What do you think?
Rate this book
Fallen Angels #3
Envy
A man and a woman tread the lines of danger, desire, and deliverance in the new novel of the Fallen Angels from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.
As the son of a serial killer, homicide detective Thomas "Veck" DelVecchio, Jr., grew up in the shadow of evil. Now, on the knife-edge between civic duty and blind retribution, he atones for the sins of his father- while fighting his inner demons. Assigned to monitor Veck is Internal Affairs officer Sophia Reilly, whose interest in him is both professional and arousingly personal. And Veck and Sophia have another link: Jim Heron, a mysterious stranger with too many answers... to questions that are deadly. When Veck and Sophia are drawn into the ultimate battle between good and evil, their fallen angel savior is the only thing that stands between them and eternal damnation.
As the son of a serial killer, homicide detective Thomas "Veck" DelVecchio, Jr., grew up in the shadow of evil. Now, on the knife-edge between civic duty and blind retribution, he atones for the sins of his father- while fighting his inner demons. Assigned to monitor Veck is Internal Affairs officer Sophia Reilly, whose interest in him is both professional and arousingly personal. And Veck and Sophia have another link: Jim Heron, a mysterious stranger with too many answers... to questions that are deadly. When Veck and Sophia are drawn into the ultimate battle between good and evil, their fallen angel savior is the only thing that stands between them and eternal damnation.
454 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 2011
804 people are currently reading
15631 people want to read
About the author
J.R. Ward
221 books52.4k followersJ.R. Ward is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of numerous novels, including the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. She lives in the South her family.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,290 reviews
February 3, 2018
Spoilers
Blah this book was just okay for me. I didn't really care for the love story part of this book. Veck the hero was likable. The heroine Reilly on the other hand I couldn't stand. The whole book she tells Veck that he can trust her and tell her anything. Then when a bad guy sets Veck up she believes the bad guy. She turns her back on Veck when he needs her most. She not only breaks up with him, without a reason she helps try to build a legal case against him with the aim of putting him in prison. Why because she believes that he is a killer. That is how deep her doubt is for the man she "loves". So I didn't buy their relationship because she didn't stand by her man. The angel/demon plot was just okay as well. I felt it was kinda stalled. Overall just an okay read. It kinda felt like series filler, nothing special.
Blah this book was just okay for me. I didn't really care for the love story part of this book. Veck the hero was likable. The heroine Reilly on the other hand I couldn't stand. The whole book she tells Veck that he can trust her and tell her anything. Then when a bad guy sets Veck up she believes the bad guy. She turns her back on Veck when he needs her most. She not only breaks up with him, without a reason she helps try to build a legal case against him with the aim of putting him in prison. Why because she believes that he is a killer. That is how deep her doubt is for the man she "loves". So I didn't buy their relationship because she didn't stand by her man. The angel/demon plot was just okay as well. I felt it was kinda stalled. Overall just an okay read. It kinda felt like series filler, nothing special.
September 13, 2011
Really!? How did I not know earlier that the hero of this book was going to be Thomas “Veck” DelVecchio, Jr from Lover Unleashed
Gah, how awesome is this? I love the crossover.
This must mean we'll also get to see his partner...Jose del la Cruz, yippee. Endless possibilities here; Butch sightings, Lessers, The Band of Bastards (Throe) and the subsequent headaches leftover from his scrubbing.
The year long wait for Tohr's book just got a little easier! You rock warden.
*Confirmation given at Ward's latest signing (thanks Mahlet) that Throe from the Band Of Bastards will indeed play a role -"has a meaningful moment in it" and that we will see more crossover between the two series in general.
~So here's my Spoiler Free review~
As others have mentioned this is the best yet from Ward’s Fallen Angels series. She seems to have gotten the mix just right here and I found myself completely caught up in the story, it’s romance and all the many sub characters and their ongoing battles. I suppose introducing the hero in the last BDB book didn’t hurt matters, as from the get-go I was wondering how a Vampire attack and Veck’s subsequent “memory loss” was going to be explained. However the two series feel very different to me now, and even though I can still sense the BDB world in the background, its no longer a distraction.(I do become a squealing fan girl when I find those cameos though) Speeding black Escalade in the rain or old landlord in a butlers uniform anyone.
I would describe this as a romance wrapped in urban fantasy. The mix works though, along with Ward’s usual hilarious male banter, excessive product placement, seriously hot love scenes and a few major surprises -which we should see the trickle down effect from for several books to come. I also feel that she finally got the romance right here; I enjoyed Veck and Reilly and found myself rooting for their HEA.
Through some unique world building we also get a much closer look at arch angels Nigel and Colin(who are growing on me) and of course our sexy saviour Jim and his badass fallen angel sidekicks Adrian and Eddie… (Sigh)
Lastly I have to mention Devina. She is just awesome, probably Ward’s best female character to date and a superb villain. Yes she is evil but she is also so much more, what with her therapy sessions, hoarding issues, insecurities and school girl crush on Jim -which let me tell you he uses to his full advantage. Alls fair in love and war bitch.
As with all of Ward’s books there are many characters fighting for POV time; popping us back and forth between hero and heroine, into heaven and hell and the minds of angels, demons and anyone else caught in the crossfire of battle #3. I can honestly say though that I didn’t ever want to skip any of their sections (Lessers) as each POV was an integral part of the story and more than held my interest.
Yes, the WARDen got it right with ENVY and I can’t wait to find out what happens next.
Homicide detective Thomas “Veck” Delvecchio is convinced he’s just killed a man. Haunted by the legacy of his serial killer father and followed by a dark shadow, it was really only a matter of time until he gave in to the dark side. The problem is he doesn’t remember the attack and the evidence says he’s innocent. Sent to monitor Veck is internal affairs officer Sophia Reilly whose interest in Veck grows increasingly personal as they share pizza and a mutual admiration for Victoria’s Secret.
Entwined in their budding romance is Jim Heron, now facing the 3rd round in the ultimate end game of good VS evil. He and his two back up angels have been given the task of battling against the devil for Veck’s very soul.
Bringing our group together is Reilly and Veck’s investigation of missing person Sissy Barton. She is of course being held by Devina (Crave) Jim is determined to find her body and retrieve her soul from hell whatever the consequences which gives him more reason then ever to shadow Veck, who’s own internal struggle is just beginning. Honestly I could go on and on about the plot. So much happens and I‘m not doing it justice here so I will stop. It is intricate, shocking, suspenseful, exciting, sexy and just well played. Cheers
Gah, how awesome is this? I love the crossover.
This must mean we'll also get to see his partner...Jose del la Cruz, yippee. Endless possibilities here; Butch sightings, Lessers, The Band of Bastards (Throe) and the subsequent headaches leftover from his scrubbing.
The year long wait for Tohr's book just got a little easier! You rock warden.
*Confirmation given at Ward's latest signing (thanks Mahlet) that Throe from the Band Of Bastards will indeed play a role -"has a meaningful moment in it" and that we will see more crossover between the two series in general.
~So here's my Spoiler Free review~
As others have mentioned this is the best yet from Ward’s Fallen Angels series. She seems to have gotten the mix just right here and I found myself completely caught up in the story, it’s romance and all the many sub characters and their ongoing battles. I suppose introducing the hero in the last BDB book didn’t hurt matters, as from the get-go I was wondering how a Vampire attack and Veck’s subsequent “memory loss” was going to be explained. However the two series feel very different to me now, and even though I can still sense the BDB world in the background, its no longer a distraction.(I do become a squealing fan girl when I find those cameos though) Speeding black Escalade in the rain or old landlord in a butlers uniform anyone.
I would describe this as a romance wrapped in urban fantasy. The mix works though, along with Ward’s usual hilarious male banter, excessive product placement, seriously hot love scenes and a few major surprises -which we should see the trickle down effect from for several books to come. I also feel that she finally got the romance right here; I enjoyed Veck and Reilly and found myself rooting for their HEA.
Through some unique world building we also get a much closer look at arch angels Nigel and Colin(who are growing on me) and of course our sexy saviour Jim and his badass fallen angel sidekicks Adrian and Eddie… (Sigh)
Lastly I have to mention Devina. She is just awesome, probably Ward’s best female character to date and a superb villain. Yes she is evil but she is also so much more, what with her therapy sessions, hoarding issues, insecurities and school girl crush on Jim -which let me tell you he uses to his full advantage. Alls fair in love and war bitch.
As with all of Ward’s books there are many characters fighting for POV time; popping us back and forth between hero and heroine, into heaven and hell and the minds of angels, demons and anyone else caught in the crossfire of battle #3. I can honestly say though that I didn’t ever want to skip any of their sections (Lessers) as each POV was an integral part of the story and more than held my interest.
Yes, the WARDen got it right with ENVY and I can’t wait to find out what happens next.
Homicide detective Thomas “Veck” Delvecchio is convinced he’s just killed a man. Haunted by the legacy of his serial killer father and followed by a dark shadow, it was really only a matter of time until he gave in to the dark side. The problem is he doesn’t remember the attack and the evidence says he’s innocent. Sent to monitor Veck is internal affairs officer Sophia Reilly whose interest in Veck grows increasingly personal as they share pizza and a mutual admiration for Victoria’s Secret.
Entwined in their budding romance is Jim Heron, now facing the 3rd round in the ultimate end game of good VS evil. He and his two back up angels have been given the task of battling against the devil for Veck’s very soul.
Bringing our group together is Reilly and Veck’s investigation of missing person Sissy Barton. She is of course being held by Devina (Crave) Jim is determined to find her body and retrieve her soul from hell whatever the consequences which gives him more reason then ever to shadow Veck, who’s own internal struggle is just beginning. Honestly I could go on and on about the plot. So much happens and I‘m not doing it justice here so I will stop. It is intricate, shocking, suspenseful, exciting, sexy and just well played. Cheers
April 16, 2018
I can review this one. I just finished it, and it was good.
So, the deal with this series is that it is set in the Black Dagger Brotherhood world. If you haven't read any of those, or don't like them, I wouldn't bother trying this one out. I think one of my favorite things in these books is when there is a familiar character from the BDB world. I get all excited about it, like Buddy from Elf.
So, Jim, our angel has to save four out of seven souls to save humanity from eternal damnation. But, frankly, I got a little irritated that Jim keeps focusing on this chick that has been dead since book one. Dude, focus! Fate of the world, and shit?
Dammit, Jim! Move the fuck on!
The soul up for grab in this book is a cop whose father was a famous serial killer. He thinks he might be turning into one himself, and he's all angsty about it. He's just got a little case of demon possession. What a baby. So you are getting violated in the shower by an unseen evil entity, we all have problems. Today, I went to a new bakery for baked goods and they weren't that good. See, everyone's life sucks.
