This is such a good story. I knew after just a little bit that I was going to love it.
It’s kind of slow burn but not. It’s hard to explain exactly. The FMC is a bada$$ she goes into the home of her enemy number one but wearing someone else’s face. Her plan… kill everyone. She ends up wanting the MMC and their chemistry is off the chain. He can barely hold back from his need for her.

This is told in third person but still from both povs which is interesting. Dual pov is usually in first person so it threw me off just a little… definitely not enough to affect the story at all.

The audiobook is narrated by Desiree Ketchum who is an amazing voice actress. She did a great job! I only wish there were two narrators since we got both povs but again, it didn’t affect the story one bit. She is so good!

This is my first book by this author and she killed me with the cliffhanger she left us on… oh the irony! I cannot wait to get the next book! I hope it doesn’t take too long to come out.

Nadi stole my heart in this one. She is a shape-shifting fae assassin with vengeance burning in her veins, she’s set on killing Raziel, the powerful vampire mafia boss set on getting rid of all fae. Her cunning plan? Slip into his life by taking the form of his human bride-to-be. The setup alone had me hooked, but it’s Nadi’s complexity, her fierce determination, her tangled emotions, and her relentless drive that makes this story shine.

Raziel, on the other hand, is everything you want in a ruthless antihero: dangerous, magnetic, and layered with just enough vulnerability that you catch yourself falling for him even when you shouldn’t. The predator-prey attraction between them is intoxicating, it simmers, builds, and delivers in the most satisfying way.

The world building is lush and immersive, with bits of history and lore woven seamlessly into the narrative, making the stakes feel as high as the passion. And those side characters? Equally well crafted, adding depth and intrigue without ever pulling you away from the central push and pull between Nadi and Raziel.

And then that cliffhanger. Kathryn Ann Kingsley leaves us dangling in the best (worst?) possible way. I already need the next book… yesterday!

If you love dark fantasy romances with sharp edged heroines, ruthless antiheroes, and tension that could snap steel, The Serpent’s Bride is absolutely one to devour.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for allowing me access to the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

For the casual Romantasy girlies. This book gave me KU paranormal romance vibes; the kind with possessive fae lords, brooding vampires, and all the dramatic tension. It reminded me of Filthy Rich Fae by Geneva Lee. I wanted to enjoy this more than I did, but the third person POV just didn’t capture the intensity and intimacy this kind of story usually thrives on. The plot itself was decently engaging, but the narrative style kept me at arm’s length. Still, it’s a quick, fun read, and will be exactly right for Romantasy lovers looking for their next supernatural obsession. The audiobook performance was solid and kept things entertaining.

Thank you to Bookouture Audio for providing the ARC via NetGalley!

This book was absolutely fantastic. It was saturated with tension, angst, morally grey characters and action. I loved every single minute of it. And the ending literally made me gasp. I cannot wait to read the next book when it comes out. I need to find out what happens!

Title: The Serpent’s Bride
Author: Kathryn Ann Kingsley
Media Type: Audio
Narrator: Desiree Ketchum

What a fun ride! I ate up the vampire, marriage of convenience, mafia and morally grey MMC! However I was pleasantly surprise to read that it was not only vampires, there were Fae as well. I loved the play on vampires vs fae. It added more depth to the story. There were lots of twist and turns!

Desiree Ketchum performance was top tier! Her voice perfectly matched the vibes. Sultry and powerful done at the same time. I listened at a 1.5x speed and felt it was perfect for me. The audio was clear and crisp!

The only dis-like to the book for me personally was the 3rd person writing style. I very much love a 1st person writing style however the plot, the world and the twists and turns kept me so intrigued that I could not stop listening!

With all that said, I will be looking out for book two! Im hoooked and Kathryn did a wonderful job with the story and giving us such a big cliff hanger!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Second Sky Books, and Kathryn Ann Kingsley for allowing me to listen and review The Serpent’s Bride. I will be posting a review on Goodreads (TriciaReads), TikTok (triciareadds) and Amazon (TriciaReads).

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I love this book. Gave me all the feels.
I will be recommending to other Romantasy readers.

