When Lana announced her follow-up novel would be a shifter romance, I was apprehensive but intrigued. But, with the rave reviews of The Nanny, I gave it a try. The Fake Mate will have you blushing, giggling, and questioning how this book came out of the mind of the author of The Nanny. He's a cinnamon roll, she's the snarkiest cupcake of a woman and they're two fools in love.
A fun take on the fated mate trope that both circumvents fate and shows how little we know if it, The Fake Mate is a hoot and a half.
If not for the name I would not have considered adding this to my "vamps and wolves" list for Bookstagram but, it delivers!! With a cozier spin on some gritty tropes, Lana Furguson has done it again.
(Ps, this read is spicier than The Nanny and is firmly in the Shifterverse trope realm, don't let the cover fool you)

*immediately looks for more wolf romance books knowing none will top this.* I am.....unwell. I borderline passed out so many times reading this I simply lost count. I knew ten pages in that this would be 5 stars and wouldn't you know it, I was right.

THIS BOOK IS PRIMAL. It hooked me from like no joke page one and had me smiling and drooling like a feral dog throughout THE ENTIRE STORY. No skips, no flaws. No problems whatsoever. I destroyed this book like it was a literal dinner menu. Noah is a cardiologist and is *secretly* an ALPHA wolf shifter but takes suppressants to dull his scent so no one knows because alphas are known to be volatile WITHOUT A MATE and thus he might be considered a risk as at the hospital. Noah is also quiet and shy and people are afraid of him because he doesn't talk to anyone and keeps to himself and is intimidating af without tying. Mackenzie is *secretly* an OMEGA wolf shifter. She is also sweet and kind and sunshine but also fierce af and a total smartass. Alphas and omegas are rare in this wolf shifter world, and neither has ever across one before they meet. They fake MATE for reasons described in the synopsis, which to my surprise is QUITE DIFFERENT than simply fake dating. Take your fake dating trop and dip it in the most flammable substance you can find and then light it on fire. Thats this fake mating thing.

So. FAKE MATING, yes, where were we? I'm distracted already. It is very uhh scent based and uhh very biologically engrained in an ALPHA when he is around an OMEGA, especially when said alpha DOES NOT KNOW said omega even is an omega until down the road. Our poor alpha doc is so confused when he stops taking his alpha suppressants as to why he is reacting so ... possessively around Mackenzie at the beginning of their scheme. And ummm excuse me while I admit I did not know that alphas have a certain *anatomic anomaly* that can only happen with an omega?!? OKAY. And when Mackenzie goes into *heat* and Noah has to take care of her?!? OKAY. Ignore me if this is all common wolf book knowledge because this is my first time reading wolfie books and its all uhm rather *fascinating.* Fake mating becomes fake-mating-with-benefits. At this point, the book basically caught on fire.

DO NOT make the mistake of thinking this is just some spicy book with no plot. THIS BOOK HAS BOTH. I LOVED THE PLOT. The plot was so good. Mackenzie and Noah are nuanced and complex with fleshed out back stories and personalities. The side characters were engaging and fun, too. Parker and Priya and Moira!!! Again, zero flaws. The writing was fast paced, addicting, so well done and engaging. I need more books in this world (Denver lol but Denver with wolf shifters). This is going in my reread pile. Go buy this when it comes out and prepare to howl at the moon.

I have to preface this review by saying I never knew what a shifter was. Call me a terrible librarian but this was a genre I was not at all familiar with lol. At first I thought this might not be a book for me but I was pleasantly surprised. I loved and could relate so much to Mackenzie’s character. Despite the paranormal aspect of her character she was extremely relatable in her plight in love and career snd I feel many women could relate to her. I loved her grandmother and how she’s always on Mackenzie to find the love of her life. We all have that one meddling family member in our lives.
Enter Noah the brooding cardiologist who may just be the answer McKenzie needs. The two agree to be “fake mates” to protect their identities, but also keep people off their backs for the reason each one needs. Like all good situations like this one thing leads to another and maybe they don’t have to fake anything anymore.
This was such a good read! I can’t recommend it enough and am so excited to share it with our readers. I think this would be a fun title for a book club as well. The dialogue was relatable, fun, and swoon worthy. I have been loving medical themed books lately since I’ve been on a Frets anatomy kick so that’s what initially drew me in, but I was happy to say their was so much more to the story than I initially gave it credit for that kept me intrigued and interested to see how Mackenzie and Noah’s love story plays out..

