Bride by Ali Hazelwood

Episode Transcript
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(00:18):
Welcome to Ready to Be Romance. I'm Tori.
And I'm Haley. And today we're discussing
Bride. I was like, I was like, one
word. We're gonna kill this.
Suck it, We've done it. We're here and the podcast.
We can't top that. No truly I feel like that's
even. I didn't even nail Outlander so

(00:39):
I feel like this. Is that was hard.
That's a lot of syllables. Yeah, it truly is.
We're back to discuss another Ali Hazelwood book I covered
Love Theoretically in, I don't know, the spring of this year.
And I'm like, truly thrilled to be talking about this.
I was texting you today or yesterday or the day before.

(01:03):
I think we've been doing it all week like we just.
I know, I know. And I was like, I like, love
this book. Yeah, I honestly, I was
surprised you asked me for this book because I'm famously a bit
of an Ali Hazelwood hater. I know, I know you fuck you
fucking you messaged me after love.

(01:24):
Theoretically, I'm pretty sure you were like.
Why did you even like this book?I.
Was like, I've read love, I readI I didn't read the first one,
love I don't. Love hypothesis, Yeah.
I haven't read that one. I read Love on the Brain and
I've read Not in Love and I liked Not in Love.
I hated Love on the Brain. I like, I hated it.

(01:46):
Like I find a lot of Ali Hazelwood's like, female
characters are insuperable and like the tiniest tiny little
thing to ever sing and like, it drives me crazy.
As somebody who has never been asize 2 in my existence, I always
like, I don't love it being shoved in my face like I'm, I'm,

(02:07):
I'm, I'm a wisp of a person, butI'm so smart.
And my boyfriend has a schlong the size of my full rod.
Like, it works and I can give him blows.
He's no problem with kiss face to face, even though I'm 5 two
and he's 6-9 and five quarters. Not my thing.
And yeah, I find her character is often a little unstoppable.

(02:27):
I love I, I love this book. I read it the first time for
like a book club. And I was like, OK, Ali Hazel, a
little a Megaverse. Not really my jam.
I'm not like Auntie. It's just not something I tend
to gravitate towards. But then I read this and I was
like, oh, I love this. And then I thought maybe in my

(02:48):
second reread for the podcast that like, their first time
reading it, it was just because it was so different.
It shocked me. Maybe I didn't like, maybe I
won't like it as much. I still loved it this second
reread. I thought it was.
I thought it was really funny. Like I really enjoyed Misery.
I understood why she was the waythat she was, totally.
And I didn't find her as obtuse as the as the other even.

(03:12):
Though she's still is like little obtuse.
Yeah, literally we. Got a baby girl, but at least
she's like she's only ever had one person who's liked her.
So like I like understand where?Why?
I it's so funny because I do like Omega verse.
Like obviously I'm a twilight girly, which I know isn't really

(03:34):
Omega verse because we we get some like werewolf Wolf Pack
stuff, but like you don't like really get into it.
But like that was, I think a primer for omegaverse.
I do like the series, but there's something about it that
like doesn't feel contemporary. Like I don't I read also, I
think the fake mate this year that was like really

(03:57):
contemporary. But it's like at least the ones
that I've read seem like, I don't know, cheesy or like
unbelievable or just I don't know just something about them.
I like the concept. I never really like just like
the actual details, but I felt this was like a really good mix
of that and I think Ali Hazelwood should stick to
paranormal romance like. Like give up the sorry and stick

(04:19):
to this. Like I can't.
I'm dying. I am dying for a second book in
this series. Like give it to me.
Now, yes, and we will, I'm positive because of the epilogue
we will get. I think it's Serena and Cohen,
right, Yeah, book, but like I I'm sure she will.
It was was like a huge success obviously too.

(04:40):
But yeah, like her other books, obviously I'm like, I love women
in STEM. If I have to hear the word
Steminist or whatever she calls her books like feminist slash
STEM, I will kill myself. Like it's so like early 2010
like girl boss energy that I just like, hate.

(05:01):
I like I'll I'll just never forget in love in the on the
brain that main character she just like got to pull on my
Galaxy leggings now. Yeah, Elsie.
Oh. Honey, I know, and I like loved
that book so much, but it was like the story, some of her
details, even in this book, there's some like small details

(05:24):
of sciency things that that misery or like computer things
or whatever that she had mentioned that I'd just be like
fucking drop. I don't care.
I don't care. You're better than me.
I got it. You're smarter.
You get science and I don't. Whatever like cool.
Also I like kind of low key hated the first first part of
this book and the last part but like I'm still rating it like 5

(05:47):
stars cuz the middle is so good.I really enjoy this book, like I
just, I'm gonna read this again at some point.
I just enjoy it. I was shook on my reread too.
I. Think I'm gonna buy a hard copy
of this? Like that's how much I've
enjoyed it. Wow.
I know, I know. Like I would I would if you
would have told me when this book got released, Like Haley,

(06:08):
this is going to be one of the books you enjoyed the most this
year. I would have been like go F
yourself. I think it's straight up is I
think like I am actually prepping on ready to be petty.
My other podcast, A best of episode and I cover best of
books and I said the the best one I read this year was Book

(06:30):
Lovers by Emily Henry but that was published in 2022 so I said
that. Plus, the best 2024 published
book I read was Bride. Yeah, I'm almost willing to say
that too. Like there's I I, I feel like in
my real life, I'm really good atlike segmenting things and like
explain like I just things don'tfall in same categories for me.

(06:54):
So like, I didn't even rate thisA5.
I still am not going to rate this A5, but it's like the most
fun. I one of the most fun I had
reading this this whole year. It is probably one of my
favorite releases, like probablylike top five releases from this
year that I just had a great, I had a great time reading it.

(07:15):
I had so much fun so I reread itthis week and I rarely rewrite
read books like I actually can only unless it's for this
podcast and I like literally have to so I can take notes and
know what's going on. I think I've literally reread
like two books and they're like my all time favorite books and
and Twilight probably it's like it's like my two favorite books

(07:36):
and Twilight, but it's like I'm not a rereader because I just
felt like I'm like I just won't be like enraptured like I was
the first time. Started reading this book on
Monday or Tuesday. It's Thursday now on Tuesday
night, I think I stayed up till 1:30 AM and like I wake up at

(07:58):
7:00 every day and actually last.
So I wanted to die. I I'm so tired and I was just
like, it was 10:00 PM. I was worrying about, I was
like, I'll just read a few pagesjust so I'm like in good stead
to wrap up by Thursday. And then I read 80% of the book.
Yeah, one night. Like it was nuts.

(08:19):
I started it Friday afternoon like after work cuz I was like I
gotta get a move on on this so Imake sure I'm finished.
I was done it by Saturday evening, yes, like I was like,
I'm in, I'm here. It's so good.
It's easy reading. It's like.
Yeah, yeah, it did have an hour and a half long chapters like F
an Outlander. Sorry, sorry, sorry.

(08:41):
I still think you should check out the TV show like there's.
So many things where you're like, I love this.
I'm like, OK, great, I'll read it.
And I was like, what? No, I actually feel it's not
guilt. But like no, no I love I so no

(09:02):
no for the ride. No, no, totally.
But I actually, that's actually something new from this podcast
than my other podcast is that like, obviously I recommend
things on that podcast too, but this is like basically a, you
know, I recommendation or it's like, it's not even
recommendations though 'cause some of the books I've covered,

(09:23):
like I, you know, didn't like love, love, like I'm never gonna
like read them again or whatever.
But like when you cover it, you're asking people to read
along with you. So you are recommending it
technically. And like, sometimes I feel so
bad if people don't like them. No, I'm honestly like, it's been
really great for me to kind of expand my horizons and things I

(09:44):
might not have picked up so. But like for every Outlander,
there's like a My Lady Jane where I would never have read
that. And I love that book.
That's probably also in my top five favorite books I've read
this year. Like I just love.
Yeah, I think I like that book more than you did.
You did. You for sure did.
I think I would have liked it more if I had it framed to me

(10:04):
that it was a why a book? Because I was like kind of
tricked by the TV show. I think that's, I think that's
one of those ones where you haveto read it first to be able to
appreciate it. Totally.
I also want to say that this book, so it came out February 6.
And then let's talk a little bitabout what Omegaverse is for the

(10:24):
noobs. And then we can like get into
the plot. But this book came out February
6/20/24. And I and I again, never do this
because I'm also never like really on the cusp of like new
books because I, I've got so many old ones that I have to
read because I'm a new romance reader.
I was like pre ordering this book when I saw the cover.

(10:45):
I was like fucking salivating. Like I was like, I need this
right now. Like it was my, I think I
actually did an episode on Boobies and newbies in January
and I was like, I was asked whatbook are you most excited for
for 2024? And it was this one.
And I was not disappointed. No, I, I mean, like I've, I've
said it, I've had no expectations going into this

(11:08):
book. And I yeah.
It's also a really good intro into a megaverse.
So if people don't know what that is, it is like obviously an
alternate reality where wolf packs and like werewolves exist.
I think a lot of people like them because they follow.
They have like a hierarchical structure in the pack and it's

(11:29):
like the alpha, beta, Omega situation.
And I think a lot of people I. See, it's.
It's the dots are connecting because I think a lot of people
like like a Dom sub situ and I think a lot of people like a
really like masculine men and and in some cases.

(11:49):
I mean, count me out of those, but.
No, no, literally I'm like, I was like, I was like not me.
Well, not me like IRL like for sure in books and.
Sometimes, not even in books, I'm like.
You know a soft. Soft.
I love a soft man. Maybe that's why they seem kind
of cheesy or old to me and not contemporary is because I think

(12:12):
they do really rely on like alpha like a very traditionally
masculine guy. And then like the Omega is
usually the girl and she's like smaller and submissive and stuff
like that, more family oriented and stuff.
And it just, you know, that doesn't like really ring true
for my interests. But it actually really started,

(12:32):
I found this really interesting when I was doing a little bit of
research. It started as mostly like queer
romance and like with two male werewolves even having male
pregnancy, they like fully rerouted the biology and.
It's funny. I know, I know, literally sign

(12:55):
me out. It's funny.
I would rather have like a really traditional mask guy if
I'm reading queer romance. But some kind of tropes in the
subgenre is the scent glands, which we get in this book,
Centene Knots. The scent glands are like, I
think if you like, like animalistic and like you're

(13:15):
driven by this like intrinsic thing.
I think people really like that the scenting and the scent
glands are like people or the werewolves or whatever.
They have sense of like, especially their mates that they
really like and they use that like they rub their scent glands
together. That like makes sense to me at
least like it makes sense to like see what I know about like

(13:38):
animals. It makes sense to not I can I
can just slowly disbelief so that.
Yes. Like it's like you are combining
scent so people know that you'relike taken or whatever and that
you're like part of this pack. The knots.
It's very scary. When I was on a Wikipedia today
doing this research on a Megaverse, it was a lamb mine of

(14:02):
like links and like hyperlinks that you did not want to click
on I. Hope you weren't using like a
work sanctioned computer for that.
I wasn't I wasn't even though, even though a few weeks ago I
was doing research for an episode.
I can't remember if it was RTVP or RTBR and I like clicked on a
bad link and I was on my I was like on my work laptop.

