Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for approving BRIDE.

I have to say, I did not enjoy the first 20% of this book and was annoyed. But this book picked UP. It’s amazing. If not for the first 20% this would probably become my favourite book like ever. I can’t unsee that but maybe in a reread it’ll be better? BUT THIS BOOK! Guys! This book is WOW. I loved the story telling, the plot, the love story. The ending is promising for a new story? God! This was EPIC. I loved it. It was confusing, funny, raw and beautiful. I haven’t read anything by Ali before (idk why?) but this paranormal romance thing she got going? I’m in! Count me IN.

It's so incredibly kind and thoughtful of Ali Hazelwood to continue writing these novels just for me! I mean, she must. There's just no other possible way her characters could tickle my fancy the way they do if she didn't have a direct line into my psyche and know exactly what I'll love most in an FMC and MMC! Her books are just *chef's kiss*

The second I saw this book pop up (I believe I first saw it on my daily scroll through Waterstones lol) I cannot express how much I wanted to read it IMMEDIATELY. I mean, the combination of Ali’s brand of sizzling, sexual, slow-burn tension PLUS werewolves PLUS vampires PLUS enemies-to-lovers PLUS arranged marriage? SAY LESS!

Naturally, I was very happy therefore to get this copy to read a little early. (Don't worry, I'll still be getting the paperback from Waterstones). I read it while I was off for Christmas and it definitely was a cherry on top of my reading year. I mean, who would rather watch cheesy Christmas movies when you could be salivating over a ridiculously hot werewolf book instead?

What's it about?

This was a paranormal romance - a romance book with the required happily ever after ending, just in a world with paranormal elements - therefore the worldbuilding was minimal but what was there was good and really definitely helped to set up our characters' motivations and explain their personality traits.

For example, FMC Misery is a 23-year-old vampire and the daughter of a high-ranking member of the vampire council. As such, as a child of 8, she was used to secure an alliance with the humans via their Collateral Program. Basically, the humans and the vamps exchange a child to live in the other's territory for 10 years as collateral. If either side breaks the rules of the alliance, the child gets killed.

So from age 8 to 18, Misery lived with humans who were both scared and slightly icked out by her and her wee baby fangs. After her time was done, she went back to the vampires who then also treated her like some sort of human-loving lepper.

So she basically feels like she belongs nowhere. She only has one single friend in the world - Serena, a human who was raised in foster care with her and is the sister of her heart - who has gone missing! The only clue to her last known whereabouts points to the werewolves. The vampire's biggest adversary whom they do not have an alliance with... Yet.

That's right, because her father, not content with sending her away throughout all her formative years, now also wants her to MARRY THE NEW WEREWOLF ALPHA as well.

And so, within the first chapter Misery ends up married to an alpha werewolf and living in their territory surrounded by people who don't like or trust her - AGAIN!

So a pretty good set-up for some tension, right? Both the sexual kind between the newly married couple and the mistrustful and disdainful kind with other less-welcoming members of the pack.

What I loved:

I ADORED Misery. An ironic name because I found her absolutely delightful. Her dry humour was top freaking notch and I defy anyone not to get an immediate girl crush on her. One of my favourite things about this book was the dialogue and most of that what came out of Misery's mouth in particular. She was just so subtly hilarious.

That's not to say I didn't fall hard for Lowe as well. His wolfy senses meant that he was quite often in a state of intoxication when near his vampire bride and her alluring scent. I loved this he tried to keep it together while clearly feeling dazed and entranced in her presence. Play it cool, Lowe, play it cool, lol.

He's an Alpha and had to challenge and fight to the death for his position so he's definitely no softy in werewolf terms, but when it came to Misery, he was more golden retriever than werewolf and I loved him for it. So freaking sweet.

Speaking of sweet, there's a 6 (possibly 7) year-old that lives at Lowe's Lakehouse residence along with a few others that also provided some super sweet moments. Loved her and Misery getting to know/like one another. It was very cute.

I think this book is going to do very very well and if Miss Hazelwood would like to write more in this world I would 100% eat it up along with anything else she writes (for me).

Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group UK for the Advanced Reader Copy provided in exchange for my honest review. Can't wait to re-read it one day.

5 very satisfied stars ★★★★★

Like a lot of people, I was getting a little bit (and I only mean a little bit, really) tired of the rinse and repeat formula of Ali Hazelwood's books about women in STEM. So, it's safe to say I was really excited to read Bride, a paranormal romance that sold itself as something completely different to Ali Hazelwood's usual work, but still full of the charm and fun of the others. And, having finished Bride, I can confidently say that this book is everything Ali Hazelwood fans (and the paranormal romance genre, more generally) have been waiting for!

Bride, a book that follows Misery and Lowe as they're forced into a marriage of convince to bridge the tenuous gap between the vampire and werewolf communities, respectively, completely blows everything Ali Hazelwood has written out of the water. And I mean that in the best way possible. I have a lot of love for her other books, but Bride has a unique essence of its own. Bride reads like a fresh and distinctly adult twist on Twilight: it is full of that indescribable nostalgia that the paranormal genre seems to evoke, it's exceedingly dramatic in the way that only a book filled with blood-thirsty (and slightly emotionally unavailable) vampires and soft werewolves can be, it's romantic, and it's so, so fun!

It has all the tropes you want: a marriage of convenience, enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, yes, and yet Ali Hazelwood outdoes herself by succeeding at a gripping thriller subplot. While I compare Bride to Twilight, the twist it provides comes most from the look we get our protagonist Misery's espionage-esque attempts to hack and sneak her way into finding her missing friend in werewolf territory. With this subplot, Ali Hazelwood moves away from the distinct category of romance and offers a fresh new way to read her books: on the edge of your seat, uncovering engaging mysteries. This makes Bride a refreshing and particularly engaging read.

To sum up my feelings about Bride, I think it is best to say this it is a thrillingly romantic read, filled with just the right amount of everything: romance, mystery, and humour. If you like Ali Hazelwood, pick it up. If you like an intriguing mystery, pick it up. If you love a charming read, pick it up!

I want to preface this review by saying I love Ali Hazelwood. I have read her books more times in quick succession than I would honestly like to admit. Which means that I was always going to love this. The question is whether I loved it as much as her other books. Short answer: no. Long answer: it's still amazing and the more I think about it, the more I love it.

Misery Lark (excellent character name) is a vampire who is living secretly in the human world, until her father asks her to marry the lead Alpha of the werewolf kingdom to finally secure a peace treaty. She agrees, actually to discover why how her friend Serena went missing and if Lowe is connected. Misery is married to Lowe Moreland, travelling into the heart of Were territory, risking being killed at any point if the treaty collapses.

In short, this is more plotty than most Ali Hazelwood books, but damn does she make the plot work well with the romance. Misery and Lowe are grumpy x grumpy, both fed up with the vampyre-werewolf rivalry but unwilling to trust each other. Lowe is tall, handsome, and seems to hate Misery. As always with Hazelwood, Misery is not shrinking or passive. Her detective work and building of a life in Were territory are fascinating, avoiding the usual romance pitfall of making only the romance interesting, although I thought sometimes the romance could get lost. I loved watching Lowe and Misery grow closer, being the rare characters who felt real and separate, and who I genuinely wanted to find happiness together. The characters around them were lovely and entertaining (I have high hopes for two of them...). The relationship between them was steamy and fun, getting me invested immediately. Hazelwood does lean into some tropes (the FMC nonsensically deciding the MMC hates her for no discernible reason, angst for the sake of angst), but it's hard to complain when Hazelwood does it so well. Now bring on a sequel.

This was my first book by the author and I’ve heard it is her fantasy debut. While I didn’t love it, I still enjoyed it quite a lot. Particularly the snarky comments and banter were right up my alley. I would recommend this as an entertaining read but don’t expect anything too profound.

As my first Ali Hazelwood book, I can proudly say that I will definitely check her other books out. This is a really good fantasy debut, I loved the sarcasm of Misery as well as her strength that is portrayed. She is someone who will do pretty much anything for the people she loves. Lowe is an easily loveable character as well, he's a strong powerful alpha but also can be compare to a cute (and sexy obviously) fluffy dog.
I enjoyed reading this book as it was such an easy read and I would definitely recommend it to readers who enjoy the slow burn forbidden romance between vampires and werewolves.

