Sasquatch Summer

Wild Wanderings #1

by Talia Greer

A hyperindependent PhD graduate, an impossible forest monster, and the irresistible attraction between them. Returning to her hometown of River Pointe, Idaho is at the very bottom of Felicity Clarke’s meticulous to-do list. With an Ivy League doctorate in hand, she’s sure the academic job market will shine favorably on her.

But when her job search turns up nothing, and her estranged mother dies, she’s forced to return to the one place she spent her whole life plotting to leave. There, she happens into her dream job–music faculty at a local college.

And her faculty mentor? The super hot, hairy, 7ft-tall Cedric Byrne.

Determined to resist her infuriating attraction to Cedric, Felicity gives him the cold shoulder. But between living in her dead mom’s trailer and reuniting with her high school BFF, Felicity has more than enough to worry about. And Cedric and his kindness–and good looks–prove highly persuasive. She can’t help but warm to him.

But Cedric is not just a man. He’s a monster. Bigfoot, to be precise. And behind every monster is someone who threatens to destroy them.

Will Felicity stand with her Bigfoot boyfriend? Or will she do what she does best when it comes to River Pointe–flee?

Perfect for fans of Lillian Lark and Kathryn Moon, Sasquatch Summer is a dual-POV, full-length paranormal monster romance with a guaranteed HEA that features forced proximity and size difference. It is the first in a series of small town standalones, each set in a different location and season. See author’s website for more detailed content warnings.

Genres: Monster Romance, Paranormal, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Shapeshifters, Workplace

274 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 11, 2023

Reviews

[Kay H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh this was fun! Lighthearted and low angst but still had a believable minor suspense plot. Thank you for fully getting me out of that reading slump hole (I'm still mad at you Fairydale).

Warning - hanky lanky happens in non-, partial-, and fully-shifted states, if that's something that deters you. Though, the more shifted he was, the less detailed and lengthy those scenes were so there's that.

[Poppy || Monster Lover · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
This was super cute! The characters were interesting with complex backgrounds and had great banter. Felicity had (understandably) a lot of baggage and an aversion to staying in her home town or forming long lasting relationships. She was prickly but kind once defenses weee down. Cedric was also rather prickly and leery of opening up again. He complemented Felicity well and had such a soft spot for her. I enjoyed world building and the side characters that had depth. It was well done.

Spice: 3/5

Triggers: violence, gun violence, severe gunshot wound, animal death and gore, parent death and cremation, grief, emotional abuse, emotional manipulation, home invasion, drinking, stalking (not by MCs)

[Ale the feral reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

If Twilight and Fifty Shades had an illegitimate Bigfoot love child

3.75⭐️
2🌶️

[Rachel Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well this was just FUN! I couldn't stop reading this one and wound up reading this in one sitting!

If you're looking for a fun, steamy, sexy monster romance, this one features a delicious college professor who also happens to be a Sasquatch/Bigfoot, and is definitely book boyfriend material.

I really loved Felicity, her strength and independence, thinking she has to do everything for herself and by herself, but falling for a man like Cedric who just wants to take care of her and love her. I loved reading about her opening up to being vulnerable with him.

This story also touches a lot on grief, family, coming back to your home town when you didn't want to but finding a new home there, and the writing was concise and well done. I'd definitely check out other books from this author!

I received a book for a bookstagram tour. My thoughts are my own.

[jennifer | offmyredcarpet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this. Definitely has a dark, somber tone to it. Author is great at writing the trauma of growing up in a difficult family where you felt like an inconvenience and only rely on yourself as an adult. Plus having to dredge all that back up when the parent dies and return home to a town you only ever wanted to get away from to deal with family, the estate, etc. I wasn’t sure if the author could make a Sasquatch hold appeal but she’s successful in doing so! Interesting world building though it did seem to contradict itself. I never understood how some people knew he existed (ex lovers, a vet) while there’s a simultaneous story line trying to keep his monstrous identity hidden. That part didn’t fully work for me. I also found the ending to be a little too neatly resolved and cleaned up but it’s a fun read and I do recommend it.

[Maaren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like an odd duck out with my review, but for me, this book read as sad and gloomy. The death of Felicity's mother hangs over everything and I just got the overall sense of sadness in this book. Even with the romance, I felt like neither of them were fully "invested" even if Cedric was convinced Felicity was his mate. I don't know. It felt a little off to me.

I didn't like Emma at all and her actions immediately set off my spidey sense. Hrrr, what an awful lady. Also the way it got resolved was too much and wrapped up way too nicely in the most unbelievable way. There's no way that could happen. Nope.