This book blends the excitement of a billionaire mafia romance with the intrigue of an arranged marriage, but with a unique twist: our heroine isn’t just a damsel in distress. She’s a skilled, revenge driven assassin. I found this combination to be a fresh take on the genre, offering something different from the usual tropes I’ve seen in other arranged marriage novels.
From the start, the story grabs your attention with its high stakes action and gripping tension. Be warned, this one is heavy on the violence, so it’s important to check the trigger warnings before diving in. The author doesn’t shy away from intense moments, which really amps up the stakes and keeps you on the edge of your seat.
One of the most compelling aspects of the book is how it gives readers insight into the perspectives of both main characters. The contrasting viewpoints, particularly in terms of their feelings, motivations, and expectations, add layers of complexity to their relationship. It was fascinating to watch how their dynamic evolved, especially as their personal emotions began to intertwine with the larger conflicts at play.
The pacing is quick and fluid, which makes it an easy and enjoyable read. Despite its action-heavy plot, the story never drags. If you enjoy enemies to lovers lovers tropes, this book delivers on that front, though I’d say the “enemies” part feels a bit one-sided, since the MMC doesn’t fully realize that the FMC is his enemy. Still, their interactions, full of tension and building attraction, are really fun to follow.
There were plenty of unexpected twists and turns, which kept me hooked throughout. The plot had a few surprises that I didn’t see coming, and the ending was especially surprising. A definitely a game changing plot twist that completely altered my expectations for the series. It was an intense and satisfying conclusion that leaves you eager for the next book in the series.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. It’s a fast paced, action packed romance with a darker edge, and I’m excited to see where the story goes next. I’ll definitely be picking up the next book when it comes out!

A bloodthirsty vampire, a vengeance-driven assassin, and a chess match of power plays is what you get in The Serpent’s Bride. It had me guessing until the final sentence.
4.25/5 Stars
1.5/5 Spice (Slowww Burn)

The Serpent's Bride by Kathryn Ann Kingsley had me on the edge of my seat. Throughout the book, I kept wondering if Nadi was the one playing Raz, or if he was the one pulling the strings. It's a true enemies-to-lovers with arranged marriage and unredeemable MMC tropes. The main characters play a game of chess and continuously one-up each other, all while tangling in some complicated feelings that would destroy everything they've worked towards.

My Top Standouts:
I liked that Raziel was unapologetically himself: a bloodthirsty vampire out to tame his rage and lust in unsavory manners that would make any other human or vampire run the other way. He's got a "I'm a psycho and I know it" vibe going on. He's rarely been shown kindness because of the byproduct of his upbringing, which just added a bit more layer to his character.
The FMC, Nadi, was no cowering bride. She was a badass, well-trained assassin out for vengeance and could play the game as well as the vampires. It's easy to like her character because of her moral code, even when she crossed those lines while trying to survive.
The mystery of it all. Throughout the book, I would guess what was going to happen, make some of my theories, and it added to the enjoyment of the book. Half the fun for me was theorizing what was going to happen, who was the mastermind behind the game, and who was going to win. Down the last sentence, it was a guessing game that I wouldn't have seen coming.

My only critiques would be that some parts became a bit repetitive and could've been cut shorter because of this. It also threw me for a loop that the FMC fell for the man who unalived her entire family in front of her, and it took a while to get answers to the "how could this work" question. The MMC is supposed to be unredeemable, and I think we will have more answers in book 2!

I would recommend The Serpent's Bride to those who like the "cat and mouse" game plot with an enemies-to-lovers vibe and a deadly smooth vampire.

I feel like there has been a boom of vampire romances in the last year, most of which, are the same story told in different ways but this book is so refreshing for the genre.

True enemies to lovers, revenge, fast paced, spicy (3.5 🌶️ - subjective), unpredictable plot, I couldn’t see where this book was going and the plot twist…wow.

I think I’ve yet to read a book written by Kathryn Ann Kingsley that I haven’t devoured quickly and loved.

Also, a great performance from Desireé Ketchum, who happens to be one of my favourite female narrators so I may be biased.

Overall, I cannot wait for book 2 and the only problem of reading/listening to this book, means I’ve have to wait longer.

Thank you Bookouture/Second Sky Books/Netgally for the ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

5 ⭐️

I devoured this book it was soooo good!

The storyline was gripping, the characters were so well developed, and the tension was spicy.

Nadi is a fae shapeshifter who’s had to live with so much trauma and loss. The only thing keeping her going is revenge.

This dark vampire romance book is not one you want to miss! The cliffhanger at the end was jaw dropping - I need the next one asap!

I listened to the audiobook of this book. The narrator did a great job of embodying the characters, and really making it an engaging listen.

I loved listening to the audiobook for this. Vampires and revenge, fae and assassins. what else could I possibly want in a book. I cried a little bit for the fmc at a certain point. a woman's rage knows no bounds. I can't wait for more background with the characters, I hope to see more of that in the second book!

3.5 ⭐️ Our fmc is on her revenge arc for the murder of her family. She plans on killing the vampire who did it and all his family. I loved the concept of this book. However, it was disappointing that no revenge happened. It felt like this book was just the lead up to the next. I enjoyed the twist cliffhanger ending, but I don’t know if I will continue on. I did like the book, I just feel like instead of two books this could have been one and went straight to the point. Also, the mmc was just not doing it for me. I actually liked his brother a lot more.

I listened to the book and this may be a me thing, but the narrator doing deep voices for any male characters made me cringe. I would have preferred one voice for all characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the advanced reader copy!

