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bookishmillennial's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
Writing an honest review on my own accord after reading an ARC 🤎
Writing an honest review on my own accord after reading an ARC 🤎
We’re a seesaw, Lowe and I. Constantly pushing and pulling for a precarious balance on the brink of this . . . whatever this is that we are always about to fall into. Alternating in chaos.
I cannot believe I am about to say this about an alpha shifter romance (because any time a cishet man IRL says the word “alpha,” & especially in a podcast dudebro setting, I vomit a little), but ……. holy shit, this really worked for me!
It’s that tone again. The Alpha one. The one that makes me want to say yes to him, over and over again.
Wtf is this?! The corniest shit I’ve ever read and yet, I am hot & mf bothered over it…
Before we dive into the sizzling hot chemistry that Misery Lark has with Lowe Moreland, let me just say that this may be AH’s best work purely based on the banter and apathetic humor. The banter between Misery and *everyone* in this book is so delightfully goofy and delectable. Misery’s general malaise with life speaks to my existential-crisis-millennial soul and her glib nature was perfect. And she has a right to be! She spent ~15 years in Human territory as a hostage, and after a tiny taste a reclusive life away from the Weres and Vampyres, she is whisked away to marry the Alpha Werewolf, again acting as a peace offering amongst Weres and Vamps. I’d be resigned to a fate bound to service and lost autonomy too.
Before we dive into the sizzling hot chemistry that Misery Lark has with Lowe Moreland, let me just say that this may be AH’s best work purely based on the banter and apathetic humor. The banter between Misery and *everyone* in this book is so delightfully goofy and delectable. Misery’s general malaise with life speaks to my existential-crisis-millennial soul and her glib nature was perfect. And she has a right to be! She spent ~15 years in Human territory as a hostage, and after a tiny taste a reclusive life away from the Weres and Vampyres, she is whisked away to marry the Alpha Werewolf, again acting as a peace offering amongst Weres and Vamps. I’d be resigned to a fate bound to service and lost autonomy too.
“Your cat is welcome among us,” Lowe says. If that’s not a jab, nothing else is.
“Wonder how that feels,” I say breezily, and slip out of the room without glancing at him again.
The mystery element of her best Human friend Serena Paris going missing was intriguing enough to keep my attention, and I was very satisfied with the investigation and unraveling! If AH makes this an interconnected series of standalone romances, Serena’s romance is next👀
The hazard, I guess, of being alone in the world: no one to care that she was safe, and healthy, and alive. No one but me, and I didn’t count. I shouldn’t have been surprised, and I wasn’t. But apparently I still had the capacity to feel hurt. Because no one cared whether I was safe, or healthy, or alive. No one but Serena. The sister of my heart, if not of my blood. And even though I’d been plenty alone, I’d never felt so lonely as after she was gone.
The buildup between Lowe and Misery is explosive yet staggering. I was pulled in slowly and then all at once! I can’t describe how enamored I was with their connection. Lowe is your typical broody, mysterious love interest, but Misery peels back those layers of defense slowly and surely. She does so with her straightforward and unimpressed questioning and tone, but also with the way Misery cares for his younger sister, Ana, whose parentage is a major puzzle piece of this story.
There is something disarming about the way she leans against me, soft and trusting, as though our people haven’t been hunting each other for sport in the last couple of centuries.
Like this^???? So fucking precious and as someone with an ideal, hopeful heart for the state of the world, that shit *touched* me🥹
I have been SO over the “fated mates” trope but I may have been locked back in. I have no idea who is writing this review because only yesterday, I said, “couldn’t be me!” 😅😂 The third-act breakup is a bit rough, *but* very obvious if you’re a seasoned romance reader so just enjoy the ride!
I have been SO over the “fated mates” trope but I may have been locked back in. I have no idea who is writing this review because only yesterday, I said, “couldn’t be me!” 😅😂 The third-act breakup is a bit rough, *but* very obvious if you’re a seasoned romance reader so just enjoy the ride!
“You’re not a problem, Misery. You’re a privilege.”