(14:25):
Anyways, knots are like and thisagain makes sense in like the
animal space, which I know like is it when you like really start
to talk about it? I'm like I get icked out, but
like I don't know. It does work in these books, but
it's like a additional piece of like guys Dicks where it's like
it like locks into the female and it want to kill myself.

(14:49):
Haley is gagging. I'm like, blushing.
This is literally the reason I cannot rate this book of five
solely for the nodding. I like I, I can't, I can't.
No, I'm out. I'm out, I'm out.
When it's over, I want it to be over.
I need it to be I I'm not sticking around.

(15:10):
I wanted to talk about that too,because it's like I've never had
sex and then be like, I actuallylike just what stay like this
for a minute. But I think it's not the
physical bees, it's that it's kind of like the breeding kink
where it's like it's the idea that because you're knotted
together, like the guys come, it's just staying in your body

(15:35):
and you're potentially getting Prego.
So don't. Want to be involved in that
process, not that's. So fair.
That's so fucking fair. There's also usually shifty, so
obviously like shifting from human to wolf.
The packs we talked about the Dom sub power dynamics, full
moons are usually the, you know,the classic and then like mates

(15:58):
or faded mates, which we also see in this book.
And then sometimes in omegaverseyou get marking by bites, like
visible bite marks running, which is kind of actually that
happened in Acatar where it's like, you know, Tamlin was like
at the Kalen Mai. He was like, that was kind of
like, I felt like an Omegaverse reading situation where it's

(16:21):
like there's a period and the male like can't not have.
Sex. He has to impress his feet into
the fitting queen. Of and then there's also where
the female goes into heat, whichis like the exact same thing.
About. Don't have to go into the

(16:44):
details of that or like imprinting.
Some mates have like psychic bones where they can like talk
to each other in their heads. I feel like there's a lot of
like praise, kind of also like praise kink in this.
ANYWAYS, it's I think it's generally good, but sometimes I
feel like it can feel a little patriarchal and a little like
egg grow, which I don't always like.

(17:05):
And I do feel like the straightsare kind of Co opting it because
it was like kind of started as like AMM romance.
And now, yeah, yeah, there's just been like a huge increase
in the last couple years of likeFM romances.
But anyways, let's get into the book.
We're going to be discussing Bride.
It's written by Ali Hazelwood and it stars Misery Lark, who is

(17:30):
a vampire. And she is, you know, to her
dismay, getting ready to marry Lo Moreland.
He is the alpha of a where pack.And this is an arranged marriage
that her father arranged becausehe is a high-powered Councilman
in the vampire territories wherethey live.

(17:52):
It's like made-up of wares, vampires and humans, and Misery
lives amongst the humans. She's the hacker girl, but the
wares and vampires are mortal enemies.
For what reason I don't know. Yeah, I would love to love to
like, love a little like flow chart history.

(18:13):
Yes, which they do I actually she does do a lot of like lore
dumps but for some reason that was like missed I feel like but
basically the vampires and where's hate each other and the
humans like are like basically. They don't that they.
Exist. I like still don't understand.
That they. Exist, but just like.
Yeah, they're like. So insular that they just don't

(18:34):
even think about it. Yeah, cuz she but misery has to
like wear contacts and like shave down her fangs when she's
like working. So there is like a part of it
that like, I guess it's just like a hidden kind of like a
hidden secret or something. And I have no idea.
But that's the world that they live in.
And she has a twin brother. He's worried about her but knows

(18:57):
that this wedding is a symbol oftrust between the species.
So, you know, they got to get married.
The ceremony takes place at night because Misery is
nocturnal. She is a vampire, and it's
really tense because there's a bunch of werewolves there and a
bunch of vampires. And it's an arranged marriage

(19:18):
that neither party wants to do but has to do out of obligation.
And that she walks down the aisle.
He's like surprised that she like walks herself down the
aisle during the vows. We just get kind of the
introduction to LO that he is obviously a hottie, but he also
like thinks she stinks. Misery thinks that.
Misery thinks that he thinks. In classic Alley is with female

(19:42):
main character fashion. She just assumes that this
person hates. Her, yeah, it is a lot of that.
And it was like obvious, right, That obviously he was so into
her set. And that's why, like I felt like
that from the very beginning. I was like, well, he's obviously
like he's into you. Like that's like he was.
Yes. OK can I just say one thing too?

(20:03):
I actually fucking hated. What were those like chapter
like? People, you know how I feel
about an italic. Italics.
I'm not reading it. Yeah, if people was just
listening to this and didn't actually read the book, there
was like under the chapter number would be like a little

(20:25):
like third person POV from low. And they were like the
cheesiest, lamest like sedimentsever.
Like I I'm the only one that like sees her strength like
something like that. I like truly hated it.
Like, oh, like she's, she's mademy life better.
It's like, well, nothing metallics is registering to me.

(20:48):
Totally, totally. But yeah, he's I didn't get the
first read that they were spoiler alert, super spoiler
alert that they are mates because I'm dumb as Misery is
dumb. Like we're just as dumb as each
other. But I obviously knew that it was
that he liked the smell, not that he hated it.
They don't really talk. They don't really like interact.

(21:10):
And we kind of get this flashback to a few weeks before
the wedding about what happens And basically Misery is pulled
out of work, her dad's right hand woman, Vanya, and taken to
the nest, which is like their main kind of like vampire
headquarters. He's like BT dubs.
We need to start a new alliance with the werewolves because or

(21:34):
the wearers because the previoushuman governor, Arthen
Davenport, he was like an ally and they were both against the
where's, but they elected a new governor, Mattie Garcia.
And she's like not on the same page.
So we need something to like temper the possible war that

(21:57):
could erupt because of the the political changes in their
society. And misery is offered up as like
the bride here, which is crazy because we find out later that
there is the system between the humans and and the vampires that
as like an act of peace and likepeacekeeping, they each trade an

(22:20):
important child for 10 years. And so what's it?
What's it called again? She's the collateral.
She's the collateral. So she was the collateral for 10
years. She was offered up.
She had to live with the humans for 10 years.
And so it's like one of those things, if they break their
peace, the collateral just gets murdered.
And it has to be somebody who's like related to somebody

(22:41):
important, like her dad, who's aCouncilman.
So Misery doesn't have any loyalty to the vampires.
And that's why she's living withthe humans is because she
doesn't really feel like she fits in in either world, but at
least she can like pretend to fit in with the humans.
And her best friend, Serena was sent to live with her because
she was acting, oh, when she wasyoung, because she was 10 years

(23:02):
old. So they found Serena and had and
she wanted to stay with Serena, who was her best friend and like
literally the only person on earth who she cared about.
Another point that I'm confused about is like why don't they
just continue the collateral system?
Like why do they also need this like marriage arrangement?
Because I don't think Maddie Garcia wants to continue the

(23:24):
collateral she wants. She wants the human child to be
returned. Right, right, right.
OK. Love that for them.
So she's obviously like no like I gave up fucking 10 years of my
life living basically by myself as a collateral.
Why the fuck would I go into an arranged marriage where I'm

(23:45):
going to have to live and wear aterritory for a year?
The dad explains that her groom would be the new alpha who is
low Moreland. It was kind of weird how some of
the back story got shared with us, but basically we find out at
this point even though I feel like she didn't think about it I
guess during her wedding or whatever.

(24:06):
But anyways, we find out that Serena, her BFF and like
Foster's sister, basically is missing and Serena's a
journalist so it's possible she thinks that there she was maybe
investigating a story and got like murdered or kidnapped
because of what she was working on.
Misery went to the police, they didn't help.

(24:28):
So she breaks into Serena's apartment and looks through all
of her belongings and she finds a note that says LE Moreland on
like in her agenda. And so she thinks when she gets
this proposition she changes hermind and says yes because she
thinks that maybe Lo Moreland, LE Moreland will have more
information or was involved in her disappearance.

(24:51):
So then she accept. I I really like the way that
this was revealed because it waskind of like, well, then why did
she even say yes? Like she and and I love how I'm
dedicated to her friend. She is I I just feel like
Misery's character is very well fleshed out and like I
understand every single thing she does.
I don't always agree with it, but I understand why she's. 100%

(25:15):
So they get married and after the nuptials Misery is talking
to the former governor Davenportand he mentions to Misery that
the wear collateral being sent. So she is going to marry, she
married him and is going to wearterritory and they sent Lowe's
mate Gabrielle Gabby to vampire territory.

(25:39):
So she's like OK great. So now I just married someone
and I'm basically taking away like his fated mate is being
taken away and he's like functionally already married and
now I'm married to him. So she's like hey, this is like
a disaster and they have their first dance and there is a

(26:00):
potential like her life is threatened.
Someone comes after her with a knife and.
Has an assassination account. Yes, like.
This point she's like, I don't care, they can kill me because
it is. Casual for her because it is her
life has been, yeah, threatened a million times so low stops

(26:22):
like the attacker and is like, OK, this girl is just gonna be
like a liability. So he tells misery like, let's
just stay out of each other's lives.
And they had to wear territory. And she's like all by herself.
She gets a bomb ass room. It reminds me of something like
it reminds me of something I would build on the stems, this
whole house. That's just like so.

