More Than I Can Bear

Ursa Shifters #4

by Sam Hall

The hottest footballer in town is searching for the girl that got away. Me. We had one amazing night together, but when I woke up I knew I needed to get back to my boring life. But he refuses to take no for an answer. The whole city is looking for the girl with the custom painted Converse But I’ve got other problems. The guy who keeps coming into my cafe, who’s as grumpy as he is hot. Or the quiet guy who lurks in the corner, then leaves poems for me to find. I was the girl that everyone ignored, but each one of these guys are going to shove me into the spotlight. And I’m not sure if any of us are going to survive that scrutiny.

More Than I Can Bear is another installment in the Ursa Shifters series. IT IS A STANDALONE, with a guaranteed HEA. Reading the novella, Poke The Bear is essential to understanding the storyline.

Genres: Shapeshifters, Reverse Harem, Paranormal, Romance, Why Choose, Fantasy, Sports

346 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 28, 2023

About the author

Australian author of paranormal RH novels

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Reviews

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

Brushstrokes & Bear Shifters



The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💚💜💙❤️🩷
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙📔
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏🌍
Character development: 😋🙂☺️😍🥰
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Dual Narration

🦸🏼‍♀️ Heroine Spotlight: Freya

Freya lives in the margins—quiet, observant, and emotionally tucked away. A waitress by day and artist by passion, she pours herself into painting, sketching, and designing custom Converse sneakers. At 22, she’s never been kissed—until a spontaneous one-night stand with Aussie football star Adam Farelly flips her world. She vanishes before dawn, leaving behind a single shoe and a trail of questions. Freya craves connection but fears the spotlight, choosing solitude over spectacle.

🐻 Bear Shifter Sleuth: Adam, Kaine & River

Adam, the golden boy of Australian football and Magarey Medal winner, is more than just a star athlete—he’s a bear shifter with a sleuth of chosen family. His brother Kaine, the gruff protector, and River, the quiet artist with a soul full of sketches, round out the trio. Together, they’ve searched for their mate, and when Adam meets Freya, the sleuth knows she’s the one. But Freya’s retreat forces Kaine and River to step in, courting her with tenderness and patience.

• Adam: Charismatic, determined, and emotionally open.
• Kaine: Brooding, loyal, and quietly proud of his younger brother.
• River: Reserved, introspective, and artistically gifted—a mirror to Freya’s creative soul.

🔥 Plot Threads & Emotional Stakes

Freya’s internal tug-of-war between desire and self-preservation drives the story. She fears losing herself in Adam’s rising fame and resists the pull of a life in Melbourne’s spotlight. When Adam goes public in search of her, Kaine and River find her first—and the courtship begins. The twist? Kaine is Adam’s brother, adding layers of tension and intimacy to an already complex dynamic.

💡 What Sparkled

• The audiobook includes the novella Poke the Bear as a prequel—great setup for the emotional stakes.
• One-night stand turned slow-burn romance? Yes, please.
• Authentic Australian setting with narrators who actually sound Aussie.
• Freya and her friend Jack’s drunken antics? Comedy gold.

🤨 What Missed the Mark

• The Cinderella callback—Freya leaving behind a custom Converse for Adam to track her down—felt a bit too on-the-nose.
• The recurring sports-romance trope: heroine fears the limelight. Realistically, many partners of athletes live quietly unless they choose otherwise. It’s a trope that could use a refresh.

🎧 Narration Notes

Sofia Lette and Dorje Swallow deliver a multiple POV experience that feels immersive and emotionally textured.

• Sofia Lette: Soft, natural, and emotionally resonant.
• Dorje Swallow: Versatile, expressive, and skilled at character differentiation.
Bonus points for the Aussie accents—I used to date an Australian, and that lilt still makes me swoon.

💬 Favorite Quotes

“Women all across the world are not given choices: around what roles they take on or how they look, what clothes they wear, and who they do and don’t have as sexual partners. Bear shifters are supposed to be better than human men. You make sure you have her enthusiastic consent before claiming her because it’s the right thing to do.”

“People say that money doesn’t buy you happiness, but sh*t, does it buy you freedom.”

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[Kay H · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you love many many declarations from the MCs, this book is for you.

