An outcast burdened with a curse and a mercenary who’s out for himself collide in this star-crossed, slow-burn, high-stakes romantic fantasy from #1 New York Times bestseller J. R. Ward.
In the dead of night, passions rise and empires fall. Welcome to Kingdoms of the Compass.
The Fulcrum is failing, and demons are slipping into the mortal world, stalking the night.
No one is safe.
Especially not Sorrel. An orphan and an outcast, she’s spent her whole life within the walls of her small village, ostracized for her mystical abilities. She wants to survive…and maybe find somewhere she can call her true home. But Fate has other plans.
Sorrel has been chosen. Cursed.
She must cross the Badlands to return the Queen’s crown and convince the fearsome female to save their world from destruction.
Well aware she’s no brave hero, Sorrel makes a dangerous deal with Merc, a brooding, commanding mercenary known only by his unscrupulous profession.
The deal? A night in his bed that she will never forget, in exchange for her safe passage.
But Merc has secrets of his own, and even though passion runs hot between them, enemies are around every corner, and danger and betrayal threaten at every turn.
Crown of War and Shadow is the first book in the Kingdoms of the Compass series.
In this first installment of the Kingdoms of Compass series,
Sorrel is a young woman with powers that frighten. She's considered
cursed, so she hides her skills, although the townspeople aren't above
calling on her if they need her. When a mercenary arrives in town, she
sees it as her ticket out. Of course, there's a price to pay for that
and adventures to come as they escape.
J. R. Ward does what she
does best here, creating an interesting cast of characters with an
intricate plot with lots of great reveals and plot twists. I liked that
about the story. The romance is of the slow burn variety, but that
worked here and the pace was great aside from a smattering of slow
spots. There's a cliff hanger too, which I do like in a series. Overall,
a great start to the series! Looking forward to more.
Vampire warriors in black leather and tattoos. Passionate love stories that pierce the heart. Dark nights filled with drama, chaos, and epic battles in the shadows of Caldwell, NY… And then there are the unicorn pajamas. And the Tootsie Pops.
Welcome back to the world of the iconic, #1 New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood series.
With millions of devoted readers across the globe, these unforgettable
books have redefined paranormal romance. Now, to celebrate two decades
of the Brothers, author J.R. Ward opens the door to their world once more.
Inside this all-new 20th Anniversary Insider’s Guide,
Ward reflects on the journey—sharing behind-the-scenes moments,
heartfelt memories, candid writing advice, and insight into the
challenges and triumphs of her long and legendary career. She also
brings back the original Brothers in a mix of classic content and
never-before-seen material, including:
• A brand-new novella, Happy Anniversary–
Revisit Wrath and Beth as they reclaim the time lost between them.
Tender, erotic, and emotional, this story returns to the couple who
started it all—and proves that happily ever after doesn’t always come
easy. • Brotherhood updates, as J.R. interviews the Brothers to reveal where they are now •Fan-favorite featureslike Ask a Brother, Vishous’s Agony Aunt Column, Kitchen Corner with Fritz, and Bella’s Books • Quotes, playlists, Lassiter’s journalistic takeovers, monthly horoscopes, and more •Q&A with J.R. Ward, filled with new insight and revelations
What I thought about the 20Th Anniversary Insider's Guide
This book is chock full of BDB world information, some of which fans may have already seen by way of previous released information. That I had already seen some of the material in this didn't matter -- there's a lot of humor there that made re-reading it fun. And there's a new story about Beth and Wrath that reminds readers what they learned about this couple in Dark Lover. There's only one person who can handle Wrath and that's Beth. It's worth picking this up for the Happy Anniversary novella alone.
As a long time fan of this series, I learned a few things I didn't know and there were hints of what is coming. I loved reading this.
The aristocracy is making a run for the
throne in this latest thrilling, star-crossed paranormal romance entry
in J.R. Ward’s #1 New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood series.
When Lyric goes out for the night, she’s not ready for a brush with death—and she’s really not
ready for the male who comes out of nowhere and saves her. Her family,
especially her father, Qhuinn, are so relieved she’s okay, but all she
can think about is her mysterious savior.
