ARC Review: "BRIDE" by Ali Hazelwood

 Hello readers!

I've promised you this review would arrive, and so here I am talking about one of my favorite books of 2023; I'm sorry for being late but these months have been awful. Anyway, despite time passed, I'm still shocked I received this arc from @prhinternational and I had the chance to read this book before the release😭

So, I'm sure, you already know this author for her StemNist novels, Ali Hazelwood, who changes genre without losing her "magical touch".

Here below the usual basic informations:

Title: Bride
Author: Ali Hazelwood
Publishing Date: 6 February 2024
Publisher:  Berkley
Pages: 416 (paperback)
Price: 14,90€ (*according to Amazon.it)

Plot: 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 from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Love, Theoretically and The Love Hypothesis.

Misery 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.

Review: 

Rate: 5 stars⭐

Clearly, this book is very different from The Love Hypothesis, Love on the Brain and Love, Theoretically, and I'm aware it could be a huge leap of faith for Ali. So, I was ready to face a possible disappointment - no, that's a lie, I'm so in love with my favorite authors I always start with the idea that I would read and appreciate everything from them, even their grocery's list 😂 - but fortunately I immediately fell for this story, that kept me hooked until the end.

Readers, this book was SO good, I couldn't stop thinking about it!

First of all, the plot. When we talk about paranormal fantasy romance, I often see a lack on this side, to favor the romance element. And it's ok, but usually it means that the book could be good but easily forgettable. Bride is not like that. Ali Hazelwood has been a master to weave together these two aspects (a concrete story-line AND romance) making me root at the love story and, at the same time, keeping my interest on the main mystery always high. And even if I had my suspicions - and some of them were right -, I didn't manage to guess all until the very end. 

This novel has its center in the race discrimination and power plays, magnificently portraited with a sarcastic and ironic writing style I personally adored. Misery spent all her life being a pawn in the hands of her father, used to maintain peace between humans and vampires and hated because of it by both those races. That's why she doesn't trust anyone and is emotionally detached from the others. When you spend all your life being mistreated and insulted, you create your own armor; it's the only way to let your heart survive so many blows. So, Bride is also Misery's journey through the discovering to the real meaning of  "home" that happens among people belonging to a total different race from hers.
At the same time, I also appreciated Misery's hacker skills (that was freaking interesting!) and her strong personality, even with some insecurities that make her easy to empathize with. Anyway, she's clearly not a damsel in distress, but her own personal weapon, and she's always ready to fight for the people she really cares about. Finally, a smart heroine who's not stuck-up! 

Then, Lowe. I loved Ali's idea to add, in a very peculiar way, glimpses of his point of view. Veery small (sigh!), but they're enough to fall in love with this selfless werewolf, who always puts the others before himself at the point where he doesn't feel worthy of someone's attentions and feelings. I adored how clever he is understanding people and how he treated Misery since the very beginning. Their closeness is gradual (the tension!!🔥) and will keep you hooked until the end of the book, because Ali loves to make us suffer 💙
That said, I would have loved to see even more of him, his story, his dreams - outside the Alpha's duty - and I hope there will be a book two where we can see more of him and of the secondary characters as well. In fact, comprehensibly, they don't have very much space, with a fast-paced narration full of events that constantly turn the tables, but that's still sufficient to understand the different personalities and tempers, and I'm quite sure some of them will be more prominent in the future. 

Special mention to Ana, because this little girl is ALL. I loved her since her very first scene, and I was enamored of her relationship with Misery and the small acts of affections they share to each other. 

So, if you like a steamy, entertaining and very captivating story, I warmly suggest you Bride. 

I hope you liked this review 💖
I'll have so more in the following days/weeks, stay tuned!
Chiara