stardustofel 's review for:

A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson

4.0

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This book is written entirely through the eyes of Constanta, Dracula’s first bride, in a haunting series of letters to her maker. From the moment he saves her, she devotes herself to him, calling him husband, savior, and anchor. But devotion quickly sours into control. Dracula does not give love; he takes. Constanta’s world shifts when Magdalena joins their household. She is not just a new bride, but a sister, confidante, and lover. Together, the women cling to each other under the suffocating weight of Dracula’s grasp.

Then comes Alexi, a final spark in their dark eternity. Unlike the others, Alexi refuses to be caged. He dances, dines, and lives extravagantly, embodying the freedom Constanta has long forgotten. His defiance pushes cracks into Dracula’s empire of control, forcing Constanta and her chosen family to face the truth: immortality means nothing without the freedom to live it.

This book is gothic, sensual, and devastating. It’s about love twisted into chains, the ache of yearning for true connection, and the triumph of claiming your own liberation.

If you’ve ever wanted to sip red wine in a crumbling castle while plotting a rebellion against a narcissist, you need this book.