Without telling
anybody, she seeks out Devlin, and they are immediately drawn to one
another. Her near-death experience has given her a fresh appreciation
for life and the desire to live it to its fullest, but she has no idea
that he’s hiding a secret—or that he could be the key to ending the war
between the Black Dagger Brotherhood and the lessers forever.
So here we are with a 23th book in the Black Dagger
Brotherhood series. Wow. It's amazing that this series just keeps on
going and these stories of the next generation have captured my
interest.
Lover Forbidden deals with Lyric, Qhuinn's daughter and
Rhamp's twin sister. She's an influencer who is disillusioned with her
chosen occupation. One night an accident occurs that brings her in
contact with Devlin, who happens to save her life. She's attracted to
him and vice versa, but there is one big secret that keeps Devlin from
Lyric. How I didn't figure this one out is beyond me, but it comes with a
pretty big reveal that will make you catch your breath.
I liked
this story even though it doesn't have tremendous depth to it. It's
always great to get a new story from this world, and I love this new
generation, especially LW, Shuli and Rhamp. There's some good stuff
getting set up there for future stories. I was disappointed with Lover
Forbidden because the reveal of Devlin's background is a big story, and
the book just ho-hummed through it with a few sentences that everyone
accepted the situation. No way, I say!! There is no way that Qhuinn's
was okay with all of this, even when he's dealing with all the sadness
that was happening in Blay's family.
I did like that it all had a
happy ending, but I'm still shaking my head about Qhuinn's acceptance
of Devlin, and Devlin's sudden dis-inheritance. Oh well. Still good.
I'll read this series as long as JRW gives them to us!
The daughter of a legend finds the love of a lifetime in this passionate, heart-wrenching installment in J.R. Ward’s #1 New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood series.
Nalla,
the blooded daughter of Zsadist, has led a sheltered life. Protected by
her father and the Brotherhood, kept away from the deadly war with the
Lessening Society, she is chafing against the walls of the very safety
that has ensured her survival. One night, she gives in to her
restlessness...and finds herself face-to-face with a male whose inner
darkness rivals even that of her sire’s horrific origins. Nate
is a fighter with nothing to lose—and nothing to live for. Tortured in a
human lab as a young, then cursed with immortality, he is all vengeance
and no purpose because he cares for no one—not even himself. The
Brotherhood knows this all too well and following Nate’s deliberate
violation of the cardinal rule in the war, they declare him a dangerous
liability that must be dealt with. When Nalla and Nate find
themselves fighting side by side, daggers aren’t the only things that
fly. A sizzling attraction is ignited, though Nalla knows her sire will
never accept him—and on his side, Nate has made a secret bargain to end
his own immortality. As the enemy closes in, and Nalla realizes she must
choose between her mate and her sire, what starts with such passion may
well end with eternal sorrow and no chance of a reunion—even in the
Fade.
Caldwell and the Blackdagger Brotherhood is back with the "next generation" in The Beloved, the story of Nalla, the daughter of Zsadist and Bella
and Nate, an assassin with many scars in his past.
The
Beloved picks up right where Lassiter left off, which I loved about this book. The return of Wrath was a huge moment in Lassiter and it deserved more page time, so I'm thrilled we did get to see Wrath's reunion with his fellow brothers. His return was a great way to revisit with the core group of
Brothers and their shellans and I'll always want that in any BDB
book. But I was also eager to learn more about this next generation and
there's plenty of Nalla, Bitty and L.W. (who I think is going to be a
huge fan favorite -- I already love him!)
All
of the young are now adults. They are all struggling to find
themselves and cut the apron strings between them and their parents. None more than Nalla, who's father
is the scariest of all the Brothers. Zsadist isn't afraid to threaten
any male interested in his daughter and there's all sorts of tensions
between Nalla and Bella too! I loved the tension between them all while
the deep love between them comes across so well in The Beloved. The conflicts between Nalla and her parents are realistic and a great way to start this next generation series. I loved Nalla alot in this story. She
is most definitely her father's daughter and she isn't afraid to show
it! The action sequences are terrific and that ending had me cheering!
There weren't any big
surprises for me in The Beloved. It was more like a visit with old friends, but
there was awesome right-on-time action, plenty of steamy moments
between Nate and Nalla that will have you fanning yourself, and enough
of the enemy to make you remember why they are hated. I devoured this
book in a couple of days, and loved every word. Then went back and read
the ending again! Loved it!
