Welcome back to another installment of I picked this up because of BookTok. This time, I was sucked into Never His Mate by Sarah Spade. This was an unexpected treat! I think more than the story itself, I loved the worldbuilding, though the romance was certainly a fun time.
This book will be frustrating to some readers, particularly those that hate the miscommunication romance trope. And though I will gripe about it as I read, I definitely, secretly love it because there’s no actual betrayal and a conversation can fix everything. We’ve got main characters Gem and Ryker, a pair of fated mates, that fell apart when Gem believes Ryker has rejected her. She’s left, rebuilt her life (alongside a vampire no less), when Ryker comes back wanting to claim her. Why’d he reject her? Who knows because he still can’t give her a clear answer. The push and pull between them is deliciously frustrating. We can feel how much they want each other but are too stubborn or proud or dumb to work through it.
I know I say I’m always surprised by this, but the fact that there was a plot outside of romance was pleasant to see! We get only hints of it with Spade never going heavy handed on the were or vampire politics, but that’s what makes me want to continue with this series and this world she’s built. I want to learn the intricate ins and outs. I want to get into the gossip of every relationship and see how they each piece together. Honestly, I did not expect the reason for the rift to be what it was, which was a nice surprise (for me.) While the pacing did heavily favor the romance, feeling a bit rushed toward the end, I can rationalize this to myself by saying there is a very direct follow-up which likely will answer all the lingering questions.
Never His Mate by Sarah Spade is a quick paranormal romance that opens up a vast new world to explore. If you’re okay with miscommunications and fated mates, I think you’ll really like this one. If you can’t stand angst that could be cleared with a conversation, you might want to steer clear.
