A BLOOM IN WINTER by J.R. Ward

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Snowbound secrets, shifter wars, family lies, and epic battles — September delivers it all.

A BLOOM IN WINTER
J.R. Ward

Reviewed by Annetta Sweetko
Posted November 25, 2024

A BLOOM IN WINTER is a heartwarming holiday read in the world of J.R. Ward and her Black Dagger Brotherhood. Though this is a novella you will find yourself caught up in it as it brings the shifters and the vampires into each other’s world.

Along with Callum and Apex, we are offered a second romance with Mayhem and a female vampire who was running from a forced mating. Mayhem is hired with Apex to set up security for the estate where this young woman is hiding, and Callum is also working. But the love and romance of both couples do not complete A BLOOM IN WINTER. There is also trouble as a Glymera aristocrat is murdered and Tohr must solve the case and simultaneously deter another threat from the King.

The Brothers need to reopen the training center to bring in more soldiers now that the Lessening Society is again gearing up to destroy their vampire enemies. They have a number of unexpected “new” soldiers to train. Callum wants to find his true self as a fighter, but Apex knows what Callum has gone through so that he does nothing stupid, he also joins. Callum has to open up, if not he may never be free of the darkness that haunts him.

A BLOOM IN WINTER has the holiday vibe going but with the pure Brotherhood feel one can and does get a very different look at the celebrations. It was great to get back to the Brotherhood and adding in the Wolven characters to blend in with the soldiers needed to fit perfectly. At times there was a bit of a disjointed feel to some of the various happenings, but Ms. Ward knows how to bring everything together and give her people the HEA they deserve.

After the strange time warp thing that had a lot of fans confused A BLOOM IN WINTER seems to bring the two series together and back on track. A well-written, warm and different kind of holiday read that will have you wanting more.

SUMMARY

Another sexy, high-stakes holiday spinoff installment of the New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood series.

Nothing warms a cold heart like true love, and in this newest Black Dagger Brotherhood winter book, a fighter who has never been a savior finds himself falling in love—and trying to rescue—a male who’s lost all hope.

With the BDB training center reopening, and the Brothers looking to add more soldiers in the war against the Lessening Society, fan favorite Callum decides to find his purpose in fighting. Apex knows what suffering the male has survived, and he joins the program just to make sure Callum doesn’t get himself killed. As the two hit the streets, and the danger gets real, Callum must decide whether he can open himself up to love or if he will give in to his inner darkness and spiral down into an abyss of hatred and death...forever.