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

What happens when a really shy girl hits it and quits it with a footy star and he’s one of her mates? Drama. Lots and lots of drama. Adam was sunshiny and impulsive and that bit him in the ass. Kaine was all grumpy gills everything needs to be perfect. And River was sweet, quiet, and silent. They all fit together well in the end, but this had a whole lotta angst between the MCs and within the sleuth. I really wanted more of a forgiveness/bonding moment between Adam and Kaine, but there was some degree of it implied.

Spice: 5/5

Triggers: involuntary mate claiming, drinking to excess including being depressed from it, attempted SA by side characters, stalking behaviors, discussion of ostracizing from community

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read!

I love Freya! The other characters were great too. This story is different from the other bear books, reminded me of Sam Hall's wolf books. Can't wait to read Bjorn book.

[Nemo (The ☾Moonlight☾ Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not really sure how I feel about this.

I mean, I like Hall's version of Aussie bear shifters on the whole. I love the whole fated mate and comfort/care thing. And the books are SO Aussie and I heart them with all my heart.

But Hall started doing something really weird in the prequel novella (Poke the Bear #3.5) that continued in More Than I Can Bear, which was telling the exact same scene from another character's point of view. I think this can work in some cases, where the characters literally aren't in the same room interacting with each other, but after a while it got tedious.

I think I also wasn't a fan of the miscommunication - or no communication - thing happening in this book. So I think it's literally the plot that I didn't really gel with. I still liked our main female character who appeared to be on the asexual spectrum somewhere (unconfirmed to me, but I definitely recognised some things), and I adored the bears, from the grumpy leader to the golden retriever to the quiet artistic one, and I liked seeing different types of mates with the parents involved, but yeah I think it was the plot that didn't work for me. I'm personally not into second chance romance and miscommunication, and I think Hall had done a really fantastic job of the characters communicating in the previous novels.

I definitely didn't like it as much as the first two books, and I also think I didn't like it as much as the third book. I think I'll give it 4 stars for Goodreads but rate it internally more of a 3.5. I dunno. Is it fair if my rating is based more on a plot that doesn't gel with me personally? I knew what I was getting into and the blurb sounded really good.

Also I absolutely see Thomas Cocquerel as a blonde Adam.

[Shannan · Rating 5 out of 5]

More Than I Can Bear is book 4 in the Ursa Shifters series with fated mates, RH, bear shifters, alot of angst and emotional highs and lows. While it is technically a standalone, I highly recommend you read the prequel novella Poke The Bear beforehand. It sets the tone for Freya, her life and focusses on her inital interaction with Adam, the football playing, lovable larrikan. It absolutely builds the foundation needed that segues into More Than I Can Bear, which, in turn, is how and where Freya subsequently meets Kaine and River.

Freya is quiet and unassuming and while it isn't immediately obvious, she also has an inner strength, confidence and resilience, that I don't think she even realised she possessed. Her bff Jack (my fav) is her number one cheerleader, she is fiercely protective of Freya and is the main source of alot of the laughs and I woud love to see a little more of her in the future. Adam's intentions for pretty much everything in his life are good, just not necessarily always well thought out. Kaine wants to look after everyone and take care of them, sometimes to the detriment to himself. And River (oh just swoon) is just the sweetest, he's attentive and highly intune to Freya and her needs.

This book is beautifully written, with the characters having alot of depth and natural progression to them and the Ursa universe has once again sucked me in. Can't wait for more to come from it!!!

[Cee · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was alright, I just never thought the group felt cohesive. But I am still interested in continuing on with the series, so infer from that what you will.

[Kelsey Kendall · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this one but..

