J.R Ward’s Covet – Fallen Angels, Fangs Not Included
30 Sep, 2009 in All Reviews, Paranormal Romance 22 Comments
I would like to start off with a disclaimer, J.R. Ward is my crack (like smexybooks says) and I also consider myself a bit of a BDB groupie.
If your expecting the Black Dagger Brotherhood sorry, you are so not going to get it with Covet. (Vampire fangs are definitely not included). Actually, it’s best to kind of completely separate the two.(hi-ya! karate chop) Not to worry, there are some BDB cameos! Oh, and did I mention we also get a sneak peak at Lover Mine *fan girl scream*. We love you John Matthew! (holding up hand in sign-language form).
Demons and Angles the final end game, the gloves are off! We are down to seven souls in the balance between good and evil and the first soul up for grabs is Vin diPiero. Jim Heron is the latest coerced Fallen Angel to join the home team. Vin, a powerful, successful businessman has an insatiable, ‘otherworldly’ drive to make it to the top. He is at a crossroads in his life, only shhh, he doesn’t know this yet. Enter Jim, flannel wearing, Harley driving, Fallen Angel. (He’s no Clarence Odbody). With the help of his former co-workers and some not so subliminal TV messages, Jim Heron is up to bat and he has only one chance to get it right.
Meet Marie-Terese, she is also at a crossroads in her life and the former “waitress” *cough cough* of Zero Sum (Lover Avenged), is now employed at the Iron Mask. Marie-Terese is a sinner, but she is also a survivor. I won’t go too much into her current profession you’ll have to read to find out *wiggles eyebrows*. When Vin sees Marie-Terese, the cold, distant shell cracks and he sees his salvation in Marie – T. Throw in a bad-ass demon, some Jerry Springer moments, and sacrifices, makes for a very interesting ball game.
4 Smokin’ Smooches for Covet!!!!!
This is Vin diPiero, Jim Heron and Marie-Terse’s story.
Jim Heron
“You’ve Been chosen for an important mission.” ”Jim Heron, you are going to save the world”.
Marie-T: She is more of a side-door kind of gal.
Closing her eyes, she took long deep breaths. When she went into the club, she would be in the body and the mind of someone else. Someone she didn’t know and wouldn’t care to remember in the future. Someone who disgusted her. Someone she despised.
Vin d (Mr.diPietro if your nasty):
Vin sees dead people, all right. Before they died. He’d thought he’d left all that freaky bullshit behind. He’d done what he’d been told to do, they appeared to work for almost 20 years. He just couldn’t go back to the way it had been before…
Meet the Bad Guy:
Demon was such a nasty word and so damn old school.
My Thoughts
Usually in Wards BDB books, AZ (After Zadist), she tends to focus more on her supporting cast of characters. We still get a little of that in Covet, but instead of dividing the story it actually works as an added bonus while still maintaing Vin and Marie-T as the main focal point. I’ll be honest, I struggled with being ‘in hearts’ with Marie-T. I’m not so narrow-minded about her way of survival, but I just felt that Jim H and Vin were more interesting characters and Marie-T fell a little flat. Not to mention the Pretty Woman overtones, let’s leave that movie in the 80′s shall we. I did find myself murmuring to my inner James Stewart: “Every Time a Bell Rings an Angel get’s it’s wings” with all the fallen angel scenes. I would have liked a little more Angel and by that, a little more oomph as to their story. As far I as I can tell, so far, they are regular Joe’s. I will say that aside from the Pretty Woman overtones, this looks to be the first a promising new series.
I can’t wait for the 2nd inning for this Angels vs. Demon’s ball game. Ward as usual spins a fascinating tale.
Lover Mine 411: Potential Release Date May 6th 2010 (Amazon)!!
Related Reviews: J.R. Ward’s Lover Avenged
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I agree with you there KC, let’s keep Pretty Woman in the 80′s!! I have had quite a few angels this year and I’m curious what Ward will give me
I got enthusiastic about COVET when I heard the romance was taking a bigger role then we have had with the last few BDB novels. Ward can so deliver it for me 
Quote review:Demons and Angles the final end game – down to seven souls in the balance between good and evil.
This sounds very, very good!!! Looking forward to mailman delivering copy
I have to be honest, I’m not quite halfway through and actually had to put it down and start something else. I knew it would not be like the BDB books, which is fine, so I don’t know what my problem is. It’s intersting, I think just not what I want to read right now and it’s silly to force myself. I am going to pick it up again this weekend, sounds like I’ll be happy I did.
marie-terese is so BLAH!!!! GAHHHHHHH. Vin is too.
I loved Jim and the two “others”
I was disappointed…I like the world she has set up but I think she can do a lot more with it.
ps – How hot was JM in the excerpt??
Well, I’m ok with the lack of fangs but please tell me Ward didn’t continue with the name brand dropping and rap music. Please? If that’s absent then I’m good. Jim, flannel wearing, Harley driving, Fallen Angel sounds like my kinda guy, or angel or whatever. If he has tattoos then maybe I’ll even put up with the rap music.
Hopefully I’ll get some time today to get going on this because if YOU liked it, I’m sure I’ll like it. (You know, cool chick syndrome and all.)
Thanks for awesome review K.C.!
I’m so glad I read this before diving into COVET. Now I can be more open minded b/c I was seriously afraid of go in thinkin’ BDB and then being disappointed. Whew!
I’m trying to wrap my head around the concept of Ward and Pretty Woman. Hmmm…
I’m still dying to read it regardless. Thanks again, K.C.!!!
