Welcome to Ready to be Romanced.

I'm Tori.

And I'm Haley.

And today we're discussing mate.

Welcome back.

I cannot believe we're talking about Mate because feels like we just talked about its predecessor, Bride.

I know I'm so excited to talk to talk about it.

I, when we talked about Bride almost like a year ago, a little less than a year, we, we're really hopeful that there was going to be a sequel.

Like I felt like we were set up very well that there was going to be a sequel.

So when it was announced in the spring, I was very excited for it.

Me too, because yeah, we had kind of both named The Bride our favorite book of 2024.

And like, right off the bat, I'm going to just say I didn't love this book.

I'm right there with your sister and like, I came on.

Yeah, No, no, no.

I and I came on the podcast last year and I kind of said I'm a little bit of like an Ali Hazelwood hater.

Like most of her books don't really connect with me.

Like Bride was such a shock for me of how much I loved it.

This one, I would say I didn't dislike it as much as I have disliked other of her books, but I still didn't live up to Bride for me and I almost like didn't expect it to.

I think I love Bride so much and I just like her other book so much that I was just like, it's a real 5050 here of where this is going to go.

So I didn't mind it.

I don't feel like I wasted my 1199 on Kindle to like I don't I don't often pre-order books on Kindle.

I usually pre-order a book, a hard copy book of books I know I want to read over and over again.

I wanted I wanted mate right away.

I wanted it zuzu did to my kindle ASAP.

I read it like the weekend it came out.

I was just very excited for this.

Me too.

Me too.

So my relationship with Adelie Hazelwood is that I I do like her books.

I have read most of them.

I haven't read all of them.

But the problems that I'm having right now is the things that I dislike about her books are persistent into all of her book and seemingly getting worse.

Like I OK, like my one of my bigger like right off the bat, this is relevant.

I don't want to jump at too much, but it's like Serena is a journalist.

Why is she making all of these science jokes?

Can can like, can one of your main characters be an artsy writer girl?

I don't know in this world.

No, Yeah, I think that's, I think that's fair.

That's not something I picked up on.

I would say my, I want to say this delicately because I think it's so important and I love when books have representation.

And I think it's important to like have like tough subjects and like see things from other people's perspectives.

I have a hard time when books just feel like they're checking off boxes of representation, I guess.

And I felt like in this one, we had too many problems of just like we tried to take a stand on too many things.

Like, we really tried to be like, like an allegory to like, women's healthcare and the real world and how Sure.

Great.

Yeah.

I feel like it didn't make sense here.

No, it didn't.

No.

And I I've got multiple scientific, I'm sure because she's a scientist.

All of my anecdotal stuff is wrong.

But like, yeah, none of it made sense.

And she was like in heat, I thought, when it's like, she can't.

Like, no, no one, no one said like, I actually think this is the issue.

Like no one said it across the board.

Yeah, OK, sure.

We had cults.

Yeah.

We had like, I don't know, we had some, we had some other stuff going on.

It was just like, OK, we're like, we're doing it.

Was way too much.

It was way too much.

I think the cult aspect could like, I think that was almost like the strongest part and we should have really just like pulled into that rather than almost like diluting the point with all of the other like subjects we wanted to touch.

Totally.

Yeah, she need to, she needed to slim this down and like edit it down.

I also don't like cults and like don't like reading about cults.

And so this really caught me off guard.

Also like, and you're right, it was the strongest point of the book.

It just like really caught me off guard and like don't like, love, love it.

But I think because we are podcasting about it, I do a pretty close read.

Like I take, I think this is this is like 11 pages of notes I've taken on the book.

And if I have questions at the end or if I think that like something was wrapped up in like 1 throwaway line, like I just don't think that that is like good writing.

And it seems like that happens too much.

And I think it's because in 2025, she released five books, I believe.

Oh.

My God.

And like agent, like that's just like, it's kind of I know people have been having conversations like with Taylor Swift and stuff like that.

And I know that there is a pressure on artists and authors and people that produce content to put up more content with the way that the world is moving so quickly, right?

We we blow through content like used to.

Absolutely.

And yeah, I don't blame.

Her but like it just, I think it is starting to affect the art.

Like it really it affects movies, it affects like music and it affects books.

And I just think about like how, you know, when I was like younger, it'd be like, there would be like maybe one book that came out that year that I'd be like interested in from, from one author or whatever that I liked.

And it's like, it's just crazy that it's like, if you are Ali Hazelwood's biggest fan, you could technically have 5 books this year and that just seems like too much.

No.

And like a lot of the authors I love have been on a steady like one book a year pace and I kind of love that it gets you hyped.

You know that every spring, like every spring, I have a real like crazy release schedule.

Yeah, like Emily Henry or something.

Yeah, exactly.

And it's just, yeah, I think we could all afford to absorb things a little more.

And I, I feel like that is a little rich coming from me as somebody who who consumes books pretty quickly.

Me too.

I have always done that like that, like as a child, I would do that, but I think Ali Hazel would still releasing a lot of her like back catalog of like Wattpads.

And it's just like we're going to get to a jumping point.

And and then like the the book talk, book talk and the resurgence of reading has been so great in so many ways.

But I do believe it just like it leads to obviously a lower standard of quality for reading.

And I think people like kind of sometimes want to read like books that are bad as like A to like dunk on them.

I think people aren't looking at things critically anymore.

And I think there's a difference between reading like a little life and like being critical about it and like reading mate and being critical about it.

And I think like those are like both valid conversations to have and just like in a different way.

And one's not less of the other just because like one has a Booker Prize and like is not read exclusively by women.

Like this is a tangent I can go on is like reality TV and romance novels are often like dunked on because they're majority consumed by women, but that's beside the point.

Me, I gave it a solid, I think 3 1/2 out of five if not 3.

Yeah, me too, which is like low.

I feel that's like that's low.

And not what?

God.

Oh, I was gonna have a good joke there.

What's his name again?

What's this guy's name?

Again, Cohen.

It's low and not Cohen, is that it?

This is part of me.

Aging is like I can't.

I can no longer stand a grumpy, grumpy MMC when they are just mean.

And also like, what's with the like, I'm 35 so I'm like mature, like I'm like older and wiser and jaded and stuff like that.

And the 25 year old is like this.

She's not even sunshine.

It's not even grumpy sunshine.

But it's like, I, I don't know, it's just like.

She was an orphan.

Yeah.

She has no family.

Her bat, she was kidnapped.

Yeah.

She her best friend, like, got taken from her.

Yeah.

Like, again, she has no family.

Yeah.

She is like, discovering an identity that she, like, does not understand.

I think Serena has more of a reason to be grumpy than Colin.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I I don't know, it's just so funny.

I just, I just just really didn't connect.

I really feel like Ali is with another thing is like her I think her female main characters, like I just feel like their voices are starting to blend together for me.

So I'm just like, I just kind of see this like one kind of like insert character and like I just, I just feel like I couldn't really connect with them, which I felt like that was such the opposite with Bride, but.

My favorite parts in this book was when she was talking to.

Misery, I know.

Because like I, she was still like, that's been her strongest voice to me is Misery.

And I think Misery was so funny in her book.

She was funny in this one.

I felt like it was like the same character I that was my.

Those were my favorite parts.

Totally.

No, me too.

Me too.

There wasn't enough misery and low in this book to be honest.

OK, obviously spoilers our head, we just spoiled a lot of things.

But I also want to put a content warning.

We'll mention violence, death of parents, suicide, child abduction and attempted sexual assault.

So take care, but we won't linger on those topics.

I don't think.

Mate is written by Ali Hazelwood, as we said, and it was published August 7th, 2025.

It picks up where Bride ends where our main character Serena, she's a she's a journalist.

She was miseries companion as the collateral between the humans wares and vampires.

And in Bride she was kidnapped but she escaped by shifting.

She didn't know she was aware.

So this caught her off guard.

And so she's of interest to these three factions because she's a hybrid.

And we got a little prologue when she's a child and her like, family gets murdered in front of her essentially.

And this man, we don't know who it is, but obviously it's Cohen, spares her and like, calls her like a human social worker.

And I this is this is completely a Haley thing and not a thing at large.

I don't like age differences.

I don't find them cool and sexy and fun.

It grosses me out that this grown man met her as a child.

It also doesn't make sense because it sounded like she was like say A5 year old.

So then what?

He was 15 so why are you writing him like he's 30?

Because technically he's only 10 years older, but they made him sound like he was like it was like 50 and 20.

He had to grow up.

That Yeah, yeah.

Because he was alpha at 15.

Like alpha, like it just.

I don't know, I just there was no, there was also just again, no payoff for some of these things.

You're right.

Like it was just kind of like ticking another box, adding another layer that just like there was no need for any of that.

But yeah, they met and I also don't like when the adult or like one of them is an adult and meets them as a kid because I feel like that is kind of grody.

But it gives me the heebie jeebies.

It really, really, really does.

But Serena's living with low and misery, and one night she hears someone breaking in and she can't shift into a wear because something is going on with her medically.

So he she runs out into the forest and he's chasing her.

He catches her, but before he can hurt her, Cohen shows up and they have some back and forth.

They basically I this was also like dark subject matter.

They like joke about R wording her with so much consent talked about in this book with being in heat and not being able to make clear decisions, which is that is true of consent.

I didn't like love when they were like, joking about sexually assaulting her and then Cohen's like, would you like that to Serena, like?

Yeah, call me sensitive.

Like those I find funny, like I just don't.

And I consider in like I consider myself reasonably funny.

Yeah.

That just feels like low hanging in gross fruit.

Totally.

And it just again, doesn't make sense when they talk about consent so often.

And I just think, I just think if that's friend of mine consent and you're talking about it throughout the book, we don't need to perpetuate the stereotype that victims want to be like R worded.

But nonetheless, he saves her and takes her back to the Northwest Territory because she's like clearly not doing well.

But then we get a flashback to 4 1/2 months ago when Cohen reveals to Serena that she is his mate.

What?

Which is like, it's OK, so it's good.

But like, I just think it's this is again, another thing like I guess it makes sense, but like it kind of also doesn't when he's like it's purely sexual.

It's not love.

It's not even like and it's like he.

But that wasn't the case for Like Low and like anyone else that we've talked to in this book.

