This was a pleasant surprise!

I didn't realise I was getting back into my vampire era, but this book is definitely bringing me back in as well. This had everything I want from an enemies to lovers; true hatred from both parties being forced into a marriage of convenience, while the fmc is secretly plotting to kill the mmc, as a way to take revenge for her dead family.

The beginning was a bit slow, which had me worried, but then the plot really picked up. I kept giggling from the way the fmc kept trying to kill him and failing. If you like enemies to lovers, with political/court intrigue and secret revenge plots, this book is definitely for you. Overall, really enjoyed the writing.

My only critique is that I read this as an ALC, and the narrator felt a bit robotic in tone to me. I would have liked slightly more emotion, as her tone at times took me out of the storyline. If given the choice, I probably would have personally read this as a normal book or ebook.

Also the tension and the spice between the mcs?? Chef's kiss! I really liked both of them as main characters, and I enjoyed them even more together. The ending has me frothing at the mouth for book 2.

Thank you to Bookouture Audio for providing me with an ALC in exchange for my honest thoughts 🫶🏻

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ – Morally gray, dangerously addictive, and utterly unputdownable.

Vampires, shapeshifters, and fae — oh my. If there’s one thing that will hook me instantly, it’s morally gray characters dripping with secrets, and The Serpent’s Bride serves them up like a decadent midnight feast. Kathryn Ann Kingsley spins a dark, delicious web of enemies-to-lovers tension, political intrigue, and slow-burn temptation that’s as seductive as it is dangerous.

The audiobook narrator? Chef’s kiss. Smooth, magnetic, and perfectly matched to the story’s bite. They pulled me in so effortlessly that even at 1.5x–1.75x speed, every word landed sharp and clear — no confusion, just pure immersion.

And then… that ending. That shameless, audacious, “how dare you leave me hanging like this” cliffhanger. I need book two in my hands yesterday.

Vibe: A gothic ballroom drenched in moonlight, where every dance step might be a kiss… or a kill.

Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture Audio, and Second Sky Books for this ALC — I thoroughly enjoyed every dark, twisted, beautiful second.

OH MY GOD!! I need the next book already! How can the book end there?!! I have so many questions. I wasn't ready for the book to finish. I was merrily going my way, and then the narrator said...to be continued!

I MEAN WTF!!!!!

This book is beyond epic and most definitely one of my favourites this year! I adore Kathryn Ann Kingsley's writing anyway. I first "met" her when I read the Mask of Under series (which I need to finish), and then this gorgeous-looking book hit my screen. The blurb was the second, and then I was sucked in straight with Nadi! I LOVE HER!! And Raziel, you have to hate him, but man, you can't and the things he does! Oh delish!

This book hooked me in, tore my heart out and stomped on me all the while laughing in my face, knowing I have to wait what feels like YEARS AND YEARS before I can find out what happens next. Who can I pay to give me the answers I crave now?!?!! Anyone!?!?!!? PLEASE!

A toxic family, vampires for the added bonus, a lot of Fae, and so much chemistry *sizzling is what I think, right off the page! The action was great. The inner conflict for Nadi was fascinating to read as we see her conflict of Monica, and how much everything was taking its toll on her.

It was everything I didn't realise I needed and so much more! It was addictive, like humans to a vampire; it left me wanting more. I can't tell you anything more about the story because I don't want to spoil it, but Nadi is one bad ass fae. Despite knowing her days were numbered, she does everything in her power to keep going and to take as many people down with her! The kidnapping after the wedding, well,l despite knowing it was deserved (the death scene) it was still sad.

I think if I were Nadi, I would be so frustrated, too. You have no idea who to trust, and everyone is just playing games with your head! Complete mind f**k.

Well, I think you need to go and buy this now, go on now. Well, only if you love morally grey MMC that leave you swooning in a dark fantasy world of humans, Faes and Vampires.

Now I will wait (I'm)patiently for the next one!

I highly enjoyed this story! It was so different from the fantasy I have been reading, and I did not see the ending coming. There were a few ick things that the male character said a lot through the book that kept me from giving it 5 stars, but it truly was a fabulous read. I will say I did this as an audiobook, I do feel like I would have enjoyed it more if I read it myself, but I am particular about narration so that may be why. Can’t wait for the next book!

This has truly grown on me.

Initially, I was not particularly fond of the narrator, which made it difficult for me to continue with the story. Fortunately, a long drive compelled me to listen, and I am pleased that I persevered. The tension between the characters is great and the story line very different from the usual fae/vampire trope.

I'm looking forward to the next book!

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the ARC of the Audiobook for The Serpents Bride in exchange for a review.

2.5 ⭐️ I realllllly thought I would love this based on the description. Vampire Romantasy ✔️ Enemies to lovers ✔️ Morally Grey MMC ✔️ Marriage of convenience ✔️

Something just didn’t land and I found myself unable to stay focused. I couldn’t connect with the FMC, she was quite annoying actually - how can she be so hell bent on revenge for over 80 years but waver after 5 minutes of being around the guy who killed her whole family? She literally trained to be an assassin for this whole point. Girls got no back bone. It would have been good to see her gradually unravel but she just full on forgot why she was there.

