4.5 stars rounded up!

It’s no secret that I love Ali Hazelwood, and I loved this book! I loved the plot of this one, and it definitely felt like a paranormal romantic suspense book. My only complaint, and the reason Bride didn’t get 5 stars, is because I felt the worldbuilding was lacking.

I want Hazelwood to fully commit to the bit and write a romantasy with no modern references. After reading Bride, I know she would excel at it!

Thank you for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I'm super bummed I didn't like this more.

What I did like:
- Misery's relationship with Ana and a certain feline.
- I love how devoted Misery is to finding her friend. We all deserve someone like that in our lives.

What I didn't like:
- The smut is a bit cringey.
- There's A LOT of info dumping, especially in the beginning. I almost called it quits then.
- Lowe and Misery's connection seemed off. Not only did nothing happen between them until the last 20% but they don't even seem to like each other until then. Idk.. the vibes seemed off in my opinion.
- NO GROVELING. He says some extremely rude things in order to push her away yet she just takes him back when he's finally ready to be a mate.

*I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review with my honest opinion.*

this 😭 was 😭 so 😭 good 😭 (even if the “knot” part made zero sense but whatever)— this read just like an early season of ‘True Blood’ and i ate it UP. and we got a 5’9-ish heroine yall!!! ✊🏻🫶🏼 so there is a god i guess

This book tells the tale of Misery Lark, the daughter of the most powerful vampire councilmen, and Lowe Moreland, the most powerful Alpha Were of the Werewolves. They enter into an arranged marriage as a signal of an alliance between mortal enemies, who also are dealing with the existence/threat/coexistence of humans. There are some themes here of forbidden love and enemies to lovers, but this book is SO much more.

Intricate world building, political maneuvering and machinations, mysteries and sinister forces at play…the romance is really a co-plot to the mystery that unfolds. Don’t worry romance fans, the romance is FILLED with tension and spice, a SWOONworthy MMC, and an incredibly smart, witty FMC, and lots of laugh out loud moments…and everything Ali Hazelwood fans love. Her side characters are absolutely incredibly, and only add to the story. Ali absolutely excels at fantasy romance and WE NEED MORE!!!

Thanks to Netgalley + Berkeley Publishing for the ARC!

This book had so many positives but the ending and all really had me second-guessing this book. I flew through the first 3/4 of the book, but that ending/last part of the book really threw me and didn't love it. I was surprised at how quickly I dove into this book. I enjoyed the characters, the storyline was strong, and yet somehow I just walked away from the book not loving it. Usually I know I love a book when after reading it I start to think more and more about the characters and the story and it all fits, this book just didn't sit that way. I would give this a 3.5 stars overall but rounded up. I enjoyed it, yet didn't. I like the author, but for some reason this book just didn't finish well.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you Berkley for my free ARC of Bride by Ali Hazelwood — available Feb 6!

Read this if you:
💍 are a fan of the arranged marriage trope
🩸 don't mind a decent bit of smut/erotica in your stories
🐺 would choose to live with a pack of wolves over boring humans

Misery just met her new husband — at the altar. The best part? He's a werewolf Alpha, sworn enemy of her own Vampyre people. All she has to do is survive (literally) a year in their territory, then the alliance will be intact and she can return to her life. Except, what kind of life does she have to return to? And why is the big tough were alpha looking so scrumptious all of a sudden?

Alright, I had a great time with this one. This is actually, somehow, my first Ali Hazelwood read (I'm not really a romance girlie) and it was such a fun ride! Especially the first half — because I'm more of a ✨sexual tension✨ fan, so once they actually started getting down they lost me a bit. I loved the mystery aspect of this story, and there's quite a bit of com in this rom which was great! I think the paranormal aspects were pretty underdeveloped, but this is a romance first and foremost so I didn't expect a ton of world-building or fantasy components. Overall an entertaining, easy read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dare I say this is my new favorite Ali Hazelwood book??