5/5

.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆:
- Fake Dating
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- Workplace Romance
- Knotting 😈

Lana has done it again with another steam and sexy romance that will have you laughing out loud and leave you wanting more.

The Fake Mate is a steamy, sexy paranormal romance that brings you into their world without boring you to death with pages and pages of world building.

As my first shifter/omegaverse romance, I was slightly nervous heading into it but I enjoyed every minute of it. The shifter elements seamlessly blend in with the traditional romance elements/tropes and the introduction of knotting and the alpha/omega dynamic is 🥵.

Mackenzie's bright, sunshine and soup loving self compliments Noah's grumpy, 'everyone is scared of me' attitude like a grilled cheese compliments a tomato basil soup - perfectly. From the beginning of their fake mating to their HEA, Mackenzie and Noah's dynamic had me smiling, laughing out loud and yelling (on their behalf) at my book. I loved seeing them grow individually while being their for each other while their relationship developed.

If you read The Nanny (and if you haven't, what are you waiting for?), then you know Lana delivers on spice that is steamy, hot, knot vanilla 😏, all while being sweet and tender.

Do you enjoy rom coms? This book is for you.
Have you always wanted to read paranormal but the world building intimidates you? This book is for you.
Looking for a bridge between a typical rom com and a shifter romance? This book is for you.

<b> Thank You Lana Ferguson, Berkley, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC to review. </b>

Dr Mackenzie Carter is over all of the awful dates her grandmother is setting her up on. Having been abandoned by her widowed father as a young teen (to be raised by her grandparents) Mackenzie is largely over the idea of romantic relationships altogether. Good sex? Yes, please. Romance? Unnecessary. Fated Mates? Don't exist!
Dr Noah Taylor, the Wunderkind Head of Cardiology, is known for his gruff and stand-offish Big Bad behavior. In the past keeping others at arms length, and taking a ton of represents has been beneficial in keeping his stigmatized Alpha designation hidden. But now, the wolf is out of the bag and to save his job he's got to find himself a "Mate". The fact that Mackenzie asks him to be her short-term fake boyfriend the same day as his Hospital board hearing seems like a fateful coincidence.
Can their rouse work long term? And what happens when an Alpha meets his biological counterpart, an Omega? Are they just playing with fire?

There are so many things to love about this book from the easy alternate reality where Shifter are not only real but an integrated part of society, to share "heat-leave" for mated Wolves, to subtle discussions about equality in the workplace etc. On top of that, The Fake Mate answers all my usual Werewolf/Shifter book qualms by addressing <spoiler> a reluctant-in-the-streets but alpha-in-the-sheets MMC and coitus entrapus/knotting </spoiler> and oddly giving explanations as to why this is so often not addressed in other shifter books. (For this Ms Ferguson, you are my hero!)

I hope this book is only the first in a series because I am here for more of this world and these characters - shifter, and human. This book is a delightful read and one I'd recommend to any romantacy reader who likes the idea of Shifters but isn't a fan of the frequent uber-alphas males.

I picked this one because I was curious about alpha and omega shifter stories, which I'd seen referred to many times. (There are a lot of different types of shifter stories in paranormal romance.) I was also curious about knotting, which I figured had to do with sex, but not curious enough to google it and then be bombarded with a million porn-related ads every time I go on the Internet from now on.

Well, this book certainly answered that question for me.

The good: I adored Mackenzie, a doctor with a generous heart and a quirky sense of humor. She's a shifter, an omega. She was raised by her grandmother, who is pestering her so insistently to find a mate and produce grandkids that she ends up fake dating Noah, also a doctor, and an alpha. In this world, alphas are rare, and even rarer are their encounters with omegas. Result: their fake dating very soon turns into mighty sessions of whoopee, which includes plenty of graphic descriptions of knotting. There is the usual bump in the road toward the end, before the expected happily ever after.

