Blurb: Paradise, blooded daughter of the king’s First Advisor, is ready to break free from the restrictive life of an aristocratic female. Her strategy? Join the Black Dagger Brotherhood’s training center program and learn to fight for herself, think for herself…be herself. It’s a good plan, until everything goes wrong. The schooling is unfathomably difficult, the other recruits feel more like enemies than allies, and it’s very clear that the Brother in charge, Butch O’Neal, a.k.a. the Dhestroyer, is having serious problems in his own life.
And that’s before she falls in love with a fellow classmate. Craeg, a common civilian, is nothing her father would ever want for her, but everything she could ask for in a male. As an act of violence threatens to tear apart the entire program, and the erotic pull between them grows irresistible, Paradise is tested in ways she never anticipated—and left wondering whether she’s strong enough to claim her own power…on the field, and off.
And that’s before she falls in love with a fellow classmate. Craeg, a common civilian, is nothing her father would ever want for her, but everything she could ask for in a male. As an act of violence threatens to tear apart the entire program, and the erotic pull between them grows irresistible, Paradise is tested in ways she never anticipated—and left wondering whether she’s strong enough to claim her own power…on the field, and off.
For years now it’s seemed that the WARDen (J.R. Ward) has been taking the Brotherhood down a different path, a path I found myself less and less wanting to follow. The stories became more Urban Fantasy than Paranormal Romance and, as became painfully clear in The Shadows, the WARDen’s idea of true love and happily ever afters was morphing into something I wanted no part of. But being a loyal fan and unwilling - or unable - to give up, it was with some trepidation and a whole lot of cautious optimism that I began reading Blood Kiss because, after the travesty of The Shadows, I wasn’t sure I’d ever enjoy a Black Dagger Brotherhood novel again. I didn’t preorder, I didn’t read reviews, I didn’t chat it up with fellow BDB lovers…I avoided any and all discussion as much as possible. Until, that is, I peeked at my Goodreads’ friends comments (thanks, Beanbag and Lenore) and decided to bite the bullet and give it a chance.
I’m so glad I did!
Perhaps because Blood Kiss is the first in the new Black Dagger Legacy spin-off series The WARDen was able to really return us to the Brotherhood we all came to know and love way-back-when. Maybe she finally quit the Rice Krispies and went with a higher fiber cereal… who’s to say. Whatever the reason, I’m thrilled to be able to say that I really enjoyed this story and page after page saw shades of the Black Dagger Brotherhood that I love and have missed over the past several books. There were moments that felt New Adult-esque, and at other moments I thought the writing was simplistic, but the truth is, it’s not the writing that's simple, it's that this story isn’t complicated and all over the place. We’re back to a single couple happily ever after, while also spending quality time with Butch and Marissa, and Vishous. The other Brothers and their shellans make appearances, too, and I loved that!
The bottom line? Blood Kiss isn't perfect but it's an entertaining story and a solid start to the series. If things continue on this way, I think fans of the original books will enjoy the Black Dagger Legacy!
Click here to purchase Blood Kiss at Amazon
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