Review: Lover Enshrined (Black Dagger Brotherhood #6) by J.R. Ward

 

1. As Primale of the Chosen, the fiercely loyal Phury has sacrificed himself for the good of his race. But his first mate, the Chosen Cormia, wants not only his body but his heart for herself. As tragedy looms over the Brotherhood’s mansion, Phury must decide between duty and love…
   
   
   
   

My Review:

Lover Enshrined is Book 6 of the Black Dagger Brotherhood Series and is the story of Phury and Cormia. First we see Phury, who has spiraled out of control and is lost to his drug addiction as the ghosts of his past continue to haunt him.

Torn by the guilt he feels because his twin (Zsadist) was taken when he was just a child and sold into slavery, Phury starts to take out his anger on the lessers he catches by brutally mutilating them. The Brothers get word of his handiwork and put him on leave – hoping he will straighten himself out before it’s too late.

But it is too late for Phury, who can’t release the demons festering inside him. It’s just a matter of time before he moves on to heavier drugs and to his imminent death. But Cormia, one of the Chosen who is to be his first mate, steps in, hoping she can save the vampire who has captured her heart. Cormia must move quickly though, because Phury doesn’t have much time.

Lover Enshrined is not entirely about Phury and Cormia, though. There are other plots mixed into it as well. We see more of John Matthews, Qhuinn, Blay, Rehvenge, and Xhex, as well as Zsadist and Bella preparing for the birth of their baby. Another great revelation is that Tohr is finally back! Tohr is brought back to the Brotherhood – a little worse for wear – by none other than a fallen angel, a new character named Lassiter. We also find out that the Omega has a son, and it will surprise you (or maybe not) who it is.

I enjoyed reading Lover Enshrined – though I grew tired of Phury’s drug use. There were so many new, juicy plots introduced, and so many other things happening in the background, that I wanted to know more about what was going on with that, than reading about Phury and the voices in his head. (LOL) I was also surprised to see the new development between Qhuinn and Blay, and I’m excited to see what J.R. Ward has in store for them. Also, John Matthews and Xhex together are so hottt! Love them :) All in all, Lover Enshrined whetted my appetite to what’s coming up next in Book #7, Lover Avenged.

By the way, I found some great artwork on the Internet depicting Phury and Cormia. What do you think, Fellow Readers? Are these the characters you envision as you read?

http://images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/7100000/Lover-Enshrined-Phury-Cormia-the-black-dagger-brotherhood-7113436-586-493.jpg?1343485171999

Or this:

http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee342/laencomienda/CormiayPhury.jpg

*heart falters* Or this?

http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_llk3uetDdq1qip64io1_250.jpg

Here’s an excerpt of a scene between John Matthews and Xhex.

John looked down to the black toilet and told his stomach to get with the program if it wanted to spare him embarrassment. Evidently it didn’t. Or maybe . . . yes. No? Shit . . .

He was staring at the toilet, waiting for his gag reflex to make up its mind, when he forgot about his stomach and realized where he was. He’d been born in a toilet stall. Brought into the world in a place where people threw up after having had too much to drink . . . left to fend for his infant self by a mother he’d never known and a father who’d never known him. If Tohr took off again . . .

John wheeled around and couldn’t make his fingers work the lever so he could get out. With increasing panic, he clawed at the black mechanism until finally it sprang free. Bursting into the bathroom, he beelined for the door and didn’t make it. Over each of the six copper sinks, there was a gold-framed mirror. Taking a deep breath, he picked the mirror that was the closest to the door and stepped in front of it, meeting his grown-up face for the first time.

His eyes were the same . . .his eyes were exactly the same blue and the same shape. Everything else he didn’t recognize, not the hard cut of the jaw or the thickness of the neck or the broad forehead. But the eyes were his. He supposed. Who am I, he mouthed. Peeling his lips off his front teeth, he leaned in and looked at his fangs.

“Don’t tell me you’ve never seen those before?”

He spun on his boot. Xhex was standing against the door, effectively closing them in together. She was wearing exactly the same thing she always did, but to him it was as if he’d never seen the tight muscle shirt or the leathers before.

“I saw you tumble in here. Just thought I’d make sure you were okay.” Her gray eyes didn’t waver, and he bet they never did from anything. The female had a stare like a statue’s, direct and unflappable. An incredibly sexy statue’s.

I want to fuck you, he mouthed, not caring that he was making a fool out of himself.

“Do you.”

Clearly, she read lips. Either that or cocks, because God knew his had its hand raised and waving in his jeans.

Yeah, I do.

“Lot of women in this club.”

Only one you.

“I think you’d be better off with them.”

And I think you’d be better off with me.

Where the fuck the confidence was coming from, he didn’t care. Whether it was an ego-gift from God or just bottle-born stupidity, he was going with it.

Fact, I know you would.

He deliberately slipped his thumbs under the waistband of his jeans and gave the fuckers a slow jack up. As his arousal showed plain as siding on a house, her eyes dipped down, and he knew what she was seeing: He was hung fit for the size of his six-foot-seven body. And that was without an erection. With one, he was tremendous. Ah, not so statuelike, are we, he thought as her stare didn’t return to his face, but flared ever so slightly.

With her eyes on him, and an electrical sizzle between them, he wasn’t his past anymore. He was just now. And now was her locking that goddamn door and letting him go down on her. Then the two of them fucking while standing up. Her lips parted, and he waited for her words like he waited for God’s arrival.

Abruptly, she jerked her hand up to her earpiece and frowned. “Shit. I’ve got to go.”

John whipped out a paper towel from the wall dispenser, took his pen from his pocket, and wrote some bold words. Before she could take off, he went over and forced what he’d scribbled on into her hand. She looked down at it. “You want me to read now or later.”

Later, he mouthed.

As he pushed through the door, he was a lot more sober. And he had a big-ass, I’m-the-man smile on his face.

Rating:

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