Book Review: J. R. Ward’s Lover Enshrined

Posted June 6, 2011 by Kathy Davie in Book Reviews

I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Source: the library
Book Review: J. R. Ward’s Lover Enshrined

Lover Enshrined


by

J.R. Ward


paranormal romance in Paperback edition that was published by Signet on June 3, 2008 and has 534 pages.

Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon


Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Dark Lover, Lover Eternal, Lover Awakened, Covet, Crave, Lover Revealed, Lover Unbound, Lover Avenged, Lover Mine, Lover Unleashed, Envy, An Irresistible Bachelor, Leaping Hearts, His Comfort and Joy, Lover Reborn, Rapture, Lover at Last, Possession, The King, The Shadows, The Bourbon Kings, Blood Kiss, The Beast, Blood Vow, The Chosen, Blood Fury, “Dearest Ivie”, The Thief, "The Reception", "The Rehearsal Dinner", Consumed, The Savior, Blood Truth, Where Winter Finds You, The Sinner, A Warm Heart in Winter, Claimed, The Wolf

Sixth in the Black Dagger Brotherhood paranormal romance series set in contemporary Caldwell, New York. As a chronology marker, it is within Lover Enshrined that Rehvenge unveils plans for his new bar, the Iron Mask, which features so strongly in Covet, 1, the first book in Ward’s other series, Fallen Angels.

In 2008, Lover Enshrined won the P.E.A.R.L. for Best Vampire Romance.

My Take

I just love these guys. For all their violence and hardness, they show so much love, patience, and compassion. Still, this was frustrating as Phury made me nuts with his emotional avoidance. Jesus, he made a deal, let’s get on with it, besides, how dense can he be? Doesn’t he see how much Cormia wants him?? I cut some slack for Cormia for she hasn’t a clue about love and her thinking is so warped from the stories told her that I can understand her confusion.

Ward also sets us up for Lover Avenged with Phury’s radical plan for the Chosen. A plan with which the Scribe Virgin reluctantly agrees. Finally the Chosen are truly choosing. As is Phury for the wake-up call is also for a change in his own lifestyle.

Then again, it probably does take all this frustration to force Phury into his final resolutions. I’m anxious to read how his decisions continue to change the vampires.

John and Qhuinn experience some major events in this. The secrets the Changed Lash reveals, the death-dealing fight. I loved the conflict over Qhuinn and his actions. It really showed the difficulty of Wrath’s position as well as his character in standing for what was right both in the strict legal sense as well as the compassion and understanding he showed John when John finally related what led to Qhuinn’s actions. It’s a compassion that stands Qhuinn in great stead when it leads to a greater estrangement from his own already despising family.

All of which is a small part of the actions in Lover Enshrined — I don’t want to give it all away!

The Story

In Lover Unbound, 5, Phury has taken Vishous’ place as the Primale of the Chosen, responsible for increasing the ranks of the Black Dagger Brotherhood through the children he produces with the forty Chosen.

The first mate, Cormia, was originally to mate with Vishous. An honor of which Cormia was terrified, for between the vicious tales told her by the Directress and the knowledge she had of Vishous’ parent, she felt no hope of surviving her marriage bed. Phury himself is torn between wanting a Cormia whom he believes does not want him and his need to dose himself into oblivion with drugs.

The Cover

Not as sheeny as previous covers, it does continue the tradition of partial body shots of a nude couple.