The story dragged a bit which I don’t think I would have minded had I managed to engage with the main characters. I wasn’t expecting the ending however I wasn’t totally shocked by it either. All in all, it was fine, listenable and plenty of spice which maybe would have been more enjoyable as a physical read or dual narration. Will I continue the series? I’m not sure.

4 stars

I loved this book and it's world. Both main characters were very complex, dynamic and they're relationship always had me excited for what would come next. Even the side characters I found quite memorable and I imagine some of them will become more important in future book/s? The romance is slow burn at first but once it lights it never cools off it is passionate and intense I enjoyed it a lot. Ultimately if you want a fast paced dark romance this will fill your need in a mostly satisfying way.

Thank you Kathryn Ann Kingsley, Bookouture Audio, Second Sky Books and Netgalley for providing me with a copy for an honest review.

I seem to keep finding books where the FMC is trying to kill the MMC and is using marriage to get close enough to achieve that goal. This book is not an exception to this.

This book is easy to read, so I’m happy about that. I tore through it despite my efforts to pace myself. Not my best moment, to be sure. lol I guess it’s also a point in Kathryn’s favor that I tore through it quicker than I normally would.

I find the eye color of the vampires and the fae both to be really fascinating. I’ve never read a book where a vampire’s eye color could be orange. (I believe the eye color is orange, anyway.)

I also find the description of the fae to be interesting on its own. I love the idea of our FMC having a mermaid tail. At least, that’s how it’s described, anyway. I also like the idea of iridescent eyes. That’s just me, though.

The most annoying thing for me was the narrator (female throughout) voicing the male lines in a falsetto voice. This has always annoyed me but it was worse this time. I’m not sure why.

I’d also love more background on the Wild and the fae in particular. I have always loved the fae being mentioned in stories but it’s not always looked into more deeply and this book isn’t an exception.

And, what the hell was that cliffhanger??? I think that was honestly my favorite part of the entire book. I’m almost glad Raviel figured out who Nadi is in the end and that just made the cliffhanger even juicier.

Yes, I’d obviously recommend this book. It was so good and kept me riveted right from the beginning. I’m going to read it again before the sequel comes out because I want to find out what happens next.

4.5! I got this as an ARC from NetGalley and loved it. I did the audiobook and it was performed so well!

This book features the enemies to lovers trope done, PERFECTLY. Truly. The story and characters are captivating from the first chapter and I was completely caught off guard by the ending! I will very impatiently be waiting for the next book! In the mean time, I’ll definitely check out more from this author!

I had the opportunity to listen to The Serpent’s Bride on audiobook, and overall, I thought it was well-paced. The narration was clear and easy to follow, even when adjusting the playback speed. That’s something I really appreciate some audiobooks become garbled at higher speeds, but this one stayed clear, which helps me focus.

It was a single-narrator performance, and while I personally would have preferred a dual narration, the delivery was still strong and entertaining.

As for the story itself, this is a vampire romance, but it had a strong mafia feel but with vampires, fae, and humans in the mix. The plot took a while to build, and the most exciting chapters were toward the end. Once it picked up, I was curious to see where it would go, especially knowing this is part one of a series.

In terms of characters, I felt the female lead was sometimes repetitive in her thoughts or dialogue, and the male lead could have used more depth. At times it felt like there was no chemistry among them.

For me, this landed between 2.5 and 3 stars.

This is labeled as a vampire romance but there is very little vampire elements to it. It’ seems very much like the author was trying to write a mafia romance and just added in the occasional blood drinking to be able to label it vampire. The plot was… well it was there I guess. The FMC hates the MMC but within like two or three chapters of being around him is suddenly super attracted to him. Definitely not my favorite kind of enemies to lovers.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture Audio, and Second Sky Books for the advanced listener copy in exchange for my honest review.

This story gripped me from beginning to end. The narrator was so deliberate and captivating, which makes for such a fun listen. I don't often finish a 10-hour long audiobook in 1 day, but I just could not stop listening.

I was not prepared for the flip at the end and that cliffhanger was so expertly crafted. I appreciate that it was action right from the start. I love a fast-paced narrative that doesn't require a lot of backstory to jump in. There is backstory here, but it was so succinct that it didn't take long for the plot to move forward.

I also very much enjoy the female rage/revenge trope, which this book does very well. It's rage directed at a specific goal, so the character is still likable and you root for her throughout the book.

I am so incredible excited for the second installment and can't wait to see how this plot unfolds!

Listen, this book threw more curveballs than I ever expected—and that ending? Totally blindsided me. I’m not just hooked, I’m officially addicted and begging for the next book like it owes me money. Get it to me, pronto!

I really really enjoyed this story, enemies to lovers always gets me. I can't wait for the next instalment, I was so invested I was not expecting to reach the end at the cliff. Bring on book please!

