Mortal & Inmortal

Bound and Unbound #1 & 2

by Ali Hazelwood, Nerea Gilabert Giménez (Translator)

New York Times bestselling author Ali Hazelwood’s intoxicating paranormal romance novella duology—together for the first time in print and ebook!

Bound
A reluctant con artist and a professor with too many secrets are bound by an arcane text—in more ways than one.
Veronica “Vero” Mercer grew up with grifters for parents, and she knows her way around a con. When grad school bills pile up and her friends are in trouble, she turns her art history skills into a forgery side hustle.
It’s supposed to be a short term deal, but her work draws the attention of Dr. Viktor Ashworth, a reserved, very British professor. Instead of turning her in, Ashworth kidnaps her—politely—and makes an unusual offer: forge a mysterious ancient manuscript for him.
Soon Vero finds herself spending long nights with Viktor, bent over rare vellum samples and obscure inks. But as the con grows riskier, Vero has to wonder: what does Viktor really want, and why can’t she stay away?

Unbound
A five-thousand-year-old woman who has outlived empires. A doctor who has spent his life fighting death. They fates collide in a blood game of vengeance.
Lilit of Nineveh has spent millennia in control. As a powerful revenant, she enforces one rule above all: protect mortals. Disciplined and focused, she has never made the same mistake twice, and she has learned that attachments can only lead to ruin.
Enter Roman Martin. An overworked and relentlessly kind ER physician, he is the one mortal Lilit cannot quit. Any relationship between them is against everything Lilit has fought for. Still, she keeps coming back to him.
Until someone starts hunting Lilit, and Roman is caught in the crossfire. When everything comes crashing down, Lilit must choose between the world she has sworn to protect and the man she was never meant to love.

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romantasy, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy Romance, Fiction

408 pages, Paperback

First published October 6, 2026

About the author

I'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).

Reviews

[bookluvr (s-ia) · Rating 2 out of 5]

this was not the outcome my psychic foresaw in my crystal ball reading right before i started this 😭 (i’m joking 👀 but am i?). i can’t believe none of this hit though. i’m so disappointed, given how long i’ve waited for these novellas to release in print.

let me preface what i’m about to say with the fact that i genuinely like ali hazelwood’s writing. i really do. something about her formula typically works for me BUT THERE IS A CAVEAT TO THAT. what i just said usually applies to her full-length books. i’ve read them all and i liked them all to varying degrees (yes, even love on the brain). never rated a single one below 3 stars. her novellas though? those tend to be a bit hit or miss for me. with these two under my belt now, i’ve read all nine released to date, and it’s turned out to be an almost even 45% / 55% split on liked vs disliked. sometimes, format plays a role. shorter stories may not always land for me when i feel like it all moved too fast for me to connect with anything. i was excited when i saw the page count on these though, because they looked to be longer than the average novella she’s released before (especially bound) — so i thought okay, there’s so much runway here to up the odds that format wouldn’t count against my experience. unfortunately, both novellas did absolute dust for me and will be joining the graveyard with the other misses i’ve suffered in that part of her catalogue ☹️.

💀 —— bound

it was such a snoozefest, idk 😭. this wasn’t the ali i know and love 😭. there was very little of the sparkling chemistry and organic banter that i’ve come to expect from her pairings, and the characters were both incredibly dull to me as individuals. i was so disconnected from them. i found vero a little annoying actually, and viktor was BLAND. week-old rice cracker no spread no beverage BLAND AND DRY. how you gonna make a centuries-year-old vampire-adjacent sexy british professor who whimpers THIS crusty??? like, i’m stupefied. there was also way too much drivel about working at the antique shop + forgery stuff in the first 100 pages, that i kept wondering when the romance was going to come online (considering we have more limited time than with a full-length novel). by the time the romance tries to do something, i just didn’t care enough anymore. there were some moments in the second half where i felt somewhat engaged more, but even that half was inconsistent at holding my attention. the longer format was really wasted here. textbook definition of a nothing burger because the focus was way awf. also, some of the side characters were insufferable — particularly mortimer and arlo. the chapters were really long too, and when a story is already boring you on content alone, getting through long chapters feels like a tedious task.

