Review: Lover Reborn by JR Ward

Title: Lover Reborn

Author: JR Ward
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood Book 10
Release Date: April 2012

Publisher: NAL

Genre: Paranromal Romance

Rating: 5 Hoots

Reviewer: Lenore 

Ever since the death of his shellan, Tohrment has been unrecognizable from the vampire leader he once was. Physically emaciated and heartbroken beyond despair, he has been brought back to the Brotherhood by a self-serving fallen angel. Now, fighting once again with ruthless vengeance, he is unprepared to face a new kind of tragedy.

When Tohr begins to see his beloved in his dreams—trapped in a cold, isolated netherworld far from the peace and tranquillity of the Fade—he turns to the angel in hopes of saving the one he has lost. But because Lassiter tells him he must learn to love another to free his former mate, Tohr knows they are all doomed....

Except then a female with a shadowed history begins to get through to him. Against the backdrop of the raging war with the lessers, and with a new clan of vampires vying for the Blind King’s throne, Tohr struggles between the buried past and a very hot, passion-filled future…but can his heart let go and set all of them free?


LOVER REBORN takes readers back to the place where they love. The world of BDB before Phury's book. The romance, the passion, and the action are all back hopefully to stay. JR Ward is a master; one of the only who can write a tenth book in a series and still get ratings higher than 3 stars. She is consistent and she is brave.


After LOVER UNLEASHED, readers were skeptical about where the series was headed. Payne was a new face in the BDB world, and readers (including myself) felt that they never really got to know Payne. Her book felt something of a filler with under developed characters, and not nearly enough face time for the romantic couple. 


I imagine Ward felt the same way, because LOVER REBORN is shifting back toward the former BDB glory. Thor and No'One receive a great deal of time first and foremost on the pages; however, not as much as books 1-4 couples. Their relationship is very slow, which is fantastic. Both characters have some serious sorting out to do and rushing their romance would have made the story less real, and not allowed readers to feel with them. Reader's hearts will break for not only Thor and No'One, but JM, Xhex, and Lassiter too. Many relationships are taking a heart felt tail spin. 


Originally this book was going to be the conclusion of the BDB series, and in a way it is. Ward wraps up the original Black Dagger Brother's stories perfectly. Thor's character is one that every fan has identified with and loved in some way, and using him to conclude this part of the story proves how much Ward knows about telling a story. 


Thor's book will make readers think. Why does he have to suffer when V and Rhage did not? Why did Wellsie have to die? Ward had a plan when she decided it was Wellsie's time; a plan that would bring her readers even closer to the characters in this final arc book. Although it worked out wonderfully, many authors, after seeing reviews and the upset about Wellsie's death, would have brought her back to Thor in some shape or form and rewritten the entire idea for LOVER REBORN. I commend Ward for sticking to her original idea. She is a brave author, and I think that for many fans, it paid off. 


Ward has developed the world of the brothers so thoroughly. The next few steps in the story will include those that are not (yet) Black Dagger Brothers, and even some bad guys. But I cannot wait! 

After reading LOVER REBORN, readers will not know what to read next. Nothing can compare to the Black Dagger Brotherhood and their world. Any other book will pail in comparison!