(26:43):
Funny, like what world would I put this in?
I do very much like it was like not Log Cabin, but it was like
expensive chalet in like in the woods with like a lake, which I
really enjoyed picturing. Of course, this is just like,
it's always so funny when the girl gets kidnapped in these
books, in these goddamn books. They're always put into like a

(27:05):
super nice room and then they like all day.
They're just like, should I bake, plant flowers or read a
book in the library? Like that's all they can do.
Maybe paint like? The Dream.
But she is woken up by a where child, Anna who's 7 years old
and she's like is this Lo's child?

(27:28):
But no, it's his sister and she gets taken care of by Lo and
another wolf, Juno. I love the relationship between
Misery and Anna. Like I just find their banter so
funny. Like I.
Me too, I. Really think Misery's very
funny. The dinner scene is so fucking

(27:52):
fun when Anna cooks dinner and invites misery to dinner and she
calls her Marisi or whatever. And like, I like hate kids in
romance novels. Like I'm like, I never like when
it's like this is so rude, but Ilike usually like don't love
like parent romances or anythinglike that.
And but I was like obsessed withthis.

(28:13):
Because in a book, like things we hide from the light or
whatever, things, we never get over that one.
Yes, where it's like. My God what's that kids name
like? Wallaby Wallislee Walla.
What's her name? Walla Walla Walla WA I think.
It's like literally like whales.Way, way, way, way.

(28:36):
I told you. Yeah, but that.
But the girl was like, so precocious.
You're like, I know you were written by an adult, but like,
it doesn't have to feel so like,you were written by an adult.
Where Anna. Anna feels like a child to me.
Totally. But also or it's like you're
written, they're written so childlike.
And she was just like a fun mix of like she was definitely like

(28:56):
a fun character. And especially because Misery is
like, she could be two. She could be, Yeah.
Who's to know? Which like is fun, but like it
was so annoying when low. Like there's a point where Miss
Misery misery pinches his side and he's like ow, my spleen or
something like that. And she's like no, and he's like

(29:17):
appendix and she's like no, he'sa kidney.
And it's because they're like not supposed to know like human
anatomy or whatever. And I'm like, guys, you like,
have all of those things probably like, like, so I do
like that there was some just like kind of things they were

(29:37):
lacking that they didn't know about.
Like when she was like eating because that's foreign to her.
She was like, really robotic with it.
But like, some of it, I was like, OK, like, you would know,
like the body parts. I feel like.
Yeah, for sure. Anyways, it's awkward and
uncomfortable living at Lowe's house, you know, for the first
couple days because vampires andwhere's our enemies?
And So what happens? Like, what do you do to like

(30:00):
create distrust and continue like hate of your enemies?
You create like false rumors andstereotypes and information
about each other. So everywhere she is like
interacting with, she's like having a not good time because
they think she's like this evil blood sucker.
She's just chill man. She's just chill.
She's just hanging out trying tofind her fucking friend.

(30:22):
She's trying to Snoop around looking for clues for Serena and
one of the wearers attacks her because again, he hates vampires
but Misery can like really hold her own.
She like flips him around, baresher fangs at him and right when
she does that so she looks like the bad person low shows up and

(30:43):
separates them. Everyone's jumping to
conclusions being like Misery attacked him and like all of
that stuff. Like she was trying to drink his
blood and she's like none of this makes sense.
I was hanging out, he attacked me.
Why would I need to drink his blood when there is a fridge
that you have provided me full of blood, which makes a lot of

(31:04):
sense. But yeah, totally, I was very
much on her side. I'm the where the wheres were
drinking a lot of dumb bitch juice in this team.
Totally. Because like later on they're
setting up Max like to because they know something's up with
Max. So I'm like, OK, so don't you
think there's something up with Max right now?
Yes, that's such a good point. Like.

(31:25):
But I wonder if it's just like they didn't want to piss Max off
or like think have him think they were on him or what.
Exactly. Yeah, I think they're on to him.
So they want him to continue on,possibly working with Emory,
which will meet later on becausethen they'll be able to like,
find out I guess what's really happening.

(31:45):
Misery is like low Max called you a traitor and like is
implying that he is loyal to Roscoe who was the former alpha
that Lo challenged and won against to become the new Alpha.
We kind of get like Juno steps in at this point and we really

(32:05):
get to see the like alpha stuff because she like can't make eye
contact with him and like obeys all of his orders and stuff like
that. There's like a fun moment where
he like tells Juno to leave and Misery thinks he's telling her
to leave but he just tells her to behave better.
If a man was telling me to behave the way I would not
behave. Which she basically doesn't

(32:27):
because she like the next night she like tries to break into or
she does break into his room. And that misery must have also
had a little bit of dumb bitch juice because she's like, I'm
gonna break into and he won't even know.
This guy, this fucking, he likedme.
Is famous for smelling I just like you're.
You're dumb. She leaves the room with this

(32:48):
low Juno misery interaction. She leaves the room and he is
doing because we covered Bridgerton.
She's leaving the room and he does.
He's doing Anthony, Anthony Bridgerton.
Like. Closed eyes.
In that air, he's like laughing it up like, he's like rolling

(33:08):
around in it hoping it just like.
Covers his body. It was like fucking crazy.
And she catches him. She's the Lady Danbury also
catching him. But yes, the next night she
breaks into his room and of course he'll be able to tell a
few days later because her son like he stays on everything and

(33:29):
she's so dumb. Well.
Especially because like, it's not like she's a human who
cannot understand that. She also has like a really
heightened sense of smell. Dumb like there's no other
explanation for it. It was just like a mistake, I
guess. But she goes through all of his
stuff. She finds out that he likes

(33:50):
architecture and was maybe possibly studying to be an
architect, and she goes into hisbedside table.
She finds Lube. I was like, I don't I?
Was like. What does that have to do with
anything? I have no idea, I guess that he
fucks like. Congratulations like.
And then she also finds a picture of herself.

(34:10):
What did you think about the finding the sketch?
I didn't care. That never really comes up later
on in the book. It doesn't.
I feel like having artists really doesn't come up and this
sounds so bad, but it doesn't make me hot and heavy when men
are artists, poets or guitar players, right?

(34:31):
Right. I don't need you impressing your
art upon me. We can be a art appreciators
together. I don't.
But Kate, what does she even think 'cause she's like, she's
like, he fucking hates me. And then she finds this and
she's like, he really truly like, hates me.
Listen, that's what Ali Hazel would female.
Name me here for ya. What do you What do you want?

(34:51):
Actually, when I was recording the Love Theoretically episode,
I was reading this book and actually I'm like 99% sure that
Elsie finds a picture of her in Jack's stuff.
So I was like, this is clearly athing.
I can't wait for you to read theother ones too, because have you
read the all of the like all of them?

(35:12):
No, you can't wait for you to read all of them.
I really should. I can't wait for the book
report. The next day Misery's in her
room and she's looking out the window at everyone having a BBQ
and she is like obviously kind of jealous and just like shows
again that she is on the outs. But then she notices Max going

(35:33):
up to Anna and speaking to her and then leading her into the
woods, which is a fucking creepy.
And she thinks that no one has noticed this.
So she jumps out the window or whatever, runs outside even
though the sun is still up, and goes and finds Anna and Max in

(35:53):
the woods. But as she stops them, a group
of wearers like come out of the trees.
And they were like, we set him up.
We knew he was going to try to do this.
And so we were always kind of like watching her on the
periphery. And this just like confirms that
Max is like probably working with the loyalists, the people
that want to avenge Roscoe's death.

(36:15):
Yeah, like maybe, maybe let her know.
I know, but they don't. Yeah.
But just like, let her know, like, oh, you think she's going
to tell Max the guy who she was scrapping with in the hallway?
Like, I don't think so. That's true.
That is very true. So the next thing obviously is
to find out why Max was doing this.
So they start questioning him. He won't say anything.

(36:37):
So they're like, OK, the the only thing we can do is like,
you know, punish him like, and threaten violence against him.
So he like, spills the tea and miseries like wait, wait, wait.
I can do something way easier. I'll thrall him so she can
basically touch his forehead andput him into like a hypnosis.

(36:59):
You can then ask you know the person questions and they have
to tell the truth. This feels convenient.
They're you know what? And I think that might be my
issue with a lot of other world books is that they just have
some power that's just so convenient.
You're like, oh, OK, great, not handy.
I know, I know. I'm also just curious because it

(37:21):
doesn't really come up. It comes up a little bit at the
end with the dad because he's really good at thralling that he
like doesn't even have to touch the person's forehead.
He can just do it with his eyes.But like, I don't know, I'm just
like curious if we see more of this because like, we didn't
really get much of it, but basically Max spills that

(37:43):
Roscoe's mate Emery is directingthis like Uprising, but he
didn't speak to her directly. So Lowe is like, I'm going to
need to do that. I'm going to have to go to
California to meet up with her. Yeah.
And so that's another thing thatkind of takes me out.
It's like, I want it to be very this worldly or like completely

(38:06):
our worldly because like I don'teven have a sense of where their
town is really. But then they're like then
they're like California, Switzerland.
And I'm like, OK, well, where are you guys?
Like at least in something like The Hunger Games where you have
this new world of Pan Am that you can kind of figure out where
and it's like a North America, like post whatever you can like

(38:27):
figure out where they are basically or I don't or like.
Avatar, Avatar. It's like a whole new world.
Yeah, yes. But it's a whole, well, it's a
whole new world, but it's like like it was the UK.
If you go. Yes, yes, like like kind of like
how Pan Am. Oh yes, so if.

(38:48):
You look at the the map of Perithean, it looks like
England. Haley's hanging out in real
time. And like, I am a geography buff.
Like I know all maps. I don't know how it never
occurred to me that like Highburn's Ireland.
Oh yeah, hybrid. Yes, Highburn.
'S Ireland. Is like England, Scotland, and
that's why a lot of the names are based off of like English

(39:14):
folk tales. Like Tamlin I think is like A
and like Scottish is like a Scottish myth or whatever.
I am so blown away. Right.
Now I know, but yeah, I didn't get that.
Like is, are they in the PacificNorthwest?
I just kind of pictured. Like, yeah, I guess so that
would. Probably make sense Portland or
something. Yeah, you know, that makes total
sense. The Vampire Place is more like

(39:35):
Seattle. Yeah.
And something like that, Vancouver or something like
that. Yeah, yeah, like something like
that where it's like they or maybe even closer together.
Maybe it's just like Seattle is.It's like the the rural part of
Washington is like where the where's live or.
Whatever. Yeah.
Seattle. I don't know, but I also could
just be making that up because of Twilight and like 50.

