and it's starting to take a toll. Now exhausted, he's playing a deadly game with the `red smoke' and despite his vow of celibacy can't help being attracted to Bella.

We also get to know Rehvenge the Sympath club owner of Zerosum and John Mathew's story starts to unfold as he begins his training and accepts the love of a family. Of course all the Brothers get some attention so we get shots of Wrath, Rhage, Vishous, Butch and their respective `Shellans.' Some of my favourite scenes involve the Brothers just going about their daily business, little interludes in the kitchen, or hanging out playing pool and teasing each other. Unfortunately the Lessers continue their torment making things personal now as their leader Mr. O attempts to reclaim Bella and a shocking loss occurs within the Brotherhood family that will be felt throughout the rest of this series.

Z and Bella's love story takes center stage throughout though and is utterly fascinating. From the moment of rescue Zsadist won't let anyone else near Bella. And despite being frightened of him she wants him. To Bella he is perfect and she slowly begins to seduce him. Z is subsequently terrified, feeling dirty and hating his body's response to her. When the two finally kiss however...sigh. Ultimately Z's feelings of unworthiness force him to push her away. Into the arms of a male of worth, those of his twin brother. When Bella goes into her 'needing' though which twin will ease her suffering? The celibate one or the one who can't bear to be touched?

The climax of this book is simply unput-downable. With a suicide mission forcing one twin to sacrifice everything for the life of the other and a HEA that brings tears to your eyes as we get a rare glimpse of the future. Each book in this series just gets better and better but JR has outdone herself here. I would give this more *s if I could and can't recommend it enough.

Here's how I see Z:

~REVIEW of J.R Ward's LOVER ETERNAL~

~Such a perfect, heartbreaking romance, RHAGE IS EVERY WOMANS FANTASY! ~

Black Dagger Brotherhood #2                                                   

 Opening Line: "Ah, hell, V, you're killing me."

LOVER ETERNAL is Rhage's story and oh man are we in for a treat. Continuing directly after DARK LOVER, we find The Black Dagger Brotherhood now living together in Darius's mansion. Wrath has stepped up to the throne with his Queen Beth by his side, as the battle with the Lessers continues.

One of the things I loved about the book is that we get to know all the brother's a whole lot better here, their unique personalities along with all their quirks, fears and flaws. The constant teasing and smart ass comments are hilarious and the bond between the men instills in us a true sense of family.

Rhage, as this books hero is a great character. With a boyish style of charm he's funny, sexy and fiercely loyal. Throw in the playboy model good looks and yes he's every woman's fantasy except for one small thing. Rhage has been cursed by the Scribe Virgin and now bears the mark of a dragon inside and out. The only way for him to keep the beast quiet is with violence or sex, and Rhage hates himself for it. Struggling each day to keep from harming those closest to him because once the beast gets out its so violent and unpredictable that even the Brothers fear for their lives.

Mary has been fighting a curse of her own and fears that the cancer which robbed her of her looks and youth may have returned. She is, in her own words nothing special, plain and past her prime with a body battered by chemotherapy. When she befriends a young mute boy named John Mathew her life changes forever. Bella, Mary's friend and neighbour recognizes the boy as one of her own, a pre-transitioned vampire and strangely baring the mark of a warrior. Acting as John Mathew's translator, Mary finds herself at the Brotherhood mansion where she meets Rhage. He is instantly attracted to her, coming on strong although she can't understand what he sees in her. On their first date Mary assumes he's being polite and just wants to be friends but as Rhage continues to pursue her she is thrown into the world of the paranormal.

For Rhage Mary is IT. Her voice soothes him and he finds her to be the most beautiful, interesting woman he's ever met, wanting her like no other before, but unfortunately his beast wants her too. After being told repeatedly to `scrub' Mary's memories and defying direct orders Rhage ultimately must pay the price for his insubordination and this is quite the scene as the Brother's are forced to perform a `rythe' (a ritual where the recipient is struck by a weapon without defending himself) However this turns out to be only the first of his many sacrifices for Mary.

