Bears in Mind

Ursa Shifters #1

by Sam Hall, Sofia Lette (Narrator), Dorje Swallow (Narrator)

My ex-husband broke my heart by asking for an open marriage.

Then I found out he had already been sleeping with someone else. So I dumped his butt and moved out.

In the process, I found myself in the arms of four smoking-hot strangers. They pull out all the stops, lavishing me with all of the attention I’d been missing out on. But these guys have a secret.

Am I going to be able to cope with the truth when it comes out, or is it going to be too much to bear?

Bears in Mind is a bear-shifter paranormal romance where the girl is hurting, and the guys pull out all the stops to try and make her feel loved again.

Genres: Shapeshifters, Romance, Paranormal, Why Choose, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Omegaverse

10 pages, Audible Audio

First published January 14, 2023

About the author

Australian author of paranormal RH novels

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Reviews

[Rain · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.5* I absolutely loved parts of the story and other parts were a little meh.

This story would have easily been a five star if the characters had actually had sex, (no sex but some fun oral) if she had been given time to heal from her broken marriage before being romanced, (it was ONE day) and without the weird drama at 96%.

It felt like a mix of a really well written female empowerment, then it got a little victim mentality, and then the most in-your-face horny guys ever. It read at times like a much deeper story than it was, so that's possibly why I expected more.

There is a cliffhanger!!

[Bri]

I'm going to leave this without a rating because I just don't know how I feel about the story. I didn't hate it but I also didn't love it or even enjoy it very much. As an overall story I liked where the book was going with the men all wanting to know their mate and protect her. But the story moved a little slow on the romance for me and it made me miss any connection between the heroine and her men.

I think I would have rated it at least a 2 Star from just that. But then around the 70% mark I started getting the hint that this would be a book that ended in a cliffhanger since we were so close to the end and yet the story still wasn't moving anywhere. I'm not a huge fan of cliffhangers, though I do read them now, but typically only if the story is already complete or if the blurb just has me impatient enough to read a book without the next being out. That wasn't the case here though. Instead if was a surprise to me that this story wasn't complete and it just annoyed me. One, because I personally I want to know going in that there's a cliffhanger. And two, the book just didn't seem to actually need another book since it already felt so drawn out.

So again, I'll leave this without a rating especially since part of my rating at this point would definitely be affected by my annoyance of a surprise cliffhanger. Bitchy? Probably, but these unfinished books keep happening to me since I don't always read reviews before hand and it has me completely untrusting of any book at this point. I think going forward I'll at least be spot checking reviews to see if any cliffhanger is mentioned, especially for new-to-me authors.

[Mikky · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was almost a DNF. The last hour or so was hell. Everyone was bland and unmemorable except the soon-to-be ex-husband. He was just plain infuriating. The heroine did nothing to stop him. It was annoying to read about. I could barely tell the guys apart. They went about talking to her about their peculiarities in the worst way possible. She was unreasonably butt hurt about it too. What did she expect? On the first meeting with Aleric for him to come out with it and tell her while not knowing her/trusting her. He would have come off as having a few screws loose and being even scarier. Come on. *facepalm*

I think I'll pass on this series as a whole.

[Dani (Daniiireads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

The ending is what really cinched it for me.

This is a bit of a slower one than I expected from Sam, which did cause me to struggle a bit. Originally DNF this at 32% cause it was beyond slow, but it does pick up around the 50% mark and then does keep you interested.

[Hannah Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this because it was free on Audible and I love shifter romances.

The first thing that threw me off was the Australian accents. I don’t think I’ve ever listened to an Australian book or narration before, and it took me a couple of chapters to get used to it haha. The narrators were really good though!

So I didn’t do my research and just assumed this was a stand-alone. At like 90% there hadn’t been any P-in-V, which is craaaazy for a why-choose romance, and that’s when I discovered it’s actually a duology. I feel like this could have been done as a stand-alone, so we’ll see if I go on to the second book.

Also, this didn’t give me much shifter. It felt more like a contemporary romance where the MMCs just happened to shift once or twice. I wish we got more of the beary-ness because that’s what I was here for!!

[Christine Woo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Warning: There will be Spoilers...maybe lol



Sorry guys, but this one died like a car running on a battery that's nearly drained. Sputter....Sputter...Caput.

I was looking for something new to read after reading Dance Butterfly Dance, which to me was a pretty good page turner. This one seemed interesting initially, so I got it and stuck it straight on my next in line TBR pile. I mean RH (a trope that I'm currently obsessed with) AAANDD it has bear shifter? I'm game.