(39:58):
Shades. No, that feels correct because
like just like the the the where.
Area that they were describing and then even the flight to
California, I feel like it didn't take that long so.
And they talk about a river. They they do talk about how a
river intersects the territories.
So anyways, that's not for us. That's none of our business
truly. Like, that's not for us to know.

(40:20):
Like, so like one of the, you know, following days, Misery is
hacking into the where's computer system and they catch
her and she has to admit she's like, I'm not trying to like
stir up vampire drama. Just my best friend Serena

(40:40):
disappeared and I'm trying to find her.
And while they're talking about this, Juno, again, Anna's
caretaker is trying to get her into bed.
And she goes Liliana, Esther, Moreland, and Misery has the
moment where she realizes that Serena actually knew about Anna,
not Lo. It was like, I think it's from

(41:05):
SpongeBob, the meme where it's like the little crab and he's
like shaken. He's like.
That's basically what Misery waslike when she realized that it
was Anna. And not him, but what's his
middle name? I guess it's just something not
with an E. No, it's not with an E I'm not
taking that in. Why do you think he's named Lo?

(41:25):
It's such a name. I yeah, I don't know.
I'm excited later for when I defend the choice.
Of misery. OK, I cannot fucking wait for
that. I gotta hear this one.
OK, we'll save that for my grapes and grumble.

(41:47):
Grapes and grumble doesn't key that's.
So they're like, OK, you, we cantell like you're telling the
truth because we can like fucking smell lies.
So we, we get that you are just looking for your friend.
So when Misery and Lo are chatting at the kitchen later
that night, he decides to tell Misery that Anna is 1/2 aware,

(42:13):
half human. And nobody knows this.
But she like, can't shift. So they're like worried that she
could be, you know, in danger. But basically because mixing
species is like, unheard of, sheis kind of like a threat to
their society. And like the way that things
are. We get kind of more of Lowe's

(42:35):
back story about how Roscoe was like a cruel tyrant and ended up
like killing his mom because hismom was like, disagreeing
because of Anna. Like, there's just like all of
this kind of sad back story about how Lowe has had to
protect Anna from, like, everybody and how his, like, mom

(42:56):
died for, like, standing up for,I think, like, her family.
While he's sharing all of this stuff, he's making a peanut
butter and Jelly sandwich. And when he goes to put
everything back, Misery scoops out some of the peanut butter
and eats it. And he catches her.
This is so funny to me. She says it's like one of her

(43:17):
habits that she picked up for when she lived with Serena.
And she loves peanut butter, butshe like doesn't have all the
teeth to like digest other food.Oh right.
Yeah, yeah. I'm like the ships, I guess.
Like. I guess so.
This did make me This was funny to me.
I like. It was cute, it was just, it was
just fun, like bantery kind of moments.

(43:39):
Life moves on. Juno apologizes for being a huge
bitch to Misery. I think someone you know puts a
peanut butter jar in her fridge.I'm assuming that's low.
In one of the days, Misery catches Alex trying to teach Low
some coding stuff 'cause he's like the where techie and Lo is

(44:00):
like a boomer on the computer. Like when I try.
I've been trying to teach my momcopy and paste on the keyboard
for 20 years. It's just not happening.
Pretty nervous, I've given up. What's not?
What's not clicking? I I don't know, I don't know.
Yeah, yeah. Recently my parents bought a new

(44:20):
car and then my, my, my dad was a former, a car manufacturer
employee. So he gets a discount.
And so you have to go to the website and provide this
discount. So their car salesperson called
me and was like, Hey, like, can you give me the password?
I was like, no, I'll just give you the code.
I've generated it. And he's like, oh, you should

(44:42):
teach your parents how to do this.
And I was like, I'm not doing that.
Like no, like, no, no, like I'm not doing that.
And I'm like, well, but it wouldbe good for them to know.
It wouldn't be good for them to know it.
It's just easier if I do it all.Like it's just easier.
It's just easier. Please.
Like no. That's me.
Like I am the password manager, I'm the, I'm the booking the

(45:05):
flights girl, I'm everything. Yeah, I, yeah, it's, it's it.
I'm I'm the project manager I like to say.
Same same same one time. Actually, since my dad retired,
one of his new found hobbies hasbeen entering radio contests of
which he's like won with pretty regular frequency.

(45:27):
OK, go on. And then the one he won, like
they sent him like APDF to like fill out and send back.
And I'm just like, you're a classic rock radio station.
In what world do you think your audience knows what APDF is?
Never mind how to fill one out and return it.
That's so funny. So you had to do all of that.

(45:50):
Yeah. And like, it was a weird form.
So I had to get them to like sign a post it note and me take
a picture and like, Oh yeah, shop this picture into this PDF
form. Yeah, send it back and be like,
listen, if you need us to come sign it for you, we'll, we'll go
there. But my my dad in his 60s is not
filling out this PDF. Form here.
It is enjoy like that's what we have, take it or leave it.

(46:14):
And that's basically low. It's basically low, yes.
My dad didn't know how to answercalls on his new cell phone.
So you know what he did? He googled how do I answer calls
on this phone and it worked. At least he's resourceful.
Yes, at least your parents know how to Google things.
I'm the Google like I'm they call me as they should do a

(46:36):
Google search. My dad's really good.
My dad loves Google. It's good just.
Good. He's like, I didn't Google that.
Love that for him. Loves and information.
So yes, LO needs information from Emory and how are they
going to do that? They're going to like put, I

(46:57):
don't know, like a fucking tracking device on.
Yeah, Lo's like, yeah, I'll justgo on her computer and I'll do
it. And everyone's like, no.
You type that in finger babe, Like, yeah, that yeah, that's
not going to happen. So misery's like, well, I'll go
because it makes sense. Like I'm your new wife.

(47:17):
So there's they would be no cause for concern that you
brought me and I can, you know, do the tech stuff.
And he's like, no way. So she's upset about that.
I hate, I hate when men in booksare just like no I I protect
her. I.
I yeah, I have to protect her Yeah, yeah, 'cause all of.

(47:39):
Her. She is a vampire so yes she is
maybe unsafe in where territory but it's like she's super
strong. She has fangs like she's.
Safe in California, babe. Yeah, God.
Is all of California where territory?
Yeah, I guess the son, I don't know, whatever.

(47:59):
He thinks it's too unsafe for her, so he declines her offer.
And this is when we get the cutelike Anna cooked for us scene.
And it's just like, fun because all the wearers are at the table
pretending that her food is really good.
And we get the cute part about like, Anna wanting to plan
Misery's birthday party. And it's really, it's just fun

(48:22):
and funny, yeah. Misery's like this is what it's
like to. Have family?
Yeah, it was very cute it. Was very very cute Sometimes
like in books, I'm like, OK, let's just skip like like let's
this is AB plot like a clear. Let's actually like kissing,
yeah? Yeah, literally.
Like. The I like the world building.

(48:43):
Yes, yes, like I was like, I actually like want to read this
again. And later that night, Misery
goes and sits on the roof that she can access through her
bedroom window and LO joins her.He doesn't know she's there but
she ends up sitting and chattingwith him.
And she asks him to explain whatmates are.
And he talks about how when you meet the person, it like punches

(49:07):
you in the stomach and you just know that they're meant, you're
meant for them and they're meantfor you.
And it's rare. But like the so the people that
have mates are like so lucky to have it.
Physiological changes occur likesince.
And she's still just like, she'slike, oh that sucks because

(49:27):
like, I stink. I know I just like I'll just.
Go take another bath I guess. Like she's so dumb.
She's. So dumb.
She's so dumb. And I guess like a lot of it is
she's really counting on what Arthur Davenport said and taking
that as like absolutely truth, even though like she has no
respect for that man whatsoever and thinks he's like an absolute

(49:49):
dumb dumb. But like in this one thing she's
like that's under all. That's his mate.
They sent his mate over Kate butthen.
Also, she's like, she basically is like, does your mate know
that she's your mate? And he's like, no, doesn't he
say that here? Yeah, because.
He thinks like he's talking about her.

(50:09):
He's like, I know. I know he's talking about her,
but who does? But she thinks he's talking
about Gabby, so she's. Refusing to connect the dots
based on like what information she's been told.
Previously no, literally becauseit's like then why would Gabby
be there if she wasn't his mate?Because it has to be like a
blood relative of someone important.

(50:31):
It wouldn't be Gabby unless she knew that she was his mate.
So she's. Just need to talk my friend.
Yes, yes. And he talks about how like
mates mark each other with a bite.
We saw that with Mick and other wares that she hangs out with
and stuff like that. And he finally gives in and says
misery can come to California and help him, but they have to

(50:55):
do it his way. And I guess his way is a flying
them himself down to California,which is funny.
It's always like, that's it, this.
Is also so Christian Gray. Like it, It's so Christian Gray
and it's was he a pilot? But I feel like he was a pilot.

(51:17):
Something like that. But it's very like, also like
mafiosa. Like I've been reading a lot of
mafia romances and it's very much just like.
Are you well? Should I call someone?
Your parents know about this? Werewolves are fine, but mafia
romances are a step too far. They don't know about the
miniatures, right? You haven't told them about

(51:37):
that. No, I like no, literally, but
like it's always just like, oh, like I could like charter my own
plane because it's like best forlike safety or whatever and it's
just like fucking eye roll. I it's again, with these books,
it's just like, oh, that's convenient.
Oh, you're just a pilot. Totally, and there would be like

(52:00):
no other reason that it couldn'tjust be someone else.
But whatever his thing is that he has to fly and he has to sent
her when she gets there and she doesn't know what that is.
Read a book really. Also, I like sometimes I have
issues like picturing the scene based on the description because

(52:24):
they're like, oh, we looked out the window and saw like all of
them waiting for us. And then he's like, OK, let's go
into the more open area where there's the windows where we can
see them. And then I'll do the bite, which
I feel like, wouldn't they be able to tell it it's fresh?
Like, I don't know. I know I even thought like cuz
sometimes other like wares can smell when it's someone else's,

(52:49):
like when meets like meet each other or whatever and like that
never happened. But yeah, I didn't get that
either. But basically he like rubs his.
Why is what? Well, his his scent glands, but
like why is like glands like just it's not sexy like it's.

