Oh this is so interesting and might explain why I very much related to this very ummm inconsistent... book. I think your theory is especially interesting in the context of the blurb for the follow up book "Mate" on Ali's site. The book is about Koen (the other pack leader) and Serena (the best friend Misery is searching for throughout Bride). It reads to me like Koen is very much mated with Serena (we get a first glimpse at the end of Bride but in the blurb it's all in) and Serena is just... not. Of course Misery is a Vampyre and Serena is a Were x human hybrid so they both, may not have (M) the hardware, or have fully functioning (S) "hardware"/Were mate system dynamics.
FYI, I think this update of the synopsis was fairly recent:
Mate
OUT: OCT 7th, 2025
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…
Considering the breadth of Ali Hazelwood's ace characters in so many of her books, that totally tracks with me that she'd continue it! Bride was def inconsistent, but in a way that I still had a good time with, and the more I thought about it (clearly a lot!!) the more I appreciated it. Thanks for reading!
I’m a STEM PhD but oddly my first AH book was Bride and I’ve just read Not In Love. The ace representation in her work was what finally made me agree to read them as my friend has been bugging me for ages but those two came in at the library first. I’ve enjoyed these first two and I’m not really too fussy right now as I’m just trying to read (I think a lot of us are struggling to rn) so I’m looking forward to Mate and the Not in Love follow up! Meanwhile plenty others to catch up on! Do you have a recc list for ace representation? I’d love to explore more ace rep in this genre. Thanks!
Definitely The Love Hypothesis and Love, Theoretically should be next on your list!! As for other ace rep, it's rarely canon (there was one that I DNF'd that was but I don't recall the name), but I would argue these have an ace-coded lead: Dr. Perfect by Louise Bay, Morbidly Yours by Ivy Fairbanks, and Satisfaction Guaranteed by Karelia Stetz-Waters
Oh, I am very sold on this metaphor! (Also, I feel like most books in the Aliverse have one or more ace-coded MCs? One of the novellas definitely does, Under One Roof)
Yeah the only projects of hers so far without an ace character are Not In Love and Love on the Brain, both of which (unrelatedly) are my least favorite of her oeuvre.
And even in Not in Love she's "different" because she doesn't care for penetrative intercourse (until his magic penis fixed her, of course). It's impressive how she can specifically call out and mock that concept, while then doing exactly that.
Oh this is so interesting and might explain why I very much related to this very ummm inconsistent... book. I think your theory is especially interesting in the context of the blurb for the follow up book "Mate" on Ali's site. The book is about Koen (the other pack leader) and Serena (the best friend Misery is searching for throughout Bride). It reads to me like Koen is very much mated with Serena (we get a first glimpse at the end of Bride but in the blurb it's all in) and Serena is just... not. Of course Misery is a Vampyre and Serena is a Were x human hybrid so they both, may not have (M) the hardware, or have fully functioning (S) "hardware"/Were mate system dynamics.
FYI, I think this update of the synopsis was fairly recent:
Mate
OUT: OCT 7th, 2025
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…
Considering the breadth of Ali Hazelwood's ace characters in so many of her books, that totally tracks with me that she'd continue it! Bride was def inconsistent, but in a way that I still had a good time with, and the more I thought about it (clearly a lot!!) the more I appreciated it. Thanks for reading!
I’m a STEM PhD but oddly my first AH book was Bride and I’ve just read Not In Love. The ace representation in her work was what finally made me agree to read them as my friend has been bugging me for ages but those two came in at the library first. I’ve enjoyed these first two and I’m not really too fussy right now as I’m just trying to read (I think a lot of us are struggling to rn) so I’m looking forward to Mate and the Not in Love follow up! Meanwhile plenty others to catch up on! Do you have a recc list for ace representation? I’d love to explore more ace rep in this genre. Thanks!
Definitely The Love Hypothesis and Love, Theoretically should be next on your list!! As for other ace rep, it's rarely canon (there was one that I DNF'd that was but I don't recall the name), but I would argue these have an ace-coded lead: Dr. Perfect by Louise Bay, Morbidly Yours by Ivy Fairbanks, and Satisfaction Guaranteed by Karelia Stetz-Waters
Oh, I am very sold on this metaphor! (Also, I feel like most books in the Aliverse have one or more ace-coded MCs? One of the novellas definitely does, Under One Roof)
Yeah the only projects of hers so far without an ace character are Not In Love and Love on the Brain, both of which (unrelatedly) are my least favorite of her oeuvre.
And even in Not in Love she's "different" because she doesn't care for penetrative intercourse (until his magic penis fixed her, of course). It's impressive how she can specifically call out and mock that concept, while then doing exactly that.