Review: Lover Avenged

Reviewed by Jen
 

I feel sorry for all those people who gave up on the Black Dagger Brotherhood after Phury's book.  Because Rhev's book was awesome.  In my opinion, the best book since Lover Awakened.

Rhevenge is not a typical hero. He's a killer, a drug lord, and a pimp. He is sleeping with his half-sister.  And he was conceived when his sympath father raped his vampire mother.  Even half-sympaths are ostracized in the vampire world, so his wretched half-sister, the Princess of the people, holds the secret over his head.  If he doesn't pay her off every month and have sex with her, she'll tell everyone what he is.  He hates her, but he knows that if his secret is uncovered, it will destroy his mother and his sister.

To keep his evil side at bay, Rhev shoots himself up with dopamine.  It's at the doctor's office, he meets the lovely nurse Ehlena.  The relationship that develops between the two is actually pretty sweet... long talks on the phone and sweet dinners together. Of course, she has no idea what he is and knows nothing about the seedy side of his life. But the two of them have such a lovely connection.  Rhev wants to be the man Ehlena thinks he is, but he is trapped. 

In the meantime, our sweet John Matthew has been broken. It's really tough to witness.  He has always been this sweet, gentle soul. Now he has been hurt too many times and the boy we knew is gone... replaced with someone who has simply stopped caring.  What's worse is that he was broken by those he loved most. 

In the course of the book, we learn more about Xhex. And we watch Lash flex his muscles as the leader of the Lessers.  I'm ready for him to get his comeuppance.  (But having already read Lover Mine, I know he becomes even more despicable before that happens.)  There is also a lot of Wrath in this story. There are big changes in his life and it's nice to know that our old favorites aren't forgotten just because they found their loves in earlier installments.

Overall, this was a great book.  A solid love story. A great hero. If you gave up on the series, this one is worth coming back for. 5 stars.