Bear Hugs

by Margaret L. Carter

When Terri met Beorn—the only man she’s ever known who is tall and broad enough to make her feel delicate—at last year’s Renaissance Faire, she thought they had the beginnings of a relationship. Though he promised to keep in touch, he vanished from her life at the end of the Faire season. With the start of the new season his house hob shows up with an invitation to Beorn’s home—located in the middle of a forest where it can’t possibly exist. He claims to be under a curse he can break only by making someone happy. Since there’s nobody else he would rather bestow happiness on, he does his ravishing best to fulfill Terri’s most passionate desires. But there’s a difference between pleasure and happiness. And Beorn’s time is running out.
A Romantica® paranormal erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

70 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 11, 2013

About the author

Marked for life by reading DRACULA at the age of twelve, Margaret L. Carter specializes in the literature of fantasy and the supernatural, particularly vampires. She received degrees in English from the College of William and Mary, the University of Hawaii, and the University of California. She is a 2000 Eppie Award winner in horror, and with her husband, retired Navy Captain Leslie Roy Carter, she coauthored a fantasy novel, WILD SORCERESS.

Reviews

[Romancing the Book · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed by Crystal
Book provided by the publisher for review
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book

I really wanted to read this book because I loved the title and the blurb.

Terri meet Beorn last year at the Renaissance Faire where she works every year. He always said he would be back but he never comes. She remembers him but she puts him to the back of her mind. Everything changes when his house hob Brokk comes and tells her that Beorn wants to see her. She goes with him and he all of a sudden brings out a glowing wand and she notices that the forest changes but doesn’t say anything. When she see’s Beorn again she knows something is different because he keeps saying that he wants to make her happy. She wants to to leave and he tells her that she can after she stays the weekend.

The book started and I liked it but as I read a little more it started to lose my attention. I wanted more out of the book then I was getting and that feeling that you get when you are reading a great book, well I wasn’t getting that feeling. I love shifter books and were bears has really started growing on me. Terri never really got why she couldn’t leave the forest and always ended back at Beorn’s house until the ending of the book. I understand keeping secrets about who you are but to keep it away until the end wasn’t what I would do.

Now this is just my thoughts and view. It doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t read it. There were some things in the book that I liked but there were some things I didn’t like. I have read several books by this author and this is the only one that I didn’t like all that much. Now the book did have a great ending. So if this looks like a book you would like to read then give it a try.

[Leiah Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admit it. I am a sucker for Beauty and the Beast. And this short by Ms. Carter is a beautiful take on the story.

A Renaissance Faire lover, Terri and her friend Nala run a costume business online and attend faires during the season. Last year, Terri met Beorn, a six and a half foot tall 'bear' of a man who made her lush curves feel tiny and delicate. With a promise to keep in touch, Beorn disappeared after the faire . . . and that was it. No Beorn visits.

This year, Terri and Nala are back at the faire, and who should show up but Beorne's friend, Brokk, asking her to accompany him to meet with Beorne. She does, of course (else, there wouldn't be a story, now would there?)

What happens next is pure B&tB. It is a lovely little story that touched my heart. It is also a shame that it got bad ratings on Goodreads simply because the reviewers found it "not erotic enough." That is exactly why I enjoyed it so much. So many books today are so filled with sex, they don't even have a story line. For a 71 page book, I found that the balance between the bedroom calisthenics and the actual story was spot on and well executed. The story is cute as a button without being cloying, and Terri is a tough cookie without being harsh. Overall, a fun, pleasant read. I started it over dinner, curled up in my chair with Celtic music in the background, and totally enjoyed myself. If you want a sweet story based on a beloved fairy tale, I highly recommend it.

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book just didn't give the the vibe I was looking for. So just because I couldn't give it more stars doesn't mean that you won't like it.

Read my full review on RtB in several weeks.