“You are a manipulator.”
“I like to think of myself more as an outcome engineer.”
Throwback to 2006. J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series brought me absolute catharsis with its ability to enthrall me into complete distraction. I picked up the second book of the series and reread it: Ahh, Lover Eternal. The sex scenes were mind blowing. If you don’t believe me, check out what the sexy, dirty vampire protagonist says to Mary:
“What you just had is nothing compared to what I want to do to you. I want my head between your legs so I can lick you until you scream my name… I want to screw you standing up, against the wall. I want you to sit on my hips and ride me until I can’t breathe.”
The Brotherhood is a group proud of vampire warriors that defend their dying race. In Caldwell, New York, the Brotherhood is engaged in a turf war with slayers, called Lessers, to protect the civilian vampires. Rhage, arguably the strongest of the Brotherhood, was cursed long ago with an uncontrollable demon that must be sated nightly through acts of sex or aggression, or else it unleashes itself on friend and foe alike.
Rhage is arrogant, impulsive, and apathetic—until he meets Mary Luce, a twice-survivor of cancer who volunteers her time at the local Suicide Hotline to fill the void of her lonely life. The beautiful cadence of Mary Luce’s voice captivates high-testosterone, sexy Rhage and soon Mary becomes an unwilling lover embroiled in the turf wars between the Brotherhood and the Lessers.
The biggest pro of this book is that the sex scenes are nothing short WOWgasm.
The behind-the-couch scene was scorching hot!
All of us get what our imaginations want, because Rhage’s room is described to have a Victorian flair with candles everywhere.
The biggest con of this book was that the sex was SO good that everything else about the story paled in comparison. Many contrived devices were utilized to bring the two into contact that all other interesting avenues, such as enemy Mr. O, mute John, and civilian vampire Bella, get lost in the mix. This is most likely because the writing for most of the other non-sex scenes was underwhelming, and for the most part, perfunctory ways of legitimizing the stakes of the love story. I gave into temptation and skipped to the juicy parts, and then back-pedaled to figure out the “relevant” aspects of the plot.
Also, the prose is a little too hard-boiled, edgy, and masculine, as if trying to convince the reader that it was written by a male—but then the sensibilities of the vampire warriors also comes as a silly surprise because they are oh so sensitive underneath those hard, “shit-kicking” exteriors. Many of the characters came off as a bit… awkward. In fact, Mary Luce is the only character who seems in her element, and it is because she is antisocial and purposefully awkward.
I still recommend the book because it is a fun read and it’ll keep you itching to read more until the very end. What the prose lacks in originality, it makes up for in accessibility, which is still a virtue.
The post Book Review: Lover Eternal (2006) by J.R. Ward appeared first on Jane Morrissey.