Review: Lover Mine by J.R. Ward
Title: Lover Mine (Black Dagger Brotherhood, book 
Author: J.R. Ward
Release: April 27th, 2010
Purchase this book: Amazon | Book Depository
Goodreads Entry: here
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Rating: 3.5 Stars
John Matthew has come a long way since he was found living among humans, his vampire nature unknown to himself and to those around him. After he was taken in by the Brotherhood, no one could guess what his true history was- or his true identity. Indeed, the fallen Brother Darius has returned, but with a different face and a very different destiny. As a vicious personal vendetta takes John into the heart of the war, he will need to call up on both who he is now and who he once was in order to face off against evil incarnate.
Xhex, a symphath assassin, has long steeled herself against the attraction between her and John Matthew. Having already lost one lover to madness, she will not allow the male of worth to fall prey to the darkness of her twisted life. When fate intervenes, however, the two discover that love, like destiny, is inevitable between soul mates.
I have to start this review by stating that I debated whether I wanted to give this a 3.5 star rating or 4 star. Part of me says 4 stars because I think some of my issues with the book are due to my own little reading funk, but the more I think about it, the more I am comfortable with the 3.5 star rating.
Lover Mine is the eagerly waited for book featuring John Matthew (who is not yet a “Brother”) and Xhex, a sympath assassin who worked for Rehvenge from Lover Avenged. At the end of the last book Xhex is captured by the Omega’s son and former potential Brother, Lash. Lover Mine concentrates on John Matthew’s efforts to get her back and what happens after he does.
As has been the trend with the last couple of Black Dagger Brotherhood books, the main hero and heroine’s story is not the only one featured. In Lover Mine we also get a much more indepth look at the relationship between Quinn and Blay. Their story and interactions take up quite a bit of page space and were the most interesting part of this book for me. On top of that, we also get a subplot featuring Payne and No’One, as well as an oddly placed subplot about a reality show being filmed at an old mansion.
What I loved about Lover Mine? I felt that John Matthew and Xhex were true to their characters and the intimate scenes were HOT. John seems mighty capable at ripping a shirt or two and if it were me, I wouldn’t be complaining. Yet even with all their passion, in my opinion, Blay and Quinn stole this book. The tension, emotion, and suspense of their relationship was overwhelming and I found myself looking forward to their scenes and skipping parts of the book to make them come faster.
What didn’t work for me…. sigh, it’s hard to put a finger on. For John and Xhex there was just too much emotional angst in the story line, not enough action. They are both kick ass warriors, I wanted more physical action in the story and found the emotional turmoil within each of them to drag on and on. It took me a full 4 days to read this book and that is the longest I have ever spent on a BDB book, it just dragged for me.
The issue with John and sign language seemed to be too easily solved as well – he teaches her the letters of the alphabet and all of a sudden she can interpret entire paragraphs in what seems like no time at all? So he is signing each word letter by letter instead of using the actual signs for things? That’s impressive but entirely unrealistic in my opinion. On top of that, the subplot with the reality show filming was just weird. It ruined the pacing of the book and kept me from fully sinking into the story line.
Now my biggest problem? The GIGANTIC FREAKING PLOT HOLE! Exactly when did John Matthew and the Brothers find out that Lash was the Omega’s son? Was there a short story or novella that gave this away or were readers just deprived of this realization? When Xhex is taken at the end of Lover Avenged John Mathew mentions that Lash must have hooked up with the Omega somehow, yet he clearly does not know he is his son. Yet somehow in Lover Mine it seems that this is common knowledge?
For me, Lover Mine, was a tiny bit of a disappointment but I am willing to admit I may have had high expectations. This installment in the Brotherhood series was a good read, just not without it’s problems.
FTC Disclaimer: Book was purchased by me
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12 Responses to “Review: Lover Mine by J.R. Ward”
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I agree with the plot hole. I didn’t think about it at first until it was mentioned.
OMG I never caught the plothole. I thought at the end of Lover Avenged when they go to rescue Xhex and first meet up with Lash and Rhage’s dragon fights him that Lash told them then… But now I don’t know??? Wow, that’s a pretty big one.
Also, and I loved this book more than all of them just about, but the ASL reeally bugged me too that he taught her the alphabet in one session and then all of the sudden he is spewing out these long monologues to her and they’re communicating perfectly. Verrrryyyy hard to suspend disbelief on that one.
Good review thanks!
yeah I went back and checked…if I have time I will dig out the quote later today
Thank you!
“some of my issues with the book are due to my own little reading funk” – that was true for me, but less about a ‘funk’ more about ‘high expectations’. I think I over-anticipated this one, and it could never have reached the heights I built it up to in my mind.
Totally agree about Qhuinn and Blay – I enjoyed their story more than Xhex and JM’.s
And agree about the signing. I had to do a re-read when Xhex started signing to JM, because I thought she’d only mastered the alphabet and I’m 99% sure that’s not how sign-language works for lengths convos. WTF?
.-= Danielle87´s most recent blog post ..‘Beautiful Malice’ by Rebecca JAMES =-.
yep, I did have high expectations too… I should know better by now LOL
Did you also catch about Lash keeping Qhuinn’s brother on ice? I did a double take when I read that.
And I am more excited about Qhuay than Payne and Manny next. Long live Team Qhuay.
No! I completely missed the thing with Quinn’s brother… I didnt even realize he had one! LMAO
I too am not that big into Payne and Manny, sigh. I wonder if its too much to hope for the Qhuay novella first.
I missed Quinn’s brother as well. I should go back and reread it but I don’t want to. I also agree on the sign language. They were teaching my oldest a few years ago and I could never figure it out let alone over night.
I did not notice the plot hole . I was annoyed by the reality show filming ,while I was reading that part I was like wtf . I loved the parts about Quay .I want their story now.
“They are both kick ass warriors, I wanted more physical action in the story and found the emotional turmoil within each of them to drag on and on.”
Yeah I really wanted some more action
Smexy says, “HMMMMMM”
Plot hole..yes…must think about this.
.-= Mandi´s most recent blog post ..Fan Letter to an Author =-.
I also rated Lover Mine at 3.5 stars. I like John Matthew, Quinn, and Blay in small doses but an entire book about them was a bit much. I wanted to see more of the Brothers. The sign language thing was nagging at me as well.