Now, I was already pretty wary because I've read books like this one before, where it was more like a light indie read. However, I was sold by the front cover and the summary.



Let me just explain....

The storyline itself wasn't terrible and I agree with everyone who has written a review (especially the ones with low stars) that it was well-written. The problems actually started pretty late for me (around the 85% mark).

Now, I mean when I say "started pretty late," I mean that I was able to ignore a lot of the weird prose and over dramatic FMC. I was even able to overlook the way too pushy and overbearing MMCs. Yeah, they were "trying" to take it slow, but they didn't try very hard. I mean one was even walking in her dreams to try because he couldn't stay away, but they just met the woman. (That was even creepier than when Edward Cullen watched Bella sleep (ehem, yes, I see why he did it. It's still a little suss now that I'm older).

Anyways, case in point, is that I was able to put up with a lot. Even the inconsistencies were swallowed without too much complaint. Like when the Main males had found her being their mate from a yellow pages. I mean how did they know she was "the one" from a listing. It wasn't well explained. I can understand if they saw her, smelled her, or something. Nope. They knew it was her from a listing miles away from her location. Or the fact that the author described her with characteristics of a forty year old, but she's only thirty. Weird.



So that should have been a sign that I should have ended it right there. Yet, I was intrigued. There were some chuckle worthy scenes and some scenes were actually pretty interesting. I wanted to see where the author would go with it. A downtrodden woman in her thirties, marries the wrong guy, and ends up meeting her lifelong mates. Great right? I thought so too. Especially, with all the drama like his mistress coming to her workplace to sneer at the FMC or the parents disapproval to dumping her soon to be ex-husband.

So, what's the problem?



It was the ending. Which funnily enough is the same for every other person who gave it 3 stars or lower. First off, there was enough talk about the FMC in love with werewolves. The woman and her best friend had simped over Werewolf Taylor Lautner. They even talked about their wishes to have their very own werewolf mates. So, when the guys reveal their bear selves to her. She has THE MOST OVERDRAMATIC and STUPID reaction to the news. Okay, so they did take her to the middle of nowhere to show her that they were bear shifters and just shifted in front of her. That could have been planned out better by the guys.

HOWEVER.

Her reaction was still kind of stupid. Yeah. I get a giant bear is frightening. Yet, they have been nothing but nice to her. The bears didn't even roar or anything. She just screams, runs off, and even when she sees them all sad in the review mirror and they're not even chasing her or anything. She continues on. I mean this is the woman who obsessed over Bella and Jake. I saw Bella punch a werewolf in the face. She didn't act like a giant crybaby when Jake showed her his wolf. She rationalized.

Okay, but even if she was scared. I get it. They were dudes who turned into GIANT BEARS. That is pretty freaky. However, it was also everything after that too. The first thing this bright cookie thought to do after a reveal like that is to raid her best friend's liquor cabinet. To drink so much that she vomits.

I HATE IT WHEN CHARACTERS DO THIS.

I mean I'm not a big fan of drinking as it is. So when characters do it just because something happens that's a bit stressful, is just overdramatic to me. It just makes me see them as incapable of handling their lives and are just weak.

Not only that, but her whole reasoning for being mad is because they LIED TO HER!!! I hate this reasoning so much in paranormal romances, urban fantasies, and basically anything with a paranormal revealing. MOST people wouldn't even believe in paranormal stuff. Plus they have only known this woman for TWO WEEKS! Why would they tell her they are bear shifters. She would either laugh in their faces or think they're psychos. I mean what are they even supposed to tell her? "Ummmm hey, I become a big furry bear. But I'm a real winnie the pooh type, where I'm super nice and fluffy! I mean WTF?



So. Yeah. The last thing to take the cake is that it ends on a cliffhanger. While, yes, I have read & enjoyed cliffhangers in the past.....okay.... SO THEY SUCK! Cliffhangers will always be the bane of a reader's exitance. Choosing books that may have cliffhangers is like:





Suuuuuper accurate right? Anyways, yeah even though cliffhangers are really terrible awful abominable things. They also keep a reader going and ready to consume the next book. They partially add suspense and tension to the story. I mean I think Harry Potter may not have been so freaking popular had there been no cliffhangers, in my personal opinion.