Huh, I think I'm going to follow this guy around for a while. I have a feeling I might see some man-tears if so.
Our female is also a cop, and I'm not sure that I liked her that much. First of all, she meets a guy and decides to run to Victoria's Secret on her lunch hour to spend over six hundred dollars on lingerie. I can't relate to a girl like that. Every time I read a romance novel where the girl is dropping a hundred bucks on a pair of panties, I can only think about what a waste of money it is. Oh, and then the guy tears them off her, and I'm like "OH, HAIL NO! Do you know how much those things cost, dude? And, they aren't even functional. She's walking around with a wedgie all day with a postage stamp piece of itchy lace on the front. If you really like her, you would buy her a 5-pack of soft cotton Fruit of the Looms that will won't ride up her ass."
And, the prices go up as you go down the list. Panty logic.
Later in the book, the female does something else that irritates the crap out of me. Let's just say that she can turn on a person pretty damn fast. Not the kind of girl who will help you bury a body, and really, I don't need someone in my life who isn't willing to get a shovel for me.
Still, this was a good book. I'm liking the overall storyline that is going on. I love the Black Dagger Brotherhood references, and I even think the villain is kind of a fun evil. She's OTT evil.
On to the next.
So, the deal with this series is that it is set in the Black Dagger Brotherhood world. If you haven't read any of those, or don't like them, I wouldn't bother trying this one out. I think one of my favorite things in these books is when there is a familiar character from the BDB world. I get all excited about it, like Buddy from Elf.
So, Jim, our angel has to save four out of seven souls to save humanity from eternal damnation. But, frankly, I got a little irritated that Jim keeps focusing on this chick that has been dead since book one. Dude, focus! Fate of the world, and shit?
Dammit, Jim! Move the fuck on!
The soul up for grab in this book is a cop whose father was a famous serial killer. He thinks he might be turning into one himself, and he's all angsty about it. He's just got a little case of demon possession. What a baby. So you are getting violated in the shower by an unseen evil entity, we all have problems. Today, I went to a new bakery for baked goods and they weren't that good. See, everyone's life sucks.
Huh, I think I'm going to follow this guy around for a while. I have a feeling I might see some man-tears if so.
Our female is also a cop, and I'm not sure that I liked her that much. First of all, she meets a guy and decides to run to Victoria's Secret on her lunch hour to spend over six hundred dollars on lingerie. I can't relate to a girl like that. Every time I read a romance novel where the girl is dropping a hundred bucks on a pair of panties, I can only think about what a waste of money it is. Oh, and then the guy tears them off her, and I'm like "OH, HAIL NO! Do you know how much those things cost, dude? And, they aren't even functional. She's walking around with a wedgie all day with a postage stamp piece of itchy lace on the front. If you really like her, you would buy her a 5-pack of soft cotton Fruit of the Looms that will won't ride up her ass."
And, the prices go up as you go down the list. Panty logic.
Later in the book, the female does something else that irritates the crap out of me. Let's just say that she can turn on a person pretty damn fast. Not the kind of girl who will help you bury a body, and really, I don't need someone in my life who isn't willing to get a shovel for me.
Still, this was a good book. I'm liking the overall storyline that is going on. I love the Black Dagger Brotherhood references, and I even think the villain is kind of a fun evil. She's OTT evil.
On to the next.
August 19, 2019
Ward’s talent of portraying characters, their emotions, and the labyrinth of their relations is well-known from the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. Envy is like a BDB story, with the same character types, same basic plot elements, same writing style, etc. It is interesting that despite this Ward's heroes and heroines are so memorable: Jim is impressive in this book, Veck is likeable, and Devina is an exquisitely evil character, with a funny maniac personality; she is strong and dangerous enough, but also has weaknesses. But her faceless and nameless minions are just like the Lessers in BDB.
The storyline is predictable, and I really disliked Reilly. Her behavior is inconsequent and/or simply stupid.
The soul that needs to be saved in the following book is revealed at the end of the story, and I couldn't be less interested, so I think I'm going to skip Rapture.
The storyline is predictable, and I really disliked Reilly. Her behavior is inconsequent and/or simply stupid.
The soul that needs to be saved in the following book is revealed at the end of the story, and I couldn't be less interested, so I think I'm going to skip Rapture.
March 9, 2019
Rating Clarification: 1.5 Stars
Dashed Hopes.
After reading Crave (book 2) I thought I was done with this series for good but I decided to give it another final attempt. Well, it didn't pay off.
I didn't dislike Envy, but I didn't like it either. I just wasn't into it, I wasn't interested. Besides I have never been interested in police/detective/crime plots, not in books or movies or TV series; that genre is simply not my cup of tea. The only parts of the books I could manage to rise some curiosity for was the relationship between Veck and Reilly but there was very little of that and it was all mixed up with many other characters POVs that I didn't care about in any way (I skipped some of that to be honest).
I definitely think the Fallen Angel series is not for me. I am a huge HUGE fan of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series but these books are vastly different and don’t work for me.
I am not interested in the romance, I am not interested in the demons versus angels plot, I am not interested in the story lines, and I don’t care about the characters. The whole dynamic of the books is completely different to the BDB series and they just don’t engage me or even grip my attention in any respect. I am so frustrated because I want to like them so much but I don’t.
I can’t wrap my head over it, but I am just not into this series at all. I tried, I really did, but for whatever reason these books don’t make me tick. Why, oh why?
I think I gave the FA series a fair shot trying 3 books, so I doubt I will ever read any more books of this series. I am done with the Fallen Angel series for good.
The Fallen Angel Series is of a different hue than The Black Dagger Brotherhood series and not nearly as good. In my opinion is an enormous disillusion.
Dashed Hopes.
After reading Crave (book 2) I thought I was done with this series for good but I decided to give it another final attempt. Well, it didn't pay off.
I didn't dislike Envy, but I didn't like it either. I just wasn't into it, I wasn't interested. Besides I have never been interested in police/detective/crime plots, not in books or movies or TV series; that genre is simply not my cup of tea. The only parts of the books I could manage to rise some curiosity for was the relationship between Veck and Reilly but there was very little of that and it was all mixed up with many other characters POVs that I didn't care about in any way (I skipped some of that to be honest).
I definitely think the Fallen Angel series is not for me. I am a huge HUGE fan of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series but these books are vastly different and don’t work for me.
I am not interested in the romance, I am not interested in the demons versus angels plot, I am not interested in the story lines, and I don’t care about the characters. The whole dynamic of the books is completely different to the BDB series and they just don’t engage me or even grip my attention in any respect. I am so frustrated because I want to like them so much but I don’t.
I can’t wrap my head over it, but I am just not into this series at all. I tried, I really did, but for whatever reason these books don’t make me tick. Why, oh why?
I think I gave the FA series a fair shot trying 3 books, so I doubt I will ever read any more books of this series. I am done with the Fallen Angel series for good.
The Fallen Angel Series is of a different hue than The Black Dagger Brotherhood series and not nearly as good. In my opinion is an enormous disillusion.
August 17, 2023
Jim Heron along with his sidekicks Eddie and Adrian, are ready to go up against Devina for the third battle between good and evil. This time around, the person he must save is Detective Thomas "Veck" Delvecchio, Jr., the son of a serial killer. Veck believes it is only a matter of time before he walks in his father's footsteps. When he blacks out while staking out an alley while waiting for a killer, he wakes to find his target close to death and believes he is responsible. Internal Affairs Officer Sophia Reilly is assigned to partner Veck while he is working cold cases. She doesn't believe Veck killed anyone and thinks she may be able to prove it.
Veck decides to work the case of Sissy Barton, a young woman wo disappeared one night and was never seen again. This brings Veck and Reilly in touch with Jim Heron who has vowed to retrieve Sissy's body for her family and save her soul from Devina's well of souls.
This is the third book in the Fallen Angels series. I enjoyed this addition to the series. I liked the relationship between Veck and Reilly, and the battle between Jim and Devina. If you're new the series, start with book one or you'll be lost. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
Veck decides to work the case of Sissy Barton, a young woman wo disappeared one night and was never seen again. This brings Veck and Reilly in touch with Jim Heron who has vowed to retrieve Sissy's body for her family and save her soul from Devina's well of souls.
This is the third book in the Fallen Angels series. I enjoyed this addition to the series. I liked the relationship between Veck and Reilly, and the battle between Jim and Devina. If you're new the series, start with book one or you'll be lost. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
October 3, 2011
Despite a few slow parts, I found this latest Fallen Angels book very entertaining. And you know who (I think) is the most entertaining character of this whole series? Devina! She's soooo evil, she soooo bad--that she's good! (And I find her much more interesting than Ward's BDB villain, the Omega.) I'm really getting into her twisted relationship with the 'savior' Jim, and how she desires him so much, and how he seems to have the upper hand with her and is using her weakness for him against her. (Or at least trying to.) I can't wait to see where those two end up. Stay strong, Jim!
Now, about this one. I liked the character of Thomas Delvecchio Jr. (Veck). A lot. Imagine being the son of a serial killer, and with the same name (although the first thing I would've done was change my name)! I liked how Veck had that internal struggle going between good and evil--I like a flawed character, and I liked how Veck struggled with controlling his dark side. What a horrible, horrible childhood he had...and to overcome his father's 'legacy' and pursue a career in law enforcement...kudos to Veck. Many times my heart just broke for him. I thought he was a stand-up, honest character (even if he had those occasional violent thoughts) and I didn't really believe that he was going to be capable of falling into Devina's clutches.
Veck...
Loved Internal Affairs officer Sophie Reilly too. Great character. Tough, smart, no-nonsense, no frills, but with a feminine side. (Loved that whole Victoria's Secret shopping scene; loved her inner thoughts about Veck's attractiveness). Loved her relationship with Veck, too. Loved their thoughts and their dialogue. Hot. (Read chapter 33...) I was really rooting for them. I was a little disappointed with her when she
As I said, there were some slow parts, put the pace really picked up the last 100 pages or so. I did not want to put it down, and couldn't wait for the final showdown involving Veck, Jim, and Devina. Who would win the battle for Veck's soul--the angel Jim, or the devil Devina? I'm not saying, except man, my heart was pounding, and I kept thinking "Don't do it, Veck. Don't listen to her."
Some other thoughts:
*Lots and lots of "Ward-isms" here, which sometimes gets a bit distracting. Sometimes they're clever and funny, but a little of it goes a long way.
*Eddie--
*One of my favorite lines: (Jim speaking to Veck about Ad) "You kill him and I'm going to strangle you with your own colon." For some reason that just made me laugh.
*Was this a BDB sighting? "From out of nowhere, a massive black SUV roared by in the middle lane, the Escalade splashing up gallons of water over Reilly's hood and obscuring the view".
Bottom line for me--no, this series isn't quite up to BDB standards (yet). Jim Heron is no Zsadist, Rhage, Vishous or Butch. He's not that memorable or charismatic, yet. But with each book he's growing on me. But...if you're a fan of Ward's writing style and storytelling skills, you should have no problem with finding this series entertaining. I like this whole good vs. evil battle going on between Jim and Devina, and I can't even imagine what's going to happen in the final book. I'm curious what will happen with Jim and Sissy--will she end up being his HEA? What will become of Adrian and Eddie? Will any BDB characters make their way into this series? These are the questions that will have me coming back for more...although, is . Whatever...I have faith that Ms. Ward can make it interesting. 4 1/2 stars
Now, about this one. I liked the character of Thomas Delvecchio Jr. (Veck). A lot. Imagine being the son of a serial killer, and with the same name (although the first thing I would've done was change my name)! I liked how Veck had that internal struggle going between good and evil--I like a flawed character, and I liked how Veck struggled with controlling his dark side. What a horrible, horrible childhood he had...and to overcome his father's 'legacy' and pursue a career in law enforcement...kudos to Veck. Many times my heart just broke for him. I thought he was a stand-up, honest character (even if he had those occasional violent thoughts) and I didn't really believe that he was going to be capable of falling into Devina's clutches.
Veck...
Loved Internal Affairs officer Sophie Reilly too. Great character. Tough, smart, no-nonsense, no frills, but with a feminine side. (Loved that whole Victoria's Secret shopping scene; loved her inner thoughts about Veck's attractiveness). Loved her relationship with Veck, too. Loved their thoughts and their dialogue. Hot. (Read chapter 33...) I was really rooting for them. I was a little disappointed with her when she
As I said, there were some slow parts, put the pace really picked up the last 100 pages or so. I did not want to put it down, and couldn't wait for the final showdown involving Veck, Jim, and Devina. Who would win the battle for Veck's soul--the angel Jim, or the devil Devina? I'm not saying, except man, my heart was pounding, and I kept thinking "Don't do it, Veck. Don't listen to her."
Some other thoughts:
*Lots and lots of "Ward-isms" here, which sometimes gets a bit distracting. Sometimes they're clever and funny, but a little of it goes a long way.
*Eddie--
*One of my favorite lines: (Jim speaking to Veck about Ad) "You kill him and I'm going to strangle you with your own colon." For some reason that just made me laugh.
*Was this a BDB sighting? "From out of nowhere, a massive black SUV roared by in the middle lane, the Escalade splashing up gallons of water over Reilly's hood and obscuring the view".
Bottom line for me--no, this series isn't quite up to BDB standards (yet). Jim Heron is no Zsadist, Rhage, Vishous or Butch. He's not that memorable or charismatic, yet. But with each book he's growing on me. But...if you're a fan of Ward's writing style and storytelling skills, you should have no problem with finding this series entertaining. I like this whole good vs. evil battle going on between Jim and Devina, and I can't even imagine what's going to happen in the final book. I'm curious what will happen with Jim and Sissy--will she end up being his HEA? What will become of Adrian and Eddie? Will any BDB characters make their way into this series? These are the questions that will have me coming back for more...although, is . Whatever...I have faith that Ms. Ward can make it interesting. 4 1/2 stars
September 7, 2011
I didn't care much for Detective DelVecchio when JR Ward introduced him in Lover Unleashed. In fact, I wondered what the hell his side-story was even doing in that book, since it had little or no relation to anything else in the storyline. Obviously, the plan was drive Black Dagger Brotherhood fans to the Fallen Angel series... and I think the idea was kind of off-putting. I would have read this book anyway, but I hated the idea that Ward stuffed its set-up into LU... a novel that was already fractured with so many storylines, the main characters were barely the focus at all.
That being said, in his own novel, Veck makes for a pretty interesting lead. He is haunted by the legacy of his serial killer father and a darkness that he has always carried within himself. And as our book begins, he is convinced that he is responsible for that attack on another serial killer named Kroner. Reilly is the Internal Affairs officer sent in to investigate. And she becomes his temporary partner while the police try to figure out what really happened to Kroner. Together, they begin to investigate the disappearance of Sissy Barten... the young virgin Devina killed in Covet. Veck thinks Kroner had something to do with it, since Sissy disappeared around the same time as his other victims.
In the meantime, Jim is determined he will find Sissy's body and somehow get her soul back from Devina. And his single-minded focus is causing a rift with his back-up angels Ad & Eddie. At times, the Jim and Sissy vibe comes across as a borderline romantic possibility... which bothers me. Sissy is 19. Jim is 40. Yes, they're actually both dead, but it's still squicky. And with Veck working Sissy's disappearance (and obviously with him being the soul in need of saving for the book) Jim has twice the motivation to be a part of his life.
I found that I liked the storyline of Veck's internal struggle, though how Devina got her hooks into him via his father wasn't entirely clear to me. As with all Ward books, the sex was rockin' -- though I was disappointed with Reilly for her lack of faith at a pivotal time. The real meat of the book for me, though, centered on Jim, Ad & Eddie. Some pretty powerful developments take place within their dynamic and we can expect the repercussions to continue into future books. We're also tipped off on the identity of the soul in question for the next book. It's a familiar face, but I don't know how I feel about it.
Overall, it was a solid installment in the series... very consistent in tone to the books that came before it. 4 stars.
That being said, in his own novel, Veck makes for a pretty interesting lead. He is haunted by the legacy of his serial killer father and a darkness that he has always carried within himself. And as our book begins, he is convinced that he is responsible for that attack on another serial killer named Kroner. Reilly is the Internal Affairs officer sent in to investigate. And she becomes his temporary partner while the police try to figure out what really happened to Kroner. Together, they begin to investigate the disappearance of Sissy Barten... the young virgin Devina killed in Covet. Veck thinks Kroner had something to do with it, since Sissy disappeared around the same time as his other victims.
In the meantime, Jim is determined he will find Sissy's body and somehow get her soul back from Devina. And his single-minded focus is causing a rift with his back-up angels Ad & Eddie. At times, the Jim and Sissy vibe comes across as a borderline romantic possibility... which bothers me. Sissy is 19. Jim is 40. Yes, they're actually both dead, but it's still squicky. And with Veck working Sissy's disappearance (and obviously with him being the soul in need of saving for the book) Jim has twice the motivation to be a part of his life.
I found that I liked the storyline of Veck's internal struggle, though how Devina got her hooks into him via his father wasn't entirely clear to me. As with all Ward books, the sex was rockin' -- though I was disappointed with Reilly for her lack of faith at a pivotal time. The real meat of the book for me, though, centered on Jim, Ad & Eddie. Some pretty powerful developments take place within their dynamic and we can expect the repercussions to continue into future books. We're also tipped off on the identity of the soul in question for the next book. It's a familiar face, but I don't know how I feel about it.
Overall, it was a solid installment in the series... very consistent in tone to the books that came before it. 4 stars.
September 10, 2011
Caldwell is the PNR/UF version of Sunnydale (from Buffy, just in case you live under a rock!), all the supernatural shit goes down there! You have a Brotherhood of vampires and now we are battling demons to make sure Hell doesn't come bubbling up. Sounds like a crappy place to live, you are likely to either be killed by the Omega or have your soul destroyed by a demon; however, the payoff may just be worth it, Caldwell also seems to be the centre of the hot-man-universe packed full of gorgeous males so manly they make Arnie shrivel up, so yeah it may be dangerous but my Oestrogen is begging me to pack up and move in.
Anyway to Envy, I really loved it, it seems to have struck a good balance, in Covet there was a lot of romance and in Crave there was a lot of UF, this one seems to have struck the balance between the two. It manages to move the main plot with Jim et al on, with a few really shocking twists, seriously this book needs a Kleenex warning, but it also has a really great romance in it as well.
Veck, if you are up to date on Black Dagger Brotherhood then you will recognize him from Lover Unleashed, if you don't then you need to read it IMMEDIATLEY! I really liked him, he is the typical JR Ward male, tough and protective with a dark edge and she had me lapping him up (ha! If only!) And Sophia Reilly I really liked her as well, I liked that although she was a tough Internal Affairs agent who took no BS, she was also feminine and I loved hearing he pervy thoughts about Veck, I was reading some of those comments thinking "I am sure I have posted something similar to that on Good Reads!" She was my kind of girl!
What I also like about this series is Devina, I love that I hate her, she is a bad guy that you can get properly riled up about, she isn't half assed about being evil she goes all the way and not only that she poses a credible threat. There is nothing more off putting then a bad guy that can be defeated by your 5 year old nephew with a big stick, Devina isn't one of those!
Another great instalment in the series and my favourite so far and I really can't wait to see what happens next, roll on the next book
Brother Spotting
I noticed two!
1. Escalade flying past at the beginning, I was getting the Butch vibes!
2. Throe right at the end doing his Grim Reaper impression
Anyway to Envy, I really loved it, it seems to have struck a good balance, in Covet there was a lot of romance and in Crave there was a lot of UF, this one seems to have struck the balance between the two. It manages to move the main plot with Jim et al on, with a few really shocking twists, seriously this book needs a Kleenex warning, but it also has a really great romance in it as well.
Veck, if you are up to date on Black Dagger Brotherhood then you will recognize him from Lover Unleashed, if you don't then you need to read it IMMEDIATLEY! I really liked him, he is the typical JR Ward male, tough and protective with a dark edge and she had me lapping him up (ha! If only!) And Sophia Reilly I really liked her as well, I liked that although she was a tough Internal Affairs agent who took no BS, she was also feminine and I loved hearing he pervy thoughts about Veck, I was reading some of those comments thinking "I am sure I have posted something similar to that on Good Reads!" She was my kind of girl!
What I also like about this series is Devina, I love that I hate her, she is a bad guy that you can get properly riled up about, she isn't half assed about being evil she goes all the way and not only that she poses a credible threat. There is nothing more off putting then a bad guy that can be defeated by your 5 year old nephew with a big stick, Devina isn't one of those!
Another great instalment in the series and my favourite so far and I really can't wait to see what happens next, roll on the next book
Brother Spotting
I noticed two!
1. Escalade flying past at the beginning, I was getting the Butch vibes!
2. Throe right at the end doing his Grim Reaper impression
September 19, 2011
This book had so much of what I love about JR Ward’s books. I like how she writes male protagonists and their interactions with each other. Ward has an interesting idea on the urban fantasy world, she makes it fun to read. I did feel it was too long, I ended up skimming some parts and felt I did not miss anything. Normally I really enjoy different points of view, Wards seems to do this well in her BDB series but the switches from Nigel, to Colin, to Sophia, to Veck and back and forth seemed to be done in a choppy way that it was really frustrating. So a definite weak point. Everything Ward fans love is in this book. I see this book as very different than the first two in this series (each which were different from each other in my opinion), this book appeared to be an attempt to capture Ward’s successful Black Dagger Brotherhood feel and bring it to this series. At first for me, this read was just good fun. The romance was good, the passion was good, the characters are interesting. But too much was like the BDB series and it was such a departure from the first two books in this series that it just seemed well like a copy of BDB. The fights with the lesser …. er … I mean demons, well they read almost play by play like the fights with the lesser – and how the demons are ultimate destroyed? Just seems way to close to killing lesser. The angels Eddie and Ad could fit right in with the BDB – similar clothing, similar language, similar age (i.e. ancient), similar method of traveling (flashing/dematerializing to places), partying hard, drinking hard, sharing women in bathrooms – wait these are angels right? I have no problem with angels – fallen angels – having fun. But there was one scene in this book Again, I have no problem with sex scenes, I have no problem if they are not forwarding the plot but this, this was just bizarre in the sense that the scene contradicted the nature of who these men are? It felt like I was reading a scene between Blay and Quinn or any other brothers. Another area in which I felt that Ward was incorporating her BDB world, Colin and Nigel used similar language as to the older vamps in BDB. Just too much cross over. I love the guilty fun of BDB and I will continue reading all the BDB books she puts out, but this seemed to me to be an attempt to capture her fan base and the popularity of BDB capitalizing on a few features she knows fans seem to really appreciate in the other series.
Yes, yes yes it was fun to *see* the sightings of the brothers and to have the partial cross over in story.
Yes, yes yes it was fun to *see* the sightings of the brothers and to have the partial cross over in story.
July 6, 2025
Envy by J.R. Ward
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Suspense
5+ Stars
Once you start, you will not be able to stop!
This is the 3rd book in the series and the best yet! I can't wait to read #4.
J. R. Ward is an awesome writer.
Her story flows, her characters are 3 dimensional. You get so caught up in the story you feel like you are IN the story. You are a part of it. You cannot put it down. I've read a lot of J. R. Ward's books and I have never been disappointed. Somehow each book reaches out, grabs you and just will not let go!
If you haven't read this series yet, DO NOT HESITATE! You don't want to miss this series. It is an emotional roller coaster that keeps you on the edge NOT knowing what will happen next!!
Can I give this 6 stars!
The souls in this one belong to Thomas "Veck" DelVecchio, Jr. & Sophia Reilly. My favorite couple so far. And wow! The steam they brought to the pages.
Devina......I hate to say a demon can make you laugh, but... But! She makes you laugh & hate her at the same time. Then she makes you.... Oh just read it. I am not going to write the book and tell you too much. I will say Devina & Jim make great adversaries and they both have me hooked on this series.
As weird as this sounds, I would like some kind of HEA or HNA for both of them.
IKR! How could you want a Happy for a demon! But there are times that I feel for Devina.
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Suspense
5+ Stars
Once you start, you will not be able to stop!
This is the 3rd book in the series and the best yet! I can't wait to read #4.
J. R. Ward is an awesome writer.
Her story flows, her characters are 3 dimensional. You get so caught up in the story you feel like you are IN the story. You are a part of it. You cannot put it down. I've read a lot of J. R. Ward's books and I have never been disappointed. Somehow each book reaches out, grabs you and just will not let go!
If you haven't read this series yet, DO NOT HESITATE! You don't want to miss this series. It is an emotional roller coaster that keeps you on the edge NOT knowing what will happen next!!
Can I give this 6 stars!
The souls in this one belong to Thomas "Veck" DelVecchio, Jr. & Sophia Reilly. My favorite couple so far. And wow! The steam they brought to the pages.
Devina......I hate to say a demon can make you laugh, but... But! She makes you laugh & hate her at the same time. Then she makes you.... Oh just read it. I am not going to write the book and tell you too much. I will say Devina & Jim make great adversaries and they both have me hooked on this series.
As weird as this sounds, I would like some kind of HEA or HNA for both of them.
IKR! How could you want a Happy for a demon! But there are times that I feel for Devina.
January 6, 2023
Veck ha luchado por mantenerse en lado "bueno" controlando su rabia y sus impulsos asesinos, pero cuando una noche despierta al lado de un hombre destrozado (un asesino que estaba persiguiendo), y el no recuerda nada, cree que el lo hizo, esta tan convencido que se lo dice a todos los policias que le preguntan, incluyendo a la hermosa oficial de Asuntos Internos. Asi que cuando la asignan a ella para vigilarlo mientras continua la investigacion, sabe que no puede actuar en su atraccion hacia ella. Pero al parecer ella siente lo mismo y poco a poco, no solo comienzan a trabajar bien juntos, sino que comienzan a desarrollar sentimientos por el otro. Pero que pasara cuando lo inculpen de un crimen que no cometio? Ella seguira de su lado o lo entregara? Podra controlar su lado "malvado"? Se convertira en alguien como su padre?
Por otro lado, la guerra entre el bien y mal esta cobrando mas victimas, Devina esta usando todos sus trucos para desestabilizar a los 3 angeles, sabiendo que si logra separarlos ella puede ganar. Pero no cuenta con la fuerza de Adrian ni la astucia de Jim, asi como el apoyo de los arcangeles. Y aunque tengan perdidas, saben que la unica forma de salir de esta es vencer a Devina. Pero estos enfrentamientos los llevaran a una aceptacion y a una madurez que ninguno de ellos espera, asi que quizas la guerra entre el bien y el mal, no sea solo contra Devina, sino tambien contra ellos mismos.
Este libro fue muchisimo mas interesante que el anterior, pero no por el romance, sino por todo el sub-mundo creado. En este libro conocemos mucho mejor como se desenvuelven los arcangeles, sus relaciones, sus vidas y su mundo, pero tambien conocemos sus esperanzas y problemas. Ademas, vemos como poco a poco Jim va aceptando su poder y como Adrian se da cuenta que deben mantenerse unidos y apoyar las decisiones de Jim.
Ademas, vemos como el universo de "Black Dagger Brotherhood" se entrelaza con este, en un momento, lo que nos permite saber que ambos universos pueden unirse en cualquier otro momento y quizas un poco mas profundamente.
En fin, la historia general esta interesante, y como quiero saber como va a terminar la guerra voy a seguir leyendo la serie.
Por otro lado, la guerra entre el bien y mal esta cobrando mas victimas, Devina esta usando todos sus trucos para desestabilizar a los 3 angeles, sabiendo que si logra separarlos ella puede ganar. Pero no cuenta con la fuerza de Adrian ni la astucia de Jim, asi como el apoyo de los arcangeles. Y aunque tengan perdidas, saben que la unica forma de salir de esta es vencer a Devina. Pero estos enfrentamientos los llevaran a una aceptacion y a una madurez que ninguno de ellos espera, asi que quizas la guerra entre el bien y el mal, no sea solo contra Devina, sino tambien contra ellos mismos.
Este libro fue muchisimo mas interesante que el anterior, pero no por el romance, sino por todo el sub-mundo creado. En este libro conocemos mucho mejor como se desenvuelven los arcangeles, sus relaciones, sus vidas y su mundo, pero tambien conocemos sus esperanzas y problemas. Ademas, vemos como poco a poco Jim va aceptando su poder y como Adrian se da cuenta que deben mantenerse unidos y apoyar las decisiones de Jim.
Ademas, vemos como el universo de "Black Dagger Brotherhood" se entrelaza con este, en un momento, lo que nos permite saber que ambos universos pueden unirse en cualquier otro momento y quizas un poco mas profundamente.
En fin, la historia general esta interesante, y como quiero saber como va a terminar la guerra voy a seguir leyendo la serie.
September 3, 2011
All though Envy was my least favorite so far of the Fallen Angels series, it still held my undivided attention throughout the entire book and I still finished it in 2 nights, and it definitely was still a 4 star book.
Whatever Ward does, whatever twists and turns she puts within the plots that we as readers do not want to see or agree with, no matter what, the woman can create a great hero. Envy like the others in the series, has heros in abundance. Let's start with who is supposed to be our main man, Veck. Veck is a new Detective in the Caldwell PD. He is fighting his inner demons (literally) all the while fighting to stay away from, yet get closer to his new partner, Reilly. Veck was the none conventional tortured hero. The torture for Veck was not physical, it was living with the fact that his father was one of the most notorious serial killers ever. His crossroads was easy for Jim Heron to identify. And then onto Jim Heron. Oh Jim, I love him so much! He is the same smooth, tough, ass kicking angel that we've seen before with a little bit of softy thrown in. I have to say he is on my top ten favorite heros list. And finally Adrian. This guy is so fleshed out and open to us I feel like I can reach through the pages and hold him to make the hurt go away. And oh how I would love to.
The weakness in Envy, I felt had to be the heroine, Sophia Reilly. She seemed just like a card board cut out to me. Almost like, Ward could have put any heroine from any book into her spot, made her a cop and viola! You have Veck's lady. Poor Veck. I felt he deserved someone better. I never learned why Reilly became a cop. I was never convinced why, with the exception of that he was hot, she fell for Veck. And most of all, all though she was a police officer, who are just supposed to be automatically tough as nails characters, she was an unbelievably gullible push over. It was so easy for her to be convinced that Veck was a bad guy. At that point I lost all faith in and respect for Reilly. Stand by your man dammit!
Overall I was very satisfied with this new Fallen Angels installment. And once again I'm going to sulk and whine because I have to wait another year for the next one to come out. Lucky for us we were thrown a big bone as to who the next cross roads guy is. And isn't that little tid bit exciting.
Whatever Ward does, whatever twists and turns she puts within the plots that we as readers do not want to see or agree with, no matter what, the woman can create a great hero. Envy like the others in the series, has heros in abundance. Let's start with who is supposed to be our main man, Veck. Veck is a new Detective in the Caldwell PD. He is fighting his inner demons (literally) all the while fighting to stay away from, yet get closer to his new partner, Reilly. Veck was the none conventional tortured hero. The torture for Veck was not physical, it was living with the fact that his father was one of the most notorious serial killers ever. His crossroads was easy for Jim Heron to identify. And then onto Jim Heron. Oh Jim, I love him so much! He is the same smooth, tough, ass kicking angel that we've seen before with a little bit of softy thrown in. I have to say he is on my top ten favorite heros list. And finally Adrian. This guy is so fleshed out and open to us I feel like I can reach through the pages and hold him to make the hurt go away. And oh how I would love to.
The weakness in Envy, I felt had to be the heroine, Sophia Reilly. She seemed just like a card board cut out to me. Almost like, Ward could have put any heroine from any book into her spot, made her a cop and viola! You have Veck's lady. Poor Veck. I felt he deserved someone better. I never learned why Reilly became a cop. I was never convinced why, with the exception of that he was hot, she fell for Veck. And most of all, all though she was a police officer, who are just supposed to be automatically tough as nails characters, she was an unbelievably gullible push over. It was so easy for her to be convinced that Veck was a bad guy. At that point I lost all faith in and respect for Reilly. Stand by your man dammit!
Overall I was very satisfied with this new Fallen Angels installment. And once again I'm going to sulk and whine because I have to wait another year for the next one to come out. Lucky for us we were thrown a big bone as to who the next cross roads guy is. And isn't that little tid bit exciting.
November 15, 2011
Ugh . . . I need a witness! It can be quietly, in your own mind as to not upset your J.R. Ward group 'friends", or to keep the obvious from your lips but can someone please back me up!!
Ward's faux ghetto diatribes have become the most annoying thing since parachute pants. Hammer was not badass for strutting around in 25 yards of fabric and J.R. Ward's characters are not fiercer for trying to sound like they're "Straight Outta Compton", leave that to NWA, m'kay!
Here are some examples:
CPDers - really, just "cops" from Caldwell Police Department
Diving into his databanks - thinking, or maybe thinking really hard
"When the screaming pain faded a little, Veck took another run at remembering . . . only to slam temple-first into the land of Excedrin and blackout drapes again" - see what I mean?
" 'I can't remember anything after he showed up, and that's the God's honest.' " - How much harder would it be to add "truth" in there?
"Next door, on the far side of a connector, two deep male voices were doing the back-and-forth, in the key of frustrated-to-shit." - typical overuse of the hyphen
"This goin'-back-to-Caldie-Caldie-Caldie wasn't so much the issue." - As someone who comes from California and grew up listening to Biggie I'm slightly offended.
But really, when an author is capable of such poignant content as,
I've heard many times and strongly believe just because you can, doesn't mean you should. Just because I can write every other word in italics doesn't mean I should. Just because J.R. Ward can do the whole hypen-overload-of-the-brain-to-make-something-hard-to-expain-easier-to-understand thing doesn't mean she should. Just because Nike, Van Hausan, Starbucks, Ralph Lauren (and who every else was plugged) wants you to promote their product in your book doesn't mean you should! Just because "Black and Yellow" contains those specific colors doesn't mean only Steerler's fans can like it. Ok, that went a little too far, but I want a red and gold song, damn it! As Ward would say, The Niners are doin' big thangs up in herr, off-the-chain-link kinda thangs, yo!
Ok, I'm back . . .
Don't believe me? Do you want more examples? No problem. Anyone with a copy can do so for themselves, here's how: Flip through your book and you will easily located groups of words separated by hyphens, meant to convey the attitude of a hip hooligan but ultimately makes them look like:
Seth Green from Can't Hardly Wait Remember him? Chester Cheetah, roar!
Or any of those Jersey Shore douchbags!
Thankfully J.R. Ward graciously allows us wait a year between books. That gives me time to unwind, and prepare myself for all of the obnoxiousness.
Ok, but to get more on point. I loved the story. I can not wait to see what happens with Sissy and Jim, as well as how Adrian will cope going forward. I love a series that builds and expands with every book until you are compelled to read all you can get your greedy hands on hoping for a taste. I can't wait for the next installment, I am invested in this series and eagerly await more! For as wrong as J.R. Ward can be, she is so right when building a relationship. The characters HEA develops so beautifully, J.R. Ward should have 'wonderful romance guaranteed' tattooed on her arse, because it's the truth! Not to mention the fighting and gore scenes, so captivating! This could have easily been a 5+ Floozy book . . .
That being said, I will not be the first in line for any future Fallen Angels books until J.R. Ward limits the "ghetto"ness. I relish books I don't have to dumb myself down to read, therefore, put them above books such as this.
And as Veck would say: Wow. Yup that's all I have on that one.
For this review and many more visit my blog Fairytale Floozy.
Ward's faux ghetto diatribes have become the most annoying thing since parachute pants. Hammer was not badass for strutting around in 25 yards of fabric and J.R. Ward's characters are not fiercer for trying to sound like they're "Straight Outta Compton", leave that to NWA, m'kay!
Here are some examples:
CPDers - really, just "cops" from Caldwell Police Department
Diving into his databanks - thinking, or maybe thinking really hard
"When the screaming pain faded a little, Veck took another run at remembering . . . only to slam temple-first into the land of Excedrin and blackout drapes again" - see what I mean?
" 'I can't remember anything after he showed up, and that's the God's honest.' " - How much harder would it be to add "truth" in there?
"Next door, on the far side of a connector, two deep male voices were doing the back-and-forth, in the key of frustrated-to-shit." - typical overuse of the hyphen
"This goin'-back-to-Caldie-Caldie-Caldie wasn't so much the issue." - As someone who comes from California and grew up listening to Biggie I'm slightly offended.
But really, when an author is capable of such poignant content as,
"Not all mirrors were made of glass, and you didn't always need your reflection to take a good, hard look at yourself. The truth was something you wore sure as the suit of flesh that bound and gaged your soul until you were set free, and you couldn't ignore it forever."it's frustrating when a majority of the text is gibberish such as,
"Not a lot of Food Network going down in here: all he had were a couple of empty pizza boxes on the counter and some Starbucks dead solders clustered around the sink."Starbucks dead soldiers? Come on Ward! Crazy thing is I only went 8% into the book, I honestly did not feel like rereading this crap.
I've heard many times and strongly believe just because you can, doesn't mean you should. Just because I can write every other word in italics doesn't mean I should. Just because J.R. Ward can do the whole hypen-overload-of-the-brain-to-make-something-hard-to-expain-easier-to-understand thing doesn't mean she should. Just because Nike, Van Hausan, Starbucks, Ralph Lauren (and who every else was plugged) wants you to promote their product in your book doesn't mean you should! Just because "Black and Yellow" contains those specific colors doesn't mean only Steerler's fans can like it. Ok, that went a little too far, but I want a red and gold song, damn it! As Ward would say, The Niners are doin' big thangs up in herr, off-the-chain-link kinda thangs, yo!
Ok, I'm back . . .
Don't believe me? Do you want more examples? No problem. Anyone with a copy can do so for themselves, here's how: Flip through your book and you will easily located groups of words separated by hyphens, meant to convey the attitude of a hip hooligan but ultimately makes them look like:
Seth Green from Can't Hardly Wait Remember him? Chester Cheetah, roar!
Or any of those Jersey Shore douchbags!
Thankfully J.R. Ward graciously allows us wait a year between books. That gives me time to unwind, and prepare myself for all of the obnoxiousness.
Ok, but to get more on point. I loved the story. I can not wait to see what happens with Sissy and Jim, as well as how Adrian will cope going forward. I love a series that builds and expands with every book until you are compelled to read all you can get your greedy hands on hoping for a taste. I can't wait for the next installment, I am invested in this series and eagerly await more! For as wrong as J.R. Ward can be, she is so right when building a relationship. The characters HEA develops so beautifully, J.R. Ward should have 'wonderful romance guaranteed' tattooed on her arse, because it's the truth! Not to mention the fighting and gore scenes, so captivating! This could have easily been a 5+ Floozy book . . .
That being said, I will not be the first in line for any future Fallen Angels books until J.R. Ward limits the "ghetto"ness. I relish books I don't have to dumb myself down to read, therefore, put them above books such as this.
And as Veck would say: Wow. Yup that's all I have on that one.
For this review and many more visit my blog Fairytale Floozy.
September 9, 2011
Veck is back and he’s made a lasting impression on me!!
We are first introduced to homicide detective Thomas “Veck” DelVecchio Jr. in Lover Unleashed as Jose de la Cruz’s new partner. While I wasn’t too keen on him in Lover Unleashed, I found that I loved him in Envy!
What I love about JR Ward is the fact that she’s able to create complicated running plots throughout her series. In one book, there are soo many character arcs and POVs that I’m surprised that I’m not confused by it all. But what Ward does in Lover Unleashed and then subsequently in Envy, the third instalment of the Fallen Angels series is beyond any words.
At the beginning of Envy, Veck is in deep shit. Nursing a killer headache, he finds himself overlooking a body that looks to be mauled by an animal. He calls 911 to report the incident. But when questioned later about the events, he can’t seem to remember anything at all without his head pounding like he’s been hit across the noggin by a two-by-four. But the real problem is this aching suspicion that maybe he was the attacker...
Enter Sophia Reilly, Veck’s new assigned partner from Internal Affairs. Sparks are instantaneous between these two and it’s no wonder! They have amazing chemistry and they have definitely become my favourite couple so far in the Fallen Angels series. What I loved most about Reilly was that fact that she was a straight-shooter, take-no-shit kind of woman who knows exactly what she wants. Sure, she has her confused moments where her head and her heart clash. But all in all, the girl’s got something good between her two ears.
Meanwhile, the battle between good and evil rages on. Devina won the last battle, but Jim and his boys certainly don’t back down.
I hope a certain angel returns because there is absolutely no way that’s the end! Eddie must come back! I love him! The bathroom threesome scene was hawt, but didn’t hold the usual sexiness that Ward brings. Poor Ad! I felt sorry for him before. Now, it’s just heartbreaking.
Did anyone else catch Throe’s walk-on appearance towards the end of the book? I thought that was cool. Again, I’m a sucker for cameos like that.
Annnnnd what about the tip about a future soul in question? It’s a familiar face so I’m not sure how I feel about that just yet. I’m trusting Ward though.
Colin and Nigel deserve a mention. I loved their interactions with one another. Can’t say that there’s enough of it though. I like that Ward isn’t afraid of exploring these avenues in her mainstream books. No need to hide behind novellas.
And lastly, Jim and Sissy. While I still wonder about the age difference (Sissy is 19 and Jim is 40), I thought the ending with Sissy’s mother, Susan was great. Both draining and hopeful, it brought me back to the earlier BDB times when Ward could break your heart with a few turn of events and then mend it back together with a few simple words.
I loved it.
Envy is my favourite of the Fallen Angels series so far. With a hero like Veck and an admirable heroine like Sophia, it was easy to fall in love along with them. But it’s the war between heaven and hell that’s got me jonesing for the next in the series. I can’t wait.
We are first introduced to homicide detective Thomas “Veck” DelVecchio Jr. in Lover Unleashed as Jose de la Cruz’s new partner. While I wasn’t too keen on him in Lover Unleashed, I found that I loved him in Envy!
What I love about JR Ward is the fact that she’s able to create complicated running plots throughout her series. In one book, there are soo many character arcs and POVs that I’m surprised that I’m not confused by it all. But what Ward does in Lover Unleashed and then subsequently in Envy, the third instalment of the Fallen Angels series is beyond any words.
At the beginning of Envy, Veck is in deep shit. Nursing a killer headache, he finds himself overlooking a body that looks to be mauled by an animal. He calls 911 to report the incident. But when questioned later about the events, he can’t seem to remember anything at all without his head pounding like he’s been hit across the noggin by a two-by-four. But the real problem is this aching suspicion that maybe he was the attacker...
Enter Sophia Reilly, Veck’s new assigned partner from Internal Affairs. Sparks are instantaneous between these two and it’s no wonder! They have amazing chemistry and they have definitely become my favourite couple so far in the Fallen Angels series. What I loved most about Reilly was that fact that she was a straight-shooter, take-no-shit kind of woman who knows exactly what she wants. Sure, she has her confused moments where her head and her heart clash. But all in all, the girl’s got something good between her two ears.
Meanwhile, the battle between good and evil rages on. Devina won the last battle, but Jim and his boys certainly don’t back down.
I hope a certain angel returns because there is absolutely no way that’s the end! Eddie must come back! I love him! The bathroom threesome scene was hawt, but didn’t hold the usual sexiness that Ward brings. Poor Ad! I felt sorry for him before. Now, it’s just heartbreaking.
Did anyone else catch Throe’s walk-on appearance towards the end of the book? I thought that was cool. Again, I’m a sucker for cameos like that.
Annnnnd what about the tip about a future soul in question? It’s a familiar face so I’m not sure how I feel about that just yet. I’m trusting Ward though.
Colin and Nigel deserve a mention. I loved their interactions with one another. Can’t say that there’s enough of it though. I like that Ward isn’t afraid of exploring these avenues in her mainstream books. No need to hide behind novellas.
And lastly, Jim and Sissy. While I still wonder about the age difference (Sissy is 19 and Jim is 40), I thought the ending with Sissy’s mother, Susan was great. Both draining and hopeful, it brought me back to the earlier BDB times when Ward could break your heart with a few turn of events and then mend it back together with a few simple words.
I loved it.
Envy is my favourite of the Fallen Angels series so far. With a hero like Veck and an admirable heroine like Sophia, it was easy to fall in love along with them. But it’s the war between heaven and hell that’s got me jonesing for the next in the series. I can’t wait.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 20, 2011
4.5 stars! I really enjoyed this installment in the Fallen Angels series! I absolutely LOVED Veck and Reilly. They were attracted to each other from the get-go and didn't fight that attraction...they just went with it. Of course, there's always a hurdle to get over, and they had a big one (or rather, Reilly, did), but it all worked out in the end, and they were just the sweetest frickin' couple. Loved the epilogue.
Jim, of course, was once again awesome in this book. He is doing his work in stride, but at the same time, keeping a very close eye on someone who is very important to him. It's been divulged that this person will be his eventual HEA, and I am wondering if her soul will be the final one that he'll have to save
As always, Devina is a true, awful bad guy that I just love to hate. Ward has really excelled in writing the bad guy for this series.
Ad and Eddie had a tough gig in this one, and while what happened with Eddie is awful, the eternal optimist that I am believes that all will be righted in the end. And I wonder, too, if these two angels may be each other's HEA as well. Hmmmmm.....
And speaking of some more bromance-m/m loving, I really liked the subplot involving Nigel and Colin. Very, very sweet.
There was a lot of slang in this book, and while I don't mind it too much because it often makes me laugh, I think the thing that annoyed me the most is Ward's continued allergy to the question mark. I can see how a period would be used in its place sometimes, but she does it so frequently, I just wonder if it is more of a reflection on bad editing.
Jim, of course, was once again awesome in this book. He is doing his work in stride, but at the same time, keeping a very close eye on someone who is very important to him. It's been divulged that this person will be his eventual HEA, and I am wondering if her soul will be the final one that he'll have to save
As always, Devina is a true, awful bad guy that I just love to hate. Ward has really excelled in writing the bad guy for this series.
Ad and Eddie had a tough gig in this one, and while what happened with Eddie is awful, the eternal optimist that I am believes that all will be righted in the end. And I wonder, too, if these two angels may be each other's HEA as well. Hmmmmm.....
And speaking of some more bromance-m/m loving, I really liked the subplot involving Nigel and Colin. Very, very sweet.
There was a lot of slang in this book, and while I don't mind it too much because it often makes me laugh, I think the thing that annoyed me the most is Ward's continued allergy to the question mark. I can see how a period would be used in its place sometimes, but she does it so frequently, I just wonder if it is more of a reflection on bad editing.
September 23, 2020
Me gustó un poquito más que los anteriores al ver más relación con la otra saga de la autora.
Desde que leí sobre Thomas DelVecchio Jr. me llamó la atención como personaje y me gustó verlo aquí como protagonista, su compañera Sophia Reilly no me conquistó tanto como él.
Nuestros ángeles siguen con su batalla y me veo venir unas cuantas situaciones interesantes luego de que se revelara cuál sería la próxima alma en juego 🤐
Jim Heron cada vez empieza a descubrir más cosas de su nuevo mundo y también se ve más información sobre el resto de personajes, ya quiero seguir con el cuarto libro para ver cómo se desarrolla.
Desde que leí sobre Thomas DelVecchio Jr. me llamó la atención como personaje y me gustó verlo aquí como protagonista, su compañera Sophia Reilly no me conquistó tanto como él.
Nuestros ángeles siguen con su batalla y me veo venir unas cuantas situaciones interesantes luego de que se revelara cuál sería la próxima alma en juego 🤐
Jim Heron cada vez empieza a descubrir más cosas de su nuevo mundo y también se ve más información sobre el resto de personajes, ya quiero seguir con el cuarto libro para ver cómo se desarrolla.
September 14, 2011
I keep going back and forth between a 3.5 and 4 star rating, so I just went with the 4. It's not a great book but the series is getting better with each book and the ongoing background story is more and more interesting.
In this book, we have Thomas DelVecchio Jr., aka Veck, who finds himself in a wooded area with a serial killer who has been attacked. The problem is he can't remember if he was the one who attacked him since that's the reason he went there. Enters Sophia Reilly, Internal Affairs, to investigate.
All in all, I really enjoyed the two of them together. It was a nice spin on how you shouldn't date someone you work with. The one part that really bothered me was
All the drama between the angels and Devina was pretty intense. It bothers me that Devina gets away with all the stuff she does especially when this was set up by the Creator. Also,
"The notorious threesome" just didn't do it for me. All I could think of was poor Adrian. blah!
Nigel and Colin's relationship was a bit intriguing and surprising to the degree that she is taking it. Especially with all the drama she has over Blay and Qhuinn not that I mind at. all.
Okay, so the ONE BIG thing that really bothered me about this book was all the slang!! There is just way too much of it and it's really disheartening because that's one of the reasons I like J.R. Ward's books. I can only the hope the next one is not so over the top.
Favorite lines:
"Come here. I need to hold on to you."
She felt the same way. And when there was no distance between them, it was like coming home."
and...
"It...is for me?"
"Aye. So what say you, lover mine."
In this book, we have Thomas DelVecchio Jr., aka Veck, who finds himself in a wooded area with a serial killer who has been attacked. The problem is he can't remember if he was the one who attacked him since that's the reason he went there. Enters Sophia Reilly, Internal Affairs, to investigate.
All in all, I really enjoyed the two of them together. It was a nice spin on how you shouldn't date someone you work with. The one part that really bothered me was
All the drama between the angels and Devina was pretty intense. It bothers me that Devina gets away with all the stuff she does especially when this was set up by the Creator. Also,
"The notorious threesome" just didn't do it for me. All I could think of was poor Adrian. blah!
Nigel and Colin's relationship was a bit intriguing and surprising to the degree that she is taking it. Especially with all the drama she has over Blay and Qhuinn not that I mind at. all.
Okay, so the ONE BIG thing that really bothered me about this book was all the slang!! There is just way too much of it and it's really disheartening because that's one of the reasons I like J.R. Ward's books. I can only the hope the next one is not so over the top.
Favorite lines:
"Come here. I need to hold on to you."
She felt the same way. And when there was no distance between them, it was like coming home."
and...
"It...is for me?"
"Aye. So what say you, lover mine."
September 22, 2011
2 stars. This one started strong, but then veered into angry and just plain weird territory with Adrian, Eddie, and Jim all having nervous breakdowns every five pages. I keep thinking - um, there are supposed to be at least four more books in the series right? I'm not sure what Ward is going to do with the rest of them because everyone seems to be losing their shit right here. Yes, I get these are supremely unhappy people, but Ward always feels the need to ratchet it up a notch with scene upon scene of really dysfunctional sex. I get these people are all so very dark, but seriously it's just making me queasy at this point.
The plot, if you can call it one, meandered around quite a bit this time. Although this was DelVecchio's book he shared over half of it with a bunch of incomprehensible drama between Adrian/Eddie, Jim/Sissy/Devina and Nigel/Colin.
And for the love of God does EVERYONE have to sound like one of the members of the black dagger brotherhood? It's fine for the brothers, but really, Ward has to have another voice in that head of hers somewhere. And I'm not taking about the fake 17th Century English accent she's saddled Nigel and Colin with either. I can tolerate it in the BDB books, but here, really it's beyond annoying.
I finished this one because I liked DelVecchio and Reilly so much. The rest of the characters I could toss out the window at this point. So given that, and the fact that Mattias will be back for a second go round, I might be sitting the next one out.
The plot, if you can call it one, meandered around quite a bit this time. Although this was DelVecchio's book he shared over half of it with a bunch of incomprehensible drama between Adrian/Eddie, Jim/Sissy/Devina and Nigel/Colin.
And for the love of God does EVERYONE have to sound like one of the members of the black dagger brotherhood? It's fine for the brothers, but really, Ward has to have another voice in that head of hers somewhere. And I'm not taking about the fake 17th Century English accent she's saddled Nigel and Colin with either. I can tolerate it in the BDB books, but here, really it's beyond annoying.
I finished this one because I liked DelVecchio and Reilly so much. The rest of the characters I could toss out the window at this point. So given that, and the fact that Mattias will be back for a second go round, I might be sitting the next one out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
paused
July 30, 2012PAUSED
This had me rolling my eyes constantly. The, smart tough woman who holds her own in a man's world and the guy who 'respects the hell out of her' for it. Ward's clichés are getting tiresome! (Meanwhile he's the typical self torturing hero and if she were a guy I'd say she was thinking with her dick).
I'll probably read this eventually despite the shameless Envy book promotion stunt Ward pulled in Lover Unleashed (and the fact that I wasn't too crazy about Crave) . I don't like being manipulated into reading a book.
This had me rolling my eyes constantly. The, smart tough woman who holds her own in a man's world and the guy who 'respects the hell out of her' for it. Ward's clichés are getting tiresome! (Meanwhile he's the typical self torturing hero and if she were a guy I'd say she was thinking with her dick).
I'll probably read this eventually despite the shameless Envy book promotion stunt Ward pulled in Lover Unleashed (and the fact that I wasn't too crazy about Crave) . I don't like being manipulated into reading a book.
May 10, 2020
4.5 stars
This was perfectly paced and for the first time had me equally invested in the angels and the soul in question which was amazing. I didn’t appreciate how other humans treated said soul but it is what it is (and that’s the slight docking of a star because damn it made me mad lol.) But it was action packed, sexy AF and really carried along the story while also dropping some bombs and being hella engaging.
This was perfectly paced and for the first time had me equally invested in the angels and the soul in question which was amazing. I didn’t appreciate how other humans treated said soul but it is what it is (and that’s the slight docking of a star because damn it made me mad lol.) But it was action packed, sexy AF and really carried along the story while also dropping some bombs and being hella engaging.
October 17, 2019
3.5 stars, though I feel like it could potentially be higher and I’ll be mulling over that. I think this is the best book in the series so far! I liked the crossroads struggle in this one, and I think story-wise, it was the one that appealed to me most.
September 21, 2011
Amazing!!! I can't really put into words the emotions that ran through me with this book.... however, it ended in tears and some pretty sobbing smiles!!!!
I did not think for one minute that this book would grip me the way it did, I ran with the characters, learned more about them and fell in love with each one...
Yet again, this book merged in places with the BDB series and that, of course, had me smiling... but in it's own right, this book was purely amazing and the story line took me to new heights.
The twists and turns throughout had me gripped, but the hold this book had on me did not end on the last few pages, it tightened and now I wait with countless others for the new book to arrive... what a spectacular story!!!!
I did not think for one minute that this book would grip me the way it did, I ran with the characters, learned more about them and fell in love with each one...
Yet again, this book merged in places with the BDB series and that, of course, had me smiling... but in it's own right, this book was purely amazing and the story line took me to new heights.
The twists and turns throughout had me gripped, but the hold this book had on me did not end on the last few pages, it tightened and now I wait with countless others for the new book to arrive... what a spectacular story!!!!
September 27, 2011
Okay, I know I have 4 stars down, but I'd really give this book about 3.5 stars. I enjoyed reading it, but there were parts of the books that I did not enjoy as much as "Vech's" storyline. Also, I am finding this series is becoming formularic (sp?). One thing I did find interesting were the Brotherhood references through out the book. Also, JR has not lost her talent at writing great sex scenes for her characters. In fact, she does a great job in one scene leaving her characters and readers hanging on the edge.
Will I continue to read this series? I think so, but I don't think I will be waiting with baited breath like I do with the BDB series.
Will I continue to read this series? I think so, but I don't think I will be waiting with baited breath like I do with the BDB series.
November 22, 2015
Great series!
I loved getting to know Veck better and watching him slay his demons.
Can't wait to read Matthias' story!
Full review to come...
May 13, 2014
The love for these books, just keeps growing and growing...
February 24, 2016
WHAT an Awesome read!!!! 5+ stars!! I love this series.
Our game continues of good vs evil or in this case Jim vs Devina. Now that Jim has discovered Devina's weakness for him, he is determined to exploit that to the fullest to win the game of keeping the souls of mankind and heaven out of the devil's hands.
Jim's soul to save is Thomas “Veck” DelVecchio, Jr. We met Veck in a prior BDB book. His dad is a prolific serial killer and is due to be put to death in about a week. Everyone has been watching Veck to see if he is truly like his dad. Even he himself is unsure if he has turned into his dad, because he has a probable serial killer at his feet almost dead, but he has no memory of touching him. If you read BDB, you know what really happened, but Tom doesn't. Enter Sophia Reilly, an Internal Affairs officer. She has been assigned to the case. The problem is, she has to fight her attraction to Tom, as well as be unbiased about the investigation against him. (There is no way I could deny this sexy cop anything.)
Unbeknownst to Tom, he has been visited by Devina. The only thing that he knows is that somebody seems to be haunting his house and when he throws a shadow he sees two shadows. Tom himself is fighting his attraction to Sophia. But with the craziness of his life, he is determined to keep her at a distance. Love, however, always finds a way and soon Veck and Sophia find themselves deeply involved.
Meanwhile, Jim is trying to keep Veck out of Devina's clutches. Not knowing that Devina with her advance knowledge of the game has already planted her evilness deep in Tom. Now it becomes a race to find out if the light of love can show the path through the darkness. Devina continues to spread her evil as she works to separate Jim, Eddie and Adrian with dire consequences, as one angel gives up his life.
I loved Veck and Sophia as a couple and the sexy times when they were together was absolutely hawt! I was at first disappointed in Sophia as she was too easily led to believe the worst of Tom, but forgave her in the end. Another sad part was Sissy and how some of that was resolved. Would love to know where we are headed with Jim and that situation. Love Nigel and Colin and was a little surprised at where that went. I love this series and can't wait for the next book. Team Jim for the WIN! :-)
Our game continues of good vs evil or in this case Jim vs Devina. Now that Jim has discovered Devina's weakness for him, he is determined to exploit that to the fullest to win the game of keeping the souls of mankind and heaven out of the devil's hands.
Jim's soul to save is Thomas “Veck” DelVecchio, Jr. We met Veck in a prior BDB book. His dad is a prolific serial killer and is due to be put to death in about a week. Everyone has been watching Veck to see if he is truly like his dad. Even he himself is unsure if he has turned into his dad, because he has a probable serial killer at his feet almost dead, but he has no memory of touching him. If you read BDB, you know what really happened, but Tom doesn't. Enter Sophia Reilly, an Internal Affairs officer. She has been assigned to the case. The problem is, she has to fight her attraction to Tom, as well as be unbiased about the investigation against him. (There is no way I could deny this sexy cop anything.)
Unbeknownst to Tom, he has been visited by Devina. The only thing that he knows is that somebody seems to be haunting his house and when he throws a shadow he sees two shadows. Tom himself is fighting his attraction to Sophia. But with the craziness of his life, he is determined to keep her at a distance. Love, however, always finds a way and soon Veck and Sophia find themselves deeply involved.
Meanwhile, Jim is trying to keep Veck out of Devina's clutches. Not knowing that Devina with her advance knowledge of the game has already planted her evilness deep in Tom. Now it becomes a race to find out if the light of love can show the path through the darkness. Devina continues to spread her evil as she works to separate Jim, Eddie and Adrian with dire consequences, as one angel gives up his life.
I loved Veck and Sophia as a couple and the sexy times when they were together was absolutely hawt! I was at first disappointed in Sophia as she was too easily led to believe the worst of Tom, but forgave her in the end. Another sad part was Sissy and how some of that was resolved. Would love to know where we are headed with Jim and that situation. Love Nigel and Colin and was a little surprised at where that went. I love this series and can't wait for the next book. Team Jim for the WIN! :-)
October 6, 2018
Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" Envy, the third installment in J. R. Ward’s Fallen Angels series is a combination of urban fantasy, romantic suspense, and paranormal romance. The urban fantasy element comes in the form of the continuing story arc of Jim Heron, a fallen angel, and his two comrades, Eddie and Adrian, who’ve come to Earth to battle the demon, Devina, and her horde of minions. Jim is tasked with saving several souls who are at a crossroads in their lives, and the success of his mission will determine the outcome of the war as well as the future of both heaven and Earth. The soul they must save in this book is that of Thomas DelVecchio, Jr., who simply goes by the nickname Veck. He is a cop who brings in the romantic suspense element. The story opens with Veck thinking he’s attacked and possibly killed a serial killer named Kroner. He and his heroine/partner, Reilly, also investigate the disappearance of a young woman who Veck thinks may be one of Kroner’s victims, but the case also has an unexpected link to Veck’s own father, who was a serial killer himself. Then, of course, there’s the romance between Veck and Reilly, which was hot and steamy, but IMHO, the weakest link in the story. Even with that slight misstep, it was still a great book that kept me guessing and wondering what might happen next.
Veck was first introduced in Lover Unleashed, the ninth book of Ms. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series. I wish I’d read Envy closer to Lover Unleashed as there’s a lot I don’t recall about Veck’s appearance in it and I also think that events surrounding him in that story led directly into this one. I do know that he was the new partner of Detective de la Cruz who was Butch’s former partner, and he still is when this book opens, but that changes pretty quickly when he’s put on probation after the incident with Kroner. All his life Veck has struggled with the knowledge that he’s the son of a serial killer, and he’s felt that there are two sides to him, good and evil. He has a split shadow, sometimes hears a malevolent voice in his head, and keeps his mirrors covered because he fears what he sometimes sees in them. He desperately wanted to kill Kroner, and when he has no memory of what occurred before he found the murderer torn apart in the woods and called 911, he thinks he may have been the culprit.
It becomes clear pretty quickly that if Veck gives in to this dark side of himself, there’ll be no turning back. But then he meets, Reilly, the internal affairs officer who’s assigned to his case. She manages to clear him of any potential charges, and they’re assigned to work cold cases together for the next month with him staying far away from the Kroner murders. But unwilling to let it rest, he reopens an old case of a missing young woman that he thinks might be connected to the serial killer. As he and Reilly work together a combustible attraction forms between them, leading to some explosive passion. Before Reilly, Veck was an admitted man-whore, who didn’t do relationships or commitments, but with Reilly, he feels like he’s found someone truly special, and his love for her helps him to overcome the demons of his past. I liked Veck. He’s worked hard to overcome the stigma of his serial killer father and become a good cop. Although he’s resistant at first to the idea of the supernatural, he does come around and accept Jim’s help. I especially liked Veck with Reilly. Even though their romance wasn’t quite as strong as I would have liked, he’s a generous lover, who manages to find a more tender side when he’s with her and he soaks up the familial bonds between her and her parents, something he was sorely missing in his own life.
Sophia Reilly, who simply goes by her last name, is a tough but tender cop. She had a rough start to her own life until her parents adopted her, but with them to raise her, she’s become a strong and admirable woman. Just based on her preliminary investigation of the crime scene where Kroner was attacked, she doesn’t think Veck did it, and she sticks by her guns for most of the story until there’s a little twist near the end. Even still, at that point, her doubts made sense, but she’s a smart cookie and a dog with a bone who eventually figures things out. Reilly is a brave, loyal, steadfast partner, who is somewhat surprised by her visceral reaction to Veck’s good looks and masculinity, but it’s something that she generally embraces. She’s every bit as much into their passionate interactions as he is and falls for him quickly. In writing this review, I’ve realized that Reilly might not have been quite as well-developed as some other romance heroines I’ve read, but I couldn’t help liking her anyway. She was a good character who really stood by Veck and didn’t read too much into his background.
I really enjoyed the advancement of the story arc for Jim. He’s definitely growing in his angel powers, and I’ll look forward to seeing just how strong he becomes. Also the cold case that Veck and Reilly take on is none other than that of Sissy Barten, the young woman Jim lost in the first book of the series and has never forgiven himself for. He’s vowed to find a way to free her from Devina’s Well of Souls. We also begin getting hints that he may have fallen for the young woman, so I was very pleased to see that their story appears to be told in the last book of the series. There are also some unexpected developments for Jim’s sidekicks, Adrian and Eddie. I can’t say any more about that without giving away spoilers, but I’ll be eagerly waiting to see what happens with them. We also discover something new about Jim’s dog, Dog. Devina, as always, is pure, malevolent evil, and I can’t wait for her to be taken down. Then there are Nigel and Colin, Jim’s archangel overseers up in heaven, who become just a bit more involved in this story, as well as having a little side romance of their own that gets derailed by some conflict.
Overall, Envy was a great book. I very much enjoyed the fantasy elements and can’t wait to see what happens with Jim and Sissy, as well as Adrian and Eddie, in the future. The mystery and suspense elements were probably my favorite parts, keeping me guessing, and looking forward to unraveling all of the plot connections. Like I mentioned earlier the romance between Veck and Reilly was good, just not great. They have an awesome steamy connection, but in just a matter of days, they go from sleeping together to the I love yous, and within a couple more weeks, are getting engaged. While I could feel something passing between them, I wasn’t quite sure about the whole love thing and how they fell so quickly, but due to the strength of the other story elements, I was willing to mostly give this part a pass. It’s the only reason I dropped the half-star. Otherwise, this was an excellent read and I look forward to continuing with the series and hopefully not waiting so long in between books next time.
Note: This book contains a brief MFM menage a trois scene involving secondary characters, which some readers may find offensive.
"4.5 stars" Envy, the third installment in J. R. Ward’s Fallen Angels series is a combination of urban fantasy, romantic suspense, and paranormal romance. The urban fantasy element comes in the form of the continuing story arc of Jim Heron, a fallen angel, and his two comrades, Eddie and Adrian, who’ve come to Earth to battle the demon, Devina, and her horde of minions. Jim is tasked with saving several souls who are at a crossroads in their lives, and the success of his mission will determine the outcome of the war as well as the future of both heaven and Earth. The soul they must save in this book is that of Thomas DelVecchio, Jr., who simply goes by the nickname Veck. He is a cop who brings in the romantic suspense element. The story opens with Veck thinking he’s attacked and possibly killed a serial killer named Kroner. He and his heroine/partner, Reilly, also investigate the disappearance of a young woman who Veck thinks may be one of Kroner’s victims, but the case also has an unexpected link to Veck’s own father, who was a serial killer himself. Then, of course, there’s the romance between Veck and Reilly, which was hot and steamy, but IMHO, the weakest link in the story. Even with that slight misstep, it was still a great book that kept me guessing and wondering what might happen next.
Veck was first introduced in Lover Unleashed, the ninth book of Ms. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series. I wish I’d read Envy closer to Lover Unleashed as there’s a lot I don’t recall about Veck’s appearance in it and I also think that events surrounding him in that story led directly into this one. I do know that he was the new partner of Detective de la Cruz who was Butch’s former partner, and he still is when this book opens, but that changes pretty quickly when he’s put on probation after the incident with Kroner. All his life Veck has struggled with the knowledge that he’s the son of a serial killer, and he’s felt that there are two sides to him, good and evil. He has a split shadow, sometimes hears a malevolent voice in his head, and keeps his mirrors covered because he fears what he sometimes sees in them. He desperately wanted to kill Kroner, and when he has no memory of what occurred before he found the murderer torn apart in the woods and called 911, he thinks he may have been the culprit.
It becomes clear pretty quickly that if Veck gives in to this dark side of himself, there’ll be no turning back. But then he meets, Reilly, the internal affairs officer who’s assigned to his case. She manages to clear him of any potential charges, and they’re assigned to work cold cases together for the next month with him staying far away from the Kroner murders. But unwilling to let it rest, he reopens an old case of a missing young woman that he thinks might be connected to the serial killer. As he and Reilly work together a combustible attraction forms between them, leading to some explosive passion. Before Reilly, Veck was an admitted man-whore, who didn’t do relationships or commitments, but with Reilly, he feels like he’s found someone truly special, and his love for her helps him to overcome the demons of his past. I liked Veck. He’s worked hard to overcome the stigma of his serial killer father and become a good cop. Although he’s resistant at first to the idea of the supernatural, he does come around and accept Jim’s help. I especially liked Veck with Reilly. Even though their romance wasn’t quite as strong as I would have liked, he’s a generous lover, who manages to find a more tender side when he’s with her and he soaks up the familial bonds between her and her parents, something he was sorely missing in his own life.
Sophia Reilly, who simply goes by her last name, is a tough but tender cop. She had a rough start to her own life until her parents adopted her, but with them to raise her, she’s become a strong and admirable woman. Just based on her preliminary investigation of the crime scene where Kroner was attacked, she doesn’t think Veck did it, and she sticks by her guns for most of the story until there’s a little twist near the end. Even still, at that point, her doubts made sense, but she’s a smart cookie and a dog with a bone who eventually figures things out. Reilly is a brave, loyal, steadfast partner, who is somewhat surprised by her visceral reaction to Veck’s good looks and masculinity, but it’s something that she generally embraces. She’s every bit as much into their passionate interactions as he is and falls for him quickly. In writing this review, I’ve realized that Reilly might not have been quite as well-developed as some other romance heroines I’ve read, but I couldn’t help liking her anyway. She was a good character who really stood by Veck and didn’t read too much into his background.
I really enjoyed the advancement of the story arc for Jim. He’s definitely growing in his angel powers, and I’ll look forward to seeing just how strong he becomes. Also the cold case that Veck and Reilly take on is none other than that of Sissy Barten, the young woman Jim lost in the first book of the series and has never forgiven himself for. He’s vowed to find a way to free her from Devina’s Well of Souls. We also begin getting hints that he may have fallen for the young woman, so I was very pleased to see that their story appears to be told in the last book of the series. There are also some unexpected developments for Jim’s sidekicks, Adrian and Eddie. I can’t say any more about that without giving away spoilers, but I’ll be eagerly waiting to see what happens with them. We also discover something new about Jim’s dog, Dog. Devina, as always, is pure, malevolent evil, and I can’t wait for her to be taken down. Then there are Nigel and Colin, Jim’s archangel overseers up in heaven, who become just a bit more involved in this story, as well as having a little side romance of their own that gets derailed by some conflict.
Overall, Envy was a great book. I very much enjoyed the fantasy elements and can’t wait to see what happens with Jim and Sissy, as well as Adrian and Eddie, in the future. The mystery and suspense elements were probably my favorite parts, keeping me guessing, and looking forward to unraveling all of the plot connections. Like I mentioned earlier the romance between Veck and Reilly was good, just not great. They have an awesome steamy connection, but in just a matter of days, they go from sleeping together to the I love yous, and within a couple more weeks, are getting engaged. While I could feel something passing between them, I wasn’t quite sure about the whole love thing and how they fell so quickly, but due to the strength of the other story elements, I was willing to mostly give this part a pass. It’s the only reason I dropped the half-star. Otherwise, this was an excellent read and I look forward to continuing with the series and hopefully not waiting so long in between books next time.
Note: This book contains a brief MFM menage a trois scene involving secondary characters, which some readers may find offensive.
September 29, 2012
Major series game changers happen in this one!
This heroine, Riley, started out fine but pissed me off later when she doesn't trust her man...to the point that he gets into really, really big trouble because she's such a suspicious *****. Veck, the hero, has both a good and an evil side that he has unknowingly kept in check his entire life. He's big and scary...and I LOVE big and scary. He's also very, very alone. He instantly feels this consuming attraction for Riley. He wants and needs a partner for life but holds back when he is partnered as a cop to his ultimate fantasy. The sex in Envy is OFF THE CHARTS!! Sexy, sexy, sexy! Cold shower worthy, even. Veck knows how to use his...everything.
As always, Jim rules!!!! His devotion to Sissy nearly overrules his mission to save humanity. He meets her parents during this book, and Sissy's Mom describes him as "The man with the destroyed eyes." Poor Jim! Thank goodness we all know that good will eventually prevail!
Overall, this is by far the best book yet. I'm anxious for the next, though since the game is changing between "the Creator," Devina, and Nigel, I'm wondering just how many books there will be now. Hmmm....
I listened to the audiobook, so I apologize for misspells. The narrator is amazing!!
This heroine, Riley, started out fine but pissed me off later when she doesn't trust her man...to the point that he gets into really, really big trouble because she's such a suspicious *****. Veck, the hero, has both a good and an evil side that he has unknowingly kept in check his entire life. He's big and scary...and I LOVE big and scary. He's also very, very alone. He instantly feels this consuming attraction for Riley. He wants and needs a partner for life but holds back when he is partnered as a cop to his ultimate fantasy. The sex in Envy is OFF THE CHARTS!! Sexy, sexy, sexy! Cold shower worthy, even. Veck knows how to use his...everything.
As always, Jim rules!!!! His devotion to Sissy nearly overrules his mission to save humanity. He meets her parents during this book, and Sissy's Mom describes him as "The man with the destroyed eyes." Poor Jim! Thank goodness we all know that good will eventually prevail!
Overall, this is by far the best book yet. I'm anxious for the next, though since the game is changing between "the Creator," Devina, and Nigel, I'm wondering just how many books there will be now. Hmmm....
I listened to the audiobook, so I apologize for misspells. The narrator is amazing!!
September 15, 2011
Wow - I liked it!! Surprised me because I'm not a huge fan of the first two. I actually almost didn't read this one but thanks to some GR friends I took a chance.
Nice romance! Sexy menage. Drama!
A hero that has angst and lots of issues.
A JR Ward heroine I actually liked!
So I def rec this one. Kind of excited for bk 4 ;)
Nice romance! Sexy menage. Drama!
A hero that has angst and lots of issues.
A JR Ward heroine I actually liked!
So I def rec this one. Kind of excited for bk 4 ;)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,290 reviews