This was so fun. It’s the perfect vampire/werewolf love story for anyone who loved Twilight in middle school, only better written and a thousand times less toxic. I’d recommend this to anyone who would like their affinity for paranormal romance to be resurrected, or for anyone who enjoys a romantic little romp now and then. I read a digital ARC from NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing Group.

If this had not been written by Ali Hazelwood, I never would have picked it up. BUT I'm so glad I did. I never thought I would love a book about werewolves and vampires, but here we are. This was INSANELY GOOD. Can Ali Hazelwood do no wrong?? I'll be posting a full review on my socials closer to pub date, but wow. I loved this one so much!

I love Ali Hazelwood and I love fantasy, so of course I have nothing but good things to say about this book. The characters are just who you want them to be, the plot is engaging, and I'm left with wanting more at the end. If we don't get more of this world, we riot.

This book had me in an absolute CHOKEHOLD. I was feral throughout the entire book. Lowe and Misery were so hot!!!
I ate this book up toh. I'm not sure if it's because it's the first paranormal romance book I'm reading but I was highly intrigued with the plot and world. I think the world building was fairly simple to follow, for someone who doesn't read fantasy/paranormal very often.
In typical Ali fashion, this book was filled with humor that I enjoy. A bit sarcastic, and I really love it!
I loved the relationship between Lowe and Misery. It grew gradually and naturally despite their circumstances. Lowe was so gone for her and i LOVED seeing it play out
I also LOVED Ana. So much.

Eeee! I was so thrilled to be accepted to read this as a Berkley influenced so thank you Berkley publishing. Full review to come on good reads but wow this was so fun. I totally see some Twilight elements taken for the plot and story elements from her other books but honestly I didn’t even care I ate it up. Misery is a funny FMC and I love a supernatural romance. The elements of suspense kept the plot going and me questioning what was next. will def be recommending this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ali Hazelwood is a genius and I love her. This was so different than her norm of writing STEM romances!

Bride has all that you need in a paranormal romance. Werewolves, vampires and a whole lotta good vibes. I absolutely loved this book, though somewhat predictable...

I really did enjoy this book. It was plot driven. The characters were interesting.

The use of what seems to be utilitarianism as World building was well done.

I'm a lover of dual PO. V, so this did take me a minute to get into because the only time we really see inside our m m c's mind is a little like blurb at the beginning of every chapter. And the epilogue


I would say this was lite spice, soft steam. There are a couple build up scenes heavy petting.

Super slow burn.

Ali Hazelwood has done it again with this incredibly fun vamp/werewolf romance! I absolutely loved the world she built and would happily read even more books all about it. The romance is sweet, sexy, and oh so satisfying.

Oh my god I LOVED THIS BOOK. Ali 100000% did her thing.

Honestly, I will always be a sucker for Vampires and Werewolves so I knew I was going to like this book regardless. But I did not expect to love it this much?? Misery’s sarcasm and wittiness balances Lowe’s seriousness so well and I’m obsessed with them both. Not to mention their honesty and respect for one another warmed my heart!!

My love for this one snuck up on me - I'm not usually a big fan of paranormal romance, but I love all things Hazelwood, so I was willing to step outside my comfort zone. And I'm so glad that I did! This jumps right in, immersing the reader into this fantastical world as our couple meets at the altar and gets married right away. It's a new spin on the arranged marriage trope, pairing up a Vampyre and a Were Alpha in a tentative, unsteady alliance. I'll openly admit that there was more world-building and less romance than I prefer in the beginning, but as soon as this couple starts spending more time on the page together, my love for the story grew and grew. We get mostly the heroine's perspective with tiny snippets from the hero, so it very much felt like a "Hazelwood" romance in so many ways. I could feel the complexity of the hero's feelings, even as the heroine pieced together the situation. The forbidden component (they're literally different species) paired perfectly with the arranged marriage and forced proximity, slowly building up the relationship until it was something truly special. By the end, I was totally wrapped up in the story and hoping that we'll get more from this world, so it was a very successful read.

