This book was an utter delight. Witty and steamy. Couldn’t ask for a better slump breaker.

Full thoughts here. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0fKReHLxa6/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

I have never read a shapeshifter romance before. While I love fantasy, romantasy, and romance books, but have just never had the desire to pick one up. But I’ve heard great things about Lana Ferguson’s books so when Berkley sent me a copy, I decided to give it a whirl.

From the first chapter, we are immediately thrown into the plot and into the mist of Mackenzie and Noah’s fake romance. While both Mackenzie and Noah have different motives to needing a fake date, their undeniable chemistry quickly leads them into uncharted territory.

This book was a delight to read! I love a good grumpy meets sunshine romance trope, and though it had the fake dating trope, which is my least favorite tied in, I didn’t mind because it was executed so well! There are a few things that rely on the reader having read a wolfie shapeshifter romance before, but it didn’t take away from the story. All in all, if you need a steamy romance with hilarious banter and chemistry, then this is the book for you!



The Fake Mate comes out December 5, 2023. Huge thank you to Berkley for my advanced copies in exchange for my review. If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.

It's publishing day!

Mackenzie Carter is an omega werewolf who has bad luck with dating. Noah Taylor is alpha werewolf pretending to be a beta. When they start fake dating so he can keep his job, they don't particularly like each other. Of course, we all can see where that one is going.

The thing is that this book took me forever to get through just because it never really sucked me in. It maybe felt a touch too long as well. I finished it! And I felt accomplished! But I honestly don't think I had as much fun as I was expecting. This is definitely a good intro to omegaverse because it's not overly paranormal in comparison to other books in this genre, definitely more contemporary romance.

Overall, cute, and a little feral. Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for my eARC!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and Berkley for the gifted e-book! ❤️ #gifted. My review is comprised of my honest thoughts.

Read this book if you like: Dual POV, shifters, fake dating, grumpy sunshine, so spicy 🔥

I absolutely loved the Nanny, so I was very excited for this one. I loved it. I could NOT put it down. It's not overly paranormal. Just the right amount. It was funny, sexy, and I highly recommend it!

4.5 Stars
Happy pub day to this gem of a book!
This book was super fun to read and I loved following grumpy Noah and sunshine Mackenzie. This was super spicy but the plot was also pretty good and I enjoyed the shifter elements added in. Mackenzie was such a great character, she's funny, goes after what she wants, and stands up for herself - we love to see it! I've been loving Lana Ferguson's writing so far and can't wait to see what she puts out next.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the ARC!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for my complimentary eARC. And thank you to PRHAudio for my complimentary audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own

The Fake Mate was a fun and steamy(!!!!) read.
This one is off the chart and open door all the way. Just be forewarned to skip a lot of chapters if that isn’t your jam.

I enjoy a good fake to real relationship and this one did not disappoint. There is the added intrigue of who turned Noah into the hospital board which started the ball rolling on the fake relationship. I had a few suspects in mind. lol

Noah and Mackenzie make a great couple. Although they both go into the arrangement with zero expectations, it’s a fun ride when things turn serious.

I paired the audiobook with the eARC. I enjoyed the dual POV chapters. The narrator’s did a great job with all the character voices. I was able to listen at 2x speed and not be overwhelmed or confused with who was talking.

Wow I enjoyed this SO much. I have read omegaverse romances before, so I was familiar with the world, but I feel like this would have been such a good intro omegaverse.

Mack and Noah have worked at the same hospital for a year but barely ever spoke. However, when Mack finds herself in need of a fake boyfriend, Noah finds himself considering. Because he actually needs a mate. So, the two pretend to be mates, but soon realize that they're not doing much pretending. And it just reiterated why omegaverse is so fun to read because they ACTUALLY can't keep their hands (paws?) off each other.

But this was so cute. So steamy. So cozy.

Mackenzie, a relatively new ER doctor, just wants to appease her matchmaking grandmother.

And Noah, a leading cardiologist, needs a mate— because he’s an alpha, and to the board at their hospital, being an unmated alpha is a risk that could cost Noah his job.

