Overall, Lover Forbidden was a tepid addition to the Black Dagger Brotherhood lineup. ~ Under the Covers

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. This post contains affiliate links. That means we receive a small commission at no cost to you from any purchases you make through these links.

Do you ever pick up a book from a beloved series and find yourself wondering if the magic is fading? That was exactly my vibe with Lover Forbidden by J.R. Ward. I went into the latest installment of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series expecting that familiar punch of vampire warfare, fierce mates, and emotional thrills, and while some pieces hit, the whole just didn’t land the way earlier entries did for me.

It feels like death is everywhere right now.

What is Lover Forbidden about?

In Lover Forbidden, the children of the Brothers we all know and love are getting their shot at center stage, and this book proves they had big shoes to fill. 

Lyric, daughter of Blaylock, Qhuinn, Layla and Xcor, and twin sister of Rhampage, has made a name for herself as an influencer. But just as she plans her escape from the spotlight in hopes of doing something more meaningful, her life is saved by a strong and silent stranger with much to hide. Devlin never planned to get entangled with the vampires, that’s more his father’s schtick, but now that he’s met Lyric, it’s hard to stay away. But as the war between the vampires and Lessers continues, and the Black Dagger Brotherhood adjusts to having its king back, both Lyric and Devlin find themselves more entwined in the fight around them than they ever imagined. 

Lash isn’t coming back here. He’s an asshole, but I promised him a blow job later and I’m very good at that. He’s missed me, the piece of shit—and I’m doing my damnedest to not be charmed by that.

Lover Forbidden by J.R. Ward Book Review

I wish I could say I loved and devoured Lover Forbidden. There were a lot of elements I did really like, but none of it came together for me like the Black Dagger Brotherhood books used to. I found myself not even truly liking our FMC for much of the story, and spent much of the book wondering why a daughter of prominent members of a secret race of vampires would ever be a social media influencer in the first place. That career path truly seems like the last thing Vishous would ever be okay with, unless the Brotherhood’s new goal is to accidentally let the entire human race in on the fact that vampires exist. So right off the bat, I found myself not really feeling like Lyric and her tired-of-being-popular persona made a lot of sense within the context of the larger series. 

I did enjoy Devlin as a character, though. It was pretty obvious from early on that he was keeping some big secrets about his identity, and I thought the payoff was good once we finally got to his big reveal. Dev and his parentage actually makes previous books a bit more interesting in retrospect, and I’m excited to see if/how Dev might play into the war between the vampires and Lessers in future books. 

Love is magic. And everybody needs magic in their heart. . .

What really carried this book for me, since it wasn’t the FMC, was L.W. and his character development. Little Wrath basically grew up without his father, and having Wrath back in the picture hasn’t been easy for L.W. He’s still trying to find his place as a future king, much like his father struggled with way back in Dark Lover. Unfortunately, that’s not the only way L.W. is following in his father’s footsteps, and this lack of creativity now might be more heartbreaking and disappointing than anything Ward can do to L.W. when he gets his own book in the future.

Overall, Lover Forbidden was a tepid addition to the Black Dagger Brotherhood lineup, giving lackluster leads, a lukewarm romance, and little progression in the war. The best character development came from secondary characters, including a few I wasn’t expecting to see pop up. Most of this book feels like it will remain unimportant in the grand scheme, but I am looking forward to how some of these characters will affect future storylines. A middling book with a few character highlights, Lover Forbidden just didn’t hit the mark for this Black Dagger Brotherhood fan. 

Time is like clay, Lyric. Mold it with your choices and your efforts. Sculpt the hours and the nights and the months and the years. . . create what you want. You have the strength and the determination.

About the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward

The Black Dagger Brotherhood is a long-running paranormal romance series centered on a brotherhood of vampire warriors fighting to defend their race against human “Lessers”. Lover Forbidden by J.R. Ward is the 23rd novel in the main series. The series is known for its intricate world-building, recurring characters, and high emotional stakes. Reading in order is strongly recommended to fully appreciate the character history and relationships. To get started reading the series, check out the Black Dagger Brotherhood reading order here.

Final Thoughts on Lover Forbidden

For longtime fans of the series, Lover Forbidden by J.R. Ward might feel like a filler episode: a few juicy reveals, some next-gen intrigue, but not quite the hit we’ve come to crave. If you’re in it for the legacy drama and breadcrumb character setups, it’s worth the read. Just don’t expect a full feast.

But what did you think? Are you still riding with the Brotherhood, or starting to check out?

You don’t owe me anything, and that includes your truth.

You can explore more here on the blog about the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, J.R. Ward and of course lots more paranormal romance books. But if you’ve read all of them and want something like it, check out my list of books like the Black Dagger Brotherhood series for the same vibes.

Pin this for later