Darius, son of Marklon, isn’t looking for love
the night destiny comes to claim him. He’s also not interested in
crashing his new car. But when a human woman runs out into the road and
he must swerve to avoid killing her...everything goes off course.
Disillusioned
by his King’s lack of leadership and the losses in the war against the
Lessening Society, Darius finds purpose in protecting a woman he cannot
make his own. Love finds a way, however—until the truth of what he is
comes out and she leaves him in horror.
Unbeknownst to them both,
Anne is carrying his young, a female who is destined to be Queen—and
after a tragic reunion, he vows to protect their daughter. Resigned to
perpetual sadness, he is determined to serve the memory of his beloved
no matter the cost...unless by some miracle, fate sees fit to once again
bring them together.
I couldn't wait to get my hands on this title! This print release was very much anticipated by this reader as a long-time BDB fan. Darius's story is the one we've all been waiting for. I'll admit I had to re-read Dark Lover the minute I finished Darius's story.
Disillusioned by the war between the vampires and lessers and Wrath's refusal to rule, Darius finds solace in fast cars. When he crashes his newly owned vehicle, he realizes that there was a woman in the road. He stays with her even though it's risky for him and gets her to the hospital. Anne has her own problems as she is running from an abusive boyfriend. She finds Darius to be kind, friendly and quite attractive.
There's a definite spark between these two, with Darius becoming protective of her from the start. They start a lovely affair until it all crashes and burns when she finds out in the worst way just how different Darius is from the other humans she knows. My heart broke for Darius here more than once as he is rejected by the woman he believes to be his mate.
And she splits without them knowing that she's carrying Darius's child and the future Queen.
There's so much about this book that I absolutely loved. It reminded me so much of when I first found this series -- the focus is on the love story between these two characters. While the lessers do have a role to play and make an appearance, the story is rich with the emotions of love, and the heartbreak of loss. I needed a few tissues while reading this. Darius is a wonderful male of worth and I'm forever grateful to J.R.Ward for giving us his story. It's absolutely lovely and a perfect reminder of why this series gets so much love from readers.
I adored every word of this book. It's a quick read because you won't want to put this down. It's also perfectly timed to give us Darius's story as another closure to this wonderful series as readers wait for the "next generation." Darius is a "must-read" for existing fans and readers of this series, and a great way to start this wonderful series if you haven't read it.
About the Author
Photo Credit: Andrew Hyslop
Jessica Ward is a pseudonym for the #1 New York Times bestselling
author who writes as J.R. Ward and has over 20 million copies in print.
She enjoys spending time in the Adirondacks and lives in the south with
her family and her dogs.
Heathers meets The Secret History in this thrilling coming-of-age novel set in a boarding school where the secrets are devastating—and deadly.
When
Sarah Taylor arrives at the exclusive St. Ambrose School, she’s
carrying more baggage than just what fits in her suitcase. She knows
she’s not like the other girls—if the shabby, all-black, non-designer
clothes don’t give that away, the bottle of lithium hidden in her desk
drawer sure does.
St. Ambrose’s queen bee, Greta Stanhope, picks
Sarah as a target from day one and the most popular, powerful, horrible
girl at school is relentless in making sure Sarah knows what the
pecking order is. Thankfully, Sarah makes an ally out of her roommate
Ellen “Strots” Strotsberry, a cigarette-huffing, devil-may-care athlete
who takes no bullshit. Also down the hall is Nick Hollis, the
devastatingly handsome RA, and the object of more than one St. Ambrose
student’s fantasies. Between Strots and Nick, Sarah hopes she can make
it through the semester, dealing with not only her schoolwork and a
recent bipolar diagnosis, but Greta’s increasingly malicious pranks.
Sarah
is determined not to give Greta the satisfaction of breaking her. But
when scandal unfolds, and someone ends up dead, her world threatens to
unravel in ways she could never have imagined. The St. Ambrose School for Girls is a dangerous, delicious, twisty coming-of-age tale that will stay with you long after you turn the last page.
