April 2016 Book of the Month & Giveaway
July 5, 2016 03:23 PM Posted by juliannadouglas
Yeah, I know. I’m extremely tardy getting this post up. I hope readers will forgive me, but I was crazy busy during the month of May with preparations to attend the Romance Novel Convention at the beginning of June. Since returning, I’ve been struggling to get back into the swing of things.
I actually had several five-star reads in April, but my favorite was the latest release in one of my all-time favorite series, The Black Dagger Brotherhood. It revisits a couple who were front and center way back in the second book of the series and expands upon their HEA, while also continuing the storylines for many other secondary characters of whom we’re bound to see much more in future books. As is typical for this series, there are lots of things going on which made the book very hard to put down.
Rhage has been suffering from anxiety and generally unsettled feelings, and after a near-death experience at the beginning of the story, he realizes it has to do with seeing his Brothers with their young and knowing that he’ll never have the immortality that goes along with procreating and passing his genes and legacy on to his offspring. He ends up longing for a child when he thought he’d made peace with his and Mary’s infertility a long time ago. It’s hard for him to talk to Mary about all this, because he worries it will make her feel inadequate, which leaves some distance between them.
Mary has been feeling that distance too, but it doesn’t stop her from going to the battlefield to make a desperate bid to save Rhage’s life. However, she feels guilty that she didn’t do it so much for him or even for their relationship, but because, in her work as a therapist, she’s been treating a young female who lost her mother and can’t bear to leave the little girl behind to go join her mate in the Fade.
Then there’s Bitty, the sweet young, who becomes the third character in Rhage and Mary’s story. She’s been through a terrible ordeal and has lost her entire family. Mary and the workers at Safe Place are all she has left in the world. But when she meets Rhage he instantly connects with her in a heartwarming bonding moment. And Bitty and the beast?… absolutely priceless.
I loved, loved, loved reading this book. Rhage recaptured my heart all over again with the way he wears his heart on his sleeve and focuses his attention completely on Mary… and Bitty, of course too. I loved him before in their first book, but I think I developed a whole new appreciation for him after reading this book. And for Mary too. Bitty is sweet and adorable. All of the other characters’ storylines were amazing too, with my favorites being Qhuinn, Blay, and Layla and Assail getting to become a true hero. This book was an absolutely perfect read, and I wouldn’t change a thing about it. That’s why I'm naming J. R. Ward's The Beast as my April Book of the Month. If you enjoy paranormal romance with a sexy vampire hero, a kind heroine who likes to help others, a cute kid, and steamy love scenes that will make you melt then you should definitely give this book a try. Keep reading to learn how you can win a copy for your own library.
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Cover Blurb- Nothing is as it used to be for the Black Dagger Brotherhood. After avoiding war with the Shadows, alliances have shifted and lines have been drawn. The slayers of the Lessening Society are stronger than ever, preying on human weakness to acquire more money, more weapons, more power. But as the Brotherhood readies for an all-out attack on them, one of their own fights a battle within himself… |
And that terrifies him—as well as distances him from his mate. After suffering mortal injury in battle, Rhage must reassess his priorities—and the answer, when it comes to him, rocks his world...and Mary’s. But Mary is on a journey of her own, one that will either bring them closer together or cause a split that neither will recover from...
Read my complete review of The Beast.
Giveaway
If you would like to win a copy of The Beast to see how wonderful it is for yourself, just enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below. One lucky winner will receive their choice of an eBook or print copy of the book. If the winner chooses an eBook, I will gift it to them via the eBook retailer of their choice (Amazon, B & N, or AllRomance). If the winner chooses a print copy, I will have it mailed directly to them via Amazon. Good luck!
International Entrants: You are welcome to enter my contest, but please note that not all eBooks are available in all countries due to copyright restrictions. If this is the case, Amazon does offer an option to trade for a gift card (I'm not sure about B & N or AllRomance). If you choose print, I can mail it to you via the Amazon website that services your country, pending availability and cost. Otherwise I will mail it to you via Amazon's standard international shipping, but it may take up to 6-8 weeks to arrive, and I won't have the capability of tracking the package.
Categories: Book of the Month, Giveaways
Tags: J. R. Ward