If this series of standalone romances continues, you can guarantee I will be eating it the fuck up like I did with Bride!
steam rating: 4/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ at first, I blew a raspberry and whispered, “this is SO CRINGE” when Lowe said he had to *lick* Misery on the plane scene. I was not prepared for how AH turned this seemingly goofy scene into a super hot one. Anyway, from 50% on, it ramps up and it is fantastic. Again, I think her best work.
side note for AH author lore: AH continues her EXTREMELY BIG MUSCULAR HUMONGOUS MAN trope in this — Lowe wears a size 14 in men’s shoes.
read if:
-you were a twilight, true blood, or vampire diaries fan
-you enjoy shifter romance
-you’re curious what “knotting” is in werewolf/mating sex hahaha
-you enjoy unraveling a missing persons mystery
-you are a fan of fated mates, forced proximity, marriage of convenience, found family, paranormal romance, or “my wife” moments hehehehehe
see content warnings below!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Violence, Sexual content, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, and Confinement
Minor: Death and Grief
kayceeisbookish's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Blood, Death, and Death of parent
zoe_o_'s review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
While I am a sucker for any vampire story, I am also incredibly critical of them. But I have to give BRIDE 5 stars. I devoured the book in one day, absolutely enamored with the two main characters and the tension/chemistry between them. The banter and evolution of their relationship is enjoyable, supporting characters are fleshed out, and Hazelwood brings some of her STEM roots to the creature origins.
Side note: as soon as I saw the dedication I thought, "No, she did knot...." But yes. Yes she did.
I received an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Side note: as soon as I saw the dedication I thought, "No, she did knot...." But yes. Yes she did.
I received an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
readwithria's review against another edition
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I’m not going to lie, when I heard that Ali Hazelwood was writing omegaverse paranormal romance I was a little skeptical. But Bride surprised me in a really good way.
The first ~13% of the book definitely felt a little fanfic-y, but once I got to the meat of the story the writing significantly improved. I’m hoping that that’s the section that got the most work between ARC distribution and publication.
The little bits of species science stuff was pretty interesting, the steam and the spice were WORKING for me, and the cultural differences between species were pretty well developed. I also really liked the characters, and (hopefully) look forward to seeing more of them in potential future books.
Despite the beginning feeling a little silly, I read this book in one sitting. I will never doubt Ali Hazelwood again. 4.5 stars
Thank you the Berkley Romance for the ARC and the opportunity to leave a voluntary, honest review. All thoughts are my own.
The first ~13% of the book definitely felt a little fanfic-y, but once I got to the meat of the story the writing significantly improved. I’m hoping that that’s the section that got the most work between ARC distribution and publication.
The little bits of species science stuff was pretty interesting, the steam and the spice were WORKING for me, and the cultural differences between species were pretty well developed. I also really liked the characters, and (hopefully) look forward to seeing more of them in potential future books.
Despite the beginning feeling a little silly, I read this book in one sitting. I will never doubt Ali Hazelwood again. 4.5 stars
Thank you the Berkley Romance for the ARC and the opportunity to leave a voluntary, honest review. All thoughts are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Sexual content, and Cursing
Moderate: Kidnapping, Racism, and Violence
Minor: Murder
intensej's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Thank you to Edelweiss for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Misery Lark is the daughter of a powerful Vampyre councilman. She grew up as the Vampyre collateral and was sent to live in the human world for several years. The Vampyres have upheld an alliance with humans, and her presence as a collateral was meant to ensure that each side did not start a war. Since the Vampyres are allied with the humans, the nearby Weres are outnumbered. Misery's father pushes her to marry Lowe Moreland, Alpha of the Weres. Misery is trying to find out what happened to her human foster sister that disappeared, and she only agrees to marry Lowe because she believes he has the answers about her best friend's disappearance. Misery cannot understand Lowe's strange behavior around her. She tries to make the best of her situation, but there are assassination attempts and pack fighting that threaten her future.
I loved this book and basically finished it in one sitting. It had the perfect amount of angst, worldbuilding, a marriage of convenience trope, and smut. The sex scenes were super spicy, so fair warning to readers. Hazelwood purposefully used the word "knot" in her dedication instead of "not," so I thought to myself, "Is the werewolf character going to have a penis knot? No way." But Ali Hazelwood went ALL IN on the penis knot trope, and it was magnificent. The ending of this book sets up a future book involving other characters. I cannot wait to start reading the next book set in this universe. (A sequel has not been announced yet, but I am hoping there is confirmation soon!) I thought that the spelling of vampyre with a "y" instead of an "i" was distracting, but I quickly got over it. I thought that some of the miscommunication and denial between Misery and Lowe went on for a bit too long, but the payoff in the end was worth it. Hazelwood manages to do something original and new with vampires and werewolves. In this world, weres that are lucky enough to meet their mate will know immediately by sight and smell. Hazelwood basically has written an alpha/omega fanfiction with vampires and werewolves, and I am here for it. Fans of Patricia Briggs and Anne Bishop will love this book.
