Review: Lover Awakened - J.R. Ward

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, a deadly turf war rages between vampires and their slayers.  There exists a secret band of brothers like no other - six vampire warriors, defenders of their race.  Of these, Zsadist is the most terrifying member of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

A former blood slave, the vampire Zsadist still bears the scars from a past filled with suffering and humiliation.  Renowned for his unquenchable fury and sinister deeds, he is a savage feared by humans and vampires alike.  Anger is his only companion and terror his only passion - until he rescues a beautiful female from the evil Lessening Society.

Bella is instantly entranced by the seething power Zsadist possesses.  But even as their desire for each other begins to overtake them, Zsadist's thirst for vengeance against Bella's tormentors drives him to the brink of madness.  Now Bella must help her lover overcome the wounds of his tortured past and find a future with her...

The Black Dagger Brotherhood Series:
Dark Lover
Lover Eternal
Lover Awakened
Lover Revealed
Lover Unbound
Lover Enshrined
The Black Dagger Brotherhood: An Insider's Guide
Lover Avenged
Lover Mine
Lover Unleashed (2011)

Visit J.R. Ward's website for more information

Review:
Lover Awakened is the third book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series and without a doubt one of my favorites.  If you are new to the series then I would definitely recommend starting from book 1 (Dark Lover) so you get a full introduction into the world J.R. Ward has created and get to know all of the characters as the series progresses.  This is definitely one of my favorite paranormal romance series and I'm sure you'll love it as much as I do.

Zsadist is a character that has intrigued me since he was first introduced in Dark Lover.  He is so frightening that even the other warriors avoid him but as his story unfolds it becomes easy to see what made him the way he is now.  After being tortured for a hundred years Z is messed up, he is scarred both physically and mentally and doesn't know how to trust others.  He believes he has been tainted by what has been done to him and has continued to punish himself since his rescue from life as a blood slave.

As you can imagine Z's story is the darkest book in the series so far but his character is by far the one I've felt was most real.  I absolutely loved watching him change as he begins to discover his feelings for Bella, it isn't easy for him to trust her and his path to happiness is tough but worth so much more because of the struggle.  I also loved the way his relationship with his twin Phury and the other brothers changes over the course of the book.

It takes a lot for a book to make me cry but Lover Awakened achieves this even though this is at least the third time I've read it.  This book will take you on an emotional rollercoaster - breaking your heart in places but ultimately leaving you feeling uplifted by the end.  The story is lightened by the ongoing plots with other main characters and things are nicely put into place for Butch's story which is up next.  Without a doubt this series is a must read for fans of the paranormal romance genre but Zsadist will always hold a special place in my heart.

Source: Purchased

Other reviews of this book:
All Booked Up
Story Wings
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