About the Book
-
Author:
- Ali Hazelwood
- Voices:
- Cis Girl
- Straight
- White (Non-Specified)
First Impressions: Meh
What’s Your Type? Mixed Species Romance, Vampires vs. Werewolves, Team Edward Marries Team Jacob, Oblivious Partners, Marriage of Convenience (Contrivance?), Fated Mates
Meet Cute: Do You Take This Vampyre?
The Lean: *Dramatic Sigh*
Dirty Talk: Knotty
We Need to Talk: Shifting … Genres
Was it Good For You? Made An Impr … ession
First Impressions: Meh
There’s nothing all that special about this cover. I don’t hate it, but it just doesn’t really do anything for me, you know? I really could have used an old-fashioned-style cover, with a vampire in the embrace of a burly werewolf. That would have caught my attention.
What’s Your Type?
- Mixed Species Romance
- Vampires vs. Werewolves
- Team Edward Marries Team Jacob
- Oblivious Partners
- Marriage of Convenience (Contrivance?)
- Fated Mates
Dating Profile
Misery Lark is the daughter of the head of the council of Vampyres, and has been treated like a pawn her entire life. As a child, she was shipped off to the humans as Collateral, or a reason for the Vampyres and humans to remain on peaceful terms. Her only friend during that time was a human named Serena and the two quickly became as close as sisters.
Long after their shared childhood, Misery and Serena remained close. In fact, Serena was the only person (or thing, really) Misery ever cared about. So when she goes missing, Misery will do just about anything to figure out what happened to her friend—even if it means putting herself back into a pawn situation, this time by marrying the new Alpha of the Were community, a man she’s never met and doesn’t really care to get to know.
Meet Cute: Do You Take This Vampyre?
Misery and Lowe Moreland, her husband-to-be, meet for the first time at the altar. She finds him attractive in an objective way (and large, natch); he finds her repulsive and stinky. Or so Misery assumes.
The Lean: *Dramatic Sigh*
Lowe’s a busy guy. He took over his pack after the former Alpha started losing his wits (and killing Weres for going against him). He never wanted to be Alpha, but he was born for the job. That said, he doesn’t have (or make) much time for Misery at first. She’s fine with that, given her preoccupation with investigating Serena’s disappearance whenever and however she can, but the two slowly form a relationship that’s based on more than keeping the peace between their two species.
They’re both surprisingly caring about each other from the start, even though they were raised in societies that hated each other. There’s a bit of an insta-love vibe when you realize what’s actually going on with Lowe (which is super obvious from the very start to the reader), but it takes Misery FOREVER to figure it out, so the book doesn’t get to any spice right off the bat.
Dirty Talk: Knotty
I have apparently not read enough Were or shifter romance, because I did not know about knotting until reading this book. I’m not sure I fully understand the, uh, physicality of it all, but Misery certainly enjoyed experiencing it when the two eventually gave into their “unexplained” attraction for each other. (I roll my eyes at Misery’s obtuseness, but truth be told, I’d probably think the same way were I in her shoes.)
A moment later I feel an impression of immense pressure. He fills me slowly, thrusting languidly once, twice, until the swelling at the base of his cock is too big to slide back out. Then he’s shaking, grunting from deep inside him. I run my teeth down his neck, and he moans, cradling my face to his trhoat and my hips to his groin. The bulge of his knot grows larger and larger.
I feel strange. Full. Nice. I might even feel …
I’m not entirely comfortable with the idea of being stuck to someone like this, but whatever works for them!
Ms. Perky’s Prize for Purplest Prose
I 100% do not mean to yuck anyone’s yum, but I was nearly too distracted by thoughts of how knotting literally worked to fully into the truly spicy scenes that took place later in the book, although the earlier ones were laced with a delicious tension that often comes with undeniable chemistry.
This—
“I’m going to do it, Misery. I’m going to come where I’m supposed to.” His voice is barely comprehensible. “I’m going to pop a knot in your tight little—” A sudden shift, and the pressure increases. Lowe is coming, his orgasm a powerful thing that neither of us is ready for. … Another wave of pleasure crashes over him as he spurts inside me, and his neck strains back, eyes glazed.
—just doesn’t quite hit (pun intended) the same when you’re not familiar with the act.
We Need to Talk: Shifting … Genres
Ali Hazelwood has made a name for herself in the STEAMy community (if that’s not already a genre, I’ll take full credit), and Bride is her first foray into a more fantastical world. (Although, some might say that relationships between giant men and tiny women who can somehow physically take everything their man gives them even though their hands are literally bigger than Mickey Mouse’s gloves veers into fantasy …) Bride doesn’t feel all that different from her other books, in a good way, other than the fact that there are Vampyres and Weres and the different physical things that come with being different species. (Can you tell I’m caught up on the whole knotting thing? I’m sorry. I should have done my research before diving in.) I truly liked Misery, for all her curmudgeonly nature, and Lowe’s a total dreamboat. (His caring nature and continual need for explicit consent is truly hot.) Basically, even if you like your romance more on the realistic side of things, if you’re a Hazelwood fan, you’ll like this book.
Was it Good For You?
Although I get a leetle tired of the repeated themes of Hazelwood’s novel, I still enjoy them for their witty characters and fluffy spice. Bride was a departure—both for her and me—but still had all of the hallmarks that make her books enjoyable. Plus, there was a moment at the very end that had me laughing. I won’t spoil it here, but it relates to a certain series involving vampires and werewolves and humans. And mates. If Hazelwood didn’t do this on purpose, I’ll go read more knotty fan fic eat my hat.
FTC Full Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Berkley, but got neither a private dance party with Tom Hiddleston nor money in exchange for this review. Bride is available now.