The not so hot for me as a reader: all the knotting. This might be your kink, if so, this is the book for you. I could have done without it after the first descriptions. I also was very curious about the world, and hoped that these two would shift and find their wolf pack, and experience the world through their magical senses. Nope. What we get is lots and lots and lots of sex. Certain aspects of that sex got so much airtime I began skimming, then skipping, as I was more interested in the relationship.

In short, an appealing couple, an interesting, if sketched in world, cardboard villain, and mega-tons of sex scenes. If that's your thing, this might be your new favorite book!

Lana Ferguson is creating a new genre here and I AM HERE FOR IT. This is the steamy paranormal romcom of my dreams. It has all of the fun stuff about a shifter romance (enhanced senses, mating politics and needs, wolf shifting, KNOTTING ooh lala) without the darker world building that often accompanies them. The story was fun, sexy, and the characters treated each other with kindness. Absolutely loved this book and will be reading it again. So glad I got my hands on an ARC!

Thank you Lana Ferguson, Berkley, and NetGalley for this #gifted arc in exchange for my honest review!

This is the first book by this author and I loved it! I flew through this book. The characters were fun and lovable. This grumpy x sunshine, he falls first, shifter romance is fast paced and has plenty of spice. Mackenzie and Noah were so cute together. I couldn't get enough of their banter and the way Mackenzie constantly bated him. "The Fake Mate" truly made me laugh and I know I had a goofy grin on my face anytime Noah did something swoon worthy. My only complaint was the constant use of the word "slick". I did read an uncorrected proof, so it's possible that will change before the book officially publishes. Overall, I really enjoyed this one and recommend it. I rated this book 4.5 stars, but am rounding up it to five stars.


Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Humorous and sexy but if I had to add a critique it that there are just too many sex scenes. I'll admit after 3 or 4, I kept saying enough already! I do wish there was more emphasis on worldbuilding. I had many questions about how this world of shifters works but little answers.

I have never cared about shifter romances, but Lana Ferguson got me. Grumpy/Sunshine, sarcastic banter, he falls first?! Sold

Lana has done it again. I think I loved this more than I loved The Nanny, and I really loved The Nanny.

There’s something about knotting, sexy shapeshifters, and a workplace enemies to lovers romance that just got me going. I had to fan myself quite a few times reading the plentiful steamy scenes Lana blessed us with.

I loved the banter and rooted for these characters from the second I met them. Noah F***ing Taylor will be a book boyfriend I’d love to see any author beat.

Touch her you die? Grumpy x sunshine? Romantasy? Lana f***ing Ferguson you are a queen and I’m obsessed with you.

If you loved her first book, please please read this one. I’m going to shout from the rooftop about my love for this book.

Loved this book! I wasn’t the biggest fan of Lana Ferguson’s first book but I found this one so much more enjoyable! Loved the chemistry between Mack and Noah. The beginning of the book was not my favorite but it definitely got better as it went on.

This book was a complete delight! Fake dating is a trope that I love so fake mating was even better. It was sexy obviously, incredibly heart warming in the end, and I laughed many times. Plus, the dual POV was perfection. I didn't want this book to end!

When I heard about this book, I was very skeptical... it sounded way too much like the cringey Wattpad stories I read in my teen years. Until I saw the ratings for this book, I was sure it was going to be just another wolfy cringe-fest. I am beyond thrilled that I was wrong!

Doctors (and shifters) Mackenzie and Noah barely know each other, but when circumstances essentially force them to act as fake mates, they have to learn how to get along. More importantly, they have to learn how to fake an entire relationship for the benefit of staff, friends, and family.

Unsurprisingly, their forced close proximity leads to some intimate situations that are all but unavoidable. And in "shifter" lore, the fact that Noah is an Alpha and Mackenzie is an Omega means they are ULTRA compatible. How could they not fall in love?

There were some... interesting aspects of this book: going into heat, that whole "knotting" thing, etc. But overall, I absolutely loved this story and the chemistry between the characters!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

🌶️🌶️🌶️Spicy shifter romance with a fake dating trope.

