Alexander’s Blood Bride
by Lorelei Moone
Narrated by: Gethyn Edwards
Publication Date: October 21, 2016
Genres: Adult, Audiobook, Paranormal Romance, Vampires, Novella, Romance
Rating: 5 Stars
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for review from IndieSage PR and the author. I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising"
Synopsis:
Cat has never been a social butterfly. The only reason she even agreed to go to the stupid Halloween party was because her friend and room mate Shelly wanted to attend. When she gets spooked upon almost falling into bed with the host, she’s convinced it was all a big mistake. And what’s worse, now people are stalking her wherever she goes!Alexander Broderick has been hosting his annual Halloween parties for over a century. While his contemporaries use them as an excuse to engage in all kinds of debauchery, his own motives are more benign. He wants to converse, to get a feel for the times they live in through its people. But when Cat walks into his house, he forgets himself and is compelled to seduce her. There’s only one problem: she’s a so-called Blood Bride – a mortal woman whose blood smells so delicious that every vampire in town wants to drain her.
He knows he’s the only one wanting to keep her safe, but can’t act as long as she wants nothing to do with him. And then there’s his own growing hunger to contend with. Can he protect her from the rest of the vampire community, as well as his own lethal cravings?
It’s the ultimate forbidden romance; the love between a mortal and a vampire. What is it that makes flirting with death so utterly tempting? Read on and find out.
Excerpt:
Cat has never been a social butterfly. The only reason she even agreed to go to the stupid Halloween party was because her friend and room mate Shelly wanted to attend. When she gets spooked upon almost falling into bed with the host, she’s convinced it was all a big mistake. And what’s worse, now people are stalking her wherever she goes!Alexander Broderick has been hosting his annual Halloween parties for over a century. While his contemporaries use them as an excuse to engage in all kinds of debauchery, his own motives are more benign. He wants to converse, to get a feel for the times they live in through its people. But when Cat walks into his house, he forgets himself and is compelled to seduce her. There’s only one problem: she’s a so-called Blood Bride – a mortal woman whose blood smells so delicious that every vampire in town wants to drain her.
He knows he’s the only one wanting to keep her safe, but can’t act as long as she wants nothing to do with him. And then there’s his own growing hunger to contend with. Can he protect her from the rest of the vampire community, as well as his own lethal cravings?
It’s the ultimate forbidden romance; the love between a mortal and a vampire. What is it that makes flirting with death so utterly tempting? Read on and find out.
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Alexander Broderick stood at the top of the curving stairwell in the center of his Kensington residence, surveying his domain. The party had started at eight sharp, with more guests arriving every few minutes.
His Halloween parties were an age old tradition, even if their grandeur and scale had evolved significantly since the early days. A hundred years ago, he'd been content inviting a few friends and acquaintances, all of them vampire like he was. Now, every year, the event had grown bigger and better, featuring new faces from all walks of life.
Eternity was a very long time to spend in isolation. He craved the change in routine, no matter how hard his maker had tried to discourage him from going overboard in the past. Of course, ever since Julius had taken over the Council leadership, he had other things on his mind than to monitor Alexander's social life.
Alexander thrived on the attention these parties afforded him. On a night such as tonight, he could step out of the shadows and into normality. Even if some guests noticed strange things around the house, they'd accept it as part of the magic of Halloween. It also helped that he kept the alcohol flowing generously throughout the night.
Tonight was the one night per year that the weird and wonderful became acceptable.
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. So many people. So many aromas.
His parties weren't an excuse to feed as such; no, he could do that any time. But the sheer variety of humankind at his feet was difficult to ignore.
Every vampire in attendance tonight would feel the same way. Alexander smiled as he imagined the depravity that would occur within these walls.
Sex, blood, and rock 'n' roll. Alexander couldn't suppress a chuckle.
They'd keep things clean enough, of course. Everyone here was keen to stretch the rules but not break them. They wouldn't take things so far as to attract suspicion.
They wouldn't kill.
