Hot for Slayer by Ali Hazelwood
Series: Scared Sexy #1
Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal
Pages: 94
Published By: Amazon Original Stories on 23rd September, 2025
Format: Ebook
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Book Synopsis:
When AethelthrythββEthelβ to her modern-day Manhattan neighborsβfinds her sworn nemesis Lazlo Enyedi with no memory of who or what they are, an ancient hunt becomes an unexpected chance at forbidden passion. Heβs crashing on her couch, solving her sudoku puzzles, and looking at her like sheβs his eternal flame (minus the whole bursting-into-ashes part). As his memories slowly return, Ethel realizes she might be in danger of losing more than just her headβ¦
Book Review
As part of my “Amazon Originals” Summer Project, I am reading through short stories published by Amazon. A spin wheel picked them at random, and I ended up with the first book in the Scared Sexy series. I have only read one other book from Ali Hazelwood before and it was a full-length novel. Therefore, I was interested to see how her writing would work for me in a novella. Because I have Amazon Prime, the eBook was included, so I didn’t have to pay for it.
The character’s are part of what makes a novella successful and Hazelwood delivered. Even though it’s a novella, the characters are well fleshed out, with parts of their backstories woven throughout the story. I felt quite connected to both of them, and I enjoyed seeing how their relationship developed over the many years they remained connected in one way or another.
The book includes some spice, but the author doesn’t overdo it. I will say that the spice wasn’t quite for me due to the nature of the characters. I much preferred just seeing their relationship unfold as the story progressed. This book was so much more than just a romance. It highlights themes that pull on your heartstrings but give so much depth to such a short story. Hazelwood did such a great job with this novella.
Aside from the characters, I really enjoyed the plot. I liked the inclusion of some vampire lore throughout as it added a nice touch to the story. The dialogue wasn’t at all cringy, it felt to the point and snappy. I don’t know why but these characters were giving me Buffy and Spike vibes from Buffy the Vampire Slayer… I was totally here for it!
There were no issues with the pacing and I think it progressed as the right pace. Sometimes it’s difficult with novellas to get the pacing right. The romance and conflicts can at times feel unnecessary or too long… Not with this novella! Hazelwood made every scene matter for the plot and it made for a refreshing read. I wish this was more than a novella. I ended up becoming deeply invested in the characters and think it would’ve been just as good if it was a full-length story.
If you’re looking for a quick romance palate cleanser to read between books then I’d definitely recommend reading this one. I can’t wait to try out the other books in this series and read more full-length novels from Ali Hazelwood.
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