Yeah, I think the reveal at the end of Bride was so good.

Like, Oh my, it like hooked you in for this one so bad.

And it just was just like, well, actually I hate you.

And it's like I hate.

I just want like, I'm at a point where I just want people to be nice to each other and like each other and be nice and like each other, you know, or just like.

Or why doesn't.

Yeah, why doesn't you start with I'm your mate.

You know what the implications of that are if you don't?

Because you're hybrid and just found out you're aware.

I'll teach you.

Also there's this covenant because that's the other piece is he doesn't I.

Hate miscommunication.

I hate it does tell each other like a busy shot.

Haley is fully flipped upside down.

God, and maybe that's just like your local neighborhood autistic being like, hey, I don't know, maybe if you could just be clear about your wants and needs, that would be nice.

But no, no, we got to just like, oh, you don't.

You don't know about the covenant like Serena's like, no, I was just kidnapped for one year and then I lived with one vampire for the 12 before that.

What do you want me to?

What do you think?

I know nothing.

And it pisses me off also because he knows that she is an orphan.

'Cause he killed her.

Yeah, he kills her parents.

Sorry, Spoiler murdered her parents.

Which he doesn't know at this time, but I.

Think like I don't believe that.

But like Lo obviously.

Yeah, actually, yeah.

Also how does he not know that when he's supposed to be like kind of a know it all and she's a hybrid and he knows a fucking cult where humans want to become wearers and then have sex with a wearer.

Like I, I just like, it's so funny.

But like he would have obviously known from Lo that she was like an orphan, that she's had a a tough time, etcetera, etcetera.

So.

And I just feel like being feeling like you don't have a home or no one, you're not desirable or like no one likes you bait essentially except for a fucking vampire and he's like, I'll just add to your trauma by pretending I don't like you.

Like you could be friends, you could say like, hey, I can't.

I get what this is.

I can't do that.

I'm here to support you.

Yeah, yeah, and and reveal the covenant thing now, but he just like doesn't.

So he makes her feel bad for months.

I guess we wouldn't have a plot otherwise.

If I know I always do this and it's like, well, yeah, then you just like wouldn't have a book but it.

Would be a different book completely.

And I'm like, great, give me that book incense.

Seriously.

Yeah, things are still tense between the factions.

I truly cannot recall why, what and how, but she has to go on human TV and explain kind of like what she is because people are worried about the hybrids, that there is the possibility of hybrids and the pack is worried that they're going to hurt Anna, who is Lowe's little sister.

There's a reveal during the interview.

The geneticist says that she can't have kids and obviously this is really tough to find out on air and very inappropriate, but that kind of like stings her.

But she thinks she's doing the right thing.

She is doing the right thing to protect Anna from the humans and and vampires.

But Cohen doesn't like this because his mate is being kind of trouted around.

I don't know if that's a word, but like outed as a hybrid and that puts a bullseye on her back.

Yeah, well, maybe if you're nicer, she wouldn't feel the need to do this.

I'm also, this is going to be, like, my smallest Great.

And it's just me being a bitch.

And I think the human senator's name is Maddie Garcia.

I think it's crazy for a senator to be named Maddie and her name should be Madison.

Yeah, Yeah, yeah.

That's.

That's that's the pettiest thing I've got, which is just like it takes me out of every time because I'm like, no, her name, her name should be Madison.

If she's a senator.

Yes, we use all of your, all the syllables of your name.

I completely agree.

And that was because, remember, Davenport and Garcia were in a a governor, a race for governor or whatever.

And he he gets like murdered.

And that also gets like brushed over all of the the drama.

Yeah, he was.

Pride gets brushed over.

He was a major player in the first bug, and it was, like you said before, a throwaway line.

Literally.

Oh, and we found his body and like, yeah, who knows?

It's like, OK, wait, what?

Literally.

Let's go back.

Literally.

So then we jump back to present day and it is Sereno waking up.

She's being carried by Cohen in the Northwest Territory at a safe house, and Amanda and Jordan are there.

She's so she's starting to meet members of Cohen's pack, but they're suspicious of her because she's like an outsider to the pack.

Everyone knows that she is Cohen's mate, but they like, they still like, don't like her because they're under the guise that she has rejected him, even though that's not the case because she she didn't even get a word in edgewise when she heard the news like.

It's also guess what they know about the covenant.

So like like they know about the covenant?

So why?

Why?

So why do they think the?

Kareena.

Yes.

Why do they think she rejected him?

Good.

They're all morons, they're supposed to be smart, and they're all so stupid.

It pisses me off.

That's so true.

There's so.

Many plot holes in this book.

But we start to see like Cohen because this is again this would have been right after she was chased by the vampire because they are back in present day.

He starts like taking care of her.

He like cleans the wounds on her foot do.

You like the back and forth, no?

Because it jumps back to two months earlier where Serena gets diagnosed with cortisol surge disorder and doesn't tell anybody and the doctor's like, you've got three months left to live.

And then it literally jumps back to present day.

And then I don't think it does it ever go back.

Like does it have any other flashbacks?

I don't think so.

Like.

I don't know.

And it's just like weird.

I feel like it's stopped the momentum a lot of the time.

Yeah.

We're just, I don't know, I just feel like there must be a better way to provide that context than being so literal about being like, well, let's go back to it.

Yeah, that's true.

That's so true.

No, I, I completely agree.

It's actually because it stops.

I I think it literally stops at this point.

I think it's present day the rest of the time.

And like Louis bringing her to a doctor.

Yeah, a human doctor, I think, which is why.

Great.

Which is what happened.

I think that was like the problem is he misdiagnosed her.

Why?

Why?

Knowing she's a hybrid, take her solely to a human doctor.

Why not?

Again, Lo is supposed to be so smart.

He's so alpha and he's so the leader.

Why isn't he sitting a a human doctor and a waiter Dr.

down in one room and said.

Yeah, figure it out totally.

Yeah, No, completely agree.

You bring it to the human doctor and he's like, you're going to die.

She nobody's like, let's get a quick second opinion on this because you're so different.

And if you would, yeah, like nurses are so important.

I love them and their best and they work so hard.

Well, like you put her in front of a where nurse for 45 seconds and she's like.

Yeah, she doesn't, She doesn't have CSD or whatever.

No, 100% yeah, I didn't get that.

And also it's like her health is deteriorating.

But they don't ask her like she's like, yeah, nothing's wrong, but they don't like inquire again, I guess.

But they like, see her health deteriorate.

Or at least Cohen does.

It's quest.

It's a shaky, shaky plot, I feel like.

You know what?

Now let me think about it.

This book came out too fast after Bride.

It did.

I know because I actually do think this, the, the general story is interesting and I, I like the world building of this world.

But yeah, I just, I just think she needs like a a major editor.

But yeah.

So, yeah, they are back at the Northwest compound.

She's going to be staying at Cohen's house for a little bit.

And people in the Northwest pack stay in wolf form, which is interesting because in Lowe's pack, they are mostly in in their human form.

And she and he is like, you should shift into your wolf form and we can go for a run.

We can hunt and stuff like that.

Maybe it'll make you feel better.

And she's like lying because she cannot shift and he's like, Oh my God.

But maybe it's just because of stress.

We'll figure it out.

Meanwhile, she is also like searching for info on her parents through Juno of the Southwest pack and she actually finds out that her father was the where she thought it was her mom.

So she technically is different from Anna Anna which gives her hope that Anna will also not have CSD.

But again, can you explain that to me?

Because how would that and why would that make any difference?

I am a little too dumb for that.

Like, because it's like, yeah, but your parents don't they like contribute equally to your like, genetic makeup or whatever.

Didn't take biology?

Yeah, like, no, like, but she's like, Oh yeah, thank God I'm dying.

But Anna, Anna isn't.

Probably won't die quite as much as I'm dying.

Yeah, so like, I'm good to just keep up this ruse.

But also like, wouldn't if you were concerned about that, wouldn't you want to tell people so that they could get started on figuring out what this?

Justin Case.

Truly.

Yeah, Justin.

Or that she she cuz it just gives her hope.

She's not definitive so you think she would tell one other person but she straight up doesn't.

No, and like I tried to be empathetic with her in this because she had to spend so much of her life alone and depending on herself and like truly knowing, caring.

So I try and be chill with her about that.

But I'm also just like, maybe you're just being a little bit of, of a dumb dumb.

And a lot, a lot of these books are just like women being too hard headed about things and men a lot of hard headed people for no reason.

No reason.

No reason.

And like, you're right, it's probably a trauma response.

But like, I just think that if she's doing everything in her ability, she's doing these interviews, she's acting as bait to keep on safe, why wouldn't she do this additional thing?

You're so right, but.

Juno is yeah.

Checking for more more information and she says that you could be from the Northwest pack but they actually lost their database so we don't.

Know.

Of course they did.

How convenient.

They're one of the only, the only.

Packs in in.

The world.

And that's because years ago they were like attacked such like separated.

And they they were like united under Cohen's leadership.

But they had this big thing kind of like how misery, like the vampires had their big red dinner thing.

And she found out that there.

Yeah, there was a group of human orphans and one of them was probably her.

So, yeah, Serena at Cohen's house is like, I want to be left alone.

I don't want to be with anybody.

But Cohen doesn't trust her to protect herself after what he just saw with the vampire.

So he brings her to Brenna who is his ex and says fight her.

And if you when you can stay by yourself because I'll trust I'll be able to trust you that you can take care of yourself.

Also why why the like this is another thing.

Why add this this layer to the plot when there is literally no payoff with Brenna?

Truly.

And also it's like Cohen has he became alpha.

This is this is another thing also.

It just gets.

It keeps going.

And it keeps going because Cohen became alpha at 15.

So my presumption is that he is a virgin and would have dated Brenna prior to that or maybe earlier, but they wouldn't have had sex.

So I'm like.

Right.

She's nobody.

This is nothing like this is fucking nothing.

It's like you're like, not that I had one like a fourth grade, like boyfriend.

Exactly.

That is exactly what she is.

And while they're fighting, she says she's like clearly annoyed by Serena.

And she says but I know for a fact he won't ever touch you.

And that's because of the covenant, though she doesn't know that at this at this point.

