Lover Unleashed (Black Dagger Brotherhood Series #9)

( 2044 )

Overview

Payne, twin sister of the Black Dagger Brother Vishous, suffers a devastating injury, and brilliant human surgeon Manuel Manello is called in to save her. Their attraction is instant, and as powerful as it is dangerous. But as human and vampire worlds collide, a centuries- old score catches up with Payne and puts both her love and her life in jeopardy.

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Lover Unleashed (Black Dagger Brotherhood Series #9)

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Overview

Payne, twin sister of the Black Dagger Brother Vishous, suffers a devastating injury, and brilliant human surgeon Manuel Manello is called in to save her. Their attraction is instant, and as powerful as it is dangerous. But as human and vampire worlds collide, a centuries- old score catches up with Payne and puts both her love and her life in jeopardy.

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Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
In Ward's new Black Dagger Brotherhood novel, a secondary storyline overshadows the primary romance between a vampire and her human doctor. The long-suffering Payne, brought into the corporeal world after years of imprisonment in Lover Mine, now faces possible paralysis. Her twin brother, Vishous, will do anything to save his recently discovered sister, allowing his wife Jane to involve her human former boss, Dr. Manny Manello, in Payne's recovery. Though the doctor and Payne's love affair should remain the focus, V's rocky relationship with Jane offers more intensity because of the pleasure, pain, and healing elements involved. Ward's world works better when the hero is a Brother-vampirism, kink, and "scary dude" go hand-in-hand. Readers will connect the dots between the twins and the move from Europe to the Brother's stronghold in Caldwell by Xcor, a vampire with vengeance on his mind. On the other hand, Qhuinn's growing despondence over his secret love for Blay is little more than a place mark for a future book.
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780451235114
  • Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
  • Publication date: 11/1/2011
  • Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood Series , #9
  • Format: Mass Market Paperback
  • Pages: 576
  • Sales rank: 50714
  • Product dimensions: 4.24 (w) x 6.78 (h) x 1.26 (d)

Meet the Author

J.R. Ward

J.R. Ward is the author of over twenty previous novels, including those in her #1 New York Times bestselling series, The Black Dagger Brotherhood. There are more than 15 million copies of Ward's novels in print worldwide and they have been published in 25 different countries around the world. She lives in the South with her family.

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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 2044 )
Rating Distribution

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 2063 Customer Reviews
  • Posted Sun Apr 03 00:00:00 EDT 2011

    more from this reviewer

    I'm going to say the unthinkable.

    I was very disappointed by this book. I hate that I had to write those words. I'm such a huge fan and have been so for many many years. This book should be retitled to Lover Unbound PART 2. Payne and Manny were definitely the back story in this installment, which is very misleading because you'd expect it to be the focus. They had such good chemistry and Manny is such an great character, you want to hear more about them. However, this book predominately focused on Vischous freaking out and the repercussions on his mating with Jane. SO many things were left unfinished and even untouched in this book. Muhrder was never brought up again, neither the Omega or the Scribe Virgins current issues. Quinn's storyline has no resolution and the book never truly has a climax. When you finally think the story has reached its peak, it is very quickly deflated and you're left thinking: "That's it? What just happened?"

    Overall, I'm left very unenthused and sad after I finished it. And considering I waited an entire year for this installment and will wait ANOTHER year for next, I'm for the first time in my life unhappy with a book from the Warden. :/ It nearly pains me to write this, but it's the truth. I'm really hoping the next makes up for the lack of which this book contained.

    56 out of 62 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted Wed Mar 28 00:00:00 EDT 2012

    I Also Recommend:

    Great! As usual a very entertaining read. Can't wait to read mor

    Great! As usual a very entertaining read. Can't wait to read more.

    27 out of 29 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 EDT 2011

    more from this reviewer

    GraveTells review: A transitory BDB novel, with more painful Vishous than vicious Payne

    The title of this book is a little misleading, assuming it is supposed to describe the featured couple or "warrior". Payne is more "unleashed" in her sparring sessions with Wrath in the previous books than she is throughout this entire novel. "Lover unleashed" is more more applicable to V, as he learns to relinquish his vicious self-control... literally, un-leashed from the "predilections" that trapped him in his previous destructive BDSM spiral. Payne's personality is nearly unrecognizable compared to the tenacious & serious, almost savage, amazon she was introduced as in a previous novel. Some of this is understandable, considering how crushing it would be to be faced with permanent paralysis as a warrior, but far too much time is spent on this period of weakness and inactivity for Payne to really grow as a character. Then, when she does finally become mobile and has a chance to be "normal" again, she acts more like a giddy young girl than a 300-year old fighter.