Content: graphic sex
Misery Lark is the daughter of a powerful Vampyre councilman. She grew up as the Vampyre collateral and was sent to live in the human world for several years. The Vampyres have upheld an alliance with humans, and her presence as a collateral was meant to ensure that each side did not start a war. Since the Vampyres are allied with the humans, the nearby Weres are outnumbered. Misery's father pushes her to marry Lowe Moreland, Alpha of the Weres. Misery is trying to find out what happened to her human foster sister that disappeared, and she only agrees to marry Lowe because she believes he has the answers about her best friend's disappearance. Misery cannot understand Lowe's strange behavior around her. She tries to make the best of her situation, but there are assassination attempts and pack fighting that threaten her future.
I loved this book and basically finished it in one sitting. It had the perfect amount of angst, worldbuilding, a marriage of convenience trope, and smut. The sex scenes were super spicy, so fair warning to readers. Hazelwood purposefully used the word "knot" in her dedication instead of "not," so I thought to myself, "Is the werewolf character going to have a penis knot? No way." But Ali Hazelwood went ALL IN on the penis knot trope, and it was magnificent. The ending of this book sets up a future book involving other characters. I cannot wait to start reading the next book set in this universe. (A sequel has not been announced yet, but I am hoping there is confirmation soon!) I thought that the spelling of vampyre with a "y" instead of an "i" was distracting, but I quickly got over it. I thought that some of the miscommunication and denial between Misery and Lowe went on for a bit too long, but the payoff in the end was worth it. Hazelwood manages to do something original and new with vampires and werewolves. In this world, weres that are lucky enough to meet their mate will know immediately by sight and smell. Hazelwood basically has written an alpha/omega fanfiction with vampires and werewolves, and I am here for it. Fans of Patricia Briggs and Anne Bishop will love this book.
Content: graphic sex
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Death
chronicallybookish's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Baby’s first OmegaVerse!
So this was… an experience
I can genuinely say I’ve never read anything like this. I’ve kind of always known Omegaverse wouldn’t be for me, and even as tame as this was, this book definitely cemented that fact in my mind—however, it is Ali Hazelwood and everything Ali Hazelwood writes I will surely become obsessed with.
I am so in love with her writing and her characters, and I was curious to see how that would translate into world building. The world in this book is sort of our world, in the sense that cities had the names of cities and they had modern technology and some pop culture references, and yet it was wholly distinct in that the geopolitical atmosphere revolved around interspecies relations, countries didn’t seem to exist the way they do in our world, and of course, Vampyres and Werewolves exist. The worldbuilding was a little muddied in terms of real world vs fictional aspects and the why and how of what was the same or different, however I really enjoyed the politics of the world and how Ali explored the science of Weres and Vampyres.
I also absolutely adored Misery—although it took me ages to get over her name because why would you do that—as a character and narrator. She was voicy, relatable, and far too easy to love. She had so much depth and drive and I felt completely sucked into her head the entire time I was reading. Characters who come off as frosty and closed off but are actually the world’s biggest softies are my personal cryptonite—and seeing her interact with Ana? I was obsessed and read their scenes with a huge smile on my face.
I enjoyed Lowe as a hero, though he didn’t feel quite as strong as the heroes in Love, Theoretically or Check & Mate. Though he was far from a cardboard cut out, I still felt he could have used a little more depth to his character outside of Alpha.
The spice in this book is definitely way beyond anything in any of Ali Hazelwood’s previous books. Not only does it venture into the realm of knotting, but there were a lot more scenes than there have been in any of her prior work. The omegaverse aspects didn’t work for me, but I definitely think that’s a personal preference thing. I have no understanding of the trope (genre?), but I do think this is a pretty mild iteration of it. There are some discussions and semi-vague descriptions of knotting, but nothing more than that. I definitely won’t be picking up any OmegaVerse books in the future—with the exception of anything Ali writes. She will always be the exception.
This book ended in such a way that makes me think that there will be further installments in this world (Ali also confirmed she has another paranormal romance coming in 2025 at her recent Seattle event) and I’m actually really looking forward to it. I really enjoyed this world and these characters and would LOVE to see more of them in the future!
I truly just adore everything this woman writes and I was grinning like a fool and laughing out loud throughout the entire book.
So this was… an experience
I can genuinely say I’ve never read anything like this. I’ve kind of always known Omegaverse wouldn’t be for me, and even as tame as this was, this book definitely cemented that fact in my mind—however, it is Ali Hazelwood and everything Ali Hazelwood writes I will surely become obsessed with.