It was a decent read, but I felt the grief and overall sadness took away some of my enjoyment out of this book.

[Liz ~ LittleBoneLibrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Within 10 pages this book had me by the balls. It was just so fun and so sweet. I loved the push and pull of Felicity and Cedric’s relationship. The stark differences in how they were raised and their natural reactions to things couldn’t be more different but they both seem to love deep. The sasquatch hunting woven in added tension to the whole plot.

This is a great quick cozy monster read. Definitely recommend!

[Michelle Grimison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Going in blind “for science” I wasn’t expecting a sweet small town shifter romance with this one…

But it was pretty fucking adorable.
Both main characters are music professors at the local college, they fall in love… there some family drama on her part & her bestie from childhood looses her fucking mind trying to prove that Sasquatch exists, almost kills both main characters and ends up in jail… but fmcs family comes to the rescue, they all work out their shit, and live HEA! (Except the bestie who is still in jail)

🌶️ There were 3 spicy scenes… human, half shifted, and full shifted. And Squatch is a bit of a Dom… I wasn’t mad at it 😉

[Laura]

I’m sorry i’m putting this on pause I simply don’t have the energy for this vibe

[Shannon Grady · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m not mad at it. But would i do it again… no thank you. ⭐️2.7👣

[CLorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Alder King Spring first and was so intrigued by Talia Greer’s writing style and her fresh rendering of familiar fables that I went back to read her first story in this series, Sasquatch Summer. I was not disappointed at all by this intense and slightly dark take on the Bigfoot story. The book is told from dual points of view and both main characters are slightly broken and totally engaging. After the passing of her mother, violinist Felicity returns home to her dysfunctional family, her mother’s decrepit trailer and an unwanted job at the local college. When she left home years ago, she was determined to never return to River Pointe, yet here she is with her guard up and resolved to leave as soon as possible. Cedric also works in the music department of the college and is handsome, odd and a bit of a recluse. He also has a ginormous secret: he comes from a family of Bigfoots and Felicity is his mate!! Between Cedric’s secret persona, Felicity’s self-sabotaging tendencies, family drama and fake friends will this beleaguered couple make it out intact? Ms. Greer gives readers a passionate monster love story with both compassion and smoldering heat. Cedric is a delightful leading monster and as Felicity learned to get out of her own way she was a fantastic heroine.
https://theretiredreader.com/read-for...

[Katslovesbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a great story, as soon as I read the blurb for this book I became curious and immediately signed up for the arc and let me tell you the story was so much more of what I was expecting, it was fun, entertaining, the flow of the story was great and the love story was equally spicy and sweet.

Felicity finds herself back in her small town of River Point, a town that she never wanted to return to, but after her mother's death and with no other job options the move was her only option. Her life is a complete mess and she is trying to survive day by day. She lands a job in the local university and when she mets her faculty mentor Cedric, things get very interesting. He's not only big and handsome but he evokes in her feelings that she never wanted before.

Cedric is the perfect man, attentive, charming and very protective but Cedric has a BIG secret he is not just a regular man and he is scare that his monster side will scare Felicity for life.

Everything about this story was great, the chemistry between Cedric and Felicity was on point, the drama, secrets, unexpected surprises along the way and the insane passion scenes makes this book the perfect summer read!!

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you believe in Bigfoot?

Now, I want to believe it. This book was a big surprise and don’t say it because there is a giant Bigfoot shifter. The book was really great. In general, it is cozy and easy to read. The relation is sweet and spicy (only word truck + Bigfoot size). It is my first Sasquatch shifter romance, and I love the MMC.

Cedric is scared to open his heart since they mate for life. He doesn’t accept his monster side before Felicity comes and changes his way of seeing himself. He is really cute in how he acts for her (protective and caring). I love that the author makes him more human.

I love the connection they make with their mutual passion for music. There is a turn of events in the last ¼ of the book. It makes the couple work their trust.

Will Felicity choose her bigfoot boyfriend or run again from River Pointe?

You will find in this book:
🪢Forced Proximity
📏Size Difference
💻Work Mentor
🐺Shifter
🪢Light Rope Play
😈Touch Her and Die
🌶️Spice

Thank you @rrbooktours for this ARC in exchange of an honest review.