So, these two near-strangers will temporarily pretend to be mated until Noah can move on to another job. Easy enough, right?

Bring on the grumpy/sunshine, Grey’s Anatomy vibes, scenting (!!! Yes, these are wolf shifters!), fake dating (ahem, *mating*), and some serious alpha male vibes.

It’s the perfect concoction of romance tropes, to me at least!

And in the Omegaverse (Mackenzie is an omega), it makes for particularly fun spice. You’ll see what I mean when you read it!

Noah is so misunderstood, basically feared at the hospital, and it takes someone sweet and brave like Mackenzie to poke through his armor and face down the enormous alpha.

She also realizes how good and kind he is, not to mention an excellent doctor, and how unfair their bias is against Noah for being an alpha.

They’re just so good together! No spoilers, but I love how they move from being work acquaintances to something more for show… to much, much more.

If you take my recs seriously and you like spice, this is your next read! This is the top spicy read I’ve read all year— and I’m going to be shouting about it for a while!

As you already inferred, this gets virtually any star I can give it — our author deserves it, and she’s now an auto-buy for me.

Y’all, I just love Mackenzie and Noah!

If you're looking for a light urban fantasy romance (literally all of my favorite genres in one) look no further.

Mackenzie and Noah agree to fake date to attempt to mutually solve their romantic relationship problems - For Mackenzie, she's trying to get her grandmother - and her bad blind date setups off her back, and Noah is fighting against his alpha staus becoming public, and an unmated alpha being unpredictable. We see them both begin to fall for each other as they spend more time together - the banter is top notch - especially Mackenzie's humor to Noah's more stoic personality. But don't let the gentle giant fool you, he falls fast and hard for Mack's charms and the two really respect each other and seem like they genuinely want to be around the other person.

This is a ridiculous book - the premise is bonkers, but it's so unbearably fun, I loughed out loud more times than I could count. And the chemistry between the two leaps off the page. I am very excited to see what Lana Ferguson comes out with next.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

In “The Fake Mate” by Lana Ferguson, the novel is pure romance with a shifter twist with sparkling banter and lots of humor. The characters' witty banter and jokes will keep you laughing and enjoying the complications of their relationship. 

One of the things that I love the most is the intriguing voices of both characters and their sensual sex scenes. The intriguing twist of fake mates in a shifter relationship is intriguing. Noah and Mackenzie both struggle with the idea of even having a relationship but once the lines blur, the romance steams up quickly. For readers who love sensual and spicy sex scenes, this novel will keep you glued to the pages. 

If you love romance, “The Fake Mate” by Lana Ferguson will have you loving the pure romance with a shifter twist. The sparkling banter and comedic elements will make you laugh and the complications between the pair will make you read long into the night.

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance for an advanced copy of this book! I was glued to the pages from the beginning.

I love a good grump/sunshine romance, plus I thought these characters had really good banter. I also was TOTALLY there for the chemistry and the fun. I really like the way Lana Ferguson writes her characters because they feel really authentic while still giving me the escapism of reading a little rom com!

I give this one two thumbs way up, and I think readers who are especially looking for a little fun and a little flirty will like this one. I liked the paranormal aspect of the story, but I honestly could have done without it, too. The story is definitely giving Ali Hazelwood vibes with a lot more steam...and I'm okay with that! But, I do think the book does a good job of balancing the spice with the overall romance plot!

Rating: 4 stars

The Fake Mate by Lana Ferguson is the first book I've read by this author but it won't be the last. Contemporary isn't usually my genre of choice but this one caught my interest due to the Paranormal aspect.

I really enjoyed our fmc, Mackenzie Carter. She has a jokey / easy going personality even though she happens to have a very serious career (ER doctor) but when she has a string of bad dates, and her grandmother is continuously pestering her about finding someone to settle down with, she finds herself blurting out the name of the last man on earth she would ever imagine herself and now she has to figure out what she's going to do.

Enter Noah Taylor, Denver General's grumpy cardiologist. He doesn't have a lot of people in his life he can call friends and part of that is due to him hiding what he is as there are some stigmas surrounding unmated alphas. But when an anonymous tip exposes his designation to the hospital board, he has to figure out a way to not put his career at risk.