I was a Twilight loving teen, so I feel like I was primed and ready to embrace this paranormal/fantasy romance story! Aside from the romance (which was perfect) I also loved the easy and chill world-building of this universe and learning the dynamics of the human/Were/Vampyre alliances. It was just such a fun world to immerse myself in!

The romance though? Perfection. I’m not a huge fan of smut unless it feels necessary to the plot, but this smut was NECESSARY. I loved the slow tension buildup of Lowe and Misery’s relationship - by the time they actually touched I was VIBRATING and SCREAMING!

This book was also the perfect length and had amazing pacing! I sped through this without meaning to, it was just so wonderfully quick and exciting.

Overall - this one gets a huge five stars from me!

As soon as I finished reading this I knew I had just read my first five star book of the year. I forget how much I love paranormal romance until I read one and I remember they were the books that got me back into reading and reading romance. Sometimes they can be so good and passionate and all encompassing and this one was just that.

Bride was much different than Ali Hazelwood’s other books (I’ve read them all) and I was obsessed from the start. Misery is a Vampyre who is marrying a Were she’s never met, but not just any Were. The Alpha. This won’t be the first time Misery has taken one for the team for her kind, but she has a reason this time. And that is her best friend, Serena.

Marriage of convenience, fated mates, forbidden romance, this book had it all. Lowe was such an Alpha (ha) and he fell hard and fast for Misery. Misery was funny, sarcastic, and guarded at first, but once she started opening up to people, I loved watching her personality shine. I adored this couple together and so many of the secondary characters. With the way this ended, I only hope Ali writes more from this world.

Bride was fast paced, entertaining, exciting, action packed and intoxicating. I loved seeing this author step out of the contemporary romance/stem books she does so well and go a different direction. This paranormal romance was fantastic and I highly recommend it!

"Bride" by Ali Hazelwood provides an easy entry into the paranormal romance genre, making it accessible for both enthusiasts and curious readers. While the supernatural elements are somewhat forgettable, the overall storyline is far from disappointing. I went into this knowing that it is not a fantasy book persay, and I found the world building was more than adequate for what we needed.

The narrative revolves around Misery Lark, a Vampyre with a sense of disconnection from her own kind, the Were world, and even the humans she has lived amongst for nearly two decades. Despite the slightly underwhelming paranormal aspect, the novel doesn't fail to deliver an enjoyable experience.

Misery, as the protagonist, is not the most endearing character, but her blunt approach to various events adds a unique flavor to the story. The exploration of her struggle to find belonging resonates, making her a relatable albeit not entirely likable lead.

The larger storyline that unfolds throughout the book, while initially expected to play a more prominent role, serves as an essential backdrop leading to the catalyst. Here lies a bit of disappointment, as the buildup left me unsatisfied until the very end.

However, the novel manages to keep readers engaged with its blend of romance, supernatural elements, and Misery's determined pursuit. Despite the somewhat forgettable paranormal layer, "Bride" turns out to be a blast, making it a worthwhile read for those looking for a mix of romance and the otherworldly.

Firstly, thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book took me by surprise- and not because I didn’t think Ali Hazelwood could write a new adult fantasy with vampires and werewolves and knotting, but because I genuinely forget how much I love that sh!t.

In general, Ali Hazelwood is a literary marvel (for me anyway), so I knew I would love this- but god, did I love this. I devoured it. I felt genuine excitement when I was reading this- and I’ve been in a pretty awful slump lately, so not many books make me feel this way.

I always want to start over and read again. Also, I’m team Lowe and will always be team Lowe. We could all use a Lowe in our life.

5/5 stars. Thank you, Ali Hazelwood, for your service. 🫡

Ali Hazelwood just keeps getting better! What more can I say?

Bride is a paranormal forced marriage romance between a vampire and werewolf as means to an uneasy peace. I will admit is not a genre I have much experience with (romance yes, but with monsters, ghosts, cryptids etc. not so much). I expected it would be funny and sweet with some uncomfortable spice I probably wouldn't vibe to very well, but because it was Hazelwood I would enjoy it. "Yay to her for branching out" I thought! I also expected the vampire and werewolf to be another Raylo-like big bulky guy, smart but petite girl relationship we have seen from her in the past, so maybe not branching out from her contemporary STEM romances as much as she could be? Okay.

