Lover Awakened by J. R. Ward

Title: Lover Awakened
Author: J.R. Ward
Publisher: Signet
ISBN: 978-0-451-21936-7
Pages: 434
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #3
Type: Adult Paranormal Romance
Source: Purchased
Goodreads

Among the Brotherhood, Zsadist is easily the most terrifying member. Having survived a horrific past as a blood slave he is now known for his unquenchable rage and sinister appetites and is feared by everyone who has even heard his story. A chance meeting introduced him to Bella but when she is kidnapped by the Lessening Society Zsadist will stop at nothing to get her back. When he does, he is overwhelmed by an emotion he has never experienced before...desire.

This is the third in the awesome Black Dagger Brotherhood series (after Dark Lover and Lover Eternal) and one I was really looking forward to. Zsadist has been a shadowy figure in the books since the very beginning, scaring even his fellow brothers. Ironically the only person not scared by him is Bella but since she was taken by the Lessers at the end of the last book, Zsadist has become even deadlier.

The pacing is brilliant, first with the struggle to get Bella back and then with her recovery. There is a massive twist part way through that I didn't see coming and found heartbreaking. It will echo through the future novels and I'm interested to see where the author goes with it, as it destroyed something I thought was an untouchable part of the series.

The book is a bit more romance focused than the previous two, with more emphasis put on Zsadist whose past is shown through a series of flashbacks. I really enjoyed watching Bella gradually help Zsadist come to terms with his past and to allow himself to feel again. That said the background storylines continued with Butch still fixated on Marissa (their book is next), the focus on Mr O and the Lessening Society, the development of the pre-turn John and also introducing a new kind of vampire in Bella's brother Rehvenge. The world building deepens with this book as well, giving insight into the vampire aristocracy known as the glymera.

All in all this was a great read and I can't wait for Lover Revealed.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 49/50