Ali Hazelwood + Paranormal Romance = OMG!

*No spoiler review*

Look I cannot lie, I was a bit sceptical when I heard my fave STEM-romance author was going to release a paranormal romance. I’ve never been so happy to admit my scepticism was sorely unnecessary!

Bride gives us an answer to the age old question: what happens when a werewolf marries a vampire? (Okay maybe it’s only me that wonders that…)

This book was filled with much loved Ali banter and snark, characters that keep you guessing and a smart storyline that ensures you simply cannot walk away from this book.

Misery in particular was a delight to read - I’ll keep it spoiler free but… just read it for yourself, okay!?

A solid 4 stars and a sincere hope that Ali continues to write both contemporary and paranormal romance in future!

Ali Hazelwood + Paranormal Romance = OMG!

*No spoiler review*

Look I cannot lie, I was a bit sceptical when I heard my fave STEM-romance author was going to release a paranormal romance. I’ve never been so happy to admit my scepticism was sorely unnecessary!

Bride gives us an answer to the age old question: what happens when a werewolf marries a vampire? (Okay maybe it’s only me that wonders that…)

This book was filled with much loved Ali banter and snark, characters that keep you guessing and a smart storyline that ensures you simply cannot walk away from this book.

Misery in particular was a delight to read - I’ll keep it spoiler free but… just read it for yourself, okay!?

A solid 4 stars and a sincere hope that Ali continues to write both contemporary and paranormal romance in future!

I had a blast reading this, I finished it within less than 24 hours because it was just so fun and easy to read that I got completely obsessed.

I love the idea of a forbidden love amongst werewolves and vampires, two mortal enemies trying to close the bridge of hate that’s existed for centuries. It really was such a cool prospect and I think it was written really well here. I also adore how the author put her own spin on it, with vampires not being immortal (even though 99% of previous writings say they are), and erred being stronger than vampires. It was a great way to make a used idea new and fresh.

I think the romance was so cute, I was giggling and laughing and blushing. I’m such a sucker for the fated mates trope and I think it was fine really well here. my only “complaint” would be I feel as though the romance overtook the plot, so that when did find out what happened with serena it was kind of rushed and lacklustre considering it had been built up for the last 400 pages. but like I said, I loved the romance so it wasn’t that big of an issue

I love Ali Hazelwood’s previous romcoms, so I was looking forward to her new release. This is the first major fantasy novel, I believe. I have to be very honest. This is a satisfying romance book. But as a fantasy book, it’s not satisfying if you’re used to books by full-time fantasy authors. The worldbuilging is tricky in fantasy. It needs to be done carefully, but here most of it was done in dialogue it just felt like information dumping or purely lazy,
But once I stopped seeing this book as fantasy, I enjoyed it because Ali Hazelwood characters are as charming as usual (love Ana!) and slow romance was great! I wouldn’t recommend it to fantasy fans but romance fans for sure!

4.25 / 5 🗡️🩸🐺

ARC kindly gifted in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly Ali Hazelwood did not come to play with this book. It was Hazelwood charm at it's best and I loved every minute of it. Lowe and Misery were actually perfect and iconic. I love them. The tension. The forced proximity.

Like a werewolf x vampire marriage of convenience, oh it was so good. Even the side characters I loved.

This was pretty decent, especially for a big genre shift. It wasn't groundbreaking but it was a decent time. I think there was a good amount of supernatural content to keep it interesting but not so much that it escaped from under her.

I really liked the whole premise, the marriage arrangement etc worked well and our protag is pretty likeable. I wasn't SUPPPPERR invested in the romance but I was invested enough to keep reading.

Thank you to Little Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my gosh- I loved this so much!

Can I just say I’m HERE for the traditionally published paranormal romance revival that’s happening right now! This is my comfort genre and Ali Hazelwood did a fantastic job blending things that are more standard in the genre but in a way that’s wholly her own!

