UNAwere

by Jess McFarlane

She’s bonded to his alpha.
He’s tasked with getting her there.

Sybbie Palmer has always put one thing first: her younger sister, Maeve. Being eleven years older, and the adopted daughter of the alpha of Luminaire, Sybbie has spent years looking after her sister since their parents’ deaths.
So when the alpha of the Primrose pack, Layton Warner, proposes a bonding to form an alliance with Luminaire, she’s quick to step forward so Maeve doesn’t have to. Being bonded to the Primrose alpha to gain favour in a territory war wasn’t on Sybbie’s bingo card, but she’s determined to do this for her pack.
However, the bodyguard sent to pick her up, Briggs, is gruff, mostly silent and could use an attitude adjustment. Sybbie isn’t sure she’s capable surviving more than two weeks in a car with this Were, as she’s the complete opposite of what Briggs usually tolerates: talkative, annoying, and asking for a dollar every time he swears.
But Briggs is good at his job: training her, protecting her from Karvers and teaching her how to be a proper Were. And when she begins to notice their strange connection, she’s suddenly forced to consider that she may have made the wrong decision.

For lovers of “Mate” by Ali Hazelwood, and the movie “Leap Year”, UNAwere is a laugh-out-loud romantic comedy that’s sure to have you giggling and kicking your feet. Don’t miss out on this fresh take on the werewolf genre and pre-order your copy today.

Kindle Edition

Expected publication October 3, 2026

About the author

Jess McFarlane wrote her first book by hand when she was 14. Since then, she’s used words to escape reality and has so far published 5 novels. She’s a proud disabled/chronically ill, Palawa woman, who grew up on Bundjalung and Darkinjung Country, and now lives on Yorta Yorta Country with her husband, Alec, and their German Shepherd, Sam. When Jess isn’t writing, she enjoys playing video games, reading, archery and cooking.

Reviews

[Nadia Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the perfect book to pull me out of a reading slump. Finished it in ONE DAY. Obviously by staying up way too late, because the enemies were getting dangerously close to becoming lovers. Priorities. 😂

The author’s writing style is lovely. It flows easily, the pacing is great, and the characters are incredibly easy to love. Something subtle that I appreciate 🙌🏼

In case you were searching for it, this book has top-notch Touch. Her. And. Die. 👏

The author also had several moments throughout the book that were subtle but really powerful.

There’s a character introduced that uses they/them pronouns, and while their inclusion isn’t necessary or relevant to the actual storyline, I appreciated that the author made space for it. It felt natural rather than just checking a box.

The MMC is your classic grumpy bodyguard, but it’s the little things he does for the FMC that make him so endearing. Like stopping at a fast-food restaurant instead of a truck stop during their road trip. Seems simple, it’s the bare minimum, but somehow he’s won. 😂

The FMC is the eldest daughter, and she checks off basically every box:

1. Takes on the role of primary parent
2. Protects her younger sister
3. Sacrifices herself for everyone else
4. Makes choices based on what others need from her

By the end, she reclaims something she’s been giving away the entire time: her autonomy. And I loved that growth for her.

And the ending? Probably my favorite part.

Without giving anything away, there’s a detail involving the pack alpha that ties everything together so perfectly, in a pretty red bow. It felt like the author quietly slid one last little message onto the table: “Oh, and by the way… there’s more than one way to lead.”

A subtle but perfect message about making space for change. And honestly? It’s done with grace. 🐺✨

[Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always find it difficult to review books I fell deeply in love with, because what do you mean I can't just scream from the rooftops that you should definitely read this so you can fall in love with it too? I don't know if I have the words to do UNAwere justice, but I'm going to try anyway.

I was so blessed to have the opportunity to beta read UNAwere and since then it has lived permanently inside my brain. This contemporary werewolf romcom is playful, hilarious, and overflowing with charm.