This book, however, did the infamous cliffhanger so wrong. I was already annoyed that the characters were being so ignorant and dumb (More so the FMC). Honestly, this book already said that the character that been injured was fine, so really there was no need for a second book. In fact, most things could've been wrapped up in a few more chapters. The left could've been left up to interpretation. I wasn't really burning to know what will happen in the next book. I was just finished. Like when you go fishing and you think you're reeling in a whopper only to find the tiniest guppy on the end of your line. Or like when you order a super trendy drink @ Starbucks, everyone swears by, only to have it taste like a rainbow colored sewer pipe. I'll just stick to my Acai Lemonades, thank you all very much (lol) 😅

Overall, this book isn't "bad" or "Unreadable." It was actually decent. Will I continue the series. Absolutely not. I think I won't finish it on principle. Just because it felt so rushed, out of place, and just downright wrong. Plus, I think the way the FMC handled things was just so irritating, that I can't go on. On the other hand, to many other readers, it was fantastic. So, please, don't skip this one on my account. I give it major brownie points for the writing and the actual few laughs it got outta me.



Alrighty guys, over and out! Happy reading!

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a strange experience reading a paranormal romance with broad Australian accents narrating it and very typically Australian ways of talking and living.

[Ꮗ€♫◗☿ ❤️ ilikebooksbest.com ❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Getting out of a bad marriage and into four hot bear shifters!



The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💚💜💙❤️🤎
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙📘
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏
Character development: 😒���🙂😂🥰
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Dual Narration

The heroine: Natalie Bailey - her husband Paul told her that he wanted an open marriage, and she was so hurt, she ended up alone at a bar drinking tequila with her wedding ring off the night he first went out with another woman. They live in the small town of Langston in Australia and most people in town know her and her husband. He left that evening dressed to the nines, and she didn’t know where he was, who he was with, or when he would return.

The Heroes: Alaric, Coda, Thorne, Lars - Their team is in town to do some restoration work on the clock tower of the old town hall. They know that Natalie Granger is their fated mate, and they took the job in Langston to be near her. What they couldn’t get their minds around was the fact that her name is now Natalie Bailey and she is married.

The Story: Natalie works for the city and was responsible for hiring Alaric Burns and his crew to restore the clock tower. When she meets Ric at the bar and finds that he and his team came to town a day early, she offers her place for them to stay until their suite at the bed and breakfast is ready. She thinks it might just be good payback for her husband, and a good way to show him that she isn’t the lonely girl he expects. Though Ric turned into a good guy and dropped her off at home alone.

One thing I didn’t like about this book was the time it took for Natalie to leave her husband. If I were her, I would have walked out the minute the guy suggested an open marriage. She waits way too long, miserable the entire time. Over the next few days Natalie got to know the guys one at a time in different ways. The guys were great at protecting her and comforting her when her husband was being a jerk as well.

Many bear shifter stories I have come across in the past for some reason are novella length, so I was glad that this one was longer, also I loved the fact that Natalie is described as fit. Bear shifters tend to be really large even in their human form, so most stories about them include a curvy woman. I tend to stay away as much as possible from stories about BBW, because the woman always seems to have low self esteem about their weight and it is focused on too much. I was glad to have a heroine that was happy with her body. Though Natalie did have low self-esteem resulting from her years with Paul, who was controlling, not to mention the fact that he cheated.

This audiobook was told in multiple points of view via dual narration and was narrated by Sofia Lette and Dorje Swallow. Sofia Lette has a nice voice with a great Australian accent. I am not sure why, but I like an Australian accent much better than a British one. Maybe it is because I once dated an Austrailian, but either way, I really like her voice. Dorje Swallow also has an Australian accent, so this book was definitely a nice change of pace from all the American and British that normally narrate romance books.

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[Elle ♡ [semi-hiatus] · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn’t the worst thing I’ve ever read, but I lost interest in it pretty quick. I haven’t had a ton of time to read, but I’ve slowly made my way through and now I’m glad to be done. Also this was my bad, but I didn’t realize this was a series about the same couple so this was pretty slow burn and nothing really happened this book which wasn’t what I was looking for. I wanted to read a short silly smutty bear shifter RH romance just for fun and I expected it to be bad, but if it had wrapped up in book one I would’ve had a better time with it.

[Nemo (The ☾Moonlight☾ Library) · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was fan bloody tastic.

I enjoyed this so much. I was utterly unprepared for the wholesomeness of a bunch of enormous cinnamon rolls who only want to love their woman. It's so refreshing to read something as lovely as this when dark and bully romance is so hyped.

