As always an epic continuation of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series!! This book just like its previous brothers grabs you straight away and refuses to let you go until the very last page. But that last page leaves you screaming “Why have I got to wait so long until the next one?”

I am waiting excitedly for the BDB adaptation to come to fruition and hoping that the MCs I’ve built in my head will be as good onscreen if not better.

If I could give this book ten stars on here I would.

Of course I loved. I spent most of 2019 obsessed with this series. To read it again was a blessing, I missed these characters so much

As a big fan of the vampire genre this book is right up my street. For me it gave a new take on what is it to be a vampire in regards to how vampires are mated and feed from each other rather than the typical vampires attacking humans narrative. There was a good balance between action and romance within this book. I have read many of the books in the black dagger brotherhood series although I am not up to date with them. I will definitely continue the series as they are well written and as mentioned previously have a good balance between action and romance. I am a big fan of this author and have since read other series by them.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review this book!

In all honesty I'm not entirely sure what my thoughts are... I have many but I can't decide if I liked the book or not. Which isn't so helpful.

I thought that the writing style was alright however, the character scenes were all a bit rushed or too slow... For example in my opinion Mr X could easily have been skipped out of this book all together whereas the scenes with Wrath and Beth could have been slowed down a little. The fact that she had a random one night stand with an intruder immediately gave red flags.

As the story progressed I did find myself buying book 2 so it can't have been absolutely awful. I'm intrigued to know more about Zsadist but I don't think his book is next. I am wondering about the little Easter egg nuggets of information that were dropped randomly with no explanation and I hope that they are explained in subsequent books.

I think this book is a 3.5 star (rounded up) for me and I'm interested enough to continue with the series.

This is one of my favourite first books in a series ever, I love Wrath so much, I first read this on it’s release and I’m happy to say it still reads just as well now (I find I love some books but they don’t always hold up as well with time or my memory) I think rereading this renewed my love this this book and the series. If you’re looking to start a new series that you’ll be wanting the next book constantly, is full of amazing characters you’ll love and be attached to, where you really want the book for most the characters , this book and the Black Dagger brotherhood are for you. Seriously read this book

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

I adore this book! It's a fantastic introduction to the seductive, adventurous and dark world of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. A must-read for paranormal romance fans and anyone interested in romances that are a little bit darker.

Great first first book for the series. It can be read as a standalone but it provides a great base for the world that the author is building for the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There also exists a secret band of brothers like no other - six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. The only pure-bred vampire left on the planet, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But when one of his most trusted fighters is killed - orphaning a half-breed daughter unaware of her heritage or her fate - Wrath must usher the beautiful female into the world of the undead...

I cannot express how much I enjoyed the Black Dagger Brotherhood world. I did not enjoy the Lesser sections but I understand while they had been included.

There was a time in my life when I read plenty of book featuring vampires but I never read anything of
Black Dagger Brotherhood Series even if it was one of the most important series.
That said it was a page turner that kept me hooked, rooting for the characters, and turning pages as fast as I could.
There's a lot of other books in this series and I'm sure I will read all of them as I loved this one.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I love this book to bits. It’s much simpler and easier to read then the rest of the series. Of course it’s still as sexy and dark, but it’s more straightforward attitude appeals to me. Love it!

Dark Lover is the first of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R.Ward. The Black Dagger Brotherhood, are the elite of the vampire world in Caldwell, New York. Wrath, Darius, Rhage, Phury, Zsadist, Vishous, and Tohrment (yes, the names are a bit gimmicky) are dedicated to defending civilian vampires from an organisation of de-souled humans, the lessers, who are intent on slaying all vampires. When Darius is murdered, he leaves behind a half-human daughter, journalist Beth Randall, who is unaware of her parentage, her heritage and the fact that she is soon due to transform into a vampire herself. Much as he would like to avoid any involvement with her, Wrath has promised to look after her, but once he meets her, he finds his priorities changing. Add to the mix a human cop who is half in love with Beth, a female vampire who has been Wrath’s blood source for years and a vampire doctor who is trying to find an artificial blood source, and you have an interesting situation. In this different, modern take on vampires, Ward has created an alternate world on which to base her series. Part Mills & Boon, part paranormal/fantasy, this novel has enough plot and character to make it strangely compelling. While the males are, in places, a bit stereotypical, there’s a nice camaraderie between them and the heroine is a strong character; there’s plenty of romance and a few hot sex scenes. This paranormal romance tells Wrath’s story. A further seven books in the series concentrate on the other Brotherhood members, and I look forward to reading each one. This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Little, Brown Group

Having already read and enjoyed one of the later books in this iconic series, I was excited to go back and read the book the started it all. Wrath, the new vampire king and Beth, an unknowing half vampire / half human reporter are a perfect match, despite their obvious differences. However, I would say, that in this book the urban fantasy setting and battles between the vampires and their enemies, the lessers, are the main themes. The romance is good, but very much takes a back seat to the action and adventure. This is a great introduction to the series and definitely a ‘must read’ for fans of the genre.