I don’t. This is my least favorite book out of the series and I hate that I’m even saying that! I didn’t connect with any of the characters. MAYBE Adam. But definitely not the other three. The beginning started off so well and I had high hopes. I didn’t love Kaine and I really wanted to because I love a grumpy protective H. But he missed the mark for me. I felt like he was kind of whiny about always having to look out for his younger brother. And I felt like he resented the fact that his brother was a celebrity. River was ehh. I could have loved him but what we got from him wasn’t very deep. I liked Adam for the most part. He was charismatic and funny. I felt like the whole vibe of this book was off. This sleuth didn’t work together AT ALL. It felt like they were all looking out for themselves and wanted Freya all to themselves individually. And I’m gonna be real honest. I think Adam was wronged more in this book than he “wronged” Freya. I understand what he did was wrong but I personally wouldn’t equate it to what it was being equated to. I think Kaine and Freya both did him so wrong. River basically did nothing so that’s also wrong. Kaine and Freya came up with that stupid plan part way through the book that I thought was TERRIBLE. Make amends by making yourself look like an absolute fool on television so it’ll take the spotlight off Freya? So dumb. And hurtful, if you ask me. And then he was put in that situation with those girls that he didn’t want to be in and Kaine and Freya hardly even cared. AND THEN she bonds with River and Kaine. She immediately lets them speak through their mind speak thingy. And then says something about how she likes Kaine and Adam but there’s just something about River… Uhhh… I thought in a why choose, you loved them all equally. And Adam spends basically the ENTIRE BOOK trying to make amends and seek forgiveness and he doesn’t even get it until 99% through the book. 99%. I don’t know. This one just didn’t work for me and I hate that because I like this series! Fingers crossed Bjorn’s book gets me back on track!

[Mini_bookreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this series ❤️
But for me the ending of this book felt kinda rushed... I just wanted to spend more time with the characters ☺️

[Bibliophilic Kitten · Rating 2 out of 5]

This whole book would have been short(er) af if the fmc had simply communicated better. I mean Adam fucked up but she wasn't even mad about that. She was upset about the attention 😒 🙄 Le Sigh

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

More Than I Can Bear is the fourth book in Sam Hall's Ursa Shifters and of course, I loved it. Sam gave us a taste with the Poke the Bear prequel but this beat all expectations.


Freya is a little quirky. She's used to being in the background and she doesn't mind it as long as she's able to do what she loves. Frey creates weird but cool art, it's not for everyone and she faces some negative opinions but she keeps going. Freya calls to me, I like her, she's different than the norm and that's okay.


I got who Freya was in the prequel it was the guys that I got a better sense of in this book. It's the guys that I got a better understanding of in this book. Adam is the golden boy. He's a good guy but spoiled he has this chaotic puppy energy and doesn't realize that the fallout from his actions has major consequences. Kaine is a daddy Dom. He wants to provide and protect the ones he loves. I've seen how the parents treat Adam and Kaine and I can understand why he's resentful. Finally, but not least is River. River is artsy but not good with words. He goes inward a lot uses art as a soothing technique. He's more sensitive than the others, still, waters run deep and all. Nothing went as expected when it came to counting Freya. The sleuth was sort of a mess, there were a lot of feelings and things to work out. Things were unsteady, with loads of drama.


Fame plays a major role in this book which is entertaining when there's a group of supernaturals who want to stay hidden after being hunted. It was also entertaining seeing how it played out in a sleuth courting their mate. The drama was a little high. I love seeing little tidbits about the other characters or events in the previous books. I realize now that I've heard of River's family in a previous book. There was some controversy surrounding his dads. What I get most from the Ursa Shifters series is that the bears are big on community so getting River's family full story I find myself disappointed in how the bear community responded to the situation. They let fear dictate their actions, good thing the good outweighs the bad.


Is More Than I Can Bear considered a sports romance? If so it's my first one. I'm not a sports person but I love Sam Hall, I'm greedy for everything she writes so of course I gave it a go. Luckily for me, the story was relationship-based with a bunch of great characters. More Than I Can Bear was fantastic, I'm addicted to the Ursa series good thing Sam has another one planned.

[Scarlett (scarlettexpressions) · Rating 3 out of 5]

If we could have a woman in this series that doesn't freak the hell out over the bear reveal, I'd love this a lot more. I had to put the book down when this happened AGAIN and almost didn't pick it back up. For the record, I'm glad I did, but still that one scene never fails to give me a blood pressure check.

It's not like some stranger popped out of the woods, took fur, and lunged at her. These are men she's familiar with enough that her reaction or ANY of the past mates in this series' reactions is just absolutely ridiculous. I feel like people in most horror novels would live longer if they fled like the women here. It's wild to me.

