LOVER UNBOUND by JR Ward

LOVER UNBOUND by JR Ward









I finished reading this book last night around 9 p.m. I'm writing this about an hour after finishing the book uncertain if this is the right frame of mind to be putting my thoughts out there in cyber space. I figure if I change my mind I can always hit the delete button. You feel me? ::eye roll::

To be perfectly clear here I've enjoyed the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. I think DARK LOVER will always be my favorite to a certain extent because it was fresh take on an old theme. Vampires. I was riveted to this new world created by the mysterious J.R. Ward. I wrote a pretty good review of the book when it came out. I wrote reviews for the second and third books as well. You can check them out here if you are so inclined.

Did I notice the name dropping of expensive clothes, cars, booze, shoes and the like? Sure. I absorbed it as being a part of Ms. Ward's writing voice and style for this particular series. It didn't stop me from wanting to read the books.

Did I think while reading subsequent books in the series that the BDB was so far superior to the hated enemies the Lessers that to even classify the Lessers as enemies to the mighty warriors was laughable? Well, yes, I did, but that didn't stop me from enjoying or wanting to continue to read the books either.

I didn't seem to find the heroines as wimpy and wishy washy as many readers did. I liked 'em just fine. I'm sort of a sacrificial lamb to my relationships sometimes so I get women who do that. As a steady diet it can be debilitating, but for a work of fiction I can deal with it. So that didn't stop me from reading the books.

When my two least favorite people in the series, Marissa and Butch, got a whole book devoted to their relationship I still like a lemming bought a copy of LOVER REVEALED and read it. Not being particularly interested in the H/H didn't stop me from continuing to read this series.

You know where I'm going with this right? I do believe Ms. Ward has succeeded in disillusioning me as a fan permanently. I'm so ticked off with the last 50 pages of LOVER UNBOUND I could scream. In actuality, I did sort of scream. I cannot believe the choices Ms. Ward made to give Vishous and Jane their happy ending. After 458 pages of multiple characters, storylines, obvious bread crumbs for future books I was infuriated with her choices at the end. I was flat out flummoxed by what she chose to do and how she used the Scribe Virgin whose presence, character and power seems to change from book to book to serve whatever story or plot bind Ms. Ward finds herself in. Yeah, color me royally ticked off.

For all the people who follow the series and have enjoyed it, you'll want to read the book like I did. Ordinarily I try to steer people away from reading a book that I found less than satisfactory, but if you've been a fan you're going to have to read the book to be convinced how unbelievable those last 50 pages are. Unbelievable. Contrived. Unsatisfactory. I think there was a huge missed opportunity here and to say I'm disappointed is an understatement. The reviews I've skimmed have been pretty restrained in comparison to the outrage and betrayal I feel right now. But I'm afraid all BDB fans are not going to believe it unless they read it for themselves. Let me offer my sympathy in advance.