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A general plans to use a nobleman’s bride to teach him a lesson. After meeting her, he decides to keep her for himself.
After the End is a collection of dystopian novellas authored by AH² [Ali Hazelwood and Adriana Herrera] and some of our most beloved storytellers—the first of what we hope will be many collaborative projects. As long-term, rabid romance readers, we feel privileged to work with authors and artists who are masterful in their craft, innovative in their storytelling, and constantly bringing fresh, unique ideas to the genre.
Please note that this title is specific to a Kickstarter collection and is not currently available outside of the campaign. No set plans have been made for a wide release in any format.
Content notes/warnings: ableism, blood, death of secondary characters, dubious consent, infertility, violence
After the End is a collection of dystopian novellas authored by AH² [Ali Hazelwood and Adriana Herrera] and some of our most beloved storytellers—the first of what we hope will be many collaborative projects. As long-term, rabid romance readers, we feel privileged to work with authors and artists who are masterful in their craft, innovative in their storytelling, and constantly bringing fresh, unique ideas to the genre.
Please note that this title is specific to a Kickstarter collection and is not currently available outside of the campaign. No set plans have been made for a wide release in any format.
Content notes/warnings: ableism, blood, death of secondary characters, dubious consent, infertility, violence
136 pages, ebook
First published October 7, 2025
About the author
Ali Hazelwood
38 books197k followersI'm Ali, and I write contemporary romcom novels about women in STEM and academia. I love cats, Nutella, and side ponytails. I'm also currently learning to crochet, so as you can tell I'm a super busy gal with an intense and exciting life!
I only use Goodreads as a reader, to review and hype books that I've loved (many of these book are ARCs received from fellow authors).
I only use Goodreads as a reader, to review and hype books that I've loved (many of these book are ARCs received from fellow authors).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,663 reviews
October 8, 2025
I may not be the first one to say this, but this book was not it 🧍
I dont know if these type of things are common in the omegaverse but I was astonished 🧍 (Not in a good way) so she wrote about an omega who was marrying a guy just for the sake of marrying because he was respectful towards her but she did not love him 🧍 she is mated to him and they get married 🧍 the general who the guys family hates, claims the right to have the first night with her 🧍 she is taken and keep in mind, she is a virign while he is a whorey fuckboy 🧍 the forbidden romance, i get it but at the cost of this?? 🧍they cozy up, he says he's gonna fuck her and she realizes that she does not feel scared by that thought 🧍so they boink 🧍 then it's revealed she's his mate?? 🧍 they boink in front of the guy she married 🧍 exhibitionism 🧍He's talking to her ex while boinking her🧍Also, it was boring as hell 🧍
What are we doing here, Ali?🧍
___
Let's see if the book is as good as the cover 🤭 plsplsplsplsplspls don't ruin my good 'Ali Hazelwood readss' streak 🙏🏻
___
She's working overtime and NO ONE is complaining 🙂↕️ her switching genres with every new book 🤭 ALSO THAT COVER?! Stunning ✨
I dont know if these type of things are common in the omegaverse but I was astonished 🧍 (Not in a good way) so she wrote about an omega who was marrying a guy just for the sake of marrying because he was respectful towards her but she did not love him 🧍 she is mated to him and they get married 🧍 the general who the guys family hates, claims the right to have the first night with her 🧍 she is taken and keep in mind, she is a virign while he is a whorey fuckboy 🧍 the forbidden romance, i get it but at the cost of this?? 🧍they cozy up, he says he's gonna fuck her and she realizes that she does not feel scared by that thought 🧍so they boink 🧍 then it's revealed she's his mate?? 🧍 they boink in front of the guy she married 🧍 exhibitionism 🧍He's talking to her ex while boinking her🧍Also, it was boring as hell 🧍
What are we doing here, Ali?🧍
___
Let's see if the book is as good as the cover 🤭 plsplsplsplsplspls don't ruin my good 'Ali Hazelwood readss' streak 🙏🏻
___
She's working overtime and NO ONE is complaining 🙂↕️ her switching genres with every new book 🤭 ALSO THAT COVER?! Stunning ✨
October 8, 2026
ok ali hazelwood teetering on dark romance. gimme 14 of them right now ‼️💳💥💳💥💳💥💳💥💳💥
October 8, 2025
my mom was right. it's the damn phone.
November 16, 2025
didn't expect cuckolding in an ali hazelwood book
but i should have known she'd surprise and delight lmao. the reviews for this almost had me running for the hills but if you've read a dark romance before you'll be more than fine. whether or not you'll enjoy this VERY different kind of story from ms. hazelwood... guess you'll have to read it to find out.
but i should have known she'd surprise and delight lmao. the reviews for this almost had me running for the hills but if you've read a dark romance before you'll be more than fine. whether or not you'll enjoy this VERY different kind of story from ms. hazelwood... guess you'll have to read it to find out.
Want to Read
October 8, 2025I have high hopes for this one when it releases. Ngl it's giving me GOOD vibes
October 29, 2025
Oh, I devoured this!!
I understand now why I've seen so many negative reviews, but I fear I'm exactly the audience this was intended for... I was in the trenches during my omegaverse obsession, so this was very tame for me, but it's definitely not something everyone's going to enjoy..
I went into it completely blind and this was certainly not what I was expecting from Ali, but you know what, I loved it!!
Gabriel, he's just the kind of an Alpha I love and Sofia was the epitome of go with the flow. I'm not going to say much about the book, because I don't want to spoil it, but I liked them together.
The world was developed really well, but I would've loved to see more of Gabriel and Sofia and to see their connection truly develop, but I know I can't expect much in a novella. That last scene though, that was certainly a choice, a choice I support, because why not. It was poetic justice after all..
