Book Review: Bride by Ali Hazelwood

Bride 

By Ali Hazelwood 

Published Year: 2024

Page count: 352 pages 

Medium used : remarkable 2

Genre : Romance, Fantasy, Romantsy, Vampires, Werewolves, Suspense,Mystery, 2024-read. 

Rating : 3.7/5 ⭐⭐⭐💫

I knew what to expect when I picked an Ali Hazelwood novel but this felt like the author is taking a new direction in her story telling curve. She has evolved from writing and entertaining us with teen romances, Young Adult fiction and now onto romantsy genre. I liked the world building, the atmosphere created. I liked it that she tried to make this more than a vampire girl - werewolf man romance by adding a tinge of suspense and mystery. I cringed at all the smut and there is more than her usual dose of it. I skipped all the smut and felt the book could have been a better one without all those cringe descriptions of vampire - werewolf sex. But I guess some read this precisely for that! 

Coming to the story. The bride is the daughter of the most powerful vampire in North America. She is to marry the alpha werewolf as part of a truce arrangement. Her friend has gone missing a few days ago and she thinks the werewolf alpha has some answers, so she agrees. He wants to do good to his pack and is immediately smitten with her on first sight. Both her friend and his young sister are fighting the same enemies and unknown to the bride and groom, the maze is to get more intricated. While solving for the mystery, they get close and intimate. Who is behind the disappearance of her friend ? Who is trying to harm his sister and use her as a leverage against his power? Who is trying to poison and get rid of the wife? Intriguing read. 

Also, many myths and fantasies about the vampires and werewolves are busted. Some new ones are added to the mix as if there is a dearth. Werewolves are shown as much stronger than the vampires and the bride doesn't once use her vampire skills since she has masked all her existence among humans.