Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture Audio | Second Sky Books for the advanced audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

A shape shifting water fae assassin disguises herself as a bride who is being sent for an arranged marriage with a vampire crime lord to seek revenge for murdering her family.

This book is an easy, quick read without much complexions. Unfortunately the world building is non-existent. I wouldn't be able to tell you much about the cities and countries where the story takes place except the fact that it's in a metropolis.
The fantasy elements were not there either. You could just replace fae and vampires with a mafia family and you wouldn't lose any context in the story. I just don't think you can give a character fangs, red eyes and a goblet of blood and call them a vampire.
The characters don't have much depth and backstory. She's an assassin but we never learn what abilities she actually has. She just stabs any target and they die without much resistance. There are many repetitive inner dialogues about her grand plan every time she meets a new family member but in reality there is no actual plan. She wants to kill this entire mafia family but how? We'll never know, she doesn't know either. Overall, sadly, this wasn't for me.

The Serpent's Bride delivers exactly what it promises: a truly enemies-to-lovers vampire romance that doesn't shy away from the "enemies" part of the equation. Unlike many books that claim this trope but feature characters who are merely mildly antagonistic, Kingsley gives us genuine animosity with Nadi seeking revenge against Raziel, the vampire who murdered her family.

Nadi (a fae shapeshifter) disguises herself as Raziel's arranged, sacrificial bride to infiltrate his powerful vampire mafia family and destroy them from within. The pacing is excellent, keeping me engaged throughout, and I appreciated the dual POV structure, though Nadi's perspective dominates the narrative.

What sets this apart from other vampire romances is that Raziel isn't just morally gray, he's genuinely dark. He openly enjoys causing pain and frequently mentions wanting to "break" Nadi, which makes him feel like a proper villain rather than a misunderstood anti-hero. This authenticity in the enemies dynamic is refreshing.

However, I struggled with the romantic development. While the attraction between Nadi and Raziel creates palpable tension, I found it difficult to understand why she would be drawn to someone who killed her family, especially when he shows clear pleasure in her potential suffering. The spicy scenes are well-written, but the emotional foundation felt shaky to me.

The audiobook narration by Desiree Ketchum was excellent, bringing both characters to life effectively. The story moves at a breakneck pace and ends on quite the cliffhanger that has me curious about where the series goes next.

Despite my reservations about the romance's believability, I couldn't stop listening. The book delivers on its promises of spice, genuine enemies-to-lovers tension, and a morally complex (if not outright villainous) male lead.

While the romantic development didn't fully convince me, the compelling plot and that ending have me planning to pick up book two. Recommended for readers who want their vampire romance dark and their enemies-to-lovers trope taken seriously.

Please be sure to check trigger warnings for this one!

Thank you to NetGalley & Bookouture Audio for the advance listener copy in exchange for an honest review.

4⭐️/5

I would recommend this if you enjoy:
- Vampire romances
- Urban fantasy romances
- Arranged marriage
- Marriage of convenience
- Forced proximity
- Mafia elements
- A strong, badass FMC
- Spicy scenes

Thank you for the ALC Netgalley, Bookouture Audio & Second Sky Books - all opinions are my own.

This book follows Nadi, an assassin, and Raziel Nostrom, an evil vampire, who meet when Nadi steps in to marry Raziel and plans to kill him and his entire family as revenge for what he did to her family.

I requested the Advanced Listener's Copy of the audiobook because:
1) I love audiobooks.
2) Desiree Ketchum is one of my favourite narrators.
3) I love anything with vampires (TV shows, movies, books) and this sounded right up my alley.

I liked Nadi's character because she wasn't an irritating FMC. She was strong, had a goal and didn't give a damn what anyone thought. Her POV was interesting to listen to as how her thoughts differed from the way she was going to un@live other characters to her unwanted attraction to Raziel was entertaining. I definitely preferred her to Raziel and his family as well.

The spicy scenes were well written and weren't cringey which I highly appreciate in books. There was also an element of k!nk thrown in towards the end. It was a fun addition and felt right for the characters likes.