Rhage and Mary's love story is well done, heartbreakingly sweet but also erotic as hell. As Mary attempts to `tame' the chained beast while Butch and V stand guard. I honestly didn't know if they were going to get there HEA until the last few pages and Rhage's final meeting with the Scribe Virgin contains an absolutely heart wrenching scene that kept me gasping as I know her enjoyment of sacrifice.

Throughout this story we have of course go back and forth to the Lessers who have set up a torture facility and a side plot develops which finds Bella irresistibly drawn to Zsadist. He of course pushes her away but not before allowing us a glimpse of softness within 'the cold one.' Phury warns her to leave him alone, explaining that his twin is "ruined not broken" but when the Lessers kidnap Bella's it's Zsadist who makes it his personal mission to find her. Setting up the premise for the next book in this fantastic series,LOVER AWAKENED and this story is not to be missed.

This series just gets better and better and if you like your paranormal romance than I can't recommend LOVER ETERNAL enough

My visual aid choices for Rhage, enjoy:

~REVIEW of J.R Ward's DARK LOVER~

                                                  DARK LOVER is simply AWESOME!

Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #1)

Opening Line: "Darius looked around the club, taking in the teeming, half-naked bodies on the dance floor."

This is a beautifully done romance. Wrath is a sexy, tormented, to die for hero and Beth is simply perfect as his Queen. JR Ward has created a fantastic paranormal world with this series which I like to think of as Twilight for adults and I can guarantee you'll enjoy your time spent with the Black Dagger Brotherhood. DARK LOVER is ultimately addicting, sexy, erotic, funny and brash with an entertaining yet menacing cast of seriously alpha-male secondary characters who will all leave you wanting more.

Wrath is the only purebred vampire left on the planet he is also a King who refuses to lead his people. Almost blind and with a mean temper he prefers to be alone avenging the murder of his parents as he fights an endless battle against the `Lessers'  (The antagonists here are a truly evil group of sickly sweet smelling undead who will stop at nothing to eliminate the vampire race) Wrath's only true companions are the members of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. A dangerous gang of eclectic characters each with their own set of issues (and each getting their own upcoming book as well) The Brothers have sworn their loyalties to the King and fight alongside him to protect the vampire race from the `Lessoning Society' awaiting the day when Wrath will ascend to the throne.

As we begin the Brother Darius asks Wrath to help his half human daughter through the `change' -an unstoppable transition that will turn her from human to Vampire. This is a very dangerous time and Darius's hope is that the blind King's almost pure blood will guarantee her survival. Wrath initially declines because he doesn't like humans but when Darius is killed Wrath has no choice but to honour his Brothers last wishes.

Beth hasn't been feeling like herself lately and having been raised in foster care is completely unaware of her vampire heritage. Her job as a reporter for a local newspaper sees her unknowingly reporting on her own fathers murder. Along the way we are introduced to Butch, a burnt out cop who's in love with Beth. One night Beth awakens to find a gorgeous but heavily armed man dressed in head to toe leather standing in her apartment. She is of course frightened but can't deny the instant attraction even though he appears to have fangs. Beth and Wrath's initial encounter is hot and the sparks never stop flying as Wrath takes on the position of her protector guiding her through the change. When Butch witnesses the two of them together he's horrified because Wrath has been fingered as the prime suspect in a string of unsolved murders. The killings have in fact been committed by the Lessers and in trying to keep Wrath away from Beth, Butch will only succeed in bringing the evil closer to home.

You may be initially put off by the author's odd choice of names for the Brothers. I know I definitely had trouble keeping track of who's who. Their names are weird and there are a lot of them to keep track of, each with their own set of issues and gifts, but stick with it. The language (doggen, lesser, shellan etc) was also a bit of an issue at first but thankfully Ward has included a glossary of terms which by the end of the book I found I no longer needed.

