Joy to the Squirrel

Fated Mountain Lodge #3

by Lauren Esker

Joy isn't exactly living up to her name lately.

This stressed-out squirrel shifter is on a constant treadmill, struggling to pay the bills and raise her younger sister.

Christmas at a beautiful mountain lodge sounds like exactly the medicine to cure her winter blues.

But Fated Mountain Lodge isn't having a merry Christmas either. The heat's out, a blizzard has stranded everyone, and the lodge's very existence is threatened in a hostile takeover by a billionaire dragon shifter developer.

Who turns out to be Joy's fated mate.

Now, with the fate of the lodge on the line, Joy has the holiday weekend to show this sexy Scrooge the true meaning of Christmas, or it's not going to be a holly jolly holiday for anyone.

And it turns out that he might be exactly what she needs, too.

Return to Fated Mountain Lodge for a cute, cozy, and spicy small-town fated mates holiday romance!

Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Novella, Shapeshifters, Paranormal Romance, Christmas, Dragons

149 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 2, 2024

About the author

Lauren Esker writes romantic suspense and paranormal romance that’s just a little off the beaten path. Which isn’t surprising since she’s a lifelong Alaskan who is a little off the beaten path herself! (Literally and figuratively.) She also writes graphic novels and scifi/fantasy as Layla Lawlor, and m/m romance as Layla M. Wier.

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute.

[Amyiw]

Saw this at Hoopla and I thought I needed to put it on my holiday TBR this year.

[Tima · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars. Joy, the female squirrel shifter baker lead, and her sister are carting their first delivery of baked goods to her first paying customer. When they get stuck in a snowstorm, Joy is relieved to find Bar(naby), the male dragon shifter lead, coming down the road and able to assist them. But once they reach the lodge, they’re told Bar is trying to claim the lodge back from its owners because he owns the land.

As the snowstorm hits, they’re snowed in together, with Joy and Bar uncertain about pursuing their attraction and everyone else certain Joy should run away. Can there be any sort of compromise with a dragon shifter desperate to horde his land?

This novella is dual POV, well written, and a sweet and steamy, contemporary fantasy, fated mates, forced proximity romance. I enjoyed Joy’s optimism and her gentle positivity. I empathised with Bar’s reticence and reluctance to believe in fated mates. I enjoyed his changing perspective and his willingness to search for a compromise his dragon could agree to. I enjoyed the building relationship, especially the intimate scenes. I laughed at the mischief of Joy’s sister, particularly, and appreciated the secondary characters, who have stories earlier in the series.

I received a complimentary copy from the author and this is my voluntary honest review.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joy and Bar’s Story . . .

Joy, a squirrel shifter, and her sister Leah, were heading for Fated Mountain Lodge to deliver cookies when the snowstorm caused them to skid off the road. Barnaby “Bar” is a wealthy dragon shifter, ready to claim his inherited land which the Lodge people had been leasing for the past 50 years now that the lease had expired. (And dragons need to increase their hoard.) He is heading for the Lodge and rescues the women by pushing their car back on the road. He then suggests they drive ahead of him and he will follow in case they have trouble again. Will they get further acquainted at the lodge which currently has no heat, except for what the fireplace and space heaters can provide? It turns out that Joy recognizes Bar as her fated mate -- but he seems oblivious, even after she asks if he knows her! Or is he just unaware of what those strange feelings are telling him? Can she “educate” him in the ways of shifters that he seems unfamiliar with? With her real estate knowledge, should she involve herself in his plans about the fate of the Lodge and perhaps find a compromise for everyone? Or will she give up on trying to change his mind?

[Chad Lamb · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why did I read this? I jokingly said that I would read a squirrel romance and friends obliged to find me one.

This book was not meant for me. From the concept of shifters and fated ones to the incredibly fast transition from strangers to lovers to eternal partners, I felt that my head was spinning faster than my vertigo thrusts upon me. (Pun intended?) Everything felt forced, from the relationship of Barnaby and Joy to the Fated Lodge’s murky future and even the vacillating relationship between enemies to lovers and the fated inevitability of their union.

I liked Leah. She was funny. I do not necessarily think the author did a bad job with her story, but more so that I’m clearly out of my depth. I have no interest in learning about this subgenre further. There are far more interesting romances I’d like to explore, that in my opinion align with what I like out of romance. I hope that those who enjoy these types of books have a hoot but I’ll go back to my anthropomorphic animals like Redwall or Narnia and leave this smut to the readers who enjoy it.

