Lover Revealed: A Novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #4)

by J. R. Ward

#1 New York Times bestselling author J. R. Ward’s “instantly addictive”* novels of the Black Dagger Brotherhood continue as an ally of the Brotherhood must face his own dark desires....

Butch O’Neal is a fighter by nature. A hard-living ex–homicide cop, he’s the only human ever to be allowed in the inner circle of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. And he wants to go even deeper into the vampire world. He’s got nothing to lose. His heart belongs to a female vampire, an aristocratic beauty who’s way out of his league. If he can’t have Marissa, then at least he can fight side by side with the Brothers.

Fate curses him with the very thing he wants. When Butch sacrifices himself to save a civilian vampire from the slayers, he falls prey to the darkest force in the war. Left for dead, he’s found by a miracle, and the Brotherhood calls on Marissa to bring him back. But even her love may not be enough to save him.

*Lynn Viehl

• ISBN10: 0451229681
• ISBN13: 9780451229687
• Publish Date: 9 September 2009 (first published 1 March 2007)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Penguin Books Australia
• Imprint: Signet
• Format: Paperback (US Mass Market)
• Pages: 480
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780451229687

Reviews

[kimbacaffeinate]

For those unfamiliar with the Black Dagger Brotherhood world vampires live unknown among humans. Within the vampire race, the Brotherhood, sworn to protect humans and vampires alike from the Omega and his group of vampires known as the Lessers. Few people know about the vampires, and ex-homicide detective Butch O'Neal is one of them. In fact, he lives with them. Butch has been in love with Marissa, a vampire aristocrat since almost the beginning, but interference and miscommunication have kept them apart. In Lover Revealed we finally get their story.

Ward once again gives us multiple perspectives from those of the Lessers, Butch, Marissa, John a young deaf man born with the mark, and from others in the brotherhood. While the heart of the story is the romance, we still get plenty of plot advancement in the fight against evil. The Omega is searching for the one of prophecy and causes some series problems for Butch and the brothers. We got to know Vishous better, and I wanted to give this dark vampire a hug. Despite his internal struggles, he is there for Butch making him a stand-up guy even if at times he made me shiver. I am looking forward to his story.

Both Marissa and Butch transform in Lover Revealed. We see growth, acceptance and discovery for both. Marissa comes into her own through help from the Queen and King. Butch who struggles with alcohol and a sense of not belonging finally puts down some roots. Their romance and developments provided plenty of emotions as I read which included anger, fear, laughter and a few swoons. I did want to slap them both on the back of the head a time or two, but friends intervened. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer

[thebookdisciple]

Link to full review below! Another solid book in the series. While I didn't love it as much as the previous 3, it was good! See full review on The Book Disciple

[celinenyx]

Butch and Marissa's story. I love how Marissa develops as a character and goes from a sheltered member of the aristocracy to an independent individual. Butch goes through many transformations himself, and I was glad for the fact that he finally found a place where he felt like he belonged. We also get some glimpses into the lives of the other characters, I'm especially getting curious for the younger generation.

[EBookObsessed]

I enjoyed Butch and Marissa's story. There was a sizzle with these two from the beginning, although a lot of the Romeo and Juliet "we can't be together" bs from Butch without even trying.

Poor Marissa gets the short of the stick throughout her life. She's a woman of wealth and bloodline. Given to Wrath, who didn't really want her all those centuries. When Wrath spurned her for Beth, she is shunned by society. She is absolutely lonely. She has no friends. She only has her brother, who is also embarrassed by her.

When she finally finds a man who wants her, between Butch's "woe is me, I'm a lowly human" and Mariss'a brother keeping her away from the lowly human, she can't catch a break.

Her brother finally tosses her out to the street and although it is initially hard on her morale, it finally frees Marissa from the constraints she has lived under all her life and you can see her slowing grabbing the reins on her own life and future and becoming her own force.

There is a big "how convenient" moment for Butch in this story as well, but I don't want to give that away.

Overall it was one of the better couple stories in the series.

[nitzan_schwarz]

Ahhhh, Butch...

[blackbibliophile]

Great read although the Zhadist/Bella story was a tough act to follow!!

