Lover Eternal (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 2) [Mass Market Paperback]

J.R. Ward (Author)

Book Description

Release date: March 7, 2006

Within the brotherhood, Rhage is the vampire with the strongest appetites. He’s the best fighter, the quickest to act on his impulses, and the most voracious lover—for inside him burns a ferocious curse cast by the Scribe Virgin. Possessed by this dark side, Rhage fears the times when his inner dragon is unleashed, making him a danger to everyone around him.

Mary Luce, a survivor of many hardships, is unwittingly thrown into the vampire world and reliant on Rhage’s protection. With a life-threatening curse of her own, Mary is not looking for love. Her faith in miracles was lost years ago. But when Rhage’s intense animal attraction turns into something more emotional, he knows that he must make Mary his alone. And while their enemies close in, Mary fights desperately to gain life eternal with the one she loves…

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Two hundred years: that's how long Rhage must bear the curse born of his reckless inconsideration. Sex and violence are all he once pursued; now they are the only things that keep the beast within at bay. He has little hope for finding peace during this existence, until Mary Luce enters his life. Irresistibly drawn to her light, he's pulled into a struggle with his own demons as well as the real enemies who threaten the vampire world and Mary. Ward wields a commanding voice perfect for the genre, and readers new to the world of the Black Dagger Brotherhood should hold on tight for an intriguing, adrenaline-pumping ride featuring a race of warrior vampires who fill enemies with terror and women with desire. Like any good thrill ride, the pace changes with a tender story of survival and hope and leaves readers begging for more. Fans of L. A. Banks, Laurell K. Hamilton, and Sherrilyn Kenyon will add Ward to their must-read list. Nina Davis
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"'Ward wields a commanding voice perfect for the genre, and readers new to the world of the Black Dagger Brotherhood should hold on tight for an intriguing, adrenaline-pumping ride featuring a race of warrior vampires who fill enemies with terror and women with desire. Like any good thrill ride, the pace changes with a tender story of survival and hope and leaves readers begging for more. Fans of L. A. Banks, Laurell K. Hamilton, and Sherrilyn Kenyon will add Ward to their must-read list.' Booklist" --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Signet (March 7, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451218043
• ISBN-13: 978-0451218049
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (575 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #33,762 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

J.R. Ward is the number one New York Times bestselling author of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series of vampire books. She is a winner of the prestigious Romance Writers of America RITA award for Best Paranormal Romance and is a multiple RITA nominee. A graduate of Smith College, she was a double major in History and Art History with a medieval concentration in both and she still longs at times for a return to those days sitting in dark lecture halls, looking at slides of old triptychs and reliquaries. Prior to becoming a full time writer, she was a corporate attorney, serving for many years as the Chief of Staff of one of Harvard Medical Schools premier teaching sites. Her idea of absolute heaven is a day filled with nothing but her computer, her dog and her coffee pot and the Brothers, of course.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#83 Overall (See top 100 authors)

#2 in Books > Romance > Fantasy & Futuristic

#16 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy

#32 in Books > Romance

#36 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance

#67 in Books > Literature & Fiction

#2 in Books > Romance > Fantasy & Futuristic

#16 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy

#32 in Books > Romance

#36 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance

#67 in Books > Literature & Fiction

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

86 of 89 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Rhage Is A Hero You'll Love! April 23, 2006

By Kristi Ahlers

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Rhage is a member of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. He is a warrior and with the help of his fellow brothers he fights those that kill vampires living a life of violence and loneliness. Not only does he have his vampire life to deal with there is the added matter of the curse put on him by the Scribe Virgin. It forces him to live a life without being allowed to feel and love...that is until Mary comes into his life. Mary is sick. Her leukemia has come back to haunt her and her options are few and than she meets Rhage. This handsome man is more then she has ever allowed herself to imagine. He's handsome, strong, and he wants her? Will she live to see her own happy ending?

First off this is a page turner! Ms. Ward has created a dark but sensual and entertaining series. The romance between Rhage and his Mary is at turns sensual, romantic, and heartbreaking! Make sure you have Kleenex handy. Secondary characters are pivotal to the story and her secondary storyline revolving around the "lessers" continues. This is not your regular vampire read and the groundwork for Zsadist's story has been introduced cleverly. This is a unique and enthralling read!