What I didn't expect was to fall in love with the FMC Misery from page one. What I didn't expect was how much female friendship is centered in the plot. What I didn't expect was a full on fantasy plot that had mystery, politics, intrigue and suspense. What I didn't expect was probably the hottest most human MMC in Lowe the Were (very swoonworthy). What I didn't expect was to be the same weepy emotional mess I was at the end and as invested in all the characters as I was with Love Hypothesis and Love Theoretically! But here I am - in tears, so happy to see them get the HEA they deserve after having my heart ripped out and tenderly put back into place.

So once again, thank you Ali! It's been a great time.

Thanks to Berkley publishing and Netgalley for granting me access to an e ARC of Bride in exchange for an honest review,

4⭐️ Thank you Berkeley for the ARC!
Maybe it’s because this was my first paranormal romance I believe and I’m new to the genre, but this was kind of hard to get into. I found the first third or so to be pretty slow and I wasn’t feeling super interested, but it did pick up.
Overall I enjoyed this, and while it’s not my fave from her, I’m glad I got the chance to read!

Thank you, @berkleyromance for the free book! #berkleypartner #berkley

Switching genres is always tricky for an author. Ali Hazelwood has cornered the market on intelligent, STEM-based romances, and I’m pleased to say that her foray into fantasy with Bride is an absolute success. She has created refreshing, smart, complex characters in a new spin on the supernatural world.

Misery Lark has spent her life being the pawn of her father, one of the most powerful vampyre councilmen in the region. Finally escaping her father’s control after a decade of serving as collateral in a bargain with the humans, she chooses to remain in the human world with her human best friend, Serena, rather than return to the Vampyres. Still, she doesn’t truly feel a part of either world. When her father approaches her with a new “request” to serve as the bride in a vampyre/werewolf marriage alliance, she thinks it is ludicrous but ultimately agrees upon learning the groom will be Alpha wolf Lowe, for reasons unknown to her father. The bride and groom meet for the first time during their marriage of (in)convenience ceremony and her new husband is equally unenthusiastic about the situation. Misery is taken to werewolf territory to live out a year-long commitment as Lowe’s wife and quickly discovers that Lowe, and werewolves generally, are not at all what she expected as she embarks on her secret agenda.

This was one of those books where the closer I got to the final pages, the less I wanted it to end because I would miss the world and characters Hazelwood had created. The mystery, action, and politics gave weight and purpose to the story and, like Hazelwood’s STEM-themed books, Bride is smart and complex while also being a spicy, smoldering, slow-burn romance.

This is my third Ali Hazelwood book and I can honestly say that she knows how to write a banger. Yes, some may say that her writing style is formulaic to a point that a few of the story's elements are also used from her previous works but I guess if the formula works then why bother?

Bride is Ali Hazelwood's paranormal romance debut featuring a marriage of political convenience between the heiress Vampyre and the Alpha Werewolf. And unless you're living under a rock during the last decade, you know that these two species are mortal enemies.

I really liked how Ali weaved this story starting with the wedding between Misery Lark (Vampyre) and Lowe Moreland (Alpha Were) - the first chapter instantly caughy my interest knowing how there's always a chance of chaos every time these two species meet at one point.

Of course, the backstory of why Misery and Lowe arrived at the altar together was also presented clearly but not all at once, delivering just the right amount of information at every fee chapters.

The romance, oozing off the pages. The spice, definitely did not hold back. And yes, it may be borderline bestiality but the way Ali wrote Misery and Lowe's spicy scenes will make you think otherwise.

The characters surrounding Misery and Lowe are balanced just right for my taste - some important characters like Serena, Ana, Owen, Alex, Sparkles were given their respective sheet time (book version of screen time) while other supporting characters are introduced fairly.