This
was a title I was very interested in reading. I'm always up for a good
"mean girls" gothic sort of story and The St. Ambrose School for Girls
has all the elements -- rich mean girls, resident advisors with lots of
temptations in front of them and history behind them, and the girls who
don't fit in. The story is told from the perspective of one of those
girls. Sarah Taylor isn't like most of the rich girls attending the
school. She's there on a scholarship that she didn't apply for, and she
has a serious mental illness. She has a target on her back before her
bags are in her room.
Greta Stanhope is the
mean girl to eclipse all mean girls. She just isn't mean -- she revels
in the destruction she causes. She's also in the beautiful girl clique,
where jealousy and passive aggressive behavior are currency. And
there's Strots -- or Ellen Strotsberry, Sarah's athlete roommate. I
really liked Strots. She had her own demons to deal with but still
managed to look out for Sarah when she needed someone.
The
story is told from the point of view of Sarah Taylor. Much of the
first half is devoted to a very thought-provoking, sometimes harrowing
and often very emotional expose on what it is like living with
multiple health issues, including bipolar disorder at the age of
fifteen. The author does a good job of showing Sarah's life through her
eyes with sensitivity even when it was difficult to read. This part of
the story is not for the faint of heart. Sarah's unique perspective had
me holding my breath at times as Sarah navigated her illness and her
enemies around her. The rich girls do their usual sort of pranks on
Sarah, but things gradually escalate, especially after Sarah starts
connecting the dots between her rich tormentors and Nick Hollis, the
gorgeous male resident advisor on their floor.
As
Sarah continues to deal with both her illness and all of the aspects of
being at the new school, Greta and her group of mean girls turn up the
heat on everyone, even each other. While the first part of the book was
more slow burn and getting to know the characters from Sarah's
viewpoint, the second half of the book heats up with some fairly
predictable and awful actions.
Overall, The St.
Ambrose School for Girls is a sensitive story of mental illness wrapped
around a bit of a whodunit. While the first half takes it's time
establishing Sarah's viewpoint, the second half is a taut mystery that
gradually builds in intensity. There is a payoff at the end and it left
me questioning, wondering, and thinking about everything I just read.
This is a perfect book for a book club discussion, especially if you
want to talk about ethics. To tell you the truth, I'm gobsmacked about
that ending in a good way as I love it when a story has me thinking
about it long after I finished reading and that was The St. Ambrose
School for Girls.
About the Author
Photo Credit: Andrew Hyslop
Jessica Ward is a pseudonym for the #1 New York Times bestselling
author who writes as J.R. Ward and has over 20 million copies in print.
She enjoys spending time in the Adirondacks and lives in the south with
her family and her dogs.
In this newest Prison Camp installment, #1 New York Times bestselling author J. R. Ward pens a heart-wrenching tale of love and betrayal in the Black Dagger Brotherhood world…
Framed for the grisly murder of his shellan, Kane is condemned to the notorious prison camp—unaware of the dark truth behind his arranged mating. Centuries later, when he is horribly burned while attempting to save others, he prays he’ll finally be reunited in the Fade with his mate…not knowing what revelations await him.
Nadya is a self-taught nurse who does what she can to ease the suffering of the prisoners. When Kane comes under her care, she cannot help but empathize with his condition for very personal reasons—and as the guards take him away one last time, she fears he is facing a terrible death.
After a daring rescue, Kane is offered a treatment that will change his very nature. Choosing life, for the time being, he goes back for the female who took such good care of him—but his duty to Nadya sets him on a collision course with his own past. When long-buried secrets are exposed, his self-destruction is inevitable…unless true love can save his soul.
Kanemille, son of Ulysses the elder was sent to prison camp years ago for the murder of his shellan. He doesn't remember much about it, but he knows he didn't do it. While incarcerated, he is taken care of by the prison camp nurse, Nadya. It's Nadya that keeps Kane going in the hardest of times.
When Kane is liberated from the latest prison camp location, he's on death's door. The wolven who helped with the escape take him to their Grey Wolf, a mystical leader of their people. He's given a choice -- to stay alive to liberate Nadya, or go to his shellan in the Fade.
Of course there's a price to be paid for life and Kane pays it, not realizing what was happening to him, although others around him do. He immediately wants to go back to get Nadya from the prison, but he's not quite the same vampire he was.
