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!

Holy smokes y’all…I never thought I’d read a megaverse story but here we are. After reading The Nanny by Lana Ferguson I had to check this one out and I’m glad I did.

Two wolf shifters agree to be fake mates but unexpectedly find something real in this steamy paranormal romantic comedy.

Woah buddy did I learn some things about wolf shifters 🪢😆 This book is HOT HOT HOT. 🥵 I just adored the banter between Mackenzie and Noah. A broody interventional cardiologist that sounds right up my alley 😂 Add some fake dating some, strong girl boss vibes and we’ve got a winner folks! This one is out 12/5/23 so be sure to check it out!

This is my first read by the author and the reason I picked up the book was because I LOVE shifter books. I am not usually a fake boyfriend/girlfriend trope type of person but the book blurb sounded really interesting. Unfortunately, I had to tap out at 32%. The pacing of the story was so slow and I ended up losing interest and have no desire to finish the book. There is absolutely an audience for this book, it just wasn't for me.

The Fake Mate by Lana Ferguson is a standalone steamy romantic novel. We meet Mackenzie (Mack) Carter, our heroine, who is an ER doctor at Denver General; she is a wolf shifter (Omega). Mackenzie has not had any successful dates recently, and is pressured by her grandmother, who wants her to find a mate to settle down. To get her grandmother off her back, she tells her she that she has met someone, though still in early stages. While in the lunch room, Mackensie is desperate and looks for the first man who walked in the room.

Noah Taylor, our hero, is a top cardiologist, who is the one in charge at the hospital; he is also a wolf shifter (Alpha). To his surprise, he is approached by Mackensie, if he would take a picture of her and him, to send to her grandmother, as a fake boyfriend. At first Noah tries to ignore Mack, but he comes back to her with another deal. Seems that Noah is being summoned to the board, regarding a tip that he is an Alpha (who might have violent tendencies), an identity that he has kept secret. Noah needs to convince the board that he has a mate, who keeps him in control. Mack agrees to be Noah’s fake mate, if she will be able to tell her grandmother that he is her boyfriend.

People at the hospital are shocked to learn about Noah and Mack being mated; especially with Noah being very private, intimidating, and keeps to himself. Mack is the opposite, as she is sweet, friendly, and very outgoing, with friends throughout. Together, they both make appearances to show that they are mated, with Noah meeting Mack’s friends Priya, Parker and she meeting a friend of his (Peter), as well as Noah’s nasty coworker, Dennis.

In a short period, slowly Mack and Noah become attracted to each other, with Mack being the one to get Noah to open up; as they were so perfect together. The chemistry between them was sizzling and very steamy, as the fake mate does turn into friends with benefits; and soon they will find themselves inseparable falling in love. But Noah will be threatened by the nasty Dennis, promising to tell the board that he is not mated, and Noah will do anything to protect Mack, including breaking things off with her, as she could lose her job. After being broken hearted, Mack with help from Parker, will discover about what truly happened, and finds proof to win Noah back, and stop the evil Dennis.

The Fake Mate by Lana Ferguson was a fun, entertaining and very steamy romantic story line. I really liked both Mack and Noah, and rooted for them to stay together. I will say, I thought the steamy sex scenes were a bit too many. The Fake Mate was very well written by Lana Ferguson. If you like romance, shifters, steamy sex, then you should read this book.

To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this book because it's a contemporary omegaverse with a cartoon cover, which I think maybe a little misleading to some. This is a great book for someone who is wanting to dip their toes and do a omegaverse and see if it's something that they will like, without fully diving in, it also does have shifters in it although it's a very brief section of the book where they actually shift Noah is probably the most cinnamon roll alpha I've ever read, and I thought that was kind of nice and refreshing. I really like Noah as a hero I also really liked the resolution of the third act break up, I think if you're someone who really enjoys omegaverse, this may not be the book for you, but this is a great entry point for those wanting to sample.

This was my first Lana Ferguson and second omegaverse. And I have to say I’m not sure it’s for me. The dynamics of the two leads being wolf shifters was slightly uncomfortable for me to read, especially when one of the chapters was from their POV as a wolf. I could not. I’m sorry.

The leads had decent chemistry but there were aspects of the plot I could not overlook. Lana Ferguson I will read your next one!

Freaking love this! Whimsical, hot as hell, fun, and so good!
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I have to say I needed a change of pace when I decided to check out the new release by this author. I loved her previous book and knew this would be a wonderful choice, wolf shifters and all!

Guess what? I freaking love this book!

It is whimsical, hot as hell, fun, and so good! Ferguson has captured my attention once again and has delivered a fabulous book that doesn’t stop giving.

Both of her main characters are uniquely created and opposites in many ways. The balance and connection between the two is perfect! The romance is fresh and uber-steamy. And Noah? So hot! This is one book you can read over and over as you will enjoy it every time.

If you love a unique romcom that is delightful, memorable, and not a run-of-the-mill fake date trope, The Fake Mate is definitely the one to grab!

Thank you, Berkley and Netgalley for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I read The Nanny last year by Lana Ferguson and fell in love with her banter and writing style. I was thrilled to get approval to read The Fake Mate's early copy. I was a little more apprehensive about reading this book since it is out of my comfort zone for fiction, however, I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it. Think Grey's Anatomy mixed with Twilight. One of my favorite tropes is fake dating, so I loved the idea of fake mating. Both Noah and Mack are great characters in this book. I felt more emotionally connected with them than the characters in The Nanny.

Overall, I was impressed again with the quality of writing and how much I enjoyed the plot of The Fake Mate. I would highly recommend this book to fellow romance readers, even if it is outside your normal genre.

Could McDreamy be a werewolf? Fans of Ali Hazelwood and Grey’s Anatomy, get excited for your new favorite book!

Grey’s Anatomy meets werewolves and fated mates in this witty, lighthearted, steamy romance from Lana Ferguson. You'll love this if you’re looking for a cozy book to lighten up your day with fake dating, a werewolf alpha, and a fabulous mom & grandma duo.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an e-arc to review.

Honestly, any time I pick up a Lana Ferguson romance novel these days, I know I'm going to get something that is both steamy AND sweet, and that's exactly what this is. Not to mention this is a story I unabashedly devoured in the wee hours of the morning when I couldn't get back to sleep and found myself incapable of putting it down. And while, yes, the blackmail element toward the end of the story did feel a little tired, the resolution of it was super satisfying! It might not be the best primer book if you've never read anything omegaverse before; there's a lot of shorthand that assumes the reader is familiar with the mechanics and concepts that exist. But this was a really fun blend of paranormal and contemporary, and I hope Ferguson writes more romances like this in the future!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this edition from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a fun, spicy (VERY) romance. I love a dual POV romance, especially when fake dating is involved. The mutual pining was palpable, and the chemistry was off the charts.

I do wish I knew a little more about shifter romances, or that some of the more unique aspects had been explained a little better. As a newbie, I would have appreciated a tiny bit more background.

Otherwise this was an enjoyable read! It was a little spicier than I prefer, but that's just a matter of personal preference and nothing against the book itself.

3.5 stars

The Fake Mate was all vibes, not much plot. What made this book so good was how awfully adorable the FMC and MMC were. I love a good grumpy/sunshine trope! Also the werewolf was an added bonus. It wasn't too "wolf-y" but it made that aspect really fun to read about!