I really enjoyed this one, primarily because, as it turns out, I actually prefer humans to vampires. Or at least I prefer Butch to (other) members of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Even though Butch has been my favourite since book one, and even though I got a lot of kicks from his relationship with V., the story somehow falls short in comparison to two previous instalments, Lover Eternal (BDB 2 - Rhage) and Lover Awakened (BDB 3 - Zsadist) - specifically, Lover Revealed exceeds the level of willing suspension of disbelief I had in store for it. 
 I accepted (not without blinking, though) the fact that the entire Vampires vs. Lessers war is going on in Caldwell, and that the coolest, ass-kicking, brawny, leather-clad, hairless vampires happen to be conveniently situated in Caldwell. I also managed to imbibe the fact that J.R. Ward seems to think that adding the letter 'H' (Rhage, Rhevenge...) to certain nouns actually makes them cool and wicked, which it doesn't. You'd think I could get over pretty much anything, right? Well no. There's a threshold, people, and Lover Revealed crossed it by an inch. 
 Rather than adding spoilers to my review, I'll add that half an inch goes to Butch's ascension, and another half goes to Marissa, the 300-year-old vampire-virgin. Really? A virgin? Surrounded by a town full of the coolest, ass-kicking, brawny, leather-clad, hairless vampires? Yeah. Right. 
 Anyways...a good, solid read in my opinion. It would be 4 stars if my main objections weren't directed towards the protagonists. 
 Concerning the BDB series - I do appreciate the way J.R.Ward keeps adding more and more plot to her books. It's like she's trying to trick us into it, like she hopes we won't notice that each book is more about the plot then it is about (let's be honest) hot vampire sex. The lady is all subterfuge and I love her for it.