This book is marketed as a dark vampire romance. While there are darker themes and mafia elements throughout, personally I wouldn't say it is as dark as Haunting Adeline. This is a subjective opinion and I would read the content warnings, however, as mental health matters.

Overall, I would re-listen to this book because it was fast-paced, fun and Desiree Ketchum did an excellent job at bringing the characters to life. Additionally, I liked the author's writing, the characters and after that cliffhanger, I do want to pick up the next book.

***Disclaimer: spoiler free (not like my usual reviews) - free advanced copy from NetGallery***

Possible triggers: drug use, kidnapping, gore, gun violence, murder, slavery, smoking, violence

Overall star rating (out of 5⭐️): 3.5

Spice level (out of 5🌶️): 2.5 (very mild for a dark romantasy)

Content review: The Serpent’s Bride starts out promising, but for me it falls a bit flat. The MFC has strong revenge ideas, but it’ll does not get anywhere in the first book. She repeats similar internal monologues but does not act on them. It’s frustrating if a character is presented one way but acts a complete different way, especially if we know their internal monologues. Unfortunately, I’m not a huge fan of the MMC either, as he is presented and presents himself as careless and does not even change for the MFC.

Narrator review: I enjoyed the narrator. She does a fantastic job reading the male segments. It’s great if they have a female and male narrator but if that’s not the case, someone like her can emerge you in the story and let you forget that a woman reads the entire book. Well done, 4 out of 5 stars for that!

Tags: dark vibes, fantasy, hidden identity, mafia, magic, morally grey main characters, paranormal, revenge plot, romantasy, shape shifter, slow burn, strong female character, vampires

Tropes: arranged marriage, he falls first and harder

“I’m going to make you Fu*king suffer!”

Firstly Thank NetGalley and the publisher for the audio ALC of this book. Please note this gift has not affected the way in which I have reviewed this book.

#TheSerpentsBride by KathrynAnnKingsley
is book one in the Bloodlines series, and is a 4 ⭐️ read.

The Audiobook out on 28th August 2025

All her life she’s been training to take revenge on the vampire who killed her parents. But Raziel Nostrom is a prince of the city’s most powerful mafia clan completely untouchable.

When she learn that Raziel is marrying a woman he’s never seen before, she knew her chance has finally come…

She will disguise herself as Raziel’s sacrificial bride, to gain access to his vicious and beautiful family. And she will murder every last bloodsucking one of them!

—:—:—:—:—

This is the first book in a spicy vampire romantasy series, perfect for fans of true enemies-to-lovers, romance, and marriages of convenience tropes.

Oh boy what a journey this book took me on, I love myself a Stabby, badarse, quick witted FMC, and I got it all in this book! It’s a new world to learn for sure, however it’s so well written, that I found myself craving more as the characters began coming to life!

Favourite Quote: “I will disguise myself as the vampire’s bride.I will win over his family.
And then I will murder every last one of them!”

Spicy Level - 🌶️🌶️

Note: Please read and review all trigger warnings before reading any recommended book. We love to read for our pleasure, so keep your mind, and emotions safe!

I'll start with what I enjoyed. I liked the writing style, the narrator did a terrific job, and the brief moments of humour were fun. The pacing was also good. 

As for what I didn't enjoy... I didn’t find any of the characters likeable and they all felt very flat. The MMC doesn’t seem remotely redeemable. I thought there might be some deep reason that the FMC falls for him after what he did buuuut… no. He’s just hot. For an enemies to lovers it doesn't feel at all earned. It’s also insta-lust, but I should have gathered that from the description so that’s on me. I’m icked out from the words ‘assets’, ‘plaything’, and ‘toy’ after this book.

I can definitely see this appealing to some vampire and dark romance lovers, but it’s not for me. I won’t be continuing the series.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture audio for the ALC!

Genre: Romantasy, Fantasy, Romance

Expected Release Date: August 28, 2025


This is a spicy romantasy book with vampires, enemies to lovers, revenge, and fae.

Raziel Nostrum is a vampire prince. Nadi is fae and has faced horrible traumas….caused by Raziel. Raziel is set to be married to a woman he has never seen. Nadi wants to play the part of his future bride in order to get revenge. She wants to kill his family in exchange for him killing hers. Will she succeed? Will she fall in love with Raziel?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I thought the world building was done very well, as well as the character building. I’m leery when it comes to romantasy, but I would recommend this book.


