Okay, I have to start with the concept of Strange Bedfellows because that is immediately what pulled me into this book. It’s such a fun and whimsical idea, and honestly, it felt refreshing to read something that was completely different from what I normally pick up.

The story follows Cleo, who can shift into a cat and somehow ends up becoming the pet cat of her crush, Wes.

Yes. Her crush’s CAT.

Except Wes has absolutely no idea that the cat he’s cuddling with, taking care of, letting curl up on his lap, and basically treating like his little companion is actually Cleo. Meanwhile, Cleo is shifting back and forth between being herself and being Cat while also trying to navigate the fact that she has feelings for this man.

I’m sorry, but that concept alone is hilarious to me.

And then the story gets even more interesting when we find out that Wes is actually a witch and Cleo is his familiar. So now we’re not only dealing with this woman secretly being her crush’s pet cat — which is already enough to build an entire story around — but we’re also adding witches, magic, spells, familiars, shapeshifters, romance, friendship, and even more supernatural characters into the mix.

There is SO much going on in this book.

But honestly? That’s part of the fun.

One of my favorite things Amanda Mortlock did with this story was the different POVs. We get chapters from Wes, chapters from Cleo, and then we get CAT chapters — which are essentially Cleo’s perspective while she’s in her cat form.

And those chapters were such a playful addition.

It would have been easy to have Cleo shift into a cat while still making her internal thoughts and behavior feel completely human, but there are moments where the writing really leans into the fact that she is currently experiencing the world as a cat. There’s something so funny and cute about getting that animal perspective mixed into everything else happening in the story.

If you’re a cat person, I think that part of the book is going to be especially fun for you.

And it doesn’t stop with cats.

We also meet characters who can shift between dogs and humans, along with their witch, which adds another layer to this entire supernatural world. At some point I was basically like, “Okay Amanda, what ELSE are we putting in here?”

But I appreciated that she really committed to creating this magical world.

There are so many different perspectives and supernatural elements being woven together that I can imagine this wasn’t an easy story to write. You’re not just keeping track of a romance between two characters. You have the human dynamics, the animal dynamics, the witchy elements, the magic, the relationships between witches and their familiars, and these characters existing in different forms.

That’s a lot to juggle in one story.

Something else I really enjoyed was how visual the writing felt.

There were scenes that I could immediately picture in my head, especially when it came to Cleo switching between her two worlds. I could see her curled up on Wes’s lap in cat form, purring and completely comfortable while he has NO idea who is actually sitting there.

And then I could just as easily picture Cleo back in her human form, hanging out at the bar, talking to her friends and interacting with Wes like she hasn’t also been spending time in this man’s house as his cat.

The entire situation is so playful and imaginative, and I think that’s what made the concept work so well for me.

Those visuals made the premise come alive because I wasn’t just being told that Cleo could shift into a cat. I could actually imagine her doing it. I could picture Cat. I could picture Cleo. And even though they’re technically the same character, those two sides of her felt distinct enough that the switching back and forth became part of the experience of reading the book.

There is also some spice in Strange Bedfellows, but I wouldn’t pick this one up expecting a super spicy romance. The spice is there, but it isn’t what stood out to me the most. For me, the charm of this book really comes from the creative premise, the supernatural elements, the witchy atmosphere, and the playful way Amanda approaches the story.

This is the kind of book I’d recommend when you’re getting into that fall reading mood but don’t necessarily want something dark or scary.

Give me the witches. Give me the spells. Give me the magic. Give me a woman turning into a cat and unknowingly becoming her crush’s familiar.

That’s the kind of spooky-season fun I can get behind.

And I think that’s ultimately what I enjoyed most about Strange Bedfellows: it doesn’t feel like every other romance.

Sometimes I want a book that’s emotional and completely destroys me. Sometimes I want a thriller that has me questioning every single character. And sometimes I just want something whimsical, magical, and fun that lets me escape into a completely different world for a while.

This falls into that last category.

It’s playful. It’s magical. It’s quirky. It’s romantic. It’s a little spicy. And it doesn’t take the most obvious route to tell its story.

Did every element completely work for me? Not necessarily, which is why I’m landing at three stars. With so many different characters, perspectives, supernatural elements, and ideas packed into one story, there were moments where it felt like there was A LOT happening at once.

But I also think that’s going to be part of the appeal for the right reader.

Overall, I’m giving Strange Bedfellows by Amanda Mortlock ⭐⭐⭐.

I think Amanda created something really imaginative here. Writing from multiple perspectives is one thing, but creating chapters from the perspective of a cat, bringing in dog shifters, witches, familiars, magic, romance, and everything else happening in this world takes some serious creativity.

And most importantly, I had fun with what I read.

If you’re looking for something a little different to add to your fall TBR — especially if you love cats, witches, familiars, magic, shapeshifters, romance, and books that give you something outside of the usual — Strange Bedfellows might be worth checking out.

Because apparently this spooky season we’re not just crushing on the witch.

We’re also becoming his cat.