[Angie]

I'm glad we're getting to know Butch, the only human with the BDB, this time around! I've loved his humor in the previous books and I was looking forward to more of him. But his book does not start out happy. He's questioning how he fits into the vampire world, since he isn't able to fight along side the brothers, but he also can't go back to his human life (he knows too many vampire secrets). In fact, the start of his story made me squirm and get a little queasy. Almost right off the bat, poor Butch is captured and tortured by the Omega! The Omega even leaves a small piece of himself within Butch, slowly poisoning him. This leaves Butch quarantined in the vampire clinic, not exactly an idea situation to start a romance.

And of course the lady of his affection is Marissa, another outside even though she is a vampire. I felt so sorry for her, since vampire high society wants nothing to do with the untouched, former shellan of the Blind King. She even believes Butch no longer wants her, but rushes to his hospital bed anyway. I absolutely love these two as a couple! He's so sarcastic and fun, while she's perfectly composed and proper. They definitely balance each other out and are exactly the what the other one needs. Both of them came so far in their lives by the end, and I was so happy for them.

While I loved Butch and Marissa's stories and how they were trying to find their niches within the Brotherhood's world, the subplots were lacking. Mr. O's plot in the last two books was fantastic, but now that he's gone Mr. X is back with a new recruit. It just wasn't interesting at all, even with the added prophecy. Even John's story was missing a spark, but I'm glad he's starting to feel more comfortable with himself and making friends, even though he's missing Tohr and Wellsie. Overall though, this was another excellent installment to the series.

One final note, I just loved this line: "Well, wasn't this a night for firsts. Sex. Arson. Pants." :)

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

[Amanda]

Actual rating: 3.5

Original review: http://onabookbender.com/2012/01/09/review-lover-revealed-by-j-r-ward/

When Lover Revealed starts, readers who have followed the series thus far already know quite a bit about Butch’s and Marissa’s relationship — or lack thereof. I was never completely sold on Butch’s character in previous books and wondered why a human got to have his own book (a question which is mostly definitely answered in a way that I never expected), and while he will never be one of my favorite heroes in the BDB series, I enjoyed the romance. Even though I was often confused about where the two stood with each other. There was so much miscommunication and baggage that it sometimes got a little overwhelming and I just wanted to shout “Why are you not together?!”

Some of the gansta speak drove me a little wonky (you feel me, true?), and I tried really hard to overlook it, but I think it appears more in Lover Revealed than other books. I had already forgotten a lot of the lessers back story, so I did not pay a lot of attention to these parts of the story. Frankly, the lessers are boring. I could live without them and be just as happy. And I’m pretty sure that I am not alone in this feeling.

There are two distinct changes that Butch goes through during Lover Revealed that are both fascinating and a little eyebrow raising. The first affects the overall story arc, and I am sure that we haven’t heard the last about it, since I am not quite sure exactly what happened, and my demanding curiosity still burns with unanswered questions. It seemed that a good chunk of the beginning of the story spent time setting up Vishous’s story or spending time with other characters. Which seemed good for the continuation of the series, and kind of “whatever” and “meh” for the romance aspect. I spent a good chunk of the time reading this book wondering about Vishous and his story and how that will all play out, which is awesome except that it was Butch and Marissa’s book.

The second change Butch goes through is necessary for the romance aspect of this story, I believe. Even though, like certain happenings in Lover Eternal, it seemed awfully convenient, even with a very plausible explanation at the end. I actually really liked the explanation because it fit with everything we had learned thus far about Butch, but it was still really convenient. I am all for happy endings, but some convenient happenings just make me go o.O.

If you have already invested yourself in the BDB series, Lover Revealed is a good book. It won’t tear you apart like Z’s book, but it’s still a decent addition to the series.

[RoXXie]

Two lost hearts, growing up in two different worlds. And just as destiny finds its way, they walk into each other. But we they able to come together? A lower class male in love with an aristocrate female? And if this isn't the only obstacle they have to jump over, Butch and Marissa have to fight their ways through their worlds. Free themselves of the boundaries. And when it really seems like the whole wide world is against their happiness, will their love strike for their sake?

[mitabird]

Re-read: 4/22/13