61 of 64 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A fresh new aspect on the vampire genre March 7, 2006

By iheartjackbauer

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Each author brings their own vision of vampires to their books. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. JR Ward writes books that will suck you in from the first page and make you wish you would never make it to the last page.

The 2nd book in her Black Dagger Brotherhood series, JR Ward brings us Rhage. Rhage was cursed 109 years ago by the Scribe Virgin. He is part vampire, part man, part beast. We saw a bit of the beast in Dark Lover. In Lover Eternal, we learn more about who the beast is and why it's a part of Rhage. There are only two things that keep the beast at bay. Fighting and sex. Rhage needs one or the other when he meets Mary.

Mary knows that the cancer has returned. She knows that she'll fight it. What she doesn't expect is to be thrown into the world of paranormal. A world that she had no idea exsisted. When a young boy follows her home and befriends her, her neighbor recognizes him as different. Together they take the boy to the Brotherhood (though Mary doesn't realize *what* exactly the Brotherhood is). There she meets Rhage. Mary always knew that no man would feel an "animal" attraction toward her. Little did she know!

JR Ward takes us through her paranormal world where vampires are just trying to protect their race from extinction. Trying to avoid detection by humans and slayers alike, they will do anything to preserve their race. Mary and Rhage's story is the second in a series that you will be hooked on. Do not miss out on this series.

58 of 61 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars You'll Want Even More, And It STILL Won't Be Enough! March 14, 2006

By K. Montgomery VINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

The first book, "Dark Lover", in the unique Black Dagger Brotherhood, was no big thrill for me. Sorry to all those instantly loytal fans out there (as I take a formal bow of respect), but I found that the first book fell flat in so many ways: underdeveloped characters, silly comic book style names that were just so at odds with such a strong new concept for a vampire series. There's a thrill that readers experience though, when they've picked up a book they had high expectations for, and you just KNOW after the first few pages that the author has come through for you in a big way. That rush of satisfaction was my intro to J. R. Ward's fabulous second book in the series and I'm still flying high.

Within the Black Dagger Brotherhood resides a set of warrior vampires dedicated to the protection of their endangered race. Rhage is such a warrior - Proud, aloof and fiercely loyal to his kind, he's fighting everyday to keep his inner cursed self from wreaking too much havoc on their lives. Punished for an unforgivable and negligent slight, the Scribe Virgin (The vamps goddess) has cursed him with an alter ego, one that is only to happy to break out when the going gets tough and tough calls for a little more force. With the Lessers becoming an even more frequent problem, Rhage is finding it difficult to keep his beast from taking over. Of course, shy and innocent Mary Luce may have something to do with that too. Mary knows about curses. She's survived a gravely personal one of her own. When that same curse comes back to bite her where it counts, she's not looking for commitments of any kind. She's going to need all her strength to focus on her coming battle. So maybe that's why she didn't see Rhage coming. And man, does he ever come on strong. It's the kind of instant, primal attraction that every vampire knows is his body's way of saying "mine". And Mary is his. He'll have to fight literally tooth and nail for her, but he'll get what he wants, even if it means sacrificing what he wants most.

I was torn whether or not to continue with this series. Wrath's story in "Dark Lover" was an okay debut, but Rhage's story blew me away. With this second installment, readers are blessed with stellar character development and the continuation of a very unique plot that keeps getting better and better. The story has flowed nicely from the first book into this one and I was very pleased to see more details about the world that Ward has created. The subplot involving Zsadist and Bella was excellent and has left me weeping for the next book (releases Sept. '06, entitled "Lover Awakened"). We still get lots of Butch's smart alec comments, though I fear he may continue to be a supporting character only (I want to know more about him and Marissa, not just the snippets we're getting in this book!). Rhage was a much more interesting hero, and I felt I really came to know him and what made him tick. His helplessness about his curse intermingles nicely with his solid determination to have as much a life as possible with Mary. Mary, thank goodness, is just as interesting a heroine. Her own battle with a recurring medical problem draws readers in and her zeal for life invokes honest emotions that many of us have felt. My only wish was for a better insight into the lessers' motives and machinations. But hey, all in good time I suppose. I just love the way this series is going now, and I feel the tide has turned with this installmnet. It can only get better. Ward, we're all eagerly anticipating Zsadist's story!!