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Tohrment, the Brother who had it all, but lost everything to the enemy, is destined for a second chance at love and life. But will the past and his bitterness hold him back?
“Utterly absorbing and deliciously erotic…The Brotherhood is the hottest collection of studs in romance. I can’t wait for the next one!” —New York Times bestselling author Angela Knight
MotherMayhem
Posted March 30, 2012
I've waited for the story of Tohr to come full circle since Lassiter found him in the woods. He is so important to all the Brothers, and with his spirit being broken, they are all a little incomplete. I know it is hard for fans to move on from Wellsie, but it had to happen and I think it makes for an excellent story and JR Ward did a great job. Tohr is often a jackass to No'One, but she always defends herself, how can that not be respected? They are both hurting and punishing themselves. Everything that happened in this story, needed to happen, and the outcome was worth it. No'One has her own journey to take and it is so important to Tohr's, Lassiter's, and to Xhex's future. I think the sub-plot of John and Xhex is so important and true to their characters. Xhex may have choosen to follow her heart with John by mating him in Lover Mine, but she still had to find her place in the Brotherhood that fits her. Xhex and No'One also had to develope their relationship and find how they fit together- they each offered the other unconditional acceptance and love. It is actually the most beautiful part of the book. I have to say, I love Lassiter and Layla and always have. Lover Reborn gives us a different view of them (for different reasons), and they both grow in depth and direction and offer a lot to the story. There is a lot going on in this book, and it is all important to keep the story going in the future. The writing is tight and organized. I for one am not ready for the series to end, so the changes and introduction of new characters are important to the longevity of the story; and I like them and look forward to seeing how it all plays out.
Now here's my rant- we are ten books into a series that features several complicated long term plot lines, many players, and a whole city built by JR Wards imagination. I'm tired of the reviews complaining that none of the books have been the same since book five. Duh!! How could they be? The first five served as world building, singular romances-featuring one hero and his HEA, but the series could not continue from that point focusing on only one male and female and ignore the previous characters, and the world of Caldwell that was ever more complicated. Ward always shows a great amount of passion and love for her characters, some get a little more nurturing than others (what writer doesn't do the same?) What the heck people? If you want only the standard contemporary romance formula, look elsewhere, and stop sucking the enjoyment of this series from the rest of us.
99 out of 102 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 27, 2012
I Also Recommend:
Loved it. Great book, great story. I was very entertained.
52 out of 62 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 29, 2012
REALLY! $14.99?????????
23 out of 62 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 24, 2011
I cant wait for this to come out!!!!! If you havent read the first 9 books, you have NO IDEA what you are missing!!! This story is AMAZING, and I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo happy there is a date set. READ READ READ this series you wont regret it ;-)!!!
23 out of 46 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 9, 2012
Lover Reborn opens 15 months after the death of Tohr's bonded mate of 200 years, Wellesandra (Wellsie), with Tohr still suffering greatly. To kick start his reluctant relationship with No'One (Xhex's mother who committed suicide but was reanimated by the Scribe Virgin about 300 years earlier and who has spent these years wallowing in self-hatred), Ward puts Tohr on a timetable by trapping Wellsie "In Between" and has the angel Lassiter tell Tohr that he needs to fall in love to free her and his unborn child. The book is really all about Tohr's pain and he spends a lot of it being cruel to No'One. There is not much in the way of actual romance and No'One herself seems quite intentionally the blandest female of the series, the polar opposite of Wellsie, and one who readily acknowledges that what Tohr had with Wellsie was a once in a lifetime love. As the story progresses, Tohr isn't in love with No'One and then suddenly . . . he is! In a rushed ending, he gives away Wellsie's things, sells their house, apologizes to No'One, and invites her to Wellsie's Fade Ceremony. Tohr's feelings of profound grief and No'One's self-hatred which were pretty well done to this point, are both put aside from almost one page to the next as if it were as simple as deciding not to feel that way any more and ultimately made the rushed "I love you's" at the end unconvincing. Turns out it was Tohr who was actually holding Wellsie back by refusing to let go, so she and his unborn son are now able to move on to the Fade.