    Too much of this book feels transitory for it to be strong enough to stand on its own. For a reader new to the series, I would say absolutely do NOT read this novel first! Obviously, starting at the beginning is best, but most of the other books are strong enough that a new reader could pick them up and enjoy the stories even with the multiple story arcs and ever-growing roster of characters. Lover Unleashed reads as if its the middle film in a trilogy (hello, The Two Towers and Empire Strikes Back!) - it's more a way to get there from here, and to wrap up plotlines while introducing yet another. I don't mind the sideline plots, because sometimes they turn into fantastic drama, but at least give us a little more of the one we all REALLY want to see: Blay & Quinn! How many books is she going to stretch that one out before it comes to some kind of conclusion (oh, and please be the outcome I think we all want!)? What about Muhrder from book 8 (Lover Mine)? A substantial amount of book-time went to setting up that whole "ghost" scenario at his mansion, then revealing who he is on TV, then there's not even a reference to it in this one. I think this is the first time a developing plotline like that has been dropped completely from one book to another. What about Lassiter?

    A couple things really bothered me about Payne's abduction toward the end...

    1) Her abduction was fishy and too convenient (read: predictable). Considering how well previous story lines have worked out after some of the leading ladies were abducted, Ms. Ward could have made an abduction like this work, but this just had no heat to it... no drive. It felt flat-out unbelievable.

    2) Payne was able to resolve the entire abduction situation by just standing there and talking. Really? The big bad glowy she-warrior doesn't even get to fight for herself? She just talks her captor out of something he's believed & fought for all of his life, after which he proceeds to protect her from his own men at his own peril? Uh... no. And B-O-R-I-N-G!

    This book is really more about V & Jane than it is about Payne & Manny. Payne & Manny almost feel more like side characters than the featured couple, to the point that this is easily Lover Unbound 2.0. Now I'm not complaining - V is one of my favorite characters in the series, so more face (and body!) time with him is A-okay with me.

    Read the full review at GraveTells on Wordpress.

    22 out of 26 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted Wed Mar 30 00:00:00 EDT 2011

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    Another excellent entry to the series!

    I really enjoyed Payne & Manny's story - it was sexy, romantic, exciting, nerve-wracking etc. I liked that V, Jane and Butch played such a large role in this book. I love how JR Ward sets up her next book(s) - and I'm very excited for Quinn & Blay's story. If you like this series - don't miss out on this installment!

    19 out of 20 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Wed Mar 30 00:00:00 EDT 2011

    I Also Recommend:

    Different..yet still her best work

    This book was great. I read it straight through as I do with all of her BDB books. She is a great writer and takes you through all of the emotions expertly. The imagery is fantastic and you can really get into the heads of her characters. All that being said...

    Since I am a huge fan of JM and Xhex, I would have loved a quick snapshot into what their mated life is like now. Honestly, this could have easily been 700+ pages like Sherilyn Kenyon's "Acheron", and it still only might not have touched on all of the different storylines. Not much Qhuinn and Blay action, although it does leave you panting for their story. There was no follow up on No'One, so we really have no idea how she is doing or even how her relationship with Xhex is developing. Tohr is out fighting again but no real details on that. No Lassiter at all. A couple of characters make cameos..Rehevenge and Marissa for example. I expected Payne to dish out some more beatdowns but aside from one or two very short fight scenes..nothing. We saw Xhex doing her thing in other books, which is what made her a great warrior, so I was hoping for more action from Payne. Truthfully, we know that these are romance novels at the end of the day but, I, personally, love the action scenes. We know that Payne can hold her own but it still would have been great for all the Brothers to witness it firsthand. The one thing I kept waiting for throughout the whole book never happened..No Scribe Virgin..at all. Maybe this is only really an introduction to Payne/V/Scribe Virgin's relationship. If so, then I am totally onboard for the drama.

