We all know Ali Hazelwood can write a damn good contemporary romance but she was on a whole other level with this paranormal romance! It was amazing! I guess I’m not over my vampire era yet.

I’m not really a wolfie of gal but I absolutely loved Lowe. I loved how protective he was towards Misery and his little sister, Anna. He also really cared about his pack and wanted to make changes for the better.

The forbidden romance (hello, vampyre and werewolf?!) and the slow burn of it made me root for them even more. I also learned something new, knotting.

I did not expect to enjoy this as much as I did. With Bride, Ali Hazelwood ventures into paranormal romance to tell the story of an arranged marriage between a werewolf and a vampyre.

The world-building is relatively straightforward, with an urban city split between humans, vampyres, and werewolves. A fragile truce keeps the groups from conflict but relationships between them are strained. I would have liked to see a bit more of the city politics simply because I found them interesting.

The arranged marriage (hostage exchange) situation was the perfect setup for this romance. The forced proximity leads to reluctant cooperation and friendship between Misery and Lowe. It was really entertaining watching Misery interact with the other werewolves in the pack. Her snark and critical view of her fellow vampyres make for amusing banter. I particularly love how the book pokes fun at some of the more ridiculous stereotypes of these paranormal species. Bride also has one of my favorite tropes in romance books: bonding over shared care for a small child.

I really enjoyed the romance between Misery and Lowe. I feel like they had a lot of chemistry even outside of the mating bond and they weren't too quick to get together. It was nice to see something a bit different from Hazelwood’s STEM romance dynamics (I mean he is still big and strong but she wasn't as ~ quirky ~). However, for an arranged marriage, it moves from the reluctant allies to lovers stage a little bit quickly. I would've liked to see more yearning and tension between them. But I can also see how the mate/paranormal elements played into the escalation.

A lot happens at the end of the book. There is a third act conflict for the relationship, there are betrayals, plot twists, and fights. Because of all this drama, the resolution to the third act conflict “breakup” is unfortunately sidelined. Lowe says some incredibly hurtful things and, though I understand he had his reasons, I needed to see that man GROVEL. Misery and Lowe reconcile pretty quickly which makes the ending feel a bit rushed or incomplete.

Bride serves as an entertaining introduction to paranormal romance with just enough supernatural elements to make it fun and different without becoming overwhelming to readers new to the genre. I am curious to see how this will go for Ali Hazelwood stans.

SO MUCH FUN!! When was the last time you read a book where the heroine is cheeky and sarcastic but also smart and utterly enjoyable? Well, let me introduce you to Misery, in Ali Hazelwood’s delightful little PNR- Bride.

I really had a blast reading this one. The writing is smart, entertaining, and downright fun. I love Misery and Lowe. Their relationship starts off as an arranged marriage, then becomes complicated when their chemistry is undeniable, even tho one is a Werewolf and one is a Vampyre. Nothing about this fantasy was difficult to understand or follow. It’s just fun! This isn’t my typical read, but something about the blurb totally drew me in. I’m so glad I read it. The ending was also….perfection.

This was my first Ali Hazelwood book but it won’t be my last. Can’t wait to read more!

“𝚈𝚘𝚞’𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚗 𝚖𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎. 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚗. 𝙸 𝚠𝚘𝚗’𝚝 𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚗𝚘𝚠.”

Jacob Black girlies, rise <3

Hazelwood’s signature charm totally works in this Werewolf x Vampire Fantasy - didn’t know I needed it, but so glad we have it!

— Misery is a Vampire who was previously living in the human world as the collateral to help keep the peace between the species. Now for a similar reason, she is betrothed to a Werewolf Alpha. He is dangerous, she will be surrounded by enemies, and he seems to hate her instantly. But Misery has her own reasons for accepting the dangerous task of being the lone Vampire in enemy territory, again.

I feel like Ali Hazelwood just picks a vibe and runs with it. Her books always feel so effortless and this one is no exception. It was a fun genre swap for her! It took me a minute to get used to her tone in a fantasy book, being so used to it in contemporary STEM settings - but again, the charm works its magic and you just fall into the story.

Three standard Hazelwood tropes are present here: the FMC being a genius of some kind, the miscommunication trope, and what should be an awkward but is actually an incredibly endearing and HOT conversation between our mains about getting together physically.

And it all just works! It always works for her. If you like Hazelwood’s style this is gonna be a fun romp for you.

My favorite thing is that we are not bogged down by unnecessary world-building, we get right to the fun and games which I think all romance readers really appreciate!

