Blood Bride by C.D. Reiss

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Carmine Montefiore, Mafia Capo and King of Vampires, has everything on the line.
Luna Beneforte has nothing to lose, and she’s the only woman who can save him.

When Luna gets a letter revealing a long lost family in Italy and a life-changing inheritance, she doesn’t hesitate to board a private plane to escape her dead-end life.

But she inadvertently runs directly into the arms of a dead man. 

Carmine Montefiore, capo di capo of a secret vampire mafia, was sired five hundred years ago, during the second sack of Rome. But for the last fifty years, his people believed him dead…as any normal vampire would be after getting staked.

But Carmine is far from normal.

Now he’s back to search for a bride. He needs the blood of a Strega witch to restore his power, but they’ve become increasingly rare in the years he’s been gone.

Steamy, Suspenseful, and Just a Little Sinister

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💜💚❤️
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📔
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏🌍
Character development: 😋😀😍☺️😘
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Duet Narration

🎧 Audiobook Review: Blood Bride (immortal Empire, #1)

Author: C.D. Reiss
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Narrators: Jason Clarke, Samantha Brentmoor, Dane Anderson, Rose Dioro

📚 Plot & Characters

Luna Beneforte is a woman adrift—her only tie to family being a mother confined to an asylum. When a letter arrives from distant relatives in Italy promising an inheritance, Luna seizes the chance to uncover her roots. Her mother once whispered of a mysterious book that could save them both, a relic hidden among their kin. But what Luna discovers is far darker: her family is entangled with the Italian Mafia.

Gifted with an uncanny ability to read emotions, Luna has always kept her secret close. Enter Carmine Montefiore—a 500-year-old vampire king, newly awakened after decades of stasis. To regain his full strength, he requires the blood of a Strega witch. Aligning himself with the Mafia, Carmine demands a bride in exchange for his protection. The moment he sees Luna, he knows she is the witch he craves—and manipulates her family into offering her up.

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🌟 Highlights

• The fusion of mafia intrigue and paranormal romance creates a deliciously dark atmosphere, dripping with danger and allure.
• Carmine embodies the archetype of the seductive vampire—magnetic, powerful, and undeniably sexy. He’s every bit the brooding immortal, though his treatment of women left me conflicted.
• The romance smolders as a slow burn, but when Luna and Carmine finally surrender to passion, the payoff is fiery and unforgettable.
• Carmine’s vulnerability—his diminished power and looming enemies—adds suspense and tension, making the stakes feel razor-sharp.

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⤵️ Low Points

• Carmine’s fixation on killing Luna after claiming her blood casts a disturbing shadow over their relationship. His fantasies of passion entwined with violence may unsettle some listeners.
• While the narration and characters shine, the plot pacing drags. I usually devour audiobooks in a single day, but this one stretched across four to five, leaving me restless at times.

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🎙️ Narration

The multi-cast duet narration elevates the story. Jason Clarke’s gravelly timbre oozes menace and sensuality, perfectly embodying Carmine. Samantha Brentmoor’s soft yet intelligent delivery captures Luna’s resilience and vulnerability. Dane Anderson and Rose Dioro round out the cast with expressive performances that enrich the world. The duet format, with four distinct voices, adds cinematic depth—making the audiobook feel alive and immersive.

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💬 Final Thoughts

This audiobook is a moody blend of mafia grit and vampire seduction, perfect for listeners who crave danger laced with desire. While the pacing may test your patience, the narration, steamy payoff, and exciting action toward the end make the journey worthwhile. If you’re drawn to morally complex heroes and heroines caught between fate and family, Luna and Carmine’s story will sink its teeth into you.

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⏸️ Quotes

“I want to love and be loved. I just don’t know how that is possible.”

“Never accept less than what you are. Even from me.”

“His magic sex venom is wearing off, and soreness is creeping in.”

“An Italian royal heir. Of course, the most entitled of the entitled. Women were probably zombified for him long before he ever got turned into what he is.”

“Do you need an invitation every time?”
“I want it.”

“I want to give her everything, but she wants nothing.”

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