[Micky Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sleuth of three bear shifters who can't seem to get their act together and behave as a cohesive unit leads them to chase off the incredibly shy fated mate that just wants to remain hidden in the shadows and not be thrust into the limelight. Unfortunately, when one of the sleuth happens to be the most popular player on a sports team in the community, hiding in the shadows isn't an option. Intriguing characters with realistic interactions (to a point, they are bear shifters after all) wrapped in an interesting and spicy plot. Instalove, fated mates and second chances all wrapped into one fun read!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, another amazing read by Sam hall 🩵 these characters were complex and their personalities intertwined extremely well and Sam’s storytelling and plot was amazing and felt very authentic. It was set in Adelaide where I live, so that’s a bonus too! I loved River and Freya’s connection the most, but Kaine is my stern brunch daddy 😍 I can’t to read one from Bjorns POV!!!

[Annelie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed ⭐⭐⭐3.5⭐⭐⭐

Interesting stors with bear shifters. I just found it a bit too long even if the storyline happened during only one week! I don't know as well what to think about Adam... Is he a selfish jerk or just a stupid enamoured guy? 🧐

[Moni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Całkiem całkiem, choć na kolana mnie nie powaliło.

[Alana · Rating 1 out of 5]

Adam deserved better

This book was a mess and a complete disappointment after other books in the series. The prequel sets up Freya and Adam and his sleuth, then proceeds to become one of the worst RH I’ve read. The author should have either let Adam be the villain, or given him a path forward that involved growth from the other characters as well. Kaine was absolutely awful. Jealous, happy to hurt Adam, and absolutely never put Adam or Adam’s feelings first. Nor was he open to discussing things with Adam. Instead everything is Adam’s fault. This guy would never work in a polycule and not one character called him out for the way he belittles Adam. Kaine just solved every problem with sex, money, and telling Adam he’s a screw up.

River may as well have been written solely so Freya has one mate who isn’t awful or the book’s whipping boy, but his entire personality is art guy who enables Kaine’s bull. He never even stands up for Adam despite Riv’s backstory and Adam’s longstanding friendship. They weren’t a sleuth and acted like they didn’t even like each other most of the time. The drama about Riv’s mom and the other shifters could have been a great external pressure point over Freya and Kaine’s immaturity.
Freya was atrocious as a FMC and just punished Adam over and over again for her own unwillingness to communicate, before “graciously” forgiving him. The mums and nans piling on Adam was also just awful, and could have led to some growth but instead was used to just rub some more dirt on Adam. This author always seems to leave one of the mates out, but this was by far the worst example. The best character in the book was Jack, and Adam deserved better.

[⋆˚ leyla ✿˖° · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.45 ⭐️. Listen, I absolutely adore and love the other books in this series. This book was not for me. With a man is so incredibly immature it was headache inducing, another one that just existed to fix the immature one, and the ‘perfect’ one. Why not just keep River and throw out the rest???
The begging for forgiveness didn’t hit the spot.
She could have done so so so much better.

NOTHING HAPPENED. I FEEL BRAIN DEAD.
I finished this book out of hope it would get better. I even skimmed over the smut.

I love the other books in the series so much, this author is a must read for me, and I can’t wait to read the next book, but this one just wasn’t it. There was no ‘wooing’, no reason whatsoever for them to be together, no chemistry- I could continue this rant forever.

Anyways omw the read the next book of this author that’s probably gonna hit the spot just right and make me feel guilty for not liking this book- but hey I’m just a girl.

[Terri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had potential

Had potential. But I found it grueling to get through. Freya, the FMC, was so weak. That was disappointing to me. I only realized I started flipping through the story at 42%. I flipped through it slowly enough to understand the plot but as fast to just get to the end. There were good parts, just not enough for me.

After reading great books by other authors, I realized they were out there and I don’t have to settle. I don’t recommend this particular book.

[Goose · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just didn’t give honestly, thought every single character was boring and whiney

[Haylee · Rating 5 out of 5]

All you need to know is they are ALL virgins 😂 Like, ‘never even kissed anyone’ until her virgins.

[Monica Osorio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Different but still amazing!