Like didn't she start to get like, slightly curious?

No.

And like, I get it, I get it.

Just being a little too self-centered to look outside yourself.

Yeah, but.

It's just like girl.

It's so like.

You're a journalist, and I know it's like financial journalism, but she also did some other stuff like you can't pick up vibes or anything.

That's a good fucking point.

She was the one that uncovered all of that Davenport stuff, which is why she was kidnapped.

Yeah.

So you can't uncover like the covenant like people keep talking about and like.

Hinting at big.

Terms, yeah.

Yeah, good fucking point.

That is like that was her whole character in Bride.

Her, yeah, and that's another thing.

Her character and bride seems so different than the character here.

Yeah, yeah, agreed.

She almost wins, but Brenna tricks her at the end, so Cohen is staying with her.

One day she gets mail.

It's a necklace from her mom, but they have no idea how she would have got it or if it's really truly from her mom.

But it must have been someone in the pack because they can't find any evidence of anyone breaking in.

So this is a little bit suspect.

Cohen's trying to help Serena be able to shift.

They do like a visualization, but that doesn't work.

I mean, they do some like mundane things.

This was a part of the book that I actually really liked.

Me too, I thought it was so sweet.

It's very sweet because she yearns for like, normal life.

She wants to go grocery shopping, she wants to cook, she wants to have people around her.

She wants to have a simple life with Cohen and that's obviously something that she's never been able to have.

I I also really like this part.

It's so it was like the first time where I was like getting the chemistry and I think faded mate books are so interesting sometimes because like you, I mean in all romance novels, you know who's going to end up together.

But in like a faded mate, it's like preordained.

And in this case, they knew and I, I like when they have to actively build the chemistry.

And I think this is like I enjoy in like a historical romance novel too.

And it's like an arranged marriage.

And they have to like build the chemistry basically.

Like they're the same thing to me.

Agreed.

Agreed, cuz that is essentially what this is.

I like the moments where we're building the chemistry and not just, well, I'm your mate so we're together, you know what I mean?

No, completely.

I like how he buys the candles for her.

And it's funny even like this is like another like kind of microtrope.

But like when he goes to the clothing store and she's like, aren't you going to pay?

And it's like he's the billionaire alpha like that debt like.

I want one guy to have like a modest salary hired of these rich people like.

No, me too.

Like give me a middle manager once in a while.

No, seriously, that's so true.

Later that night she makes dinner for Amanda and Collins.

Some of these names might be slightly off because I did listen to this via audio book.

There was a lot of letters.

There was like a lot of like random and like kind of like random names and I'm just like, I think I missed some of these to be honest.

And they show up like once or twice.

Exactly.

Exactly.

But they're also like naked a lot of the time.

This was, I feel like very like Twilight werewolf lore 2 where they like they're in clothes, but when they shift into wolf they like lose their clothes.

So when they shift back, they're like naked.

OK hear me out.

I I'm like worried about losing like 10 lbs in case I have to buy a whole new like wardrobe of jeans right?

Never mind shifting and having to buy new clothes all of the time.

No, me too.

And like also it's like, I don't want like I don't want someone's naked ass like at my like kitchen, like my dining room table.

I and I'm also in Never Moon, so like, I don't want any bits anywhere.

I I love Dancing with the Stars.

Like I love it so much.

Yeah.

I hate when the men take off their shirts.

I don't want that.

I want everyone's shirts to be on at all times.

No, I like hate.

I was going to say something so inappropriate, even though it's not that inappropriate.

Like the idea of like a ball sack touching my dining room chair where there's food is just like I I no longer have an appetite.

I don't know if they're clean.

And they're not because I don't think they're clean.

We just like fucking assessing.

Also, like I feel like all the wolves, they're like patrolling the borders and stuff.

So they're like, disgusting.

But yeah, it's like any guy that's ever been in my house that has been naked from the waist down just thinking about him, like touching them, touching, touching any of my pillows or my duvet.

I'm gonna give I'm gonna give everyone a tip and you know, the success is to a long lasting relationship.

Separate duvets.

No, I it actually and like I'm gonna.

Have to separate.

Duvets separate pillows separate every separate living quarters.

Like, yeah, almost.

Although I like I like my back to be touched as I fall asleep, no.

No, I agree.

But yeah, fucking gnarly.

I like, I don't know, it's just, it's just weird.

They're all naked, but they're like not, they're not bothered by it, but like, I don't know, it's just weird.

Too And also like aren't they like sweaty under like like I'm I'm just like I guess always warm and there for sweaty like I don't know, isn't it uncomfortable for like your bits to be hanging out and just.

Thinking about being naked and sitting on like a linoleum, like kitchen chair or something, or like a wood kitchen chair or something.

Actually.

Old it like it just it creeps me out like it's so gnarly.

So anyways, call us prudes IDK.

Just wait.

I'm gonna get.

I'm about to get prettier.

So more people join their little dinner party.

Brenna's brother comes, he like tells off Serena, which again, there's no payoff, but he's like, you have no right to be here.

And then Cohen steps in and she like likes it, but she doesn't know why, even though it's like it's so fucking obvious why she would like that.

And then we get this scene where she teaches Cohen how to place the C major whatever the fuck on the piano because she thinks he has no hobbies even though he would works.

He is an alpha so he has a pretty tough job and he has a piano in his house which isn't usually like random like it's usually there for a reason.

How does he make money like is there like a tax system in the?

In the world, yeah.

Do they pick up a tithing or something?

Maybe.

Who knows They they seem like moneyless economies.

I guess, but if he's rich and can buy all these clothes and can they just.

Steal stuff from humans?

I don't know.

I don't know.

Anyways.

I guess I get too bogged down with like the details.

Me too.

Me too.

Me too.

Me too, like how they eat animals as wolves but then eat human food in their human form, but they're not grossed out about eating the animals when they're I don't know.

That's a good one I haven't thought of.

It's weird to me, but at this party she realizes that everybody in the Northwest pack is young.

So she is starting to put the pieces together that yeah, something really big happened a few years ago.

And she asked misery.

And misery fills her in about how Cohen's been the alpha for 21 years, 'cause there's no one older and no one more dominant.

Serena's health continues to deteriorate.

She gets sick, she goes to Cohen's bed for comfort.

She is getting fevers.

She feels like vaguely horny.

She's like vomiting and.

This is the other day.

No sorry, you provide every time an incredible outline and I need to read this word for word.

The illness is a mix of horniness, fever and vomiting.

No, but.

Like as if horniness is a regular symptom of like the flu.

No, you're so right.

That is what is like happening.

But it is just funny having you get laid out like that.

The illness is a mix of horniness, fever and vomiting.

This is The thing is like we have never interacted with werewolves.

This is clearly a person in heat.

How does she not realize that?

Because she she would know about animals.

We've been researching.

We've also been, she's also been researching.

Yeah.

Just like where's and stuff, yeah.

Like.

Like no one told you, No one said like, I don't know, I don't know it's.

So weird.

And she's like, well, it's just my CS DS acting up.

So like, can't let anyone know about that.

And then, yeah, we get more pieces to the puzzle.

Serena sees Cohen play fighting with the other wolves and Amanda says don't worry, it's just play fighting.

But Cohen is extra aggressive because he's horny, because he lives with his mate and can't fuck her.

I would just like.

I would curl up and die.

Crudeness.

The prudeness seeping out of my body.

It would just be like.

Because again, at this point she's like okay cool, he doesn't want me because he's extremely horny, everyone can see it and he won't have sex with me.

I must be the fuckliest, the fugliest hybrid of the all the land.

And then she finally does get the answer.

But like, it's so brutal.

Like so Amanda tells her he took a celibacy promise.

Confident covenant.

I've said it 6 times already on this podcast.

Covenant.

Covenant.

Covenant.

I guess he got like the same like celibacy promise rings as the Jonas brush.

Exactly.

No, exactly.

Essentially it's like what happened was some there was an incident where the alpha put his mate over the pack and so they decided, well the alphas just cannot have sex now because then if they do that they will put their mates in front of the packs and we need a strong alpha.

Totally.

Yeah, and Cohen in particular needs us because he reunited the Northwest.

Yeah.

But she at this point, does she know that now it's not because she's repulsive like.

OK, I think she like heard the words 'cause she's like not internalizing them.

Exactly.

We see the assembly for the first time.

So the assembly is a group of people, a group of wares that hold the alpha accountable, which is cool because it's then it's not just like one person rules them all.

And they are getting nervous about Cohen breaking his covenant.

So they go to his house and they're so surprised at Serena shaving him and not following his directions.

They're inquiring if the covenant is still in place.

And he's like, they're both like, you have nothing to worry about.

And he's really surprised that she found out about it.

Why?

Again, why wouldn't she?

Why wouldn't he tell her?

Also side note, wouldn't they know that like the covenant hasn't been broken because isn't this society so known for their sense of smell and yes smell the horniness and they can smell the sex juices and.

Like you're right because Amanda earlier that day was like, we can tell that he's horny and isn't fucking.

That's why he's being aggressive.

Maybe if you could just like.

Tell that.

Like your boss is like horny like I would like, I don't need that in my life.

That's.

One thing I could never get behind with Omega verse is the and like, again, this is pretty of me for sure, don't get me wrong, but it's like it's so it's not even the cavalier way they talk about sex, but it's yeah, it's like knowing that they're like horny and just like living with that.

Like, you know, there's multiple times where she sees male wears with erections and like just has to like brush it off.

And then serve them like tacos.

And they're.

Negative lasagna, you know.

Hey can I just rest this tear?

Oh my God, that's so fucking funny.

Cohen takes Serena to two doctors because there's one doctor that has been in charge of all the birth records and he has stories about hafling.

So they did used to be a thing.

She's not the only one, but.

You're not special.

Yeah, yeah, actually, actually, we'll take away that your one character, like your one character trait.

She's so overwhelmed, she heads outside and someone shows up.

He, like, is kneeling in front of Serena.

He's calling her Eva, and he's rambling about how she's like a goddess and she needs to come with him.

This is where I started to get freaked out because again, I did not see the cult thing coming at all.

I had to reread I think this entire chapter maybe two or three times 'cause it was just like not sinking in and it's still like same what was happening?

Same.

