Memorial Day Sale: May 12-27
$9.99

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Audiobook Price: $17.71

Save: $4.72 (27%)

You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Claimed (Lair of the Wolven, The Book 1) Kindle Edition

4.5 out of 5 stars 7,527 ratings

A heart-pounding new series set in the Black Dagger Brotherhood world, about a scientist fighting to save the gray wolves—and getting caught in a deadly trap herself...

Lydia Susi is passionate about protecting wolves in their natural habitat. When a hotel chain develops a tract of land next to the preserve, Lydia is one of the most vocal opponents of the project—and becomes a target.

One night, a shadowy figure threatens Lydia’s life in the forest, and a new hire at the Wolf Study Project comes from out of nowhere to save her. Daniel Joseph is both mysterious, and someone she intrinsically wants to trust. But is he hiding something?

As the stakes get higher, and one of Lydia’s colleagues is murdered, she must decide how far she will go to protect the wolves. Then a shocking revelation about Daniel challenges Lydia’s reality in ways she could never have predicted. Some fates demand courage, while others require even more, with no guarantees. Is she destined to have true love...or will a soul-shattering loss ruin her forever?
Unwell Hydration from Alex Cooper
Hydrate & focus with every sip Shop now

Shop this series

 See full series
There are 3 books in this series.
This option includes 3 books.

Customers also bought or read

Loading...
Popular Highlights in this book

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Bestseller Ward keeps readers’ hearts racing in the first paranormal romance of a sexy, action-packed spin-off series to her Black Dagger Brotherhood series… Ward builds to a breathtaking finale with an impressively orchestrated twist, setting the bar high for the series to come. This emotional roller coaster does not disappoint.” Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"With
Claimed, Ward takes you on a wild ride full of twists and turns. You are left with a cliff-hanger, cursing that you have to wait until the next book to find out what happens next." The Philadelphia Inquirer

About the Author

J.R. Ward is the author of more than sixty novels, including those in her #1 New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood series. There are more than twenty million copies of her novels in print worldwide, and they have been published in twenty-seven different countries. She lives in the south with her family.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08LDHSH72
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Gallery Books (July 27, 2021)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 27, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4.3 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 523 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 7,527 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
J. R. Ward
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

J. R. Ward lives in the South with her incredibly supportive husband and her beloved golden retriever. After graduating from law school, she began working in health care in Boston and spent many years as chief of staff for one of the premier academic medical centres in the nation. She is the author of the Black Dagger Brotherhood and Fallen Angels series.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
7,527 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers

Customers say

Customers enjoy the book's plot twists, with one mentioning how it keeps readers guessing throughout the story. Moreover, the book receives positive feedback for its readability, with one customer noting how the first 50% was particularly extraordinary. However, the character development receives mixed reactions - while some love them, others find it hard to keep track of the characters.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

163 customers mention "Plot twist"115 positive48 negative

Customers enjoy the plot twists in the book, praising its suspense and intriguing ending, with one customer noting how it keeps readers guessing throughout the story.

"...The action, the humor, the romance, the pangs of loss. It was a journey and I thought I knew what was coming and I was so very wrong!!" Read more

"Another mind-gripping story from MS Ward. You can..." Read more

"...It also ends on several cliffhangers. I know many people hate that, but I'm completely fine with it. I'm diving into book two now." Read more

"...Everything was left open. There’s no conclusion and no happily ever after, which left me a little unhappy...." Read more

104 customers mention "Readability"88 positive16 negative

Customers find the book highly readable and brilliant, with one customer noting that 50% of the content was particularly extraordinary.

"So I’ve read other JR Ward books and really enjoyed them. The action, the humor, the romance, the pangs of loss...." Read more

"J.R. Ward is a master of her craft! I absolutely love this book and plan o reading all of this series...." Read more

"...And Xhex is always great...." Read more

"...Brilliant ! Because I did NOT see that coming ...." Read more

55 customers mention "Character development"36 positive19 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the character development in the book, with some loving them while others find them not as captivating and hard to keep track of.

