Bearfaced Lie

by Ryann Fletcher

There's no place like someone else's home for the holidays...

Leah is working at Syndicorp because she can't find work as a geologist - but when her manager messes up her shift schedule, she needs to find someone to cover for her, and fast. If she doesn't, the wrapping paper aisle is going to look a look furrier than it should.

Jasmine is trapped in a dead-end job with a mom who can't leave the past behind. If she only had a girlfriend for the holidays, she might be able to convince her to lay off and let her move away - but will the farce be uncovered before the presents are opened?

217 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 14, 2023

About the author

Ryann Fletcher is a card-carrying geek with a love of sci-fi and fantasy in all their forms. She is also an unapologetic foodie with a carb addiction.

Reviews

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unbelievable chemistry in this one.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before I talk about the book, I should add a disclaimer. Earlier this year Ryann Fletcher unceremoniously launched herself into my favourite authors list with her Cricket Chronicles series so any and all reviews of her work are maybe a wee bitty biased. Sorrynotsorry. Anyway, Bearfaced Lie - book 4 in the Midwest Weres series is soft, romantic, bubblegum fluff. Another Hallmark holiday book, it's got banter, fake dating, slow burn romance, tasty sounding food and genuine laugh out loud moments. And I love it for that. In saying this, there are deeper aspects to the story, but even those are handled with a gentle, but realistic, hand. The characters are wonderful - Martin, in particular, reminds me a little of my own grandad, and it was brilliant to have brief cameos from the other books in the series! One of the things that draws me to Fletcher's books are how well researched they are - I've learned something new from almost all of them - and this one was no different. Brilliant, just brilliant. Definitely one I'll be revisiting during the festive season, along with the rest of the series.

[D]

This was very cute, with oodles of banter and vivid prose—a multiple laugh-out-loud book, for me, for real. It was such a slow burn that the blast of steam at the end took me by surprise. It also had more heft than I might have expected. with complicated family dynamics on display in a holiday season. This is my first read from Ryann Fletcher, but I think two characters from earlier books make cameo appearances in this one. Those might have done more exposition on the mechanics of shifting (and the vaguely "Superstore"-ish "Syndicorp"); here we're in medias res, which I loved. Another thing I loved? It's hypothetically mentioned that Jasmine could have experienced homophobia when she came out, but she emphatically didn't. And a shopping center parking lot confrontation that could easily—even logically—have included a homophobic slur does not.

Rep notes: I don't think ethnicity or skin tone are ever mentioned at all (werebear vs. human is a more important distinction for half of our viewpoint characters), although a supporting character has a surname suggestive of being POC.

Content warnings: it's very brief, but a scene involving hypothermia, claustrophobic feelings and depression/borderline suicidal ideation, presumably as a symptom of the hypothermia, caught me unawares. Also themes of familial abandonment and (off-screen, long ago) spouse and parent deaths.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

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3.75/5

My new festive tradition is reading the annual Midwest Weres book. Leah and Jasmine strike a deal to pretend they're dating over Christmas. However, things are less than smooth when both Leah and Jazz have pasts, family and secrets to contend with.

- Sapphic Hallmark vibes again. Mostly cosy with a. Little bit of spice thrown in for good measure. My favourite bits were the winter festival and movie night.

- I like the little cameos from previous protagonists. They didn't affect the story but it was nice to have little catch ups with them.

- This one was not as shifter focused as the others but it worked well. I enjoyed the focus on the story and the deepening relationships.

Fun, cosy and festive. A series perfect for those who like shifter romance, sapphic relationships and a Christmas theme.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so stinkin' cute. It's a well written quick read of a bear shifter making a deal with a coworker because, well...have you ever worked retail? Just checking because you know that jerk manager in every retail place has scheduled Leah on the exact days she's requested off. Sounds like I've worked retail? Yes, I have. lol Those days requested are on the full moon and Leah is a bear shifter. She makes a deal with coworker Jasmine. The days off in return for Leah to pretend to be Jasmine's girlfriend over Christmas at her Mom's place. Cue the cuteness and happy holiday feelings. Mom is an overbearing worrier and her Paps is a snack fiend with an understanding heart and they are great characters in this story. 4.5 stars rounded up for a happy ever after.

[Bert Pflegl · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cozy book with sufficient tension

Ryann Fletcher builds the characters and the situations, leading to the final climaxes. A very pleasant and captivating read, especially if you will consider the thought of shape shifters. Many do.

[Caro Lin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely as always. Can‘t wait for the next one

[Siddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Both Leah and Jasmine work for Syndicorp, a large supermarket corporation, in low level dead-end jobs. Leah needs her shifts covered at the full moon, as she is a Bear, changing from human to Bear on the full moon. Jasmine needs a date for Christmas, so her mother doesn’t give her grief about her health and her love life. So they make a fake dating deal.
This is a light, fun story. A good follow on (and I think better) from Ryann Fletcher’s previous Bear story from last Christmas (I haven’t read the others in the series, maybe my next read?). And we also get a cameo appearance from Andie from the previous Christmas story. It’s novella length, not too long, and it’s well written with some funny parts. Both Leah and Jasmine are lovely characters, ones that we really hope would end up together, as they are so adorable.