Author: J.R.Ward
Rating: X (for
explicit sex scenes (m/f and m/m)
Bookshelves: 2013,
Black Dagger Brotherhood, Caldwell (NY), J.R. Ward, New York, paranormal
romance, romance, urban fantasy, vampires
Begun: March
26, 2013
Finished: March 26, 2013
Media Type: hardcover book
Setting: Caldwell,
New York (suburb of New York City)
Characters: Qhuinn,
Blaylock, Saxton, John Matthew, Wrath, Tohr, Rhage, Zsadist, Phurry, Layla,
iAm, Trez, Beth,
Synopsis: Qhuinn
is a male on the edge. He has been half in almost every world available to him
as a male born into the glymera. Born with the “physical defect” of one blue
and one green eye, Qhuinn was disowned from his family after his transition
when his eyes did not correct themselves. He’s always been made to feel like a
freak and unloved from almost everyone in his life. Everyone, that is, except
Blaylock (Blay), his best friend in the entire world. He best friend until Blay
admitted to Qhuinn that he loved him and Qhuinn did not reciprocate. Time has
passed, though, and Blay has moved on … to Qhuinn’s cousin, Saxton.
Qhuinn has finally realized
that the emotions he’s feeling towards his former bestie is a little more than
friendship. But is it … love? How much more of a freak would that make him if
he were … gay? But something deep inside is churning and the fates have
something in store for Qhuinn and Blay. They can never go back to being best
friends, but can they become something more than that?
And will either of them get
past the hurt and unspoken emotions that they both feel to realize that there
is something they both need in the other?
Review: I
loved this book. I have been waking for my Qhuay for so long. These two boys
were meant for each other since day one.
[HERE BE SPOILERS]
You knew this was coming.
You knew the romance and the love would be there. But, damn Ward, you made me
hurt so much before they came together. Almost right away (well ok in the first
50 pages), I was already in tears. There is a part when Qhuinn gets his Hummer
stolen and flipped and Blay ends up in the tow truck with him while they are
bring it back to the Brother’s compound. Qhuinn has no idea what to say to Blay
who knows that he has slept with Layla (the Chosen whom he serviced during her
needing in Lover Reborn (Tohr’s book)) and gotten her pregnant. Qhuinn just
stares at Blay because he has no idea how to tell his best friend and the only
person who has ever given two shits about him that he feels like he betrayed
him and cheated on him with Layla (whom Qhuinn knows he serviced because both
he and Layla have never really had family and they want to create family). When
Blay all but says “so what,” Qhuinn takes off out of the truck and Blay stops
him, telling him that they can’t go back to the way they were before (before
Blay told Qhuinn he was in love with him and Qhuinn didn't reciprocate) but
that they should be civil to each other since they have to work together. And
Qhuinn believes that Blay no longer loves him and (like I said) Ward just
breaks your heart.
I wouldn’t want it any other way though. Blay and Qhuinn need the heart break and hurt so that they can work their way to a place of peace for both of them. Ward out did herself this time. The book is beautiful and transcends the stupid “oh, it’s a book about gays” bullshit. It’s a beautifully written masterpiece of the romance genre where one heart finds both its pieces and becomes one again. I found myself crying and laughing at the same time. Ward is an excellent writer who weaves in pop culture and humor into all of her novels.
As always, this book will
be reread numerous times and enjoyed more and more each time I get my hands on
it. And, as always, I can’t wait to read more of the adventures of the BDB.
In my
opinion, this book gets:
