Covet: A Novel of the Fallen Angels by J.R. Ward

www.jrward.com

Released: September 2009

Covet is the first book in the Fallen Angels series by J.R. Ward, who also writes the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.

I discovered Covet after reviewing various lists of "top erotica novels" on Goodreads.com (what can I say, I was hankering for a saucy erotica novel!), and found that J.R. Ward novels were constantly ranking high on every list. The following Friday, I visited my local bookstore to hunt down and buy a copy of Covet, and wow - haven't come to regret it in the least.

The cover for Covet, as you can see above, sort of makes the novel look like a cheesy, sappy bodice-ripper romance, but let me tell you: DON'T BE FOOLED. Covet is far classier than the cover makes it out to be, so just this once, don't judge a book by its cover (don't lie, I know you still judge most books by their covers!).

I found Covet in the paranormal romance section of the bookstore, but after reading it, I'm not sure it should really belong to any one specific genre. The novel's greatness actually rises above the whole genre aspect. The book is a mix of paranormal romance, fantasy, mystery, action-adventure, erotica, and well, just doesn't seem as if it should be classified as a romance sub-genre.

The sex scenes are few and far between in Covet, but when they happen, they're nothing short of being steamy and erotic!



The prologue for Covet seems to set the premise for the entire Fallen Angels series. Sitting at just a few pages, the prologue explains how Demons and Angels are in an ongoing fight to the finish, with Earth and its people being the final booby-prize.

After the prologue, the book segues into Covet's story about a handful of people whose lives intersect for the good of all parties involved.

First, we meet Jim Heron, a tall, burly, bad-boy biker who works in construction, but who we eventually learn also has an intense and secretive military history. While at a sex club, Jim hooks up with a sexy siren named Devina, who seduces Jim in the parking lot of the club and disappears into the night.

Next, we meet Marie-Therese Boudreau, a classy and high-class prostitute who works at the sex club, but is trying to keep a low profile so her abusive and dangerous ex-husband is never able to locate her and her young son.

Finally, we meet Vin diPietro, a self-made billionaire (and Devina's boyfriend!) who can't help but feel that something is still missing from his life given his exorbitant amount of money and assets.



Near the beginning of the novel, we learn that Jim is the main focal point of the Fallen Angels series, and has been sent on a mission from the Angels to make things right on Earth, one mission at a time. In Covet, Jim's mission is to befriend Vin diPietro, help him rescue Marie-Therese Boudreau, and defeat one of the Devil's minions (which may or may not be Devina).

The story in Covet is so well-written and executed that you'll find yourself clamoring to get the day's work done so you can get back to this novel. It's not too often I can genuinely say that a book is so good that everything in the background will fade away as you read.

On top of having a clever and creative plot, the chemistry and relationships between all the characters, especially the friendship between Jim and Vin, are strong and sexy where necessary without being over-the-top. Additionally, Ward throws in a few mysterious constants (such as Jim's mysterious faithful stray dog and his "angelic" roommates) that are bound to also show up in later books and support the ongoing storyline.



As soon as you finish Covet, you'll probably be ready to seek out the next few books in the Fallen Angels series, which are entitled Crave and Envy. My paperback copy of Covet sits at 474 pages, and it only took me about two or three days to read the entire novel, which is pretty impressive given my workdays are pretty full. I'm sure you'll have the same experience!

The first two books in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series are Dark Lover and Lover Eternal. I've got these novels added to my wish list for future reading as well, and I have no doubt that J.R. Ward's other novels as just as amazing as Covet.

Click on any of the images of the books below to review them in more detail on Amazon.com.



Did you read Covet, and if so, what did you think? Have you read any other books by J.R. Ward? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.