The story follows Misery, a Vampyre who finds herself getting married to a werewolf she's never met. Misery is no stranger to putting aside her own needs for the good of her people, so being used as a pawn in a treacherous alliance with the Weres doesn't intimidate her all that much. She also has her own reasons for agreeing to the arrangement, though Misery would love if her new husband were a little more receptive to having her around. One look at Misery had Lowe avoiding her at all costs, and every moment they spend together seems to send him further and further away. But as Misery gets to know her husband in bits and pieces, she realizes what a great man he truly is. The two strike up a tentative truce that has them growing closer, and it's not long before feelings begin to shift. Unfortunately, though Misery and Lowe are already married, there are still obstacles that could keep them permanently apart.

I blame the over-saturation of the market back in the early 2000s on the reason why I don't seek out paranormal romance these days, but I'm willing to cross into that territory for an author whose writing I love, and Hazelwood certainly fits the bill. The beginning had a different vibe than I'm used to from her, and it took a little longer for me to get drawn into the story. But once I was, I was all in. I loved the slow build to Misery and Lowe's relationship, and how they were able to find commonalities despite their very different upbringings and overall anatomy. I loved the tension that simmered in the background, and I loved how they grew closer a little at a time. This might actually be Hazelwood's spiciest book yet, though the romance takes the longest to get going. There are some excellent moments of sexual tension and Lowe reveals a side of himself that was immensely compelling. The mystery element was interesting too, and I became more invested in it than I anticipated. I could totally see this being the start of a brand new series, and I'm hoping we get more from this group of characters. It was the kind of book that got better with every page - I loved it! I was lucky enough to receive an early copy, and am voluntarily leaving a review of this complex romance.

I really liked this book! Misery and Lowe were so hot! The tension between them was so great and everything I wanted in a marriage of convenience. Also loved the essential “my wife” moments! And the mystery plot line was fun!

I not only loved getting to see the development of Misery and Lowe’s relationship, but also Misery and Ana, who was adorable!

The epilogue left me very intrigued for a sequel and I can’t wait!!

4.5 Stars!

Ali Hazelwood has become an automatic one-click author for me. So when I heard the author was dabbling into a new genre, I knew I had to get my hands on it. Now, I’ll be 100% honest with you, I had no idea what I was getting myself into with this book. I did not read the synopsis, I just dove right in. And let me tell you, this book surprised me in the best possible way.

Bride knocked my socks off! You’ve got Misery, daughter to the powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, who has been living with humans until she was called upon to uphold a historic peacekeeping alliance. Enter Lowe Moreland, Alpha to the Weres. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. Together, Lowe and Misery enter into an arranged marriage for reasons of their own. What they didn’t expect was to question everything they ever knew and fall for the enemy…

I absolutely adored this book. I thought it was smartly written and entertaining. I loved the paranormal world this author created and couldn’t help but get swept up in it. I thought the characters were a lot of fun and loved their smart wit. Misery and Lowe had amazing chemistry and banter. I couldn’t get enough of the two of them together. I loved their enemies-to-lovers, forbidden romance vibe. Their story was action-packed and filled with secrets, lies, romance, and unexpected twists that kept me on my toes.

Bride is a fantastic read from beginning to end. I couldn’t help but fall head over heels for Misery and Lowe. I thought the author did an amazing job with this new world that she created and I can not wait to read more.

4.5 Stars

It’s really good. Ali Hazelwood puts her trademark spin and genius in an urban paranormal romance and doesn’t neglect the kinky elements. Society-building, angst, mystery and drama. It’s addicting, fun, and swoony. And don’t forget the elements of a STEM-enriched leading lady, even in a world of vampires and wolves.

BUT here’s the real genius… Hazelwood creates an Alpha wolf, completely in keeping with the genre and tropes, WITHOUT turning him into an alpha-hole. AND giving the heroine full bodily autonomy. There are layers and depth and a whole lot of consideration given, it’s not reliant on fated bonds. It’s about real connection.