I I still like, I did not get it until way, way, way down the line, but he ends up like Cohen arrives and he recognizes Cohen and he says that he will be punished by Constantine and then he runs and jumps off a Cliff.

That was a shocker.

I was.

I was shocked.

I was shook.

I was shook.

Like this seems so crazy, like it just with all the factions and so much about the government and bride, it seemed so weird to have so much about not that.

I and especially like, we're a good chunk into this book already.

Yeah, Also want to say this is actually, I'm not even joking.

Probably the 60% like we're over halfway through, they haven't kissed and this is a romance novel and they they're pining, sure, they're yearning, they're horny, like whatever.

They don't fuck until like 80%.

They bone before they kiss.

Correct.

Yes.

Or should I say they not before they kiss.

I just want more.

I just want more like I just wish like it.

You're right that like the pacing is off, like nothing happens and then everything happens and I, I don't know, it's just, I don't.

There's like a lot of like threats being woven and you're like, OK, what does this point relate to?

Exactly.

Exactly.

Does it matter?

Because at this point we don't even know if this matters.

But it does.

She's really shaken by this incident.

Everyone's trying to comfort her.

And Cohen says it's not your fault.

There was this where his name is Constantine.

I killed him.

He was the leader of a cult.

I was was humans wanting to be where's again, very like Twilight.

I feel like that's kind of all he says at this point.

But he has been comparing her DNA because, again, they're trying to find her parents and where she came from and stuff.

And you're probably related to him to Constantine.

So.

Oh.

OK, yeah, I was just like, I was like, wait or Cohen.

Serena well she does say at one point like I could be part of this Northwest pack, which she technically is, but not like in a weird way it's that they want her back because after Constantine's death the cult has been like leaderless.

But if she is a direct descendant of him, she could like rebuild the cult and take her rightful position as the leader.

When do you like consider it?

Like if you could just like be the leader of her call.

Like when you like if it was just gonna be handed to you.

When do you like consider it?

I feel like with this loon that she met, no.

But if she met Miley first or whatever the fuck that girl's name was, I think she would have considered it.

She has another incident where she is sick at night and she's freaking out because she sees herself in the mirror and it's like advancing and Cohen finds her and takes her into the bath because the cold water helps the heat and she wakes up in Cohen's bed.

He's playing the piano and also like, why didn't he?

Why did he go along with the piano thing?

Also cuz like later on.

Yeah.

He's very mad.

She lied about her illness.

Thank you.

He lied about 45 different things.

One, Piano, the Covenant.

3, murdering her parents.

Yeah.

4 The Cult.

Yes, thank.

You.

I didn't even clock that.

I did not even clock that.

That's crazy.

I OK, You know what?

I hate Colin.

I hate him, OK?

I hate him.

I hate him.

I hate him.

He sucks.

This is making me dislike the book even more to be honest.

I'm so.

Sorry, I'm sorry, I will get.

We could just reread Bride.

You know what I made me want to do?

Reread Bride because I love that one.

Me too, me too.

I'm going to, but Cohen's like, how long has this been going on?

And she's like about four months.

It's called CSD.

And I'm gonna I've got.

One week left to live, just like in case you wanted to make a move.

I'm going to be alive for seven days.

No like.

Literally cuz she's like, I've got three months to live and he's like, and when did you find this information out?

He she's like 2 months ago and he's like, OK, well that's probably why you're not shifting.

So we got to figure this out.

He reveals that he saw her letters which she wrote.

She wrote letters for the people around her to read after her her death.

And it really Spooks Cohen.

Yeah, not her.

PDS sorry, don't mean to laugh.

No, me neither.

So then Cohen reveals more information.

He says Constantine actually lured his mother into a trap and he killed her and then he killed his dad and he didn't like, you know how we learned about Low being challenged as the alpha and whoever wins becomes alpha?

Well, Constantine fighting Cohen didn't count as a proper alpha challenge because he ambushed him.

And that's not again, that's against the rules.

And he's terrified that this, the same thing is going to happen with his mate, that he is going to be so obsessed that he would put her above the pack.

So we finally get like the reason?

Some explanation at 89%, sorry, it's 87% of the book because like in a truly wild plot point happens at 89.

And I like vividly remember at 89% of the book, a wild plot line happens and you're just like, how is this going to wrap up in 11%?

No, literally.

Literally.

Yeah.

So also, Misery knows this, that there was a cult of humans wanting to turn into wares.

And basically they talk it through and she realizes that, OK, well, yeah, if my mom was was a was a cult member and my dad was the cult leader, essentially.

Yeah, I want to say.

And like, I can be, I don't want to pray, but like, I'm pretty good at figuring out.

Plot twist, I had this one clocked like pretty early on.

I was like, yes, that's her mom and her dad and Colton definitely killed.

Killed both of them.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Finally, things start to kind of spice up.

Serena sleeps in Cohen's bed so he can help her out with her nights.

Night sweats, night sweats.

But this time she doesn't want a bath, she wants him.

She's like having sensory issues and only things that he owns or his body is the only thing that soothes them.

I have a lot of sensory issues and one thing that does not fix them.

Aman.

Is getting.

Ticked up.

Oh, I'm getting poked by a tick, what are you taking?

Yeah, I don't want any of that.

Yeah, that's fair.

I don't, that's if I'm having sensory issues, you know it won't help more sensory.

Literally.

Don't touch me.

That's so funny.

And she's like, OK, well, now I know kind of what the issues are, so I'm going to shoot my shot again.

She kisses his shoulder.

She sees that he is turned on.

He like, is like licking her spine.

And she's basically begging to have sex with him.

But he's like, I can't because the lines of consent are muddled.

But like yes, but also like no because she wants this knot in heat too.

But I guess he doesn't really know that.

I know.

Yeah.

But then I feel like such a big deal is made about like it's their animal instincts, like they can when he no part of that or I I don't know.

And I guess.

That's a good point and then also it's like but then also he could just say the covenant.

He didn't even have to bring the other stuff into it, but he sits her between his legs and he instructs her to masturbate and he like, sinks his teeth into her neck.

And it's like the glands and the scent and the taste.

She doesn't even know she has glands.

Why didn't she do a fucking ounce of research or misery?

Yep.

Misery, babe, why don't you tell her about this it.

Sucks that was such a big part of bride too is the gland thing and.

And it was like Bun and Bride too, because she was like a vampire and she needed the blood and he wanted the gland to play and.

Not gland to play.

It's such a not sexy word.

Gland, yeah.

Yeah.

Also, there's a lot of description in the intercourse scenes that was just like, just like I'm.

I was sopping wet.

It was like waves.

I'm just like, this is too much like wet like.

Yeah, yeah, there's.

There.

Is a point where he's like, oh, are you worried that you're like too wet or whatever?

And I just want to say, and maybe this is a real issue and we got to Rep the, the girls that are too wet.

But I'm like, I've never heard of that being an issue.

It's usually the OP.

It's usually the OP like like I just I don't know girlies, I don't know, but he's like, well, I can like kind of help you.

This is kind of like getting around the covenant thing, but like I can't come because that would mean it was sex.

Like I'm.

Like, that's the line, OK?

It's like they're basically like Mormons and they're soaking and.

Literally and then also it's like he's like also you'll never be satisfied if you don't have a Dick you and like that felt like with all of this stuff, trying to be like a little bit more 2025.

That felt very not 2025.

Also because like I believe in bride there's like 2 female wear mates.

Yes, that's what I'm saying.

Like, like, OK, heteronormativity.

Yeah, so confused.

But yeah, she makes herself calm and then she falls asleep.

And then the next day he's like, it's getting worse.

So I'm going to take you to Layla, who's a where nurse.

Nurse practitioner.

I believe she's specifically like a nurse practitioner.

Love it.

And she's like immediately, like she's like, you're in heat.

And they're like, what do you mean?

Like it was so it was so ugly.

And she's like, Oh yeah, I was like creating nest and stuff like that.

It's like, yeah, we fucking know.

And so she's like, well, I don't want to go into heat because if I do, I, I only need Cohen and Cohen can't sleep with me, blah, blah, blah, blah.

But she's like, well, there's this shot that can help delay it and I can give it to you.

I just don't have it on hand right now.

She's supposed to come back tomorrow.

That's foreshadowing, my friends.

That's that's foreshadowing.

They have this like quiet night, which is like actually like really cutie patootie they do like.

Again, just like the slow moments of normalcy.

I wanted more of that.

They do like a little like crossword together and stuff.

And then she does start going into heat again and they're like grinding and he he says like you're my mate, but I'm not your mate.

And this was another thing that pissed me off too.

Sorry if I'm so Debbie Downer, but he kept being like, I don't think you think I'm your mate.

But then she's using these analogies about how she feels about him by saying she, she feels like it's like lock and key and stuff like that.

And it's like, well, that's what a mate is essentially.

So I don't understand, Like this is just another plot piece that we didn't need because she could have wanted him to.

She could have known that he was the mate and then the same thing could have still happened with the covenant and stuff like that.

I, I think sometimes in these Lego Megaverse books were in the world building books, like the world isn't built enough or like the kinks aren't worked out enough to make sense.

And I guess I'd look at everything from like a human lens, but also it's just like that doesn't totally make sense.

And I think I was able to suspend the disbelief in Bride a lot better because Misery was.

A vampire.

Yeah, and it was like she was like learning about wares as we were learning about that, where this, it just feels like, and maybe I'm being hard on Serena, but I feel like Serena should know a little bit more.

Yeah, 100%.

Because also she grew up as a human, but the humans are aware of wares.

So wouldn't they have some education about wares?

And I know that it's like, well, there's they live in secrecy and stuff like that, but you're telling me that there's no information about being in heat or anything?

Yeah, or like you're telling, like you're telling me that Serena basically spent a year by herself in.

Yeah, you're telling me a moment she gets out.

She's not like researching this.

This former investigative journalist isn't researching every single thing she can find about where's.

Yeah.

And.

Or like, I don't know, asking her best friend who's married to 1?

Exactly.

It just doesn't make sense.

So the next day she goes to Layla.

But surprise, surprise, Jessica is there.

Who's Jessica?

What a good question.

We met her at one point, but there's 45 characters who are not washed out.

Literally.