I couldn't quite figure out why the dickhead ex husband wanted to stay married. I didn't understand his motivation. From a storytelling perspective, the dickhead ex getting what an open marriage is wrong worked really well, but from a character perspective, I'm not sure if it was because he was trying to save face in a small town, because all of his friends knew what was going on and they were all engaging in open marriages themselves. And he seemed to hate Nat and didn't even find her attractive anymore, so I'm not sure if he was just using her for her money or what. It's not like she was rich. She worked for a regional council lol.

I loved seeing a main character that actually had a job with the story taking place at said job. Too many times, indie authors try to skip over what it's like to actually work (I suspect it's because said indie authors have no idea what it's like to actually work a regular job), but Hall had a pretty good idea of how a job at a local council would work - there were inaccuracies which made me believe Hall didn't have insider experience but for readers who don't, especially likely the American market, it worked. It also could have been simplified for said American market, which I understand. Even though this story is SO Australian. And I really loved Nat. She was just so realistic in her reactions, thoughts, and feelings: from recovering in her trauma to acknowledging that romance fiction with slightly rapey vibes is fun but she'd never want it in real life. I do wish she'd been able to think a bit more clearly about separating from the dickhead ex, because she made some huge mistakes with that, but those mistakes were also plot-driven.

There were some minor continuity errors the editor should have caught but not bad enough to affect the story. More just like, huh, when did that happen?

The spice was also really good, each guy had a different encounter with Nat that I found built up quite naturally. The progress from four bear shifters finding their fated mate to Nat being exposed to their world (and the reactions from each character involved) were also done really well.

Overall I enjoyed this so much. It's my first Sam Hall book but it definitely won't be my last.

[Laura (lady_h_reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sam Hall has done to bear shifters what she has perfected with wolf shifters. Bears in Mind is an excellent read with elements of fake dating, true mates, hurt/comfort, a failed marriage, and ex-drama. It will suck you in, making it a one-sitting read that stays with you long after you’ve finished.

This story is extremely high angst. Natalie is dealing with the betrayal of her ex-husband and the dissolution of their marriage – plus the weight of years of emotional isolation and abuse. While he ultimately forced the breakup of the marriage, and he does not want her, he is also unwilling to let her go. The bear shifters know Natalie is their mate and must navigate her broken heart while healing her emotional wounds without scaring her off in the process. Ultimately, they’ll have to reveal their biggest secret.

Bears in Mind is a slow/medium-burn why choose romance with a set of twins and no sword crossing (MFMM). As fated mates, the bears are instantly attracted to Natalie but patiently wait until she is emotionally ready to engage, as she is still haunted by the ghost of her ex’s voice. They make up for the lack of physical intimacy with lots and lots of dirty talk and promises of pleasures to come. For our enjoyment, there is a scorching hot dream sequence that will get your blood pumping.

One of my favorite characters in this story is a supporting character, Holly. She is Natalie’s best friend and the boho owner of a used bookstore. Holly supports Natalie with no reservations. She is Natalie’s cheerleader throughout and bolsters her up when Natalie is at her lowest, offering a shoulder, a soft place to fall, wine, and snacks. I would love to have a friend like that in my corner.

This book ends in a dozy of a cliffhanger—a heart-stopping type ending. I cannot wait until the next book comes out, to complete their story.

[Angela (Angel's Book Nook)]

Bears in Mind is book one in the Ursa Shifters sereis by Sam Hall.

I was in the mood for a reverse harem and I really love bear shifters, so I thought why not give this new to me author a try.

Unfortunately, this novel didn’t work for me. I was so board. The story is depressing and the characters are one dimensional. I wanted to like it and I did enjoy the best friend but the rest, nah.

Our lead female is a week-willed women. A doormat who spends too much time cow-towing to her awful husband, coworkers, in-laws, and everyone around her. I get that she had to think about leaving her husband after what he said to her, but really if my husband did what her’s did I’d be out the door.

As for the story I kept waiting for something to happen, but alas the story just dragged on and on, so I ended up DNFing at 38%.

Bears in Mind was not the book for me. If the blurb intrigues you, I urge you to give it a shot. Just because it did not work for me does not mean it won’t for you.

Rated: DNF 38%

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ain’t no orgasm like the orgasm at the hands of a bad boy.

I forgot to write a review when I read this 3 months ago. So at the time I finished it I gave it four stars but as I am trying to write something I can't remember one thing about it. So, I'm going to change my rating to three stars.

I know that while reading it I enjoyed it AND I usually love Sam Hall books so don't decide to read or not from me because I'm sure others will like it. 💜

[Mom Reads Romance · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beware that this is unfinished and I had zero idea going into this book.

I will wait to leave my final rating once I can read the entire story.