This is a FUN, FUN time with a lil’ spice <3 please prepare for some it should not be that hot but it really is knotting and blood-drinking <3

My only 'want' was a bit more character insight for them both. I loved the chapter headings that give you insight into Lowe's thoughts but I craved a more emotional depth of field with these two, to mix in with their spark.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Pub for the free e-Arc in exchange for an honest review <3

This is my favorite book of 2024 so far!! I am so impressed by Ali's ability to shift (see what I did there) into paranormal romance. The dynamic between the two main characters was amazing. I loved the banter, loved the unique plot, loved the spice, and totally binged this book. I really hope she continues to write in this genre.

The world building was fantastic for a romance. It leaves an opening for more related books. The side characters were lovable and deserve their own stories!

I am highly impressed by this book and will be recommending it to everyone.

Ahh what a ride! This book has a very different than her others and I am here for it! 👏🏽 The story is told from Misery’s (the female MC) POV with internal thoughts of Lowe (the male MC) sprinkled in. Misery is being forced to marry in order to keep the peace in her family. I enjoyed all of the characters and they were interesting and well developed. I was so curious to see how the plot was going to unfold and there is quite a bit of world building in the beginning which. This book was very creative, entertaining, and mysterious. Ali’s writing is so smart, and witty, the banter is great and oh my are there some spicy scenes!

Read if you like:
❤️marriage of convenience
❤️fated mates
❤️paranormal romance
❤️found family
❤️forbidden love

I will read anything Ali Hazelwood writes. She is truly one of my favorite authors and I love her ability to craft complex relationships with so much chemistry and tension.

That being said, this book is *very* different from her other books since she usually writes about women in STEM and this one was about vampires and werewolves. And you know what? I LOVED EVERY PAGE. I started and finished the book in a single night. Literally couldn’t stop reading. 5/5 stars, my favorite read of 2024 so far!

I wasn't sure about this book because it sounded so different from the other books written by Ali Hazelwood, but I was more than pleasantly surprised how much I liked it. Misery Lark, a vampire, has to marry Lowe Moreland, a werewolf, to create an alliance between age-old mortal enemies.

I enjoyed both main characters and the story is action-packed, quirky, and has an intricate world-building. Misery is a strong character who agrees to the marriage in an attempt to locate her human best friend. While Lowe is a reluctant alpha who is trying to make new and better alliances for the pack.

I hope to see more from this author in the fantasy genre.

I received this advance review copy from NetGalley & the publisher for my honest review.

A dangerous alliance between a Vampyre bride and an Alpha Werewolf becomes a love deep enough to sink your teeth into in this new paranormal romance.
_
I'm in agreement with @flaviareadss this book made me feral.
Like I think I unlocked a new kink and need my husband to do some of that Were stuff. I didn't know I was into biting or licking to claim but here were are. We are all in this together now.
But as usual Ali brings in the hilarious banter with a arranged marriage between a Vampyre who doesn't know how to Vampyre and she's a bit of a grump. And this alpha were who is standoffish for the most delicious reason and there's only miscommunication cause damn there needs to be.
So will I read every damn thing this woman writes. Yes! Will I screenshot pages to my husband to see if he do these things, tmi but yes. But the knotty stuff he's not of a canine variety but if he was. Hmmm hey Google.

This was a pleasant surprise! I love vampire & werewolves as a pairing and I CERTAINLY love a Fated Mates romance. Add in a dash of a marriage arrangement and you've pretty much written my favorite book.

While this did miss the mark a smidge with a very rushed 3rd act conflict and the dreaded "white fanging" of Misery, I was still very pleased with this romance.

I enjoyed both Lowe and Misery, he was grumpy and she was a bit jaded but always upbeat. I loved watching their relationship develop and a begrudging respect growing between them.

I also do feel like the paranormal elements are kept pretty light but I think that is to possibly make it more accessible to Ali Hazelwood fans who have only read her Contemporary Romances. So if you are a die-hard for that sub-genre, you may find yourself a tad underwhelmed.

However, I liked the world building and the side characters are ripe for their own stories. I think this was a win.

4 stars
2.5 on the spice scale

I really liked this one! I have been in a terrible reading slump and this helped pull me out of it. Hazelwood's books are always really bingeable and this was no different - I flew through it. I liked that she took a break from her typical women in STEM theme - I loved her previous books but it was getting a bit repetitive after a couple in a row. This was a welcomed change!

Bride has a lot of Twilight elements of course but enough differences to stand out from it. I loved Twilight back in the day so I didn't mind the nostalgic feelings it brought to the surface. I loved Misery (and her name, lol) and Lowe - they were great MCs to root for and I liked Lowe's little snippets of thoughts sprinkled throughout the novel - I love a dual POV but this was definitely a nice touch for a book without them! Overall it did feel a tad YA to me which is why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 - the characters were a bit young and green for an adult novel. I would definitely recommend this one!

My Rating: 1/ DNF.

My Review: Thank you so much for arc of this book but this was not best for me I only got to chapter two for me there was to much info dump at you and did not like the author writing style there parts were I was interested in and wanna to keep on reading but it was a bland book.