[Leigha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sasquatch Summer Review
4.5/5 Stars
3/5 Spice
Felicity never thought she would return to her small rural town of River Point, Idaho, when she wanted to get as far away as possible and never look back. But the news of her estranged mother's death and the unfavorable job market has driven her right back to the last place she wants to be. So Felicity promises herself it will be a temporary stop, she will get in and out. But fate has different plans for Felicity. Not only does she land a dream job at the local university, but her faculty mentor, Cedric, is quite a persuasive distraction to her plans to flee the small town as she planned. Felicity has enough to deal with as is, but Cedric is kind and unbelievably hot and keeps saying all the right things. When BIG secrets come out, and Felicity isn't sure who she can trust, will she choose to run as she always does, or will she stay and fight?
I loved this book, it is the perfect summer read for anyone who enjoys a good monster romance. The book was a mix of sweet, funny, and hot. Greer wove a beautiful story with exciting characters that you will fall in love with. I absolutely loved Cedric and Felicity. Their story was sweet, heart-clenching, and hot. I found myself laughing and crying along with the characters, and the Dual POV of the book enhances the story. There are characters that you will hate and those you love, I won't say who because I don't want to spoil anything but they really make the story so much better. I am all for good side characters, I love when authors make a point and have them actually involved in the story. I’ve read too many books where the side characters are merely extras that don't add anything to the story. I loved the dynamics between each character and how it made Felcity’s story more relatable. I highly recommend checking out Sasquatch Summer, I devoured this book and I can not wait to see what story Greer tells next.
Tropes:
Forced Proximity
Dual-POV
Size Difference
Standalone monster romance Guaranteed HEA
Shifted Sex

[Country Mama · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good that I HAD to finish it! It was a book that immediately grabbed my attention from the very first few pages. I loved Cedric and Felicity's relationship so much that I hope there are more books like this one with different characters that the author writes!
Felicity starts out in this book with returning to the small town in Idaho that she grew up in. She never wanted to return but she returns for her mother's cremation after her death. She wants to leave quickly and go back to her new home in NJ. But something happens that keeps Felicity there and she meets Cedric.
Their relationship and the spice in this book is super hot! Loved the writing style by the author. I so hope there are more books like this one by Talia, SOON!

[buzzcutbiblio · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 rounded to 4/5

I had a freakin' blast with this one. I loved the dry, dark humor right from the jump. And the aesthetic described really spoke to my elder millennial heart. The pace and storyline were great. I loved Cedric so much. I had moments where Felicity was a little much for me. But who am I to criticize when I've never met a friggin' sasquatch myself.

The only reason I knocked off half a star for the rating, thus resulting in a full star, is because there were some developmental editing issues that I was bummed out by. Did they completely take me out of the story? Definitely not. But they were hard to ignore at points. All that said, I will 100% be reading more by this author and will definitely still be recommending this to anyone who will listen.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cozy Sasquatch romance

We meet Felicity shortly after her mother passed away had a complicated relationship. So you’re not catching Felicity at the best of times but she’s funny and smart and genuinely likable. Cedric is a Sasquatch shifter and he’s adorable (call him Dr Byrne if you’re nasty). While felicity is at home he truly becomes her safety net which is something that she’s never had and it’s very sweet to watch them begin to trust each other.

Yes there’s monster fucking.

I wish I knew a little bit about what was going on with Molly? But I think the novel had the different emotions of grief well. It also really covered the idea of returning home after you’ve spent years running away and who it impacts (not just you)

[Can Dragons Read? · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so good?? I wasn't sure what exactly I was expecting, but, Cedric and Felicity were SO cute and ooofff those scenes were 🥵. The romance and action scenes were equally as interesting and equally well done, I actually found the weird bigfoot research hunt to be super dope (not for Cedric though I guess.) Emma was...yikes. the whole family but in the final action scene moved me. Overall, a fun and quick read. 4.5 stars.

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
Loved the premise and the main characters in this story. The FMC wasn't perfect but she was so understandable as was the MMC. It was some spicy monster lovin'!
I thought the FMCs family interactions were an accurate depiction of how messy familial love can be; how they can say and do hurtful or unfair things to each other, but there is that pull between them anyway.
Looking forward to reading more if this author's books.

[Carly [A Beauty & Her Books] · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I have been dying to read a Bigfoot romance book and when I found this I practically squealed with excitement! This was both cute and spicy and just about everything I needed and more!
Felicity always said she would never return to her home town, but when her mom passes away AND she has yet to secure a job, she is forced to return. Life hasn’t changed much in the small town of River Pointe, Idaho besides the new (and VERY attractive) Cedric. What happens when theses two find out they are working in the same school faculty together, and as they start to get closer, sparks fly? But wait, let’s not forget that he is BIGFOOT! Threats emerge (like the ending had me thrown!) and these two are forced to work together to move past these stutgled for their ending together.
Let’s just say that when these two are alone in Cedric’s quite private cabin, there is no closed-door scenes and I LOVED IT! They were spicy and perfect, both in human and monster form (which is ALWAYS a plus), and as we all know, Bigfoot is QUITE big 😉