    12 out of 13 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted Sat Apr 02 00:00:00 EDT 2011

    more from this reviewer

    Disappointing Treatment of a Favorite Character

    One of the criticisms of J.R. Ward is that her female characters pale in comparison to the men. It's easy to understand why considering the Brothers explode off the page and are written larger than life in all their swaggering, slang-talking, Alpha male-ness. To date, the heroines have seemed kind of blah. But then came Payne, and right from the beginning, she was different. Every scene with her crackled with tension, and you (or, at least, I) couldn't wait to read more scenes with her. She quickly became my favorite character, especially after "Lover Mine" and her sparring sessions with Wrath. Finally a female who could more than hold her own with a Brother (I don't really consider Xhex in the same category. Yeah, she's tough, but I'm pretty sure a Brother like Rhage or V could easily handle her), and I was SO excited when her book was next. With one major reservation. Manny. He literally never made an impression on me in V and Jane's book so to find out he was The One for Payne was a huge disappointment (I was thinking Tohrment or Qhuinn or, heck, even Lassiter for Payne). But I was willing to set aside my reader's sense of ownership over a favorite character and let the author do her thing. Except Manny and Payne's part of the book was the weak link with virtually every other storyline being way more fascinating... Qhuinn's pitiful attempt to get over Blay, V's complete and total meltdown and subsequent redemption and the introduction of another band of not-so-merry men. My big gripe about Lover Unleashed is that we FINALLY have a herone who could kick some serious butt, and she's paralyzed for at least half the book! I wanted to see the collective dropped jaws of the Brothers watching what she was capable of. I wanted to see her working out in their sacred space- the gym- with maybe Rihanna blasting and just blowing through a hard-core workout like the Brothers normally do. I wanted to see her fight for her freedom after Xcor abducts her even though I was totally rolling my eyes at yet ANOTHER female abduction. I wanted her to be the complete bad*** she was in the last couple books. At long last here was a female character who wasn't a weakling or paled in comparison to the men (again, not really counting Xhex), and Ward STILL found a way to make her boring. And I was really surprised that the Scribe Virgin was a complete no-show even though her only daughter is literally dying. Given how fiercely she tried to protect Payne, it just doesn't add up. Which is why I (generously) give this book 3 stars.

    10 out of 11 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted Wed Mar 30 00:00:00 EDT 2011

    not my favorite but still good

    I love the BDB series. Its just starting to get predictable. Every story follows the same basic storyline. Boy meets girl, falls in love, list of reasons not to be together, something bad happens to girl or boy, then Poof! they can be together forever. Lover Unleashed is a good story I like how it wasn't only about Payne. I love V and Jane so it was good to have their story continue. A good addition to the series but not as good as some of the other books.

    7 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Mon Apr 04 00:00:00 EDT 2011

    Sad to say, but highly disappointed

    I ran out to get this book the day it came out and anticipated being done reading the next day. It took me 3 days to be able to get past the first 3 chapters. This book had so much potential, but just failed in the end. Not enough Payne and Manny and the storylines are becoming predictable and repetitive. I will continue to read, but I am hoping for something better.

    6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted Sun Apr 03 00:00:00 EDT 2011

    I really had high hopes for this book :(

    I thought this book was supposed to be Manny and Payne's! There was really to much V and Jane! Don't get me wrong I like seeing what the other brother's are up to but it was like Manny and Payne were secondary. Sorry but this book just didn't do it for me at all. I felt there were other character's that were more ready for their HEA. The books have become really predictable. Now I know if you're a huge BDB fan you'll read the book no matter what (as you should) but don't expect the intensity that there was in books 1-5

    6 out of 12 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted Sun Dec 12 00:00:00 EST 2010

    OMG! I CAN'T WAIT!