So this book I felt like was more “dark.” But not in the terms on blood but the sad kind. All of these books carry a kind of darkness but this one was FELT I feel like. Spoilers… I ABSOLUTELY love these bear shifter books but this one was different. Adam was depressed when his fated mate ran out on him after a one night stand. She didn’t like the spot light and he was a footy player so she left, even having an amazing connection with her and him claiming her. But she didn’t know about the claim other than having the bite mark left over. Anyways, the feelings Adam went through was felt through the book and hurt me. He also came across as a much younger man. It never said their ages other than him being in his twenties. But he came across almost as a kid. He was just much a jump first ask questions later type of character. But he became more depressed when he realized him biting her without her consent was a form of SA. Which, I don’t agree. Idk it was weird to compare it to. I get it but I don’t at the same time. What hit me the most was the stupid plan they came up with the get the press off of Freya’s back. It was stupid to begin with, idk why her ass couldn’t just say she doesn’t like the spotlight but he didn’t do anything wrong and they’d like privacy. It would have blown over. Urgh. Anyways, it was just heartbreaking to read and “watch” him do what he did and those dumb girls trying to more less force themselves on him. And his stupid so called friend. Blah! I think he was treated unfairly and if Freya just reached out so much could have been avoided. This was also the first book that they didn’t say “I love you” in. I like that we got to see a different side of the fated part with the bite before a connection was made. I love me some River. Kaine was kind of annoying though. He treated Freya like she was almost glass at times and it’s just like, give it up Daddy, and not the fun kind. I was hoping we’d get Jacks story with a female shifter but maybe next time. I’d also like to see a fated mate NOT run when they’re shown the bear for the first time and accept the fated part right away. Not like it was in this book. Either way, I Love these books and can’t wait for more because the way these shifters are wholly focused on their mate in terms on pleasure, being taken care of, and overall wellbeing, hell to the yessss!

[Hannah Brokaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

With self publishing we get a gush of books to choose from and have to pick through a lot of find the treasure. Sam Hall is one of the consistent “treasure” authors and what elevates her, is that she’s improving with each book that comes out. For me, she’s on the edge of being one of my fav indie authors and so I pick up each one of her new releases waiting for that moment. This book was ALMOST there and honestly-it was 1 thing that kept this book from being 5 stars and tipping her over into that “great” author category for me. And it was saying that Adam’s mating bite was sexual assault. That moment, that one sentence, soured and dragged down the rest of the book. This is not a dark romance so “non-con” wasnt a trope of the book-Hall wanted to pass off Adam’s unasked mating bite off as sexual assault and that everyone around Adam would then say “well he sexually assaulted her but if he apologizes and grovels enough, he’s still her fated mate and they’ll get together in the end.” With her attacker? This is not a dark romance book so that didn’t jive. The FMC could barely see it as sexual assault but Hall put it in there a couple more times. Then Adam-while out on a sloppy mission to draw attention to himself-is practically sexually assaulted while drunk by two girls in the bathroom-it didn’t even get talked about. Actually everyone but Freya treated Adam pretty badly and I did not like it at all. I liked so many things about this book but man did that whole story line surrounding Adam really bring it down. I also can’t quite put my finger on it but the constant consent thing really started to get on my nerves after the 5th or 6th time. I obviously understand the concept of consent but in reality in our relationships this isn’t how we’re talking so reading it feels awkward and clunky and just such an ick to me. I understand what the author is catering towards but I don’t how it reads-either the relationship has been built on the trust and respect it needs so that if the scene/storyline called for it, the FMC could say “stop” and the MMC respects that or you’ve got some sort of weird “are you consenting” convo that’s happening in every other spicy scene.

[Snow]

DNF @ 36%.

nooo, ANOTHER book in this series where the heroine RUNS AWAY when a hero reveals his shifter side?? ugh. so annoying. and the fact that he didn't just shift back when she started freaking out? idk, the whole thing was so contrived.

and honestly, i could do without the feminism 101 "have you heard rape is bad???" kinda thing throughout this. like, the author treats the subject as if the reader is stupid. and also gets it wrong a lot.
a hero bites the heroine during sex (she enjoys it), bonding them together, and it's then talked about like it was equal to sexual assault.
like, that kind of just diminishes the harm of actual sexual assault.
like, yeah, absolutely, have a prior discussion about your likes and dislikes before having sex with your partner, but this was a spontaneous one-night kinda thing in the eyes of the heroine, and people aren't robots. the hero doing something in the heat of the moment that the heroine doesn't say no to and finds enjoyable shouldn't be something that's compared to the horror of actual rape. have people completely misinterpreted the meaning of consent 🙈 it DOESN'T mean that if you do something non-harmful in the heat of the moment that you're a horrible monster rapist. please, it's not that black and white, it's nuanced.

