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mal_eficent's review against another edition
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
My 'issue' with Hazelwood's stories is that they're all very much structured like fanfiction. I love fanfic, that's not the problem, but fanfic has different structures and expectations than normal fiction and it's really hard to review or explain why this works really well if you don't have a background reading fanfic.
I totally get why people don't get along with her style: fanfic skips a lot of world building and character motivation because you're expected to have an idea of how characters are related to each other thanks to the original media, and the world building is just set dressing to exploring how characters interact. Bride pretty much follows that trend completely – the world feels like it works and exists, but big chunks of description and exposition are skipped. It's bingeable, with a lot of character reflection, and that's even more present in Bride because of how isolated Misery often is. (I'm also just going to assume this is Reylo again because I think the only non-Reylo pairing Hazelwood has written is Stuck with You)
I will say Bride has a lot more connecting scenes than The Love Hypothesis did, which is definitely a move away from fanfic styles, and that makes it a more much traditional read. (Fanfic doesn't care about what's happening 'in the background', sometimes, because again, the readers are here for the characters and typically there's an emphasis on character interactions.)
If you like fanfiction, and you like Ali Hazelwood, there's a non-zero chance of you enjoying this. If you're not up for a slightly more loosey goosey, race to the finish line kind of romance and intrigue plot that hand waves a lot of the actual work in favour of characters chatting...You might not enjoy this.
I totally get why people don't get along with her style: fanfic skips a lot of world building and character motivation because you're expected to have an idea of how characters are related to each other thanks to the original media, and the world building is just set dressing to exploring how characters interact. Bride pretty much follows that trend completely – the world feels like it works and exists, but big chunks of description and exposition are skipped. It's bingeable, with a lot of character reflection, and that's even more present in Bride because of how isolated Misery often is. (I'm also just going to assume this is Reylo again because I think the only non-Reylo pairing Hazelwood has written is Stuck with You)
I will say Bride has a lot more connecting scenes than The Love Hypothesis did, which is definitely a move away from fanfic styles, and that makes it a more much traditional read. (Fanfic doesn't care about what's happening 'in the background', sometimes, because again, the readers are here for the characters and typically there's an emphasis on character interactions.)
If you like fanfiction, and you like Ali Hazelwood, there's a non-zero chance of you enjoying this. If you're not up for a slightly more loosey goosey, race to the finish line kind of romance and intrigue plot that hand waves a lot of the actual work in favour of characters chatting...You might not enjoy this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Sexual content, Kidnapping, and Blood
Moderate: Xenophobia and Abandonment
karyzi's review
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Murder, and Blood
madicastle's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Kidnapping, and Sexual content
bmpicc's review
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I love Hazelwood. I've read all her other books. Misery though did not hold up to the strong women and character development I've enjoyed in her other novels. The story itself had a few bright stops (Ana in particular), but overall it wasn't interesting to me.
I suppose I can make a bad joke here (I'm sure I will see in a minute when I scroll other reviews)... This was knot the book for me.
I suppose I can make a bad joke here (I'm sure I will see in a minute when I scroll other reviews)... This was knot the book for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Sexual content
Moderate: Kidnapping and Confinement
zydecovivo's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Blood, and War
Moderate: Stalking, Murder, Death, Death of parent, Vomit, and Torture
Minor: Domestic abuse
murve's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Confinement, Murder, Bullying, Pregnancy, Kidnapping, Violence, Infertility, Car accident, and Blood
karinreadsalot's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Lots of spice and loveable characters
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood and Violence
Minor: Kidnapping
tiffanne11's review against another edition
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I had read one Ali Hazelwood book before this and wrote her off as not an author for me. But after seeing people rave about this one and how it was so different from her other books, I decided to give it a try. And I am so glad that I did.
Misery is a vampire that has lived among humans (not always by choice) for most of her life. Lowe is a were, alpha of the pack. As a form of a treaty, the two are wed in an arranged marriage, but they each have their own motives.
This story is full of deception, surprises, and some mild spice scenes. I could not put this down, and lost sleep because of it.
Not only was the couple compelling, but the tensions from the conflicts between the species, as well as the thread of mystery, made it a non stop read for me.
Spice: 2/5 🌶️ (on page in some detail, not overly graphic)
Misery is a vampire that has lived among humans (not always by choice) for most of her life. Lowe is a were, alpha of the pack. As a form of a treaty, the two are wed in an arranged marriage, but they each have their own motives.
This story is full of deception, surprises, and some mild spice scenes. I could not put this down, and lost sleep because of it.
Not only was the couple compelling, but the tensions from the conflicts between the species, as well as the thread of mystery, made it a non stop read for me.
Spice: 2/5 🌶️ (on page in some detail, not overly graphic)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Death, and War
readbyjaimes's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Very fun! 🧛🏻♀️ 🪢 🐺
I really enjoyed this book, and I'm very happy that I did because I was expecting to lol. Lowe and Misery were so cute and I thought their relationship was really sweet. I will say that watching people review this book and be so baffled by the whole knot situation is fucking hilarious. Like please relax you guys it's not that big of a deal lmfao. I served my time on AO3, tumblr, and Wattpad so I knew full and well what I was getting into, but still quit with the pearl-clutching. This book would've gotten a higher rating from me if I didn't feel like the ending was sooooo rushed. Like the end felt like to was going in warp speed (or maybe I was just reading really fast ahha).
Overall, I really liked it and it made me wanna read more paranormal romances lol.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Violence, Blood, and Sexual content
Moderate: Death of parent