"...of fine writing - entertaining, gripping, with characters you come to identify with and care about...." Read more

"...For half the book I had NO INTEREST in the main characters or any of the OTHER characters, they seemed fake, whiny, disconnected, trite, text book,..." Read more

"...I like the new characters and look forward to more of this world. The story pulls in a few characters from the Black Dagger Brotherhood...." Read more

"...I am reminded of the sadness from Trez's book. Also, the characters had chemistry, but it was nothing compared to the author's usual style: it..." Read more

What a surprise!
4 out of 5 stars
What a surprise!
I never considered myself a lover of the mystery and thriller genre but Claimed proved me wrong! Here’s what I loved: The writing is completely flawless. Its informative, engaging, and witty. I thoroughly enjoyed that aspect of the book. It’s heavy on mystery and suspense and I didn’t expect that but loved it immensely. The mystery. Yup, never thought I’d say that, but I was definitely hanging on each chapter to see when or if we’d get the next clue or surprise. The characters stand out. They are well written and believable. Lydia, an animal behaviorist is so compassionate and caring. Her love for the wolves she’s pledged to save endeared her to me. Daniel is the newly hired groundskeeper working with her. He’s selfless, protective, and would give his life to protect Lydia. Their attraction was immediate, but this is still a slowburn. The surprise near the end. How on earth did I not see it coming?! I was so focused on the wrong thing. Ugh! I don’t even know what to think at this point except to wait patiently for the next book in the series!
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2025
    So I’ve read other JR Ward books and really enjoyed them. The action, the humor, the romance, the pangs of loss. It was a journey and I thought I knew what was coming and I was so very wrong!!
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2024
    J.R. Ward is a master of her craft! I absolutely love this book and plan o reading all of this series. I stayed on the edge of my seat until the end. I highly recommend this series to any reader who likes paranormal romance/fantasy.
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2021
    This was a good start for a new series. It read like a contemporary mystery for the most parts, except for the Brotherhood bits, and I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. But the paranormal element didn’t appear until the very end, and then it turned out this book was only a set-up for a series. Everything was left open. There’s no conclusion and no happily ever after, which left me a little unhappy.

    I don’t mind that we’ll continue with the same characters—provided that we do. I liked Lydia and Daniel both, and I want them to have their happy ending. And Xhex is always great.

    As a Finn, I found the ”Finnish” bits really cringey, and the grandfather being a Catholic downright aggravating (we’re Protestants here). And the ”clever” use of a Finnish name revealed the great secret from the get-go. Though even with it, I found the ”plot twist” really poorly handled and coming out of the blue. It would’ve added depth to the character if it had been brought up earlier.