I feel a bit swindled right now. But i just hate unfinished series and being blind to that as well.

Authors. Please do your readers a service and be clear in the book description that more books follow and this ends on a cliffy. 🤬

I need to add that the book was a good read and sucked me in. My only beef was how the fmc was made slowly into a victim to suit the author’s needs.

[MrsKristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shmexy Bears....mmmmmm

Sam Hall does it again!! Every time I see a new release I just have to read it. I always know I'm in for a good time!! Bears in Mind is no different.

This was actually my first bear shifter book. All the characters are amazing in their own way. Koda is totally my fave. Natalie is way level headed thanks to her and her bestie being fans of fantasy. I loved that it wasn't insta love for Nat and that the spice was slow-burn. It just fit so well with what was actually going on in her life.

Excited for book 2!!

[Ivy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Firstly the 'cliffhanger' -- that wasn't a real cliffhanger. That was a chapter ending. The author didn't write a complete book. They got bored and shipped it off to Amazon. What a way to disrespect your readers.

The main book - it was an outline. Absolutely nothing was fleshed out. The characters were nothing more than single-dimensional cutouts. They were a single trope and concept. No backstory, no real personality, nothing.

The plot didn't exist. The 'trauma' was nothing more than a bunch of fantasy scenes.

Calling this book shallow is like saying the sun is 'a little warm'.

[Rayne [semi-hiatus] · Rating 2 out of 5]

Every time there’s intimate scene the heroine thinks and compared with her ex, the author just could not help but to fucking mention the dickhead on every chance. Seriously, ugh!

Four hunky bear shifters swooning over the heroine, this book SHOULD be good! Unfortunately with the crappy story building and missing pieces it just falls flat. What a waste.

[Cat H · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.6 stars.
Wow. I was not expecting this to completely grip my attention and keep such a firm hold on it like it did.
I’m so glad there’s a second book because the closer we got to the end without any smut, without her accepting them, the more worried I became.
But I’m good now.
I’m really looking forward to reading the rest of their story. I really like these characters.

[Anja · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started this thanks to Baldurs Gate 3's Halsin.. and I am not disappointed. This was slow-burn and insta-love in one, but I do very much love the characters in the story. Not only the love interests, but also the protagonist, Nat, are great and I'm interested to see what is going to happen in the next book.

[BookTrovert · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️ This was a little slow, but a lot happening in such a short time. I'm not a huge fan of instalove, but I wanna finish the series to see what happens.

[Crazydutchbooklady · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t do well with betrayal. I really don’t.
But this was a fun read. My first bear shifters and I see the appeal compared to wolves.
The cliffhanger has me intrigued enough to buy the next book.
More insight on the Bears is welcome aswel.

[aida · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly it’s my fault for picking up another Sam Hall book when I just can’t stand her writing style.
There’s something about the way she pieces sentences together, creates scenes, and conveys emotions that just doesn’t sit right with me and makes it difficult to read her books.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romance: early 30s human FMC with 4x bear shifter MMCs (2x twin black bears, 1x polar, 1x grizzly)

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Big Bear Hug


And the bears have it. Bears in Mind by Sam Hall was utterly fantastic, Sam went a little out of her comfort zone with this one, and I absolutely loved it. It also may have something to do with it centering on bear shifters, I've read plenty about them, but this is my first rh with only bears in the harem, and I'm not mad about it.


I really liked Natalie "Nat", she was funny, caring, and kind, she's a romance reader and loves Twilight. Nat may have been passive about everything in her life (and I'm not joking) but her admiration for historical architecture was something else. It really brought out her personality. The problem with Nat was that she was too busy worrying about everyone else that she didn't know anything about herself. I wanted to shake her for most of this book. When it took too long to stand up to her husband, and when she was getting annoyed with Holly, her quirky bff, among other things. However, after saying all that, Natalie is strong. She survives all the crap that’s thrown at her and keeps on moving.


Bear shifters are the best. There are four guys in the sleuth (like a wolf pack but for bears) who show up to restore the old clock tower and things take off from there. First, there's Alaric, the unofficial leader, aka the responsible one. Next is Lars the slightly gruff one with big daddy energy. Finally, there are the twins, Thorn and Koda. Both are crazy, where Thorn is out loud about his crazy Koda is the sneaky one and you won't see his crazy until it's too late. I love the bears, they jump in to support Natalie emotionally, giving her all the support and comfort she's willing to take. They are patient and playful working at Nat's pace and always checking in with her. There is a level of comfort with these bears like I'm wrapped in a blanket but on the flip side, these guys will melt the panties right off of you. There are cute dates and lots of flirtation, the Netflix scene was a favorite for sure.


