The Fake Mate

How does the novel negotiate boundaries between contemporary romantic comedy and the fantasy-based shifter subgenre? Does The Fake Mate help paranormal romances evolve and embrace a new measure of self-awareness? Why or why not?

How does Mackenzie navigate Moira’s insistence that she find a mate and still manage to assert her status as an independent woman? How does her resistance to these familial expectations relate to the novel’s focus on The Tension Between Fate and Choice?

Analyze the assumptions made about alphas and omegas throughout the narrative. How does Ferguson portray the relationship between instinctual behavior and rational decision-making?

Discuss Noah and Mackenzie’s mutual reluctance to engage in intimacy. How do their differing approaches to vulnerability and openness drive the progression of their relationship and their personal development?

Consider the novel’s markedly different settings. How does Ferguson’s integration of a mundane setting like a hospital lend realism to the fantastical plot? What are the benefits and disadvantages of situating her narrative within these everyday spaces?

Examine Ferguson’s use of the fake dating trope within her narrative. How does this trope function as both a plot device and a commentary on the performative aspects of relationships within public spaces?

How does Ferguson use alternating perspectives to build emotional depth and tension in the narrative? How does this narrative structure contribute to the development of Noah and Mackenzie’s internal conflicts?

Consider the concept of “fated mates” within the novel. Does Ferguson critique or uphold the contemporary societal norms governing romantic relationships? In your response, be sure to analyze Noah and Mackenzie’s relationship, as well as that of Mackenzie’s parents.