[Nicolle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really was expecting this book to be mostly cheesy smut but was pleasantly surprised by the dramatic plot! I was also surprised to read about a human/sasquatch shifter! I don’t think I’ve ever heard of them being anything other than a separate species. I did find myself wishing there was a little more spice, but it was still a five ⭐️ read for me. The first spicy scene was about 31% and a solo 🖐🏽 iykyk. About 48% was the first 🌶️ scene for the main characters and it was honestly a little lackluster IMO. The next one was better though! Regardless, a great start to the summer for me!

[Psyckers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic romantic tale where an outdoorsy Student, busy studying in the forest comes across Cedric. Not just a 'hunky' 7 foot tall, he's the local Bigfoot. The more they get to know each other, the sweeter the romance blossom.
A greatly crafted tale of girl meets Sasquatch, with fantastic character development and world building. A must read to believe.

[Aly Biron · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars

[Lillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the perfect summer read, it absolutely bangs!! Vivid setting, relatable mc, gloriously hot monster, all wrapped up in an accessible story and excellent writing to boot. This is a gem!!!

[Scooby2]

DNF

[Tony · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 Stars - Overall I think the story was okay, however there are a lot of plot holes. The main one being how does a "monster" not know how to deal with monster hunters?

[Sylvie]

DNF p45

[Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book Details
Title: Sasquatch Summer
Series: Wild Wanderings
# in series: 1
Author: Talia Greer (She/Her)
Genre: Paranormal Monster Romance
Tropes/Keywords: Bonkers, Breeding, Fated Mates, He falls first, Crypted hunter, Protective MMC, Shifter MMC, Professor MCs, Wilderness, Work relations, Size difference, TSTL FMC
Rep: Bi/Pan Autistic author, Black FMC
Pages: 275
Main Characters: FMC: Felicity Clarke. MMC: Cedric Bryne
POV: 1st person, dual pov

Synopsis: In the comments

My Thoughts
Steam: Open door
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶/5
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️/5
Review: I wanted to enjoy this one, but unfortunately this was a very painful read for me. The storyline did not make sense, and listen I know I am talking about a book that focuses on BigFoot as an MMC. But the plot itself was very confusing, and I feel like if it had lent farther into bonkers it would have been better.

Quotes:
I want to be the one cooking for her. I want to leap off the deck and flee into the woods, kill a deer and drag it back. Cook it. Hold her tight in the protection of my arms as I feed it to her. Provide. Feed. Mate. The creature in me snarls, rising up, clamoring for release.

I wasn’t expecting Bigfoot to be a literal come factory, but hey, I’ll take it.

But what else is true love, if not fucking your monster boyfriend in the forest?

Cringe Quotes:
The stretch of his cock inside my sodden walls leaves me gasping.

I’m convulsing around him, not an orgasm just yet, but the electric little aftershocks that come before. I think I’m screaming, but I can’t be sure.


CW Down Below
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CW: From the author's website: Death of a loved one, mentioned, funeral proceeding, animal cruelty/death. Gun violence. From my memory: Manipulation from a side character. Attempted drugging.

Pregnancy?: No
Babies/Children?: No

[Kara (Books.and.salt) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my GODS yall this was so sweet!!!! I totally prepared myself for this book to be complete campy smut (which also would have been acceptable lol) but Cedric and Felicity were BEYOND sweet, and this book had me in tears from both laughing and crying!!!

I loved that it was a dual POV book, as getting a peek into both main characters heads just makes everything better. I really loved getting to know all of the characters, even the side characters had so much going on. Also holy crap, the whole Big Foot hunt had me SO STRESSED.

If you're looking for a fun, spicy shifter romance definitely check out Sasquatch Summer!!!

[Jaycee Jarvis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to enjoy this story, and I did like it on a lot of levels. Cedric and Felicity are a great couple with amazing chemistry, and Felicity's journey through grief after her mom's death was very real and poignant. But the worldbuilding kind of fell apart for me with the inconsistent secrecy around Sasquatches. At times Cedric's family was very open about who they are and yet it is also somehow vital to keep his identity a secret. And the subplot with her friend didn't make any sense to me on a lot of levels. It's a tricky balance when creating a world based on our own, and I felt like it just wasn't thought through well enough, which ended up pulling me out of the story at some key plot points. The romance was still really strong, and sure to satisfy monster romance lovers who aren't too picky about their world building.