Bride

This is the first book that I read by the author Ali Hazelwood. Like so many books, this book was on my TBR pile to read someday. I had forgotten about it until someone mentioned it in a book group on Facebook. I decided to give it a try and I’m so glad I did because I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was exactly what I was looking for to get me out of my book slump. Author Ali Hazelwood wrote a paranormal love story this time and created a fascinating world in which three species existed, the vampyres, the werewolves and the humans. Each had their strengths and their weaknesses. The vampyres and werewolves were stronger than the humans but the humans were stronger in numbers. Each had their own territory. There was a lot of tension between each group, in the past there had already been war with many deaths. At this time there was peace through alliances and collaterals between the vampyres and the humans, but political changes were coming and this could break the fragile peace. And so new alliances were made. The main characters are 25 year old vampyre Misery Lark and alpha werewolf Lowe Moreland. Misery may be a vampyre but she grew up in the human world. When she was 8 years old, she was sent there as a collateral, Misery stayed with the humans until her 18th birthday. The only good thing that happened there was her friendship with Serena, a human and her best friend. Although Misery went back to the vampyre world, she didn’t feel welcome there so she returned to the human world to live and work there. But now she’s called home by her father. A new alliance is needed, this time with the werewolves. Misery’s father wants Misery to agree to an arranged marriage with the alpha werewolf Lowe. Misery has her own reasons for agreeing. Neither of them had love in mind when they agreed to the marriage, but from the moment Misery and Love meet, there’s a connection between them. But not everyone wants peace, enemies (known and unknown) try to hurt them and create war between the different species. Does their marriage have a chance or was it never meant to be? I really loved this story. The pace of the story was fluent and the story kept my attention from the beginning until the end. The story was told from Misery’s POV but at each chapter there was a little insight into his thoughts. I loved that! The story was a bit of a slow burn but there were a few sex scenes in the story. The main characters were fascinated, mysterious and very protective of their loved ones. It was great to see how Misery changed throughout the story. She went from a antisocial, distant person to someone who cared from more than just her best human friend Serena. She started to interact more with the people around her, feeling protective of them. She could be a little bit ‘crazy’ at times but I loved that about her. Lowe was intelligent, strong and considerate. He felt responsible for his pack and his little sister Ana (she was so cute, she had me laughing now and then). He respected the opinions of his seconds, but in the end he made the decisions himself. He was a great pack leader. Because Misery moved into his pack, we got to known his seconds better. They were also interesting characters too. There was some tension in the beginning, but later the accepted Misery for the person she was. The differences between the vampyres and the werewolves made for some fun and interesting scenes. Misery’s twin brother Owen was a bit of a mystery. He hid his true personality from the world, in his own way he cared for his sister, but he never showed it in public. Vampire world can be very dangerous, it’s best not to show any weaknesses. In the story there was an unknown enemy and I have to admit that I was a little surprised when I found out who the enemy was. I didn’t guess it. I really enjoyed this paranormal world and I hope that one day the author will write another story in this world. I have my fingers crossed for it!

I love me a good werewolf book, and the sprinkle of the different take on vampire, werewolf and human dynamic made this a really enjoyable read. It’s an easy book to get into with a world building that’s easy to follow, funny characters you can identify with, friendships, found family and a mystery you want to solve. The banter is the thing that really elevates this book for me. Misery is just so funny and quick witted. I liked her growth, from someone who is in the background just existing, to someone whom finds her worth and self love. Happy reading

Bride by Ali Hazelwood was such an entertaining and surprisingly immersive read. I really loved the chemistry between the vampire and the werewolf shifter—it had that perfect mix of tension, curiosity, and undeniable pull that made their interactions so compelling. The slow buildup to their relationship was one of the highlights for me. It didn’t feel rushed, and watching their connection evolve over time made the payoff even more satisfying. There’s a great balance between romance and plot, too—the suspense and twisted turns kept things interesting and added depth beyond just the relationship. Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