As these two find themselves together in the hospital breakroom at just the right time, they both realize that perhaps they can help each other out and that's when the story begins to pick up. I loved how the relationship developed for these two. There's the whole "no strings" and friends to lovers pieces that make this story interesting and then throw in the wolf aspect and it becomes even more so in my opinion. Even though you know that this arrangement is destined to create some blurred lines it's definitely a bit of heartbreak when everything comes to a head but in the end, the characters get their happy ending and as an added bonus, the person who turned Noah in AND created other issues gets what was coming to them.

As I mentioned, I'll definitely be picking up more books by Ferguson. I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to more from her. Consider picking this one up when you can.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Mackenzie needs someone to pretend to be her boyfriend, and Noah needs someone to pretend to be his mate. Real feelings ensue when the two (who are also omega and alpha shifters, respectively) begin a “fake” relationship.

This was my first time reading paranormal/shifter romance and it DEFINITELY delivered. THE FAKE MATE was so spicy and fun but also so heartfelt and adorable. It’s also basically Grey’s Anatomy but with werewolves, and honestly that would have been the only information I needed in order to be obsessed with it.

Lana Ferguson is quickly becoming an auto-buy author, and I think all fans of romance will have a fun time with this book, whether it’s your first shifter rom-com or one of many.

Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: he falls first; fake dating; Grey’s Anatomy

CW: abandonment

This was great and super spicy. I loved The Nanny so I figured I would really like this as well. I didn’t love the blackmail conflict but it didn’t irk me enough to change my opinion of the book.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy!

The Fake Mate follows Noah and Mackenzie, two doctors who are shifters. They enter a 'fake mate' situation and my my my it is so steamy and swoony. This book was genuinely funny--like laugh out loud hilarious--and soooo steamy I felt myself sweating at certain points! This was my introduction to omegaverse and now I want to read more. Lana Ferguson is becoming one of my favorite authors. Her writing is incredible and she really knows how to tell a fun story. Would definitely recommend.

In a world where wolf shifters are widely known and integrated into modern society, shifter doctors Noah Taylor and Mackenzie “Mack” Carter enter a mutual arrangement where they pretend to be mates at work. Fearful of losing out on an upcoming promotion, often grumpy Noah needs to appear to be mated when his unmated alpha status, a designation that holds negative stereotypes and is often discriminated against, is discovered by the hospital board. Needing a break from her grandmother’s constant matchmaking attempts, Mack is more than happy to pretend to be Noah’s mate at work if he pretends to be her boyfriend at dinner with her grandmother. Having to remain in close proximity in order to keep up their lie, Noah and Mack eventually start a friends-with-benefits arrangement, which makes it hard to separate “fake” feelings from real.

The Fake Mate is a steamy contemporary romance, with some paranormal elements, that is perfect for fans of romance authors like Tessa Bailey, Ali Hazelwood, Chloe Liese, and Talia Hibbert. This would also be a great read for fans of paranormal romances like A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness, My Roommate is a Vampire by Jenna Levine, Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon, or Spookily Yours by Jennifer Chipman. Tropes present in The Fake Mate are close proximity, fake dating, friends-with-benefits, grumpy with sunshine, workplace romance, and fated mates. Themes and topics include discrimination, stereotypes, blackmail, matchmaking, insecurity, loneliness and isolation, abandonment, love and sacrifice, and secrets and lies.

The Fake Mate was quite unique compared to other werewolf and wolf romances I’ve read in the past in that wolf shifters aren’t a secret, nor do they live in a hidden fantasy world. Furthermore, The Fake Mate was more of a Grey’s Anatomy-like romance that just so happened to include some paranormal elements, which was delightful yet different from what I was expecting. There were a ton of steamy scenes throughout The Fake Mate as well as some swoon-worthy moments, both of which fellow romance readers will enjoy.