Anyway, this was fun as hell and I enjoyed it very much!!
.·:*¨ ¨*:·.
I have no idea what this is about, but Ali writes and I have to read!!
I'm a little scared, because I haven't seen great reviews, but she never let me down before, so hoping for the best 🤞
I understand now why I've seen so many negative reviews, but I fear I'm exactly the audience this was intended for... I was in the trenches during my omegaverse obsession, so this was very tame for me, but it's definitely not something everyone's going to enjoy..
I went into it completely blind and this was certainly not what I was expecting from Ali, but you know what, I loved it!!
Gabriel, he's just the kind of an Alpha I love and Sofia was the epitome of go with the flow. I'm not going to say much about the book, because I don't want to spoil it, but I liked them together.
The world was developed really well, but I would've loved to see more of Gabriel and Sofia and to see their connection truly develop, but I know I can't expect much in a novella. That last scene though, that was certainly a choice, a choice I support, because why not. It was poetic justice after all..
Anyway, this was fun as hell and I enjoyed it very much!!
.·:*¨ ¨*:·.
I have no idea what this is about, but Ali writes and I have to read!!
I'm a little scared, because I haven't seen great reviews, but she never let me down before, so hoping for the best 🤞
October 27, 2025
good thing, i have a memory of a hamster because now i can forget about this book easily.
October 8, 2025
1⭐️
AHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHJAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA
This is hands down the worst romance book I got to read at least this year. Not only there is no chemistry between characters that are flat more than a wall but also the smut sucked so much. The “plot” is something a person would come out with in five minutes being deadly drunk..
This made me laugh so much
So she basically confesses her feelings for him and cries bc of it, and next thing he says is
“Take my cock out”
I literally cannot omg
This book is worse than any fanfiction I read at 12 yo and none of it was so laughable
At least there is no r@pe or torture- porn here, just so much cringe
Pre-read:
Statistically every ten seconds after I blink somewhere in the world there is a new Ali Hazelwood book popping out
AHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHJAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA
This is hands down the worst romance book I got to read at least this year. Not only there is no chemistry between characters that are flat more than a wall but also the smut sucked so much. The “plot” is something a person would come out with in five minutes being deadly drunk..
This made me laugh so much
So she basically confesses her feelings for him and cries bc of it, and next thing he says is
“Take my cock out”
I literally cannot omg
This book is worse than any fanfiction I read at 12 yo and none of it was so laughable
At least there is no r@pe or torture- porn here, just so much cringe
Pre-read:
Statistically every ten seconds after I blink somewhere in the world there is a new Ali Hazelwood book popping out
October 9, 2025
she’s a virgin cold omega and he’s fucked sooo many beautiful omegas. shut the fuck up. not in the mood for this.
he was also written in such a sleezy whore way.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
he was also written in such a sleezy whore way.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
July 14, 2026
1 ⭐️
A general plans to use a nobleman’s bride to teach him a lesson. After meeting her, he decides to keep her for himself.
The only thing I knew before reading was the one-line description above AND that it was an omegaverse. A shame, however, that this novella ended up being such a flop.
The MMC, Gabriel, is a general. By ranking, he's the most important person. However, he's also a commoner that is repeatedly harmed by his enemy, the Larsens—an affluent noble family that regularly opposes him and only care about furthering their elitist ideals. His response to this shared animosity? Gabriel uses his rights as general to claim the "first night" of the COMPLETELY UNRELATED FMC whose sole "wrongdoing" was marrying into the Larsen family.
Let me make something clear: Gabriel was 100% prepared to RAPE the FMC, Sofia, even while under the impression that she was having a love union with a Larsen son. In his eyes, Sofia was an inconsequential collateral damage in a scheme to take down their family.
The SOLE REASON he doesn't rape her is because he finds her "different from all other omegas" and pragmatic when alone in his bedchambers. Sofia's reactions are so unexpected, with her saying, "I was planning on reselling this expensive dress, so let me take it off instead of you ripping it off my body" to the point where he doesn't end up touching her that first night.
Basically, through not having a meltdown/freaking out she catches his fancy because “why girl no cry after being forced into my bed?” *Caveman voice*
These two fall in love over the span of 24-48 hours to the point where Gabriel's devotedly pronouncing, "You own me. All I have is yours now." BLECH.
To summarize: Because she's not like other omegas and "smells amazing" (omega pheromones; if you've read any ABO, you know what I'm talking about.) They proceed to fall in love. Had she reacted the way Gabriel had anticipated when he demanded her first night? He would've RAPED her even if she resisted. End of story.
It shouldn't be a surprise that I don't recommend this book. First is a rushed and nonsensical "love" that's justified through Sofia developing feelings in the middle of this "First Night" unrefusable order.
*I had to lower my rating because wtf was I thinking rating it so high when I found the storyline so icky?! The characters weren't even likable!
Other review of the After the End novellas collection:
M.A.Y.A. (1 ⭐️)
A general plans to use a nobleman’s bride to teach him a lesson. After meeting her, he decides to keep her for himself.
The only thing I knew before reading was the one-line description above AND that it was an omegaverse. A shame, however, that this novella ended up being such a flop.
The MMC, Gabriel, is a general. By ranking, he's the most important person. However, he's also a commoner that is repeatedly harmed by his enemy, the Larsens—an affluent noble family that regularly opposes him and only care about furthering their elitist ideals. His response to this shared animosity? Gabriel uses his rights as general to claim the "first night" of the COMPLETELY UNRELATED FMC whose sole "wrongdoing" was marrying into the Larsen family.
Let me make something clear: Gabriel was 100% prepared to RAPE the FMC, Sofia, even while under the impression that she was having a love union with a Larsen son. In his eyes, Sofia was an inconsequential collateral damage in a scheme to take down their family.