First, I held off reading this book because of reviews. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know shame on me. BUT to my defense, it came out when I first started my actual “reviewing” journey. Meaning I was listening to others recommendations, not what I found on KU, or scrolling the zon. Joining groups, social media, ect. Anyways. BIG MISTAKE. I eventually added it to my TBR, when I learned that a lot of people are reading outside their genres, not checking TWs, just reading things they dont like, or have really high expectations (I’m referring to those super negative reviews. We all have seen them. Ive learned to read reviews, and take things with a grain of salt if it’s super harsh, and negative since then. Lol obviously.). As we all know I am here for the story, and the vibes. Not a literary masterpiece. For heavens sake this is a spicy book, about a vampire marrying a werewolf with a missing best friend FFS. It’s not a historical biography lol. So obviously with me giving this book 5 stars I loved it. I ate this one up! If I hadnt had mom responsibilities I wouldve finished it in one night. As it was, I finished like 90% of it or so in one night. It is good. The story is complex, but not overly so. Theres the whole suspenseful aspect with her bestie missing that keeps you guessing. There is emotional trauma the characters are dealing with, so there is quite a bit of emotional depth to the story as well. But it isnt quite as heavy as a lot of fantasy romances are. The book has spice, and its open door. But not like clutch your pearls type of spice lol. Although theres knotting, and IYKYK. If not, you probably should google it lol. The plot, and romance are of equal focus IMO which was nice as well. Remember though this is a fantasy romance, and yes it is a Ali Hazelwood book but still a romantasy! Remember always read what you like! This is a Fantasy Romance. The romance in this book is an arranged marriage, and enemies to lovers vibes. There is some spice, and its definitely is written in detail. That includes spicy scenes that cater to the paranormal characters needs. Misery needs to find her best friend, but her dad has other plans. Her father is a powerful councilman who has decided that she is the best choice to marry the were alpha to keep the peace. Weres hates the vampires, and she is stepping into enemy territory the minute they marry. Her husband Lowe has made it clear he cant even stand to be around her. Except Finding her best friend may be too much without a little help, and Misery will do whatever it takes to find her. This book is a fantastic read thats easy to get lost in.

All of Ali Hazelwood’s books follow pretty much the same formula. A smart, sassy, accomplished woman with some much-deserved baggage is forced to spend time with an equally smart, slightly grumpy, golden retriever of a man with baggage of his own. They are both, naturally, very easy on the eyes. Mix a hefty helping of witty banter, some complicated feelings, a dash of angsty longing, and lots of sexual tension until you get a couple that finally realizes they are in love. Sexy time ensues. Introduce a small conflict or misunderstanding, have a brief yet terrible third-act breakup, and then finish it off with a glorious happily ever after. What can I say? Her formula works EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Misery Lark is a Vampyre - A super smart, slightly nerdy, tech-savvy, drop-dead gorgeous Vampyre. Let’s face it, she’s a blood bag-drinking, sun-avoiding, cold-blooded STEMinist. She knows her way around a computer and can code like no other - a hacker of sorts. She’s funny, strong, sarcastic, self-deprecating, and exactly the type of Vampyre I could be friends with. If Vampyres were a thing. Lowe Moreland is a Werewolf - a very powerful, dangerous, ruggedly sexy, Alpha Werewolf. He is fiercely dedicated to his pack, loves his little sister more than anything, and can draw up the plans for your dream home in no time. He’d 100% be my kind of empathetic, artsy, strong, wolfy dude. Again, if Werewolves were a thing. Unfortunately, Vampyres and Werewolves are mortal enemies. Misery’s father, head of the Vampyre Council, and Lowe, Alpha of the Southwest Pack, agree to an age-old tradition of inter-species marriage in hopes of forming a peaceful alliance between the Weres and the Vampyres. If you think this sounds like the perfect setup for a delicious marriage of convenience turned forbidden love, with some witty banter and tension you could cut with a knife, you’d be correct! If you think this might be a little fishy, a tad too easy, and that there is probably something nefarious going on, you'd also be correct. But Misery has her own reasons for agreeing to this arranged marriage and moving into enemy territory. Her Human best friend, Serena, has gone missing, and Misery is the only one who cares enough to find her. Misery finds a page, torn from Serena’s planner, with what seems to be Lowe’s name written on it. It happens to be in their special sister-from-another-mister language, so now she's convinced the Weres have kidnapped Serena, and she’s got to get into Were territory to rescue her. After an eventful wedding where several fights break out, Misery is almost killed, and the word mate is thrown around quite a bit, Misery and Lowe come to an understanding. 1) They will not kill each other; 2) Lowe will protect Misery while they are married; and 3) Misery will stay out of trouble and out of Lowe’s way. We can all agree that #3 was never going to happen. Ali’s books have always been an insta-buy for me, but when I saw that Bride was going to be a paranormal romance, I seriously thought about skipping it. Monster love isn’t usually my thing. I thought about it for approximately 2 minutes (give or take 53 seconds) and decided to give it a shot. I’m delighted I did. Ali had me wanting to be BFFs with Misery by the end of chapter 1, and absolutely smitten with Lowe by the end of chapter 2. There’s a cat named Sparkles, some loveable side characters, an adorable little sister who mixes up words, and a found family anyone would be lucky to have. After another assassination attempt, some major betrayals, and lots of twisty turns, I can safely say I’m a fan of Mrs. Hazelwood's foray into paranormal romance. I could KNOT put this book down (see what I did there? IYKYK).