You'll want to sink your canines into this if you love:

× werewolves
× grumpy x sunshine
× bodyguard x passenger princess
× road trip!
× forced proximity
× yearning
× ADHD rep
× demi rep

Sybbie has my entire heart (and I'm sure I've said this about multiple of Jess's characters at this point, but it is especially true for Sybbie). Being part of a pack that never really taught her how to be a werewolf and growing up with ADHD in a world that isn't built to understand or accommodate her, Sybbie easily could have let her experiences twist her into someone bitter and resentful. So the fact that she is unwaveringly kind and always seeks to find the good in all things is something truly powerful. Reading her is like witnessing rays of sunshine peeking out from behind the clouds after a rainstorm and she will forever hold a special place in my heart.

Jude "Briggsy" Briggs, the grumpy man that you are. Watching Sybbie slowly melt away his silent broody exterior and bring down his walls was truly a pleasure and had me smiling so hard it hurt. He's a secret softie; gentle, protective and fiercely supportive. The way he never tries to just fix things for her and always respects her decisions is so hot. I absolutely adored seeing their romance grow throughout their journey, and all the seemingly innocuous moments along the way that led them there.

"You are so fucking loveable, sweetheart."

Jess McFarlane infuses her stories with poignant themes, exploring them with the care and consideration they deserve, and UNAwere is no exception. The neurodiversity representation in this book feels raw and real. The challenges that come with being neurodiverse in a world designed for neurotypical people and the necessity of having to mask or diminish yourself to be palatable to others is both heart-wrenching and relatable. This kind of visibility is imperative and I hope that readers will see themselves in Sybbie and know that they are just as brave, and powerful, and loveable as she is.

"You're not a lot, Sybbie. . . And if anyone tells you that you are, they can f*cking choke."

If you're looking for a contemporary romance that'll make you laugh, giggle, and probably cry, this is your sign to add UNAwere to your TBR. I am already looking forward to revisiting this world through many rereads and hopefully more books (I'm desperately crossing my fingers).

Forever indebted to Jess McFarlane for trusting me to beta and ARC read this wonderful book, it was an honour.

[Morgan Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing book from Jess!!! I absolutely ate this book up!!! The characters, the storytelling was just all so beautiful!

Sybbie, the FMC, is a were who has not fully accepted herself and she finds herself in a position to help her family and friends by bonding herself to the alpha of another group of weres. And this is where the grand road trip of a lifetime begins!

I really like Sybbie as a character because she is so relatable. She has awkward moments but she can't help but be adorable. The love she has for her family is just heartwarming. And her love for food is just hilarious and beautiful (and totally relatable, like this is completely me 🤣)

And then we meet Briggs, the grumpy and stoic bodyguard/chauffeur. And I absolutely just fell in love! The banter between Briggs and Sybbie is just ADORABLE and I couldn't get enough! And I just can't help loving the quiet grumpy types and he just fits perfectly. As the story goes on, his personality and his love and care come through and I was completely swooning. Just the little moments, the slight touches, the glances; I just ATE IT UP!

The road trip honestly has some of my favorite microtropes too; there are care moments for the both of them, one bed situations, knowing each other's coffee preferences??? Like so, so good 🤭.

But this story is not just a fun and cute road trip, there are also moments of fear and uncertainty. Sybbie finds herself in a scary situation and honestly I was on the edge of my seat for it. And finally when the road trip comes to an end and we meet Warner...things just get more intense. Warner is the kind of alpha male who makes you want to just smack some sense into them 🤣. Jess seriously knows how to write completely unlikeable antagonists in her books and I love that so much.

I also really loved the side characters. Maeve, Sybbie's sister became just such a sense of comfort for Sybbie and I loved that. I really loved Hannah as well, she is Briggs' sister and she has boss energy and I was totally here for it!

And of course the spice. The spice in this book was absolutely amazing! I was giggling and kicking my feet, I was blushing, it was a great time. I really love how Sybbie and Briggs just have such an amazing connection and you can just tell during these moments. Just the absolute adoration Briggs has for her had me just falling even more in love with his character. And there is totally a knotting scene which like it's a werewolf love story so of course there is 🤭 and let me just say it is glorious.