    I HAVE LOVED PAYNE SINCE SHE WAS INTRODUCED. (NO HOMO) I KNOW HER BOOK IS GONNA BE FREAKIN' AWSOME! BLAY & QHUINN IS NOT GONNA HAVE A BOOK, ACCORDING TO THE WARDEN, BUT THEY WILL GET A NOVELLA. (COMING OUT THIS YEAR AS WELL) UMM.. I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT MUHRDER THOUGH.. FELL FOR THE BROTHER AS WELL. I CAN'T WAIT FOR ALL THESE BOOK TO COME OUT.. OH AND ONE MORE THING, VISHOUS WILL PLAY A BIG PART IN THIS BOOK BECAUSE OF COURSE, THAT'S HIS TWIN SISTER, BUT ALSO, HE NEVER KNEW ABOUT HER AND NOW THAT HE DOES, I DON'T THINK HE WOULD WANT HER OUT FIGHTING OR GETTING INVOLVE WITH ANYBODY, ESPECIALLY MANNY. PLUS, I WANNA KNOW MORE ABOUT THEIR RELATIONSHIP TOO.. LIKE, WHY IS IT THAT PAYNE KNEW ABOUT HIM AND HE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT HER??? OR WHY SV KEPT THEM FROM EACH OTHER?? THERE'S A LOT TO KNOW ABOUT, YOU KNOW. ANYWAYS, I LOVE THIS SERIES AND I CAN'T WAIT TO READ MORE ABOUT MY FAVORITE FEMALE CHARACTER ;o)

    6 out of 16 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted Wed Apr 20 00:00:00 EDT 2011

    more from this reviewer

    Great Read....but.....

    I completely flipped out in the store when I saw Lover Unleashed on the shelf! So, of course, it came home with me! I tried to read it slowly so I wouldn't miss any details but still read it in a day or two. I really enjoyed the many stories involved in the book but was hoping for a stronger Payne. She was so completely badass in the previous books and I was hoping for more of the same here, but didn't quite get it. Don't get me wrong, I was happy she found her mate and glad we get to see more of Manny, but she talked her way out of her abduction? Really? This is definitely a transitional book. We got more movement on some of the main characters, and a surprise or two. But there was no mention of some of the other characters (Mhruder, Lassiter). I know you can't fit everyone into one book but they were just not there at all. Hopefully we'll see them in the next book...

    4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted Mon Apr 04 00:00:00 EDT 2011

    Too much expectations on my part?????

    I LOVE the BDB series! And I had such HUGE expectations for this installment - maybe too big. In my mind, Payne was the perfect character to blend female and warrior. I thought she would be an absolute killer, but still emotionally "there". AND then I read the book... Payne was a little sappy! Not the strong amazon I had come to love in previous books! Not that BADA@# who took on the King because she was "bored"! What happened?!?! This book was more about Vishous' past and his marriage to Jane than anything else - don't get me wrong, I loved that part, but where was Payne and Manny's story!? I will still continue to wait patiently for the next installments in the series - won't give up my Cellie card ;) BUT this was definitely NOT my favorite story. I LOVE how the series started out - with each book focused on the main characters. I'm still with you WARDen! But not as happy as I was hoping.

    4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted Wed Mar 30 00:00:00 EDT 2011

    Read to fast

    The best paranormal series out there hands down...

    4 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted Tue Feb 08 00:00:00 EST 2011

    Love these books, completely addicted!!

    I feel like I am going through withdrawals waiting on the next installment. I find myself rereading the previous books because I miss the characters so much. I have never felt this way about any other series before. JR Ward is a genius! My favorite characters are Vishous and Butch, I love the layers of their relationship, I find the weave of their story to be so beautiful, it brings me to tears. I am so looking forward to Payne's story, I really hope that Qhinn and Blay's story continues as well. I also hope that Tohr is able to find love again, perhaps Lassiter can bring her back. Anyway, I will be forever in awe of the mastermind behing tales. I think she knows exactly what women want in men!

    4 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted Fri Dec 10 00:00:00 EST 2010

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    BDB Lover.... !!

    I've got some interested tidbits for you..First things first, Phayne's book is going to rock ! Can't wait..! First female BDB, with Xhex as a side kick..AWESOME..! Second, Mhurdher's book is next, JR set that up nicely in LoverMine (John Matthews) book, she'll probably continue building on that throughout Lover Unleashed. Then, and dare I say it...Thorments book will follow. We got to learn quite a bit about him through Darius' diary. He needs a new shellan (poor Wellsie). I also think he will be the first to figure out the JM is Darius..eventhough I think all of the Brothers have an incling. Oh..and lets not forget that the Omega has Qhuinn's brother...so maybe my fellow reviewer is correct, maybe Qhuinn will get a novella, considering he isn't and will not become a Brother.