On the downside. the third-act conflict was somewhat predictable and was resolved unrealistically quickly, and some of the wolf shifter terminology could have used some more explanation as I sometimes found myself guessing. Lastly, the main characters appeared to spend too long doubting or hiding their true feelings and insisting that their relationship was still fake, which was a bit frustrating.

If you love Grey’s Anatomy, spicy contemporary romances, and paranormal elements like wolf shifters, then you should definitely add The Fake Mate to your TBR list!

This book felt somewhat unhinged, but I really liked it. I wouldn't usually go for a shifter romance, but I loved The Nanny by the author enough that I was willing to take this leap with her. This is funny and extremely steamy (I blushed), and I think readers who also followed the author to this one will be just as pleased as those who picked it up BECAUSE they wanted a shifter romance.

I read The Nanny and liked it so I decided to pick up this one. It was fun and flirty. Very character-driven, but at least had more of a plot since it was fake dating.

This book was fun as it's a bit of an AU situation. It takes place in the modern world, but everyone knows about werewolves/shifters. It's all well known and there are shifter laws and retreats for them and stuff that made being a shifter possible while still being in the familiar, contemporary world. I forgot how much I love AU novels.

I liked the characters. Noah was so soft and quiet and a little grumpy which contrasted a lot with the commanding Alpha side of him. I loved seeing both sides and how he would always come back to being a soft, quiet boy. Mack was a nice character because she didn't want to date and tried to be so detached from everything which really brought the angst.

The cabin scene...Yes. Loved.

They never really had them be fated mates for each other. The FMC kept saying she didn't believe in that stuff, but I thought still it might happen, that they were always meant to be together. It was really never addressed and I feel like I wanted more mate things. More endgame mate things, specifically.

Overall, as my first Omegaverse novel, I enjoyed it. Maybe those who are more familiar with Omegaverse things will have a better perspective on the book than me, but as a newbie, here we are. Lana Ferguson's books are far have not been my favorite ever, but they are very emotional at the right moments so I appreciate her angst. I'm open to reading her next release.

Holy moly this one was spicy! I thought the author’s first book, The Nanny, was spicy but that one was mild compared to this one. It was a supernatural-ish romance where the main characters were wolf-shifters and doctors at the same hospital. I totally wasn’t excepting the wolf-shifter part but it just added a unique element to the romance.

It was a fun romance with the grump/sunshine, workplace romance, and fake dating tropes. I loved the passion, the banter and the humor. It was fast paced and couldn’t stop reading. If you enjoy spicy romance then give this one a try!

First, I'd like to ask who gave Lana the right to write such an excellent sophomore book? I LOVED her debut, The Nanny earlier this year, so my hopes were really high for this one. The Fake Mate hurdled past those expectations, and easily became one of my favorite reads of the year. 
 
I could not put this book down - I tore through it and stayed up way too late reading. It's fast paced, super entertaining, and ridiculously fun (and spicy). This story also has some of my favorite tropes - fake dating, workplace romance and he falls first. Though I haven't any omegaverse books before, I really like how this story used the trope - the lore was approachable and easy to understand, and added a really interesting dynamic to Noah and Mackenzie's romance.  
 
The leads in this book were so fun - Mackenzie was bold, witty and a take charge kind of character where Noah was a bit more on the grumpy, deep-down-a-cinnamon-roll side of things. Their banter was top notch - I genuinely laughed out loud a few times. 
 
The chemistry between them was insane. Right off the bat, sparks flew - and their chemistry was intensified by the paranormal element (all that scenting? oh my god?). Getting both of their POVs was delightful and really helped to heighten my favorite part of fake dating - the mutual pining when both characters realize that maybe they don't want this to be fake. I'm also obsessed with how sweet Noah was - even in the heat (pun intended) of the moment, he doted on Mackenzie and put her above all else. They were so cute, and I loved the balance of swoony and spice that Lana struck with these two. 
 
The Fake Mate didn't just replace The Nanny as my favorite Lana Ferguson book, it's one of my favorite books of the year. I cannot recommend it highly enough - it's got the chemistry, steam and swoony moments that make a great romance book. If you need a swoony and spicy read to finish the year with, this is a great one to pick up!