Definitely highly recommend this book! I absolutely loved it and it was just such a great read and I just cannot wait to read more about this world (side stories please!!! And maybe more books????)

[Cassandra Couchman · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review

I want to say a big thank you to Jess for letting me apart of her ARC Team.

The story starts with Sybbie a woman in her thirties with ADHD love the representation of that she isn't really connected to her wolf side since her parents died defending the Alpha Nolan and works along side humans and Weres to help that relationship.
Her life get thrown when she trades places either sister to Alpha Warner who is Alpha in a different place. Her sister is 20 and Sybbie doesnt want her sister going to a 30 something year old man.
She asks that she is driven to the new place as she doesnt like flying it is agreed on and thats where me meet Mr Grumpy Bum himself Jude Briggs.
He shows up on Sybbies territory in a ute complainy and grumpy it is a two week drive.
They start off on a rocky start bickering and silent treatments she can play music and they can only eat and sleep at pre approved places. Slowly over the two weeks they start getting along and start opening up to each other and Jude teaches her how to be a wolf when she gets kidnapped he goes balls to the wall to save her. She learns alot along the way and realizes her Alpha had failed his pack by not teaching basic Were Lore. She learns what she looks like as a wolf, she learns what heat is what mates are and why she feels the way she does about Jude.

When they finally meet Alpha Warner he is a complete misogynistic ass who only wants to breed her and is just rude and arrogant and i didnt like him at all glad he got what was coming for him though.

Sybbie meets Bearnie and Hannah Judes Mother and Sister who take her in and show her where she will be. Hannah helps her understand what the Alpha wants from her and when she learns about her brother and Sybbie being mates she tells her, her options.I love Hannah she is a badass and when Sybbie changes her mind on being with Warner she wants to be with her mate she attacks him and he is not happy about it and attacks her trying to unalive her Hannah comes barreling in and unaliving him and becoming Alpha

It was such a good read if you like The Grumpy/Sunshine trope Dom/ Sub vibes as well they submit to each other you will love this book its funny, heart stopping and the spice is soo good and written very well.

Again thank you Jess for letting me be apart of the ARC Team I really enjoyed this book. Definitely will be on my re-read list

[Kat Sotti]

I was given an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the writing, but ultimately, this book wasn’t for me. However, I can acknowledge that I’m probably not the intended audience, and I don’t see why I should mark it down simply because it wasn’t to my personal taste.

The story was a little too slow for me, and I found the FMC incredibly annoying and obnoxious at times. I understand that she is neurodivergent, but she gave off strong “I’m not like other girls” energy, which made it difficult for me to connect with her.

She calls him “Grumble Bum” and says “jeepers” a lot, with other things she does, which made her feel really young despite being over thirty. That really grated on me because there are already so many books featuring very young FMCs. And when an author writes about an adult woman, it’s frustrating that she is still portrayed as much younger than her age.

I also didn’t like how readily she disrespected his boundaries while being perfectly happy to tell him exactly where hers were. It felt hypocritical and made it difficult for me to root for her.

Still, the writing itself was enjoyable, and I can see this book working well for the right reader it just wasn’t the right fit for me.

[Eliza Hutchinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I genuinely loved this book. It can be rare that a book just captures my full attention like this one.
Its very much a grumpy x sunshine rom com book but as you read more into the book you totally understand why Jude (mmc) is so grumpy and a bit standoffish.
This is a werewolf romance and I haven’t read a good one since my wattpad days (iykyk)

Sybbie (fmc) steps up and protects her younger sister and decides to marry the alpha of another pack so the two packs can form an alliance. Was she keen on it? No. But she’d do anything to protect her younger sister and help out her family.
Downside to this plan? She now has to travel to the new pack and refuses to fly, so she’s now on a road trip with the alphas most trusted body guard, Jude.

