Recent Reads: Mate by Ali Hazelwood

Mate by Ali Hazelwood 

Series: Bride #2
Publisher:  Berkley
Publication Date:   October 7, 2025

 

Format: Audiobook
Source: Bought/Own

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

A Human hybrid and an Alpha Were claw against the bonds of fate in the highly anticipated companion novel to the New York Times bestselling Bride.

Serena Paris is orphaned, pack-less, and one of a kind. Coming forward as the first Human-Were hybrid was supposed to heal a centuries-long rift between species. Instead, it made her a target, prey to the ruthless political machinations between Weres, Vampyres, and Humans. With her enemies closing in on her, she has only one option left—if he’ll have her.

As Alpha of the Northwest pack, Koen Alexander commands obedience. His authority is so absolute, only a fool would threaten his mate. It doesn’t matter if Serena doesn’t reciprocate his feelings, nothing will stop him from keeping her safe.

But power-hungry Vampyres and Weres are not the only threats chasing Serena. Sooner or later, her past is bound to catch up with her—and Koen might be the only thing standing between her and total annihilation…

Review: 

I needed to take a break from books on my review pile for a bit to make reading feel like less of a 'to do' and an Ali Hazelwood romance is seemingly always there for me to do this with. I love all of her books, there is just something about the way that she writes banter and builds tension that has me either not putting the book down OR thinking about it excessively until I can pick it up again. Mate was no different.

When I read Bride I was fully enthralled and I have since also re-read it, which I normally don't do. I loved it again the 2nd time. I was honestly dreading reading Mate because I didn't want to be disappointed... thank goodness it was good. It wasn't Bride good, but it scratched the itch in other ways good. 

One of my favorite things about this story was the dynamic between Serena and Koen. Their relationship develops in a way that feels both inevitable and frustrating. Serena, is unsure about being a hybrid and what that means for her and believing she may be running out of time, carries a vulnerability that makes it easy to root for her. Meanwhile, Koen's realization that he has a mate at all, and his attempts to keep his distance, creates an emotional push and pull that keeps the tension simmering and building through the book.

My other love.. the banter! Their conversations were funny, or had an awkwardness to the point of cringe, and but the genuine affection for each other was so cute. There were plenty of moments that made me laugh, mixed with just enough secondhand embarrassment to make the characters feel real and relatable. Beneath all of that was a constant undercurrent of longing, with both characters fighting feelings they never expected to have. The result is a romance that feels both earned and rushed.

As the story progresses, the tension only intensifies. Even once Serena and Koen finally begin giving in to their feelings, the emotional and physical chemistry continues to build rather than disappear. Ali does a great job of making every interaction feel charged, leading to a payoff that is equal parts romantic, emotional, and undeniably spicy. 

If you're looking for a paranormal romance that delivers plenty of steam without sacrificing character development or connection, this one absolutely delivers. The audiobook narration was also so well done, bringing both characters to life in a way that made it hard to put down/ turn off.