Ward's world building has always had issues with clarity and now crumble in a rushed conclusion falling back on deus ex machina plot devices, as No'One herself has apparently also been trapped In Between but is saved just moments after Wellsie has moved on to the Fade with a sacrifice by Lassiter that is not revealed. If there was ever a story that truly needed the world building to be clearly explained, this was it. There should have been a good reason for No'One to receive her life back, not just that she forgave herself and was available for Lassiter to save. But no explanations are forthcoming and even though Ward must have surely known for years how some readers would react to a solution that lacked some sense of fairness, the bottom line appears to be that No'One (a resurrected suicide) gets to live while Wellsie (a murder victim) has to stay dead because that was their destiny. Though most readers are certainly aware that life isn't fair, they should be forgiven if they would prefer a bit more fun and escapism in their fictional vampire romance novels.
In Lover Reborn, Ward moves further into urban fantasy with multiple storylines, more emotional pain and much less romance. Since it isn't possible for Tohr to bond again, there is no bonding scent, no "mine" moment, and the ending is more along the lines of happy-for-now, with Wellsie awaiting Tohr in the Fade. Though nobody expects rainbows and unicorns from Ward, it doesn't seem too much to hope for more joy and escapism, especially since so many other characters have been allowed to cheat death including No'One (renamed "Autumn"). The message that you can recover from tragedy and find a measure of happiness is fine, but didn't resonate given the ultimately unconvincing Tohr/No'One relationship, along with the distraction of the contrived plot and truly poor world building. Most definitely not a romance with a couple that should both be heading to therapy instead of mating. 1 star.
18 out of 24 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 27, 2012
The sample ends on pg 24, which is still the glossery. So no realpreview of this book. A preview should have @the first 2-3 chapters not the glossery and index ONLY...
16 out of 44 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 30, 2012
*WARNING contains spoilers.* This one was better then the last one but come on tohr and autumn worst couple ever. Could not stand them together. There was alot of things that didn't add up like why was autumn saved but not wellesandra and her young. Why is tohr not giving off a bonding scent. Why does tohr have to get over the lose of his mate so quickly. I just think autumn was so plain, boring and just generally not exciting. Her and tohr have no spark or connection. Then the whole xhex and autumn thing. One minute autumn is afraid of xhex and basically killed herself because she gave birth to an "abomination" (xhex). And the next minute they are like best friends going for rides on a motorcycle seriously??????? And finally i want quinn and blau
15 out of 27 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 4, 2012
First of let me say that I am a big fan of the BDB universe. I believed in its rules and in the love each of the brothers had/have for their shellans (bonded/mate). I loved this world because it took me out of everyday life and it provided something different. With this said "Lover Reborn" destroyed everything I believed in. Tohr was one of my favorite brothers and his shellan Wellsie was an amazing character even though we got very little of her. She was independent, happy, strong, loving and always willing to help. When she was shot I cried so much and felt the pain and I believe thats what an author wants but in this book instead of returning the innocent shellan and her innocent child back into the world like other have been return she is stuck in a bare desolate place fading away into nothing unless her bonded/mate Tohr moves on.
What really angered me is this I understand he has to move on but he is forced to move on. He is given a time limit and he needs to get with another woman. Now I truly believed that shellans and hellrens were each others life/world but we learn in this book something different. Through all the suffering that Tohr has gone through because of his loss we learn that he can move on with another woman and he can love her even more than his Wellsie. To top it of no'one his new woman is also dead and she gets three chances at life. A person that was selfish and conceded. She also kills her self after giving birth because she was raped. Abandons her daughter that suffers through life and she doesn't even want to see. This person deserves to live over Wellsie and her innocent son that did not get a chance to breath. And the excuse we get is because Wellsie did not want to leave her son in the Fade. Sorry but how is that right I know this is an alternative universe but everyone else has come back why couldn't they. And to top it off Tohr has his new woman at his bonded/mate and son's fade ceremony and then sleeps with her afterward no respect for the dead. I was so disappointed I expected more from Ms. Ward.
