SUNNY: BOOK REVIEW - "Lover Unbound" by J.R. Ward

CHARACTERS:
Vishous
Dr. Jane Whitcomb

SUMMARY from Goodreads:
Ruthless and brilliant, Vishous, son of the Bloodletter, possesses a destructive curse and a frightening ability to see the future. As a pretrans growing up in his father's war camp he was tormented and abused. As a member of the Brotherhood, he has no interest in love or emotion, only the battle with the Lessening Society. But when a mortal injury puts him in the care of human surgeon, Dr. Jane Whitcomb compels him to reveal his inner pain and taste true pleasure for the first time-until a destiny he didn't choose takes him into a future that cannot include her...

REVIEW:
Lover Unbound is book 5 in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. This is Vishous' story.   This book is a break from the BDB formula - the lessers hardly exist, there is no battle, no kidnapping, no lesser politics.  This book really focuses on Vishous. We, the readers, get a hint of his story in the previous books, but the depth of his tragedy and pain is agonizing.  As we get one revelation after another, I keep asking myself, "how much more can a person take?" From his brutal childhood that left him scarred in so many ways to his discovery of his parentage, it is a wonder that Vishous isn't a walking sociopath.  Instead, we have a deeply wounded warrior with a capacity to love and care - who has the the intense desire  to be loved, accepted, and be someone's one-and-only.  

In some ways, this book read like a bit of a love letter to V from the author. After reading it, you just cannot help but be head-over-heals for this guy.  

Because of that, my one small critique is that I didn't get enough of Jane.  Luckily, she is likable and able but not memorable. Doesn't Vishous deserve a more outstanding soulmate?  She has all the right credentials and is set up perfectly, but then her character is overwhelmed by his.


Nonetheless, this book is touching and immensely satisfying.

IN A NUTSHELL:  Here's to the alphas males who overcome tragedy to become become better men. Read this series!