[Sara Sigler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joy was taking a cookie order to the resort with her sister Leah who was disabled, Joy was taking care of her since their parents died. Barnaby was going to the resort to get his land back that had been his family and the resort’s lease had run out, helped get Joy out of the ditch they were in. His father had left the family business a mess so he was trying to make sense of it all. Joy was also to look over the deed on the resort and property as she was a realtor. Barnaby took her to different places on the property that he remembered and to the cabin they used to go there so she understood how he felt. They knew they were mates, Joy said that he could give them a way resort the property they were on but his dragon said no but it would give Joy the land and she could do what she wanted. They knew they resort got to stay and Joy and Barnaby redid the cabin.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Indie · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it !! this has become one of my favorite series !!! love Joy and Bar.. and can't wait for Leah's story !! a fast paced rom/com drama... at the lodge in a snow storm. Joy and Leah are driving up the mountain to deliver some pastries and cookies to the lodge and spend a couple of days vacationing... Joy has side gig as a baker and a realtor by day... Leah is Leah... she's kind of disabled but that doesn't stop her, no way !! and Bar, well he's there to take back his property.. his inheritance has gone way sideways... and he's here to fix it... so, he might be the bad guy here but, not really.. he did help Joy's car out of the ditch on the mountain.. and he's her fated mate even if he has no idea what that really means... he has trust issues.. well deserved trust issues... oh, and Hester and everyone are really mean to him... it's so good !!!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ramona · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a highly enjoyable cute romance story that's about Joy a squirrel shifter and Bar a dragon shifter. Bar inherited his dad's floundering business. The only thing not mortgaged is the family's land where the Fated Mountain Lodge was built on. Driving to the lodge on a blizzard night Bar helps Joy with her sister Leigh whose car gets stuck after sliding on the road. Joy baked cookies and goods for an event for the lodge, but it got canceled because of the snow. Now they're snowbound at the lodge. Those who run the Lodge aren't happy with Bar's appearance, so Joy offers to look over the contract since her second job is real estate. What occurs in this fated mate story as Bar struggles with believing in fated mates and his feelings is enjoyable story with very likable characters in this copy I received and volunteer to read and review.

[Rosemarie Grainer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Squirrel power to the rescue?!

Joy and her sister Leah are driving through a snowstorm to Fated Mountain Lodge when they spin off the road. Bar is going to the Lodge to take back a part of his inheritance, even if that means taking it away from Hester and the others. How can a bad guy like Bar be Joy's fated mate, especially when he doesn't recognize her? What exactly is going on here? Read this shorter story to find out!

The pace is fast and the tone is uncertain with a character centered storyline that has a few steamy scenes. The characters are vibrant and engaging. This is book 3, I think. You can read this on its own, but will enjoy it much more if you read them in order. I can't wait to read Leah's story when it finally comes out. Enjoy!

[Gleeful Goblin Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gleeful Goblin Review: This series is so much fun. It's lighthearted and fun for a shifter romance and each book has a shifter type outside the typical wolf, bear, dragon, etc. shifters. Ok, well there's a dragon involved here but also a squirrel which I've never seen! And Joy the squirrel absolutely lives up to her name. She manages to be a good mix of hopeful and realistic in her outlook. Life hasn't been a picnic for Joy prior to arriving at the lodge, but in fairness life hasn't been a walk in the park for Bar either. Both these characters have something to prove and it certainly didn't involve falling in love...until it did. 5/5 Stars.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nikki Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful and heartwarming Christmas story of fated mates that will captivate and engage you. With Christmas round the corner Joy and her sister Leah find themselves delivering baked goods to the Fated Mountain Lodge where Joy meets Bar after he helps them when her car gets stuck in the snow. Realising what be is to her Joy finds that he is not welcome at the Lodge and becomes determined to help both sides while dealing with man who doesn't seem to have a clue about fated mates. This series of short stories is great for sitting down with a hot drink for a cosy afternoon or evening with stories full of drama and happy endings.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute cozy Christmas story without a ton of angst between the two main characters. Joy is a squirrel shifter whose car is rescued from being stuck in the snow by Bar, a repressed dragon shifter. Her sister, Leah, is inside Joy's car and immediately takes a dislike to Bar. Her threats and observations are hysterical. He is also treated less than cordially by the residents and staff of the lodge they are planning to stay at.

Joy knows immediately that Bar is her fated mate but he doesn’t believe in them. They have to work through his reluctance of their bond before HEA is achieved despite Leah’s best efforts.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute, feel-good story about two that meet by chance only to find out they are fated mates. Bar has a lot of family baggage both mental and financial. He seemed to live a very sheltered shifter life before meeting Joy. This story has some spice and a bit of drama but all in all its just a good story with a happily ever after. I did enjoy the different spin on shifters being different kinds even if they were from the same family.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Dawn Siemer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is this how you treat someone?

So, turns out Fated Mountain Lodge was built on leased land? That's either a failure of discovery or outright fraud by the realtor. The land owner shows up to try to come to some kind of agreement, and everyone is super rude to him, even ond of the ladies he rescued from a ditch.

The resolution to this did not feel authentic to me. It made me dislike Hester, who I liked in her story.

The romance was sweet. I liked the relationship between the sisters. Leah is quirky, and I look forward to her book.

