Bride by Ali Hazelwood Published by Penguin on February 6, 2024
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Paranormal / General, Fiction / Romance / Paranormal / Shifters, Fiction / Romance / Paranormal / Vampires
Pages: 416
Format: Audiobook
ISBN: 9780593550410Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast—again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans are over: she has been called upon to uphold a historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and she sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchange—again...
Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. It’s clear from the way he tracks Misery’s every movement that he doesn’t trust her. If only he knew how right he was….
Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she's ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what’s hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory…alone with the wolf.
Darcy, I thought you said you wouldn’t read a Ali Hazelwood book? Yes, I know and don’t worry I have a steaming pile of crow next to me right now.
Before I start talking about my issues with the book, I did actually enjoy it. It was an enjoyable mystery to figure out what had happened to Serena with a sweet romance between our two leads, Misery and Lowe.
The first minor issue I have is with her name. Misery, like yes, she obviously is the least liked of the twins, and I understand that it could be an extra way to show the different treatment between her and Owen. But I feel like there’s enough in the book without the dumb name. Another dumb name for something is the Tongue, ugh, I cringed each time I heard it. It just feels so high school. I feel like I’m being mean, but it just feels like there was so much effort put into the mystery surrounding Serena’s disappearance and Misery’s father’s machinations that the lack of effort with these two pretty big things were glaring.
The lack of Lowe’s point-of-view just made me not like him as much. After a while, Misery definitely grew up on me (even with the fact that she’s emotionally constipated), and I loved the snark and sass that she gave out to everyone. But with Lowe, all we get are these few lines/quotes, which wasn’t enough to give me an idea of who he is as a person. The way he treats Misery like she’s a child who doesn’t know her own mind or can’t make it up pissed me off so much. I really hate how quickly Lowe was forgiven for lying to Misery and using her own past trauma against her was fucked up. I do like that Misery makes the choice to go to him, but I really would’ve liked him to actually have talked to her or made an attempt that he wanted her in his life. Like what was he going to do if she didn’t come to him? And then his whole martyr, falling on his sword act, was annoying. We get it Lowe, you’re Jesus Christ reincarnated and have to suffer your entire life before doing anything nice for yourself, let’s move on.
Back to things I did like about the novel. Here was my reaction to finding out that Mick was actually working with Misery’s father. I had such a bad feeling about him and just felt vindicated.
Another reaction of mine to finding out that Misery’s father was behind everything. I mean he’s your typical despot, abusive asshole of a father.
I feel like Misery’s father would be how Albus Dumbledore would act if he wasn’t trying to appear grandfatherly. His whole “for the good of the many” is so similar to Dumbledore and Grindelwald’s “for the greater good.” Kinda have more respect for Misery’s father than Dumbledore cause at least he’s upfront about his manipulations and villainy. My favorite aspect of the father’s comeuppance is the fact that in the end Misery decides to not give him the time of day, to let him know he means nothing to her.
Now, I’m not going to be reading any of the STEM novels for reasons (if you really want to know I’ll tell you). I would be mildly interested in reading Serena’s story, not enough that I’m chomping at the bit for it. I’m more interested in if Owen will get a story, in particular I really want him and Gabby to get together. I mean I know we only see them interact for a few minutes, but I just felt something there.
Leave a Reply