The SOLE REASON he doesn't rape her is because he finds her "different from all other omegas" and pragmatic when alone in his bedchambers. Sofia's reactions are so unexpected, with her saying, "I was planning on reselling this expensive dress, so let me take it off instead of you ripping it off my body" to the point where he doesn't end up touching her that first night.
Basically, through not having a meltdown/freaking out she catches his fancy because “why girl no cry after being forced into my bed?” *Caveman voice*
These two fall in love over the span of 24-48 hours to the point where Gabriel's devotedly pronouncing, "You own me. All I have is yours now." BLECH.
To summarize: Because she's not like other omegas and "smells amazing" (omega pheromones; if you've read any ABO, you know what I'm talking about.) They proceed to fall in love. Had she reacted the way Gabriel had anticipated when he demanded her first night? He would've RAPED her even if she resisted. End of story.
It shouldn't be a surprise that I don't recommend this book. First is a rushed and nonsensical "love" that's justified through Sofia developing feelings in the middle of this "First Night" unrefusable order.
*I had to lower my rating because wtf was I thinking rating it so high when I found the storyline so icky?! The characters weren't even likable!
Other review of the After the End novellas collection:
M.A.Y.A. (1 ⭐️)
October 9, 2025
HOLD ON is this an omegaverse? oh my
pre-read: how is this woman announcing new books faster than I do my laundry
pre-read: how is this woman announcing new books faster than I do my laundry
October 7, 2025
General takes revenge on a nobleman by CLAIMING HIS WIFE!!👰🏼♀️⚔️ And he doesn’t mind an audience either…
“She was always meant to be mine.”
In a this post apocalyptic bunker under the sea OMEGAVERSE power struggles are high. In an act of revenge General Gabriel decided to invoke the Right of the First Night and claims an enemy’s new wife.
My favorites:
🌊 mmc goes from “I will use her for revenge” to “are you a perfect weapon engineered to weaken me” real fast
🌊 he marks her!
🌊 claiming with the audience AND HE FLAUNTS IT!!! I’m sorry Ali I wasn’t familiar with your game……..
I really enjoyed the edge of darkness of being at someone’s mercy! Sofia was an independent Omega that really blossomed in Gabriel’s possessive presence.
Surprisingly low smut BUT THAT ONE SCENE did blow my mind 🔥🔥 I wished there was more interaction between the main characters but alas it was only a short novella.
possessive mmc
forced proximity
virgin fmc
who hurt you
omegaverse
dystopian
HEA
“She was always meant to be mine.”
In a this post apocalyptic bunker under the sea OMEGAVERSE power struggles are high. In an act of revenge General Gabriel decided to invoke the Right of the First Night and claims an enemy’s new wife.
My favorites:
🌊 mmc goes from “I will use her for revenge” to “are you a perfect weapon engineered to weaken me” real fast
🌊 he marks her!
🌊 claiming with the audience AND HE FLAUNTS IT!!! I’m sorry Ali I wasn’t familiar with your game……..
I really enjoyed the edge of darkness of being at someone’s mercy! Sofia was an independent Omega that really blossomed in Gabriel’s possessive presence.
Surprisingly low smut BUT THAT ONE SCENE did blow my mind 🔥🔥 I wished there was more interaction between the main characters but alas it was only a short novella.
possessive mmc
forced proximity
virgin fmc
who hurt you
omegaverse
dystopian
HEA
October 10, 2025
i can’t believe my broke ass pledged $45 only to find out my favorite author (the one who always made a point about consent being in spicy scenes) decided on writing a mmc that is a chauvinistic rapist who uses the fmc for his own personal gain. there was zero romance, he sexually assaults her and i’m meant to like it…?
October 10, 2025
I’ve had stronger emotional reactions to loading screens.
July 18, 2026
[1.9⭐] 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 es una novela corta de ciencia ficción distópica con romance escrita por Ali Hazelwood y publicada en 2025. La historia nos presenta a Sofía, una omega cuyo futuro parece estar decidido cuando va a contraer matrimonio con un noble. Sin embargo, sus planes cambian por completo cuando el general Gabriel irrumpe para reclamar el antiguo derecho de la primera noche.
Creo que lo que más me frustró de este libro fue sentir constantemente que estaba leyendo una versión resumida de una historia mucho más grande. La idea es realmente increíble: la sociedad está bien pensada, existen conflictos políticos interesantes, el omegaverse tiene potencial y el mundo que plantea da la impresión de esconder muchas historias más. El problema es que todo ocurre tan rápido que nunca alcanza a desarrollarse como corresponde. La novela quiere abarcar demasiadas cosas en muy pocas páginas y eso hace que el lector apenas tenga tiempo para procesar la información antes de que ya esté ocurriendo otra cosa.
No entiendo por qué Ali Hazelwood tiene esa mala costumbre de escribir novelas larguísimas para historias que, a mi juicio, no necesitan tanto desarrollo y, en cambio, cuando se le ocurre una idea tan distinta y prometedora como esta decide convertirla en una novela corta. Siento que 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 era precisamente el tipo de historia que merecía cuatrocientas páginas porque aquí había mucho worldbuilding, muchos conflictos y un universo con bastante potencial. Me habría encantado ver a la autora arriesgarse con una novela larga de este estilo en lugar de volver siempre a la misma fórmula de sus romances contemporáneos, que ya empieza a sentirse demasiado repetitiva. Creo que tiene la capacidad para explorar otros géneros y esta historia es la prueba de ello, pero lamentablemente no le dio el espacio que necesitaba.
