The Bear Who Loved Me by Kathy Lyons (Grizzlies Gone Wild #1)
Released: September 6, 2016
Paranormal Romance
Forever

Reviewed by Mandi

Carl is a grizzly bear shifter – the reason I decided to read this book. He is also the alpha of his Michigan clan, and he is learning that being alpha is a difficult balance. Previous alphas have killed too much as punishment, but Carl also feels as if he is losing his edge, with neighboring clans causing trouble. He also has a best friend that has too much shifter DNA, which means he will eventually go feral and Carl will have to kill him. Carl’s beta is his brother, who doesn’t have enough shifter DNA, and has never actually shifted into a bear. Things are a mess.

Carl runs a summer outdoor camp for teens, but he invites those teens that will eventually be mature enough to shift and join his clan. One of those teens is boy named Theo. Theo has no idea he is a bear shifter, so Carl has been keeping a close eye on him over the years. When he goes missing, Carl hurries to his hometown to investigate.

Becca is Theo’s aunt and legal guardian. Theo’s father has never been in his life and his mother is dead. For the past four years, Becca has cared for him and loved him like a son. So when he doesn’t come home from school on time, Becca starts to worry. That’s when a very large and sexy man runs into her bakery. She recognizes this man as Carl, the man who Theo visits every summer, but she has no idea why he would be invested in Theo’s disappearance. Carl basically kidnaps her (it’s for her own good) drags her back to his compound in shifter territory and starts the delicate process of telling her that shifters exist (and werewolves) and that her nephew is also a shifter. Becca obviously is confused and scared and doesn’t believe him. It is actually one of the more believable reactions from a heroine who finds out shifters are real. Once she sees a shift actually happen, and is reassured by many that Theo will be found, she starts to relax a bit. Carl also realizes that Becca is his fated mate.

This is just an overall okay read for me. The story kept me interested, but things frustrated me too. I would have loved to learn about the bear culture more – or even just Carl’s pack. I needed a more intimate look into the pack and how they live and work with each other. It’s mentioned werewolves are around, but what else? The world building lacked.

It really bothered me that when Theo goes missing, Becca still gets all lusty and hot with Carl. He is basically her son and she didn’t seem that frantic that he could not be found. Further angering me is when they start to investigate and find a compound where the bad guys live, and in the basement there is not only a dead, horribly tortured teen, but Theo’s clothes and other items, showing Theo has been kidnapped and maybe tortured. What is Becca’s response later that night? I’m so horny we must have sex! HUH? Wouldn’t the fact that your beloved nephew/son is possibly being tortured that very minute put a damper on your hormones? How about a nice cuddle?

I didn’t like the end either – the ending fight/conflict felt forced and silly after all the go through.

Okay fine, so maybe this book is a little more of a disappointment than “okay” as previously stated.

Grade: C-

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