So she kidnaps her and when Serena wakes she does this a lot like fainting and coming awake again.

PSD I don't need to lock the CSD, it's the CSD.

Maybe she's like off or something.

She did this lady named Irene, and she reveals that she is her aunt, her mom's sister.

She has a photo of her mom, Fiona, and a letter that mentions Ava, which is, you know, Serena's original name.

And then she explains that the Northwest pack are actually the bad guys and they killed all of the members of this cult.

That's not a cult.

And that Constantine rightfully defeated Cohen's dad, which made Cohen not the alpha before Cohen eventually kills Constantine.

So technically, I guess she's the rightful there because Constantine's no longer with us.

And she's really, this is sad because she's really conflicted because she wants to know so badly about her family.

And this woman seems to have answers, but then she knows that the vibes are off.

Yeah, good for her.

She finally can pick up.

A fucking vibe.

Yeah, she notices a.

Fucking vibe shift.

Our local investigative journalist can finally pick up the vibe shift.

So funny, but it's OK because Cohen arrives and he is putting all the pieces together himself and realizes that yeah, he killed Constantine and Fiona and Serena remembers him from that night from the prologue.

But before she makes any decisions, they hold him hostage and Fiona wants Serena to kill Cohen, I guess to become the alpha properly or whatever.

But then she pretends and she goes along with it, but she releases him and the other pack members jump in and take Serena away.

Yeah, I feel like they were so quick to kill a lot of vampires earlier on in the book.

Yeah, but like these people, they're like, we're actually just gonna leave you guys.

We know you're insane, Cult.

Yeah, we wanna.

We're gonna leave you alone.

You guys are fine, I'm sure, you guys, I'm sure this is going to be the end of your reign of terror.

No, exactly.

That's so fucking funny.

So she's like, hey, well, get that progesterone injection, Layla.

And she's like, Oh no, no, sorry girl, it's way too late and it's gonna be way worse after this.

OK, I'm sure that's how that works.

Yeah, exactly.

How convenient that is just like 3 hours too late.

OK, well maybe you should have gotten the shot in earlier.

Maybe you should just have that kicking around as your as the local nurse practitioner.

You should just have like a storage.

Do you not have like a pharmacy on speed dial?

Yeah, for the.

Small town.

Yeah, I can.

I can get that.

I can get that stuff real.

Actually, no, I have to call my pharmacist tomorrow.

Thanks for reminding.

And I'm going to the pharmacist after this anyways.

And they're like, actually know what like it.

It's now unavoidable.

So she goes into heat and basically it's so painful that Cohen decides to have sex with.

Her.

Finally, like literally at what, 92% of the book?

What we have?

He knots her.

She doesn't know about the knot either.

Girly.

Like misery, babe, you're doing your best to you to serve us here.

You got you got to warn her about the knot.

100% and now the goal posts shift.

He says, well, OK, we're having sex and stuff like that, but I can't bite your neck and claim you.

It's it's tough.

It's tough.

They have a multi day orgy.

Did you like their sex?

He was like, kind of like.

He was a little bit like good girl.

I hate the good.

Girl shit, I hate that shit.

I like, like it in, in, you know, like a weird way, but it's, it's, it's almost in too many books nowadays.

Yeah, and like I, I'm not here to yuck anybody else's Yum.

I just like evenness as a Libra.

I love when things are very even and I like when things are feel like a partnership, like that's better to me than just like a dominate.

Like I I, I get grossed out by like men dominating.

Like it just doesn't do it for me.

I get that, I get that.

I know sometimes I do too.

I, I think I read a book that really when maybe on this pod really went into that like having like wanting equality but still getting off on that power imbalance.

So it's interesting and we don't yuck anyone's Yum.

No, and I can completely understand why people like it.

It's just like not something I can like I guess, break my walls down about.

Yeah, I think The thing is with this is like, and maybe it's just because it wasn't a big part of it, but it just seemed like again, like a generic like it's starting to become.

Generic, yeah.

Is what I'm trying to say.

That's the part that I don't like.

I'm always down for a good girl scene, but I don't know, Yeah, just it's starting to seem really played out in modern books.

In modern romance books, they have a yeah, multi day orgy.

She's able to shift again.

The heat is over.

She's done it.

She realizes she loves him, so she says I love you.

And they know that they cannot be together after this.

You know what?

I'm proud of Serena for saying how she feels in this moment and like, meaning it and like, understanding.

Yeah.

It's just like, like understanding that she can't really do anything about it.

But still being like, no, I I I love you.

Like, I just.

I need to.

I need to get that off my trust.

I need to tell you how I feel after like, so much of this book was her being like, I can't tell you about my CSD.

No.

That's actually a really good point.

I'm glad you pointed that out because I would have I wouldn't have clocked that.

But you're right.

We do see this this character wrote this change for her and then literally like all hell breaks loose.

But like, I don't know, it's like, not even fun.

Like, they're just like, oh, yeah, Owen won over the council.

No one cares about hybrids anymore.

It's safer Anna and Serena.

And then he's like, OK, well, now that that's happened, I'll step down from being Elfa.

I like want to be mates with you.

But she's like, but you don't like, you love your pack too.

So like, you can't do that.

And then they're like, Irene is still out there.

We have to like figure that out.

So.

She's like, oh, yeah, OK, again, Again, listeners, this is this part.

We're at about 87% of them.

Literally, literally, maybe even further in.

So we're just like, how are we going to figure this out?

But they use her for bait again and again.

It's just like kind of like a little redundant.

She gets captured by the cult.

They like put a tracker in her, but they take it out.

But she's able to shift because they don't know that she can shift at this point.

And she escapes and she finds the the cult and Cohen and the pack members.

There's like this huge fire.

They shoot Cohen and Serena jumps in front of the bullet.

They almost got me here because again, we are so far in the percentage of this book.

I was like, Oh my God, what would you?

Have thought if that was actually the finale.

I this sounds bad, I actually think I would have.

Liked it like you?

Would have respected the moon.

Yes, yes, yes.

Where it's just like a complete like left turn of like, Oh my God, she's going to die.

No, she's not.

She doesn't have CSD.

Oh my God, she's dead.

You know what I mean?

And then you like flip the page and it's like, and then I woke up in the hospital.

I was good to go.

You're like she's.

Always passing out and waking up like that is essentially what happened.

And then Cohen just goes back to the assembly and it's like, hey, we fucked.

I would like to, I would like to continue having sex with my mate.

Is that cool?

And they're like, yeah, so far, bestie.

Yeah, they're like, sure.

But it's it.

And it is truly because she's like, well, Serena also would, like, lay her life down for you, so it makes sense.

Yeah.

They're reunited after the hospital and she admits she finally knows that they're mates.

And he's like, yeah, I know.

The first time I saw you, you went into heat.

Which again, it's like, then why didn't you?

Then why did you keep convincing her that she didn't think you were her mate?

And they kind of, like, live happily ever after.

After that, we get a epilogue in Cohen's POV from a month later.

One month.

I need more.

I need more space.

I need two years or something like that.

We need a little life to be lived.

Yeah, I agree with that.

Because essentially just what happens is life is normal.

He goes away for a work trip, he comes back, they have sex and Serena bites him and then she's upset for biting him because she thinks it's non consensual.

Like she hasn't.

Are we not hearing the same information about how much he wanted that?

He wanted her to bite his neck and stuff like that, But she is still, she's still like upset about it.

And then she's like, OK, well I do want you to bite me.

And then he bites her and they finally clean each other and live happily ever after.

I hope.

There it is.

I wish I liked it more.

I like I I can't pretend like I didn't tear through this book in like 2 days.

I couldn't put it down.

I was totally engaged.

It's an easy read.

Yes, but it just like but I had a lot of issues with it like there was a lot of dots that just didn't connect for me.

Totally, and I know that I had high expectations because of Bride so I know that that is probably cloud clouding my vision, but I just hate when you get the feeling that things are rushed and that this is what this feels like to me.

Yeah, I thought Bride was like laid out really well.

It made sense.

I could, I could, I could see what the I could see where we're going.

I thought everything, I thought the reveals were great.

I thought it all made sense.

Like it just this in a way that this one just like didn't come together for me.

Totally.

OK, let's get into a round table discussion.

This is our Internet investigation, our crew to reprieves of the Internet of Things you need to know.

Honestly I tried to do some information, see if Ali was talking about this in any any which way.

We and you and I had conversations about this when it came out, which was bad.

It didn't feel at all like this book is being promoted whatsoever, especially for how Big Bride was, how excited people were that there was a sequel and you'd like, look at Ali Hazelwood's feet.

And there was like almost nothing about it.

Like there was barely like a, you know, like any pomp and circumstance when it came to like the release of it.

Like her whole feed was still promoting problematic summer romance.

And and like, now I think that I'm looking at it like feels swept under the rug, just like the writing of this book did.

Exactly.

I just don't know like professionally why they're doing this.

Like you're saying, Bride was a huge book and when we heard that it was getting a sequel so close to Bride coming out, we were shocked and like so excited.

Like like you said, we both if I wasn't on vacation, I didn't have a lot of reading time on this vacation, but if I wasn't away, I would have read it the first day just like you.

And I remember going on Instagram on October 7th or whatever and looking yeah at her feed and being like and and then I was like, Oh my God, right.

I forgot Mate was coming out and there was just nothing like it was all, yeah, all about her other book and then her like crowdfunding projects that she's working on and stuff like that.

And I just don't know why that's happening.

That seems like a dumb move professionally.

Yeah.

And I wonder if part of it is that the kind the way she got her start was so independent that if she is, and this is pure conjecture, having issues with like traditional publishing or you know what I mean, or just I I'm not sure what the scoop was, but I just couldn't believe what like a what a wash that this felt like.

Just like the promotion of it, not even the book itself, just the like.

I don't know.

And I feel like you and I were not the only ones who were so excited for this book.

No, we couldn't be.

Bride was a fucking hit last year.

Yeah, I think that along with maybe the love hypothesis, it must be.

Again, this is just purely based on what I see on TikTok and Instagram and Reddit and stuff like that.

It must be her, her other best selling book.

I would think so.

It definitely got a lot more hype because it felt so unique.

The world building was so good.

It wasn't too much.