Otro punto que me dejó con sentimientos encontrados fue el manejo del omegaverse. Yo ya conocía este tipo de historias porque he leído varias novelas del género, así que entendía la mayoría de sus conceptos antes de empezar. Aun así, encontré que las explicaciones eran un poco infantiles y, al mismo tiempo, confusas. La novela intenta detenerse para explicar cómo funciona este universo, pero lo hace de una manera que rompe el ritmo y no termina aclarando demasiado. Si yo tuve dudas en algunos momentos, imagino que alguien que nunca haya leído omegaverse probablemente terminará bastante perdido.
Los protagonistas tampoco lograron convencerme del todo. Gabriel tiene una introducción que despierta mucha curiosidad y hace pensar que será un personaje complejo, pero esa impresión se va desinflando conforme avanza la historia. Con Sofía me ocurrió algo parecido: nunca terminé de conectar con ella porque apenas hay tiempo para conocerla más allá de su papel dentro de la trama. Lo mismo sucede con el romance, la relación avanza demasiado rápido y, como todo está tan acelerado, nunca sentí esa tensión romántica que normalmente disfruto tanto en los libros de Hazelwood.
Al terminar el libro, me quedó una sensación extraña porque no creo que la historia sea mala; de hecho, creo que tiene una de las premisas más interesantes que ha escrito la autora. Lo que me decepcionó fue ver cómo una idea con tanto potencial quedó limitada por la extensión. Estoy convencida de que, con más páginas y un desarrollo mucho más pausado, esta podría haber sido una de mis novelas favoritas de Ali Hazelwood.
Finalmente, puedo decir que 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 es una novela que me frustró porque podía ver constantemente el potencial que tenía y que no se aprovechó. Ojalá Ali Hazelwood se anime algún día a escribir una novela larga de este estilo y se atreva a salir de la fórmula que la ha caracterizado durante años. Creo que historias como esta demuestran que tiene la creatividad para explorar nuevos horizontes. Lamentablemente, en esta ocasión, me quedé con la sensación de haber leído apenas el esqueleto de lo que pudo haber sido una historia extraordinaria.
Creo que lo que más me frustró de este libro fue sentir constantemente que estaba leyendo una versión resumida de una historia mucho más grande. La idea es realmente increíble: la sociedad está bien pensada, existen conflictos políticos interesantes, el omegaverse tiene potencial y el mundo que plantea da la impresión de esconder muchas historias más. El problema es que todo ocurre tan rápido que nunca alcanza a desarrollarse como corresponde. La novela quiere abarcar demasiadas cosas en muy pocas páginas y eso hace que el lector apenas tenga tiempo para procesar la información antes de que ya esté ocurriendo otra cosa.
No entiendo por qué Ali Hazelwood tiene esa mala costumbre de escribir novelas larguísimas para historias que, a mi juicio, no necesitan tanto desarrollo y, en cambio, cuando se le ocurre una idea tan distinta y prometedora como esta decide convertirla en una novela corta. Siento que 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 era precisamente el tipo de historia que merecía cuatrocientas páginas porque aquí había mucho worldbuilding, muchos conflictos y un universo con bastante potencial. Me habría encantado ver a la autora arriesgarse con una novela larga de este estilo en lugar de volver siempre a la misma fórmula de sus romances contemporáneos, que ya empieza a sentirse demasiado repetitiva. Creo que tiene la capacidad para explorar otros géneros y esta historia es la prueba de ello, pero lamentablemente no le dio el espacio que necesitaba.
Otro punto que me dejó con sentimientos encontrados fue el manejo del omegaverse. Yo ya conocía este tipo de historias porque he leído varias novelas del género, así que entendía la mayoría de sus conceptos antes de empezar. Aun así, encontré que las explicaciones eran un poco infantiles y, al mismo tiempo, confusas. La novela intenta detenerse para explicar cómo funciona este universo, pero lo hace de una manera que rompe el ritmo y no termina aclarando demasiado. Si yo tuve dudas en algunos momentos, imagino que alguien que nunca haya leído omegaverse probablemente terminará bastante perdido.
Los protagonistas tampoco lograron convencerme del todo. Gabriel tiene una introducción que despierta mucha curiosidad y hace pensar que será un personaje complejo, pero esa impresión se va desinflando conforme avanza la historia. Con Sofía me ocurrió algo parecido: nunca terminé de conectar con ella porque apenas hay tiempo para conocerla más allá de su papel dentro de la trama. Lo mismo sucede con el romance, la relación avanza demasiado rápido y, como todo está tan acelerado, nunca sentí esa tensión romántica que normalmente disfruto tanto en los libros de Hazelwood.
Al terminar el libro, me quedó una sensación extraña porque no creo que la historia sea mala; de hecho, creo que tiene una de las premisas más interesantes que ha escrito la autora. Lo que me decepcionó fue ver cómo una idea con tanto potencial quedó limitada por la extensión. Estoy convencida de que, con más páginas y un desarrollo mucho más pausado, esta podría haber sido una de mis novelas favoritas de Ali Hazelwood.
Finalmente, puedo decir que 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 es una novela que me frustró porque podía ver constantemente el potencial que tenía y que no se aprovechó. Ojalá Ali Hazelwood se anime algún día a escribir una novela larga de este estilo y se atreva a salir de la fórmula que la ha caracterizado durante años. Creo que historias como esta demuestran que tiene la creatividad para explorar nuevos horizontes. Lamentablemente, en esta ocasión, me quedé con la sensación de haber leído apenas el esqueleto de lo que pudo haber sido una historia extraordinaria.
October 12, 2025
“first” because this is the first time I’ve been uncomfortable reading an ali hazelwood book
October 9, 2025
Review contains spoiler.
Violence against women has always been a weapon of war.
To have the male lead of this book willing to hurt a women to harm the enemy is simply disgusting. He is not even reluctant. He insults her, says she will be a dry fck and that he will make it hurt. He will enjoy it because of a percieved slight where she barred him from attending her fathers funeral. She is an innocent with no involvment in the feud at all. ( Note than even if she would have been involved, smexual violence is still simply abhorrent.)