I don’t want to give too much away but you’ll love Jude and Sybbie and fall in love with all the side characters and how much they all come to mean to you.

It was funny, sweet, definitely sexy and I couldn’t put it down.

[Anita D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Advanced reader copy review of Unawere by Jess McFarlane
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 – top tier, no notes.
🔥🔥🔥🔥 – explicit, open door (feat. knotting)

Grumpy sunshine excellence.

Briggs is an absolute curmudgeon of a man. He’s tasked with collecting his Alpha’s soon-to-bonded back to the pack. Briggs is a trusted member of the Primrose pack.

Sybil ‘Sybbie’ has volunteered as tribute to take her younger sister’s place as the Luminaire pack’s offering to the Primrose Alpha. Sybbie is demisexual and has ADHD.

They road trip across the country together for 2 1/2 weeks. Their banter (or lack thereof sometimes – Briggs!!) was hilarious and sweet all at once.

And Briggs was just so helpful. 😘 I enjoyed the spicy scenes a lot.

I absolutely adored this book. Sybbie and Jude were just perfect for each other. I can’t wait to do a reread.

Would I have liked a little more detail about why Luminaire and Primose were at war with the Karvers? Yes. But it didn’t detract from my love for this story.

[Verity Thornhill · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read 😍

If you like werewolves, spicy romances that are equal parts cute and swoony, then this is for you.

Sybbie always does the right thing - even if that's not the best thing for her. So when it looks like her little sister is to be married off to an Alpha from a different pack, she volunteers instead. He is everything their pack isn't, but she'll do this for her sister - give up everything she knows and loves to protect her.

When the bodyguard (Briggs) sent to pick her up arrives, she starts to wonder if she'll survive the trip there though. He's so distant and quiet. The opposite of Sybbie.

Their roadtrip brings things to light thoug, that will change everything Sybbie thought she understood about herself and other werewolves.

Get ready to fall in love with Briggs - it's one hell of a road trip ❤️

I received an ARC but the decision to leave a review was my own and I was super happy to do so!

[Jodie Watts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. The MC was a unique version of the sunshine trope, and I adored every minute of her voice. A real neurodivergent Queen - I love a girl who uses a finger gun awkwardly, and at inappropriate times 😊
This read was light, sweet, and sexxy as hell. I thought I knew where it was headed, but it had some surprises in store for me.
I don't read a lot of romantic comedies or Werewolf stories, but this might have set me on a new reading path, and I have 100% found a new author to follow closely.
I finished this in 2 days (which is more impressive than it sounds because I have a baby I have to spend most of the hours in a day keeping alive and entertained 😆).
Now I'm off to dream about finding my own Grumblebum 😉

[Keeley Forsyth · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

actually thoroughly enjoyed this one to the point i had to force myself to stop reading so i could go to bed and get sleep before i went to work. i genuinely sometimes forget how much i love a good were story.

the yearning, the wanting, the obsession, the protectiveness, the angst, the tension, the forbidden like yes yes yes ticked all the boxes for me.

forever a grumpy x sunshine girlie i just loved watching briggs’ walls crash down bit by bit and i absolutely adored sybbie — i also feel like in a lot of grumpy x sunshine the girl is always dumbed down and while yes there were things she was clueless on it wasn’t her entire personality. she held her own and i loved her.


girl !! power !! all !! the !! way !!

[Fordie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh. My. Goodness... Wow, what a book! Everything about this I loved....the pacing, the setting, the style of writing, the characters, the tension, the quirks, the insecurities, the brooding, the protection, the spice, him, her, them 🙌🏼

Sybbie I adored. She was real and raw and absolutely adorable. Briggs, I swooned for. Touch her and die at its absolute finest! I also really appreciated the ages of them both. Perfection 😍

The needy attraction and the fighting of it 🫠 The pure pull of them not being able to. Loved it. Didn't want to put it down. Devoured it. Couldn't stop thinking about it. Want even more.


Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC....truly truly appreciated. I'm probably off to recover somewhat now.

[Sie · Rating 5 out of 5]

🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

🐺 UNAwere by @jessmcfarlaneauthor 🐺

ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT.

If you loved Bride and Mate this book is definitely for you, and needs to be on your TBR.

I didn't get the title 🤣 I was stuck on the UNA part. Once I worked it out Un-Awere , it completely made sense.🙄
A werewolf who is too human and has no clue how to be a werewolf, limited knowledge her heritage and Were customs.

Favourite sentence ( out of context )
😝 "Abso-fucking-lutely I do." 😝

🐺 Road trip
🐺 Arranged bonding
🐺 Forced Proximity
🐺 Pack warfare
🐺 Bodyguard romance
🐺 Forbidden
🐺 Fated Mates
🐺 Found family
🐺 Spicy

🎨 Character art by @ corelle_vairel 🎨

[Inès · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for the arc.

The book and writing were great but be careful, it's not a cozy sweet rom-com. There are some dark parts and you need to check the trigger warning. They are some attempts of sexual abuse and some gore, graphic deaths. I was not expecting it so it was kind of a shock. The MMC had a really great personality and I found him really sweet and bookboyfriend material. The FMC seemed a little too naive sometimes for someone who is supposed to be in her thirty but I like the fact that she had ADHD and find it well written.

[Ashleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an utterly perfect love story. I bodied this text in a day or less. It was funny, entertaining, progressed at a reasonable pace, and was written with solid chemistry between the two main characters. I started getting a little annoyed with the self-inflicted torture and the cluelessness of the FMC, but she was ultimately more interesting that she was annoying and she did what she needed to do in order to stand up for herself in the end. Briggs is a perfect wolfman.

I would love to read more from Jess McFarlane 💞

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

[Tim Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeepers, UNAwere is an incredible ride filled with hilarious scenes, witty banter and deeply emotional relationships. I had so much fun tagging along with Sybbie and Briggs, and learning alongside Sybbie as she navigates a new world. Jess's ability to bring characters to life that were so easy to connect with had me hooked.

Balancing intrigue and steady story pacing is always something I love to find in a book. UNAwere's delivery was a very welcome introduction to a world I can't wait to see more of. *finger guns*

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

UNAwere is a millennial's dream Werewolf Rom-Com Fantasy! Swoon, banter-worthy fall cozy read that will have you wishing you were part of the Sol universe!

It follows Sybbie, a 30-something year old who is taking the older sister pact to save her little sister Maeve from being the bride of the Primrose pack Alpha in hopes of getting Sybbie is scared of flying, so she escorted by our MMC, A TALL BROODY TYPE!

TROPES/GENRES::

1. FORCED MARRIAGE/WERE-BOND
2. FORCED PROXIMITY
3. ROM-COM BANTER
4. MILLENIAL OLDER MAIN CHARACTERS
5. SUNSHINE-GRUMPY
6. ROMANTASY
7. URBAN FANTASY

[Kacie Mummawh0reads.x · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️4🌶️3 💧1

I actually really enjoyed this one. And devoured it in almost one sitting! I
Couldn’t put it down. I often found myself laughing and even tearing up a bit. There were moments when I was wondering “awww why?” But it all makes sense in the end!
The only thing I feel could have made it even better, some chapters from the MMC’s POV.


#werewolves #mates #adhdrep #forcedproximity #roadtrip

[Norma · Rating 4 out of 5]

UNAwere by Jess McFarlane was an interesting read for me . I really liked the story and found myself wanting to keep reading to see how everything would unfold.

There were some great moments throughout the book, overall I had a really good time reading it. A solid 4 star read for me, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for what Jess McFarlane writes next.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Monique Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartwarming, funny, addictive and a lot of sexy fun!!

A modern take on werewolves, their packs and an arranged bonding. A brooding bodyguard and a glass half full woman embark on a cross-country journey which will alter their lives forever.
I was laughing one minute, crying the next and had to fan myself off from the steamy scenes the next.