This book was non-stop action from the opening pages and I loved it. Even when the action slowed enough for this reader to catch her breath, things were happening. It made for a super-engaging thrill ride as Kane and Nadya reunite.
They have help from other vampires and wolven and the relationship between Callum, one of the wolven and Apex, a vampire is especially interesting. I hope we'll get to find out what happens to them.
For as much as this book is non-stop action, there's a beautiful love story going on between Kane and Nadya. Both have been burned by the glymera traditions in the worst way. It's gratifying to see true-love win the day in this book. There's a connection between Kane and Nadya that is undeniable.
I absolutely loved this story. It's a love story full of yearning and sacrifice. It's wrapped around an exciting story of liberation that links to the King and the Black Dagger Brotherhood. There are some brief scenes with Vishous and Payne which were entertaining and provided some relief from the constant struggles of the former prison inmates. There were also some
nice moments of Kane getting used to new technologies, like driving, which also provided a little relief from the dire straits they always seemed to be
in. Everything was balanced perfectly for this reader.
I really love what JR Ward is doing with the wolven and The Viper sealed the deal for me on that issue. Kane's transformation is at first unsettling, then horrific until Kane is able to take his revenge on the head of the prison camp in a very satisfying scene of carnage.
The Viper works well as a standalone and you don't have to read any of the other books in the Prison Camp series to enjoy this one. Kane and Nadya's love story is soulful and sexy and I loved them both together. And there were plenty of unanswered questions that left me salivating for more. And that's a five star read for me. Definitely recommended for fans of BDB and newcomers as well.
Many thanks to the publisher for this advanced review copy.
About the Author
J.R. Ward is the author of over thirty novels, including those in her #1 New York Times and USA Today
bestselling series, The Black Dagger Brotherhood. There are more than
15 million copies of Ward’s novels in print worldwide and they have been
published in 25 different countries around the world.
After graduating from law school, Ward began working in healthcare in
Boston and spent many years as Chief of Staff of one of the premier
academic medical centers in the nation. She lives in the south with her
incredibly supportive husband and her beloved golden retriever. Writing
has always been her passion and her idea of heaven is a whole day of
nothing but her computer, her dog and her coffee pot.
True love brings a deadly threat to the Black Dagger Brotherhood in this sizzling new novel in J.R. Ward’s #1 New York Times bestselling series.
Possessed
by the demon Devina, Balthazar is once again on the hunt for the Book
of Spells—and fighting an undeniable attraction to a woman. As a thief,
he has stolen a lot of things…but he never thought his heart would be
taken by another. Especially not a human. As a homicide
detective, Erika Saunders knows there is something otherworldly going on
in Caldwell, New York. Mutilated bodies that cannot be explained are
all over her case list—and then there are her nightmares in which she’s
hunted by shadows and captivated by a mysterious man who is both a
suspect and a savior. When Devina’s wish for true love is
finally granted, Balthazar and Erika unwittingly become the gateway for
the rebirth of an old enemy of the Brothers. Will the very thing that
brings them together lead to the ultimate destruction of the
Brotherhood? Or will they have to lose everything in order to save the
race’s most sacred defenders?
Lover Arisen is billed as the twentieth book in the Black Dagger
Brotherhood series, and that isn't counting all the side stories,
novella and spin-off series. This world just continues to expand and
change. Lover Arisen is a transformational book that takes the reader farther from the original BDB brothers into
a world where things are definitely changing. That being said, it's all good. I was
immediately engaged in this book.
The
main characters in this book are Balthazar, who is searching for a book
of spells and Erika, a homicide detective. Both characters were introduced in the
previous book in the series. There's the usual back-and-forth,
push-and-pull with these two, including the need to protect from
Balthazar and the search for truth from Erika. I did like these two
together, and as main characters, they were not as
strong as some of the couples in the first books in the series. And to be honest, that's a high bar to reach. There's
more attention to the action taking place around them, than the
romance between Balthazar and Erika. I've learned to expect this in the
later books in this series.
There is a
new evil in town for the Brothers to deal with in the form of Devina the
demon. She really does make a good villain and again, some of her
actions reminded me of the early days of the series with some of the
horrific actions on the Lesser side. And there's the re-emergence of a
character that is sure to have readers in a kerfluffle!