It wasn't too little.

Yeah, but that's a good theory about the traditional publishing thing.

You're right.

She's such a people don't know.

She was a big Wattpad writer.

One of her Wattpad books got turned into.

It was a Germany fanfic.

It got turned into a like traditionally published this year.

And you're right about these like old works becoming like her releasing them, but it's like it's still it needs editors and like.

A fact checker.

Like it needs this.

Is going to be like a kind of a different example and that's I like you have been engaging in some like sports romances love and I've been having a hard time connecting with most of them because they feel like like you didn't you didn't even read the Wikipedia page for hockey sometimes.

So I read one in the summer.

It's called Shoot Your Shot by Lexi Lafleur Brown.

And she her husband is like was a former NHL player.

And I just loved like that.

It felt like the details of like being in a relationship with a hockey player were fleshed out and made sense because she's like lived that life And it just, I don't know what my point was, but it's just like, I like when the details make sense.

Yeah, like I think that you think about some of the best books, the most famous books in the fantasy genre and how they are.

So they heavily rely on the details of the world setting and like.

Yeah, and the world can be so like crazy and out there, but as long as it like makes sense and I can like see where you're going and like A if it's with BE, if it's with C, if it's with D, like I'm, I'm happy to go on that journey.

Me too.

But if you're just like saying stuff to say stuff, then it just takes me out of it.

Totally.

So yeah, that was interesting to me and I I kind of felt a little snubbed by it to be honest.

I don't care or wonder wise.

These are unanswered questions for the listeners.

I had plenty that I.

Shared so many years just like I don't even I do remember all of them.

They were just like, what?

That I.

Yeah.

Like there's just so so many, but here's some other ones that I haven't mentioned.

Why can't she get up on the counter?

Does.

She want another one of like Ali Hazelwood's tiny, tiny, itty bitty babies.

She's in skinny girls.

2 1/2.

Wow.

Yeah, OK, now it's coming back to me.

I was like, yeah, we're back to Ali Hazelwood's itty bitty tiny little FMCS.

Misery, at least, was tall, but.

But still like a model.

So like willowy and thin and gorgeous and Serena just is like the has she just her life is different because she just has these huge beautiful knockers and like that are.

Spectacular.

So tough for her, Yeah, she just has the best banging body ever.

But she just wishes she looked like Misery, who was pale and ethereal.

Here's the other thing, where did the the first half of the book talked about how she like was sexualized by men, never felt desired, just like for herself, never had good sex with men, always went for like guys that she wasn't super interested in and all of that, just like was never mentioned again.

There was a lot of like and I feel like her being I'll also just kind of was like, oh, you're in heat.

We're all fixed and it's just like we never went back to like the trauma of thinking you have a terminal illness.

I guess it was just like, Oh yeah, you're not going to die.

OK, you're like, oh, let's bone.

The amount of times they said mushroom suit made me want to kill myself.

There is a lot of and I that's what takes me out of a lot of alley Hazelwood books is just like the phrasing of things and just like what?

Who would say that?

And I was like.

No, I know.

Or like the always the little like math and science jokes.

It makes sense when they are science professors at a university, but it doesn't make sense in this series because none of them were science people.

There was a computer hacker and a journalist.

Yeah, Lo never mentions the Covenant in the first book, but because.

Hello.

You're doing everyone dirty here.

Like what?

You're too busy.

You're too busy.

It's.

Crazy to me it's crazy like you mentioned.

Also just like they can smell everything so he should have known that her illness was heat because she he.

Sorry yeah there's like 75 girlies mentioned here.

Yeah, his ex-girlfriend Brenna couldn't have mentioned something when she he was like, in pot upon combat or what?

Like, like, none.

Like, none of these, what's her name?

Courtney or Jenna.

When she's sitting, like, evil down on the linoleum chair, she's not like, noticing.

She's like too busy eating in ground beef tacos.

Toast.

Spaghetti Bolognese.

The miracle recipe.

Everyone can make a spaghetti Bolognese.

Come on now.

She couldn't mention the covenant when she's leaving a snail trail on on Cullen.

'S glory.

So what you're going to say earlier and you couldn't bring yourself to do it?

No, I was no I which that is gnarly.

I have apologized to everybody.

No, I was just thinking about about guys being naked in my house and touching like like sitting in places they shouldn't be.

Sitting.

Yeah, I got to lay a towel down.

Literally.

Literally.

Yeah.

Sorry, that was gross.

Yeah, that didn't make sense.

Or like he never questions like why are you stealing my clothes and my pillows and my blankets and stuff?

Because he's always been aware.

So he would know about nesting and he would see that she's nesting.

Like it just.

And she like doesn't think he like he's her mate when he she's like desperate for all of his players.

Loves and into love and intention.

Pisses me off.

Yeah, the Plan B of it all too.

Layla gives her plan Plan B because she knows they're going to have sex.

Because being in heat is like when they can get pregnant, I'm pretty sure.

And it's like it.

Just like takes me out of it when we get like too humid about it.

I know that that's another thing.

It's like, so it's like animalistic, but then she is it because she's a hybrid.

Like I don't know.

I don't know.

It's just.

Like like in ACOTAR when fucking Feyra is like well I have to take my like anti birth potion for my once month anti birth.

Oh play, come on.

Like periods.

Only have every three months or whatever they say in ACOTAR.

Like that's the details.

I don't that I don't care.

About don't.

You can figure that out in your little journal, but like, I don't need that.

Exactly.

Exactly.

I'm I can live in a world where, like, you don't get pregnant unless you want to.

Like, I'm fine with that.

Exactly.

Exactly.

You get to control the.

Where's get to control it?

I don't know.

OK, grapes and grumbles, these are not picky problems.

We have the book, obviously you have.

So many do you listen to this podcast?

Sorry.

Yeah, we didn't share.

It we are sorry about this, but we have.

More.

It's not over.

Did we like I couldn't remember in Bride?

Did we like the men's POV at the beginning of the chapters?

You know what?

And I have a really hard time.

You skip them.

I didn't hear because you had been told, like you had said once we finished Bride, basically like, hey, if the second book comes out, you're on deck.

So I did specifically make them good for you.

I feel like they give too much away about what's going to happen in the chapter.

Yes, yeah, that's a really good point.

I also like when I'm reading on my Kindle.

I skip them often, but because I listen to this with audiobook.

Oh.

I cut like I heard them all you can.

Skip them.

Yeah, yeah, it's it's an italics.

It just means like you don't.

It's yeah, it's optional, but yeah, his this is the other thing.

And I know that this is the trope and this is the thing, but it's like he's so fucking obsessed with her, but then he's such a Dick to her.

And I just like, don't like that.

I hate it.

I just want them to be nice.

Like I, I thought Lowe was a great example of like powerful of manly, but not like mean.

Like he cared about misery.

He was like nice to her.

He cared about her, even if she didn't like interpret that as romantic love.

This just feels too much like I am men.

I'd be mean.

I'd be so mean.

And you're just like, I don't want you to be mean.

I want you to be nice to her.

She's gone through a lot.

Yeah, and when guys are their default setting and again, love and light to any got no guys listening to this, but just in case a straight man is here and is listening to this at this point in the episode, it's like their default to women is like low key mean.

So it's like, and I don't know why I'm like cushioning that.

That is like just the truth.

And so it's like, I just want you to be nice because that's that's the fantasy of.

This, yeah.

How does Killer rank as a nickname for you?

It kind of worked for me.

It kind of it.

And I'm, yeah, I'm a nickname hater.

And I would say the only two nicknames and books I've enjoyed.

Like I kind of liked Killer and I also kind of liked Violence for Violet and 4th Wing.

Those are the only ones where I'm kind of like, all right.

I get it.

I get that.

I totally get that.

I think like I just like when the nickname comes out in like special moments I guess.

And and that like it feels like a nickname I feel.

I think you covered this on the podcast because why else would I have read it?

Things we things we never got over.

Things, yeah.

When that guy calls her Daisy but that's like not her name.

And then I was just getting confused because I kept and her name was Daisy and it wasn't.

Yeah, I got that and I've.

Worked.

It was like a convoluted name.

What's your least favorite one you've come across?

It has to be Lamb right from.

What was that from Priest Twilight?

No Priest.

Oh, I no, I can't.

No, I I love that book.

I don't I don't DNF books.

I really don't.

I try.

I got I got truly 80% through American Queen by Sierra.

Oh yeah, Simone.

And I like, I put it down to go to bed and then I just could not will myself to ever pick it up again.

So like as out of respect to Sierra Simone, I will never pick up another.

1.

Cuz like I it's not fair of me to rate rate any of her books.

Like it's not kind of me that's.

So fucking funny.

I was just, I, I think I listened to your episode.

I love that.

I love that it's a book that I like.

I really that I really like that I read ever so often.

What's your worst nickname?

Oh, God, I, you know, I should start keeping track, but I just like, I hate, I hate like, Angel or, you know, yeah.

Sweet.

Like things we never got.

Yeah, things we never got over series.

I feel like all of the men had like weird nicknames for their girlfriends and they all had like angry outbursts all the time.

I hate just like the good girl or like my my little I don't know, I baby.

Doll or.

I just like don't like any of them because they all feel condescended to me.

Sometimes like, like sweetie is a perfectly fine nickname, and then sometimes when it's like, don't you forget it, sweetie or whatever, it's like, that sounds weird.

You can call me Honey if you want 'cause I'm the one you.

Want.

You can call me honey if you want, because I'm the one you want.

OK, he's a virgin.

Let's talk about right?

He has.

He has to be because of the fucking covenant.

He wouldn't be good at sex.

Like this is another thing.

It's so funny.

I feel like Allie Hazelwood is our woke queen, but I think that this is like another.

This is like not woke.

And The thing is, is that like sex?

Yeah, I'm it is somewhat innate, I guess, like the process of it, but.

Yeah, like Buddy came from eating her own.

Like, you think he's gonna last long enough to, like, nod?

Exactly.

Like that was crazy.

And yeah, he says multiple times.

Like he thinks he's gonna come from from not like penetration or like a hand job or like whatever.

And you know it.

Like, I don't know, like.

Good on.

Yeah, but like.

I kind of, I kind of love like a virgin male main character.