Misery's character - chef's kiss. I loved her quirky intelligent humor. This author is truly a genius in that regard. A+ with extra credit. I absolutely loved the first third of this book, made excuses for the middle and scanned the last third. First off, I want good world building in my fantasy, a believable , explainable plot and well defined characters - that hopefully I like or love to hate. I haven't read up on the author but my guess is she's got a science background. Where did the logic go? Seriously, how could these three species evolve naturally? Darwin would clutch his pearls. What would an early neolithic vampire look like? It's easier to believe a virus was the root cause - probably lab grown. Hell, why not magic? I love magical worlds. The key here is a well defined world that makes sense and this book gets an F in that regard. Put the word 'plot' in lose quotes , the author gets a C- it's barely there. Now for the 'spice'. I agree with those that thought the sex was awkward and the sex talk cringey. I am not a prude and read some pretty spicy stuff but the knotting aspect seemed 100% gratuitous. The word 'filthy' was used more that once, and in the context of the characters involved and their personalities, it does not fit. Maybe if the male lead is damaged and broken and treated women like crap because of a questionable past, but this isn't the case, Worth it if you don't read to much into it and don't mind the weird, awkward spice. Misery really is a joy.

6 stars if I could. The way this book had me in a chokehold and consumed me is like no other. I absolutely LOVED this story, this world, these characters, all of it! The romance between Lowe and Misery was utterly perfect. There is banter, yearning, lust, love, bonds, everything you could want. As much as there is a sense of 'insta'-lust/love (understandable, given the whole dynamics of Were mating and such), I didn't mind in the slightest because throughout the whole story the characters go beyond that in their feelings for each other. As reluctant as they both are, they start to see one another for the kind of people they really are, for their heart and compassion and selflessness and devotion, and they can't help but fall hard. The yearning and tension is utter perfection. Even though some aspects were obvious in terms of their connection (even if Misery didn't realize it), it wasn't frustrating at all because there were plausible reasons as to why there was confusion. I just absolutely loved their love. I loved how they loved each other, cared for each other, protected each other. Just - ugh. I loved it. I loved them. It's not just some fated mates, bound-to-love-each-other-no-matter-what kind of love; they CHOOSE to love each other for who the other is. The characters all around were so complex and well-developed. My heart melted each time we glimpsed 'Alpha Lowe' turn into 'just Lowe,' someone who deeply cares for those around him, who would do anything for the ones he loves, who has nothing but the biggest heart for his little sister. His background in terms of pack affairs was gripping, as was Misery's family history and her own personal struggles with belonging to a place, home, and 'people'/family after spending her life as a political pawn, excluded by everyone aside from her best friend. It was endearing to see her character arc as she finds out more about herself and truly feels like she finally belongs somewhere and with others. The other side characters, from Misery's family members to Lowe's pack members, are really well developed, too, were quirky/fun, and had interesting tidbits of history that play into the plot really well! Even beyond their development and complex layers/history, I loved the characters' personalities. Misery is bold, stubborn, and funny. Lowe is rough around the edges but soft inside, a golden retriever with kids (or whatever a Were equivalent of a golden retriever/cinnamon roll is), and fiercely protective and passionate. Ana is just the cutest; straightforward, honest, and funny in turn. Alex is charmingly timid, Owen is enigmatic yet you just know/suspect he is caring underneath, and I could go on! I just loved their personalities, quirks, humor, love. Aside from the romance, I was utterly compelled by all the drama, political machinations, and mysteries going on. I was always on the edge to discover more about the political alliances between Humans, Weres, and Vampyres, and I was rooting for Misery during her search for Serena. Ana, too, had my heart, and getting more details about her character and role in all of the politics pulled me in even more. Misery's father is the perfect villain, and the insurgencies in the pack were eye-catching. I loved how things ramped up at the end and went in a few directions I wasn't expecting! Some of my favorite parts were the twists on the 'typical' lore of vampires and werewolves. Ali Hazelwood has created her own Vampyre and Were species/world. I absolutely loved how, while keeping some foundational aspects, nearly everything is new/different. What most vampire stories cling to is twisted in this story, and there is a science-based approach to it. I just thought it was a unique way to build a fresh vampire and werewolf story/species. I could go on, but I just absolutely devoured this, loved it, couldn't get enough. Definitely a new all-time favorite, and I can't wait to read Bride and get more of Serena's character!