    4 out of 12 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted Wed May 04 00:00:00 EDT 2011

    more from this reviewer

    I hate to say it but...This one fell short

    For starters there are several reasons why I love this series. The author's ability to keep you on edge, the romance and passion that's passed through the main characters, and the action!..just to name a few. I have read and re-read all the books on this series. I will not be re-reading this one. While it was overall a decent book it lacked the same thrill as the others. I waited a year and counted down the days and was sorely dissapointed:( The story continues from where the last one left off, with Payne's back injury and a doctor being called in to help. aside from the results of the surgery nothng else of importance happened. While I loved Payne and Manny the book focused more on previous characters. V&J's book was one of my favorites that does not mean I wanted this to be all about them again. As for Blake and Quin, that "affair" or whatever it is needs to come to some sort of conclusion or stay in the background until they have their own book. It was boring, the love scenes were great, but even those lacked Ward's ussual spark. As for the action the human police saw more then the brotherhood. My rating would be 3 stars if this was a stand alone book, but its not. Compared to the rest of the series along with my need to stay interested it only gets 2. I will be alot more patient for the next...

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted Sat Apr 02 00:00:00 EDT 2011

    more from this reviewer

    Satisfaction Absolutely Guaranteed!

    With tears in my eyes, goosebumps on my arms, and a huge smile of satisfaction on my face is how I sat upon completing Lover Unleashed, Book 9 of The Black Dagger Brotherhood Series by J.R. Ward. I was skeptical when I read that this book was to feature Dr. Manny Manello, a human introduced in Lover Unbound, book 5 and Payne (not going to say who she is because I don't want to spoil it for readers new to the series). Wow, was I pleasantly surprised! Ms. Ward continues to deliver to lovers of the Brotherhood by filling their pages with stories of passion, committment, termoil, tragedy, suspense, action, and of course hott vampire warriors! There are several enticing backstories of beloved characters from previous books, which slightly curbed my craving for answers but definately wet my appetite for more! Plus, introductions to a couple of new characters that readers will no doubt be learning more of in books to come. Once again, Ms. Ward, has absolutely delivered with this addition to the Brotherhood series, by leaving me with wanting MORE, MORE, MORE!!!

    3 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 EDT 2011

    Another great J.R. Ward Book!

    They can't all be excellent and jam packed with everything we want, but I think what we were givin was exactly what was needed. Payne and Manny's book, in my opinion, was so much more than just your regular love story. We got so much more out of this book then we usually ever do. So many characters are growing within the series and those developments are really shown and brought out in this book. Yes, Payne and Manny a ment to be together and we get to see their love but we also get to see how hard this new relationship between Payne and Viscious is. Not to mention what Viscious is going thru being forced to deal with a lot of his past that he has never dealt with. He and Jane grow even closer, as well as he and Butch. Qhuinn is also growing and changing and realizing who he is and isn't. I'm personally really glad nothing on the Qhuinn/Blay issue is being rushed. He needs time to realize who is and what he really wants. Not rushed into a relationship that neither one is really ready for.

    I was really pleased with the direction Ward took this book in. It was a little slow in parts but overall she is making the series better. Looking forward to the next installment!!

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Fri Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2010

    I Also Recommend:

    Can't wait for this book to release!

    Lover Unleashed is about Payne and her path with falling for Dr.Manuel Manello. The doctor is brought in to save her from her devestating injury. They find that they have attraction for each other that they can't ignore. I think this book will be just as great as the ones before it. I can't wait till it releases! I really enjoy the whole Black Dagger Brotherhood series as well as the Night Huntress series by Jeanine Frost. If you haven't read them check them out.

    3 out of 8 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted Sun Nov 24 00:00:00 EST 2013

    Wow... what just happened here??

    I started this series and immediately fell in love with the characters and the stories. Such lovable characters, and the stories so well told. I couldn't wait to finish one to start on the next... loving this fix of hot, exciting, well-written romantic fantasy. And then around book 7 Ward must have gotten off her meds or something. All my great big, strong, powerful hunks are slowly being reduced to whining, self-hating, sexually confused nut jobs. What happened? And now a male-on-male bdsm scene? Seriously?? What a disappointment.

    2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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