If you're a fan of paranormal romance then I can't recommend this enough and if this is a re-read for you too I discovered that the forthcoming John Mathew's identity is positively verified in a little scene with the Scribe Virgin near the end. Cheers.

My choices for Wrath

\\

                    

~REVIEW of J.R Ward's LOVER UNLEASHED~

                                   ~ ALL I WANTED AND MORE V THEN I EXPECTED~

**Spoiler Free** and  big stars

Opening Line: "Xcor saw his father killed when he was but five years past his transition."

Ah yes, how sweet it is to be back with the Black Dagger Brotherhood. It was with some anticipation (understatement) that I cracked open the 489 pages I’d waited almost a year on, and it was with baited breathe that I began. Wondering exactly what direction JR Ward was going to take this 9th instalment in? Well I can tell you that with this one she does not disappoint, giving us fans exactly what we've been waiting for and then some.

Starting where LOVER MINE left off and with her usual flair (the first 4 words will have you smiling) we get; multiple POV’s, evolving story lines, ass-kicking action and major injuries to most of the Brotherhood. We revisit past characters while being introduced to new ones, including (among others) the intriguing ‘Band of Bastards’. This group of 6 is around to stay and with them comes an endless supply of future story possibilities.

-Band Of Bastards

With blasts of tension, humour, romance and way erotic love scenes we witness a couple of characters fall apart, see unrequited love, get major hints of things to come, and while laughing with Rhage and Fritz in the billiards room we also worry about the future of the King. Even though our main love story here is not as dominant as in past books, I have no complaints as Ward manages to include and give us moments with each and every member of the Brotherhood mansion in one way or another. And while I ached for Qhuinn and Blay, then there was V. And oh the V. True?


-Vishous

 As much as this is pegged as Payne and Manny’s book LOVER UNLEASHED really belongs to Vishous and isn't it great (understatement) to be back in his, intricate, messed up, dirty lil mind. Along with Butch and Jane this trio goes to some very dark places, taking us right along for the excruciating ride and finally putting to bed (so to speak) Butch and V’s relationship once and for all. I loved revisiting V and through him, hearing from the Cop again as well as getting to know Jane better-who has at last stopped feeling like a ghost ( I may forgive Ward yet for killing her) And in the afterward, those quiet moments spent between Butch and V well … in his words, “I have no words. Sixteen languages, but no words.”

All this awesomeness has of course been wrapped up with Ward’s unique style of writing although this time there’s a different vibe to it and it took me a while to put my finger on what it was. The multiple f-bombs, rap references and Wardisms are still here but she’s managed to tone the product placement and riddle filled sentences (i.e.“A gust of wind went Nike across the flat landscape" Making this feel more like one of the original books from the series then the urban fantasy-ish instalments of late.

We also don’t jump around as we did in LOVER MINE with Ghostbuster storylines and Old Country flashbacks, plus with less 'Lessers' to contend with here (much like in LOVER UNBOUND and with them operating without a visible leader the entire story flows better and you don't find yourself grumbling, wanting to skip ahead.

Regarding Payne and Manny; I enjoyed this couple, verily I did. I’ve loved Manny from the first time we met him and enjoyed getting to know him here. His interactions/revelations with Butch are hilarious as is his discovery of Jane and the whole BDB world. Payne wasn’t as tough as I was expecting although she does manage to rescue herself while spending a considerable amount of time paralyzed. Manny’s method of healing her is...very Marvin Gaye and although their actual HEA is kinda corny I liked how Ward found a way to keep them together.

-Manny

In the end Ward leaves us smiling with contentment (although I had been hoping for a mating ceremony and not the one you’d expect) and with events wide open for future stories that I can't wait to discover. I just wish it wasn't so far away because after spending just a few days with the BDB I'm not ready to let them go yet. See ya next year boys, stay safe. True.

Oh I've also just learned that book #10 will be Tohrment’s story. Wow that's bound to be a tearjerker.
Cheers