Review by Sadonna
TITLE: Fake Dates and Fanged Mistakes 
SERIES: Fanged Mistakes
AUTHOR: Alice Winters
NARRATOR: Michael Ferraiuolo
PUBLISHER: Self-published
LENGTH: 10 hours and 11 minutes
RELEASE DATE: March 25, 2024
BLURB:
Julian
This week hasn’t gone the best for me unless you count Casimir, the sexy ancient vampire, bringing me back from the brink of death (and tying my fate to his in the process). Not that it matters if the werewolves and vampires don’t stop their ridiculous feud, because someone is targeting them and widening the divide between our communities with each body they leave in their wake.
But as the alpha’s son, I have a plan to fix everything. I’m going to convince Casimir to fake date me to show the others that we can work together.
I mean… what could go wrong?
Casimir
Everything.
Literally everything could go wrong. Who is actually going to believe that I want this joke-cracking, cute werewolf tagging alongside me?
Honestly, do I even care if people get along? I really think I have much more important things to do than going on hardware store dates, learning the torturous art of holding hands, and attending awkward family dinners, like… staring at my dog… and… I’m sure there’s something else.
Okay, fine, maybe this whole fake dating scheme isn’t the worst idea that I’ve come across in the past five hundred years, but it’s definitely in the running. The two of us are just going to have a bit of fun while I stop whoever’s hunting down the vampires and werewolves… right?
Fake Dates and Fanged Mistakes has a sunshiny yet stubborn werewolf who just wants everyone to get along, dang it; a bored vampire who isn’t nearly as aloof as he wants to appear; paper napkins trying (and failing) to stand in for clothes; some awesome swordsmanship; and the last thing you’d expect to find in a secret cupboard.
REVIEW:
Julian, a werewolf, is having a very bad day. First he’s helping his 8 year old niece Nina sell candy and when he refuses to shift to pretend to be a dog to entice customers, she approaches Casimir the head of the vampires in the area who is unprepared for a small child. Julian manages to work the situation into a con to get the candy sold and keep him and Nina from any consequences. But then on his ride home, he’s attacked by vampires. Luckily he’s on the phone with his mother who calls his father and gets help there fast. But he’s been shot with silver and it’s not looking good. Terrance begs Casimir to give Julian some of his blood and well that’s where things start to go sideway. Somehow Casimir’s blood counteracts the silver. But not permanently. Also Casimir and Julian seem to have some sort of a bond now. One that they can’t ignore.
The rogue vampires are trying to instigate a ware between Casimir’s vampires and Terrance’s wolves. Things are getting pretty bloody and Julian is nearly killed multiple times. But the more time Casimir spends with Julian, the more he doesn’t want that to happen. Julian is entertaining at least. Also he paints tremendous pictures of Gustav, Casimir’s dog 😉 There are some really bad vampires about though and nobody can figure out their motivation for trying to keep the Vampires and Werewolves at each other’s throats and why they are after Julian and Casimir. Casimir and Julian will have to work together to save the day though and take out the bad guy.
OMG! This is a gloriously Alice Winters series kickoff with loads of action and humor and banter and an enemies to lovers trope that kept me on the edge of my seat and laughing too. Julian and Casimir are so hilariously wrong and yet right for each other 🙂 I loved the dual POV. Julian is a really really positive guy – despite his father Terrance, the head of the werewolves being kind of a jerk to him and trying to entice him into the pack. Casimir is definitely a grumpy Gus but he has no desire to go to war with the wolves. When it’s clear that rogues are trying to instigate a war between these two groups, he reluctantly tries to save Julian and unwittingly puts into motion a surprising link between them. Casimir is NOT enthusiastic about Julian’s wild plan to fake date to show both sides that “hey, we can get along” but he doesn’t have a better plan and hey, it will piss off Terrance so that’s a win anyway. Ezio, Casimir’s sort of right hand guy who labels himself a “detective” is supposed to be helping Julian and Casimir find the rogues and figure out what their game is, but he’s more interested in Cyrus, a human detective who knows about the paranormal entities in the area. We’re not quite sure what Cyrus is even by the end of the story, but I hope we find out more in the next book. Also we still don’t know what is so special about Julian – he’s not like the other werewolves 😉 And what it in Casimir’s secret cabinet? And what about enemy turned maybe ally Ivo? There is certainly a lot to explore in the next book 😀
Michael Ferraiuolo and Alice Winters must be sharing a brain at this point. Michael’s performance of this hilarious and suspenseful story is so spot on. Julian is so lively and his cajoling of Casimir, despite Casimir’s clear distaste kept me laughing. Casimir’s disdain for the wolves and the pesky and persistent and thoroughly yet charmingly annoying Julian in particular is so very entertaining. Ezio and his obsession with Cyrus are also a fascinating pair – and I can’t wait for the next book to see what’s up with that. Ivo, the evil vampire is so urbane and nasty! His attempts to cajole Julian to join him are very funny too. I loved all the voices and accents. I especially loved Nina 🙂 Honestly this is a marriage made in heaven between this author and narrator. Pure genius. I cannot wait for book two in Audio!
RATING: 
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