4.5⭐️
I honestly wasn’t sure how I would like this book but I actually loved it! This is my first book by this author so it took me a little bit to get use to the writing style but soon I was so intrigued by the story. I loved the plot line and the was completely invested in both Misery and Lowe. I have never read a story with a female vampire and male werewolf. Misery has been sent to marry the alpha wolf to keep an alliance between the two species. She was sassy, strong and such a fun character. Lowe ended up being a complete marshmallow of an alpha. I loved his relationship with his little sister...it made me fall a little more in love with him. I really wish we had gotten more of Lowe’s point of view though. I really enjoyed this book and the ending has me begging for the next book!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for the widgets for the Joyful Chaos Book Club and to PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

I have loved all of Ali Hazelwood's STEM novels and was so excited to read this book where she brings in some of her fanfic roots. Bride is an Omegaverse book featuring an arranged marriage between Misery (a Vampyre) and Lowe (the Alpha Were).

We read this mostly from Misery's perspective as she leaves her home to live with the Weres in their territory. We get tiny peeks at Lowe's thoughts through the introduction to each chapter, but I would have loved even more there. Both were great characters, and it felt like there was a strong motivation for them to pursue the arranged (forced) marriage. I also really appreciated the whole story world.

The banter was phenomenal. The additional characters and the aspects of suspense and mystery caught my interest. But the romance really captured me. It was so clear how much and how quickly he fell, and I loved every moment of it.

This was a neat departure from the other books I've read from Ali Hazelwood, and I am so excited to read another book in this universe.

4.5 stars rounded up

This is, without a doubt, Ali Hazelwood’s finest work.

So, I’m definitely in my paranormal shifter romance era, and Bride combines tropes I love: marriage of convenience, forced proximity, “good girl,” “my wife…” I am feral for a hero who is absolutely GONE for his partner, and because we only get Misery’s point of view, it’s extra delightful to see their marriage become a true relationship throughout the course of the story. I was on the edge of my seat with the rival territory politics, and I did not anticipate the twists and turns along the way. Bride is one wild ride, full of romance, mystery, adventure, and werewolf and vampyre interspecies relations. As someone who is new to the subgenre of paranormal romance, I can say that this was an excellent way to dip your toes in the water. But now, I need more! Perhaps a sequel…?!?!

Thank you @prhaudio for the complimentary audiobook, and Netgalley & Berkley for the advanced copies for the #JoyfulChaosBookClub.

You guyssssssssssssssssss

Miss hazelwood ATEEEEEE and left no crumbs! And bitch there better be a sequel! 👏🏻

Yallllllllllllll this book is FANTASTIC! I ate it right up! Okay okay, I’m not gonna lie I was really nervous going into this one, I love our STEM queen BUT I just wasn’t sure how she was going to do jumping into something a lil different. SHE KILLED IT!

Ali hazelwood is now the queen of MY WIFE 👏🏻👏🏻🥵🥵

You guys have to pick Bride up when it comes out, I promise you it’s so worth it!

Thank you @netgalley and @berkleyromance for this Arc! 🩷

Thank you to Berkley Romance and PRH Audio for my review copies!

I love Ali Hazelwood, and was super curious about what I was getting myself into with this vampyre & werewolf arranged marriage romance. It is somehow so quintessentially Ali Hazelwood though.

If you haven’t dipped your toe far into the paranormal romance scene, this is a great place to start. The worldbuilding is basically just our world but vampyres and werewolves. Our female MC, Misery, introduces you quickly to what you need to know about vampyres, but she has spent most of her time with humans and doesn’t know a ton about them herself.

I always fall in love with Hazelwood’s whole cast of characters - and they were extra fun as paranormal creatures.

The book does start with us finding out that Misery’s best friend and roommate has gone missing. I feel like this mystery element was balanced pretty well, while also giving us the paranormal worldbuilding and the romance!

The 3rd Act conflict was stupid but needed to exist, and the end was very satisfying.

🎧 Therese Plummer also narrated Love on the Brain, and her voice fits so well with Ali Hazelwood’s writing.

PS - Don’t worry, Misery is very knowledgable in computer science (and hacking), so we still have a STEM FMC.

I say it with every Ali Hazelwood book I write a review for: but Ali is my absolute favorite! My queen of romance! And if she says she is switching gears from contemporary STEMinist romance to paranormal, vampire/werewolf, omegaverse I say: whatever you write I will HAPPILY READ!! When this book was first announced, I was very curious as to what it would entail. How much world building would there be? Would the signature Ali humor still be present? Would I be lost given I’ve never read any other omegaverse/shifter romances? And what exactly is a… *whispers*… knot?

