Two wolf shifters reluctant to love discover there’s no fighting the call of the wild in this steamy romance by USA Today bestselling author Lana Ferguson.
Contractor Tess Covington has spent her entire life as a regular non-shifter human, so after she lands in the Denver ER with flu-like symptoms, it comes as a complete shock to be told that, no, she’s not sick—she’s actually a late-presenting omega wolf shifter. With her family in dire financial straits and a contract for her own television show on the line, she can’t afford not to complete the renovation job she came for. And given that her newly emerged wolf is in danger of going into heat, she’ll just have to do her best to follow the doctor’s advice to keep away from alpha shifters.
Alpha wolf Hunter Barrett has spent most of his adult life living by a routine, and a big part of that involves staying clear of omegas after having one stomp on his heart. So when the tiny contractor shows up at his place smelling like the one thing he’s determined to avoid, he thinks it must be some sort of cosmic joke. But with his lodge on the verge of failing and this sweet-smelling omega his only hope to turn things around . . . he’s left with few other options than to grin and bear it.
Set on avoiding each other as much as possible, they find things unexpectedly starting to heat up between them enough to thaw even the frostiest of hearts. Though even with the pair going head over paws for each other, there’s no changing that their fling has an expiration date. The more time they spend together, the more they realize they’re playing a dangerous game—one where the only thing on the line is their hearts.
Contractor Tess Covington has spent her entire life as a regular non-shifter human, so after she lands in the Denver ER with flu-like symptoms, it comes as a complete shock to be told that, no, she’s not sick—she’s actually a late-presenting omega wolf shifter. With her family in dire financial straits and a contract for her own television show on the line, she can’t afford not to complete the renovation job she came for. And given that her newly emerged wolf is in danger of going into heat, she’ll just have to do her best to follow the doctor’s advice to keep away from alpha shifters.
Alpha wolf Hunter Barrett has spent most of his adult life living by a routine, and a big part of that involves staying clear of omegas after having one stomp on his heart. So when the tiny contractor shows up at his place smelling like the one thing he’s determined to avoid, he thinks it must be some sort of cosmic joke. But with his lodge on the verge of failing and this sweet-smelling omega his only hope to turn things around . . . he’s left with few other options than to grin and bear it.
Set on avoiding each other as much as possible, they find things unexpectedly starting to heat up between them enough to thaw even the frostiest of hearts. Though even with the pair going head over paws for each other, there’s no changing that their fling has an expiration date. The more time they spend together, the more they realize they’re playing a dangerous game—one where the only thing on the line is their hearts.
Title: The Mating Game
Author: Lana Ferguson
Publisher: Berkley
Expected Publication Date: December 2, 2025
Review:
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Net Galley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I love me some paranormal romance. And my new love is shifters. I read The Fake Mate and adored it so I could not wait to read this one. I was excited for Hunter's story. And it was just as great as I expected it would be. Lana Ferfuson is an auto-read author for me. I don't think there's anything she can write I won't love.
Hunter Barrett is a guy that sticks to his routines and doesn't put himself out there. He's a grumpy alpha (though he has some amazing golden retriever and cinnamon bun sides come out in this book). When Tess Covington is shoved into his life, he's not expecting to warm up to her, or even fall for her. And Tess has spent her life believing she's a beta when she's suddenly showing late presentation as an Omega. So when she takes the renovation job for Hunter's family's lodge she doesn't expect to present while on the job. Of course she goes into heat and the only one around to help her is Hunter.
I absolutely adored both these characters. Their connection was quite instant though I didn't feel like it was insta-love. They were drawn together because of who they are as shifters, but they easily warmed up to one another and opened up. Hunter presents as a grump but he truly warms up. And his support of Tess is amazing. He never makes her feel like she's alone in what she's experiencing. And he realizes that his self-isolation has not been what he's needed in his life. When he finally opens up to let others in, he's amazed to find the support there for himself.
The side characters in this book are also fabulous. I loved Hunter's aunt and Tess's brothers. I hope we get to see more of them along the way. And it was great to see the appearances of the characters from The Fake Mate in this book, though you can easily read this one as a stand alone without having to be introduced to that couple.
And Lana gives such great spice in this book. Who knew I'd love knotting and all it brings? Plus she knows just how to pace a book to bring you along through the story and keep you turning the pages for more. The plot for this one was similar to the first book in this series, I will say. I wasn't sure how Ferguson would really make this one different since heats are a big thing with shifters. But she made it just different enough that it was fun to read and see what happened to these characters.
If you enjoy shifters, grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity/snowed in, and omegaverse romance, this one is for. I will run to any book Lana chooses to write, especially the paranormal.
Author:
Lana Ferguson is a USA Today bestselling author and sex-positive nerd whose works never shy from spice or sass. A faded Fabio cover found its way into her hands at fifteen, and she’s never been the same since. When she isn’t writing, you can find her randomly singing show tunes, arguing over which Batman is superior, and subjecting her friends to the extended editions of The Lord of the Rings. Lana lives mostly in her own head but can sometimes be found chasing her corgi through the coppice of the great American outdoors.
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