(53:12):
Not a hot. Word it's not a hot word, but
that's like they're like locatedand this is in again, this is
very Omega verse culture, but it's they're like on the
collarbone and like the back of your neck.
So he's like rubbing his againsther hers, even though I guess

(53:32):
she doesn't actually technicallyhave them.
I get like I sometimes I just don't picture what's happening
because it's, it's better for menot like to not try and like
strain myself to understand. Yeah, I think.
That's right. Like what movement?
Like if you ever heard about theBailey book, Like I like when
those intercourse scenes happen.I'm like, I'm not picked.

(53:55):
I like because nothing makes sense that about works.
It's a pretzel that I don't needto figure out like yes, and
that's like similar here. He like does her friend and I
think he like flips her around and like bites her neck and
stuff like that cuz he's he's soovercome.
That's the other thing is this is like a sexual thing, obvi,

(54:16):
because you're supposed to do itwith like your mate or whatever.
And so it's like a sensual moment and he like gets into
really into it and he bites her neck also.
This is when he tells her, like,I'm obsessed with your son,
right? Yeah, I think.
So. Yeah, and she still.
Doesn't get it and she still. Doesn't get it.
It's so annoying to me. It's so fucking annoying to me.

(54:39):
But again, like this is you haveto be along for the journey
because if she knew from the getgo, there wouldn't be a book,
right? So we just have to fucking walk
on this journey with her. He talks about how he's never
done this with anyone before andand she's like, not even your
mate. And he's like, well, like I, I
haven't told my mate that we're mates because I don't want her

(55:00):
to feel obligated. So I guess that's when they kind
of talk about Gabby in air quotes.
Yeah. Take a take a deep breath.
But yes. They have dinner with Emory and
her friends. And the next day, Lo spends the
morning with Cohen, who's like his friend and ally.
He offers to help Misery and Lo in their mission.

(55:23):
So at dinner that night, Misery and Lo excuse themselves from
dinner saying Misery needs to feed 'cause they don't have
blood for her. And they hack into the computer,
but the code needs a few minutesto download or like what?
Like you fucking whatever. Every single time they mentioned
like codes and downloading and hacking and like, I really did

(55:44):
just picture like the 2000s movie, like the Nerd just being
like, I've, I've hacked the mainthree.
Yeah, like, they, their firewalls were good, but
nothing, nothing slows me down. They hear people coming, so
they're like, Oh my God, we're gonna get caught.
Like, and misery's like, what can we do?

(56:06):
And it's like, well, we're newlyweds, so we can pretend
that we're kissing. That's a good excuse to be like
somewhere we're not supposed to be.
And Lo's like, I'll actually oneup you with this.
You should feed from me 'cause that's what we said we were
gonna do. And she's nervous because she's

(56:26):
never done that before. She's only had like blood bank
bags. But she does it anyways.
And just like the scenting, thisis also like a sexual thing.
I don't, I don't know if they knew that either.
Maybe, but. I think that's fair enough that
they didn't know that part because like LO has no
experience with it. And Misery like didn't grow up

(56:48):
with vampires. She doesn't really like get any
of the vampire. Culture stuff, yeah, that's
true. That's.
True, and and like she does talkabout how vampires aren't like
monogamous because their birth rates are so low that they just
have to bone as many people as possible in hopes that they have
a baby. Yeah, that was weird side plot,
but does she, does she like havean orgasm here?

(57:12):
Think. He fingers her.
Does he? She's feeding.
I'm pretty sure I'm not going. Back, I think.
I think they need. Any nerves?
I'm not reading the fact that I said fingered on a podcast like
that's a lot for me. I think that no, I think they

(57:35):
just like dry hump or whatever. But I like, yeah, she's just
like overcome. Because, you know, like every
vampire romance, the blood tastes so good.
It like I don't. Again, one of the things that
puts me out is that her blood ispurple and his blood is green.
Like it's just not. I can't.

(57:56):
I can't. Make that actually is one of the
worst and like that's such an ally Hazelwood thing to like do
something like quirky again, like in my vampire world, their
blood is purple. I think it's only because she
wanted to call their war the Astor.
Because it's like purple and green blood.
It looks like red. Like.
I think she came up with that and was like, we are basing so

(58:19):
much of this book based on that.That's fair.
It's still lame. Like it's.
So not for me. But anyways, it's like difficult
for her to stop drinking and butshe eventually does because I
think they dry hump here. But yeah, that's for them them
to know. And for us to not find out.
Exactly. Yeah, no, if if there's anybody

(58:42):
who's listening to this podcast who read this book and has like
a better understanding of what has happened in this scene, do
not e-mail us. I don't want to know.
I want to be left alone about this.
I don't need clarification. I know sometimes when I listen
to podcasts, I'm like, no, this thing like I that's fine.
If you are doing that right now,they try.

(59:03):
Hump. Yeah, I don't, she gets.
Figured they still e-mail me. Saying they drive humps like I
can't take that on totally. Yeah, they're successful with
the code, and they get interrupted by Cohen being like,
hey, you guys need to get home ASAP.
Anna is really sick. And this is concerning because

(59:26):
wearers don't get sick, but we know that obviously Anna is part
human. So they fly home and they, like,
feel like they want to take her to human territory, but that's
risky. And Misery kind of saves the day
because she knows about human medicine because of her time
with Serena. So they're able to get her like

(59:48):
Tylenol or whatever and she getshealthy again.
I mean, fabulous for her. Yeah, love that for her.
She had like the common cold or whatever.
And they were like, she's dying,she'll never last.
The night she had like. Miseries like 2 two children's
Tylenol will take care of this. Exactly, exactly.

(01:00:12):
So Low and Misery are talking again about, you know, their
situation, but they're getting closer and they're about to kiss
and they're like kind of talkingabout how they like each other.
And Misery all of a sudden faints and we find out that
someone has been poisoning Misery and that she will be in a
coma for a few days but she willbe OK.

(01:00:36):
And Lo is a fucking stressed outand he's like, this could be a
threat on Anna too. So like Anna needs to be moved
somewhere safe and eventually Misery does wake up and this is
when she gets to meet Wolf Low He's.

(01:00:57):
Fuzzy and white. This is again very like
Twilight. It always it always is in other
Megaverse books too. It's like that, the male main
character, it's like he's a gorgeous white, like the
biggest, the biggest wolf I've ever seen with green eyes or
something like like. It bothers me like it should

(01:01:19):
just be their hair color. I know.
Yeah, 100%. That doesn't make sense for not
to be their hair color. Yeah, totally.
And he's guarding her door and they like, hang out a little bit
and fall asleep together. I mean, he's in Wolfram and he's
snuggle and that is. Cute.

(01:01:39):
They snuggle in her closet, in the closet she sleeps in because
the sun hurts her through the window.
It's cute. But now we're now we're at the
good part. Now we're at the the the real
juice. I actually don't even remember
how this starts, but I think LO draws her a bath and puts her in

(01:02:00):
the bathtub because she's ill and she just woke up from a
coma. Oh yeah, because.
And she's like, I'm grody as hell.
Like please. Yeah, she's like, I probably
like actually stink this time. So he's like, OK, like I'll,
I'll make, I'll draw a bath for him.
And he starts like washing her legs and stuff like that.

(01:02:20):
He like sticks at one point. Does he like stick?
He sticks his hand like in underthe water.
It does. Happen.
You're not misremembering that that that did happen.
Maybe they did dry hump in the last one.
I think yeah, I think so. But no, he's like sticks at
first. He just like sticks his hand in

(01:02:41):
the water and like holds her like foot.
And then he like starts, I thinklike wash, he like starts
washing her body or whatever. They're going up the leg.
Up her leg yes yes and then I hate this part I I hate in
romance novels when like the main characters are going to get
together, but like they always like the especially I feel like
the girl like always has to havean excuse and she's like, I'm

(01:03:02):
really tired and like I you could just like finger me a
little bit. I'm like, I just don't know why
they always have to like. I guess that's realistic that
you would, like, want to make anexcuse because you can't be
like, vulnerable. But it's just like, I don't
know, it's always like the lamest facade of an excuse.
Yeah. I will say I do have like a
washing the hair king like I find that always so like.

(01:03:25):
Sweet, me too. Me too.
I know. That's always the best.
I I feel the same way. So yeah, he.
Fingers her. Fingers her and then she gets.
Out of the. Confirm, confirm.
She gets out of the bath, takes her to her closet, he goes down
on her and I feel like it was a kind of an underrated story that

(01:03:49):
Misery had never kissed anyone and was a virgin.
Still hasn't kissed anyone. Wait, yeah, he still hasn't
kissed anyone at this. Point Yeah, yes, yes.
But Owen, the twin brother, interrupts their good time and
calls Misery and tells her that Serena's apartment was broken
into three days ago and he needsto talk to her in person ASAP.

(01:04:12):
And this is like where all the information like it's like,
again, like just go back to the bath scene.
But it's like Alex is like, oh, also I like found this
connection between this guy Thomas Jelakis, who's on the
Human Wear Bureau and like. And like knew Anna's mom like.

(01:04:35):
In the. Months of like 1995 when she
could have been conceived and she also emailed Serena one
time. Like OK and.
Give me Alex's story 3rd that's who I want to see.
Oh, interesting. Me too.

(01:04:56):
Yeah, I'm also very interested in that.
He's my he's my sneaky brush in this.
Yes, yes, I. Can you hear me now?
Alex and Owen? Oh my God if Alex and Owen hook
up. Oh my God, I'm gonna.
Write that, Sam. Somebody else will write that.
Yeah, so they're like, OK, we have, like, more information
about this. And Misery is still weak from

(01:05:21):
her coma, from being in a coma. Yeah, thank.
You so she needs to feed and lo is like I don't want you to feed
from a blood bank. I want you to feed on me again.
And she's worried because if shelike continuously does this, she
could like form an attachment tohim and like technically he has

(01:05:43):
a mate. So she shouldn't be doing that
because it's like it's just a sexual thing at this point.
Yeah, technically he hasn't me and it is sexual at this point.
Keep it. Also she never really says like
you're straight up cheating on your mate slash wife like.
I mean, fair enough. When I was reading this book, it

(01:06:03):
drove me crazy how adamant he was.
But like, you can't use those words.
You don't understand what? Like, you can't.
You don't have the depths to understand what mate means.
And I'm like, yeah, she understands.
And now, like, as we're talking about it, I'm like, oh, no, she
like is too dumb. Like she doesn't get it.
So fair enough. He has that type.