There’s just a couple things that kept it from being absolutely perfect for my tastes: a little too obvious here, needed a little more build there. I craved full Lowe POV chapters. But I also think there is going to be amazing growth going forward. I’m well aware that AH only gets better with every book she writes. So, yay!

Read if you like:
💍 Marriage of Convience
🧬 Fated Mates
🐺 Paranormal Romances
🩸Loved Twilight
🥵 Tension and Spice
😆 Banter

I truly didn’t know what to expect when I saw this was Ali’s newest release, but I also knew I’d be reading it regardless!

I have to say, Berkley is knocking it out of the park lately with their paranormal romances and this one was smutty, tension filled, knotty perfection! 😘

The tension between Misery and Lowe was top knot and loved every second of their slow burn and then their fall into each other and not being able to keep their hands off of each other!

This is also the only book I feel I’ll say this about but, I loved the inclusion of Lowe’s little sister which is rare for me, because kids in romances usually annoy me, but I truly loved Lowe’s little sister, Ana, so much!

The world building was really interesting and kept me engaged and I really loved all of the mystery and uncovering layers within this world that Ali created!

If you like a little bit of paranormal kink with your spicy romances, love banter and sassy FMC’s I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did! I’m so glad to end my 2023 with a five star read from Berkley!

I liked it enough, I’ll say more, I liked certain parts a lot.
But that still didn’t deter me from cringing sometimes.

Misery is a Vampyre bride who is forced to marry a Were alpha, Lowe. Who is of course huge and strong because other men don’t exist.

On their wedding day they meet for the first time and he recognises that she is his mate but doesn’t tell her.

I actually enjoy a mate trope. But here it was just… not very well written.
While the world building seemed fun, low fantasy with vampires and werewolves, it took too much space in the book.

Misery has a best friend that disappeared, whom she is trying to find. And I swear she mentions her name every single page. That was annoying af. When she talks about food, about friendship, about humans, about school, about love, about anything at all. Or even if someone else talks about any topic, Serena is always mentioned.
I understand that Misery is this sheltered woman who’s only had one best friend, a sister basically, her whole life BUT COME ON. Even during smut scenes she thinks of her?? I just couldn’t fathom that.

Now to the appearances…

Vampyres have purple eyes and pointy ears🙂 is this fae fantasy now? Why did they have to have those features? That was so unnecessary.
Weres have green blood and pale eyes, they also knot which is fine, I don’t mind a little omegaverse.

What I did mind was how many times everything reminded me of fbaa and acotar.

The Ending…

The main conflict dragged for too long imo, it was vital to the plot so I understand. But the fact that throughout the whole book the fmc was the one initiating everything and had to do the same over and over again? Is mmc even the alpha? He’s giving little sub vibes.

This is something I dislike the most about him. Otherwise, Lowe is a perfect fantasy book bf.
But his unwillingness to take action was so frustrating. Even when Misery finds out she is his mate, he hurts her (very intensely btw, my jaw dropped), then saves her and that’s it. She runs back to him, she tells him she is okay, she demands to be together. Even after he honestly tells her “I can live without you.” And he meant it.

I guess I’m into more proactive confident men.

In conclusion, this was fine for a fantasy debut, again I liked a lot of it, especially the middle. The beginning and the end were too cringeworthy. It is also hinted in the end that there will be a sequel focusing on the best friend and her mate which I don’t care about.

But I think I prefer Ali Hazelwood as a stem academia author only.

Thank you netgalley and berkley for providing me with an arc.

3.5 stars - So the drawback to this first book in a new paranormal series is that there's a lot of world building info dump that happens. But the author's writing style is sooooo well suited to the intrinsic camp of paranormal romance and by the end, I was hooked. This is not my fav trope set, but I still ate it up with a spoon, and I'm excited for the next book now that we know what's going on

I was skeptical going into this because a paranormal romcom from a traditionally romcom author? I thought we would get the same tropes with the same kind of story line, but I was wrong, and I’ll own that. This was a delight to read

Quick Synopsis: Misery is a terrible vampire. Raised amongst humans, she doesn’t know much about her species, but she’s been called up by her father to be the vampire collateral to ensure peace between vampires and werewolves. Marrying a Were Alpha will help her people and her family, but when her best friend goes missing, her now husband can’t even pretend to like her, and she’s living with a bunch of werewolves, Misery has to unravel plots, unearth secrets, and also befriend her husband.