And I am supposed to root for the male lead and the love story. Because when he sees how beautiful she is, notices her scent and is entertained by her whitty comebacks he doesnt violate her. Later they have consensual smex and a lot of stuff happens (him sleeping with her in front of her lying abusing mate) and they live happily ever after. All is well.
But.
If she would have been ugly. Or truely cold. Or didnt smell appealing. If she wasn chill about being r@ped and funny. What if she smelled just so. If she was scared and cried or went into freeze mood. WHAT WOULD HE HAVE DONE?
Also all of his male and female colleagues who were just cool with it. Go get that girl. She deserves it because she was mean to us that one time.
Im all for smutty and unhinged pwp stories. But not like this. Not when it makes smexual violence banal and finde mms excuses for men and doesnt holds them accountable. Not like this.
I always had a huge respect for Ali and adoreed her books. But this was shocking, dissapointing and sad.
Violence against women has always been a weapon of war.
To have the male lead of this book willing to hurt a women to harm the enemy is simply disgusting. He is not even reluctant. He insults her, says she will be a dry fck and that he will make it hurt. He will enjoy it because of a percieved slight where she barred him from attending her fathers funeral. She is an innocent with no involvment in the feud at all. ( Note than even if she would have been involved, smexual violence is still simply abhorrent.)
And I am supposed to root for the male lead and the love story. Because when he sees how beautiful she is, notices her scent and is entertained by her whitty comebacks he doesnt violate her. Later they have consensual smex and a lot of stuff happens (him sleeping with her in front of her lying abusing mate) and they live happily ever after. All is well.
But.
If she would have been ugly. Or truely cold. Or didnt smell appealing. If she wasn chill about being r@ped and funny. What if she smelled just so. If she was scared and cried or went into freeze mood. WHAT WOULD HE HAVE DONE?
Also all of his male and female colleagues who were just cool with it. Go get that girl. She deserves it because she was mean to us that one time.
Im all for smutty and unhinged pwp stories. But not like this. Not when it makes smexual violence banal and finde mms excuses for men and doesnt holds them accountable. Not like this.
I always had a huge respect for Ali and adoreed her books. But this was shocking, dissapointing and sad.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 22, 2025
જ⁀➴ 𝟑.𝟎𝟎₊˚⊹⛓️ 𝟙𝟘/𝟚𝟙/𝟚𝟝—𝟙𝟘/𝟚𝟚/𝟚𝟝
this was not something i expected from ali 👀!! this was really good for a quick spicy binge read. it wasn’t spectacular but it was fun to read!!
it was very much insta-lovey and i didn’t feel the connection between the characters as much as lust—but it was still enjoyable. for a novella, this was solid?!
𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏: 𝟒.𝟎𝟎 ⛓️
𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒖𝒍𝒕: 𝟑.𝟎𝟎
╰┈➤ what to expect!!!
⛓️ short novella
✨ omegaverse
⛓️ dystopian romance
✨ “touch her and die”
⛓️ banter
✨ REVENGE!!!
₊˚⊹ ᰔ 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝:
my reading goal is STRUGGLING (7 books behind 😬😬) and i’ve already been binging ali’s books so why not read this short dystopian novella? 👀
this blurb sounds pretty good (even though the rating is scary 😭) so here we go!!
this was not something i expected from ali 👀!! this was really good for a quick spicy binge read. it wasn’t spectacular but it was fun to read!!
it was very much insta-lovey and i didn’t feel the connection between the characters as much as lust—but it was still enjoyable. for a novella, this was solid?!
𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏: 𝟒.𝟎𝟎 ⛓️
𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒖𝒍𝒕: 𝟑.𝟎𝟎
╰┈➤ what to expect!!!
⛓️ short novella
✨ omegaverse
⛓️ dystopian romance
✨ “touch her and die”
⛓️ banter
✨ REVENGE!!!
₊˚⊹ ᰔ 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝:
my reading goal is STRUGGLING (7 books behind 😬😬) and i’ve already been binging ali’s books so why not read this short dystopian novella? 👀
this blurb sounds pretty good (even though the rating is scary 😭) so here we go!!
October 12, 2025
3.25⭐️
well that was something to say the least
minus 2 stars for the misogyny🫶
pre-read:
great use of free will i fear☺️
well that was something to say the least
minus 2 stars for the misogyny🫶
pre-read:
great use of free will i fear☺️
July 12, 2026
✓ quick & spicy
✓ dystopian
✓ omegaverse
𝙖𝙗𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙮𝙚𝙨 🙂↕️🤏🏻🐺
✓ dystopian
✓ omegaverse
𝙖𝙗𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙮𝙚𝙨 🙂↕️🤏🏻🐺
July 7, 2026
I knew I could count on mother Ali to provide the best medication for my slump and this novella was exactly the cure I was expecting 🔐💋
October 27, 2025
Ali i love you but what the fuck was this?!
October 8, 2025
Thoughts
Oh this was a fun read indeed! I went into this completely blind and while this genre isn't my goto genre apparently I'm part of the audience who this is aimed for --- I get the negative reviews -- no book or genre is for everyone.
When I say Ali never misses, I don't just mean I'm biased with her books ( I am ) but when I started this novella I was like ?? What am I reading lol I wasn't as invested as much as ùI wanted to be from the first few pages but as the story went on I couldn't book the book down! The world building was beautifully done, Sofia and Gabriel were my favourite thing about this novella
What to expect
▪︎ Omegaverse
▪︎ Dystopian romance
▪︎ Virgin FMC
▪︎ Possessive MMC
▪︎ Touch her and die vibes
▪︎ Banter
▪︎ Revenge
My Bookstagram
Oh this was a fun read indeed! I went into this completely blind and while this genre isn't my goto genre apparently I'm part of the audience who this is aimed for --- I get the negative reviews -- no book or genre is for everyone.