Alexander himself would join in the festivities as well. But first and foremost, he enjoyed playing host. He was especially fond of striking up conversations with first-time guests. First he'd figure out how they'd come by an invitation, then he'd guide the conversation toward other topics that interested him.
He was a connoisseur of sorts; like some immersed themselves in fine wines, politics, or even sports, Alexander collected knowledge on the human psyche. Zeitgeist, as some people called it; he loved to learn about that special set of thoughts and ideas that made society tick. In gathering information about how people lived their fleeting lives, he sought to find meaning for his own.
As he slowly started to walk down the stairs, he focused on acting normal; that meant being a lot more clunky and obvious in his movements than his instincts dictated.
He was socializing, not stalking prey!
That was one of the first lessons he'd learned once he started inviting humans to his get-togethers. If you approached them in too stealthy a fashion, they easily got spooked.
Halfway down, his friend Michael nodded a greeting as he passed him by. The much younger vampire wasn't one to waste time; he'd already found himself two willing females to spend what he liked to call 'quality time.' Everyone had certain talents; seduction was his.
Alexander was about to continue down the steps when a presence caught him off guard. He wasn't sure what it was exactly. A quick scan around the room revealed that all the guests were quite busy entertaining themselves; nobody was looking in his direction.
He sprinted back up the stairs, faster than a human eye could see, and gazed back down to figure out what had affected him so.
The front door swung open and two women entered. One was quite ordinary, and he could hardly tell her apart from the two Michael had just led upstairs. The other, though...
A radiant sight of womanhood.
Her floor length gown was very different from the skimpy outfits everyone else had chosen to wear. Blood red—which in itself would have been enough to entice even the most reclusive vampire among his company.
Raven hair halfway down her shoulder, which swayed with every step she took.
A face flawless, like that of a porcelain doll.
And curves. Her body exuded a richness that made every fiber in his body ache for her.
My Thoughts:
What did you love best about
Alexander's Blood Bride?
The author wrote a story that
grabbed my attention from when the narrator spoke his first word. Having an
accent added to my enjoyment. I find that when reading I don't hear a different
language - especially coming from Massachusetts. So in this case this gave me a
better sense of the characters - especially Alexander.
What was one of the most memorable
moments of Alexander's Blood Bride?
For me, it was the Halloween ball. I
could almost picture how grand the affair must have been. Having been a fan of
the Dark Shadows series helped my mind video play the whole scene out.
What does Gethyn Edwards bring to
the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
He brings Alexander's character to
life. This is a story that I felt needed someone to bring an accent to the
table. He has a certain inflection as he reads but he doesn't try to make a
high pitched voice when reading the female characters. I don't think I would
have enjoyed it as much if he had. This book has made me a fan.
Was there a moment in the book that
particularly moved you?
I think it has to be that Halloween
party where our two characters first meet. It's that meeting that sets the tone
for the rest of the story. And it left me wishing I could have been there to
watch these two looking at each other for the first time and feeling all the
emotions that went into that scene.
Any additional comments?
I loved hearing Alexander and
Catherine's story so much that I have already listened to it a second time. My
only disappointment was that I wanted more - I just did not want the story to
end. I wanted to know what happens next for our couple. I'm keeping my fingers
crossed that the other two books currently in this series come out in audio.
After hearing this one, I can't picture not being able to listen to someone as
they read to me. And isn't that a grand thing. Personally, I think we see a
story differently when we listen to it versus reading it.
AUDIO EXCERPT:
ABOUT LORELEI MOONE:
Lorelei Moone is an up-and-coming author of paranormal romance based in London. A lover of all things sweet, and caffeinated, when she’s not writing about sexy bear shifters and their strong-willed curvaceous love interests, Lorelei can be found baking cookies or cakes for her family.
ABOUT Gethyn Edwards:
Gethyn Edwards is an up and coming new British narrator, with a growing track record in top romance titles. Reviewers describe his work as “emotionally charged”, “compelling”, and “a pleasure to listen to”. Visit his Facebook Page for more information.
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