The writing style worked for me because at first I thought I'd have a hard time reading about a vampire and werewolf falling in love unexpectedly but I found myself breezing past as I read chapters after chapters last night.

And of course, an Ali book will not be an Ali book with a hint of women empowerment and a dash of happy ending. I particularly liked the way both Misery and Lowe decided that the dirty politics of the past will remain there and they'll be the best version of themselves for the sake of their family and the vampyres/werewolves that they govern.

A really enjoyable read that I know will sweep booktokers off of their feet, 5 stars.

I’ve largely stayed away from contemporary romance and thus haven’t read Ali Hazelwood until now. Bride is her first foray into the more fantastical romances and I couldn’t wait to check it out. As you may well know by now, I love a good vampire and/or werewolf story and Bride is the story of a vampire (vampyre in this work) woman being married off to the new alpha werewolf. Classic forbidden romance themes, much like Romeo and Juliet, but no one badly faked their death in Bride.
Misery Lark is used to being traded away for the sake of an alliance. First, she was sent to live with the humans as a child and now, as an adult, to the werewolves. While she may have agreed to being the bride to the werewolf alpha, she did it solely because her dearest and only friend has just gone missing and she has reason to believe Serena was looking into Misery’s soon to be husband, Lowe Moreland. She would do anything to save Serena, even if that meant walking into the den of the enemy to find her.
Misery expects hostility, and she certainly gets it from some of the wolves, but she’s surprised to find Ana, Lowe’s much younger sister, is full of curiosity and a lack of fear for her new vampyre sister-in-law. Ana’s just a kid, but she’s a surprisingly important piece on the political playing field for numerous reasons. And actually, the amount of species politics in this book was both surprising and fascinating. I enjoyed that the plot wasn’t entirely romance centered because it made the romantic moments more exciting when they did happen! The ending was satisfying and definitely had some action (of the non-romantic kind) and plenty of tense moments that kept me turning pages.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read with a decent amount of spice, balanced out by a solid plot that could easily stand on its own. Instead of Lowe having his own POV chapters, each chapter started with a somewhat contextless sentence that revealed a bit of what he was feeling. It was kind of fun puzzling out how they fit with Misery’s point of view and then even more fun when the quotes became a little more obvious. Bride was a great story and I would definitely consider checking out some of Ali Hazelwood’s contemporary romance in the future.

I think this was a great fantasy debut. Ali Hazelwood is one of my favorite authors. The ending may have hinted at further fantasy books & I hope that is the case. I think if you've enjoyed any of Hazelwood's previous books you will feel right at home & happy with Bride.

Our mfc, Misery, is funny and has great banter with other charaters. Our mmc Lowe is a big (alpha) sweetie.

3.5 stars. I have very mixed feelings about this book - I love the premise of a romance with a sprinkling of fantasy. It brought me back to my Wattpad/Fanfic days. This book is very easy to breeze through just like most of Ali’s writing.

However, this is mostly a romance and I felt that this was lacking in this. The main characters don’t really have 1:1 time and I was 50% into the book. It does get better but not enough for a deep relationship (e.g. fun banter that Ali is known for) other than the fact that they are mates who are solving a case together.

I adore Ali Hazelwood. She could step on me and I’d apologize. She could punch me in the face and I’d look up at her and say do it again. I would go to battle for that woman and Bride is a prime example of why. I haven’t read a vampire/werewolf book since about 2011 after I overdosed on Twilight and vampire diaries so much that I had to get away from it completely. So of course, leave it to Ms. Hazelwood to bring me back full force. This book is everything! Its passion and longing and angst and unspoken words. Misery and Lowe have my whole entire heart forever and always. Ali was in her prime when writing these two characters. Misery is so incredibly selfless, she is constantly giving and never getting in return, so when Lowe comes along and moves mountains to make her happy she has no choice but to swoon. Me too, girl, me too. Lowe is the alpha of his pack, but he is not the kind of alpha that makes my skin crawl. He is sweet and caring and the best big brother to little Ana. And the spice…it’s just so good. This was my first step into the omegaverse. I have always been a bit intimidated by it, but Hazelwood does such a good job peppering the characteristics into the story in an easy way. I’m so happy to see that this will be a series! I am counting the days until I can read book 2.