When I say Ali never misses, I don't just mean I'm biased with her books ( I am ) but when I started this novella I was like ?? What am I reading lol I wasn't as invested as much as ùI wanted to be from the first few pages but as the story went on I couldn't book the book down! The world building was beautifully done, Sofia and Gabriel were my favourite thing about this novella
What to expect
▪︎ Omegaverse
▪︎ Dystopian romance
▪︎ Virgin FMC
▪︎ Possessive MMC
▪︎ Touch her and die vibes
▪︎ Banter
▪︎ Revenge
My Bookstagram
Want to Read
October 8, 2025do y'all think ali hazelwood understands the concept of sleep (not complaining tho 😋)
May 11, 2026
this was weird af...sorry
Want to Read
October 7, 2025Ali girl when was the last time you slept?😭😭😭
October 17, 2025
mind you i read this in lecture 🤓
October 17, 2025
you know what??? i don't give a fuck i loved it LMFAOOOOO
October 8, 2025
spectacular give me 14 of them right now
October 10, 2025
I’m beyond disappointed. I really didn’t expect this type of MMC or storyline from Hazelwood. I am a huge fan of her extremely devoted & respectful MMC archetype, even when they have dominant personalities. This book was absent of everything I love about the men and the love she writes.
The premise of the book is honestly disgusting. The MMC, Gabriel, a military general, has beef with the Larsens, an awful elitist family who prioritize wealth and status over the well-being of the people. But his plan to thwart and anger the family is to rape their son’s future mate. He invokes an ancient barbaric statute that military generals can claim the first (hence the title) bedding of a newly mated Omega, a law that he rightfully points out is “some very dated bullshit.”
There’s a lot of additional emphasis on how the MMC has historically opposed the mistreatment of Omegas, going so far as to kill another member of the Larsens for it. Yet, despite all his grandstanding, he takes no issue with the plan to humiliate, degrade, and “ruin” the FMC, Sofia, in order to evoke the wrath of the Larsens.
Before meeting Sofia, Gabriel somewhat defends her against his brother’s crude words: “For your sake, I hope she’s decent-looking […] She’s a cold Omega. Not your usual type, right? I figured you’re going to need some incentive to bring yourself to fuck her. Aside from revenge.” Gabriel reminds him that she’s innocent even though he’s “not going to spare her.” When his brother points out her association with the Larsens and her imagined misdeeds, however, Gabriel concedes that he will “Fuck her. Even harder.” Sorry, what? Am I supposed to grow to love a man that uses violent nonconsensual sex as a tool for “justice” because it’s “deserved”??
Gabriel expects Sofia to be a “cold” Omega, meaning she hasn’t presented normally and doesn’t have the characteristics that make her sexually appealing as an Omega, such as scent, heats, and other behavioral characteristics. Because of this, Gabriel expects a “mediocre fuck.” This exchange occurs between Lady Larsen and Gabriel once he has asserted his “right” to “take” (read: rape) Sofia:
This violent threat of rape is exacerbated by the fact that cold Omegas, given their wacky hormones, don’t self-lubricate, so forced penetration would be extremely painful and violent (“the dry virgin girl you’re going to tear to shreds”). Of course, it turns out the Sofia isn’t a cold Omega after all; she was being poisoned with suppressants by the Larsen. This means that Gabriel quickly scents her, grows to “care” for her, and does not go through with raping her. Yet, it’s safe to assume he would have violently assaulted her if she truly wasn’t his mate and was instead the “tearful Omega” that he was expecting.
Dubious consent is listed in the content warnings for First on Hazelwood’s website, but that only pertains to the actual events of the story, not the intentions of the MMC and his loved ones. I typically never check content warnings, but I had to search them to see if I was going insane. There is no mention anywhere of the fact that the MMC plans to rape a girl even if she were to cower, scream, and cry. It just so happens that his would-be victim has the hots for him. Typically in revenge/corruption romances (at least in those I’ve encountered), the MMC plans to seduce the FMC for revenge by taking her virtue and corrupting her with her consent. Part of the power that the revenge-seeker hopes to wield over the people he wants to see suffer is that the FMC has willingly submitted to him and is thereby degraded. Even though I’m personally not a fan of this dynamic, it rightfully falls under dubious consent given that the FMC has consented to sex under false pretenses. This is categorically not the premise of First because the MMC's initial plan is to simply rape an unwilling victim. I’ve seen other reviews suggest that those who have similar problems with First as I do are just not used to “morally dubious” love interests, but I personally do not consider the use of rape for political machinations “morally dubious.” It is, to me, morally reprehensible. Utilitarianism and means/ends calculations usually do not play into my enjoyment of fictional romance.
Some other worrying quotes:
^This might be hot under different, non-violent circumstances
I am aware that A/B/O content often contains dub-con, non-con, “body betrayal”, and other dark themes, but I very much did not expect Hazelwood to romanticize an MMC who would rape an innocent woman (or ANY woman) to achieve his supposedly “just” ends. I’ve read and sometimes enjoyed other books with these darker themes, and I don’t want to yuck anyone’s yum, but I just don’t think this book is marketed correctly at all. Handling themes of wartime rape with such triviality (and romanticizing it) is irresponsible.
I have other qualms with the book, including how the age gap is handled. I loved loved loved Problematic Summer Romance, so I’m no hater of an age-gap. In PSR, neither MC remembers much of their meetings prior to the FMC’s adulthood, and despite how far away they are in age, it’s handled so tastefully. But in First, Sofia (a healer) treats Gabriel’s wounds when she is 11 and he is 18, and they each fondly and affectionately remember it and each other. To put it plainly, I think that’s weird and gross.