    This book didn’t quite reach the level of other BDB spin-offs, but the cliffhanger ending assures I’ll continue with the series.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2024
    Another mind-gripping story from MS Ward. You can
    never predict the twists and turns that make up the tale ... and that is the beauty of her skill. So onto the rest of the series. I hope she keeps crafting her stories for many more years to come. And give a pet to the dog.
  • Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2021
    I do feel like a traitor giving JR Ward a bad review but I'm not even sure she wrote this book (when the 3rd BDB book made me alternate between sweating and crying from the emotions I felt). It is unlike any of her previous books - and I would KNOW I have read everything (I do have to say I was equally unimpressed with the Jackal but not quite AS disappointed and the last GREAT BDB book was Mhurder's story). The only good points were when Xhex entered the story line of Claimed. Otherwise...not worth reading and definitely didn't like her idea of a cliff hanger - give me some tidbits about the next story but pull that BS. I felt like a new low had been reached in our relationship (the one with me and the writer I trusted and hand good money to for the quality books I KNOW from the past). For half the book I had NO INTEREST in the main characters or any of the OTHER characters, they seemed fake, whiny, disconnected, trite, text book, flat (I could go on). Other than a few "he's so hot or why do I find her so mesmerizing" mentions there was nothing that made me remotely put the 2 of these people together in any way. The writer spent too much time "telling" us about what was in their head (abstract nonsense) than showing us what they could do, how they were vulnerable, why we should care about them (I didn't give a s--t by the end of the book). And I can't even begin to explain what the intent was about certain plot lines that made no sense - who are these people, what did that mean, what is the underlying cause here, what direction are we REALLY going??? There is mystery and purpose that a good read depends on - NONE here. Again...NOT JR WARD. She is genius. She is legend. She knows how to give a reader what they want. Is she OK??? Jessica...for the love of God fire your editor!
    13 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2024
    Nobody was who I thought they were. While the book was a little too drawn out in places, I understand the author had to lay the groundwork for the next book. I’m excited to keep reading to see the connection between the wolven, Lydia, the colony, and…hopefully, Daniel.
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2021
    J. R. Ward has done it again! She’s hooked me into another world of hers on book 1. In all honesty, I had no idea where this would go when I started on page 1 and I still don’t know now that I reached the end. The thoughts I had were completely flipped on their axis and hello can you call bombshell at what we learned about Xhex. Lydia and her love of wolves was obvious through each and every interaction with the male wolf she encounters at the start of the story. Daniel and his nomadic ways and the interactions he has with others keeps him mysterious. Daniel and Lydia together, work, but for how long is the question. The Warden mentioned this was a cliffhanger, and it is, but not a complete one that leaves you totally cursing her out for making you wait a year for book 2. C.P. Phalen, Candy, and Sheriff Eastwind are characters I need to learn more about. I was not sure how Xhex fits in at first now I think I do, but I’m looking forward to finding out of I'm right, not only for Lydia and Daniel’s sake, but for hers as well. I have a feeling this is going to be the biggest and baddest foe she has ever had to face. That of her past . This first installment of the Wolven took me on a journey and every twist and turn was like taking the curve blind. I thought I knew what was around each corner, but damn if J. R. Ward didn’t rip control of the wheel right out of my hands. Every. Damn. Time. Well done, Warden, well f-ing done.
    2 people found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • Chantel
    4.0 out of 5 stars Happy Amazon finally in SA
    Reviewed in South Africa on May 21, 2024
    Have been trying to get back into reading this particular noval, started reading it years back but it has been difficult to find most of the books especially if you trying to get them in the reading order you reading at this particular time. Hopefully no more hassle for the rest of the books to come. Just hope the prices stays as good as it is at this time too
    Customer image
    Chantel
    4.0 out of 5 stars
    Happy Amazon finally in SA

    Reviewed in South Africa on May 21, 2024
    Have been trying to get back into reading this particular noval, started reading it years back but it has been difficult to find most of the books especially if you trying to get them in the reading order you reading at this particular time. Hopefully no more hassle for the rest of the books to come. Just hope the prices stays as good as it is at this time too
    Images in this review
    Customer image
  • Maria Auxiliadora Carvalho de Souza Barros
    5.0 out of 5 stars excelente
    Reviewed in Brazil on March 17, 2022
    Sou realmente fã de J R Ward, esse livro faz jus ao seu talento. Estou ansiosa pela continuação.
    Report
  • ulla
    4.0 out of 5 stars Serieneinstieg – im wahresten Sinne des Wortes!
    Reviewed in Germany on August 10, 2021
    Als Lydia einen wilden Wolf findet, der vergiftet wurde, kann sie ihn in allerletzter Sekunde retten. Doch wenn sie nicht schnell den Verursacher ausmacht, werden weitere Tiere sterben. Wem kann sie überhaupt noch trauen? Jeder in ihrer Umgebung scheint Geheimnisse zu hüten, besonders der neue Hausmeister des Projekts. Zwar beschützt Daniel sie, als ihr jemand nach dem Leben trachtet, aber er gibt rein gar nichts über sich preis.