(01:06:23):
She's. I'll I'll give you that one low.
She does not get it. Yeah, 100% totally.
I felt the exact same way. She bites his wrist and things
start turning sexual and she's like, I really want to have sex
with you, but he's like actuallysorry.
She's like, he's like we, we arehaving sex.
Like technically we can't have like penetrated sex though

(01:06:46):
because of this thing that I want to show you and so like.
The way I would leave the room. If I would.
It does. It does give like weird growth
like go get checked out by a doctor if this was like IRL, but

(01:07:10):
you have to suspend your belief.I still like like this just
happens in so many books, even like other paranormal books when
it's like an alien or whatever they usually have something
weird with their Dick but it's like.
I I didn't read this personally but I found it on like an

(01:07:31):
Instagram post of like Halloweenlike romances to read and it was
this book called Halloween. So I sent it to my friend who
like is willing to read those things more than I am And she
said like I can't even remember how she described the Dick
itself but it was crazy. But the come was pumpkin spice
latte. No, I've, I've, I've, I've read

(01:07:53):
a winter romance where like it was like peppermint.
It was like candy cane flavored and I just, I, it's so fun
though, just I'm not judging because it's like just so fun to
be like, this is something that I'm reading, but, and maybe I'll

(01:08:14):
cover something like that on thepodcast one day, but like it's
just not my thing. It's just truly.
Not my thing, no. To each their own.
That is not my own. Yeah, exactly.
Even just like some of the like when the intercourse is like too
hardcore, like even then I'm like I'm out.
Oh yeah. Twice in a day.
Like I can't make a believe for that.

(01:08:36):
That's not that crazy. No, it's not.
No, it's not. It's not that.
Twice in the span of 48 hours. Like who does that?
No, the wrist. What's for me?
You're like, we did it all nightlong.

(01:08:56):
I'm like, when did you sleep? Though I know that actually
that. Is like don't touch me from 10
from 10:00 PM until like 6:30 AMI'm sleeping I'm.
Coma touch no. Don't touch me unless you want
to put your hand on my back and then that's acceptable.
Other than that, it's not happening.
So he's like she's like I'm so confused like what is going on

(01:09:20):
and then think she gives him a hand job and after he finishes
his. Knot.
Yes, so like this is what I don't get about this because I
thought that it's like and I don't know, maybe maybe someone
actually could explain this to me, but like.
I don't want it explained to me like please again I not I don't

(01:09:43):
need this explained to me. You can sign into my DMS because
I always thought that the point of a knot was like it was there
because it would like hit the girl's clit.
Oh no, see, I pictured it as like a little fishing hook that
it would just like. No, which I think you're right.
I think you're right. But it's like, I always thought
that it was there because, and then that's why girls really

(01:10:06):
liked it 'cause it was like, that makes a lot of sense 'cause
it would be like rubbing againstyour clip.
It only like swells after I think the person finishes and
then it 'cause it like plugs, Like it plugs.
It absolutely can't fall out. OK, I will say would like that.

(01:10:30):
Not the not the like waiting for30 minutes, but like not having
to like clean. Up feel like you still have to
clean up. It doesn't get like absorbed,
like I don't think you like it goes.
Yeah, that's true. That's just like delaying the
inevitable. Yeah, you're right, you're

(01:10:52):
right. The things that go up into the
womb were not the semen, right? Yeah, okay, whatever.
Anyways, let's move on. Let's truly move on.
So she's like, okay, we can actually truly never have sex.
So the next night they go to dinner at Governor Davenport's
house and they both hate him, but they need information and
they talk about how Thomas is dead.

(01:11:14):
He died in a car accident. And it was actually because he
was talking to a journalist about embezzling that
Davenport's council, like administration was involved
with. So that sucks because we think
that that is Anna's dad, but he makes a comment also about
Lowe's mom and Lowe snaps and the dinner ends.

(01:11:40):
Miseries. Like, I don't think that Serena
would just be working on this story and like, disappear if it
was like a simple embezzlement story.
So like, I still think that it was like this interest in Anna
that is what got her in trouble.But they meet Owen and he's with
Gabby. We finally see Lowe and Gabby

(01:12:02):
interact, and it's like very cordial.
Like, they're like basically acquaintances.
So Misery is extra confused and Owen lets her know that he is
trying to overtake their father,dismantle the collateral system
and like forge new alliances andhe needs her support.

(01:12:23):
And she's like, OK, I'll like, think about it.
They leave and they drive to Misery's old department to check
it out. They.
There's no bed. Let's there's a couch and a
closet and that's it. They have sex like I think like
against the wall or something like that, I don't know.

(01:12:43):
They have sex not to bring it. Yeah, I thought it was a couch.
But again, I'm not getting in depth into into what what it was
happening. They start hooking up and she's
finally like, no, let's just trythe penetrative sex.
Even though like I'm we'll just like figure out the knot thing
and it ends up being fine afterwards.
She's like, OK, so I've been having this sneaking suspicion

(01:13:06):
that actually Gabby's not your mate and I'm your mate.
And he's like, no, I think you misunderstood.
Like this is just like a sex thing.
This really took me out of it. This was like so dumb this like
really upset me just because he was like this is just a sexual
thing and was like I I just hatein books when it's like this

(01:13:28):
when it's like none of it has just been sexual.
And like, especially for some, for some crazy reason, you've
read the italics, you'd see thatit is not just sexual for him.
And like, I hate that it's like he's been hinting to her all
along that it's her. And then as soon as she realizes
he's like, na girly, you have Gasol at yourself and.

(01:13:50):
And she's like, but I want this too.
I feel the exact same way. Like you're not, you're not
beholding me, like you're not trapping me or whatever.
Like I do feel this way. And he's like, sorry IG2G.
So he leaves and he sends Mick to go pick up Misery.
This made me really dislike Low and he just.

(01:14:11):
It's out of his character. It's out of his character.
He would not have done this. He really would not have done
this. I did not like this but I, I
just this is what I wish happened is he was like Oh my
God, finally, yes we are mates. This is amazing.
And he's, like, needed to step out to take a phone call or
something. And then Mick appears and

(01:14:32):
injects her with something so she passes out.
Like, I just feel like that would make so much more sense.
Yeah. But yes, he injects her with
something and takes her to the place where Serena is.
So when Misery wakes up, she finds Serena and learns that she
has been in this room since she was abducted 3 months ago.
Serena did say that she was reporting on financial crimes

(01:14:56):
related to Governor Davenport, but ended up learning that Anna
was a halfware and half human. They make a plan to escape and
they do escape. It was like very simple and
Misery realizes that they're in the nest and as they're leaving,
they're stopped by Vanya, which is, you know, her father's right

(01:15:16):
hand woman, and she takes them up to her dad.
Kind of this is where like all unravels.
Her dad is like, OK, so basically I've always known that
the species can. Can create, yes.
Yes, yes, that they can create life.
In very specific situations. Yes, they can mate, but we need

(01:15:43):
the tensions between the wares and the vampires because if we
don't have that, the wares will gang up the humans and overthrow
the vampires. So it always has had to be like
this. I've had to, like, keep up this
facade. And obviously the hybrids
represent, you know, interspecies mating.
So they're a threat to this balance.
And how he found this out was because he found Serena 1/2 wear

(01:16:09):
half human child. So we find out that she is also
half wear talks about how he tried to kill misery and it's
just like really dark and reallysad for her.
I feel like he was behind all the poisoning etc.
Low is then marched in in handcuffs with Owen.
The dad is like, that's basically like that's your mate.
And she's like, no, he just toldme that he wasn't and he's like

(01:16:34):
deny it low. Like we're not mates and he
doesn't deny it. It's like so crazy.
Like girlie. It's so embarrassing.
It is embarrassing like no wonder she wasn't chosen as her
father's like takeover. Like no wonder she was a
collateral and not Owen like. Owen, sorry, sorry to say.

(01:16:57):
Maybe she should have been chosen because then he she
wouldn't have tried to stage a coup.
True that's fair, but he takes Misery and threatens to kill her
if she doesn't get low to bring in Anna.
And I hated this too. It was very magic hand WAVY book
magic types type shit. But Serena tells Misery in their

(01:17:21):
secret language that they came up with when they were kids that
she actually can shift. So then Misery hints to fucking
Low that Anna can shift and thathe can he should shift.
So they both do that. Then they like destroy everybody
in the room and hold their dad for hostage.
Lowe's like, what should we do with your your dad now that this

(01:17:43):
like nightmare's over? And she's like, hey, whatever I
like, don't even care. You can do whatever and just
don't tell me. Yeah, I like that.
She's like, I do not care, don'ttell me.
Don't tell me she shouldn't. Her dad shipped her off to be
collateral fucking twice and yeah, pleasinged her and then
threatened to kill her. Good honor.
He's like, don't even give him the satisfaction of choosing his
his fate. Misery and Serena have like a

(01:18:05):
slumber party for a few and she wants to learn more about being
aware. So Misery takes her to where
territory and drops her off at Juno's house.
And then she goes to Lowe's and she walks in on him, packing up
her belongings. I mean, fair enough, I'd be
pissed too. Yeah, and once again she's like,

(01:18:27):
OK, I'll guess I'll just like fucking see myself out.
But it's because he is moving her into another space like his
room or whatever, and then he's going to get this room treated
with. Blackout curtains or.
Yeah, and misery, because she just, you know, has a thick

(01:18:50):
skull. Asks Low again.
She's his mate. And he again is like, you don't
have like you don't have the capacity to like feel what I
feel or whatever. They want a man thing to say.
I know, I know, I know. They end up making up and then
having sex again and then they live happily ever after.

(01:19:10):
Probably they like Anna's returned with Cohen and then
there's a moment, I'm assuming setting up the sequel where
Cohen meets Serena and he's like, oh shit.
So they're probably mates or whatever.
Fingers crossed, fingers crossed.
And that's right. I can't believe it.
Such a good bug. I know, I know how much like

(01:19:33):
throughout the whole thing, you know, like this is disgusting,
this is bad, this is awful. And then we're like, we loved
it. I was like, I'll read it again
right now. OK, let's RIP through some of
these roundtable discussions. Let's start with our Internet
investigation. This is our cursory peruse of
the Internet of Things you need to Know.