There’s also the issue of the cuckold scene with Lennart. While this dynamic isn’t for me in general, the reason I feel I should include it here is because this definitely was sexual abuse of a secondary character. Sure, he was a dick, but it reinforces the theme I pointed out earlier of sexual violence being used as punishment in this book which I do not fuck with. Forcing someone to witness sexual acts against their will is assault, actually. Again, this is not included in the CWs, as I do not believe “dubious consent” covers it.
Lastly, I strongly dislike how First discusses the FMC’s virginity and the MMC’s promiscuity. I hate this trope on its own, but Hazelwood has managed to make the virginity of her other MCs (Misery and Nolan) inconsequential. You can’t read five pages of First without someone mentioning how many Omegas Gabriel dicks down on the regular or how innocent, prudish, and virginal Sofia is. This happens in so many romances, but I thought I was free from it in the Ali-verse. Of all my complaints, this is of course the most trivial and completely involves my personal preferences for relationship dynamics. A one star rating would not have been warranted for this alone.
I want to make a few things clear. While I personally find it impossible to find a man who condones rape as a means to achieve his political ends sexy or romantic, I by no means believe that those who read and enjoyed First condone this. It is, after all, fiction. I also do not want to suggest that authors should not branch out in terms of their themes and relationship dynamics. In fact, I think Hazelwood consistently mangages to conquer new territory successfully and should continue to do so. I think the reason that this particular instance of these themes upset me was because First is currently beyond a Kickstarter paywall with a minimum of $45. I think it’s safe to say that a majority of the Kickstarter’s backers pledged for First, given that Ali Hazelwood is by far the most well-known and beloved author of the bunch. Given the nature of the Kickstarter, there were no ARC reviews or pre-reads prior to release, so many readers, including myself, were blindsided by the nature of the romance. After all, the only pre-existing description of First before release was: “A general plans to use a nobleman's bride to teach him a lesson. After meeting her, he decides to keep her for himself.” (I guess I should have taken “use” more literally.) Since Hazelwood has consistently written MMCs who value consent, and her works almost always have feminist themes (though often surface-level feminist themes), I can imagine that there are other readers who were similarly taken aback with the sexual violence in First.
Ali Hazelwood has consistently been one of my go-tos for escapism and fantasies of mythically devoted, morally upstanding, non-misogynistic men. This whole reading experience has made me wary of blindly picking up Hazelwood’s work in the future.
TL;DR: The MMC both condones rape for political purposes and plans to rape the FMC prior to meeting her. I was surprised by this and a quite upset, especially given the departure from Hazelwood’s usual themes and the nature of the Kickstarter campaign.
edit: I personally went in because there were three authors (including Hazelwood) I knew and liked, and I was excited to read some stuff from new-to-me authors! I just know some people bought the collection because AH is auto-buy for them, even if it’s not the intention of the kickstarter. I guess it is somewhat on you if you spent $45 only for one novella, but to each their own. Based on my reads of the others so far, I think the rest were much more appropriately tagged and described. I’m really glad the authors did this Kickstarter because traditional publishing has become increasingly difficult for books that don’t fit a mold with certain tropes. I don’t think they’re by any means problematic or manipulative; I just think that readers should have the full information about sexual violence before reading.
The premise of the book is honestly disgusting. The MMC, Gabriel, a military general, has beef with the Larsens, an awful elitist family who prioritize wealth and status over the well-being of the people. But his plan to thwart and anger the family is to rape their son’s future mate. He invokes an ancient barbaric statute that military generals can claim the first (hence the title) bedding of a newly mated Omega, a law that he rightfully points out is “some very dated bullshit.”
There’s a lot of additional emphasis on how the MMC has historically opposed the mistreatment of Omegas, going so far as to kill another member of the Larsens for it. Yet, despite all his grandstanding, he takes no issue with the plan to humiliate, degrade, and “ruin” the FMC, Sofia, in order to evoke the wrath of the Larsens.
Before meeting Sofia, Gabriel somewhat defends her against his brother’s crude words: “For your sake, I hope she’s decent-looking […] She’s a cold Omega. Not your usual type, right? I figured you’re going to need some incentive to bring yourself to fuck her. Aside from revenge.” Gabriel reminds him that she’s innocent even though he’s “not going to spare her.” When his brother points out her association with the Larsens and her imagined misdeeds, however, Gabriel concedes that he will “Fuck her. Even harder.” Sorry, what? Am I supposed to grow to love a man that uses violent nonconsensual sex as a tool for “justice” because it’s “deserved”??
Gabriel expects Sofia to be a “cold” Omega, meaning she hasn’t presented normally and doesn’t have the characteristics that make her sexually appealing as an Omega, such as scent, heats, and other behavioral characteristics. Because of this, Gabriel expects a “mediocre fuck.” This exchange occurs between Lady Larsen and Gabriel once he has asserted his “right” to “take” (read: rape) Sofia:
“How dare you speak of abuse of power, with what you are about to do to Sofia?”
“My lady, we can both agree that the paltry body of a stunted Omega is worth much less than the many lives Lord Larsen has taken.”
This violent threat of rape is exacerbated by the fact that cold Omegas, given their wacky hormones, don’t self-lubricate, so forced penetration would be extremely painful and violent (“the dry virgin girl you’re going to tear to shreds”). Of course, it turns out the Sofia isn’t a cold Omega after all; she was being poisoned with suppressants by the Larsen. This means that Gabriel quickly scents her, grows to “care” for her, and does not go through with raping her. Yet, it’s safe to assume he would have violently assaulted her if she truly wasn’t his mate and was instead the “tearful Omega” that he was expecting.
