A Warm Heart in Winter

Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book #18.5

By J.R. Ward

ISBN# 9781982159702

Author’s Website:  https://jrward.com/

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

Blay and Qhuinn are still madly in love after all the time they have been together.  Although questions from a young budding party planner, has Blay wondering why the two have never formally mated.  He definitely wants to get on that if he can get his mate onboard. 

The two have fallen into a perfect routine.  They co-parent the twins with Xcor and Layla taking turns for bath night and the like.  And, they are both on rotation for the Brotherhood protecting the race and their king.

A big winter storm hits Caldwell that freezes everything in its tracks.  The fighters are grounded and have to stay home.  And, it seems the mansion is having one crisis after another.  The shutters that protect them all from the sun during the day, are malfunctioning and the trees are finding ways into the house.  It’s at least given them all something to do on a forced night off.

However, during all the commotion tragedy strikes.  A horrific event occurs that could threaten the relationship between Qhuinn and Blay and change their lives forever.  Are the two strong enough to get through it?  Or will it be their undoing?

It’s been a long time since I’ve went back to Caldwell and reacquainted myself with my beloved brothers.  I was shocked to see how far behind in the books I actually am.  I almost skipped this one seeing as it was book 18.5, the .5 usually indicating a novella, which I usually don’t like anyway.  The 479 page count screamed that I’m a full-size book come deal with me though!  So, I did and here we are.

I can understand the whole .5 thing though.  It was a full-sized book, but not so much a full-sized story.  This is a revisit to Qhuinn and Blay’s book, Lover at Last.  We get to see how the couple is doing now, which was nice.  We also got to see more of Zsadist as he helps the couple cope with the newest hurdle that was thrown at them.

Qhuinn’s brother, Luchas, plays a big role in this story, as well.  I was never a big fan of his, to be honest.  He was in the Honor Guard sent to beat up Qhuinn after all, when his parents removed him from their family line.  I think their parents got what the deserved during the raids, if I’m being honest.  This book takes us back and reminds us of the horrors that Qhuinn endured all because of the eyes he was born with.  My heart broke for him all over again.  However, the story does seem to put a conclusion on it all and hopefully it can remain in Qhuinn’s past as he embraces his future.

This book truly feels like a gift to the fans of the series.  Although if you read this because you saw ‘A Caldwell Christmas’ emblazoned across the front, you will probably be disappointed.  There weren’t a whole lot of Christmas elements here, they are vampires after all and Christmas is for the rats without tails.

This was a bittersweet story that I did really enjoy.  It seemed to bring things full circle, in a way.  And, it left me with all the warm and fuzzies.

And all the Qhuay fans rejoiced.