Lover Eternal by J. R Ward

Rating: 4.5 stars
pages: 464

Blurb:

Within the brotherhood, Rhage is the vampire with the strongest appetite. He's the best fighter, the quickest to act on his impulses, and the most voracious lover-for inside him burns a ferocious curse cast by the Scribe Virgin.

Possessed by this dark side, Rhage fears the times when his inner dragon is unleashed, making him a danger to everyone around him. When Mary Luce is unwittingly thrown into the vampire world, she must rely on Rhage's protection. Knowing that Mary feels the same intense animal attraction, Rhage must make her his alone...

Review:

This is the second book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. It took me a little while to get into this book. I don't know if it has to do with the months in between reading Dark Lover and starting this one, but I am so glad that I waited to read until I got all of the series. I have a feeling that I will be reading nothing but the BDB books.

Rhage was one of my favorites from the first book. I was intrigued by his demon. I wanted to know why it was there, if he would ever be rid of it, how it really affected (or is effected) him. I am completely in love again... I am sure I will fall in love with each brother as I read. Rhage did a complete turn around in his behavior after hearing Mary's voice. The tenderness and the protectiveness that he showed her was such a treat to read about. Then you have the very sick Mary, who has been through so much that has given her a strength that I don't think she even realized she had. In order to be together these two must over come some pretty big obstacles, breaking the rules and beating down self inflicted barriers.

In a way I feel like this book could have actually been the first book. It gave so much more information on each of the other brothers. You are able to get glimpses into each brother's history and start to understand the idiosyncrasies of each. You meet a potential new brother, John Matthew has not been through the change yet but he bares the mark of a warrior.

I was brought to tears a couple of times while reading this. I don't know if it because it is an emotional time or if it was the story itself, but I was definitely touched by the kindness Wellsie and Tohr showed this 20+ yr old orphan and John Michael's feelings while sitting at the dinner table. I thought I was going to have to undergo a round of ribbing from my husband for crying out loud when Mary received the information from the doctor and Rhage contacted the Scribe Virgin. I got so immersed in this story that I can't wait to read the rest of the books so I can't make sure that this HEA remains an HEA.

I'm off to start Lover Awakened!!