The Fake Mate is an engaging and passionate romantic read that introduces captivating characters with a unique twist - they are shifters. This delightful story will particularly appeal to fans of fake relationships, as Ferguson skillfully incorporates a paranormal element into this popular trope.

ok so this book was my first omegaverse book and wow! if you are at all curious about omegaverse but you're intimidated or don't know where to start, this is a great place to start. very beginner friendly. but just because it is beginner friendly, doesn't mean that veterans in omegaverse won't enjoy themselves because this book was soooo great!
mackenzie needs a boyfriend only to get her grandmother off her back. noah needs a mate in order to appease the hospital staff with his alpha status. it's seems the the ultimate arrangement for them both, especially since they barely know each other. but as they spend more time together, they realize that things are going to get a lot more complicated. noah is very adam driver coded and i have no choice but to stan. he is a grumpy cardiologist with an ooey gooey cinnamon roll center and i was LIIIIIIIVING for it. i was so jealous of mack half of the time because i wanted noah to myself. AND MACK. mack is so hot too and i loved being in her pov. i was semi afraid that there was going to be too much "im not like other girl" energy because of her omega status but she was a delight. obviously, there were times where i was frustrated with both of these idiots but it really wasn't that hard to get through.
plz plz plz pick this up. if you like ali hazelwood and reeceally like smut, then you will love this. and also read Lana's other book The Nanny.

thank you Lana and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

Whoa! I was not prepared for the level of spice in this book but I am not complaining about it at all! 😂😉😍 This was one of my favorites of the month especially because I love the fake dating trope. I thought Mackenzie was hilarious and Noah was the perfect amount of brooding. I also loved that it was dual POV - my preference in romances. 4.5⭐️

All of my favorite tropes and twists wrapped up in a neat little perfect package

Lana Ferguson is auto read for me so I was ecstatic to get this arc. I loved Noah and Mack so much they were so so so perfect.

The mutual pining and lust was perfect mixed in with the shifter heats.... was absolutely incredible

PLUS THE KNOT OMG. LOVE.

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance for an advance copy of this book!

"Mate is...a pretty big upgrade from me asking you for a selfie."

I became such a fan of Lana Ferguson after reading The Nanny and I knew that I was going to vibe with the future books that Lana would write. What I didn't expect is for her next published book to be able two wolf shifters!

This book was amazing, chaotic, cringey, romantic, dramatic all in the best ways possible.

I love how both of these characters are doctors and successful in their respective departments. Noah is so reserved and shows very little emotion on a daily but when he is with Mackenzie it brings out this different side of him. He was so smitten by her from the start. And Mackenzie was such a smart, sassy female character and I love her banter with Noah. Having them both being wolfs meant they could relate and understood the importance of having a scent. When Mackenzie has a moment of her body going into "heat", Noah was right there to swoop in and to save her which was quite a chapter!! Noah definitely was swoony and it was no wonder why Mackenzie fell for him. He was just so delicate and caring towards her.

"I'm not letting you get away from me, Mackenzie."

If you aren't familiar with Lana's prior work then you know she knows how to write a sex scene. These scenes were so good and the chemistry between the two was very apparent. She is so descriptive in her writing and I love how she doesn't just show the female's point of view but also the male point of view. Some parts were a little cringey but I also wouldn't change a thing? This was my first knotting book so I had no idea what to expect and I am not sure that I disliked it??? Will I be running to read all the shifter romances? No. But will I if Lana writes them? YES!

I love that Lana isn't sticking to a specific type of book. Her first book was a single dad & nanny, this one shifters and her next is a hockey romance. I love the variety and I know I'm going to love the next book based off the snippet that was provided at the end of the ARC.

If you have never read a shifter romance before, I think this would be a great beginning book to terminology and the mechanics of them. Check this book out if you are looking for an paranormal/omegaverse romcom, fake dating, workplace romance & bonus dual POV!

Swoon Meter: 9/10
Karaoke: sadly no
4.5 rating

This book is on my list of Best Books of 2023. It’s got some of my favorite tropes like fake dating and opposites attract. I loved how true the love story felt and how they supported each other.

Mackenzie and Noah are both doctors working at a hospital. They’re also both wolf shapeshifters. In this world, shapeshifters are aren’t considered unusual. Noah is an alpha, with XL size and good looks. There’s a stigma around unmated alphas, and Noah neglected to tell the hospital. Now someone has turned him in. If he can be find a mate it won’t be an issue.

Mackenzie has suffered through a string of awful blind dates, but her grandmother keeps trying to set her up, so she tells her she’s got a boyfriend named Noah. When she tells him, they decide that fake dating will solve both their problems.

As their partnership progresses, Mackenzie has an issue and needs to go away to shift (the hospital has paid shifter leave). Noah goes with her and takes their relationship and romance to a new level.

There is some fairly graphic steamy scenes so beware if this isn’t for you. If you like a good steamy scene, this book is for you! 5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

I could knot believe how much I loved this book. I think that Lana Ferguson is becoming one of my favorite authors that writes steamy romances with so much heart I can’t handle it. I loved watching these two fake their way into mating. I appreciated how engaging this was and the drama that unfolded was unexpected but I was here for it. I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

Lana Ferguson does it again but with a paranormal romance book. This story follows an omega, Mackenzie, who needs to find someone she can fake date but finds alpha Dr. Noah. This was a very cute story and very different from Ferguson’s debut novel, The Nanny, as it has wolf shifters. I enjoyed the world that the author created for her characters along with the fun storyline that was built. The conflicts were entertaining and I liked how the pacing was. This book is told from both Noah and Mackenzie perspectives.

Mackenzie is the FMC and I really liked her character. She’s a sweetheart who loves her soup but is also an omega. Hey story was great and I really enjoyed seeing her develop in the book. Noah is a grumpy cinnamon roll and his connection with Mack is gold. I loved how caring he was and seeing his protective alpha roll come out. His character development was also great and I loved seeing his perspective of the world. There were many side characters in this world. I enjoyed Mack’s best friend but honestly, the MCs stole the spotlight in this book. There is a good level of spice and the chemistry between the couple made it so much better. The romance is fake dating, workplace romance, and fated mates.

The ending was great and I was so sad to see this character go. I loved their story and now I have to wait a year for Lana’s next book to come out. This was a great book and I recommend checking it out especially if you are looking for a contemporary paranormal romance.

*this book was sent to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return*

The Fake Mate was a fun escape into the Omegaverse with a touch of rom-com comfort, all the chemistry and spice, and fake dating with a twist!

Mac has been experiencing a bit of bad luck recently in the dating department, and with the pressure from her grandmother to settle down and find a mate, she seeks out an opportunity in the form of her coworker Noah, a renowned, handsome doctor with a grumpy attitude—to pretend like they're mates to help each other out. Together, they realize there may be a very real spark between them and nothing fake about it at all.

This was such a fun read! I loved seeing the two, with a great sunshine and grumpy dynamic, fall for each other. It had the perfect amount of romance, spice, and drama.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

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