Dark Lover

Scary alpha vampires with hearts of gold.

So I’ve heard rave reviews about J. R. Ward’s "Black Dagger Brotherhood" for years but I’d never picked up the series. But after recently reading articles about upcoming titles in the series, I decided to check them out. Dark Lover introduces the brotherhood of warrior vampires—formed to protect their now dying race—just as one of their number is killed before he can convince their leader, Wrath, to look after his halfling child. To fulfill his fallen brother’s dying wish, Wrath vows to protect Beth and comes into her life as she is about to come into her Vampire powers. Their meeting starts a chain reaction that will change the course of the Vampire race.

This has sarcastic, funny, and honorable warriors as well as action, suspense and an overarching plot that made me grab up the next three. Fans of Sherrilyn Kenyon, Kelley Armstrong, and Thea Harrison take note.