Married to the Vampire King

Blood Bonded Mates #2

by Jay Castle

ETHAN
The bad news is that the vampires and witches of this city are all going to kill each other. Meaning that everyone I care about is pretty much doomed. The good news is, I have a plan to stop it. Step one: Marry Nathaniel Bailey, the leader of the city’s vampires. Step two: Make myself into the most enticing bait possible so that the murderous vampire who is actively trying to plunge the whole city into chaos comes after ME next. Step three: Place my life in the hands of my newly minted husband, who probably doesn’t care whether I live or die. What could possibly go wrong?

NATHANIEL
From the very first moment I lay eyes on Ethan Solomon, I know he’s my mate. And when he proposes to me less than five minutes after our first meeting, part of an insane plan to broker peace between the witches and the vampires, I accept his proposal without hesitation. Ethan thinks that we’ve entered into a fake marriage. He has no idea how real it is for me. He has no idea how long I have waited for him. And he has no idea that I will stop at nothing until I’ve made him mine.

Married to the Vampire King is a 92,000-word MM paranormal romance novel featuring a potty-mouth warlock with no magic who just wants to protect everyone he cares about, a cinnamon roll of a vampire king who will do anything for his mate, snarky side characters, spicy scenes, a bit of magic, a dash of found family, and a guaranteed happily ever after with no cliffhanger. This is book 2 in the Blood Bonded Mates series. It contains some violence, mentions of death/loss of loved ones, strong language, sexual scenes between men, and passages depicting consensual blood drinking, as one might expect from a male-male vampire romance. This book is intended for mature audiences.

Genres: Vampires, Paranormal, Romance, M M Romance, Magic, Fantasy, LGBT

286 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 30, 2024

About the author

I write MM paranormal romance and I’m the author of the Blood Bonded Mates series. All of my books end with an HEA and most of them also have a fair amount of hurt/comfort woven in, which is one of my favorite romance tropes (both to read and to write).

I've always been an avid reader, practically ever since I could first pick up a book. I've also been fascinated by paranormal themes for pretty much all my life. If a book had witches, vampires, ghosts, time travel, etc., I wanted to read it.

I developed my love for the romance genre in general and paranormal romance in particular when I started "borrowing" the books off my mom's shelf with supernatural elements in them. She was a voracious reader of romance, so naturally, they were all paranormal romances. I fell in love with them. And once I discovered MM paranormal romance, I felt both seen and included for the first time. I now read a wide range of genres, but paranormal romance has always had a special place in my heart. After all, who doesn't love spooky stuff & happy endings?

I’m owned by cats and I’m a proud dog dad to a border collie (pictured above) who is probably smarter than I am. I live in the Pacific Northwest with my partner of 13 years.

Reviews

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 3.5 stars ⭐️

• Marrying the powerful vampire King Nathaniel seems to be the only way to prevent a war. Ethan certainly didn’t expect for his husband to be just a Care Bear with fangs. •

Very sweet and fun paranormal romance. No crazy world-building or complex magic systems. Just vamps vamping and witches witching.

The plot, although predictable, was still entertaining and action-y. A bit on the lower scale spice wise for me, but still decently sexy and romantic. I mean, who can be mad about a cinnamon roll vampire?

“The vampire king—my husband—was a cinnamon roll. An ooey-gooey cinnamon roll. The kind that drips sugar absolutely fucking everywhere.”

Would’ve maybe liked some more relationship building, ‘cause it did feel a little insta-love and cheesy. Cute, but cheesy.
Rounding up to a four JUST for the mind bond/mind reading, ‘cause that’s an awesome trope and I need more of it.

“Are you seriously having telepathic conversations with the fucking vampire king?” Then, almost as an afterthought, she glanced at me and added, “No offense.”

I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.

CW and tropes (spoilers):
- Vampire vs warlock
- Fated mates
- Underdog hero
- Arranged/political marriage
- Mind bond telepathy
- Depictions of homelessness (not MCs)
- Mild violence
- Blood drinking
- Strict top/bottom
- Virgin MC
- Frotting

[Audi♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I wanted his hands on me. I wanted to feel his lips on me. I wanted to feel his strength as he held me. I wanted to watch him come completely fucking undone"

Omg this was so ridiculously good. I've rotted my whole Saturday away hooked on this. I was stressed the whole dang time on who was killing all them warlocks and witches. Totally unexpected! What a complete dick.
I LOVED Ethans' character development.. I was SHOCKED at his lil plot twist. Hehe Hes so badass.
Nathanial is probably the sweetest, calmest, squishyest vampire I've ever read. I don't think he would even hurt a fly...unless you fuck with Ethan 🥹 it warmed my heart his reasoning for waiting to tell Ethan they were mates.

"I wanted him to choose me of his own free will. He needed to choose me because he wanted to, and for no other reason"

SEE! Precious! such a good vammpy.
I'm definitely going back to read the first 2 short stories. Loved this whole world.
I can't wait to see what happens with Thobias and Bryan. Poor guy.

NO cheating
No OM drama
Virgin MC
Few mild spicy parts.
No mating bite 🙁

[Vanessa GLP · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now we are talking, so much better than the first one ❤️

[Elena Rodríguez · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Ever since I saw Pierce and James together for the first time, I’ve wondered what it might be to be so close to someone else”.

Contra todo pronóstico me ha gustado mucho más de lo que pensaba. Me imaginaba que iba a ser como la primera novela, corta y con unos personajes que sufren de insta-love. Sin embargo, los personajes se toman su tiempo para conocerse y desarrollar su historia de amor.

Es una pena porque no me lo he leído en el mejor de los momentos y a veces se me hizo bola, no porque no me gustase sino porque no me apetecía leerlo. Una vez pasado ese pequeño bloqueo, lo pude disfrutar.

Recomendado sin lugar a dudas.

[❀ Jess ( Semi hiatus ) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

I LOVE NATHANIEL. ♥︎
He’s such a cinnamon roll. Absolute perfection, *chef’s kiss*

I personally would’ve preferred if the focus had been a little more on the romance rather than the coven / vampire plot so that’s why my rating wasn’t higher, I felt like Nathaniel was getting more smitten by the day but Ethan never really seemed to be on the same level even after finding out they were mates, it felt more like Ethan’s story and how he went from feeling like an outcast to being super important to his coven. I guess it tracks since it’s titled after him and there’s more of his POV than Nathaniel’s.

This also felt very light-hearted and low stakes even tho there were people being murdered and the very real possibility of a lot more deaths. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Not exactly my taste but still an enjoyable enough read.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stakes are high, and some of the stakes are wooden!

To stop an impending war between witches and vampires, and save the city from a supernatural serial killer, magicless warlock prince Ethan proposes to the scary and mysterious Vampire King, forming an alliance to buy him time to solve the murder mystery.

Turns out Vampire King Nathaniel is in fact just a cinnamon role of a man, dedicated to helping his people, kind, and 100% a sap for his mate - the warlock he agreed to marry five minutes after meeting him.

Together with their band of merry mates, they stop a supernatural creepy serial killer specist warlock from killing more “outsiders”. Ethan realizes he isn’t cursed and his inability to do magic is actually a gift of magic itself - the ability to undo any spell, an immense power and burden for him to carry. But he finds solace and support in his sweet and indomitable husband and their friends, slowly healing from a life of otherness and stepping into his role as a leader of the coven and the vampires.

[martina (the life of a chaotic reader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

needed more romance

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much! I had enjoyed the first one in the series, but this one was even better!
There is a bit of everything in this story. Magic, vampires, witches and warlocks, action, suspense and soooo much love.
I loved how brave and selfless Ethan was. He was willing to risk everything he loved and give up all he cared about to save the city and thousands of innocent people. He thought he had no magic, but for me his magic was his amazing heart.
Then there was Nathaniel, a vampire with a heart of gold. Another selfless being who just wanted to keep his city safe. He carried a past trauma that was painful for him, but he had no doubts about his feelings for Ethan from the beginning.
Their relationship was very romantic for the beginning. I hate that Ethan wasn't totally honest with Nathaniel, even though I understood his reasons. The vampire trusted his human completely and that made me swoon, because he had trust issues but they disappeared as soon as he met Ethan and realised that the warlock was his fated mate.
This book was amazing, there was so much action and suspense. There was always something happening and that hooked me so much that I couldn't stop reading. Nathaniel and Ethan were amazing together, so in tune with each other's feelings and both willing to sacrifice their happiness for the common good.
I loved this book and had a great time reading it. Obviously, I can't wait to read the next one in the series, I'm sure Tobias and Bryan's story will be great too.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nathaniel & Ethan
Rating: 4.3 ⭐

- Age Gap (Like 200yrs)
- Cinnamon Roll Vampire
- First Times
- Fated Mates
- Paranormal
- Marriage of Convenience
- Hurt/Comfort
- Vampire King/Warlock (kind of prince)

I have been waiting for Nathaniel's story to come out and am so happy with it. Ethan is such a strong character even when he didn't feel like enough, making him formidable and great pairing with the king. Now, I did figure out who the villain was pretty quickly and that Ethan's "non-powers" where going to be essential in the grand scheme of things. That's just me because I saw a lot of post stating that it was a mystery to them until the end. It didn't detract from enjoying the story and everything played out in an epic fashion, so I'm definitely not complaining.

Ethan has been an outcast in his coven since the initiation ceremony where everything changed for him and he became untouchable. His magic was taken and in its place he repels magic and cannot be harmed by it. If he's too close to spells then they can shatter or go haywire so he's given a wide berth by the coven members. He has been living amongst the humans for a while now to avoid feeling like a freak at home. Ethan, along with his friends Poppy and Tobias, have a plan to help stop the impending war between the vampires and witches/warlocks. Ethan has gleamed in a magic mirror the future and how he can put himself in certain situations to stop the culprit. Which leads to Ethan walking up the vampire king and proposing marriage. Woah is a correct response because he's never met the man and he believes the king to be a ruthless and cold killer. Boy is he in for a shock!

Nathaniel just wants peace, like he's always wanted in his city. With the random deaths by a vampire they can't find, he's running out of options to save his people from war. During a tense meeting with the witch queen, he catches the scent of his mate. Not only does he meet his mate for the first time, but his mate proposes to him within minutes of introduction. What luck and it helps buy both sides time with tensions high. Nathaniel can tell that Ethan doesn't know they are mates so he doesn't tell him, instead wanting Ethan to get to know him and love him of his own choosing. Watching them break down each other’s barriers and fall in love was ridiculously good. Nathaniel was so ooey gooey with Ethan and did everything to make him happy, even against his better judgement. He knew there were secrets that Ethan was keeping from him but he vowed to trust his warlock and protect him with his life.

The couple, the vampires, and Ethan's friends fight with everything they have to save the city and those that were done harm during the process. Ethan has to learn to love and believe in himself before fully opening up to Nathaniel. Nathaniel is so patient and understanding with Ethan, always giving him time to do things when he was ready and always with consent.

"I've been running from myself. From the coven. From the awful truth that I was untouchable. Unlovable. A freak. But Nathaniel had shown me that I could be touched. I could be loved. And since meeting him, since seeing myself through his eyes, I had been enough. Exactly enough."

I will be patiently waiting for Tobias and Bryan's story. Bryan is going to need some vampire therapy because man the things he has to heal from are rough. I'm sure Tobias will help him heal and smother him with all the love and protection of a super strong warlock. Poppy is the best friend everyone wishes they had and she's also a great twin sister to Tobias. I don't read female MCs anymore really, but I would devour a book with Poppy as the MC. She's a foul-mouthed badass and that can't be denied!

"Go get drunk with the thousand-year-old vampire?" Poppy muttered. "After the day I've just had? Sure, lady, why the hell not?"

Content Warnings: Strong language, alcohol consumption (high volumes), blood drinking, depictions of homelessness among young adults (18-25), mentions of abandonment due to transphobia, mentions of death to a loved one (off page), and on-page violence

I received a free copy of this book via GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Verse: No
HEA: Yes
POV: Dual
Breakup: No
Cheating: No

[Joyfully Jay]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4 stars

This is the second book in the Blood Bonded Mates series, and is fine to be read as a standalone. I definitely liked this story better than the first book in the series. It’s got a well-rounded cast, with some twisty plot moves. I did feel like I heard too much of the story being told to me by characters’ thoughts and explanations, but it was less overt compared to the first book. Plus, as the action developed, there was far less exposition and I really found myself caught up in this drama between the vampires and the witches. While I had guessed the identity of the true villain early, I liked the subterfuge that kept the big reveal at bay for a good amount of page time.

Read Veronica’s review in its entirety here.

[Shellfish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Married to the vampire king by Jay castle is one heck of a ride. I was so nervous for Ethan and Nathaniel.
Ethan the son of the witch queen feels the only way to save his friends and family is to ask the vampire king to marry him in which Nathaniel immediately accepts because he knows they are mates and wants to be with Him. Nathaniel wants to protect Ethan and never let anything hurt him but it’s not looking good for anyone.
The story was intricate, well built, intriguing and told extremely well. I had a hard time putting my kindle down. The characters were fabulous even the minor ones. I really loved it. Seriously I can’t tell you enough how freaking good this was, I even cried, (ok I cried a lot).It was a romantic love story twined with a thrilling tale of magic. I would totally recommend. This is book 2 of Blood Bonded Mates which I read first. Doing things backwards now I’m off to read book 1.

[Kirstine Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our MCs are Ethan, son of the queen of the Seattle Coven of Witches, and Nathaniel, king of the Seattle vampires. An ancient prophetic mirror has told Ethan that marrying Nathaniel is the only way to stop an all-out war between their two species, and since he's embarrassed he has so little magic of his own that he sometimes even sabotages other people's magic, he decides that this is the way he can help.

Nathaniel thinks the whole thing is weird, but Ethan might be his way in to finally get proper information from the witches. Also, Ethan is pretty cute, so he's not about to look gift, um, witch in the mouth.

In the meantime their enemy is ramping things up, and might just be hiding in unexpected places.

[Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

That's it. Jay Castle is going on my autobuy list. Nathaniel & Ethan's book was everything I hoped for and at the same time, so much more. Absolutely adored it. Next up is Tobias & Bryan's story and then I will have to face the excruciating wait for Jay's next book. But I know it'll be worth the wait.

Please do not sleep on this series, this author. I mean it.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

[SophiaH · Rating 4 out of 5]

***3.5***
Very sweet to the point that I had to eat something spicy to offset the sugar. The vampire king Nathaniel was so soft spoken and understanding that at the end of the book I became a bit frustrated. I recently read another book from a different author also with a very understanding character but it didn't feel that on the nose there as it did in this book. If I didn’t know better I would have thought he was the sub to Ethan. Every other thought was, if Ethan wished it, or, what will make him happy. It started to feel a bit unhealthy over the course of the book, a bit co-dependent-y. Even though the mystery plot was constantly spoken about in the background I didn't feel the urgency to solve it. I guessed as to who might be responsible from the first time the person was mentioned on page, maybe this made me focus less on that part of the plot thus making the book slow down from then on but who knows.
All in all the characters were pleasant, there were some cameos from previous MCs, which was nice and the general plot was interesting. So it can be said that it was a nice in-between read.

Update:
After sleeping on it I think I figured out what irked me so. In the aforementioned other book the character stayed true to his profession and persona, so his sweetness and overprotectiveness were traits of him being a security expert and his need to protect and serve. Here Nathaniel is supposed to be an authority figure, someone strong and decisive. No one gets and especially stays in a position for that long who isn't suited to the role. So his seemingly submissive mannerisms and indecisiveness clashed with who he was supposed to be. And for me personally this cannot be explained away with "he never truly wanted to be the king". Caring is one thing, meek and constantly questioning another.

[Suzanne Irving · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cool take on vampires and witches

Nathaniel and Ethan are the main couple in this book but most of the story focuses on the problems between vampires and witches. Jay Castle managed to get one over on me because I had no idea who was responsible for what was happening and it takes a lot to pull the proverbial wool over my eyes. The story is a great mix of love story between Nathaniel and Ethan who end up forced to marry each other to help the situation between their respective clans and the other story which is about that situation. The bond that develops between the two men is lovely, which is amazing considering who they are and Castle has used some clever ideas to help their relationship develop quickly. The overall story provides a great counter point to the romance and gives the reader a run for their money as it were.

[vrstal · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5. Highlights may contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.

Content Warnings for book: Alcohol, houselessness, violence, off-page death of loved ones, references to transphobia

Kink: N/A

These two were very sweet and good. Despite being fated mates, this book isn’t “I love yous” from the second page. They take some time to work up to it and there is emphasis on consent in all things. Ethan and Nathaniel I loved both, and I appreciated the different struggles they went through. The mystery plot had me on edge too!

While I think the end bit with the villain was a tad rushed, I do understand why it played out the way it did. I really love how the blood bond is described and that “dark place”.

If you enjoy some sweet romance along with paranormal plot excitement, this is a good read!

[Bkwrm24 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ethan and Nathaniel ❤️

4 Stars ⭐️

I adored this book and its characters, I think I fell in love with Nathaniel from the 1st page ❤️. These two are not what you'd expect to find in a vampire story, they were so much more. The relationship build was the prefect blend of sweet and heat, the story line was great and I would absolutely recommend this one.

* I received an ARC from GRR, this is my open and honest review *

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly Enjoyable

I was hooked and could not put this book down. I loved the clever storyline and appreciated the thought that Jay Castle put into writing all the magic and incredible spells and twists and turns. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the wonderful HEA. Thank you !

[Demian Grimm · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐

[Alexis Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yessss

Book 2 delivers. This was great, better than book 1. Nathaniel and Ethan are surrounded by a host of side characters to boost the story and storyline. There was plenty of world building and the mystery aspect of the story was well done, in my opinion.

KU, paranormal, book in a series, vampires, mages and magic, mystery, fated mates

[Damianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fine book, the writing is solid and the relationship is cute, I'm here for a cinnamon roll vampire king.

However the reader is not expected to have two brain cells to rub together, and as a result the characters are astonishingly slow on the uptake. Some of it is painful, like a couple hours after a Chekhov's blood bond is described in the form of the previous book's MCs (which I did not read so this was new info), MMC1 starts seeing the exact same effects in himself and doesn't have any idea what it might be. This sort of thing is absolutely constant, including the main mystery of the book, the information required to figure out the antagonist is agonizingly comprehensive and specific, requiring the baddie to have a unique set of attributes that have already been established as belonging to one specific character who spent his previous on-page moments saying vaguely evil things and then laughing it off. They don't figure it out until like practically the end of the book and then while he's monologuing about how the people he killed needed to die our MC is thinking they need to wait because they need more proof it's him.

However some of it is so absurd that I didn't even realize they were confused, like MMC1's magic powers. This man is well established as being an embarrassment and a nuisance because he can unravel enchantments and magic simply through an accidental touch, and yet there's a big reveal at like 60% or so that he DOES have magic and it's the power to nullify. Like, yes? Every character in the book is shocked at this revelation. Even if he was simply so cursedly unmagical that spells ran away at his approach, that's still nullifying spells so truly the only thing that they learned was the mechanics? I guess this was a shocking reveal in that I was shocked that it was a reveal.


So cute story, cute couple, would recommend you read it stoned out of your mind. This is a real "I'm recovering from a surgery or injury and I have to take Vicodin every day" read. I bet that would make it at least a 4 star. As it is, I am rounding up a bit because it's truly difficult to get that invested in people who are so clueless that they don't seem like real people.

[wordsandblankspaces]

DNF 50%

I just can't for the life of me get into this one. It is not as good as the first one. While it isn't horrible, the story is just dragging and the bad guy seems super obvious as well as a way to fixed the stone skin cursed people. Obviously I don't know for 100% certainty the ending of the book's plot because I do plan on finishing this someday. It's just not working for me right now or for me at any point in the last week I've attempted to get into it. One of my biggest issues is Ethan. He seems like he should be a smart guy but he misses things that are obvious. He hangs out with James and Pierce and witnesses their blood bond but when the same thing happens with Nathaniel, he has no clue what is happening. Doesn't make sense to me. I do like Nathaniel though.

[Jen Chen]

Cute romance but the book would’ve been more fun to read if I hadn’t been able to predict every single ‘twist’ super early on (including the final villain). Author is not very subtle.

Also -I immediately assumed Ethan had the power to break enchantments and and that everyone else already knew that, based on the fact he KEEPS BREAKING ENCHANTMENTS. Weren’t they all afraid to go near him because he interferes with magic? So the ‘twist’ about him actually having this power made me go …. Well yeah? How is that a surprise?

[... · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is shaping up to be a fun world! I enjoyed this one, and definitely plan on continuing with the series.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

**This review has been electronically translated into English.

* ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I liked that this was a complete book and not just another novella in the series (which I wouldn't mind if it was highlighted so that readers would know what they were getting into before they started reading so they wouldn't get frustrated). But overall, even though it was shorter, I liked the pair from the previous book better. I simply prefer things when they are laid out on the table right away. Here, I loved the vampire and didn't like the warlock.

I didn't like Ethan's attitude, hiding things from Nathaniel, at first, but I understood. I thought it was for the greater good, but later it turns out that his motives aren't so noble. He actually wants to show and prove to others that he's not useless, to look good in front of his coven. If it were out of real fear of losing everyone, he would have told Nathaniel everything later. Even though the vampire showed him that he was trustworthy and even though he read his thoughts in secret and saw his good intentions, he still used the blatant excuse that he didn't trust him. This was just to be the only one who would save everyone and get the glory of it.
And on top of that, listening to Nathaniel's thoughts, the way he did, was at the very least proof of his lack of character. And if it were the other way around, he would certainly make a fuss about it.

There is a glaring difference in how much the concept of predestined mates and eternal blood bonds are blurred here. In the previous book, Pierce says that beings with this bond would put the other first in everything. Well, that's not the case with Ethan. James's protection of Pierce, even before exchanging blood and establishing the bond, already existed and was enormous. In this book, Nathaniel knew that Ethan was his mate immediately, but there was no real connection. Ethan, as a wizard, should be more sensitive to the paranormal, since he is part of it, but it was the opposite or it was convenient.

Ethan is what I would call a morally questionable hero, who everyone paints as a saint. Of course, then there is the whole redemption thing, telling the truth, getting together and such, but I didn't like Ethan.

Couple aside, the plot was good, it could have had more action, but what there was wasn't bad. I hate information that is thrown into the story but isn't worked on, like the death of Ethan's father, which was kind of left in the air and that was it, or what happened to Nathaniel's ex after the confrontation. I like the world that the author is building, but it is very slow (according to the author himself, he is building a world). I understand that he must be discovering things, but come on, he must already have an overview of his fantasy that could be revealed in the first books. This should have started in the previous book and developed in the following ones. But book 1 was just a novella focused only on the destined couple and not on the general plot of the books. 0.5 was more of a random novella, apparently. It seems to me that there will not actually be a central plot. Each book will have its own drama and plot, and what will connect one book to the other in the series will be the appearance of characters from one book in another. Which takes away that delicious suspense and mystery that series in this niche have when they do everything right. Which makes me want to understand why build a world if there is no central plot!? It would be enough to just use the existing tropes and scenarios and create stories for random characters.

But, regardless of the universe created, related or not, I like the series in general so far. The books are independent so far. Yes, the characters that appear in the first book appear here and from the synopses I read of the next ones, they will appear in the following ones, although not all of them. They are good stories. The author has a good writing style, clear, easy and unpretentious, although at times he graces us with some fancy words, but nothing too blatant.

Dual POV. 1st Person. Ethan and Nathaniel.
Vampire/Witches. Paranormal. Predestined Companions.
Low emotional drama.
No cheating by the couple. Low suffering.
Moderate violence. MCs are injured, but survive, as if by magic.
Good chemistry between the couple. Good sex, but moderate.
First time.
A lot of irony.
Homeless people (not MCs).
Exchange of fluids, including blood.
Marriage of convenience.

[S a n d r a · Rating 4 out of 5]

❊ Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook ❊

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨

The first installment in this series was nice but way too short for my liking, so I was really glad when this second book came out and I realized it was longer.

Here we meet Pierce's "dad", aka his creator. We already know about fated mates and blood bonds after having read Pierce and James' story, but if you haven't and rather jump straight into this second one, worry not: everything is perfectly explained again.

Unlike in the first book, the other MC this time is a warlock, so he's perfectly aware of the supernatural world and there's not much need for explaining basic thing. But there are things Ethan doesn't know, even thing his coven isn't privy to, and that makes it interesting.

The story is entertaining but predictable, I'm not gonna lie. It was obvious (for me, at least) who the bad one was: the scene in the archives and the creepy convo about the statues in the basement was a tad too obvious. And then the scene in the alley with the vampire and his eyes being black and then blue was a huge giveaway that he was being controlled. But even so, it's interesting and you don't get bored.

I guess the main reason for this is that I really liked the main couple. Nathaniel was much more playful than I expected, and I loved how sweet and tender he is, not only with Ethan but just with everyone and everything. His heart is way too big for his own good!! Ethan, even though he doesn't realize at first he's Nathaniel's fated mate, was a nice MC too. Their dynamic was funny and cheerful, I loved to see them bantering and flirting and trying to resist themselved and failing miserably each time.

The arranged marriage plot is not my fav, but this time I liked it well enough. I guess that's because Nathaniel is aware of Ethan bein his mate, and that makes everything more real between them since the beginning, even when Ethan doesn't understand why the vampire king accepted his proposal.

And while the two fall in love like crazy, they have to focus on the reason why they got married in the first place: a rogue vampire is killing innocent witch and warlocks, and if not stopped soon a war is gonna explode between the two and many more will end up dead. Ethan, powerless (this bit was predictable too and and it reminded me so much of Disney's Encanto, with Ethan's door not working and him being the odd one out because he doens't have magic but then the truth comes to light. Really, Ethan is like the male version of Mirabel Madrigal LOL and helpless Ethan, is determined to change the future and protect the city, and with the help of his friends and his new family, he will give everything he's got to make it work.

In short, I'm so glad this was a full lengthed novel. I loved reading about these two and I can't wait to read more book in this series. The next book looks promising, as we already know who both MCs will be and what the base of their story is. But I can't wait for Thierry's story too (and how could would it be if his mate was a wolf or something like that, with the pack we saw in the previous book coming to the city and all?). So many posibilities!! I wil def be checking the series to see what will happen with all of them.

[Miss S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though my heart had been still and silent for over two centuries, I could have sworn that it pounded once in my chest the moment we made eye contact.

I'm bringing my honesty as always. I picked this book thinking "I'd never read this normally", and that was my reason. Then I felt bad because.. what if I didn't like it, and I had to give a bad review based on a whim...

Luckily that's not the case! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. I even picked up the first book to read prior to this one, and I liked that one too!

I was actually surprised by this one after reading the first one, because the first one is a lot shorter and much more insta-love-ish, so I expected the same for the second book. Obviously the trope "fated mates" brings the insta-love, but the second book is longer and has way more plot, and it is a really great plot.

We're located in Seattle, where the witches and vampires are on the brink of war because of a vampire gone rogue. Ethan Solomon is the son of the Witch Queen, and somehow he has all the answers as to how to stop this war. He only has to marry the Vampire King, and make himself the bait for the rogue vampire. Easy peasy. Or maybe not.

First of all, the Vampire King aka Nathanial is not at all what Ethan expected him to be like, and the simple marriage quickly becomes a lot more complicated as things tend to do when feelings get involved.

Nathanial isn't some creepy mean vampire king who feast in blood every night, nope. He's the sweetest cinnamon roll vampire you'll ever come by, who likes to cook dinner for the guy he loves, and buy his husband all the books he wants. I know.. *swoon*

“Did she mention that I’m no longer allowed to go into bookstores without the supervision of a trusted adult? I can seriously end up there for hours.”

“That’s entirely acceptable,” I replied, and no vampire king had ever meant it more. If it brought Ethan joy, then I would see to it that he stayed as long as he liked. And I would purchase for him any book he wished to possess.

But yea, Nathanial and Ethan are extremely cute, and they still have to work for it despite being mates and all, because Ethan has no idea what they are, and Nathanial wants Ethan to fall for him for him.

It's just not super easy getting started with a relationship when there's a war in the horizon, and a rogue vampire who may not be as rogue or alone as first expected. Like mentioned before, the plot is really good, and you'll be guessing who the real bad guy really is.

I also want to add that I'm a major fan of the found family vibe between then vampires, and I'm very much looking forward to the next book.

What to expect:
❥ Dual POV ❥ MM Romance ❥ Paranormal
❥ Found Family ❥ Cinnamon Roll MC ❥ Virgin MC
❥ Fated Mates ❥ Marriage of Convenience ❥ Vampire/Warlock

I was so lucky to receive this ARC to review with my honest opinion.

Read the full review on my blog here.

[Abigail Beckwith · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Married to the Vampire King" is the second book in Jay Castle's Blood Bonded Mates series.

["Ethan
The bad news is that the vampires and witches of this city are all going to kill each other. Meaning that everyone I care about is pretty much doomed. The good news is, I have a plan to stop it. Step one: Marry Nathaniel Bailey, the leader of the city’s vampires. Step two: Make myself into the most enticing bait possible so that the murderous vampire who is actively trying to plunge the whole city into chaos comes after ME next. Step three: Place my life in the hands of my newly minted husband, who probably doesn’t care whether I live or die. What could possibly go wrong?

Nathaniel
From the very first moment I lay eyes on Ethan Solomon, I know he’s my mate. And when he proposes to me less than five minutes after our first meeting, part of an insane plan to broker peace between the witches and the vampires, I accept his proposal without hesitation. Ethan thinks that we’ve entered into a fake marriage. He has no idea how real it is for me. He has no idea how long I have waited for him. And he has no idea that I will stop at nothing until I’ve made him mine."]

These two are freaking adorable. They both have known loneliness, lack of trust, and need for peace. They've both had places they belong but felt as if they didn't belong there. They both made sacrifices for the greater good and never really getting the appreciation for it.

Ethan is sweet and sassy, innocent and calculating. He has a potty mouth and snarky friends. He gave up everything for everyone but didn't tell a soul. He knew his city would get a HEA but didn't know if he would. Until Nathaniel laid the world and more at his feet.

Nathaniel made himself a home in a city he would do anything for. He's sweeter than sweet, but everyone assumes he's the stereotypical scary vampire king. He's lost so many people, but at least he's watching those he cares for find their fated mates. Until Ethan barges into his life.

Most of my highlights from this novel was of Ethan teasing Nathaniel about how not scary he is:
1) "Except, of course, for Nathaniel, who I had begun to think of as basically a Care Bear with fangs."
2)"The vampire king--my husband--was a cinnamon roll. An ooey-gooey cinnamon roll."
3) "'It's hard to believe I ever imagined, even for an instant, that you were a cold or ruthless person.' // 'You might recall that I'm the scourge of mankind. A deeply, deeply scary vampire.' // 'Oh, right. That.'" Suuuuure Nathanial, so scary. ;)

Trigger Warnings: depictions of homelessness among young adults, mentions of family abandonment due to transphobia, mentions of off-page past loss of a loved one, on-page violence, and more

#snowedinwiththevampireprince #embracinghisvampiremate #marriedtothevampireking #bloodbondedmates #bloodbondedmatesseries #jaycastle #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

[Sandy Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining fated mates romantic suspense PNR with plenty of steam

I adore fated mates tales! Yes it lends a bit of an insta-love feel to any story, but, this one isn’t so instant because while one hero knows, the other hero just realizes he’s drawn to his partner without knowing why, which is a lot of fun and added conflict and tension to the pages.

NGL the world and story remind me of Silvana Falcon’s Rubyville Vampires series and Eliot Grayson’s Mismatched Mates in a good way, so if you like those authors, dive in. If you like vampires and witches/warlocks/magic, dive on in. if you like paranormal romance and fated mates, dive in. If you like all these things, you’ll enjoy this one!

Ethan is a warlock with no magic. In fact his very presence makes spells go awry, and he’s been isolated from his coven and living more in the human than the witch world. But then he gets his hands on a strange mirror that starts showing him visions of the future, and it’s bleak. When visions of witches being brutally murdered by a rogue vampire come true, Ethan knows he has to act fast, or there’ll be all-out bloody war and few will survive it.

But if his desperate proposal of marriage to the vampire king works…he has a shot at saving them all.

King Nathaniel comes to the witches to try to work together. The meeting is shocking—but the marriage proposal isn’t nearly as alarming as the tantalizing scent of the warlock asking…and Nathaniel realizes he’s met his mate. The Yes is a given, but Ethan has no idea what they are to each other.

And so begins a wonderful marriage of convenience intended to save the city, even as more attacks occur and witches are out for vampire blood. Nathaniel isn’t the cold calculating vamp Ethan is expecting—he’s a complex and wonderful being who respects Ethan and listens to him, which means a lot to a warlock whose essentially been ignored and avoided and touch starved. Nathaniel doesn’t want to reveal what Ethan is to him…he wants Ethan to choose him. But Ethan keeps putting himself in danger, and Nathaniel has to protect his husband and make peace somehow before the witches come for the vampires.

Nathaniel also doesn’t realize that, after saving his husband and letting Ethan drink his healing blood, Ethan can read his mind, which adds a layer of fun to the tale.

The attraction is incendiary and the danger is real, and it’s a fun, twisty ride to forever for these two! Secondary characters add layers and cameos from the previous book in the world, though this one also stands alone. Still, it’s fun to see James and Pierce here too, I loved their book!

HEA, fated mates, vampire-warlock marriage of convenience, magic, PNR. No cheating or emotional cheating or any others at all. Recommended.

My thanks to Gay romance Reviews for the ARC; this is my free and impartial opinion.