4.25/5 I had a good time reading this book and I thought it was a decent story but I think the sass of Misery is what made this book. Her sass made me literally laugh out loud multiple times throughout reading this and got my some funny looks from the other people in the room with me. The plot of this book was interesting and I appreciated that even though I was actively trying to figure out where things were going, I wasn't able to guess most of what happened. I half guessed about midway through that maybe (view spoiler) but it wasn't a fully formed guess. Beyond that, none of my guesses about whodunnit or what was going on were correct and that doesn't happen all that often so I really appreciate it when it does. I like that even though I wasn't able to guess the plot, it made sense in the end and was clearly explained in your typical villain monologue. The relationship between Misery and Lowe was well done, in my opinion. I really liked the snippets of Lowe's perspective at the beginning of each chapter and I think without those, the story wouldn't have felt as complete. I think it was a unique and interesting way to have multiple perspectives without dedicating whole chapters to Lowe's point of view. The relationship itself was paced pretty well but I didn't really like the whole scene where (view spoiler) All in all, I really liked their relationship and reading about them slowly falling for each other. The only thing that was a little odd to me what the whole knot deal. It wasn't bad and I like when new aspects of species are introduced... it makes the story more unique... but some of the ling in the spicy scenes when it came to the knot were kind of hilarious and took away from the spice a little. Although it did add some levity so, I don't know, maybe it wasn't so bad. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book and that's what it really comes down to, isn't it? Also, creamy peanut butter for life <3

This one tops all wolf shifter romance books for me! It was so well written. One of my best reads of 2024. Loved Lowe and Misery. All the pinning jad me swooning. The characters were so well written. The pacing was so good. Loved all the humor and heart this story had. I never knew I needed it so much! Can't wait for Koen and Serena’s book! Don't wanna say goodbye to this world!

A bride entering an arranger marriage, all to find out that the war between Werewolves and Vampires might not be all that.

Well say hello to my new obsession!! What the knot! This book definitely worth the hype!! Bride has everything I love in books, it made me giggles and emotional. Vampire and Werewolf, I'm back in my twilight era! Misery Lark a vampyre raised among the humans, she never felt home between them but neither was with vampyre. Lowe Moreland is the Alpha, he has a lot of responsibility, he needs to keep his pack safe. She's the daughter of the most powerful Vampyre of the Southwest. He's different from the old Alpha, he see a different future. And when vampyres and werewolves decide to make an alliance, Misery will find herself married to the Alpha. Lowe Moreland is not what she was expecting, he's carrying and loyal, he's a protective big brother and protective over his vampyre wife. Misery needs to find her best friend, her soul sister, and Lowe Moreland is the only cue Serena left her before disappearing. I really loved reading this book, Lowe is such a sweet and big Were, where can I find one? The side characters are important as much as the main ones, Ana is one of the most cuties, the way she accepts Misery (or should I say Miresy?) and make her feel home. Can we talk about the found family? One of the best trope in this book. I really hope Ali will considers to continue this story, especially after the epilogue. Plus can we talk about the fact that the book is from Misery pov but at the start of every chapter we can read Lowe thoughts? P.s. What a knotting knot! 🪢 Mels.bookverse review

I’ve read almost all the books of Ali Hazelwood and as far as I’m concerned it’s one of the best. First, I wasn’t enthralled by the story between a vampire and a wolf, not my thing but it is a story about tolerance on our differences and the fact that we can live together in peace and love. It’s about interacial co-existence. I loved Misery’s wit and sense of humor, she’s so funny, I laughed out loud many times. Ali Hazelwood’s writing is unique and I’m addicted to it.

I enjoyed this book but the ending was drawn out and a bit unnecessary but still was a fun read fir me