Bride by Ali Hazelwood
What's It About?
A dangerous alliance between a Vampyre bride and an Alpha Werewolf becomes a love deep enough to sink your teeth into in this new paranormal romance.A Vampyre is forced to marry an Alpha Werewolf against her will, in the hopes that their union will initiate a much-needed alliance. But when the drastically different individuals start connecting in deep ways, the Vampyre realizes she might not have made a mistake after all by marrying him.
When it comes to Ali Hazelwood, there’s no novel of hers I wouldn’t pick up. Many others feel the same, as she has graced the New York Times Bestseller list various times with her romantic comedies set in the competitive STEM world. From the highly recommended The Love Hypothesis, to Love, Theoretically, to her recent YA release, Check & Mate, she’s proven herself to be a multi-faceted author, in addition to a brilliant neuroscience professor.
In her newest release, Bride (Berkley), Hazelwood tackles romance in an urban fantasy setting featuring Vampyres and Weres warring against each other, and how an arranged marriage between a Vampyre and a Werewolf just might be what saves their kinds.
Relatable Fantasy, Characters in Action
A Vampyre named Misery Lark wishes to leave her world behind. Currently working in the Human world, she hides her powers and her looks, especially her eyes. They are tucked away behind dark contact lenses, and her fangs never make an appearance. At this point, after having recently escaped from various deadly attacks, Misery just wants to live her life isolated alongside her close friend and roommate, Serena.
Yet, her time with the life that she’s always wanted won’t last very long when she’s taken back to the Vampyre world. Once there, Misery faces a heavy request from her powerful father, the most revered Vampyr councilman in the Southwest.
He wants her to marry the broody and mysterious Alpha Werewolf, Lowe Moreland, despite her refusal. Of course, she has no choice, and the marriage happens. Her father’s attitude and emotional distance from his daughter is obvious, as he is ordering her to make a decision that will change everything.
The scene where Misery and Lowe finally meet at the altar is one of the best in the book. There, Hazelwood perfectly captures Misery, who is just as sarcastic as she is funny, while she faces this unwanted situation with as much grace as she can muster. Hazelwood’s knack for funny banter between characters, even in difficult situations that they encounter, shines in this novel.
There are also emotional moments. Many readers will sympathize with Misery’s anger at being taken away from her peaceful life. It’s also entertaining to see her fight an inner battle as she realizes she just might be falling in love with her husband, Lowe. And, while she got into this in hopes of having the Vampyres and Weres get past being enemies, there is much more in store for her.
Lowe’s character shines when he realizes that the “Loyals,” whose lives have been threatened by him in the past, are seeking revenge. And, when he realizes his marriage with Misery might be threatened, he shows his caring side. And we relate to Misery’s emotional turmoil as she is trying to accept her feelings for Lowe.
Once Again, Hazelwood’s Writing Shines and Engages
Readers were surprised at the announcement that Ali Hazelwood was writing an urban fantasy — a break from her usual genre — but excitement quickly grew on social media, as people became eager to pick up the book. I’d highly recommend it!
It’s certainly a different genre for the author to tackle, but it’s beautiful how she mixes in her knack for character growth throughout the story, making readers giggle, and adding serious topics into the glittering urban fantasy world.
In the end, Hazelwood has hit a home run with Bride, proving that she has done it once again and can write a compelling romance in any genre. I’m glad that she decided to be brave and try a new approach!
About Ali Hazelwood:
Ali Hazelwood is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Love, Theoretically and The Love Hypothesis, as well as a writer of peer-reviewed articles about brain science, in which no one makes out and the ever after is not always happy. Originally from Italy, she lived in Germany and Japan before moving to the US to pursue a PhD in neuroscience. When Ali is not at work, she can be found running, eating cake pops, or watching sci-fi movies with her three feline overlords (and her slightly-less-feline husband).