For all of my questions, once I got going, I was just laughing at myself because this is an Ali Hazelwood! And she simply has never let me down! At the time I was in a reading slump and unable to find a book that I was enjoying. The second I picked up Bride: slump gone! When I wasn’t reading, I was thinking about Misery and Lowe, and just itching to get back to them to find out what happens!!

I think Ali did such an excellent job of establishing the world this story takes place in, with its political intrigue, and explaining the why behind the tensions between species. It was the perfect balance to the rest of the story and the romance in my opinion! Our girl Misery has been THROUGH IT as a child within this political system, and now is being put through it again, through a marriage of convenience, as an adult.

Misery is sooo sarcastic and has such a dry sense of humor. Being in her head had me literally LOLing. Remember my earlier question of would the signature Ali humor be present? WAS IT EVER!! And as does any marriage of convenience worth its salt, there are PRIME moments with our MCs sarcastically calling each other husband and wife! There is one particular scene that simply lives rent free in my brain!! And Lowe… my man, my guy, each chapter starts with a snippet from his POV and let me tell you he is gone for his wife! In addition to the LOLs, there is a subplot featuring a mystery to be solved, which I think really added to the story. I also so deeply loved Lowe’s relationship with his little sister Ana. And Sparkles the cat! I love cats in books!

Where I am so curious to see other’s thoughts on this book is in regard to the more technical parts of this romance. If you catch my drift *insert knot emoji* I think Ali did a great job of not alienating her readers that are following her from her contemporary novels, and have no knowledge of omegaverse (aka me!) I think anyone with any level of knowledge of the genre will enjoy this book and perhaps, those fanfic, shifter romance loving girlies might even enjoy it MORE.

For me personally, I don’t know that I’ll be picking up more omegaverse UNLESS Ali is the one that writes it. What can I say? I’m an Ali girl through and through! But all in all, I had an incredibly fun time with this one! Even though I didn’t necessarily need the knotting involved, I greatly enjoyed every other aspect. And as always, I am eagerly awaiting whatever Ali pens next!

The biggest thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review!

4.5 stars!

“You’re not a problem, Misery. You’re a 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦.”

Oh PLEASE tell me that this epilogue means that there is another book coming @alihazelwood. 🙏🏻

I am going to date myself here but this book had me transported back to the early 2000’s and the vampire world that I got lost in back then. And I am HERE for a return to that world. Vampires. Weres. Shape shifters. An enemies-to-lovers paranormal rom-com?! YESSSS!

I absolutely adored Misery and her sassy vampyre self. She has so much spunk and fire and she had me laughing out loud through the book! “It must be tiresome, being a decent person, and I can’t relate. I revel in my moral flexibility.” Love her!

Bride is full of action, questionable characters, love, loyalty, interspecies relations, and ohhh the spice. Buckle up, kids. This is one hell of a ride!

I read about half of this book with my eyes and then realized there was an audiobook. After only a minute I knew I’d be listening to the rest of it. Woah it was GREAT! The narrators made Misery and Lowe jump off of the pages and into my soul. I highly, highly recommend it!

“‘What do Vampyres do for pleasure?’ he asks, voice a little hoarse. I don’t want to flash my fangs at him, but it’s hard when I’m licking peanut butter off my fingers…’Please, take this away from me.’”

Thanks for the free #audiobook @PRHAudio #PRHAudioPartner and to @netgalley, @berkleypub, and the author for the ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

When I saw that the author was branching into fantasy, I knew that I had to add this book to my TBR list right away! Bride by Ali Hazelwood is an adult romantasy involving Vampyres and Weres. The story revolves around Misery, who was sent into the human world to serve as a sign of peace between Vampyres and Humans. When her sister disappears under mysterious circumstances, Misery's only option is to agree to marry a stranger, the Were Alpha, Lowe, in order to start her investigation. But will she end up getting more than she bargained for?

Here is an atmospheric excerpt from Chapter 1:

"THIS WAR OF OURS, THE ONE BETWEEN THE VAMPYRES AND the Weres, began several centuries ago with brutal escalations of violence, culminated amid flowing torrents of varicolored blood, and ended in a whimper of buttercream cake on the day I met my husband for the first time.
Which, as it happens, was also the day of our wedding.
Not quite the stuff of childhood dreams. Then again, I’m no dreamer."

Overall, Bride is a romantasy that will appeal to fans of the author's previous books, in addition to fantasy readers who have never read her books before. It will appeal to fans of The Twisted Mark series by Sophie Williamson or the Twilight series. One highlight of this book is the contemporary setting with cellphones. The world is not too removed from our own, which made it easy to slip into the world of this book.

One final highlight of this book is the great investigation subplot. I'm glad that in addition to the romance and the fantasy aspects, the book also included a mystery plotline. In summary, this is my new favorite out of the author's books and I'm so happy that she made the step into fantasy. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of romantasy in general, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in February!