BLOOD FURY (BLACK DAGGER LEGACY, BOOK #3) BY J.R. WARD: BOOK REVIEW

Blood Fury

Black Dagger Legacy, Book #3

J.R. Ward

ISBN# 9780425286579

Author’s Website:  http://www.jrward.com/

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

*Beware of possible spoilers*

Peyton is still a little heartsick now that the girl he loves, Paradise, has mated Craeg.  He still has to be around both of them as they are all in the Black Dagger Brotherhood training program together.  It’s hard, but his drugs and drinking help him drown his sorrows.

Then, he starts to notice the other female in their class, Novo.  She’s all kinds of sexy and attitude.  He’s not in love with her, but he definitely has plans of the carnal variety with her, if only he can convince her to partake in them!

“So when are we going to fuck,” he said in a guttural voice. “I’m ready to stop ignoring this.”

Novo narrowed that stare even harder. “Never. How’s never sound to you?”

“You want it.”

“Not from you.”

“Liar.” He leaned in a little closer. “Coward. What are you afraid of–“

Her free hand whipped out and locked on his throat, her thumbnail pressing into his jugular and pinching off the blood supply. “Watch yourself, pretty boy. Or I might do some aesthetic damage they can’t fix.”

Peyton closed his eyes and swayed. “I want you to.”

Novo doesn’t come from money the way Peyton and Paradise do.  She has to scrimp and save for everything she has.  She has her own apartment in a questionable part of town, but at least it’s hers and nobody can take that from her.  It’s important for her to keep it secret from everybody including her family.

She hasn’t fared well in the romance department either.  She thought she was in love with her ex, Oskar, until he left her for her prissy sister, Sophy.  Novo was pregnant when Oskar left, having just went through her needing beforehand.  She ended up miscarrying and burying their baby alone.  She’s always blamed herself for failing their young.  Now her sister is mating Oskar and is insisting on having all of the human traditions as well as the vampire ones.  She wants Novo to not only be at their wedding, but to be the maid of honor!

When the trainees get their first taste of in the field action, Peyton makes a grave mistake that leaves Novo seriously injured.  He starts to question if he has any business fighting in the war and expects to be kicked out of the training program.

As Novo and Peyton get to know each other better, they can’t deny their attraction to one another.  Neither are looking for a relationship, but sometimes relationships sneak up on you.  But will forces outside of their control pull them apart?  They are from different social classes and weren’t meant to be together.  Can they overcome the obstacles ahead of them or were they doomed from the start?

“The door to the PT suite swung open, and Peyton appeared between the jambs with a bottle of liquor in his hand, an arousal in his pants, and the wild look in his eye of someone over the brink. In this current incarnation, the male was something right out of the Bad Idea Catalog.

And what do you know … a blond male with an able body was exactly what she wanted in her virtual shopping cart.”

Meanwhile, Saxton is struggling living and working so close to Blay.  He still carries a torch for the male, and has to see him living happily with his mate and their twins.  He loves the work he does with the king, but thinks it may be time to leave Caldwell.  His heart just can’t take much more. Then, he starts to notice the new resident of the house, Ruhn.  It’s the first male he’s been attracted to since Blay, but he feels he’s setting himself up for more heartache.  Then, Wrath assigns Ruhn to accompany Saxton with some business as his bodyguard.  Ruhn has never been with a man before, but quickly learns he’s willing to risk everything for Saxton!

This was another good read in the Black Dagger Brotherhood world.  I really enjoy this spin-off series that focuses more on the relationships then anything that’s going on in the outside world.

I never really cared for Peyton before, but I did enjoy him in this book.  He was cocky as you’d expect, but was always quick to lighten the mood with some light teasing that was usually a bit on the sexual side.  I felt that Peyton really grew as a person in this book.  He learned that there were more important things to life than being a spoiled rich kid and that some things are worth fighting for.

Boy is his dad a jerk though!  I’d love to know what his full plan had been, the reason for it all and what he was gaining besides the obvious: money.

Novo didn’t have any better luck in the family department.  Sophy is a spoiled brat!  I can’t imagine taking my sister’s boyfriend and then expecting her to be part of the wedding!  That’s just cruel.  I thoroughly enjoyed Peyton’s response to her at their first meeting!  And, I love that he always wanted to hit Oskar once he figured out what had transpired between him and Novo.    Sadly, Novo wouldn’t let him.  I guess being mated to Sophy will be punishment enough!

“I just want to hit the groom. Once. Is that too much to ask?”

Saxton popped his brows. “Is that a human tradition for this type of ceremony?”

“Why, yes,” the male said. “As a matter of fact it is–“

Novo slapped her palm over his mouth. “No. it most certainly is not. And no matter how I might have felt about my sister in the past, I don’t want her special night ruined, okay?”

Peyton mumbled a little longer. And when she dropped her hand, he muttered, “First of all, I volunteered to do it after the pictures–and if it’s realllllly important to you, I could catch him in the gut and not the face. I’m willing to work with you.”

I felt bad for all Novo had gone through, but I’m glad she finally found a way to be happy.

Another person I was so glad to see get his happily ever after is Saxton!  He so deserves to be happy!  I was shocked to see his darker side come out in this book.  It just goes to prove that everyone has one, it’s just if they’re pushed enough to make them show it!

I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to see what the next installment will be about.  I think we’re down to just one trainee left.  I wonder if Boone will somehow hook up with Romina?  Or maybe she can get her own book down the line.  But she doesn’t live in Caldwell so maybe not.  Also, what happens after that?  Will this series continue after they’re through all the trainees or will they get a second class maybe?  I guess we’ll have to wait and see what happens, but I have definitely enjoyed the ride so far and I hope the series continues!