Format: Hardcover, 288 pages
Release Date: October 21, 2025
Publisher: Ace
Source: Publisher
Genre: Urban Fantasy
When the deadly werewolf Asil is gifted five blind dates by some anonymous “friends,” his reclusive life will never be the same, in this enthralling novel in stories from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Mercy Thompson series.
Includes two all-new stories as well as three previously published stories.
Dear Asil:
We are worried about you. A werewolf alone is a sad thing, especially at Christmastime. So we have a challenge for you: five dates in three weeks. We have taken the work out of it and connected you with five people from online dating sites. You should also know that we have informed the whole pack and instigated a betting pool. Have fun!
Sincerely,
Your Concerned Friends
Includes two all-new stories as well as three previously published stories.
Dear Asil:
We are worried about you. A werewolf alone is a sad thing, especially at Christmastime. So we have a challenge for you: five dates in three weeks. We have taken the work out of it and connected you with five people from online dating sites. You should also know that we have informed the whole pack and instigated a betting pool. Have fun!
Sincerely,
Your Concerned Friends
Blind Date with a Werewolf by Patricia Briggs comprises of five short stories and an epilogue in the Alpha and Omega universe. This novel includes five linked stories (two original and three previously published), each about one of the werewolf Asil's blind dates, which together tell an enthralling story with a satisfying conclusion. Asil Moreno, better known as Hussan the Moor, is one of the most dangerous werewolves in the world.
*Slight spoilers* - Asil was introduced in previous Alpha & Omega stories because he joined Bran Cornick's pack. He came to the USA from Europe because, after losing his mate Sarai, he had lost his will to live. In fact, almost the only thing he now takes joy in is killing, which makes him better than Charles, who tends to have regrets. He came to Aspen Creek to ask Bran to kill him, but it was Anna, wife of Charles and the pack's Omega, who was able to help Asil from being killed.
However, he's been in a funk lately, which is why he suddenly gets an email from a Concerned Friend saying they have set up 5 dates for him in 3 weeks. They produce ground rules to determine the “success” of each date and to protect the innocent. But they also inform Asil that there is a betting pool on the outcomes. These people know how to prick his pride, engage his protective instincts, and inspire his desire to win this “game.” There are rules. The date must last 2 hours, there will be no dead bodies, and neither party is allowed to run away.
Apparently, three of these dating stories have been published in anthologies before. The second and fifth dates are brand new. The first date involves vampires, the second date involves tiger shifters, the third date involves an evil witch, the fourth consists of a woman who is being used by a powerful being, and the fifth brings Asil face to face with a woman who is being used by an even more powerful vampire who has connections to Mercy's nemesis, Bonarata who has chosen to move into the Seattle area to push Mercy's buttons.
One of the more surprising aspects of this story was the fact that Briggs kept the identity of the "concerned friends" a secret right up until the final chapters. It appears that this "friend" had a suspicion about things in the area that needed to be dealt. Each "date" becomes more dangerous until Asil and his wolf reach an agreement, which should not shock anyone. The epilogue wraps up the book nicely without any cliffhangers, though the Bonarata storyline needs to be resolved soon.
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