What We’re Reading in March 2024
CURRENTLY READING
Bride
by Ali Hazelwood
Have you ever felt nostalgic over Twilight? Only to realize seconds that you can’t for the life of all things wonderful force yourself to sit through the movies or read the books because neither was actually palatable the first time around. Well, I had that moment some time in the fall, and I’ve been craving a vampire-were romance ever since! Imagine my surprise when one of my favorite authors announced she was releasing a book that would fill the void. So, I just had to share Bride by Ali Hazelwood with the Haus of Hamilton Book Club.
Get your copy of Bride (Amazon) and read with us!
What Victoria Loved
VICTORIA’S RATING: 4/5
Firstly, I am an Ali Hazelwood fan. While this book deviates from the world of academia she has so often written about, I was ready for to venture into this new world with her.
Ali weaves a tangled web, beautifully winding through the tumultuous (and quite controversial) relationship among vampyres, weres and humans while diving into the inner workings of a were pack and simultaneously unfolding a heady love story.
I was hooked on Bride within the first 50 pages – the tension between the characters built up so quickly and so deliciously, I was immediately invested in their relationship. I needed to snap the crackling heat… and fortunately, I was not disappointed. All you need to know is that the plane scene may have changed my life. Simply put, Bride satisfied the vampire-were craving.
Experience Bride with this Big Fat Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie recipe from Sally’s Baking Recipes.
What the Book Club Loved
FIREWORKS & STEAM: 3.5/5
Yes to the tension and the build up! The airplane scene was a group favorite. But some details left us off-kilter.
WRITING STYLE: 3.5/5
This was an easy, stay-up-all-night read and really well-written. However, half the group felt like we couldn’t fully immerse into the world Ali built because it was difficult to embrace the Vampyre and Were societies and fully separate from the human characters. While the other half felt that the humans gave the story a stronger backbone for comparison and distinguished each society.
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: 3/5
Misery and Lowe were written well — we love a strong, independent female lead! But we would have appreciated stronger support characters as details were loosely threaded throughout the story that made it difficult to track and dot-connect.
THE LOVE STORY: 3.5/5
This romance was well-paced as Misery and Lowe were able to establish a strong foundation of friendship that gave weight to their love story. But as their relationship progressed, we would have liked to have seen more of a balance in the roles. Another 30 or so pages at the end of the book could have given us what we wanted.
“Bride by Ali Hazelwood was a good introduction to the paranormal genre both for the author and for me as a reader. I enjoyed how she built the political landscape of the paranormal world in parallel to our human world. Misery was resilient and funny, and I found their love story compelling. Great for those who enjoy a slow burn with a very action-packed ending.”
- HANA
If You Loved Bride, You’ll Love These
WERE MAIN CHARACTERS WITH MORE STEAM: The Fake Mate by Lana Ferguson (Amazon)
They say never judge a book by a cover. Well I did… I thought this was going to be a cute little love story, but boy was I wrong. Lana Ferguson delivered a romance AND THEN SOME. When I say this book is NSFW and should be enjoyed in the comfort of your own home, I mean it. Enjoy the heat!
VICTORIA’S RATING: 4/5
THE BROODY PROTECTOR AND SUSPENSE: Things We Left Behind (Knockemout #3) by Lucy Score (Amazon)
The first two books in this series really teased out this romance, so for that alone, I’d recommend the first two books in the series even though this was by far my favorite of the trilogy. There’s nothing quite like a dark past that draws me into a book… especially when it all resurfaces and the tension (read: the foreplay) is as sizzling hot.
VICTORIA’S RATING: 4/5
A MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE WITH A BILLIONAIRE: King of Wrath (Kings of Sin #1) by Ana Huang (Amazon)
Like Bride, this romance centers on a daughter marrying for duty and an alpha in it for business. This is worth the read solely for the library and garden scenes. You’ll thank me later.
VICTORIA’S RATING: 3.5/5
BY THE AUTHOR: The Love Hypothesis (The Love Hypothesis #1) by Ali Hazelwood (Amazon)
The Love Hypothesis kicks off one of my favorite romance series. Think broody male leads, brilliant female leads and a whole lot of chemistry (in and out of the lab).
VICTORIA’S RATING: 5/5
Until the next chapter!
xo, Victoria
P.S. Craving more books featuring these sub-genres, tropes, and themes? Tap the links below.