The
original Brothers do have some cameos and that is
always welcome in this world. They bring relief from the darker, heavier
material in this story, and that's a very good thing. They are the
heart and soul of this series, and I sit up and take notice when they
appear on the pages. Fan favorite Lassiter contributes to this story as
well.
I would recommend reading the
previous books in the series before tackling this one for maximum
enjoyment of the storylines, but there is quite a bit of rehashing and
reviewing if you are behind in the series. You can easily catch on to
what is going on if you are familiar with the world.
Overall, Lover Arisen is what I
expected -- a tense, thrilling ride in the Black Dagger Brotherhood
world of Caldwell New York. There were some slow spots at the start but
there were also moments of nail biting and excitement in the second
half. Told from multiple points of view, the story in this installment
just makes this world richer and more interesting as the book
progresses. I enjoyed this story and I was very happy
to spend time in this world.
J.R. Ward is the author of more than thirty novels, including those in her #1 New York Times bestselling
Black Dagger Brotherhood series. There are more than fifteen million
copies of her novels in print worldwide, and they have been published in
twenty-six different countries. She lives in the South with her family.
Return to the sizzling glymera’s prison camp in this dark and sexy second novel in the new Black Dagger Brotherhood Prison Camp spin-off series from the #1 New York Times bestselling author J.R. Ward
The Wolf is out now!
In the next installment of bestselling author J.R. Ward’s Prison Camp series, things get steamy when Lucan, a wolven forced into bartering drug deals for the infamous Prison Colony, meets Rio, the second in command for the shadowy Caldwell supplier, Mozart.
After a deal goes awry, a wolf with piercing golden eyes swoops in to save her from certain death. As shocking truths unfurl, Rio is uncertain of who to trust and what to believe—but with her life on the line, true love rears its head and growls in the face of danger.
About J.R. Ward J.R. Ward is the author of over thirty novels, including those in her #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling series, The Black Dagger Brotherhood. There are more than 15 million copies of Ward’s novels in print worldwide and they have been published in 25 different countries around the world. After graduating from law school, Ward began working in healthcare in Boston and spent many years as Chief of Staff of one of the premier academic medical centers in the nation. She lives in the south with her incredibly supportive husband and her beloved golden retriever. Writing has always been her passion and her idea of heaven is a whole day of nothing but her computer, her dog and her coffee pot.
Claimed, the sizzling and addictive first book in the Lair of the Wolven Series
from
#1 New York Times bestselling author J.R. Ward
is available now, and we have a sneak peek!
A heart-pounding new series set in the Black Dagger Brotherhood world, with a scientist fighting to save the timber wolves—and getting caught in a deadly trap herself...
Lydia Susi is passionate about protecting wolves in their natural habitat. When a hotel chain develops a tract of land next to the preserve, Lydia is one of the most vocal opponents of the project—and becomes a target.
One night, a shadowy figure threatens Lydia’s life in the forest, and a new hire at the Wolf Study Project comes from out of nowhere to save her. Daniel Joseph is both mysterious, and someone she intrinsically wants to trust. But is he hiding something?
As the stakes get higher, and one of Lydia’s colleagues is murdered, she must decide how far she will go to protect the wolves. Then a shocking revelation about Daniel challenges Lydia’s reality in ways she could never have predicted. Some fates demand courage, others require even more, with no guarantees. Is she destined to have true love... or will a soul-shattering loss ruin her forever?
In so many ways, Lydia should have known. From the moment Daniel Joseph had appeared in her office doorway, there had been something about him.
But she hadn’t expected . . . this.
“Unless you tell me to go,” he said in a husky voice,
“I’m going to kiss you.”
As Lydia stared up into his face, they both knew
what she wanted. What she needed. Still, she kept them on the edge for a heartbeat or two.
“I don’t want you to leave.”
“Good,” he growled.
When he lowered his head, there was a rumble of satisfaction in his chest—and then she wasn’t hear- ing anything. Thinking anything. Worried about any- thing.
As big and strong as he was, his lips were soft against her own. Gentle, too, as if he knew she wanted to be handled with care—not because she didn’t want him, but because she did. Too much. And God, there were more reasons to pull away than get close to him, except there was no denying the chemistry. The connection. The heat.
