Rating: 4 stars
Buy Link:
Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novella


Oscar is the owner of a fearless cat called Marshmallow, and is single, gay, and entirely human — or so he thinks. That is until he has an encounter with what he learns is a vampire in a club and unleashes his fire magic. Oscar returns to his apartment exhausted, convincing himself that the fire was a dream, until the next day when a sexy stranger knocks on his door.

Mahon is half-fae, half-werewolf and he is investigating the mysterious magical signature left at the club, the scent of which leads him to Oscar’s door. Mahon is not expecting to be faced with a striking, flame-haired beauty or the fact that Oscar is a daoine-sidhe, or high fae, who has no clue about his heritage or magical identity. Mahon is forced to shift into his wolf to prove the existence of paranormal beings to Oscar, but shortly after, when they are attacked, Mahon must get Oscar to safety. Will Mahon be able to teach Oscar to harness his power before the untrustworthy, Lord Piron, finds Oscar and will Oscar and Mahon consummate the blood-spark that exists between them?

The Werewolf’s Fae Mate is a short read, but Liv Rider has successfully packed her story full of mystery, danger, romance, and paranormal action.

Oscar is a fun character. He is young and after a childhood spent in the foster care system, is desperate not to feel the “aloneness” that plagues him. Rider is able to combine Oscar’s vulnerability with the immense fae power he has unknowingly acquired from both of his biological parents. Oscar is faced with a variety of challenges throughout The Werewolf’s Fae Mate, but he never exhibits any fear, although he is understandably wary of the paranormal world he is now a part of. I think the fact that Oscar is such a natural and amicable character helps to make his journey all the more engaging.

To me, Mahon’s sex appeal jumps off the pages of Rider’s story! Perhaps that is why, in this case, I felt unable to complain about Rider’s use of the instalove trope. Not only that, but Mahon is patient when training Oscar and is protective, not only of Oscar, but his own twin brother too, loyal and mindful of his duty as a pack member. Mahon understands how it feels to be rejected after his experiences with his own parents and though he has only known Oscar for a short time, Mahon is willing to help Oscar discover all he can about his family.

The relationship between Oscar and Mahon is fast moving but, in my opinion, this is expected in a story that involves werewolves and mating. Though I liked the idea of Oscar and Mahon together, the constant issue of miscommunication between them became an annoyance with neither man able to be honest and admit their feelings: Oscar because he did not want to appear too eager and Mahon because he did not want to trap Oscar in a mate relationship. Despite this, Rider ensures the intensity between the men is apparent from their first meeting and the sex is sizzling hot!

In terms of the paranormal content, The Werewolf’s Fae Mate is not entirely original, but Rider is still able to provide enough interest to excite our imagination. I particularly enjoyed a scene in which Mahon and Oscar are attacked and Rider introduces us to the blood-bats who breathe clouds of corrosive “curor.” The scene is short, but I think their creation shows what Rider could achieve if not limited to page space, as she is in The Werewolf’s Fae Mate.

Only 100 pages means that the pace moves quickly and Rider does deliver what, in some areas, feels like an incomplete story. The world building is not as elaborate as it could be, particularly when Oscar visits Lord Piron, and I did not get the magical or powerful atmosphere that I would have liked from the ruler of the fae court. There was also no explanation as to why Aiden was “stuck” as a wolf, though hopefully this is something that Rider will address as another book in the series.

The Werewolf’s Fae Mate is worth reading, especially for fans of paranormal mm romance, though it not deliver all that I was hoping for after reading Rider’s Angel’s Fall.

kirsty sig