I had the opportunity to Listen to this one through an ALC thanks to PRH audio! The performance was really well done and I loved the way Ali incorporated a dual narration situation without a true dual POV! It was just enough to give us a peek into Lowe’s mind without all the flipping back and forth and I absolutely LOVED the foreshadowing it would give us for the upcoming chapters! All in all I highly recommend the audiobook!

Read this is you love:
-Vampyre and Were love stories
-missing friends and mysterious parentage
-marriage of convenience
-Forced proximity
-paranormal romance
-he falls first and harder
-lots of steamy goodness with bites and knots 3.5/5🔥
-Tech stuff
-peanut butter
-humor, heart, and finding happiness!

Ali does fantasy? Oh my goodness this was amazing I absolutley adored it! As always great chemistry between characters

A new take on vampyre, were and human alliances.

Misery Lark, a vampyre, is committed to a marry a were she has never met - to save vampyre existence, again. However, he's not just any were, he's an alpha. One of the most powerful in a very long time. But, the question is, is he linked to her best friend's disappearance?

I’m very grateful for being approved for an advanced reading copy of this title.
I found this one difficult to get through, it sort of just felt like a word vomit of tropes and explanations of how the vampires in this world are different to every other world and then throw in a bit of spice and that was it? I didn’t connect to the characters and just found it uninteresting unfortunately

This is easily my favourite Ali book, and not cause I’m an omegaverse whore at heart, but because Misery and Lowe own my entire soul.

Nothing makes me happier than the fanfic girlies taking over the publishing industry and the fact that this book was so good makes me infinitely more proud

Bride is an arranged marriage, (kind of) enemies to lovers paranormal romance with an overarching mystery and I was hooked from the literally the first page. Ali is an incredible writer and her dive into paranormal romance was as enjoyable (and probably more for some) as her STEMinist romances. You can tell she has been DYING to get this story out and I really don’t think there’s any genre she wouldn’t excel at.

Misery is one of those slightly unlikeable FMCs at the start who eventually learns she has a heart and is capable of caring for more than one person and can let herself be happy. She’s been used as collateral for alliances between the Vampyres, Weres and Humans her whole life and she begrudgingly accepts being chosen as the Bride for the Were Alpha to help find her missing best friend. Of course, smut ensues and Misery finds meaningful connections in unlikely places.

Lowe is the typical Alpha Were and I could not love him more. He’s so much more than his alpha facade and I loved seeing every single facet of his personality. Their chemistry is slow but god is it delicious. The smut was (of course) incredibly well done and I’m still shook that Ali has graced us with KNOTTING in a traditionally published book. My life will never be the same.

I absolutely devoured this and I’m so ready for book 2 (I need to chill whoops).

BEST ALI HAZELWOOD BOOK YET I AM OBSESSED. THE PINING, THE ROMANCE. YES! I will handsell the heck out of this. Thanks so much for the arc, it was incredible!!!

I usually love Ali Hazelwood's books and was excited by the new direction Bride has taken from her usual science-based romances. The concept was strong and I thought that Misery and Lowe's story had the potential to be really compelling. Unfortunately I wasn't sold on the plot and found the structure to be a bit confusing.

Bride by Ali Hazelwood
I give this book 4.25 stars.

Misery Lark has been called upon to uphold an historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres.
Alpha Lowe Moreland doesn't trust her at all and Misery has her own reasons for agreeing to it even if it means a life alone in Were territory . . . alone with the wolf.

This is so different to this authors books so far (I’ve read them all) and the cover is my favourite!
A paranormal romance with a mystery element as well which added to the plotline. Misery is a quirky vampyre bride with a love of tech who doesn’t feel like she truly belongs anywhere and then there’s caring loyal Lowe an alpha Were with a heart who has the most adorable younger sister Anna. We have a story full of forbidden lovers,forced proximity, vampyre/werewolf politics,a group of loyals and a missing friend. Told from Misery’s perspective with Lowes interjecting snippets which I really enjoyed, along with a touch of humour and eventually were steam make this an enjoyable read.
I’m hoping for a 2nd book!
With thanks to Netgalley,Ali Hazelwood and Little Brown Book Group UK, Sphere
for my chance to read and review this book.