A review by lindsaymck
Bride by Ali Hazelwood

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

Okay, Ali, my he-falls-first and he falls harder QUEEN! She cooked this paranormal romance up and the teeny tiny Vampyre bride with her very big, very broad, secret-softie Werewolf Alpha kept giving us delicious crumbs until the meal was SERVED. 

Misery - an incredible name choice for the FMC - agrees to an arranged marriage to Lowe, a Were alpha, in a move that appears to be “taking one for the team” for her species in an attempt to maintain peace. In truth, she is used to being used as collateral and Misery thinks getting closer to Lowe means getting closer to the truth behind her best friend’s disappearance. 

Misery and Lowe’s marriage of convenience obviously brings about some forced proximity, but the choreography of their shift from enemies to lovers alongside the delicate dance around the identity of Lowe’s mate is *delicious.* 

Lowe’s mix of strength and softness is the brand of MMC I love to love from Ali Hazelwood and hearing love described through a mating bond just makes me wish they existed even more than I already did.
A mate feels “new, but timeless” and finding them is “like discovering new colors. Like the rainbow had gained a few stripes.” Stunning.

Misery’s found family (first in Serena and then in Lowe, Ana, and the pack) is beautifully developed, as is the focus on belonging. The mystery of Serena’s disappearance and Lowe helping Misery investigate reminded me of Crescent City - Bryce and Hunt trying to avenge Danika. Thank goodness this had a happy ending for ALL 😅. I am praaaaaying for a sequel about Serena and Koen and maybe another one about Owen, too…

Oh, and the littlest tastes of Lowe’s POV at the start of every chapter? What a clever way to sprinkle his perspective without taking away Misery’s voice. I swear every one had me swooning over her not knowing the true depth of his feelings yet. 

How could you not love this possessive Alpha Werewolf architect who is amazing with kids, a dedicated and trusted pack leader, and so down bad for Misery he is drawing her and keeping the temperature warmer so she isn’t chilly and letting her feed on him?! 
“I would take anything she chose to give me—the tiniest fraction or her entire world. I would take her for a single night knowing that I’ll lose her by morning, and I would hold on to her and never let go. I would take her healthy, or sick, or tired, or angry, or strong, and it would be my fucking privilege. I would take her problems, her gifts, her moods, her passions, her jokes, her body—I would take every last thing, if she chose to give it to me.” 
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