Damaged Bride

Blood Empire #1

by Blake York

Nobody will touch what belongs to us, including the women we claim.

Brutal. Fierce. Relentless.

Everything I do I do for my family name.

Now they’re giving me another task—take the bride my father chooses for me. They call it business. I call it revenge. Only one empire with mafia ties can rule.

I’ll use her as a pawn. Break her down. She’s already damaged from the life she’s led. But then something happens.

She rises from the ashes…and learns how to break me too.

**A hero with an out-of-control possessive streak and the woman forced to be his bride. The claws come out, but the surrender is so sweet… DAMAGED BRIDE is a novella-length romance and first in the Blood Empire Series. Happily Ever After? You’ll have to take a chance.**

Genres: Dark Romance, Romance, Ebooks, Amazon, Contemporary Romance

200 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 20, 2021

About the author

Blake York got started writing dark romance as a teen, when the horrors of her mind lived on the page. Now she invites readers into that shadowed chamber with darker, filthier romance. And what can be more soul-shaking than a forced marriage into a twisted mafia family that rules its empire with bloodshed?

START THE BLOOD EMPIRE SERIES TODAY WITH DAMAGED BRIDE BOOK 1

Find Blake York on Facebook as blakeyorkauthor.

Reviews

[Ingrid Vermeulen-Quakernaat · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mafia man's daughter runs away from home when she finds out he wants to sell her to the highest bidder. She manages to stay safely out of the hands of the mafia for a year until she is kidnapped and forced to marry Anders Rossi. She knows she can't say no.
With her, the Rossi family has come up with a strong trump card in the war for ultimate power.

A story full of violence and threat. An attempt to create a dark story. I'm writing "an attempt" because for me the story never really gets off the ground. The sexual tension is sometimes palpable but it didnt grab me. Also the possible emotions between the main characters do not come across to me in this book

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

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The addition starts with the book covers….yeah…yeah…yeah don’t judge a book by its cover they say ….well we all do it and this one here it is the scratch to your! Within the first chapters you get the panoramic view of whom you’re dealing with!
Bad boy….check
Bod boy’s crazy brother/friend…check
Bad boy’s Kryptonie…check ….check and check
By the time you’ve figured out who is who and how much you hate and wish for harm on others or just a wakeup call, you’re already hooked, and you may as well give up the fight and prepare yourself for an all-nighter! You will start it and You will not put it down until the last page has been turned.
Can’t say I didn’t warn you.
Arranged marriages are not uncommon in mafia families this is Avery and Anders story. Anders’s father chose someone for him to marry to bring two mafia families together and he agrees to the marriage but has other ideas he feels she is this broken woman, who will do what he says, when he says, basically a pawn in game he intends to play. Avery proves she is no one push over least of all Anders, she doesn’t like the situation any more than he does, the life is why she left her father so that she didn’t get caught up in the very situation she finds herself in, despise all of it. But can Anders and Avery learn to work together, is there happiness for them?

[Brenda Moser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written mafia romance with strong characters in Avery and Anders. They have an arranged marriage , all business but Anders soon finds out Avery is no push over. The author does a great job developing the story and pulled me in with all the drama and watching them come together. She moves the story quickly and smoothly with perfectly painted scenes and delivers a great read.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.

[Serialbookstarter:Marla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring and I didn’t like the Writing style.

[Kelly Gregory · Rating 2 out of 5]

Im sorry this was not for me! I just couldn't connect with the characters at all. It all felt very stiff and difficult to read at times.
The MFC couldn't get her priorities right....it is another mafia romance where the MFC hates her arranged husband but falls in love and accepts her husband so quickly because he is good looking. I just like my heroines to have a bit more fire in them, to at least put up some resistance. I love the angst that this creates in a romance but in this book I just didn't get it!

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

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

For what it is, it's really not bad. The writing is actually pretty good, concept has a little bit of a twist. It's super short. Only complaint is FMC seems to go from hating MMC to loving him in less than half a chapter.

[Esme Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Baso smut

[Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

🔗🔗ONE SCINTILLATING THRILL RIDE🔗🔗
Blazing bullets boo! Blake brought her A-Game, unleashing one incredibly tumultuous, skillfully enthralling, delectably delicious, sinfully addictive, tantillizing rock-my-world tempest, delivering this heart pounding, pulse racing, adrenaline pumping, block buster, serving up some sizzling heat, fiery passion and flaming desire, catapulting this hot little number to staggering heights. Temperament and attributes in each thread you unravel with every page your lured into this tangled web so securely and precise until nothing else exists, exhibiting the soaring ups and agonizing downs, inspiring in it's strength and breathtaking in it's depth, mindful of the mischievous quirks and defying bents, blasting this hot little number to life spectacularly. The attraction and chemistry collides with such intoxicating intensity and vigor, exploding with boundless emotions and infinite affections, bringing our characters closer, uniting them together beautifully. The characters interactions and charged atmosphere along with relatable qualities and individual traits add depth and diversity, transforming into amazing personalities. The scenes are abundantly descriptive with colorful details that blend and flow, creating a majestic backdrop that's so rich and lively it feels as though you're part of the story instead of on the sidelines, feeling everything the characters feel. Fabulous job Blake, thanks for sharing this little treat with us.

[Zoya · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book started off okay. I felt disconnected from the writing. It felt like average writing to me. It was missing the spark that brings the story to life. The hero was apart of the mafia family. The character felt more like an impersonation of a mafia person than the actual thing. I didn't understand the father-son relationship. At moments it seemed like they loved and respected one another then it turned into we hate each other and it's just a job transaction. It felt like the author couldn't decide "what/how" their relationship worked. The author did a better job at writing the heroine. She felt more natural and not forced. The relationship pacing between the Hero and the Heroine was off. The development of the romance came off as unnatural. There were too many emotional whiplashes that weren't explained. The anticipation for them to get together was well executed but when it finally happed, it missed the mark. The story itself wasn't boring, it held my attention. The time-line of the first 50 paged flowed very nicely. The rest was a crash and burn. The story skipped over many scenes. The author added plot/action scenes but you never really understood how you got there. There was an unnecessary plot/action scene in the last 15-20 pages. It should have happened before this point. The ending was overdramatic. I'm all for a man who breaks down on his knees to apologize to his woman but in this scenario it made no sense. It broke character. The whole "I have feeling for her" is an utter mess. I know people can come at me and say "well this is a novella, what do you expect?"My response to that is, I've read books where all these things were executed perfectly. Those 100-200 pages held the perfect pacing, story-line, and romance. This story missed its mark. It started off as a decent read but ended up as a trashy wattpad read. I wish the author the best of luck in her future books. I know time only makes near perfection!

[Mama · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick read. The love story is great, short & sweet. Hot sex scenes. But the Mafia story needs tons of work. It was more like a quick novella. I would have enjoyed reading more. I didn't like the portrayal of the Irish. I also didn't see how O'Connor could not care for his daughter at all.

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

[MyBook Journey · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!
Anders doesn’t want to give in to the need and protective, possessive feelings that have surged up after making Avery his wife on the command of his father, and keeps pushing her away. Avery doesn’t want to admit to herself the irrational needs she has for Anders to do as he pleases with her as he fights and rejects her every step of the way, especially as he stands for everything she despises and the life she ran away from living under her father’s roof.
I absolutely loved this book, a dark battle of wills between Anders and Avery, seeing their struggles individually and the one’s they have getting closer, working together. They are both great characters and I was instantly invested and captivated with their well written story.

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

[Anna M_82 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow this book! Anders is the oldest son in the Rossi mafia family. His father arranges a marriage with the daughter of another mafia family, Avery. Their marriage is a constant ride of fighting each other, and fighting others in the mafia world. Anders isn’t capable of love, that’s not how he was raised. So he struggles with developing feelings for Avery while trying to also be obedient to his demanding father. This book was quite the ride with some things that I didn’t expect. I’m interested to see what’s going to come next in the mafia world that this series is building. I’m also interested to see how long the Rossi sons will be so obedient to their father because some of his requests will blow your mind.

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

[FD · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short story that announces the series about the 5 Rossi brothers. A mafia family that is at the top of the criminal families in Chicago and wants to stay there. This is the story of brother Anders. His father tells him to marry a competitor’s daughter, but first track her down and kidnap her. It’s an entertaining story, we get an insight into what Anders and Avery are like. It all happens very quickly, the story itself is complete but it would have been nice if the kidnapping or the change of feelings towards each other were more extensive. What bothered me about Anders’s character is that he kept repeating how bad he was, the evil things he could do, it got a bit caricatural.

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

[Christine Fass · Rating 4 out of 5]

I generally love the Mafia arranged marriage trope, but this was not really an arranged marriage more of a kidnapping. Anders father decided it is time that he take a wife. Avery, is the daughter of a rival family, who had run away from her father's home when she overheard his plans to sell her. Anders finds Avery living in her car, takes her home, and marries her against her will. I feel like the title "Damaged Bride" is a bit off, I think Avery was the most level-headed of all the characters. I think Anders is far more damaged.

Overall, while I was not necessarily blown away by this book, I enjoyed it. I think it is a good setup for this universe. I would definitely read more in this series as it comes out.

[Leanne Bryson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The novella starting the series about the Rossi mafia family in Chicago. The 5 Rossi brothers were brought up by a brutal dictator of a father and he has decided his oldest son Anders will marry one of the family"s enemies daughter. After he finds her. It seems Avery O'Conner has been hiding from her family and living on the streets for a year, but Anders has no trouble finding her. This story has push and pull, tension, chemistry, and action and twists from start to finish. I wish they had developed their relationship more, how it evolved and changed, but overall a great start. Hopefully we will see alot more from this couple.

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

[Maggi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a quick read that is fast paced and action packed. Anders Rossi and his brothers will do anything for the family and when his dad tells him he is going to marry their rivals daughter to merge the families, he does what he is told. Only he has to find her first and kidnap her to bring her to the altar. Avery left her despicable father when she over heard he was going to sell her. She’s a strong willed woman and won’t be a pawn for anybody. What she didn’t expect was to fall in love with her husband and Anders never knew what love felt like other than how to spell it. A very entertaining and exciting beginning to this series. I can’t wait for the other brothers to get their own story.

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

[Elizabeth McDaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Avery left her mafia family to live on her own because her father tried to sell her to the highest bidder. Anders family wanted to be the number one mafia family in Chicago and with him being the oldest son, an arrangement was made for a bride. When Anders and Avery began their strange marriage it was in name but became an exciting and interesting affair as it became more than either one expected. But as their pasts and their families mingled , danger, intrigue and feelings erupted before they found their HEA.

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

[Mary Burgess · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book one of the Blood Empire Series and an excellent start to the series. This is my first time with this author’s work and I am very satisfied. Anders is the oldest of the five brothers in the Rossi Mafia. He was forced by his father to marry Avery. Anders has never been exposed to love and his emotions and behavior are in for quite the surprise. Avery escaped her father’s evil clutches only to be forced to marry Anders. Two emotionally stunted individuals are cast together for the “good” of their families. Excellent storyline with strong well developed characters. Excellent read!

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

[Serena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Avery had run away and been in hiding her father had wanted to sell her, she’s been out of the mafia’s sight for just over a year.
Anders knows when his father says that he has to get married, that it’s for the business and knows there’s no choice, he finds it interesting that he has to go get his bride.
Finding herself basically kidnapped and forced into marriage Avery can’t believe that she’s finding herself attracted to her new husband.
Anders thinks that his father has chosen someone that is broken, and he can get her to do whatever he wants, what he starts to see is a woman that makes him feel and is stronger than he realised and could be the perfect queen for him.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the author thru Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving my review. The first book in the Blood Empire series is fast paced. Anders and Avery are thrown together when his father orders him to marry. She has run because her father but lands in Anders clutches. This dangerous and rough man is married to a woman who is going to give him everything he did not realize he needed. Their story has plenty of emotion, lust and finally love

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

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a interesting beginning to new series.
Two “Families” the fathers decided to bury the hatches and marry the oldest son and daughter.
The girl is missing in action, the better choice for her was living on the street.
The future groom is on the hunt, find her to kidnap and merry her. He thought is going to be easy but didn’t know she has a spine of steel’s.
What they did know they will find more than expected.

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

[Cathleen]

Decent Premise, Confusing

I would love to see this story fleshed or a bit more, where the relationship is understandable. It was suddenly, something from nothing. It felt like some important parts of the story were missing. I liked it, but would have liked to see more for it to really make sense. Like the whole part where they gave her away to the Lebanese guy; I assume that he was weak enough to let it happen, then she saved herself, and it was all over with before it was clear what happened. What?!?!?!!!

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the a well written arranged marriage mafia story. Anders goes along with marriage and he gets some surprises from his new bride. Avery goes with the flow but will speak up when she feels the need. The story shows the struggles with this arranged marriage. The bride wants to be claimed by her husband but he is not doing it. Will they work everything out to make the marriage a solid partnership?

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

[Manjit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anders is the oldest son of the Rossi clan and has been told he must marry Avery, daughter of the O'Connor clan. He hates the idea but will do as he is told so he tracks her down and steals her away in the middle of the night. She has a broken soul that Anders will break even further but together they mend and grow and bring each other back to life.
I received a free ARC copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness this was so good! A quick read that I couldn’t put down! Avery had ran away from her Irish mafia father who tried to sell her and has been living in her car for a year. Andre comes from the Italian family and is told to find the Irish mafia princess and marry her so the two families can unite. Read this great story to find out what all happens between them! Can’t wait for the next one!

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

[Vicki Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damaged Bride is the arranged marriage story between Anders, the eldest son of the Rossi Family Don, and Avery, the daughter of a competing mafia family don. They are required to marry in order to unite their Chicago Mafia Families. This is a quick read with well developed characters and a storyline with strong emotions, drama, and a dark steamy romance.

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

[Joan Phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

Forced out of hidding

Avery ran away from home because she knew her father was selling her to the highest bidder. Unfortunately, it was to the Rossi mafia family. The eldest son, Anders, was picked to marry her. No liking each other. Anders knew she was a pawn, but was not aware his father wasn't going to lend her to other mafia men.
Even at the end, Anders only appeared he liked her a lot and nothing else.

[HinaSafeena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Title: Damaged Bride (An Arranged Marriage Dark Mafia Romance)
Written By: Blake York
REVIEW ☆☆☆☆☆
Anders and Avery... wow.. he takes her to be his bride but shes fierce.. their journey brings on a bunch of drama but such a good read..

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

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Avery and Anders are to be married in mafia alliance, its business or so Anders thought, Avery may be broken by her past but shes a fighter to the end and won't be pushed over. This is a well written arranged marriage mafia romance with
a good story line and character developments.

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

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so good! I couldnt put this down for anybody literally this kept me so engrossed. The main characters wow what chemistry Anders and Avery have, and coming from the same background, but had such passion. So cant wait to read about Gabriel.

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