And the experience was even better than the anticipation.
Aware that she was going to stop this sooner than she wanted, but much later than she should, Lydia lifted her arms and put them on his shoulders. His heavy body was rock-hard under his windbreaker, the muscles roping up to his neck—and that was where her hands went.
She just wanted to see if his hair was as thick and lush as it looked—
It was.
As she dug into the waves, he purred in response, like he was a great cat and she had found his favorite stroking place. And that was when he wrapped an arm around her waist. She did not feel trapped, though. She had the sense, as he continued to stroke her lips softly, that he would let her go immediately.
Not that she was going anywhere anytime the hell soon.
Inch by inch, their bodies came into full contact, her breasts against his chest, the front of her thighs meeting his, their hips brushing. And then the kiss deepened, his tongue licking into her—
Letting out another moan, she tightened her hold on his nape, in his hair, a sense of desperation making her rougher than she should have been—she was holding him to her now, grabbing on to him. But he was going with it. One of his hands traveled from her shoulder to her waist, to her hip, and she moved against his palm, imagining what it would be like to be naked with him touching her.
With those workman hands.
Daniel eased back and stroked her hair away from her face. “You’re a good kisser, you know that?”
“Am I?” She smiled like an idiot. “I could have sworn it was you.”
“I guess it’s us.” His eyes roamed her face. And then one side of his lips tilted up. “I’m going to go now.”
Lydia exhaled in surprise—but like she was going to sleep with him here on the mauve kitchen floor?
Not a bad idea, actually, she thought as she glanced down.
“Okay,” she said. “I understand. We do work together—”
“That’s not why I’m leaving.”
“So why are you?”
He traced her cheek. Then her jawline. “If I stay, I’m not going to let you get any sleep at all.” He stepped back. “You know where to find me, if you need me. And I’ll see you after we’re allowed to wake up at four-oh-one a.m.”
She nodded. “Good night, Daniel.”
Turning away, he lifted a hand over his shoulder. When he got to the door, he said, “Don’t forget to lock up.”
And then he was gone.
What I thought about Claimed
Lydia
Susi is dedicated to studying her wolves. She's part of a research
project tagging and tracking them and making sure they continue to
thrive. When she comes across another poisoned wolf, she suspects the
new developer who is working to get rid of the wolves habitat for a new
luxury hotel.
When
a drifter comes to town looking for a job, he comes to Lydia to apply
for her open maintenance position. She's drawn to Daniel John, but is
hesitant since he's told her he doesn't stay in one place very long.
But there is definite attraction between them that they both won't be
able to resist.
I
was pulled right into this story. There is a lot of information in
this book as it sets up how this world relates to the Black Dagger
Brotherhood world. The connection between Claimed and BDB comes through
Xhex who is having nightmares about her past, and her hellren John
Matthew who wants to help her. Turns out that Xhex knows something
about what's going on up on that mountain. I've never been a big Xhex
fan, but she and JM felt like old friends in this story.
There
is a different sort of
connection between Lydia and Daniel John. There was physical attraction
for sure, but it's a different sort of yearning from the BDB couples. I
don't know if that explains it, but I did like the relationship between
Lydia and Daniel from the start. It was steamy and full of promise,
but the other aspects of
introducing this world took precedence over their connection until the
late pages.
I
couldn't help but wonder if there is a connection between John Michael
and Daniel John -- that two first name thing and I'm hoping there's more
to Daniel's background than we know so far in the story.
There's a lot to this story that happens in the final twenty percent of the book. I
loved the ending here. It wasn't hard to figure out there would be unresolved stuff
too when I still had so many questions 80 percent in, but I didn't make
mind (too much) although ..well I won't say more because I don't want to
spoil, but you'll be holding your breath in those final pages.
I NEED more of this world. I have so many questions..
There's
something I really like about JR Ward's writing in her non-BDB stories.
Even though this one is set in the BDB world, it still has a different
tone and voice which I loved. Maybe I just pay more attention in a fresh
series. And I found Claimed to be fresh and familiar at the same time and it made my time spent reading worthwhile.
Can't wait for more of this story!
About J.R. Ward
J.R.