Sam made my dream come true. She's one of my favorite authors, but for her own reasons she didn't write from multiple perspectives, which are my favorite, but that changes with this book and it was perfect. I loved hearing from the guys it just added to the story. Sam also took a shot at the fake dating troupe, which once again, isn't something I usually read (doesn't happen too often in pnr) so Sam is expanding all my horizons.


Speaking of expanding my horizons, I just realized that divorce is a new plotline for me as well. Nat is going through a horrid separation, her husband is a nasty and manipulative piece of crap and apparently, he always has been Nat has just been blinded. The man is emotionally abusive and it looked like he was heading towards physical abuse as well. Over time his little barbs and controlling personality wore Nat down to the point she had little resistance. The trauma that Nat suffered just throughout this book was tremendous. I've never hated anyone more than her ex who uses emotional manipulation, stalking methods, and confrontation among other tactics to terrorize Nat. It's a good thing the guys refuse to leave her side, continuing to step up and support Nat in her time of need while trying to show Nat what a loving relationship is actually like.


Once you go bear you never go back. Okay, who am I kidding I love way too many supernaturals to just stick with one type. However, after reading Bears in Mind bear shifters have certainly moved up the line for me, these bears had me swooning. Bears in Mind is just the first book in the Ursa Shifters series, and it left with things up in the air, a vindictive ex, a deadly injury, blackmail, and more. Sam nearly broke me with the ending and things aren't over yet Nat and the guys have at least one more book coming which I'm dying to get my greedy paws (get it, 😉) on.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how Sam took this crazy real life story and turned it into a book! I can always count on Sam to write an intriguing read with relatable characters, smoking hot men who would do anything for their woman, and of course, loads of spice. Bears in Mind was a fun read and the type of story you will devour in one sitting!

Bears in Mind is a why choose shifter romance in a contemporary setting with small town vibes. There’s a loyal and quirky bestie character, a douchebag ex you want to throat punch, a bitchy OW, and 4 hunky bear shifters including a set of twins! Really, what more can you ask for?

There is some OW drama and cheating but it’s with the ex, not the love interests. There’s some angst and things do get emotional, but our girl Natalie comes out on top! This is book 1 of a duet and it does end of a bit of a cliffhanger but nothing too bad. I’m really excited to see what Sam has in store next for these characters!

[girlwithhearteyes]

DNF @ 75%

Promising start (it was giving Best of Reddit Updates) but the FMC’s connections with the 4 MMCs sadly felt underdeveloped.

I ended up skimming the rest of this duet just to see the shitty ex-husband get his dues, and holy macaroni the story went pretty bonkers! I thought it felt a little too OTT for the story setting, but we are talking about a reverse harem with bear shifters, so maybe not!

[Lulu · Rating 4 out of 5]

(free on audible) I laughed, I cried, I really enjoyed this one! This is only the 2nd bear shifters book I've read, and the first was just OK. I really enjoyed these guys. I DON'T approve of the cursing that uses the Lord's name. (I know, it's probably ironic that a Christian enjoys RH - guilty pleasure, but I also tend to skip over smut, so maybe I'm just a weirdo!?!) ANYWAY, reader be warned of that. Otherwise, it's fairly clean. No insta-love. Interesting characters. I adored the accents/words that are just very Australian! I am going to read book 2 and hope the plot and story stay interesting !! 🙂 Also... Koda 💕 Physically I'd probably be most into Lars, but Koda's personality got me. Who's your teddy bear ?! Wait... why choose? 😉 Enjoy!!!

[☼♎ Carmen the Bootyshaker Temptress ☼♎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating 3.75 stars
Started with a jerk of a husband but towards the end was when I started to enjoy the story. Understandable why she was feeling so intimidated but glad Natalie finally did what she always wanted and needed for herself.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

I get that they’re bears but why?? When the only fantasy element of your book is these dudes turn into bears sometimes (seemingly they can control when) then you’ve got to at least explain to me why that happens.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it!

Bears in Mind
URSA Shifters book one
Sam Hall
Stars:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Time to read: 5 hours
My review may contain spoilers!!!!!
Read Trigger Warnings!!!!

tags/tropes/genres
Rh-twins
Shifter-Bear
Fated mates
PNR
Fake dating

I loved this book a lot! Three way the guys are devoted to her is literally everything. Read any trigger warnings though as this could be potentially upsetting for some people.