2 ⭐️


💀 —— unbound

i was more wary going into this one than prior to reading bound, because the reception to the audio-only release a few months back was a bit iffy. still…i tried to go in with an open mind and see how EYE would feel about it, since i tend to trend UP with this author. i tried to stay away from discourse that specified what wasn’t working for people so that i could go in blind (but i knew at face-value that a lot of people weren’t loving it). i also knew going in that this was a situationship-type romance. this flopped mainly because of said romance style AND the length of time this situationship lasted (and therefore, how many years the novella tries to cover to relay this story). a ten-year situationship in this few pages? why? of course i felt nothing, because too much was told and not shown. the characters are in love from chapter one but the novella also tries to cram the decade-long build-up retroactively into this somehow? it felt like i was reading a summary. the romance gives you nothing to anticipate and i didn’t connect to the relationship at all. ironically, i thought this couple had a smidge more apparent chemistry than the one from bound…but yeah, their story was sorely lacking because of its structure and pace. i did like lilit personality-wise and as a heroine more than i liked vero though. mmc was pretty forgettable in this one. sawri. who? the supernatural / suspense plot in the background was so drab as well — like, what was this even for? 😭 good thing the chapters were more bite-sized than in bound, and it was shorter overall.

2 ⭐️

the only (other) positive i have for these is that the spin on vamps was cool. it wasn’t the traditional lore only. that’s about it.

in summary, i was sleepwalking my way through what were supposed to be guaranteed crack hits of the paranormal variety from a fave author. i’ll just quietly slink away to a more happy place now. say…idk, putting my head in a gas oven and going night night. goodbye.

────୨ৎ──── ────୨ৎ──── ────୨ৎ────

pre-read note from back when this was announced:

mother is finally releasing the eyeball-readable versions of these novellas, and since i can’t read on audio, i’m so happy that i can now complete her bibliography 😭😭 and we have a release date!!!

[shre ♡ · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

ali hazelwood should not be allowed to write novellas, i yearn for MORE
---
my prayers have been answered - audiobook haters REJOICE

[Tahls · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so fun! Getting a mix of your typical handsome, elegant male vampire falling for a human lady, and a gorgeously intimidating female vampire falling for a human guy was such a fun and enticing contrast. And I loved this take on Vampires! The hierarchies and terminology and physiology were so fascinating. And they’re not just a few centuries old, they’re old old, like thousands of years. So cool.

I don’t have too much to say about Vero and Viktor other than it was a cute little enemies to lovers development—the enemy territory pretty short lived and one sided as Viktor is like a statue until he warms up to Vero, who is rather feisty and outspoken. I really enjoyed their dynamic and story while reading it but once I got into Lilit and Roman's, which I enjoyed a LOT more, it made Vero and Viktor's less memorable. I will say, though, I was soo giddy when Viktor fell head over HEELS for Vero.

Lilit and Roman’s love story is tragically beautiful, I actually teared up a few times. 🥹 And it was just so good getting the reverse of a traditional vampire x human romance. Lilit is ancient and stoic in nature while Roman is so warm and unapologetically adores her. The yearning!!! Ugh. My heart was breaking. I wish we had more time with them.

Overall just a really enjoyable and intriguing pair of stories with super cute romance and the wit and charm I’ve come to love from this author! Not quite as exciting as I was hoping but captivating nonetheless.

-
I devoured Bride & Hot for Slayer so I am sooo down for another paranormal romance by Ms. Hazelwood 🫦

[angelinabvby ۶ৎ]

this edition is GENIUS 😻😻
u read one novella then flip it upside down to read the other novella 🤗🤗

[Nenia Campbell]

I am pretty sure Ali Hazelwood can do no wrong

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

La primera historia sería más un 4,5 y la segunda un 3,75, pero en general me han gusto mucho las dos.

[Wanda Pedersen · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Halloween Bingo 2026

I read this for the Romantic Suspense square of my 2026 Halloween Bingo card.

