Hot for Slayer by Ali Hazelwood

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When a vampire slayer loses all his memories, the only person who can help him is the vampire he’s tried to kill for centuries in this unforgettable short story by #1 New York Times bestselling author Ali Hazelwood.

When Aethelthryth—“Ethel” to her modern-day Manhattan neighbors—finds her sworn nemesis Lazlo Enyedi with no memory of who or what they are, an ancient hunt becomes an unexpected chance at forbidden passion. He’s crashing on her couch, solving her sudoku puzzles, and looking at her like she’s 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 head…

Ali Hazelwood’s Hot for Slayer is part of Scared Sexy, a deliciously dark collection of Halloween romance where things that go bump in the night might just steal your heart. These seductive stand-alone stories blend chills and heat in the perfect Halloween treat—each designed to be devoured in one sitting.

When Your Archenemy Forgets He Hates You

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💚💜💙
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏
Character development: 😋🙂☺️
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Duet Narration

🛡️ Audiobook Review: Hot for Slayer (Scared Sexy Collection)

Author: Ali Hazelwood
Genre: Paranormal Romance Novella
Narrator: Nina Yndis and Maxim Restin

Characters and Plot

Aethelthryth—better known as “Ethel”—is an ancient vampire who has survived centuries of hunters, wars, and shifting human appetites. Her greatest nemesis has always been Lazlo Enyedi, a relentless vampire slayer from the Helsing Guild who has been trying to wipe out her bloodline since the Middle Ages. Their last close encounter was over thirty years ago, during the fall of the Berlin Wall, when Ethel was in Germany for a… culinary excursion. With a dangerous man terrorizing the country, she figured she could multitask: feed and do a little vigilante cleanup.

Lazlo was there too, assigned to eliminate her once and for all. Ethel finds him infuriatingly attractive, but she’s smart enough to run when she sees him. Her escape is delayed when she stops to help a lost child, giving Lazlo the chance to catch up. Their confrontation ends with him stabbing her—only for a nosy reporter to interrupt. Knowing the Guild frowns on public executions, Ethel slips away.

Fast‑forward 36 years. Ethel is living in Manhattan, drawn by the endless buffet of morally questionable humans. When a younger vampire encroaches on her territory and later ambushes her, Lazlo unexpectedly intervenes and saves her life. He intends to kill her himself, of course—professional pride and all that—but a blow to the head leaves him unconscious and, when he wakes, suffering from amnesia. Suddenly the world’s most dangerous slayer doesn’t remember he’s supposed to hate her.

Highlights

• Ethel’s attempts to guide Maxim through the bizarre etiquette of vampires and slayers are genuinely funny and add a welcome layer of levity.
• Despite being a predator, Ethel’s “Dexter‑esque” moral code—only killing the wicked—makes her surprisingly easy to root for.

Limitations

• Paranormal romances between vampires and slayers tend to feel very Buffy/Angel or Buffy/Spike, and this story leans heavily into that familiar dynamic. It’s nostalgic, but also a bit dated.
• Of all the books in the series, this one feels the least original. The twist of making the vampire the heroine helps, but the immortal‑vs‑immortal tension doesn’t bring much new to the table.

Narration

The audiobook uses a duet narration format performed by Nina Yndis and Maxim Restin. Both narrators were new to me. Nina’s soft British voice strikes the perfect balance—elegant without being stuffy—which suits an ancient vampire beautifully. Maxim’s deep, raspy delivery and intentionally exaggerated Eastern European accent didn’t quite work for me in a romantic lead, though it does fit the story’s tone. He shines when voicing secondary characters, offering clear distinctions that keep the cast easy to follow.

Final Assessment

This audiobook delivers a fun, fast, and occasionally witty paranormal romp, anchored by a morally complex heroine and a centuries‑long enemies‑to‑lovers setup. While the plot leans heavily on familiar tropes and doesn’t break much new ground, the character dynamics and narration keep it engaging enough to enjoy. Fans of classic vampire‑slayer tension will find plenty to love, even if the story doesn’t reinvent the genre.

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