In the ninth entry in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, Ward picks up on plot threads from Lover Unbound (2007) to tell the story of Payne, twin to vampire warrior Vishous. Payne is finally released from their mother's realm only to find herself trapped in her own immobilized body after an accident. Dr. Jane Whitcomb has died, sending her former colleague, Dr. Manny Manello, into a tailspin. He now has to accept not only that Jane is a ghost who can turn corporeal, but also that she is married to a vampire with a paralyzed sister. Yet even these shocking events don't prepare him for the desperate yearning Payne awakens in him. New enemies and traumas from the past keep the pages turning with a blend of raw nerve and poignancy.--Davis, Nina C. Copyright 2010 Booklist

In Ward's new Black Dagger Brotherhood novel, a secondary storyline overshadows the primary romance between a vampire and her human doctor. The long-suffering Payne, brought into the corporeal world after years of imprisonment in Lover Mine, now faces possible paralysis. Her twin brother, Vishous, will do anything to save his recently discovered sister, allowing his wife Jane to involve her human former boss, Dr. Manny Manello, in Payne's recovery. Though the doctor and Payne's love affair should remain the focus, V's rocky relationship with Jane offers more intensity because of the pleasure, pain, and healing elements involved. Ward's world works better when the hero is a Brother-vampirism, kink, and "scary dude" go hand-in-hand. Readers will connect the dots between the twins and the move from Europe to the Brother's stronghold in Caldwell by Xcor, a vampire with vengeance on his mind. On the other hand, Qhuinn's growing despondence over his secret love for Blay is little more than a place mark for a future book. (Apr.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.