I am interested in the BoB they seem to be the future characters to eventually get books. Assail seems like an interesting character. But I will no longer believe in the love these brother profess for their shellans because they can easily move if they have to. This universe has crumbled for me, it is a mess and anything can happen. I hope she tries to fix it because if she doesn't she will lose fans. I don't know if I want to continue reading about this world that does not stand true anymore. Being bonded/mated does not mean the same to me anymore. Please give me back what I believed and loved this amazing love between a bonded male and his bonded shellan. I do not want to read about this couple anymore please have them disappear unless you are bringing back Wellsie and her son. Tohrment has fallen from grace I no longer like him. So if you believe in true love don't read this book. no'one and Tohr had no chemistry they were forced, become sex buddies and then conveniently fell in love I did not feel it sorry.
14 out of 18 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.COME ON, Jr Ward. Where is your head?!! I had SUCH high hopes for this book and I am yet again let down! This story, while remaining on Thor and No'One for the most part, was so predictable. I have literally cried my eyes out in previous books (Namely Z's) and I thought for sure this one would take me over the edge emotionally... but it didn't. What about the rest of the world she created? Who is the forelesser, who is creating all these new recruits and setting them loose in Caldwell? Where is the Scribe Virgin, Omega? WHO IS MURHDER?! Did the rifle found match the bullet? What about all the research Saxton was doing?
I am SO tired of being left hanging with so many unresolved story lines. Although this book was def. an improvement of Payne's, I still feel like Jr Ward is lost and needs to refocus herself. I'm mostly just sad, again, because here's to another year of waiting patiently and anxiously for the next installment. I hope I won't be let down again for Quinn and Blay's book. :((((
12 out of 16 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 7, 2012
I really liked this book, but it seems more and more JR Ward is getting away from how this series initially started. I do think that having background stories is almost necessary in a series but the main story should still get most of the spotlight. This does not seem to be the case with the last several books in this series. This was not JM and Xhex's book but they got a lot of "page time." I understand that writers and series evolve but sometimes it's too much.
Also, I have a problem with all the street lingo in the last several books.
And, my biggest gripe of all, why would No'One be allowed to return from the in between after trying to take her own life, and not Wellsie?
There needs to be more focus on the main couple, less focus on the background stories and less street lingo.
11 out of 13 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 25, 2012
I like the series but I want Blay and Quinn together that would make me happy. Tohr finding someone is good though.
11 out of 24 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Has the Warden Lost her Touch?
Review brought to you by OBS staff member
I’m going to start off reminiscing back to when I first started reading this series. At the end of the first book, Dark Lover, Wellsie was helping Beth prepare for her mating ceremony. That is when Wellsie confided in Beth and us readers that she was pregnant. Nervous Tohr was so protective and worried about his shellan and whether or not she would make it through the pregnancy safely. I thought for sure they were leading up to a Tohr book so I was dumbfounded when the second book focused on Rhage (my favorite brother by the way). Then book after book went by none of them being Tohr’s. So before I even cracked the spine of this book, or turned on the ereader in this case I was left wondering….did Ward wait too long? After losing everything that is dear to Tohr, is there really anything interesting to tell? Is there enough to keep the readers interested and make them fall in love with this tortured soul? I had my doubts, but I tried to remain optimistic since I wasn’t really interested in John Matthew or Rehvenge’s stories either, but ended up loving them. But I’m sad to report that was not the case with this novel.
First off, Tohr was a total jerk during most of this book. I understand that you’re still hurt from losing your loved ones, but I don’t think that gives you the right to treat everyone like shit. I seriously just wanted to smack the crap out of him and was elated when Lassiter finally hauled off and punched him!
Speaking of Lassiter, I absolutely love him and have since he was first introduced to the series. But I found this book to be lacking his usual humor, which is what drew me to him to start with. I am, however, glad this book ended with an opening for us to be able to see more of him, even if he won’t be living at the brotherhood compound anymore.
Now let’s move on to No’One. This character drove me freaking crazy! I could not stand her. This woe is me crap just grates my nerves. She has no personality and no self-esteem or self-worth. I had a very hard time believing someone that was raped and gave birth to a child she thought was an abomination and was so traumatized that she killed herself would let herself be used for blood and sex the way she let Tohr do. Anything he wanted she did. She quit wearing the robe because he didn’t want her to, she gave him sex at a drop of a hat, she even changed her name because he liked the name Autumn (insert eye roll here). This character was just way to wimpy and boring for me to find interest with. She let people walk all over her and I could not connect with her. I thought an attempt to put her in a romance was a wasted effort.
I found the end of the book to be really stupid. It tied in the theme of the novel being about moving on, but the whole Autumn passing onto the Fade and Lassiter going to save her was just really lame.
As for the other storylines going on in this book…
See the FULL review and more at openbooksociety dot com
10 out of 12 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.shamrock4
Posted April 20, 2012
I am done with this series also. Ward can't seem to keep focused. With every book (1 per year) in this series, I am left with more questions and not the kind of questions that would give any insite to the next book, but the simple questions that she can't or won't answer or wrap up since book #1. Ward has been saying for years that she is comming out with several novella's, but she has yet to produce. Ward seems to back herself up in a corner and can't seem to get out smoothly. Lover Reborn was very predictable and un-exciting. And the added John & Xhex, Qhuinn & Blaylock & Saxton, the Band of B*****ds.....is it me? because I didn't read anything new about them. Tohr's story just seem to drag out and I am really disappointed because he was one of my favorite characters. I just hate it when a series starts out great and then the author starts a different series and you can start to see the first series go down hill. I too wanted so much to love this book, but just can't. This series has ran out of steam for me. I will say one good thing about this book....no full chapters on Lessers!
9 out of 11 people found this review helpful.
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Posted November 28, 2011
i believe this is Tor's book. Darius already was reborn, he is John Matthews. so either Wellsey comes back or i think he may end up with Noone. either way i can't wait!!!
9 out of 30 people found this review helpful.
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Posted November 3, 2011
I began with the first novel of the series "The Black Dagger Brotherhoods, "Dark Lover" I became instantly addicted. A wonderful treat packed full of action, suspense, erotica. A dark fantasy that is completely absorbing. Let J.R. Ward guide you through the lives of the Vampire Warriors and you will become addicted too! I am anxiously awaiting volume 10 of the series, "Lover Reborn" on sale 03/27/2012.
8 out of 16 people found this review helpful.
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Posted November 3, 2011
OMG can't believe I have to wait until March!!! I love this series, I think the reborn will be DARIUS!!!!!
7 out of 29 people found this review helpful.
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Posted May 1, 2012
I thought Ward did an excellent job in Lover Mine setting up the potential for Tohr to love No'one, so the love story worked for me. I wish No'one had slapped him silly a few times--he =so= deserved it. I also liked seeing more of Lassiter and seeing more of his good qualities. The reason I gave this only three stars is that the entire idea of Wellsie and her son being stuck in the Fade felt too contrived to me. There are countless people who have a difficult, if not impossible time, recovering from the trauma of having a loved one murdered. Nothing in Ward's universe up until this time set up the possibility of holding innocent spirit's hostage to a widower's grief. It cheapened Tohr's feelings, somehow.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 30, 2012
Big improvement over the last two books - which in my opinion were certainly lacking in just about every way - but still not as good as her other novels. The emotions I felt when reading most of the earlier novels is gone. I enjoyed this book, but just wish I could feel sucked into the BDB world as I once was.
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 27, 2011
I cant wait for this book! If anyone ever deserved a HEA, its Tohrment.
5 out of 14 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 21, 2011
The title may not be literal. Maybe it points to that particular emotion being reborn in him, and not the rebirth of Wellsie. Maybe he just learns to love all over again after the loss of his shellan nearly killed him. However, having Wellsie back would be a treat for me, Tohr, John, and the entire brotherhood. I can hardly remain calm waiting to see which way this story will go.
5 out of 17 people found this review helpful.
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Overview
Tohrment, the Brother who had it all, but lost everything to the enemy, is destined for a second chance at love and life. But will the past and his bitterness hold him back?