(01:19:54):
This was like a full genre shiftfor Ali Hazelwood.
Technically of like her published work, but she's really
known for her Dramini fanfic, especially this one called The
Auction. Story checks out.
Yeah, I used to read a lot of dramini fanfiction like back in
the day on like muggle net. So interesting.

(01:20:14):
I'm really I'm gonna start manacled this weekend, I think.
Yeah. Like, I don't think it was ever
like anything. I think it was just like what
was posted in boards and stuff. I don't know.
I'm also gonna read the auction,which is her book that she
wrote, her fanfic that she wroteif.
You can find the link, send it to me.
Okay, yeah, defo I think it's just like on AO3 or whatever,

(01:20:36):
but yeah, so it's kind of a genre shift, but also not
really. She talked about the writing
process a little bit. She said.
I was almost sure my editor would ask me to cut out the
nodding scenes, but lo and behold.
I wish you'd cut out. No, I guess she said.
Lo and behold, she had me write even more of it.
So it was nice to feel like my publishing team supported me

(01:20:58):
with this book, even if it's a bit risky of a move for them.
Which is actually true because like I was saying how a lot of
Omega books feel a little like outdated or ever.
And I think a lot of that is because they're not like
mainstream. Like this is, I feel like one of
the like, more popular kind of mainstream ones.
And the face Mate, the one that I read earlier too, and she just

(01:21:20):
talked about how paranormal romance really raised her.
So she felt like she was paying homage to Nalini saying Jr.
Ward, Kressley Cole and Christine Feehan, who are like
very popular paranormal romance writers.
And she loves the concept of faded mates.
So that kind of was the inspo behind Bride.

(01:21:41):
And then let's talk about our wonder Wise.
These are unanswered questions for the listeners.
I was confused by this because Ithought Cohen had a mate Amanda.
Oh yeah, that's interesting. I might have to reread it a
third time to really get in on that.
Or just wait. Cohen is.
Just wait. Cohen is like, kind of like an

(01:22:02):
uncle figure. Too low.
So do you think maybe it's not romantic?
Maybe that's her kid. His kid.
Oh yeah, maybe. Maybe that's her dad.
You like, you think Serena Cohenis Serena's bad?
Yeah, because she's halfway, so we don't know who her.
Parents. Are and and I remember Cohen

(01:22:25):
being like or Misery talking about Cohen being like.
That's like a parental figure to.
Low. Oh, that's interesting.
Because I thought it was romantic up until right now.
Very. Interesting.
Yeah, then it's weird she would set it up to seem romantic and
it not be. I know, I know, who knows?

(01:22:46):
Do you have any other unansweredquestions for the listeners?
Not really. I just, I choose not to ask too
many extraneous questions, you know?
I feel like that's fair for thisbook.
I do if as much as I feel like Iwas really living in that world,
I will say I feel like there wassome like key world building

(01:23:07):
pieces that were missed. And I was thinking it was like,
well, she usually writes contemporary or fanfic, which
it's like fanfic, the world is already built and contemporary.
It's like it's this world. So it's like, maybe that will
like get a little bit better in her next books.
OK, our grapes and grumbles. These are nitpicky problems we
have with the book numero Uno. Her name is Misery.

(01:23:30):
I love it. Tell me why you hate it.
I think when I first read it I actually didn't hate it.
I actually hated Lowe's name more.
I think why it isn't sticking with me is because everyone
else's name is like so simple soit kind of gives me pick me.
If Owen's name was a little different, then like sure, it is

(01:23:51):
weird. Like Owen and Misery the guy.
It's I like that. It's almost like dark and funny.
It's like you killed your mom. So your name's Misery because
you bring Yes. Like, how dark is that?
And I do like, like also Misery vampire, like it just kind of
makes sense. But like if it was like Misery
and Midnight or something like that, like, yeah, with their

(01:24:13):
names were like, I don't know, like that feels like it would be
just more accepted. But it's like her name is weird.
And then everyone else's names is Max, Alex, Anna, Owen.
Yeah, yeah, that's fair. Yeah.
Why do you like Like? Do you like it for any other
reasons? I just like that it's like
different and I think it's pretty sounding and like I'm not

(01:24:35):
a person who's like, if I had a child that I would give them a
weird name like that is not likesomething I would do like I'd
appreciate it here in a in a weird book that has like a weird
name. It's not like Pharaoh where it's
like there's. It's like a fake word, yeah.
Yeah, we're like you. You know what this word is?
I mean, there's no conversation about how to pronounce that.

(01:24:56):
Even though Anna can't pronounceit, it's harder to pronounce
like Anna's botched job of her name.
I know Maresi or something. Mersey.
Like that's what Mercy Mersey isalways how I kind of read it.
I don't know. And like, I just also feel like
sometimes authors again, just like try to be quirky.
Like even how like in fourth Wing, like I was just rereading

(01:25:16):
the bonus chapters for a future episode.
Zaden with his name starting with an X and stuff like that.
It's like, fucking shoot me in the face.
Yeah, no, I I can, I can understand that.
Another gripe and grumble. Actually, we've like talked
about all of these, but like thepicture of her that just like
never, nothing never came of that.

(01:25:37):
No, it didn't. No.
So that kind of pissed me off 'cause it was like, that is
crazy. At least that was the moment
where it real, like it clicked for her that she was his mate,
sure, but it was just another like he hates me so much he drew
me. That makes no sense.
Dumb bitch energy. And then the green blood and

(01:25:58):
like the purple blood and the purple eyes and stuff like that.
It's just, it's like tacky and like nonsensical, like I know.
That this. World is like magic and stuff
like that or whatever but like. But California exists though,
and like that. Cheapens it and like I like it
just I feel like it really cheapens the world and like I
kind of felt like that with someof the lore like around like the

(01:26:19):
nest and stuff like that. It was like a little bit like
weird. It was like a little Vulturi,
but I don't know, I just, I didn't like that.
Do you have any other grapes andgrumbles?
Not really. Other than the genitalia.
I mean, that's tough for me personally, but like, I can
understand that it is because I am approved.

(01:26:40):
But most of my grapes and grumbles are like things that
make Ally Hazelwood books what they are.
That is just like, it's her stamp of all of them.
And it's just. And her writing for the most
part, is just not for me. And that's OK.
I love how many people love these books.
And I'm so glad that there's books that really excite people

(01:27:02):
into reading. Like, that's so fun.
It's so fun that people can talkabout it and have different
opinions. Like you and I can talk about
the whatever that book was called.
What's it called? The orange one?
Love theoretically. Yeah.
Love theoretically. Like you and I can have a
conversation about that book andlike, come from different angles
and you like, see my point and Isee your point.

(01:27:23):
And we just like, giggle and have fun with it.
It's just so funny about that bug because I again, loved the
story, but if you took away all of the quirky shit that Ali
Hazelwood does, I would have like would have liked it even
more. Like that's the part that I
hated. I I think Ali Hazelwood is is
good about writing characters orlike that people can see

(01:27:48):
themselves in that aren't often written about as like.
The. Women who are getting boned.
Yes, totally. Like maybe for a one person over
a size 6 in there though. Allie, please, my darling Angel.
Like, I love, I love that Miserywas tall here, even though Lo
was still so much taller than her.

(01:28:08):
I love that we're finally getting a tall girl.
Or like somebody who's not 4 foot 11 and weighs 45 lbs.
Like, let's keep going with this.
Yeah, totally. I agree that it's like, yes, the
nerdy girl in movies and books are like, yeah, typically not
the romantic leads or whatever, or like people don't see them as
like sexual beings or whatever, but like I'm like, do you have

(01:28:31):
to like hit us over the head with it?
I just wish it was like a littlemore subtle.
But yeah, that's it. Our sequels group.
This is the T on any upcoming sequels seasons and the general
reception. It did extremely well.
It's funny because I don't always I often think I have like
good opinions about like the actual like writing, I would

(01:28:51):
say, but like people really noticed in all of the reviews I
read by like like real critics, people were like this is her
genre, like she should continue writing this genre.
And I agree with that. Like I agree with that.
I thought it was. Sure, her world building needs
to be fleshed out a little bit more, but I was quite happy with

(01:29:15):
what was given to me. I, I thought this book was
engaging. I thought Misery was great.
She was easily my favorite of all of Alexa Woods leads.
I just I I really want to see where this goes.
Same same, but do you want or doyou see another misery low book
or do you just, you see, like a Serena?
I see a Serena book, I see an Alex book.

(01:29:37):
Like I, I'm more of that kind ofserious person than like in a
guitar where we're spending all of these books.
Well, especially like the romance genre specifically
because it's like I want all those different love stories
where a guitar, like I will say I I think it's cool that a
guitar like, I don't know if youhaven't read it, like switched

(01:29:58):
the romantic leads throughout the series.
Like I think that's cool. But then once we are getting in
like 3 full books of Reese and favorite boning like I was, I
was done. I was so over it.
So I like the character switch. I think we'll get enough of
misery to being funny just as like a side character.

(01:30:18):
It's funny because I totally agree with you.
I really like duets. Yes, me too.
Yeah, as soon as it gets to a trilogy, I'm kind of fucking
over it 'cause like, what? Like.
Yeah. Kidnapping or whatever.
Like tiring. Yeah, and I think that's fair
enough. And I I think it would be

(01:30:38):
interesting if maybe we did a duet of these two friends and
then we like still live in the same world that has been built
that we don't have to Like we understand what this world is,
but it's different. Like maybe we get a human and a
vampire falling in love because like, we haven't had and that
combo, yeah, like, like it's something slightly different but
still in the same existence. Totally.

(01:31:01):
Oh, we never talked in our grapes and grumbles about the
tongue. I mean, what what I prefer that
that makes more sense than Sabrina and her language that
they just are completely Oh, yes, her.
Yeah, something not bad where they're just what was the
language that they used to speakon?
What was that show that was on PBS was filmed in Boston?

(01:31:25):
Zoom. Yes, the zoom language, that's
what I pictured them speaking, which is just like more or less
pig Latin. That's what I imagined, yeah.
Serena and Misery talking, Yeah.When it was when in Misery, I
was like, oh, this is like parcel tongue or whatever.
Yeah. Is that what it's called?