I am teetering on the edge of a reading slump and, strangely, romance novels (mostly paranormal romance novels) seem to be the antidote for me these days. I really enjoyed Hazelwood's Bride, so I happily put a hold on this volume of two novellas at my library.

They were good, light fun. Not on par with Bride IMO, but still entertaining. I would recommend reading Bound first, as characters from this novella have roles in Unbound. I am a big fan of vampire novels, although these beings prefer the term revenant in this fiction. There is enough of a plot beside the romance to keep things interesting (because let's face it, you know how a romance will end).

Thanks to Ms. Hazelwood for a slump busting book.

[aleksandra · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

3.5/5

Love it being about vampires. I was always more of a vampire type of girl. (Sorry Jacob (#TeamEdward))




(also, Bound > Unbound—but not by much)

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish Unbound had been longer--I preferred Lilit as a protagonist to Vero, though I found Viktor the more compelling love interest. I would love to read more books set in this world!

[Judit · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pesar de ser dos historias independientes, ambas se complementan de manera que "Inmortal" es el broche perfecto para la trama que se desarrolla en "Mortal". La guinda del pastel. Y, sin duda, lo que consigue saciar esas ganas de más que siempre se quedan flotando con las novelas cortas. Importante: Empezad por "Mortal" porque sino os comeréis bastantes spoilers.


Sobre los personajes... Tengo que decir que Viktor, se ha convertido en uno de mis personajes favoritos EVER, porque en fin, donde haya un tipo con síndrome de Mr. Darcy, ahí estará mi corazón.


Y, para quienes os preguntéis si estas historias están conectadas con el Universo de "Novia" y "Alfa", la respuesta es NO.

[Hunter Vern · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

listen i’m sure it’s deeply problematic and likely rooted in misogyny but i simply don’t like reading about men who are virgins

[Lemonworld]

I have approximately one billion unread books and a Goodreads challenge that is actively judging me, and yet here I am, mentally rearranging my reading queue for a dual-narrative about a manuscript forger and a five-thousand-year-old woman with attachment issues. Ali Hazelwood said "what if academia, but also immortality, but also crime" and I cannot pretend that I'm not intrigued.

[aleerless · Rating 3 out of 5]

unbound is giving absolutely ✨nothing✨

[ilana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bound — 4.5 🌟 I loved the lingering stares and grazing of hands UGHHHH he’s so quietly in love with her and she’s so unaware of it

Unbound — 3.5 🌟 I feel like the romance was severely lacking, but it’s most likely because the novella was a novella so it was pretty short

[Lisa · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Bound was 4 stars when I read it last year.
Unbound was 5 stars for me, it just hit.

[Sarah · Rating 2.75 out of 5]

Bound hat mich leider erst nach den ersten 100 Seiten mitgenommen. Danach fand ich es toll. Vor allem mochte ich, wie die Beziehung zwischen Vero und Viktor aufgebaut wird, ihre Dialoge, die Tension. Die Story war so naja. Vero ist aber toll geschrieben: kess, frech und lustig!

Unbound mochte ich deutlich weniger. Es war so konstruiert und ich habe mich auch mit der Erzählweise ein wenig schwer getan.

Was ich bei Bound mochte: Es ging nicht vordergründig um dieses "oh, sie/er ist so schön", sondern um die Menschen und ihre "Kunst". Bei Unbound war es so viel mehr eine auf das Sexuelle und Äußere bezogene Anziehung.

[Rosabelle]

Finally ebook editions are coming out!!!

[NayitaLo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una Pena que sean cortas las historias y no se hayan desarrollado más....

[Katharina · Rating 5 out of 5]

No one can write a yearning man better than Ali fucking Hazelwood.
I’m sorry, but Roman’s obsession with Lilit???? He’s the man that would unapologetically and without shame beg and whimper for her and I’m here for it!!
I’m dead. I loved every single page of both stories. No notes. Give me Vero, Viktor, Lilit and Roman for thirty more books + give me a ArloXSam sequel STAT!!

[Nadine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bound - 3.5 Stars

I’m not a big audiobook fan, so I finally got to read Bound.

