DARK LOVER

Author: J.R. Ward ISBN: 0451216954 9/2005 PARANORMAL Publisher: Signet Eclipse (NAL)

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other—six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Yet none of them relishes killing their enemies, the lessers, more than Wrath, the leader of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.... The only purebred vampire left on the planet, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But, when one of his most trusted fighters is killed—orphaning a half-breed daughter unaware of her heritage or her fate—Wrath must usher the beautiful female into the world of the undead.... Racked by a restlessness in her body that wasn’t there before, Beth Randall is helpless against the dangerously sexy man who comes to her at night with shadows in his eyes. His tales of brotherhood and blood frighten her. But his touch ignites a dawning hunger that threatens to consume them both....

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Edgy, thrilling, and classy, DARK LOVER is my latest and greatest find in paranormals. This debut by J.R.Ward is headed for my keeper shelf for many hours of re-reading and reminiscing over.

It must be hard to write a unique vamp novel since so many of them have come on the scene lately. Very few people seem to be able to do it well, let alone perfectly. I'm glad Ward does not suffer from that little problem. This book is HOT, sexy, and smart. It will grip you all night with a need to get to the end, yet hoping that you don't. Filled with bright descriptions and emotions, the characters leap off the page. With complex ideas and situations it reminds me of a Sherrilyn Kenyon Dark Hunter novel, but in no way is it a rip off. And, like I said above, something about it is classy—despite the leather loving, tattooed and scarred warriors it involves. I don't know how the author managed that. Must be a gift.

I cannot wait for the story to continue. The plot is set up beautifully to give a reader some of what they want but still keep them hanging on and anticipating the next one in the series. Bring it on!

Shannon Johnson