Bride by Ali Hazelwood will have great crossover appeal for paranormal romance lovers who love Hazelwood’s writing, but maybe not her STEM-based romances. While it’s less likely that Hazelwood fans who don’t love paranormal romance will find as much to enjoy about this one, this might actually be a good beginner paranormal romance for those new to the genre. Even though I loved Misery and Lowe’s relationship for what it was, it is still very much ruled by the fact that she is a blood-drinking Vampyre and he is a shape-shifting Alpha Werewolf with a knot. 

“I am but a cornucopia of regret.”

Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. This post contains affiliate links. That means we receive a small commission at no cost to you from any purchases you make through these links.

Bride by Ali Hazelwood

Bride by Ali Hazelwood

Standalone
February 6, 2024

Read this if you want:

  • Lighter, fluffier paranormal romance
  • Ali Hazelwood’s writing style
  • Knotting

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“I don’t know what you were embarrassed about, you majestic fluffball…”

As a long-time fan of both Ali Hazelwood romance and paranormal romance, I was excited to read her foray into a world of Vampyres and Weres. Ali did not disappoint, giving readers plenty of paranormal lore while simultaneously building a steamy, yet fragile, relationship between the main characters. 

For most of her life, Misery has been on the sidelines. Relegated to the role of glorified bargaining chip in order to keep the peace between the Vampyres and the humans, Misery spent most of her childhood apart from her family and her own kind. So when her father offers her up – this time through marriage – to the local Were Alpha, Lowe, she doesn’t expect her experiences to be anything to write home about. But life with Lowe and the Weres isn’t at all what Misery was expecting. Instead of the cold, cutthroat world of the Vampyres, Misery finds familial love and pack bonding with the Weres. And she finds more than she ever imagined with the stranger she married. 

“Every second, I want you too much, and every second, I’m on the verge of wanting you more.”

As a paranormal fan, I really enjoyed Hazelwood’s take on Vampyres and Weres and what they were capable of. It’s always fun to see where an author’s first foray into paranormal romance will take them, and I thought Bride perfectly combined paranormal elements with the types of romance that we’re used to seeing from Ali Hazelwood. 

“It must be tiresome, being a decent person, and I can’t relate. I revel in my moral flexibility.”

Bride had some wonderful world-building, and it was easy to picture the world that Misery and Lowe inhabited as well as the dangers they faced just because of what, and who, they are. Outside of the world building, Hazelwood writing came through with so many memorable and highlight-able passages. Lowe and Misery’s dynamic relationship hooked from from the very first page, and I loved every up and down they experienced on the way to their happily ever after. 

“He and I. Together. The greatest thing of all time that never should have happened.”

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