Dubious consent is listed in the content warnings for First on Hazelwood’s website, but that only pertains to the actual events of the story, not the intentions of the MMC and his loved ones. I typically never check content warnings, but I had to search them to see if I was going insane. There is no mention anywhere of the fact that the MMC plans to rape a girl even if she were to cower, scream, and cry. It just so happens that his would-be victim has the hots for him. Typically in revenge/corruption romances (at least in those I’ve encountered), the MMC plans to seduce the FMC for revenge by taking her virtue and corrupting her with her consent. Part of the power that the revenge-seeker hopes to wield over the people he wants to see suffer is that the FMC has willingly submitted to him and is thereby degraded. Even though I’m personally not a fan of this dynamic, it rightfully falls under dubious consent given that the FMC has consented to sex under false pretenses. This is categorically not the premise of First because the MMC's initial plan is to simply rape an unwilling victim. I’ve seen other reviews suggest that those who have similar problems with First as I do are just not used to “morally dubious” love interests, but I personally do not consider the use of rape for political machinations “morally dubious.” It is, to me, morally reprehensible. Utilitarianism and means/ends calculations usually do not play into my enjoyment of fictional romance.
Some other worrying quotes:
"I will fuck her to within an inch of her life, and tomorrow she’ll barely be able to walk"
^This might be hot under different, non-violent circumstances
"I can make what’s about to happen extremely painful"
"You finally have the grace to look upset and worried by the situation. Is it finally dawning on you? The extent to which you are at my disposal? The fact that I haven’t fucked you yet doesn’t mean that I won’t."
I am aware that A/B/O content often contains dub-con, non-con, “body betrayal”, and other dark themes, but I very much did not expect Hazelwood to romanticize an MMC who would rape an innocent woman (or ANY woman) to achieve his supposedly “just” ends. I’ve read and sometimes enjoyed other books with these darker themes, and I don’t want to yuck anyone’s yum, but I just don’t think this book is marketed correctly at all. Handling themes of wartime rape with such triviality (and romanticizing it) is irresponsible.
I have other qualms with the book, including how the age gap is handled. I loved loved loved Problematic Summer Romance, so I’m no hater of an age-gap. In PSR, neither MC remembers much of their meetings prior to the FMC’s adulthood, and despite how far away they are in age, it’s handled so tastefully. But in First, Sofia (a healer) treats Gabriel’s wounds when she is 11 and he is 18, and they each fondly and affectionately remember it and each other. To put it plainly, I think that’s weird and gross.
There’s also the issue of the cuckold scene with Lennart. While this dynamic isn’t for me in general, the reason I feel I should include it here is because this definitely was sexual abuse of a secondary character. Sure, he was a dick, but it reinforces the theme I pointed out earlier of sexual violence being used as punishment in this book which I do not fuck with. Forcing someone to witness sexual acts against their will is assault, actually. Again, this is not included in the CWs, as I do not believe “dubious consent” covers it.
Lastly, I strongly dislike how First discusses the FMC’s virginity and the MMC’s promiscuity. I hate this trope on its own, but Hazelwood has managed to make the virginity of her other MCs (Misery and Nolan) inconsequential. You can’t read five pages of First without someone mentioning how many Omegas Gabriel dicks down on the regular or how innocent, prudish, and virginal Sofia is. This happens in so many romances, but I thought I was free from it in the Ali-verse. Of all my complaints, this is of course the most trivial and completely involves my personal preferences for relationship dynamics. A one star rating would not have been warranted for this alone.
I want to make a few things clear. While I personally find it impossible to find a man who condones rape as a means to achieve his political ends sexy or romantic, I by no means believe that those who read and enjoyed First condone this. It is, after all, fiction. I also do not want to suggest that authors should not branch out in terms of their themes and relationship dynamics. In fact, I think Hazelwood consistently mangages to conquer new territory successfully and should continue to do so. I think the reason that this particular instance of these themes upset me was because First is currently beyond a Kickstarter paywall with a minimum of $45. I think it’s safe to say that a majority of the Kickstarter’s backers pledged for First, given that Ali Hazelwood is by far the most well-known and beloved author of the bunch. Given the nature of the Kickstarter, there were no ARC reviews or pre-reads prior to release, so many readers, including myself, were blindsided by the nature of the romance. After all, the only pre-existing description of First before release was: “A general plans to use a nobleman's bride to teach him a lesson. After meeting her, he decides to keep her for himself.” (I guess I should have taken “use” more literally.) Since Hazelwood has consistently written MMCs who value consent, and her works almost always have feminist themes (though often surface-level feminist themes), I can imagine that there are other readers who were similarly taken aback with the sexual violence in First.
Ali Hazelwood has consistently been one of my go-tos for escapism and fantasies of mythically devoted, morally upstanding, non-misogynistic men. This whole reading experience has made me wary of blindly picking up Hazelwood’s work in the future.
TL;DR: The MMC both condones rape for political purposes and plans to rape the FMC prior to meeting her. I was surprised by this and a quite upset, especially given the departure from Hazelwood’s usual themes and the nature of the Kickstarter campaign.
edit: I personally went in because there were three authors (including Hazelwood) I knew and liked, and I was excited to read some stuff from new-to-me authors! I just know some people bought the collection because AH is auto-buy for them, even if it’s not the intention of the kickstarter. I guess it is somewhat on you if you spent $45 only for one novella, but to each their own. Based on my reads of the others so far, I think the rest were much more appropriately tagged and described. I’m really glad the authors did this Kickstarter because traditional publishing has become increasingly difficult for books that don’t fit a mold with certain tropes. I don’t think they’re by any means problematic or manipulative; I just think that readers should have the full information about sexual violence before reading.
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