I am so in love with her writing and her characters, and I was curious to see how that would translate into world building. The world in this book is sort of our world, in the sense that cities had the names of cities and they had modern technology and some pop culture references, and yet it was wholly distinct in that the geopolitical atmosphere revolved around interspecies relations, countries didn’t seem to exist the way they do in our world, and of course, Vampyres and Werewolves exist. The worldbuilding was a little muddied in terms of real world vs fictional aspects and the why and how of what was the same or different, however I really enjoyed the politics of the world and how Ali explored the science of Weres and Vampyres.
I also absolutely adored Misery—although it took me ages to get over her name because why would you do that—as a character and narrator. She was voicy, relatable, and far too easy to love. She had so much depth and drive and I felt completely sucked into her head the entire time I was reading. Characters who come off as frosty and closed off but are actually the world’s biggest softies are my personal cryptonite—and seeing her interact with Ana? I was obsessed and read their scenes with a huge smile on my face.
I enjoyed Lowe as a hero, though he didn’t feel quite as strong as the heroes in Love, Theoretically or Check & Mate. Though he was far from a cardboard cut out, I still felt he could have used a little more depth to his character outside of Alpha.
The spice in this book is definitely way beyond anything in any of Ali Hazelwood’s previous books. Not only does it venture into the realm of knotting, but there were a lot more scenes than there have been in any of her prior work. The omegaverse aspects didn’t work for me, but I definitely think that’s a personal preference thing. I have no understanding of the trope (genre?), but I do think this is a pretty mild iteration of it. There are some discussions and semi-vague descriptions of knotting, but nothing more than that. I definitely won’t be picking up any OmegaVerse books in the future—with the exception of anything Ali writes. She will always be the exception.
This book ended in such a way that makes me think that there will be further installments in this world (Ali also confirmed she has another paranormal romance coming in 2025 at her recent Seattle event) and I’m actually really looking forward to it. I really enjoyed this world and these characters and would LOVE to see more of them in the future!
I truly just adore everything this woman writes and I was grinning like a fool and laughing out loud throughout the entire book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Gore, Violence, Child abuse, Blood, and Emotional abuse
indieandajean's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Bride is, in a word, sensational! Ali Hazelwood's grasp of character and world building is unmatched, and there is no denying her skill in Bride which does not suffer for being her first book in the paranormal romance space.
I had long since given up on vampire novels as a reader (being the right age at the right time for the vampire YA craze of the late 00's and early 10's made me avoid vampires for a time) but Bride doesn't really come across as a vampire novel and it doesn't rely on the paranormal to give depth to the plot. This novel is, at its core, amazing enemies to lovers content with just the right amount of spice.
Lowe is magnetic and Hazelwood's decision to include his perspective in snippets at the start of each chapter not only added to his like-ability, but was a fresh take on the two POV romance. Misery is easy to feel a kinship with and her snappy one-liners and intelligence makes her a fun character to read.
I would highly recommend Bride to Hazelwood fans, and also to those who read paranormal romance.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Berkley for the e-ARC of Bride by Ali Hazelwood in exchange for an honest review!
I had long since given up on vampire novels as a reader (being the right age at the right time for the vampire YA craze of the late 00's and early 10's made me avoid vampires for a time) but Bride doesn't really come across as a vampire novel and it doesn't rely on the paranormal to give depth to the plot. This novel is, at its core, amazing enemies to lovers content with just the right amount of spice.
Lowe is magnetic and Hazelwood's decision to include his perspective in snippets at the start of each chapter not only added to his like-ability, but was a fresh take on the two POV romance. Misery is easy to feel a kinship with and her snappy one-liners and intelligence makes her a fun character to read.
I would highly recommend Bride to Hazelwood fans, and also to those who read paranormal romance.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Berkley for the e-ARC of Bride by Ali Hazelwood in exchange for an honest review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Abandonment, Kidnapping, Medical content, and Confinement
Minor: Racism and Death of parent
meganpbell's review against another edition
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
One thing about me: I’ll devour anything Ali Hazelwood has on offer, and as a sci-fi/fantasy reader, I was enthralled by her debut paranormal romance! Can an arranged marriage turn into fated mates between a lone vampire and her Alpha were husband? This giddily scentsual, deeply knotty romance had me by the throat, all the while licking my chops from a satisfying backdrop of fantasy world building, political intrigue, and mystery. This one’s a feast for loyal fans and a welcome banquet for the new ones Bride is sure to sire!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent, Gore, Abandonment, Body horror, Grief, Murder, Car accident, Confinement, Kidnapping, Medical content, and Violence
uranaishi's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment, Blood, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Kidnapping, and Racism
Minor: Death of parent, Child abuse, Violence, Murder, Death, Infertility, Ableism, Bullying, Alcohol, Pregnancy, Car accident, and Classism
rotatinglibrary's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and Blood