I received an e-copy of Dark Lover from Little Brown Book Group UK and Netgalley. Even though I have been gifted this book for review, all opinions are my own.

This is my review of Dark Lover by J R Ward

Okay, I am hooked, I had a feeling I would enjoy the world of the Black Dagger Brotherhood and I was correct. I am a sucker for vampires and this was the vampire book for me. This was a great start to a long book series that all follow different members of the brotherhood. So it was fitting to start with the leader of the brotherhood. He is a strong alpha male that I enjoyed getting to know. The romance in this book was also nice and spicy. I know this is a long book series, but I would highly recommend it.

Highly recommend it if you enjoy books set in an urban fantasy setting with hot vampires.

Story very well written, fascinating world & captivating characters. It’s my second time reading this book, and yet it captivated me & didn’t want it to end.

I really enjoyed this book, it was well written with a compelling storyline, well developed charcaters and really engaging world building. The bok had vivid descriptions that made me feel like I was in the story. I will definitely be looking for more from this author.

I had forgotten that this was the 1st book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series - but what a welcome return to the series

If you enjoy paranormal romance , full of fast paced action , with a hero and heroine you can invest in then this book is for you .
Wrath is the last pure blood Vampire and leader of the Brotherhood ................. his continuing battle against the Slayers in Caldwell, New York is unending .
Beth Randell , recently orphaned , is unknowingly a half breed and is brought into Wrath's sphere to be ushered into the world of Vampires
The shock to her world view is great ....... the shock to Wrath is even greater ......... she is his mate

This is a great introduction into the world of the Brotherhood and I would recommend reading the next books in the series .
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

The Black Dagger Brotherhood is an amazing series. It was brilliant to go back and re-read the first one again as the series is released again. Such a strong set of characters both male and female, and the heat! Wow! The whole world that is created is amazing and draws you in so you need to know more. It is a dark and compelling series, you just need to read more!

WOW I read this book when it first came out in 2005. even though I've read it on and off during the past years its still one of my many favourites by J R Ward. Its been wonderful following the Black Dagger Brotherhood as it grew into one of the best paranormal reads I've every come across.
The first book is about Wrath, the blind king, the last pure blood vampire in existence He must care for the orphaned daughter of one of his fighters, who was unaware of what her father really was.
Beth Randall is about to find out how little she knows of the world she lives in and perhaps being human is not the only option open to her.
As I said a great read that has lost nothing in the years since it was first published. Enjoy

This was the book that got me hooked on to J. R. Ward, the first in the Black Dagger Brotherhood. And what a journey it has been into this fantasy world! While this is the story of Wrath, the vampire king and Bella, a half-human/half-vampire, it sets the scene and introduces characters for future books.

Wrath is supposed to be the king of vampires but has forsaken his throne and leads the Black Dagger Brotherhood, a group of vampires who fight Lessers, who are sworn enemies of the vampires. He meets Beth, who is going to transition into a full-fledged vampire. There are a whole host of interesting characters who all end up having their own books.

All in all, it is a very enjoyable read, erotic and fast-paced. Worth a read along with all other Black Dagger Brotherhood books.

I can’t believe it took me this long to start the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. I’m immensely thankful that I got this first in the series via NetGalley - it was the push I needed to finally delve into this epic.

As a vampire aficionado since childhood, I knew I would like this story. But I didn’t know I would love it SO MUCH! I already ordered the next two books, as I fell in love with the world and all the characters.

Yes, this is a vampire romance (and a hot one at that!), but it is also so much more. The characters are really layered and have complex relationships and the world-building is top notch.

I enjoyed all the different POVs in this one, and already police officer Butch has my whole heart. Can’t wait for his book! All the vampires in the brotherhood really intrigued me as well. Their conflict with the lessers is engaging, and the dynamics inside the brotherhood itself were also well done. I can see how this is a series that will sustain for multiple books because there is a lot to work with.

The main relationship between Wrath and Beth was really swoony and I even teared up at the end. I normally don’t enjoy fated mates types of relationships, but in this one it worked extremely well. I also liked how Beth made Wrath get in touch with his feelings more, and how he learned to be gentler with himself through his relationship with her. Obviously, it didn’t hurt that Wrath really treated Beth as his QUEEN! :)

The early 2000s setting was so nostalgic to me and I can perfectly imagine the soundtrack to this book.

Also, the vampires are just really cool in this one! As long as you can get over the slightly over-the-top names (which I found campy fun and came to love), you will be rewarded with a deeply emotional story about badass characters who fight for their own.

(Thank you to NetGalley, J. R. Ward and Little, Brown Book Group, Piatkus for providing me with an eARC for this book in exchange for my honest feedback. All opinions in this review are my own.)

A copy of this review will be published on my Goodreads account closer to the publishing date of this novel.