So well written, and so much fun. Characters were so relatable and likeable.

Thank you Jess for the eARC, I absolutely loved it!!

[Becca Abell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very kindly given an Arc copy of this book. It was amazing and I loved it. Sybbie is so much made me giggle as her ADHD traits definitely were realistic.

It was described as being like a werewolf version of leap year and that is true but it’s also unique and written really well.

If you want a lighthearted, funny, grumpy-sunshine romance then this is definitely a great read and I would recommend ❤️

[Kirsten Becroft · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was probably one of my favourite reads this year. I laughed so hard all the time.
My husband has the same diagnosis so this will always have a special place in my heart because he also struggles to sit still. I'm the excessive talker though!
EVERYONE and I mean EVERYONE needs to preorder this. It's an easy and fun read, the spice is immaculate and the characters are to die for.
I will be trying to find all other works by the author. I'm OBSESSED!

[Lucie Rangel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, you had me at road trip and paranormal romance. It’s such a fresh and fun take on shifters. The FMC is literally the worst shifter. lol! Even I was like: he is your MATE. When she goes: he smells incredible, I don’t know why?! Like, gurl….. but other than that I loved her: she was funny, kind and brave!

The MMC was your typical broody grump, just my type!

We get all the greatest hits in this book:

Grumpy/ sunshine
He is soft only for her
Touch her and die
Good girl
He falls first and harder
Forbidden romance

And so much more!

It was such an enjoyable read! I ate it up, basically overnight in one sitting! Highly recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and Ravens Ink press for the eARC in exchange for honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a mates werewolf romance are you in luck. This book will take you for a ride in all the best ways!

He is grumpy bums and she is his light. She is promised to his alpha and even though she grow up in a were community they are more human then anything. She is afraid of flying so road trip it is and along the way the tension grows.

4 stars
2.5 chili peppers

[Rose Ortiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Light, sexy werewolf read. A sister who takes parental role and ends up protecting her sister by marrying the alpha king to form an alliance, but little did it be known she hates to fly so to get to her new pack she goes by road with the alphas most trusted guard. This was a great read make sure to put it on your tbr so when it comes out you have to read it!!

[Jess M 🩷 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️ ARC Review.

A werewolf romcom that had me hooked! Honestly this was such a perfect mix of action, spice, love and banter.

🐺 forced proximity
🎀 bodyguard
🐺 fated mates
🎀 grumpy x sunshine
🐺 humour and banter
🎀 found family

This was so wholesome and fab and I love that Jess is an Aussie author 🥰 do yourself a favour and read this one!

[Irene Cortez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an eARC and I am so happy I did. I love when I find new authors.

I devoured this book in 2 days. It was such an easy read that was so lighthearted. It was a great love story between to werewolves that weren’t allowed to be together but eventually find the love they wanted.

I definitely think if you liked Mate by Ali Hazelwood you are gonna love this book.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Advanced review copy:

A quick, fun, spicy read! Loved all the characters, especially Jude and Sybbie. Excellently executed grumpy/sunshine dynamic with some great banter. I appreciated the representation of ADHD, which isn’t often seen in this genre. If you’re a fan of werewolf romances this is well worth checking out! Breezed through in two days!

[Natasha Maclean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really really enjoyed this book! I loved that the MC’s were actual grown up adults. I loved the grumpy man that eventually melts. I kept waiting for the test and when it came it isn’t what I expected. Definitely worth a read!

[Sarah Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was gifted an ARC of this book and I devoured it. If you liked mate by Ali Hazelwood, I think you will fucking love this book. I really enjoyed the FMC and it was super great to read a book about somebody who was in her thirties and not 19. Highly recommend.

[Ashley Arias · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! It is hard to put down, and the chemistry between the two MC's is perfect. You will find yourself both laughing and crying. The author also included neurodivergent representation, which is a wonderful addition for inclusion.

I highly recommend it!