Thank you so much Berkley Romance for giving me an eARC!

*Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for digital copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own!*

I think that this is Ali Hazelwood at her best. I was AGOG at how GOOD! THIS! WAS! I read this like two weeks ago and still am not over it.

Bride is the vampire/werewolf marriage of convenience romance mystery full of political intrigue, moody atmosphere, twists and turns, and humor.

I was skeptical going in, I will not lie, as I have not read a shifter romance book before and that made me a little nervy. I love vamp stories though, and I like to read all of Hazelwood's books, so of course I must read it no matter what! But boy oh boy was this a delight. This book had me giggling, swooning, nail biting, the whole nine.

Something that felt new to me from Hazelwood's previous heroines was just how biting (no pun intended) Misery was. I LOVED that! She had acerbic sass and her commentary was so amusing to me! Her POV was extremely enjoyable and made this book unputdownable for me. Her character is full of contradictions in which she feels like she is unloveable/doesn't belong/can't love, but you can just see on the page how much she loves and cares for those around her and that is the kind of showing I enjoy. Her character development was hard earned and compelling.

I enjoyed how this was a slooooow burn. The tension between Misery and Lowe simmered heavily throughout the story and my gosh it was tantalizing. You just know right away that Lowe is down bad based on his reaction to Misery when they first meet, but I like that it takes them a while to get together, and that they get to know each other through their alliance and situation. It was worth the wait. This, to me, was probably the hottest of all of Hazelwood's books in the spice department. Jaw-droppingly hot I must saw. Like I said, I have not read anything shifter before...this may have awoken something in me I fear? :-)

Lowe is a heartthrob of a leading man. It is always the quiet ones. He is smart and strong, and I like that he takes control of his pack and leadership with such tender love and care; but this is also a double edge sword for him. You get to go with him through this journey of seeing him figure out the balance between being a loyal, fair, and careful leader, but also learning to finally take care of himself, and finding out what it means to find the love you never thought could exist.
On another note, I loved the little glances into his mind at the beginning of each chapter- that was a nice touch!

The mystery going on throughout the story was great and kept me turning the page. There was enough twists and turns that the plot twists felt like they were not crazy obvious, but they kind of had me smacking my head being like ohhhhh! Of course!

Now, I do not know much of anything about the omegaverse/shifter type beat, so I can't speak on that if it is any different, but I do know a thing or two about vampire type stuffs. In my heyday, I was a vampire FIEND! I really, really enjoyed this take on Vampyre lore. It felt different from what I have read before. I really liked the world building, and our atmospherics of our setting- while we did not get a hellacious info-dump that I find hard to digest in new universes like this, I felt like we got just enough to get this world fleshed out for it to feel like the dusty, moody southwest setting it wanted to be, without too much being chucked to you at once. I don't really read a lot of fantasy because my brain does not agree with having to learn everything up front before getting to the action- I liked this style of getting to learn the world as we went through the plot (if that makes any sense). I liked the juxtaposition between the Vampyre lifestyle and the Were lifestyle, and that they coexisted with the humans and the politics of it all. I have not read much paranormal romance since high school, I mostly consume my paranormal media through movies and television, so this felt fun and new and fresh to me. The moody elegance of the Vampyre world against the woodsy compound of the Were's domain was fun to jump between. It was a palatable world build that was still interesting and made me want to know more, without feeling crazy overwhelming.

I cannot say how surprised this book had me. There was so much I loved about it. The characters were some of her best, the plot had me burning through the pages like lightning, and I loved the romance. A solid, foray into the world of paranormal romance by Ali Hazelwood and I cannot wait for more!

I'm not sure if I wasn't in the right head space for this, but this book did not capture my attention the way Hazelwood's books normally do. I don't know if it was the new setting or the strange way of exposition but unfortunately, this books was not for me.