Bound follows Vero, a grad student working at an antiques store, as she starts producing forgeries to help with her cashflow problems. She’s discovered by the mysterious Viktor who wants to employ her for her forgery skills.

I absolutely loved the antiques and book binding setting. I’m a book binder myself, so I was easily able to connect with Vero and the setting.

The reason I rated Bound 3.5 stars instead of 4 is because the chemistry between Vero and Viktor was fine. There were only a couple moments that their angst sizzled, otherwise it only fizzled.

Spice level: 🌶️

Overall, Bound was a fun novella set in an interesting world. Though the relationship wasn’t as impactful as I wanted it to be, I thoroughly enjoyed the setting and nature of the characters (wink wink).


Unbound - 4 Stars

I enjoyed Unbound much more than Bound, though that doesn’t mean I didn’t have any issues with its structure.

Unbound follows Lilit, the elder revenant of her line, as she grapples with her growing feelings for a mortal.

Unbound is told from Lilit’s perspective. She brings readers up to speed on revenants, their world, and her relationship with Roman, an emergency and pediatric doctor. The novella is emotional and deep, exploring the complexities of love, connection, and what it means to open yourself up to someone despite the differences between your worlds. However, there are too many info dumps where Lilit speaks directly to readers. Unbound would have been so much better had readers been able to see Lilit and Roman interact over the years, allowing their relationship to develop more naturally on the page.

Overall, Unbound features a more interesting central romance while expanding on the revenants and their secret world. Despite my issues with the structure, the emotional depth of Lilit’s story made this a more enjoyable read for me.

[Angel · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Die Geschichten waren süß, aber konnten mich nicht komplett überzeugen.
Bound hatte einen tollen Beziehungsaufbau, aber ich mochte den Plott nicht so ganz.
In Unound erleben wir den gesamten Beziehungsaufbau in einer Rückblende und irgendwie war es das nicht.
Die Fantasy-Welt wird gut aufgebaut, obwohl wenig Zeit dafür ist, das mochte ich sehr gerne. Auch wie die beiden Geschichten letztendlich zusammen gespielt haben.
Ich hoffe auf noch mehr paranormal Romance der Autorin.

[Enara Alcalde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vivo enamorada de Ali Hazelwood y me da igual lo que escriba, yo en su día dije que le leería hasta la lista de la compra y lo mantengo. Libro que saca, libro con el que me lo gozo. Más o menos, pero es que hasta ahora todos me han encantado y sé que es apuesta segura.
Estas dos novelas cortas de romance paranormal, la primera entre una humana y un vampiro (digo, renacido) y la segunda entre una renacida y un humano me han robado el corazón. Las dos parejas son absolutamente adorables y maravillosas. Eso sí, se me han pasado volando, ojalá una novela larga de cada uno.

[Laura Pandorabooks · Rating 3.25 out of 5]

¿He disfrutado de los dos libros? Sí, pero Inmortal se me ha hecho muy pesada la primera mitad, luego mejora y el final me ha parecido perfecto. Con Mortal no me ocurrió, aunque sí se me hicieron un poco pesados los capítulos tan largos.

Diría que amo todo lo que escribe Ali y seguiré leyendo todo lo que publique, pero no han sido los libros de mi vida. Simplemente me han hecho desconectar.

[Brittany Crickard · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Loved so much more as a physical book vs audio

[Lea Grah · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ⭐️ sehr unterhaltsam! Ali Hazelwood auf Zugfahrten zu lesen, wird zu einen Ritual. Ihre Paranormalen Geschichten sind fast besser geeignet als ihre MINT-Frauen.

[Belén · Rating 4 out of 5]

A veces solo necesito un libro de Ali para ser feliz

[Ana Lucía · Rating 5 out of 5]

Qué fantasía son siempre los libros de esta mujer. ❤️

[alana ☁️ · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this as much as Bride and Mate but I couldn't. I went in expecting this to at least be similar, but it was a slog. I'm kinda bummed about it.

[emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

the yearning of ali hazelwood men needs to be studied

[emma! · Rating 4 out of 5]

unbound was kinda eh if i’m being honest, but bound??? bound was peak