and later on, a side character blithely questions whether two of the Hs might be having sex with the third H, and then immediately apologizes for the biphobic comment. uhmm what?? it wasn't even biphobic!!! it just literally just a question. if anything it's homophobic to think it's inherently insulting to wonder whether someone is having same gender sex.

like, the author is so afraid of offending readers by not using the appropriate terminology that it ends up just being plain incorrect. and it seems so contrived and fake. like when they quote statistics about rape when no rape has even occurred in the book. it's not relevant and it doesn't seem natural in the flow of the dialogue. like, yeah, let them have meaningful, deep discussions about tough topics but they HAVE to be relevant.

[Ash (so there’s this book) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance (Bear Shifters)
*This book proceeds the events in the novella, Poke The Bear. Because of the events in Poke The Bear directly tie into the plot of this book, you must read the novella first!
3/5 🌶️

Sleuth: Adam, Kaine, River & Freya

Tropes and Themes: bear shifter MMCs, a pro-athlete MMC, a blue collar MMC, a artsy FMC & MMC, MCs that have been saving themselves for the right person, fated mates, a second change romance redemption arc for one MMC, found family, unique bear 🍆 anatomy, and more.

Summary:
After Freya’s would-be one night stand with pro-baller Adam, she’s trying to understand Adam’s desperate and destructive attempts to get her attention by using the media. She knows something *more* happened during their one night stand, but she left for a reason - and Adam is only making her more miserable by making her the center of a media circus.
Kaine and River are beyond pissed at their sleuth-brother, Adam, for royally screwing things up with their fated mate, Freya. But the fact that he keeps making it worse is not only infuriating, but dangerous. They risk Freya rejecting their mate bonds, and that’s even before she finds out that they’re bear shifters.

Thoughts:
I have been eagerly awaiting this book, needing to see what would become of Adam and Freya after the disaster that happened in Poke The Bear. Sam Hall delivered!
This was everything I was hoping for.
I adored Freya as a FMC, especially because I can completely relate to her and her artistic soul. I think her journey to find love with her mates was a really hard won, but sweet one.
And the MMCs were really great too, especially River, who I have a deep fondness for. I feel like Adam sufficiently realized his mistakes, owned up to them, and groveled enough.
And of course, Sam Hall’s bear smut is always top notch.
Highly recommend to those who love PNR, or have enjoyed this Ursa Shifters series.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

More Than I Can Bear

I always appreciate when authors point out the damage that lies of omission do. These become a really big deal in books that have the fated mate trope going on because there is usually an action at some point that is going to lock the MFC into a life long commitment. Once in a while, a MMC doesn't tell her everything she needs to know and so she can't properly choose her own fate. This gets addressed in this story. The author does a good job of discussing this kind of fantasy sexual assault and relating it to ordinary human sexual harassment and assault. I liked this description,

“He didn’t see it, caught up in his secure little bubble. The little comments, the tiny steps over clearly delineated boundaries, they all added up to this avalanche of more and more aggressive behaviour because the line kept on being blurred.”

Great job articulating how sexism and misogyny keep increasing over time.

Favorite lines:

“Sorry, I just cut wood and hammer nails for a living,” I said, raking a hand through my hair. “Words are hard.”

And:

“Margaret Atwood always said that women are afraid that men will kill them and men are afraid women will laugh at them.”

And:

“I sat there in a state of complete overwhelm as every single art supply I’d ever fantasised about was placed on the coffee table or the floor around me, until I felt like an art dragon sitting on my mound of treasure.”

And:

“That was a lot of fuss for a misunderstanding,” Dad grumped. “Those reporters ruined your mother’s geraniums, trampling all over them and for what? A picture of me in my underwear?”

The nature of art:

“The dream dies so something real can be made.”