Like I think that's like a had twist on things.

Me too.

But yeah, you're right, he's he's probably not that good at boning.

Like I just, I I wish that I just feel like when you do get a virgin male character, it's like, oh, but don't worry, because they're like a sex.

God, he's 35 and he's studied it like he he's given himself so many HJS over the years, he knows what's up like.

It's like it's a skill and it takes practice and knowing your partner and sometimes it's annoying when it just works on the first try.

To me at least, it takes me out of it.

Again, sorry, sorry, sorry.

And I know that's also part of the beauty of romance novels, but.

I like a little realism.

Yeah, me too.

When like a lot of it is realism and then this part isn't, I don't know.

Yeah, when you've like invented like a weird Plan B shot for werewolves.

But like, he's so good at banging.

The first try.

Right out of the gate.

Oh, this is my last thing that I haven't mentioned is that they always say and they do this at Akatar too.

They're like mates are so fucking rare and I never thought I would find mine and all of this thing and then all of this stuff.

And then it's like, oh, but like every character in the book has a mates.

Like someone did the the research on Reddit and it was like they wrote every character down and their mates and it was like 68% of the people in bride have mates.

That's crazy, I read an arc this summer.

Oh, cool.

It was.

I've been getting, I like applied for one, like lesbian romance.

So now I get sent all of the lesbian romances, which is fine.

I'm happy to do that.

But this one, it could have been so great.

It was called backhanded compliments and it was like these two.

It was like the women's tennis circuit and it was like these two rivals and this was the first time they've ever faced off.

But then there is this really weird like through line plot, which is that in this world, everybody has a faded mate and it's like written on your wrist.

And then it like starts to glow when you meet them.

And so everybody knows the name of their, like, soul mate.

And like, some people just like, don't have it written on them, right?

So they just don't get a soul mate and like, you don't have to be with your soul mate.

You could be with anybody.

So obviously these two tennis players hate each other and they're soul mates.

You could.

Have had such a good book here, like there's it's two different books that you're like, I might not have the opportunity to write another book.

Let's shove them together.

We're like, I want, I want a tennis romance where it's like the two top women in tennis, yeah, meet each other but then fall in love.

Yes.

And okay, Faded Mates isn't necessarily for me and not totally my jam, but it's just like, okay, that's a different book and you can keep that over.

There, Yeah, it's also, I feel like really heavily.

Have you watched the movie Timer?

Have I watched any movie?

Not usually and.

OK V TIFF canonically, yeah, I canonically hate movies.

Like I only like ELF.

Yeah, Love Actually.

And anything else with Hugh Grant?

I'm like a Cinderella story.

What a girl wants.

Lizzie McGuire Movie.

Yeah, I'm like, give me Notting Hill.

Yeah, you know any of those like 90s British ones?

Yes, but but for some reason, and it was because I was in a Buffy phase, I'd watched Buffy and then the character Anya.

Anya is the actress, is the main character in this movie called Timer.

It was like an indie movie, but it is essentially that they have a timer on their wrist and it goes off when they meet their soulmate.

But some people don't get the implant and so they don't know who their soulmates are.

So that's interesting.

I wonder if this person read timer or watched timer.

And I guess like I'm also just like not a big like soul mate girly.

I'm like a there's 7 billion people in this world and I probably got along with like quite a few of them.

Oh yeah, me too.

Me too.

But like, I met one guy who was conveniently located and he was nice to me and like, that's my soul mate.

Like OK, me too.

Me too, me too.

I know the the amount of shit I talk about men on this podcast.

It's like I I clearly love men like I like I'm I have many a soul mate.

I think, I hope.

Yeah, it's just like, you know, I like this one.

I like the one I live with.

He's I'm not going to search elsewhere cuz like he's fun.

We like the same thing and we watch all the same TV shows.

Like what more could I want?

Nothing.

That's the dream.

Exactly.

That's truly the dream.

Do you have any other grapes and rumbles that we didn't cover for the book?

Not really.

It's like I'm I was just like disappointed and I was so excited.

Like I love Bride so much.

And this just kind of fell in line with like the other Holly Hazelwood books that were I could find like many issues and I feel bad being a hater and they could just her books are just never ones I could connect with, which is why I was so surprised.

Yeah.

When I came across bride like I expected to go into that one and be like, I'm like Ali Hazelwood like I'm not gonna.

But I really enjoyed it.

So this one was disappointing.

It felt too quick like it was.

I would have waited 3-4 years for this.

Yeah, I would.

Me too.

Yes 100%.

I want slower produced content.

Like like because we had every summer, every summer after came out in what year?

So this is 2025.

This summer will be different.

Was 2024 me and the lake was 20, so like 2022.

And then Carly Fortune wrote like two other books.

And then we had one golden Summer, which was like a follow up of a character in every summer after And like that felt like a perfect enough perfect amount of time for like the story to feel like it it's grown.

And every summer after was my other like most anticipated read of the year along with me.

And like I loved every summer, 1 golden summer.

I loved 1 golden summer.

I thought it was great.

I thought it fit perfectly in with that where this one just felt like a rush job.

It was just like, oh, bride was successful.

Oh, we have like an open line of that.

Shove it out.

Here we go.

It's like Allie Hazelwood and Tessa Bailey have the same, an editor who's just like, we'll just let that slide.

Let's print out some dollars, baby.

Literally Mason and I, when we covered 4th Wing, when we covered Onyx Storm, specifically the third book, we talked about this extensively of like how it is starting to feel rushed because she has released three books in this series pretty consecutively.

But I really respect Rebecca Yaros for saying it's going to be like 2 years before you get the 4th 1:00 because I need to take care of myself.

And I got like some planning to do and I just, I just appreciate that so much.

Yeah, and I love that we haven't gotten the next court of thought, Ornan Roses.

Me too, I was literally just thinking that too because some of these things take this long.

I, I want it like I'm happy to wait for stuff and it's going to be great.

It also makes it sweeter.

We we cannot do any delayed gratification in society now.

And like, trust me, I fucking I'm like I'm the same.

I'm addicted to TikTok and stuff like that.

But it's like God, when we get a Qatar, like it's, it's going to be like life changing.

Whereas like when I got this, even though it was a year after bride, I'm probably not going to think about it ever again.

No.

And like, I think another good example is of course, when we were growing up, Harry Potter.

I obviously very much have, like, a different view on that now, which is horrifying because it fucking sucks that JK Rowling is such a turf who is using her huge platform to be such a raging fucking bitch.

Yeah, I think a good comparison to that feeling is Hunger Games, where when I read that first book, my life was changed.

Like, I I had never read another book like that.

Waiting for the movies to come out, going to, like, midnight showings, like with my friends, like, having that exciting, like moment, even like.

And Suzanne Collins has done something so interesting, which is she writes when she feels like she has something to write.

Yeah.

So A Ballad of Songbirds of Snakes came out maybe like a full 7-8 years after the original series came out.

And then Sunrise on the Reaping just came out this year, which is five years after A Ballad of Songbird Snakes.

And it was just so exciting.

And like, I still like, I have the same feeling at 33 as I did at like 20 when I was waiting for those books to come out and how excited I was.

And then the movie, like I'm fucking dying for Sunrise on the reaping movie and that doesn't come out for a full year.

I know, I know.

The trailer got me so hyped I'm so excited.

Me too.

Me too.

Yeah, I I feel the exact same.

It just it's too much.

It's not making things really special, making things a big event when all these things.

I talked about this already to be petty, but about like how just like Halloween bleeds into Christmas and then like holidays start feeling less special too because it just all like kind of bleeds together when you go into the to the store and stuff like that.

And.

Yeah, when you go into like home, like winters in August and it's all Halloween, but then you go into there and October when you want the Halloween stuff and it's all like Christmas and it's just like, what do you have to look forward to that?

We're just rushing to the next thing.

Totally, totally.

Why do you like?

Why do you write like you're running out of time, Ali Hazelwood?

That's my big yeah.

And like, I love that she has so many ideas and has so many stories she wants to tell.

But I think she would really benefit from like, having an editor who will tell her what what's up.

Yeah, 100% yeah.

OK, Our side character Spolly.

This is our nomination for an unforgettable supporting character who deserves this too.

OK, so no one, no one is.

This is this segment new since you've been?

I think so.

Yeah, so I added this like probably just like in episode like 45 or something like this is something like that because there always is someone that I like kind of want to talk about, but they are a side character.

And and for the last, you know, 10 or so books, there's been a clear nomination or or Mia and the guests have different ones, but it's it's we're clear in our decision every.

Side character is a jumble of letters with no discernible personality.

The only one I care about is Misery and We it's because we had her book last.

Yeah, she would be my side character, but then I was like, that feels like cheating, so I chose.

That feels like we should just re rebrand.

I know, I know, I know.

So I had to choose Layla but again she had like 2 scenes like that like.

And she was bad at her job.

And two of them.

Literally.

I'm actually in on it.

It's like the kidnapping at first.

Because she was me too.

You're a werewolf, you could have fought off these little weird humans.

Me too.

I thought that too.

I thought that too.

OK, if anybody has a different opinion let us know.

And then our sequels group.

This is our tea on any upcoming sequels, seasons and the general reception.

This is so interesting to me because obviously Brides set up mate perfectly at the end and we didn't get any setups for a third book.

So I did some research and it is allegedly only a duet.

Ally Hazelwood at a big romantic See Con said that it is, you know, just a duet at this point.

Which again, seems counterintuitive to how fast she fucking produced this book.

Yeah, and I almost like appreciate that it's only a duet.

I think it lives well as that.

I think often times we can get bogged down and wanting more of the things we love and just like what gets like watered down, correct where I just feel like this is a perfect duet and it just like doesn't need to.

I don't think we need to build on it.

I think it we could in the same like universe but like not tie in any characters like let's you can start refreshing the omegaverse and like I don't know maybe be a human and fall in love with a vampire and like France or whatever cuz France exists because Lo was an architect.

Sorry, I think he was an architect in Switzerland.

Yes, I remember.

He was.

Yeah, he was.

I actually think that this would be a perfect trilogy, no more, no less.

Because I think we forgot the entire plot or we forgot the like overarching plot of Bride was that the factions weren't living in peace anymore because of the collateral shit.