4.25⭐️The Serpent and his assassin bride make quite the pair. This was a short dark romantasy filled with spice and vengeance. You have a fae shifter with lots of feminine rage and an unforgiving vampire that thrives on bloodlust. The story ends in a whirlwind plot twist that will have you begging for the next book.

Thank you Netgalley for the ACL!!!

OMFG!!!

This book has unlocked my obsession with vampires!!

From the first chapter I was hooked!!

Notty is your typical jaded FMC ready to take full revenge of the monster who killer her clan. She smart and cunning!

Raziel is your typical black cat MMC, broody, charming and so mysterious.

From the start I wanted so badly for Raziel to turn "Monica"
when he started falling for her I kicked and giggled so hard.

BUT THE FUCKING ENDING!!!!!!!! OMFG I need more like RIGHT FREAKING NOW..

All in all I absolutely loved this book

The plot twist was such a suprise, but the build up to it was amazing. The relationship between the MMC and his family is tense and the FMC has a hard choice to make about her own family as well, hearts may break.

Thank you to Second Sky and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy (ebook + audiobook).

rating: 3.5 stars

I will just start by saying that I had a lot of fun with this book! I am new to the dark romance genre, and I reckon this is a good entry level title. I appreciated that there was no insta-love. Insta-lust I don’t have an issue with as it’s hard to control who we are physically attracted to. I’m not sure if our FMC gave in a little too easily to the MMC’s advances, given what he had done to her previously, but I suppose she was always prepared to get intimate in the name of her cover.

I also appreciated that it was not merely the MMC that was morally grey/black. Our FMC makes a lot of questionable choices, which makes her more real, as she is driven by a need for vengeance and is out to murder an entire bloodline - so of course she cannot achieve that by never getting her hands (or conscience) dirty.

I think to fully get behind a romance with a morally grey MMC I might always just need a tragic backstory or some kind of softer side (Damon Salvatore vibes). This may come in future books, or may just not be this character’s arc and that’s totally okay. However this is probably one of the reasons it could not be a 5 star read for me.

Now that we’ve set up our couple, I’m excited and intrigued to see how the plot and their relationship develop in future instalments.

This was the first book of the series and I’ve read (or listened!) by the author. It was a genuinely enjoyable experience. Normally I do not prefer to read dark romance books but this one is not making you uncomfortable. I also loved the title and cover! If you enjoy dark romance and enemies to lovers romantasy; then this one is definitely for you!
This is an ARC review. I appreciate receiving this copy from NetGalley and the publisher in return for an honest review.

I got about halfway through this book but couldn't finish. The concept was just too cringy and too unbelievable. I don't mind enemies to lovers OR dark romance, but I just don't see how the FMC can be believed to fall for the guy who brutally murdered her family. GLEEFULLY murdered, by the way. And then he's not even remotely nice or respectful to her, openly talks about how he plans to just "break her" then kill her after the wedding. I wasn't enjoying the story and I really wasn't finding her attraction to him believable at all. I was looking forward to her taking the whole vampire family down, including him. But it didn't seem like that's where it was going.

I really enjoyed this book! Nadi is a fae shifter out for revenge. A vampire murdered her family, and shes out for blood. She's learning vampire politics, meeting some amazing morally grey characters along her mission. The book was entertaining and easy to follow.

That ending... I love a good cliffhanger, and Kathryn did not disappoint 🤣🤣

thank you, Netgalley and Nerdfarm, for this ALC.

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.

Sign me up! I jumped at the opportunity to read this book and I'm so glad that I did.

I highly recommend listening to the audio version. The single narration was spot on and kept me engaged throughout the entirety of the book.

The main characters were both morally grey and captivating at the same time. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the story not knowing which way things would go. The ending left me wanting more and I can’t wait for the next book!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes:
* Vampire MMC, Shapeshifter FMC
* Marriage of convenience
* Enemies to lovers
* She’s out for revenge (or so she thinks…)
* Mafia vampire family

Thank you NetGalley, Kathryn Ann Kingsley, and Bookouture Audio for this eALC! I love a good dark romantasy, and this one had me hooked!

I like how feisty and defiant Nadi is, how she tests and also tempts him. She tries so hard to not accept how her body and mind reacts to him, but she just can’t help it. And it’s clear that Raziel has similar thoughts and feelings about her. Sometimes he shows subtle affection, and it adds tension and uncertainty to how this will all pan out between them.

Even though they both hate each other’s kind, their undeniable attraction is so intense that when they finally give in, it was so steamy and lustful I couldn’t help but squirm while reading it. I can’t wait to see how they will react when they both realized they want what they shouldn’t have.

The ending reveal was SHOCKING! It’s a cliffhanger that I was not expecting and I can’t wait to read the next book because that was absolutely jaw dropping! I want to see what happens now with all of this new knowledge they both have found out within that last chapter!!