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another great addition to this series! This does have a prequel novella that definitely should be read before this as it just gives some move context for the reasoning on why everything is kind of happening the way it is.

Like with the previous books, this is another standalone in the series and is more of a Cinderella vibe to it which was super fun! The FMC, had a one-night stand with one of the MMCs, which is all in the novella, and had left one of her shoes behind. She works at a diner to support her creative business where she puts designs on shoes. So the shoe she had left behind was pretty unique. The MMC she had a one-night stand with, happens to be a famous Australian Football player. When he found out she was gone the next morning, during a press conference he tells the news he is looking for her and shows them the shoe. This of course leads to the whole city looking for her. In the meantime, the MMC tells the rest of his sleuth mates that he has found their fated mate and suffice to say, they aren't happy with how he has handle the whole situation. The other two MMCs end up going to the diner she works at, as they are working on a job site nearby, and don't tell the first MMC that they have found her as they want time with her first.

This was super sweet and of course spicy. The FMC doesn't like being in the spotlight, which unfortunately the one MMC brings so she is a bit reluctant but when they finally all got together, it was sweet!! I enjoyed this addition to the series and can't wait for more!!

[Adrianell · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a nice story, but I didn't enjoy it as much as the other ones in the series.
River was great, Kaine was a bit too harsh to Adam and Adam was an idiot, sweet, but still an idiot.
I was annoyed by how much they let him fuck up in this story. The whole mess would be resolved if Freya just took his number from Jack and called him after the first media circus. I don't hate reading about miscommunication in relationships, but damn how annoying it was here. There were so many people that could help them communicate even when Freya didn't want to talk directly with Adam. And they all fucked up, keeping mum about their connections and making more of a mess for the poor girl.
I mean, Freya did fuck up too, but I could understand how overwhelmed she was. Kaine was a decade or something older than her and Adam, he should have been smarter and mediate the situation from the beginning. Over all, I liked the story but was soooo annoyed with most of the characters.
River was the best, keeping his cool, even though he was just as taken with Freya when he first saw her as Adam was on the night they've met. He tried to keep her safe without crowding her, spent time with her and bonded over their passion. He was the quietest of the guys, but I liked that he didn't blather on and tried to get to know Freya better.

[Richelle Zirkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these standalones, and this one is no different, but for this one to be fully enjoyed, it’s essential to read the novella Poke the Bear first. You get to meet the FMC Freya and learn the events that set everything in motion with footballer Adam. I have to say Freya is amazing. She has an accessible, every girl quality that I loved. She is used to being overlooked, and maybe sort of okay or even resigned to it. She doesn’t want to be in the spotlight, but she does in her heart of hearts have a passion for her art. Footballer Adam and his sleuth work construction, and they all have exceptional qualities that set them apart from each other, where they can pick up the ball when one of the others drops it. I adored Kaine and River for this. They are both more circumspect than Adam. Kaine seems to have the innate ability to make sure other’s needs are met, and River is very similar to Freya—somewhat overlooked, interested in art—so they ‘get’ each other and share a deeper connection more easily. The sleuth may not be what Freya is looking for, but they may be exactly what she needs, and with her BFF Jack at her side, always looking to cause a riot and some hijinks, fun will certainly be had on the way to a HEA.

[MrsKristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the Ursa Shifter Books!!

🔥 Bear Shifters
🔥 One Night Stand or is it?
🔥 Fated Mates
🔥 Sports but off-season

Absolutely loved this story. Lots of no communication between Freya and Adam but mostly because they didn't exchange numbers.

Loved how each guy was special in his own way. Each was needed by her, in their own way. Each guy was just perfect for her!!

Took no time at all to read and I re-read Poke the Bear as well.

My Personal Ratings:

5 Stars: Loved it! Couldn’t put it down or obsessed about it while needing to get to the end of it. Had to share some bits with my hubby!! Usually read in less than 2 days cause a girl has got to sleep sometime. Will be reading everything this author has to offer and most likely reread the series as next books in the series are released.

4 Stars: Really Good. Whether the story drew me in or a specific character, will definitely continue the series and look into more books by this author.

3 Stars: Enjoyed something about the book, whether it be the storyline or a character but also may have not liked something. Sometimes the book is great but needs some TLC from an editor. May or may not continue the series.