Marie T was so interesting in the BDB series and here I just felt like she was the typical -so much has gone wrong, i’m a helpless woman archetype. Blah, so boring! I would have been happier had she had some balls! I mean come on, a ‘dancer’ who has a college degree and this was the only way she could make money to escape the possibility of a potentially bad ex coming to get her from jail. PLuuuuuuse! (had a little trouble with this one). Hasn’t the ‘hooker with the heart of gold’ been done before? Overall, I felt that the book was a bit of a let down, it just wasn’t special. The angels were just ‘regular joe’s’ as you said and I felt she could have gotten really creative with this new premise.
Leontine
I like Ward, obviously, but I thought she could have delivered a little more Angel and Demon paranormal aspect. I did like that the romance was a little more front and center with this book.
Patti
I felt it almost read like a romantic suspense with a pinch of paranormal. I also wasn’t feeling Marie-T all that much…
Mandi
I’m so with you on this one, it’s like was Marie-T really that desperate to go into her “profession” I felt Ward kinda glossed over that detail. Vin, I did like but he did a complete 180. He started out kind of intense and guarded – then a love sick puppy..mmok. But I kind of liked him either way.
Fiction Vixen
Yep, you know Ward, Slang included. I don’t remember reading about rap music, but she did name drop Guccui and some other high end brands. No mention of Ed Hardey, Thank God!
VFG
It is so hard! I wants to talk about the bk more in depth, but anything I say will totally give it away. I’m trying to be good w/o mentioning too many spoilers. Once you read it, you’ll get the Pretty Woman reference. Let me know what you thought of Marie-T…I felt she was not as interesting as her guest apperance in Lover Avenged. Thanks for stopping by!
Marie K
You do brighten my day with your comments. Even my suspension of disbelief was so not game for the hooker of a heart of gold angle. I agree I maybe watch too much of A&E Intervention where ppl have to hit rock bottom, I felt Marie -K didn’t really hit rock bottom to become a “call-girl” – I think it would have worked with a blackmail angle like Rehv in Lover Avenged, minus the scorpions
I feel like the only person who has never read a JR Ward book…I’m going to have to do something about it-especially after this review! I have an award for you at my place, but you don’t have to do anything with it.
Hi Colette-
If you are not into slang and rap, Ward can be an acquired taste. At least for the BDB series. But I love her, she writes male characters like no other author. I love awards! I must visit!
I’m in the middle of this one and still hoping that it gets better. Ok, perhaps my expectations were to high. I want this book to be good. Ahhhh!!!
I’m ready to get hooked by this book now.
Hi Susi,
I do think the book gets a little better towards the end, it’s just not BDB type of exciting…yet. I think Ward is a lot like Gena Showalter, first book in the series is usually good, but like a fine wine the next books are always better. Fingers crossed for you
Well damn. I put the book away after three chapters of fighting the urge to snore. Now you’re telling me it’s like fine wine? Better with age and all that? I’m going to have to suck it up and read this damn book. I can’t stand missing out on potential goodness. BTW I’m commenting from my iPhone again so if I mess up on the captcha tell you blog to watch it’s back. I’ll be coming for it.
FV
You haz an Iphone?! I wants one, I needs one! I’ll be honest this is not not one of my all time fav books from Ward, not the hot mess that was V’s story – kind of bad. I liked the action, the angels vs. demon angle, the focus on the main characters, but I felt the female lead fell a little flat. Also didn’t care for the Vin 360, but I did like the book. I just didn’t lurve it as much as her BDB bks. Srsly 3 chapters? You haven’t even gotten to the good parts yet. FYI you are not alone, some others mentioned it was hard to get into at first.
Me want an Iphone!!! *whine*
But back to the book. The story is nice but I’m still waiting to lose the urge to start a new book and put this one away. I think my expectations were way to high…
Have a nice weekend.
I think the book is worth sticking to just to meet everyone from Jim’s past…I believe an important person from Jim’s past will continue on in the series.
Plus there are some revelations from some other guys.
Vague, anyone?
This sounds great, I’m waiting for mine to come in from the book depository, but I think I might have go out and buy it today – and give away the other one in a contest or something. We are featuring this on a group review site Blog with Bite and can’t wait. I love your site, and the wit that goes into your writing. Keep it up. I’m now following.
ParaJunkee
Great review!! I’m going to wipe my mind clear of BDB and go in with a clean slate. I still haven’t received my copy of Covet yet. I really want to read it but it probably won’t be until Nov. before I can.
Good idea Donna. I think that was my problem, I should have had a BDB lobotomy before I tried Covet. Not too late, I’ll have to see if the surgeon can fit me in soon so I can give Covet another go.
BDB lobotomy…?! I admit my excitement for J.R. Ward sometimes gets me too excited, as in I have to go have a time-out before I can read it.
Donna
You have to wait until Nov to read Covet?! My sympathies.
Susi-
I think Ward’s other Fallen Angel bks will be “more exciting” I think her first one was a little slow, but I think Ward will kick it up a notch in her next book.
Mandi
You are always like 5 steps ahead of me. I got that feeling as well about meeting all the ppl of Jim’s past. Now I want to read Jim’s HEA!
FV
I thought Kate Douglas was for a lobotomy..?
Parajunkee
I’m chuckling b/c I’ve done that a time or two. My instant gratification is so bad that I can’t even order new release online anymore, no matter how attractive the FREE shipping can be. I just have to have it! Such a good idea to do a giveaway