This was everything I want in a paranormal with werewolves and vampires. It’s funny, it’s light, it’s witty, but it had enough of a plot to keep me going, and enough character development that I was thoroughly satisfied.

I loved the banter between the characters, I loved the way they grew with each other, and I will say every day of the week that I love the fated mates trope. I just do. And it’s wonderfully done here. And for all of those wondering: yes there is knotting. Yes, it is fantastic.

We are also all set up for a sequel and I am more than ready for it.

🩸 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙚 🐺
𝖠𝗅𝗂 𝖧𝖺𝗓𝖾𝗅𝗐𝗈𝗈𝖽

I have read everything Ali Hazelwood has published and loved it, so when I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of her February 2024 release, Bride, I was ecstatic and couldn’t wait to dive in! This is on a whole different path than her previous STEMinist novels and novellas, diving into the world of paranormal/fantasy!

Misery Lark, the daughter of a powerful Vampyre councilman, faces isolation once more. Tasked with preserving peace between Vampyres and their foes, the Weres, she must sacrifice herself for the historic alliance—again. Misery is to the marry The the Were Alpha, Lowe Moreland and move into his home in Were territory to live. Beyond politics and alliances, Misery has her own reasons for accepting this union, determined to reclaim what matters most to her, even if it means a solitary life in Were territory alongside the enigmatic wolf. The more time she spends with Lowe and the others, the more she feels like she could actually “belong” there. Lowe and Misery might just be destined for much more than either of them could have ever imagined.

This was such a great read! I loved that she still found a way to dive into the fantasy realm, while also sneaking in a little women in STEM details. Misery is a skilled computer hacker of sorts and her skills in that area come in handy a few times throughout this book. Along with the romance and fantasy, there is a bit of a mystery to be solved as well! Get this one on your preorder list now!

Thank you to @berkleyromance @berkleypub and @netgalley for the free eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

FINALLYYYYYY.

Finally.

Ali Hazelwood, we've officially fulfilled the trope of enemies-to-lovers (one-sided). I wasn't a believer before -- in fact, I was a hater --, but now I am and I couldn't be more excited.

BRIDE is the first of Hazelwood's foray away from her known STEM-context romcoms, and I would classify it as an urban romantasy. The stakes in the story are quite high; there's a precarious peace between Vampyres, Weres, and Humans that, for Misery's people, is completely reliant on her marriage to the new Alpha of the biggest pack of the Southwest region, Lowe. Now in a marriage of convenience, Misery hopes to lay as low as possible to disguise her hidden personal agenda. So of course, she just keeps running into the broody Alpha despite her best efforts...

And what ensues is SO FUN! Misery still holds some of Hazelwood's signature quirkiness, but she is fleshed out and her aloofness makes sense and didn't grate on me. This, alongside side characters that didn't feel just like convenient tools to further the plot, allowed me to enjoy my reading experience and the interesting worldbuilding (like, yesss the sciencey POV is still there!) . Overall, I am SO excited for everyone to read this one and to froth at the mouth. :')

If Ali Hazelwood writes it, I’m gonna read it!
.
This book was such a surprise! I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about Hazelwood writing paranormal romance, but it worked. It really, really worked!
.
Lowe is the alpha of his pack and Misery is the daughter of the vampyre leader. Lowe and Misery are forced into a marriage of convenience to keep up the alliance between the werewolves and the vampyres.
.
🖤paranormal romance
🖤opposites attract
🖤marriage of convenience
🖤vampyre and werewolf
🖤spicy
.
This book also has a mystery plot line and Lowe is my new favorite werewolf!
.
Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read this book!
It was a joy! 🖤