    Hm. Mit „Claimed“ startet J.R. Ward also ein neues Spin-Off der BDB-Reihe. Um es vorweg zu schicken: Die Story ist eigentlich klasse geschrieben, mit einem spannenden Plot und einem tollen Paar, mit dem man so richtig mitfiebern kann.
    Es gibt allerdings ein dickes „aber“, das Lesern, die die BDB auf Deutsch genießen, seht vertraut vorkommen wird: Die Story hört nach einigen überraschenden Offenbarungen auf, während es noch unheimlich viele lose Enden gibt. In vielen Rezis wird von einem „Cliff-Hanger“ gesprochen, so habe ich das nicht empfunden. Es kam mir eher wie die willkürliche Trennung einer längeren Geschichte vor, ähnlich der Unsitte des deutschen Verlages, die meisten BDB-Bücher irgendwo in der Mitte zu teilen, um zwei „Bände“ verkaufen zu können.
    Bei „Claimed“ scheint das nun schon im Original der Fall zu sein, aber ob das ein kluger Schachzug war, bleibt dahingestellt. Die vielen offenen Fragen machen nicht unbedingt neugierig auf den am Ende für Sommer 2022 angekündigten Folgeband, sondern lassen den Leser – zumindest mich – irgendwie unzufrieden zurück.

    Ich wollte mich gerne auf einen neuen, spannenden Aspekt des BDB-Universums einlassen und habe genau davon eigentlich NICHTS erfahren. „Claimed“ verbindet eine Art Krimi-Plot mit einer vorsichtigen Annäherung zweier sehr vorsichtiger Menschen. Der Urban-Fantasy-Aspekt ist im Buch kaum spürbar und offenbart sich eigentlich hauptsächlich in den Szenen mit den bekannten Charakteren, wie Xhex und John, sowie Rhevenge und weitere Symphaten haben kleinere Auftritte. Wahrscheinlich soll das die Fans der Serie dazu animieren, auch der Geschichte um die „Wolven“ zu folgen.
    Was es mit denen auf sich hat, ahnt man schon, wenn man den Begriff liest, doch über die Besonderheiten der Spezies, über ihr Wesen und ihre Probleme erfährt man nichts.
    Wandlergeschichte sind meiner Meinung nach immer dann besonders gut, wenn man das Tier auch dann im Menschen sieht, wenn der gerade auf zwei Beinen geht. Entweder ich war bei „Claimed“ von einer bestimmten Erwartung völlig geblendet, oder man bemerkt wirklich nahezu nichts.

    Positiv sei noch anzumerken, dass die coolen und harten Sprüche, die am Anfang der Black-Dagger-Serie eine Art Markenzeichen waren und gegen Ende meist eher gewollt und nervig wirkten, hier angenehm durch Abwesenheit glänzen.

    Fazit: Kann man lesen, muss man aber nicht. Vielleicht ändere ich die Einschätzung nach dem zweiten Band. Von mir gibt es 3,5, aufgerundet 4 Punkte.
    Einen Band der „Wolven“ werde ich mit Sicherheit noch lesen, dann entscheide ich, ob es sich lohnt der Serie weiter zu folgen.
  • Jennie Smith
    5.0 out of 5 stars What a great intro to this new series
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 31, 2024
    I loved the cross over with the brotherhood and the snippets we got of them, I love how this is going to move forwards. This story on its own is intriguing and you know is going to build into an exceptional series on its own merit, the characters have depth and intrigue so I'm looking forward to seeing how it all develops. There was a real twist near the end that I really did not see coming, virtually nothing surprises me and this really did so that's quite novel me for!!
  • Chrystal-foxx
    5.0 out of 5 stars Omg....AMAZING!
    Reviewed in Canada on October 24, 2023
    I can't wait until the next book comes out. This book is amazing. It kept me going until the very end.

Report an issue


Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?