[Lianne Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was lighthearted and fun with enough sweetness to power a factory of elves. I loved the main characters and that they were perfect, sculpted godlike specimens and were realistic average types. Also I now know about colourful squirrels from India that I'd didn't even know existed until now!
Looking forward to reading Leahs story next though. She was my favourite in the book as she was so funny.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful, funny, heartwarming, family loving romance book. The author was able to write all the characters with such warmth and depth.
I absolutely adored the storyline, it was extremely well-written and FANTASTIC.
This is a standalone book with no cliffhanger. I do want to go back and read the first 2 books in this series, and I can’t wait to read the next book about Joy’s sister.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Snow]

DNF @ 18%.

the characters are too abrasive. the sister, for instance, is really OTT rude and inconsiderate, and it's meant to be funny. i also think it was intended to be humorous the way the sister kept distracting the heroine while she was driving through a dangerous snow storm. it would've made more sense had the sister been a young child, but she's literally 22 years old. so yeah, the humor isn't for me, and the characters aren't either.

[Julie's Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book 3 of the Fated Lodge Series where shifters meet their fated mates. While supporting characters from the first 2 books are part of the story, they are introduced in such a way that you don't feel like you are missing out, so this is a standalone book with no cliffhanger. Ms. Ester gives us a charming tale with quirky characters that you want to get to know.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A man who learnt to not trust feelings finding his true mate, a concept he does not believe in either. To make matters worse, she was asked to negotiate with him from his opponents. Can he learn to trust his feelings?
A rom com shifter story, with quirky, revengeful side characters, some of which you may already know, if you have read some other stories of Fate Mountain Lodge.
Entertaining and as it is set at Christmas, a perfect book for this time of year.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful book in this series! It’s fun to meet Bar and Joy while he’s rescuing she and her sister from the ditch on a very snowy day. The characters are so well written and it’s wonderful to see characters from previous books to see how they’re doing. There were some twists and turns I wasn’t expecting on their journey to figuring out how they can be mates.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tallyho · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute, quick, romp in the snow over the Holidays. I quite enjoyed this book, it was a fun introduction to the Fated Mountain Crew (for me). There was probably a bit in the first 2 books that filled in more of the personality spots that I felt were lacking, and that's just what happens when you start on book 3. :) These were great characters that I feel have a good bit more story in them.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was a strong third entry in the Fated Mountain Lodge series, it had that overall feel that I was looking for and enjoyed the overall feel of this. I enjoyed the way the characters were written and was hooked from the first page. The characters continued to feel like they were supposed to and was invested in what was happening. Lauren Esker has a great writing style and can't wait for more.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Hilary Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant Series

Joy to the Squirrel (Fated Mountain Lodge) by Lauren Esker. Squirrel shifter Joy and her sister shrew shifter Leah were on their way to a mountain lodge for Christmas when the car got stuck in the snow. A car drove up and the driver dragon shifter Bar got out and helped get them back on the road. Joy knew immediately that Bar was her fated mate but he didn’t believe in mates besides he wa here to reclaim the land the lodge was built on.

[Kalibee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this movie and that characters from previous books are in the book. Its like seeing old friends. I loved Joy and Bar's story. At times i gor frustrated with Bar and his suspicions but we all carry our own hang ups into relationships. I really liked Leah and cant wait to read more about her. She sounds small and mighty.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Alison Ramsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bar and Joy are both at the Lodge for different reasons and meet when he helps Joy and her sister who are stuck in the snow. Joy sees a very different side of Bar to everyone else who are determined to dislike him. I liked how their attraction and trust grew. There are a lot of fun moments in this story especially with Leah. Really enjoyable and a quick read.

[Melanie Purcell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A different take on multiple types of shifters together with plenty of laugh out loud moments. I love the supporting characters as much if not more than Bar and Joy. A great story for getting in the holiday mood!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Laura Beltran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super Cute and Fun Story

This is another super cute and fun holiday read. It is the third book in the Fated Mountain Lodge series. This time we get Joy and Bar's story. I love how they were so different but fit so well together. Lauren Esker writes such fun and unique characters and I can't wait for book four.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

a wonderful Christmas story

I really like Ms. Esker’s stories. They are positive and happily ever after.

Joy and Bar are great main characters. Joy is as her name describes. Bar is rather lost. They both find their way to happiness.

I cannot wait for Leah’s story.

[Jacqui Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joy to us all

Another sweet and funny meet cute shifter romance up at the Lodge. Really loving this series and all the slightly awkward (at first) characters we meet in this lovely winter setting. Looking forward to Leah's story and hopefully a few more.

[Bonny Fuller-Fells · Rating 5 out of 5]

A dragon and a squirrel are perfect for each other

Bar can't give up his land because it's part of his hoard. Joy is his fated mate and he can't give her up either. Joy helps him find a solution.