(01:31:52):
Yes. OK, I hate Harry Potter.
OK. Anyways, so yeah, no
announcements of sequels yet, but I feel like there's no way
with the success of this book and the way she set up the
epilogue that we're not getting a book.
And we do know that Love Hypothesis has a movie deal, and
I read a lot of articles that said this one should too.

(01:32:15):
And I totally agree. This would be such a good like
Netflix movie. Yes, this this should not be a
movie. It should be a Netflix six part
like 6 episode series where we just it's encapsulated and no
one gets mad when they inevitably don't pick up the
second season. Yes.
Yes, yes. Because it's just, it's

(01:32:35):
finished. It's a six.
It's like a limited, a limited series or whatever they they're
called. They do those a lot in England,
don't do this much here. Totally like it needs like the
mortal instruments treatment or like.
Whatever. Yeah, it's just a little too
much for just a movie, but like,it doesn't need to go on for
five seasons. 6 episodes would be perfect. 650 minute episodes

(01:32:57):
and we're there. I love that.
OK, we've got 2-3 ish listener questions and then we'll wrap
up, Laura, friend of the pod at Laura's library card said.
What was your biggest surprise in the book?
That I liked it, yeah. Yeah, yeah, I think mine was
that Serena was half. Wear Yeah, I think when I
originally read it, I was like, whoa, that's pretty crazy.

(01:33:20):
Yeah. That like the fact that it was
her father who like kidnaps Serena kind of thing.
And did you find misery to be oblivious sometimes?
Yeah. We just talked about that for an
hour and a half. Yeah.
Well, Hondo, Hondo. P at V molo, Veronica says Why
do I always think the wolf on the cover is her hair?

(01:33:40):
That's so funny, I do too. Like at one point they described
her as blonde and I was like, what?
They didn't do that on the cover?
And I go and look at the cover, I'm like, Oh yes, they did.
I really like the cover though. That was another thing is like
when I saw the cover and that itwas called Bride and that it was

(01:34:01):
written by Allie Hazelwood and covered vampires and werewolves,
I was again salivating. The title is just so like simple
and encapsulating. Like it's just like you cuz you
don't actually know, like you don't know what the story is.
And I guess with the vampire andlike the werewolf, you see it.
You're like, oh OK, we're getting there.

(01:34:21):
But I feel like you don't know what it's about to be.
Totally. And usually like simple names
are not like, I don't know, I dolike a clever title or whatever,
but this just it really fucking works.
Like it for some reason really works.
If there is a sequel, do you think it'll be like another One
Word Where or like Wolf? I hope it wouldn't be quite like

(01:34:45):
that. I hope it would still like
almost be the plot of the book in one word.
Yeah, yeah. Like discovery, like or.
You know, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Like, but it has to be like, seductive.
So it would, yeah. What would it be?
Revelation or something? Like that Revelation?
I love Revelation. OK Genesis, Luke.

(01:35:07):
Luke too. Ali, hit us up.
We can help you with the sequel.Any final thoughts before we
wrap up? I just want to thank you for
inviting me to talk about this. I know I'm probably because I'm
a bit of an alienator. Like I I was surprised when you
asked me, but I was so excited. On your bookstagram at Strong,

(01:35:30):
the Strong Library, you rated itreally highly.
And I think I saw that post and was like, hi, 'cause I actually
wanted to cover this in the fallwhen it was like kind of, I feel
like like Halloween vampy vibes.But when did you first read this
book? I think it was like may let me.

(01:35:51):
Oh, OK. May 26th to May See May 26th to
May 27th. The first time I read it took me
a day. This time it took me a day.
That's so funny. Yeah.
So I have no idea how I even remembered that you had really
liked it because I just asked you like, what?
Like six weeks ago. Yeah, a month ago.
So who knows? But I'm glad it's also fun

(01:36:13):
because I like talking about books I really like, but I like
being snarky about them. So I feel like you reading Ali
Hazelwood is good because it's like, I feel like you do like
the content, but it's like the extraneous things that are like
annoying. I, I don't think I could come on
and talk about any of her other books because I think I would
just genuinely be too negative. And especially because lots of

(01:36:35):
people do truly love those books.
We're like, this one's fun because like it has those things
that we can snark on. But I like, I actually do really
like this book and I like, I will be reading this again.
I'm going to buy a hard copy like and honestly, like this
book is what made me be like, OK, well, I'll give I'll give it

(01:36:57):
another try. Like I read not in love because
I like this one so much. Yeah, it's just also interesting
to me that like I didn't remember.
I think it's because I read so much that like almost kind of to
like a detriment where like sometimes I like kind of just
like forget the plot of books orlike how much I enjoyed reading

(01:37:17):
it. So then rereading it and being
like, Oh my God, I I like forgothow much I really liked this was
like such a little blessing. I I am a big rereader like I
always have. Been my mother my my mother
used. To bribe me with new books so
I'd stop rereading the same books over and over.

(01:37:38):
Yeah like I am a big rereader solike it.
I will be rereading this like totally many more times.
And like honestly if she announces the sequel I will be
pre ordering it like so does on my doorstep the day of. 100% I
also want to say like I never pre-order books.
Like I haven't pre-ordered Onyx Storm yet or like anything like

(01:37:59):
that. I probably will for the sake of
this podcast, but like, I actually don't think I like a
specific author where it's like I'm guaranteed to like their
books. So my auto pre-orders are like
Emily Henry, right? Abby Jimenez?
I'll always like pre-order CarlyFortune books, just like books I
know I'm going to read and goingto share with other people.

(01:38:21):
Richard Osmond, I always pre-order his books.
I've been pre ordering the SarahAdams Rome Kentucky series.
I don't think she's an author for everybody, but I do like
that specific series. I haven't had luck with her
other books honestly, like the role book or something like
that, the CHEAT SHEET or the rule book, whatever one was

(01:38:43):
first. I I DNF that book like I really
didn't like it. But I do like this specific
series. So just like things I know I'm
going to read and share with other people I will.
I'll just pre-order. It but this is like one I like
for sure do because often times again, I'm like not waiting for,
but I read a lot of like stand alone book or like kind of
random authors. So I don't know this will be

(01:39:06):
like one of the like I'll be like first in line.
I love that. We'll go to our like respective
midnight launches. Yeah, yeah.
I don't, I don't think it's thatbig, but I really.
Wish no, it was. Yeah, like a guitar will be for
sure, but yeah, that'll be a fucking bloodbath to get your
hands on one of those. For sure.
OK, this was so much fun. Haley, can you tell the

(01:39:28):
listeners where they can find you and anything else you want
to plug? Yeah, so if you like hearing the
sound of my voice, well, you canfind me on more episodes here,
mostly covering Bridger 10. Yeah, the Bergerton related
universe, the Bergerton universe.
I also cover the Bachelor franchise over on the reality TV
rehab up slash, you know, reality TV podcast and also Top

(01:39:52):
Chef that should be coming back in the spring.
And if you like my booktakes or hate my booktakes, then you can
follow my books your grandma account at the Strom Library.
I review all of my books over there that I've read and you
know, just other little things. So follow me there.
And on TikTok. Oh yeah, on TikTok, that's.
From I feel like. No, I like to do.

(01:40:13):
I like to do what I've gotten from the library on my Tik Toks
love. Love and that's another reason
why a lot a lot of the books I get are from my library.
So like you can't always pre-order but anyways.
Yeah, you know what, I also, I've really been enjoying like
Kindle Unlimited lately. I yes, yes, I did Like I was
like, I'll just do one month. But I've had it for a few months

(01:40:35):
now and I'm really enjoying it. I often do it like November,
December, January, January, February because I know that
I'll be reading like the majority of my books.
That's fair when it's like winter time.
So I will do it for months whereI know I'm gonna be indoors
reading a lot. That makes sense.
OK. Thank you so much for coming on.

(01:40:57):
And that's the story of Bride. Thank you so much for listening
and thank you to Haley for joining me on today's show.
Happy, Happy New Year's. I hope you have an amazing start
to the year. And I just want to send so much
love and gratitude to all of thepeople that have listened to

(01:41:17):
Ready to Be Romanced this year. We're coming up on one year of
the show, which I cannot believe.
And I have just had so much fun.I know that I don't talk as much
about my personal life. Maybe I don't know.
I guess I talk about relationships and sex a little
bit and like other stuff, I guess comes up.
But like on my other show, Readyto Be Petty, I talk a lot about

(01:41:42):
my personal life. So this show hasn't really had
that. But I just want to say how
grateful I am. I really, you know, had been
podcasting for six years and I really needed to like kind of
get out of like I was kind of ina rut, just kind of a little bit
burnt out from kind of the cyclical nature of pop culture

(01:42:02):
news. And being able to talk to books
with, about books with my friends and new folks has just
been an absolute pleasure. And I have had so much fun.
And I hope that comes across in my podcasting.
And like, I think that you can tell if I'm like loving it or
hating it or whatever. And I hope you can tell that I'm

(01:42:24):
truly loving it. That being said, when you're
hearing this, I will be somewhere, actually somewhere in
Europe in I will be in Prague, which I'm very excited for.
I'm hitting up all the Christmasmarkets, celebrating New Year's,
I am going to thermal spas, and then I'm bopping around to a few
other countries before coming home at the end of January.

(01:42:47):
So this is my little vacation notice.
I am recording like there'll be no interruptions to the
schedules. I have batched a bunch of
episodes and so I'm very excitedfor you to hear them.
You can follow me on socials at ready to be romanced.
Subscribing and leaving a ratingand review on Apple Podcasts and

(01:43:08):
Spotify is crucial. I think that's another thing
that I don't talk about enough or like ask for enough because I
feel like I don't know. Podcasters sometimes sound like
so despi for reviews, and it's because we are and for good
reason. But I just like never like doing
that. So I want to, I'm putting like a
little goal out for me that I want to get 100 reviews in 2025.

(01:43:31):
So if you haven't left a rating and review, I would appreciate
it so, so much. If you'd like to suggest a book
or leave a voicemail for a future episode with a common or
question, you can do so via the links in the episode show notes.
Our next episode is The 4th WingBonus chapter 27.

(01:43:51):
Until then, happy reading for Ready to be Romanced, I'm Tori.
Goodbye.

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