Book Review: The Thief (Black Dagger Brotherhood #16) by J. R. Ward

I was thrilled to finally get Assail and Marisol's story and it did not disappoint. The Thief was an excellent addition to the Black Dagger Brotherhood series!

The Thief (Black Dagger Brotherhood #16) by J. R. Ward

New enemies rise and desire burns in the next thrilling novel of the #1 New York Times bestselling paranormal romance series the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

Sola Morte, former cat burglar and safecracker, has given up her old life on the wrong side of the law. On the run from a drug lord's family, she is lying low far from Caldwell, keeping her nose clean and her beloved grandmother safe. Her heart, though, is back up north, with the only man who has ever gotten through her defenses: Assail, son of Assail, who never meant to fall in love--and certainly not with a human woman. But they have no future, and not just because she doesn't know he is a vampire, but because he is not about to stop dealing arms to the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Fate, however, has other plans for them. When Assail falls into a coma and lingers on the verge of death, his cousins seek out Sola and beg her to give him a reason to live. The last thing she wants is a return to her past, but how can she leave him to die?

As a lethal new enemy of the vampires shows its face, and the Brotherhood needs Assail back on his feet, Sola finds herself not only a target, but a mission-critical force in a war she doesn't understand. And when Assail's truth comes out, will she run from the horror . . . or follow her heart into the arms of the male who loves her more than life itself?

4 out of 5 stars

The Thief was another awesome story in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series that was exciting to read. It was easy to slide back into the world and instantly be a part of everything. There was a wonderful mix of humor and drama, and stubbornness, and love and I really enjoyed it!

Assail’s story has been building in the last couple of books and I couldn’t wait for him to get it together. I've loved his personal battles and how his love for Marisol helped pulled him back from the brink. I loved Marisol. She's a really strong heroine, a take no prisoners woman. I loved her perseverance and how she takes care of her grandmother. Marisol’s grandmother is priceless and I adored how Assail’s cousins were with her, so sweet. Marisol and Assail coming together was tense and angry as well as heartbreaking and passionate.

Vishous and Jane stressed me out. Their issues have been building so I'm glad it finally got addressed. I am thrilled they finally got themselves together. There was so much tension and pain there. I'm glad they finally opened up and reconnected and that it didn't drag out over the entire story. I'm glad Lassiter's new role is starting to be known and some things about the Scribe Virgin were addressed as well. Lassiter is one of my favorite characters and he adds so much to any scene he’s in.

As always, the writing was excellent. There's great drama and I thought there was a good progression for the overall storyline. I'm really excited for what's to come in the series, especially Murhder, and what chaos Throe will bring.

This was a page-turner for sure! J. R. Ward always knows how to bring it!