We love a revenge story…

I got through this audiobook quite quickly. The pacing was great, with a listening time of just seven hours.

I found the story engaging and I enjoyed following most of the characters. I felt that Nazia fell for Raziel far too quickly. This vampire slayed her entire family and it didn’t take much for her to fall for him emotionally.

Also, I don’t know if I missed it, but I didn’t picture Nazia’s true form until later on, which was a surprise but also one of my favourite parts in this. I liked the cliffhanger because I did not see that coming! It made the series so much more interesting, because how is this even going to play out???

I’m looking forward to book two, but please have separate voices for Nazia and Raziel or even better, make it a duet. The narrator was good, but having a male narrator as well would make it even better. It would bring out that eerie vampire vibe.

Overall, I enjoyed this book.

⭐️ 4.5

A Fae whose family was murdered by vampires wants revenge, specifically against Raziel Nostrom. An opportunity to get close to him arises and disguise will be used to take the place of his future wife.

Well written and narrated novel (I listened to the audiobook). Good characters and well paced. There s danger, tension and plenty descriptive sex scenes but will she kill him?

I really enjoyed this.
This is a classic romantasy, our FMC is full of female rage and out to kill a whole family of dangerous and powerful vampires who killed her family.
To do this she has to become a bride to one of them.
Aaaaaaaand I’ll leave the rest to you…
I loved the relationship between the FMC and MMC. And I really liked the banter/humour of our FMC.
I listened to this on audio, and I can definitely recommend as this was read so well and very addictive, I finished it in one day!

thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for giving me early access, the following is an honest review. On Storygraph I gave it 4.5 and upgraded to 5 here.

Kathryn Ann Kingsley never disappoints and this is another favourite to add to my list.

Once again, she has devised a perfect villain MMC - I hate the term "morally grey" although of all MMCs in this genre hers are the closest to an actual definition. Simon Waite from Harrow Faire is at the top of the list of all time greatest MMCs, but what most writers miss when writing these types of characters is that FMC has to be as badass and morally slippery as the MMC. They don't act as a conscience to get him to the "good side". They complement each other perfectly.

The FMC - Nadri - is bent on revenge against the vampire who murdered her family and sets herself up to infiltrate the family by arranged marriage. Look, it's not the most unique plotline and if I didn't trust KAK to come up with the goods I probably would have shrugged and picked something more appealing. But I know better and even though the plot is trope ridden, the execution is top notch. The world is rich and detailed, and the plot makes sense. The characters are nuanced, meaning their choices are not predictable -even the characters are not sure why they make the choices they do. The FMC, while being villainous and cool on the surface have hidden depths and inspire the reader, even though they are not at all nice, have no secret heart of gold, are not 'misunderstood emo brooders'.

The story has some mafia/ mc elements to it . While it takes place elsewhere (2 moons, fae/vampires, magical elements) there are some modern conveniences - cars, guns, trains. But still lacking in technology like phones / TVs/ social media. So there is no sense of place and some readers who need to know 'when and where' will be disappointed. This has no impact on me. A magical world can be whatever it wants to be as long as the story holds together and no deus ex machina comes in as technology to save the day.

i have to take .25 off due to a bit of extra inner monologuing the FMC does when in her perspective (the novel is written 3rd person but switches between the MMC and FMC) I think her situation was quite evident. I would have liked to see more interaction between the characters as KAK does dialogue well, and can be quite witty. It's such a minor issue though. Maybe I only noticed because listening to an audiobook one is captive to writing that I might skim through if it's repetitive.

Overall I am extremely pleased with the latest book and can't wait for the next in the series.

I really enjoyed this book!

There was so much tension between Raziel and Nadi.
I loved that they are truly enemies at the beginning of the book.
Nadi is out for some major revenge against Raziel and his whole family for murdering her own.
As a shapeshifting fae assassin, Nadi was able to shapeshift into his mortal bride and take her place at the wedding.

With a marriage of convenience, vampire mafia, and enemy to ??, what more could you ask for!

For me, the pacing was really good at the beginning and stalled a bit in the middle.
However, the ending wow! Jaw on the floor twist with a cliff hanger.

I will definitely be keeping my eyes out for when book 2 is available.

I listened to this book. I thought Desireé, the narrator, did a fantastic job! I enjoyed her interpretation For me, I could really tell when we were in the two different points of view and the writing itself really made it distinct in the inner monologues of Raziel and Nadi.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture Audio, and Second Sky Books for the advanced listener copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Serpent’s Bride by Katherine Ann Kingsley is a fast-paced dark fantasy romance where a fae assassin infiltrates a vampire mafia by posing as the bride of the prince who slaughtered her family. Nadi and Raziel’s cat-and-mouse dynamic is ruthless, and addictive, with intriguing world-building in the background.

Some of Nadi’s inner monologue felt repetitive, and Raziel’s cruelty made it hard to fully root for the romance. Still, the revenge plot, sharp banter, and tense ending makes me excited for book two.

Thank you to NetGalley, Second Sky, and Katherine Ann Kingsley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.