Dark Lover by J.R. Ward Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #1
Published by Penguin (2.19.2005)
Genres: Adult, Paranormal Romance
Format: Paperback, 393 pages
Source: Library
The only purebred vampire left on the planet and the leader of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who killed his parents centuries ago.
But when his most trusted fighter is killed -- orphaning a half-breed daughter unaware of her heritage or her fate -- Wrath must put down his dagger and usher the beautiful female into another world.
Racked by a restlessness in her body that wasn’t there before, Beth Randall is helpless against the dangerously sexy man who comes to her at night with shadows in his eyes. His tales of the Brotherhood and blood frighten her. Yet his touch ignites a dawning new hunger one that threatens to consume them both…
My thoughts
Honestly, this is a “it’s not you, it’s me” situation. I used to read Paranormal Romance a lot in my early 20’s, and I just plain got sick of it. After a while, it all reads EXACTLY THE SAME. Super sexy, single Mary Sue – a virgin too, eye roll – in her mid 20’s (what 25 year old has NEVER HAD AN ORGASM? I mean I’m sure it happens occasionally but why is it EVERY SINGLE PR EVER?!) meets Big Bad Alpha Male™ and he’s so smitten with her tight ass that he changes his ways and blows her mind with multiple orgasms and the Best Sex Ever because he’s just so virile and masculine.
All. The. Same.
I don’t know why I thought this would be any different for me – I only picked it up because my BFF loves the series and I was hoping it would change my mind about PR. (Sorry Jessi!) But I think the genre is just not for me anymore. The Bad Boy Alpha Male trope just doesn’t do anything for me these days. I’ll take the cute and nerdy guy who will happily do the dishes and read with you over a walking talking gender role any day, thanks. I think it’s also because I can’t relate to the women in PR – I lost my V card long before I was 25, sorry; I’m not sexy and fit (and don’t have dudes drooling after me), and I had more than 1 long term relationship before I was in my mid 20’s. Oh, and I also had orgasms. *shrugs*
This book had all of those tropes that make me hate PR:
-The main character, Beth, is like sooo hot but obviously single
-All the guys she works with (or meets ever) want to bone her, but she doesn’t date and isn’t interested in sex
-In fact, she’s never even had a single orgasm – at the age of twenty fuckin’ five – and doesn’t feel any desire to have sex
-She’s lives alone (with her cat, obviously)
-Wrath is a large muscular walking sex god basically, hates feelings, and is celibate because women are suuuuch a waste of time
-Oh and literally all the rest of the BDB are sexy, manly alpha males, it’s like a Chippendale lineup (they’re basically interchangeable?) – with ridiculous names like Vishous, Phury, Tohrment, Rhage, and Zsadist. SO POWERFUL! SO MASCULINE! SO VIRILE! Making panties wet everywhere they go! Women weep to look upon their glory!!! *violent eye roll*
-The second Beth sees Wrath she literally loses her mind with lust and throws herself at him, begging for sex
-Wrath obviously obliges because she is like, soooo hot and he’s never been attracted to a woman so hard
-He all of the sudden can’t get her out of his head because she is like, soooo hot and super speshul
I just…I tried. It was just so cliche. I’m done with PR forever, I think. I was hoping this would be different for me but it just wasn’t. I also have to be transparent and admit here that I’m not a fan of vamp stories, either. So this one is totally on me. Again…sorry, Jessi! I tried!
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