I listened to the audio version of this book. I enjoyed the narrator and thought she did a good job. However, I think it would have been even better with dual narrators. It was read a little too slow for me. I had to listen at 2.5 speed in order not to be bored. With that said, that’s just me. I also have ADHD and usually need to listen to audiobooks a little faster than normal.

This book was so good!!! I devoured it in less than a day. I was so intrigued by the plot. Both the FMC and MMC are morally gray, which is an interesting combo. Our MMC is a vampire mafia boss about to receive a human bride as his sacrifice. Our FMC is a fae set on revenge against the MMC for killing her family, so she switches places with the bride-to-be and sneaks her way into the court to kill him and his family. Will she be up to the task of her revenge? Or will she fall for the mafia boss vampire?

But the last line of the cliffhanger.... had me SCREAMING for book 2! I just want to say that this book is something I will be thinking about for ages to come.

Tropes: Vampires, fae, revenge, crime lord, sexy, arranged marriage, switching brides.

Perfect for fans of Filthy Rich Vampires, Bride, and The Shadows Between Us.

Kathryn Ann Kingsley delivers a vengeful FMC and a dark mysterious MMC in a story of revenge, betrayal, lust, and twists I didn't see coming. This is my first book by this author and I was intrigued at chapter one. I was fully invested and could not stop listening for what was to happen next. I look forward to book 2!

Desiree' Ketchum did a great job narrating all of the characters. HEer voice distinctions made it easy to tell them apart. The flow was easy to understand and it was clear when a chapter ended.
The only critique is there were a few times where the cadence in her voice did not match the situation/conversation that was happening in the book. Overall, she catapulted you into the mind of the main character with ease and she kept my attention throughout.

We love an assassin who kills, takes a bath, and pours herself a drink right after—iconic behavior!

From the start, The Serpent’s Bride pulls you in with a sharp, witty, and unapologetically deadly FMC. Nadi is a shifter-for-hire with zero patience, and I adored her immediately - she’s literally got a kill list for the male main character’s entire family. Goals.

This is 100% enemies to lovers, she hates him with a passion and he hates everyone. Literally. But especially the fae. And just to top it off, he killed her entire family 80 years ago. And now she is pretending to be his arranged bride in order to execute revenge on his entire family.

Raziel is cold, brutal, and deliciously dark. At times, I genuinely didn’t think he was redeemable and wouldn’t get past her ‘fae’ background but still, when he says “she is my wife” swooooooon.
We’ve got tropes for days in here, mafia romance, marriage of convenience, hidden identities, enemies to lovers, morally gray (almost black) characters, and spiceeeee.

This book is sharp, funny, and brimming with tension. If you love morally gray characters, dangerous romance, and chaotic inner monologues, you will absolutely adore this book. The ending will leave your jaw on the floor. I listened to the Audiobook and the narrator really did a great job of encompassing the story and both main characters' different personalities. It would however been great to hear his voice, but that doesn't take away from the way the narrator successfully told the story.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC audiobook!

I absolutely loved The Serpents Bride. I immediately connected with the characters, the world building was done in line with the character experiences. The pacing of the story, plot twists, and angst was top tier. The narrator did a fantastic job. I will absolutely be listening to the next in the series!

4 ⭐️ Fun and spicy vampire romance

This book was a quick listen for me, finishing it in a single day. The world building was easy to follow and a nice break from more complex romantsy books.

If you like:
🗡️Strong FMC who can hold her own
🩸Vampire MMC with a violent streak
🧨 Explosive action
❤️‍🔥 Enemies to lovers

Give this audiobook a listen!

Overall I enjoyed it and look forward to further books in the series. Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture Audio, and Kathryn Ann Kingsley for the chance to listen to an ARC of this book. 🩷

🖤 Dark, decadent, and dangerously romantic.