Mackenzie has been on enough bad dates to last a lifetime and she is DONE. When she sees the hot, terrifying doctor Noah, she makes a split second decision to ask him to be her fake boyfriend (just in a quick selfie) for her gran.

She doesn't know that Noah might benefit from a fake relationship too, and when he asks her to be his fake mate, she can't see why not to do it. Noah is outed for being an alpha at the hospital they work at and thinks that saying he is mated will give them less of a reason to discipline him over it.

When they start fake dating, they agree that its just for the hospital and her Gran, but things start to get complicated fast.

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Very steamy, but I loved the characters and felt like the author had a solid storyline going alongside the spice!

Thanks to netgalley for an eARC to review.

This experimentally brilliant mess is… I don’t even know how to describe what I just read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.

Three captivating tropes converge in this enticing read: the grumpy meets sunshine dynamic, an office romance, and a fake dating scenario with a paranormal twist. Prepare for steamy love scenes and an irresistible, sizzling chemistry between the characters. If that doesn't have you sold, I don't know what will! This paranormal romance, penned by the talented Lana Ferguson, combines the allure of Christine Feehan's paranormal romances with the captivating world of Grey's Anatomy. How could I possibly resist diving into its pages?

I must admit, I'm not typically drawn to shapeshifter romances, and when I first encountered the plot idea, I couldn't help but roll my eyes (just a little). However, I am now happily eating my words, as the inclusion of shapeshifter elements intensifies the steaminess of the romance—particularly the magical "knot" aspect. Oh boy, I must confess that, much like Mackenzie, my hormones seemed to take control as I began writing this review!

Aside from the added steamy elements, the relationship between an Alpha and an Omega is a classic case of opposites attracting, injecting an extra dash of spice into the story.

The narrative wastes no time in propelling the plot forward. Mackenzie, or Mack Carter, concocts a lie to appease her overprotective grandmother, who persistently attempts to set her up on meaningless and unsuitable dates. Mack claims to be dating Noah Taylor, the brooding big bad wolf of Denver General, known for reducing nurses to tears (although she insists it's an exaggerated lie).

When Mack approaches Noah and asks for his assistance in deceiving her grandmother, he reveals that he requires her help as well. On the same day, the hospital board summons him for questioning regarding his status as an Alpha—an identity he has kept secret for years, in order to control his inherent violent tendencies. The only way to appease the board is by proving he can manage his urges through a committed relationship. In a twist of fate, Noah urgently needs a fake mate, and Mack agrees to play the part, on the condition that he accompany her to her grandmother's dinner invitation to seal the deal.

Little do they know that by embarking on this lie and spending more time together, they will discover an animalistic attraction—an irresistible magnetic pull that draws them closer. Soon, they find themselves not only in a fake relationship but also in a friends-with-benefits arrangement they simply cannot resist.

Can Mack protect her heart from a man who is considering an offer to work in another city? Will Noah be able to restrain his feelings for her, convinced that she is out of his league and too good to be true?

This fast-paced and highly entertaining read is smoking hot, keeping me glued to its pages just like the author's previous work. I eagerly look forward to delving into more books by Lana Ferguson in the near future.

I extend my heartfelt appreciation to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing me with a digital reviewer copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This was a pleasant surprise! To be perfectly honest, I didn't read the description as well as I thought and was completely caught off guard by the fact that they were shifters, but I loved it. I loved the grumpy-sunshine trope and the spicy bits... So good. I did feel like maybe the main characters could've had more character development than they did, but I will still purchase this when it's released!

This book had me a bit apprehensive when I read the authors notes in the beginning talking about weird wolf sex. Thankfully there wasn't any beastiality going on, just amazing animal magnetism. Both main characters are adorable. They come from very loving supportive families, minus Mack's dad. I couldn't put this book down. I had to see how the author wove their attraction, to the misunderstanding altercation of separation, to being back together.

Such an addictive read! I finished it in one day and absolutely loved everything about this book. Definitely will reread it again in the future <3