Review: Covet by J.R. Ward (Fallen Angels #1)

Covet (Fallen Angels #1)
J.R. Ward
Published: Oct. 29, 2009 (Signet)
Purchase: Book Depository or Amazon
Review source: copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

Reviewed by: Jannelle

Rating (out of 5): 4 stars

Jim Heron is an ex-secret military soldier turned construction worker, currently employed by one of the country’s richest real estate tycoons, Vin DiPietro. On the night of Jim’s 40^th birthday, he goes out with some co-workers and has a one-night stand with a beautiful woman he meets in the club. When he goes to work the next morning, he discovers that this woman is the girlfriend of his boss, Vin, causing Jim to trip, fall, and basically die.

This brief encounter with death leads Jim to nowhere other than Heaven, where he is greeted by three angels, instructing him on his new purpose in life: saving seven different people from committing the seven deadly sins—with Vin being his first client. According to the angels, Heaven and Hell have decided to have a showdown where the outcome of these seven people will determine who wins: good or evil.

The entire novel is told in multiple points of view with a mass of intersecting storylines. Because of the multiple perspectives, we also have minor story lines, affecting the overarching Jim-saves-the-world-for-Heaven one. Honestly, part of what makes this story both extremely interesting and slightly daunting is the complexity involved within each individual character and how that in turn effects the major one. While Jim initially believes it’s his responsibility to ensure Vin remains with his girlfriend, Devina, he soon realizes that it is in fact Marie Terese, a prostitute at the club Jim first met Devina in, who is meant to be with Vin. While attempting to get out of his deteriorating relationship with Devina, and into the promise of a new one with Marie Terese, Vin is dealing with the sudden return of the premonitions he used to suffer as an adolescent. Add to that the possibility that Vin may have made a deal with a demon, and well, we have ourselves a hell of a start to Covet.

If you’re looking for a new paranormal romance series to get in to, this isn’t the book. Covet is heavier in urban fantasy with contemporary elements. The paranormal elements here aren’t truly emphasized until we start to reach the last half of the novel and briefly in the beginning when Jim briefly dies. There is also only a slight romance element involving Vin and Marie Terese. Granted, the handful of sex scenes were wickedly hot, but that’s not what this book is about.

It took me a while to get through Covet. Granted, it is almost 500 pages long and there is no “fluff” involved in the writing—J.R. Ward is a phenomenal writer and storyteller, each word-filled page as important as the next. That, of course, means that there is no skimming, no thinking about laundry or homework while reading; your full attention should be on the words in front of you. That being said, Covet was a phenomenal read. The constant shift in perspectives means a fast-paced plot that consistently pushes the story forward in multiple scenes.

Covet was intense, brilliantly written, and a fantastic addition to my library. I cannot wait to continue reading the Fallen Angels series.

Sexual content: graphic sex