OverDrive would like to use cookies to store information on your computer to improve your user experience at our Website. One of the cookies we use is critical for certain aspects of the site to operate and has already been set. You may delete and block all cookies from this site, but this could affect certain features or services of the site. To find out more about the cookies we use and how to delete them, click here to see our Privacy Policy.
#1 Indie Next Pick! A Hall of Fame LibraryReads pick! One of People’s Best Books to Read in February A dangerous alliance between a Vampyre bride and an Alpha Werewolf becomes a love deep enough to sink your teeth into in this new paranormal romance from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Love, Theoretically and The Love Hypothesis. Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast—again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans are over: she has been called upon to uphold a historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and she sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchange—again... Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. It’s clear from the way he tracks Misery’s every movement that he doesn’t trust her. If only he knew how right he was…. Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she's ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what’s hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory…alone with the wolf.
#1 Indie Next Pick! A Hall of Fame LibraryReads pick! One of People’s Best Books to Read in February A dangerous alliance between a Vampyre bride and an Alpha Werewolf becomes a love deep enough to sink your teeth into in this new paranormal romance from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Love, Theoretically and The Love Hypothesis. Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast—again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans are over: she has been called upon to uphold a historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and she sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchange—again... Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. It’s clear from the way he tracks Misery’s every movement that he doesn’t trust her. If only he knew how right he was…. Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she's ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what’s hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory…alone with the wolf.
Due to publisher restrictions the library cannot purchase additional copies of this title, and we apologize if there is a long waiting list. Be sure to check for other copies, because there may be other editions available.
Due to publisher restrictions the library cannot purchase additional copies of this title, and we apologize if there is a long waiting list. Be sure to check for other copies, because there may be other editions available.
Excerpts-
From the cover
Chapter 1
It's been storming for three days straight when he finally returns from a meeting with the leader of the Big Bend huddle. Two of his seconds are already inside his home, waiting for him with wary expressions.
"The Vampyre woman-she backed out."
He grunts as he wipes his face. Smart of her, he thinks.
"But they found a replacement," Cal adds, sliding a manila folder on the counter. "Everything's in here. They want to know if she has your approval."
"We proceed as planned."
Cal huffs out a laugh. Flor frowns. "Don't you want to look at the-"
"No. This changes nothing."
They're all the same, anyway.
Six weeks before the ceremony
She shows up at the start-up where I work on an early Thursday evening, when the sun has already set and the entire bullpen is contemplating grievous bodily harm.
Against me.
I doubt I deserve this level of hatred, but I do understand it. And that's why I don't make a fuss when I return to my desk following a brief meeting with my manager and notice the state of my stapler. Honestly, it's fine. I work from home 90 percent of the time and rarely print anything. Who cares if someone smeared bird shit on it?
"Don't take it personally, Missy." Pierce leans against our cubicle divider. His smile is less concerned friend, more smarmy used car salesman; even his blood smells oily.
"I won't." Other people's approval is a powerful drug. Lucky me, I never got the chance to develop an addiction. If there's something I'm good at, it's rationalizing my peers' contempt toward me. I've been training like piano prodigies: tirelessly and since early childhood.
"No need to sweat it."
"I'm not." Literally. I barely own the necessary glands.
"And don't listen to Walker. He didn't say what you think he did."
Pretty sure it was "nasty bitch" and not "tasty peach" that he yelled across the conference room, but who knows?
"It comes with the territory. You'd be mad, too, if someone did a penetration test against a firewall you've been working on for weeks and breached it in what, one hour?"
It was maybe a third of that, even counting the break I took in the middle after realizing how quickly I was blowing through the system. I spent it online shopping for a new hamper, since Serena's damn cat seems to be asleep in my old one whenever I need to do laundry. I texted her a picture of the receipt, followed by You and your cat owe me sixteen dollars. Then I sat and waited for a reply, like I always do.
It didn't come. Nor had I expected it would.
"People will get over it," he Pierces on. "And hey, you never bring lunch, so no need to worry someone'll spit in your Tupperware." He bursts into laughter. I turn to my computer monitor, hoping he'll peace out. Boy, am I wrong. "And to be honest, it's kind of on you. If you tried to mingle more . . . Personally, I get your loner, mysterious, quiet vibe. But some read you as aloof, like you think you're better than us. If you made an effort to-"
"Misery."
When I hear my name called-the real one-for a split, exceptionally dumb second, I experience relief that this conversation is going to be over. Then I crane my neck and notice the woman standing on the other side of the divider. Her face is distantly familiar, and so is the black hair, but it's not until I focus on her heartbeat that I manage to place her. It's slow like only a Vampyre's can be, and . . .
Well.
Shit.
"Vania?"
"You're hard to find," she tells me, voice melodic and low. I briefly contemplate slamming my head against the keyboard. Then settle for replying...
Reviews-
November 15, 2023 A vampire and an Alpha werewolf enter into a marriage of convenience in order to ease tensions between their species. As the only daughter of a prominent Vampyre councilman, Misery Lark has grown accustomed to having to playing the role that's demanded of her--and now, her father is ordering her to be a part of yet another truce agreement. In an effort to maintain goodwill between the Vampyres and their longtime nemeses the Weres, Misery must wed their Alpha, Lowe Moreland. But it turns out that Misery has her own motivations for agreeing to this political marriage, including finding answers about what happened to her best friend, who went missing after setting up a meeting in Were territory. Isolated from her kind and surrounded on all sides by the enemy after the wedding, Misery refuses to let herself forget about her real mission. It doesn't matter that Lowe is one of the most confounding and intense people she's ever met, or that the connection building between them doesn't feel like one born entirely of convenience. There's also the possibility that Lowe may already have a Were mate of his own, but in spite of their biological differences, they may turn out to be the missing piece in each other's lives. While this is Hazelwood's first paranormal romance, and the book does lean on some hallmark tropes of the genre, the contemporary setting lends itself to the author's trademark humor and makes the political plot more easily digestible. Misery and Lowe's slow-burn romance is appealing enough that readers will readily devour every moment between them and hunger to return to them whenever the story diverts from their scenes together. Sink your teeth into this delightful paranormal romance with a modern twist.
COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Starred review from December 1, 2023
Misery Lark is a vampire hiding among humans. Filing her fangs down, wearing brown contacts to cover her violet irises, and working night shifts haven't been fun, but her privacy and independence are worth it. As it turns out, she wasn't hiding very well. Escorted home--by force--to a meeting with her father, Misery learns that she's the pawn in a vampire/werewolf alliance and will be married off to alpha werewolf Lowe Moreland. Marrying Lowe, moving to werewolf territory, and being surrounded by werewolves who immediately mistrust and dislike her; none of that matters to Misery. She has been looking for her missing best friend, who she believes is somewhere in werewolf territory. If getting married is what it takes to find her, Misery is all in. This paranormal romance, Hazelwood's (Love Theoretically) first foray into the subgenre, introduces modernized vampires and shifters. The worldbuilding is excellent and intricate, and the characters are well-drawn, with emotional depth and backstories that pull on readers' heartstrings. VERDICT Witty dialogue, plots within plots, and a surprising twist round out this excellent novel. Highly recommended.--Heather Miller Cover
Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
January 22, 2024 Misery definitely doesn’t love company in this funny and thoughtful urban fantasy romance from Hazelwood (Love, Theoretically). As the daughter of a leading Vampyre council member, Misery Lark is used to being used. She spent ages eight through 18 as the collateral in an uneasy Vampyre-human alliance, essentially held hostage in the human world. Just when she’s finally free to live her life as a computer security expert, her best friend disappears and Misery is summoned back to her father, who aims to use her as collateral once more, this time in a Vampyre-Werewolf alliance that must be sealed with a marriage. She’s ready to refuse—until she realizes her future husband may be linked to her missing friend and she sees a chance to get answers. Alpha Lowe Moreland isn’t a stranger to duty, but even he’s a bit surprised with this marriage of inconvenience and how much he enjoys having a member of the much-hated Vampyre race in his territory. With the specter of an interspecies war on the horizon as well as threats from within, he has to balance attraction and protection while still holding on to his sanity. It’s a new subgenre for Hazelwood, and she navigates it well, slowly teasing out the sweet and spicy supernatural romance. This is a treat. Agent: Thao Le, Sandra Dijkstra Literary.
Starred review from January 1, 2024 Misery Lark has always been a pawn in the epic bloody conflicts among Vampyres, Weres, and Humans. As the young daughter of a prominent councilor, she was sent to live with Humans as the Collateral, a living guarantee of good behavior on the part of the Vampyres. After a fraught childhood, only saved by the friendship of Serena, her Human foster sister and best friend, Misery volunteered to marry Lowe Moreland, the the Alpha of the Southwest Were Pack. The marriage would not only help avert another bloody war, it would also allow her to secretly investigate Serena's disappearance. The three species fear and revile each other, resorting to diplomacy that always seems to require hostages. Hazelwood (Love, Theoretically, 2023), who cleverly includes a bit of real science in her romances, explains that their differences are the result of genetic mutations, not the occult. Lowe, not at all what Misery expected, is a loving guardian to his charming young sister, and Misery, to the surprise of the Weres in the household, does not attack every, or in fact, any neck she sees. This enthralling tale of political machinations, family secrets, enduring friendship, and the allure and fear of people who are "other" is a not to be missed romance.
COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Title Information+
Publisher
Penguin Publishing Group
OverDrive Read
Release date:
EPUB eBook
Release date:
Digital Rights Information+
Copyright Protection (DRM) required by the Publisher may be applied to this title to limit or prohibit printing or copying. File sharing or redistribution is prohibited. Your rights to access this material expire at the end of the lending period. Please see Important Notice about Copyrighted Materials for terms applicable to this content.
Please update to the latest version of the OverDrive app to stream videos.
Device Compatibility Notice
The OverDrive app is required for this format on your current device.
Bahrain, Egypt, Hong Kong, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the Sudan, the Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen
You've reached your library's checkout limit for digital titles.
To make room for more checkouts, you may be able to return titles from your Checkouts page.
Excessive Checkout Limit Reached.
There have been too many titles checked out and returned by your account within a short period of time.
Try again in several days. If you are still not able to check out titles after 7 days, please contact Support.
You have already checked out this title. To access it, return to your Checkouts page.
This title is not available for your card type. If you think this is an error contact support.
There are no copies of this issue left to borrow. Please try to borrow this title again when a new issue is released.
| Sign In
You will be prompted to sign into your library account on the next page.
If this is your first time selecting “Send to NOOK,” you will then be taken to a Barnes & Noble page to sign into (or create) your NOOK account. You should only have to sign into your NOOK account once to link it to your library account. After this one-time step, periodicals will be automatically sent to your NOOK account when you select "Send to NOOK."
The first time you select “Send to NOOK,” you will be taken to a Barnes & Noble page to sign into (or create) your NOOK account. You should only have to sign into your NOOK account once to link it to your library account. After this one-time step, periodicals will be automatically sent to your NOOK account when you select "Send to NOOK."
You can read periodicals on any NOOK tablet or in the free NOOK reading app for iOS, Android or Windows 8.