And so it's like for me, and like right now, they're not living in peace either.

So Owen just became the governor or like the Councilman or whatever.

And so it's like, I just think it would make sense if he, as a vampire fell in love with a human.

And then that allows peace because we have one intermixing of every.

Yeah, OK, I buy it.

I'm in You.

You sold me.

It didn't take much.

It didn't take much, but also there was so much Owen and Bride and then literally nothing.

And I get that he's not the brother of Serena, but like, yeah, I don't know.

He was a main political figure.

So yeah, that's that's what I would suggest.

But I would also be fine if it was a duet.

I also think I just like, very much need a break from Ali Hazelwood books now.

I'm not gonna read problematic summer romance like it's just not.

We'll see if other ones come out.

I think I didn't read the Love Hypothesis, but maybe I'll watch the movie when it comes out.

Yeah, I'm gonna.

I don't know, I just like I need to stop and like I've made this pact with myself about Tessa Bailey too, or it's just like I hate all of her books.

Like why am I reading this?

Like I can't I, I, I keep trying to see what people are enjoying about it.

Me too.

But now at this point I'm just like, I'm done.

Ali Hazelwood with bride.

At least I'm like, maybe there's a chance here.

And I haven't like deeply hated her books like Jessa Bailey ones.

I'm so oh sorry If for those who are Tessa Bailey lovers or Tessa Bailey herself, I'm sure you'll love it.

I'm not a huge fan either.

I agree.

I need a Ali Hazelwood break because I read Deep End in early September.

That was episode 49 I think and it just it's too soon because they're too similar so I'm going to take a big break from hers.

I will read the love hypothesis when the Lily Reinhardt movie comes out.

Eventually I will read the the other ones.

I think I've only.

I think I have three other ones.

Check in mate, probably.

Right.

I think, yeah, I think check in mate is like Aya 1, so maybe I would.

So maybe I'd like that one actually.

I do want to see that just because it's a it is another like yeah, genre shift for her.

And then I think the last the other one is check in, mate.

Oh, and problematic summer, right, That I haven't seen.

Or Rosen Thorns.

Rosen Thorns or something like that, that that's the Germany Fanvic.

I haven't read that one.

Either OK, OK.

I eventually will read all of them, but I need a break.

Yeah.

Do you have any final thoughts on mate?

Should we all should we say?

Should we all?

Should we both say one thing we liked about it To end on a a posi note.

Yeah, I thought the moments that were so simple, like the shopping and the cooking dinner together and the playing piano together, like, I thought those were very lovely.

And like, those were the moments where I could understand the chemistry, that it wasn't just two characters, like, forced together.

Like, I like those moments.

Me too, and.

I thought they were done well and I do like Serena.

I think she was like a really cool character.

I feel like she was watered down here, which was really unfortunate because I like we didn't get much of her in bride, but I loved her and I was so excited for this.

Me too.

And and again, I like I tore through this.

Like I'm not gonna sit here and pretend like it was a slog for me to get through cuz it it absolutely was not.

Totally completely agree.

I think my positive note would be that I do like when the characters are like.

Like when she gets told that they're mates and she's like, well, like, I'm kind like maybe I'm like, not your cup of tea or whatever.

And he's like, and it's simple, but he's just like, you're the most like beautiful girl I've ever seen or something like that.

And like, but the way that they say it, he says stuff throughout the book, Cohen that like has a lot of weight to it, but seems really like casual and natural to him.

And I liked those moments.

Me too.

OK, that's me for you.

This is so much fun I needed a little giggle.

I always love doing this podcast.

I it's so much fun.

I like talking to you.

I would say the only bad part about me doing the podcast is like I don't get to listen to the SO.

That's cute.

That's so nice.

Also, you'll be back in January for Bridgerton.

I was gonna ask you.

I was like, am I coming back?

But yes, I can't.

Yeah, yeah, not wait.

I I'm so pumped.

I I think I'm higher on an offer from a gentleman than like truly anyone I've ever talked to who has also read it.

I know me too because I have love it, I have read it and it was fine, but I didn't like love love love.

I, I really loved it.

I think I the first time I read it, I think I finished it in like an afternoon.

It's just hard to be by count who loves me who.

Yeah, like it.

Which I am just read again this week.

Like truly the the 40th time I I love that.

Book me too.

You can't.

Still hits and still and season 2 still hits.

I I can't even like rewatch it though because like first of all Simone Ashley is too beautiful.

Second of all Jonathan Bailey's too beautiful.

Third of all it like pisses me off that they don't just like kiss the whole.

Time.

Me too.

Me too.

Me too.

Me too.

Me too.

I'm very excited and I I'm excited to talk to you again about it.

And I was thinking about it before this podcast because I was like, has ready to be romance really been going on for like five years?

Because like I've talked about every Britain season, but we just like talked about one a month for like 3 months leading up to the last one, which was two years ago still.

Yeah, it'll be two years of our TBR in like January, I think, which is so crazy.

OK, Can you let the listeners know where they can find you in anything else you want to plug?

Yeah, I'm a busy bee over the Internet, but I am in my slow season right now.

Just finished coverage of The Golden Bachelor over on the We Know reality TV network.

We know like We know Bachelor.

I was on an episode of The Sandy Boys with my friends Matt and Brendan to talk about an episode of The OC.

I'm not like a big OC girl.

I just like hanging out with them.

So I just like watch it.

They tell me to watch an episode and I'll do.

It I was on their Gossip Girl.

Pod, I love it yeah, I love it again, I didn't watch any Gossip Girl except for the episodes that they got me to watch for their podcast and then I've been on a couple episodes of the Hallmark use podcast in the last couple of weeks to talk about the Hallmark reality show Finding Mr.

Christmas, which is really like sweet and lovely show to find like the next Hallmark star.

It's a little cheesy, little corny, but like, you know, I feel like this is a time where you can use a little cheesiness and corneas in your life.

And it's like fun and lovely.

And Jonathan Bennett is the host and I think he's just like a phenomenal host for that show.

And then you can find my Books to Graham account at the Strong library.

I am reading and reviewing a lot of stuff.

Some of my favorite books that I've read in the last little bit, I told Ethan, my husband, that if he read my favorite book, I'd read his favorite book.

So in the summer, he read you.

Guys are gross.

I know it's sickens me so in the summer he read Book Lovers and enjoyed it.

So I read 11/22/63 by Stephen King.

It was it was 1200 ages.

You're such a Good Wife.

I finished it in.

Three days.

Did you love it?

I really enjoyed.

It you guys are soul mates.

I know I'm just like so much don't exist, but like we're perfect for each other.

Like it's literally that's crazy, crazy.

I it was just one of those books where I was so engaged.

Like it was 1200 pages, but it didn't feel like 1200 pages.

Like it didn't feel like it dragged on.

Like there was a maybe maybe like a quick 300 pages in the middle where it dragged a little bit, but for the most part it was banger.

That's crazy.

And then for the reality TV girlies, I read a book called Let Me Try and Find It, fan favorite by Adrian Gun.

Why can't I find it in my Instagram?

Oh, fan favorite by Adrienne Gunn.

And so it's this woman.

She's 35.

She just got broken up with her boyfriend and she turns on e-news and they're talking about the next.

I don't know, I think the show is called the key or like lock and key.

And the guy, the guy leading the show is her high school ex-boyfriend.

So she like convinces herself that this is fate and she needs to go on the show so they can fall in love again.

She's so mean.

I you'd love this.

Book.

I just added it to my TBR.

It's it's really good.

And so she contacts producers and they're like, yeah, this girl's fucking bananas.

Let's get her on the show and you get some different perspectives.

So you get like her perspective.

You get Charlie, who is the lead of the show's perspective and you get like one of the reality TV producers perspectives.

So it's really cool seeing like in the reality TV producer, like their view of Edie is this like, this girl's nuts.

She's not that hot.

She's like 35.

Like, obviously she's crazy.

And then she like, goes on the show and she realizes, like, what a mistake she's made because everybody else is 25 and so fucking hot.

And like, I usually hate like, I'm not like other girls trope.

This one's fun because she's like, oh, these girls are like specimens of like, like perfect specimens of humanity.

Like this is crazy yes, and I just feel like it's one of the best like it feels like what the reality TV show is like.

I guess like I feel like so many other ones are just like too much of like high level tropes of reality TV where this one I could I it all made sense to me, like as somebody who's been watching these shows for a majority of my existence.

So that's that's my number one recommendation for you and your audience.

I love that.

Just added it to my TBR.

I can already tell that I like it.

There's no way that I there's no way that I can't because I feel like that's everything I like in life or relate to in life.

But they end up together, right?

Like it's romance.

It's a romance.

OK, that means it needs a happily ever after.

It has one.

What she finds herself like, No, don't worry, she gets Dick down.

OK, I'll say that.

OK, OK.

OK, but it's very it's very fun, like great chemistry, really cute.

Like I that was one of my favorite books I've read this year.

Oh, I love that.

OK, I've been in such a reading slump.

I think that was the other thing I was probably a little harsh on, mate.

Who knows, maybe.

But like, it's just because this year I feel like I've been in such a slump that I was like, this is gonna change at all.

Yeah.

And I just didn't.

Yeah, I did that.

I just didn't.

Yeah, I feel that.

But that's OK.

OK, everybody follow Haley at the Strong Library.

Thank you so much for coming on.

Thanks for having me.

And that's the story of mate.

Thank you so much for listening and thank you to Haley for joining me on today's show.

I just wanted to say shout out to the listeners.

Today was Spotify Wrapped for podcasters and it was really fun to see who was listening, where they were listening from, and that the audience is growing.

Super, super fun and exciting for me.

If you want more RTBR, you can follow me on socials at Ready to Be Romanced and subscribe to the show.

Leaving a rating and review helps us find new listeners, and I feel like that would be a fun thing to do before 2026.

You can suggest a book or leave a voicemail with a question via the links in the episode show notes.

I always put the next books we're reading in the episode show notes, so if you have a question you can send it in before we record it.

So if you want something to be played on air, you can do that.

OK my loves.

Our next episode is Sideline 2 Intercepted.

Until then, happy reading for ready to be Romanced.

I'm Tori.

Goodbye.