The Fake Mate
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
What I loved:
1. Fake dating + paranormal twist 🐺
2. Sunshine x grump dynamic ☀️🌧️
3. Medical setting 🏥
📖 About the Book:
Mackenzie Carter is a tail-waggingly single ER doctor whose love life is a disaster. When she blurts out the name of her grumpy coworker, Noah Taylor, as her “mate” to get her grandmother off her back, things spiral fast. Noah, a closeted alpha werewolf cardiologist, is facing pressure from the hospital board to prove he’s stable enough to keep his job. A fake relationship seems like the perfect solution for both of them—until it starts to feel a little too real.
🤔 Review:
I’m always a sucker for a fake dating trope, and this one had me hooked from the start—especially with its paranormal twist. Shadowy werewolf politics + steamy romance? Yes, please! Mack’s sunshine personality was the perfect contrast to Noah’s brooding grumpiness, and their alpha/beta dynamic brought the heat. Their chemistry? Off the charts. 🔥
The audiobook narrators did a fantastic job bringing these characters to life—I felt so connected to them. Mack’s internal dialogue had me cracking up, and I loved how her humor slowly chipped away at Noah’s walls. The side characters were hilarious too, adding even more charm to the story.
Now, I will say the third-act breakup due to miscommunication had me groaning. BUT, since I had a copy from @aardvarkbookclub, I switched to the physical book and flew through that part—which definitely helped my reading experience. I’ve realized that frustrating moments hit harder in audio, so switching formats was a win.
This one is definitely more relationship-focused than plot-heavy, but if you’re looking for something cute, spicy, and fun with a paranormal twist, The Fake Mate delivers.