The Serpent’s Bride by Kathryn Ann Kingsley is a gothic vampire romance that pulls you into its shadowy world with lush, evocative writing and a sinfully compelling love story. The atmosphere is thick with tension and desire, and the characters walk the knife's edge between obsession and devotion.

🎧 Desireé Ketchum’s narration is phenomenal, her voice perfectly captures the cold seduction, vulnerability, and menace woven through the story. She becomes the characters, giving each one distinct life and intensity. Honestly, her performance elevated the entire experience.

Highly recommend for fans of dark romance who want their hearts racing—for multiple reasons.

3.5 ⭐️

This was an entertaining and easy read with a vividly structured world where vampires clearly dominate the hierarchy. The witty back-and-forth between characters added a lot of charm and energy to the story. However, Nadi's repetitive inner dialogue and Raziel's ongoing indecision did slow things down at times. Still, the intriguing ending has me looking forward to the next installment.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

The Serpent’s Bride is great for readers who enjoyed The Bridge Kingdom, vampire books and mafia romance. The narration was amazing and the plot truly took a turn. I was entertained throughout and will definitely be continuing the series.

Thank you Netgalley, Kathryn Ann Kingsley, Bookouture Audio and Second Sky Books for the ALC!

A vampire murders her entire family and she poses as his sacrificial bride! I loved this story and the narrator did a phenomenal job. Her voice was extremely pleasant and did a good job capturing the different characters.

The slow burn in this is delicious and I loved the complexities that this story showed for the 2 main characters. The fmc was determined to kill the vampire's entire family but makes many sacrifices to her own character while she learns that he isn't who she believed him to be during her revenge.

The twist at the end was well timed and I'm very excited to continue this series and see how this will play out!!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ALC. I honestly enjoyed this so much!

I’d give it 3.5-4 stars but leaning more towards 4 because of that ending!! It was dark, it was spicy in places & we’re following a shapeshifter that’s basically fallen for her captor, the one man she really really shouldn’t want… and she wants to kill him and his whole family.

Absolutely delicious! My only star deduction was that it felt like it went a little long in places, but I understand we needed to build the world, know who their family are, and set the scene.

I’ll definitely be reading book 2!

I had such a good time with this book. It was fast paced and fun. I absolutely loved the the banter & the tension between Raziel & Nadi!
I can't wait for the second book with that cliffhanger ending!!

Vampires x Fae
Marriage of convenience
Strong FMC
Morally grey MMC
Enemies to lovers
Revenge
Mafia

Thank you NetGalley & Bookouture audio for the ALC

Retribution for the deaths of her family. One single aim, kill the vampire and his whole family. Nadi, fae shape shifter has plotted and waited for her chance. So why can’t she? Is it just to make sure she is in the right place at the right time. Or is there more. Yes, a second book at least. Which is good as I enjoyed this one.
I did wonder for much of the book would she, could she? The answer - many things yes and no.
Loss of star because this one central thing didn’t make sense: Nadi showing sympathy for people unknown to her, will come back to haunt her, but her Uncle - what did he do to her except maybe get in her way.
Thank you to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

4.5 Stars (Rounded Up) I think I’ve instantly become a fan of Kathryn Ann Kingsley after this book. I can’t stress enough how palpable the tension and yearning was in this book. This is a Vampire Dark Romantasy that had a nice balance between the romance, fantasy, and world building. I do feel like there could have been a tad more world building but since it’s a very mafia centered storyline, I think the amount of world building makes sense.

I also loved the characters. I think often times FMC’s in romantasy’s contradicts their character but I felt like Nadi was so true to herself the entire time. Raziel made for a very intriguing MMC. He was definitely morally grey, if not leaning more towards darkness, and I find his position in the family really interesting. I can’t wait for the following book where we can explore more of who he is as a person.

I highly recommend this series for a true enemies to lovers, and some gorgeous tension. I find a lot of Romantasy books can be a bit predictable and honestly this one had me SHOCKED. That plot twist was everything, and the cliffhanger had my jaw dropped.

🎧Audiobook: I loved the audiobook for this story and will most likely continue the series on Audiobook (after I get physical copies of course because I love the cover). I think the narrator did really well on giving depth to Raziel’s character with how gentle he could come across.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review!