Ward is the author of over thirty novels, including those in her #1 New
York Times and USA Today bestselling series, The Black Dagger
Brotherhood. There are more than 15 million copies of Ward’s novels in
print worldwide and they have been published in 25 different countries
around the world.
After
graduating from law school, Ward began working in healthcare in Boston
and spent many years as Chief of Staff of one of the premier academic
medical centers in the nation. She lives in the south with her
incredibly supportive husband and her beloved golden retriever. Writing
has always been her passion and her idea of heaven is a whole day of
nothing but her computer, her dog and her coffee pot.
“This emotional roller coaster does not disappoint.”—Publisher’s Weekly
Welcome to the Lair of the Wolven. Get ready to be Claimed…
Claimed, the first book in an all new epic series, Lair of the Wolven from #1 New York Times and bestselling author J.R. Ward is now available!
A heart-pounding new series set in the Black Dagger Brotherhood world, with a scientist fighting to save the timber wolves—and getting caught in a deadly trap herself...
Lydia Susi is passionate about protecting wolves in their natural habitat. When a hotel chain develops a tract of land next to the preserve, Lydia is one of the most vocal opponents of the project—and becomes a target.
One night, a shadowy figure threatens Lydia’s life in the forest, and a new hire at the Wolf Study Project comes from out of nowhere to save her. Daniel Joseph is both mysterious, and someone she intrinsically wants to trust. But is he hiding something?
As the stakes get higher, and one of Lydia’s colleagues is murdered, she must decide how far she will go to protect the wolves. Then a shocking revelation about Daniel challenges Lydia’s reality in ways she could never have predicted. Some fates demand courage, others require even more, with no guarantees. Is she destined to have true love... or will a soul-shattering loss ruin her forever?
Lydia Susi is dedicated to studying her wolves. She's part of a research project tagging and tracking them and making sure they continue to thrive. When she comes across another poisoned wolf, she suspects the new developer who is working to get rid of the wolves habitat for a new luxury hotel.
When a drifter comes to town looking for a job, he comes to Lydia to apply for her open maintenance position. She's drawn to Daniel John, but is hesitant since he's told her he doesn't stay in one place very long. But there is definite attraction between them that they both won't be able to resist.
I was pulled right into this story. There is a lot of information in this book as it sets up how this world relates to the Black Dagger Brotherhood world. The connection between Claimed and BDB comes through Xhex who is having nightmares about her past, and her hellren John Matthew who wants to help her. Turns out that Xhex knows something about what's going on up on that mountain. I've never been a big Xhex fan, but she and JM felt like old friends in this story.
There is a different sort of
connection between Lydia and Daniel John. There was physical attraction for sure, but it's a different sort of yearning from the BDB couples. I don't know if that explains it, but I did like the relationship between Lydia and Daniel from the start. It was steamy and full of promise, but the other aspects of
introducing this world took precedence over their connection until the late pages.
I couldn't help but wonder if there is a connection between John Michael and Daniel John -- that two first name thing and I'm hoping there's more to Daniel's background than we know so far in the story.
There's a lot to this story that happens in the final twenty percent of the book. I
loved the ending here. It wasn't hard to figure out there would be unresolved stuff
too when I still had so many questions 80 percent in, but I didn't make
mind (too much) although ..well I won't say more because I don't want to
spoil, but you'll be holding your breath in those final pages.
I NEED more of this world. I have so many questions..
There's something I really like about JR Ward's writing in her non-BDB stories. Even though this one is set in the BDB world, it still has a different tone and voice which I loved. Maybe I just pay more attention in a fresh series. And I found Claimed to be fresh and familiar at the same time and it made my time spent reading worthwhile.
Can't wait for more of this story!
About J.R. Ward
J.R. Ward is the author of over thirty novels, including those in her #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling series, The Black Dagger Brotherhood. There are more than 15 million copies of Ward’s novels in print worldwide and they have been published in 25 different countries around the world.
After graduating from law school, Ward began working in healthcare in Boston and spent many years as Chief of Staff of one of the premier academic medical centers in the nation. She lives in the south with her incredibly supportive husband and her beloved golden retriever. Writing has always been her passion and her idea of heaven is a whole day of nothing but her computer, her dog and her coffee pot.
