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Bear Protector #2
Fated to the Alpha Bear
The man they sent to rescue me looks more dangerous than my captors. Bodhi Lennox hasn't spoken a full sentence since he arrived, just watches me with dark eyes and growls at anyone who gets too close.
He's massive, barely speaks, and is supposedly here to protect me until my brother pays his debt.
But the way he looks at me? Like I'm already his. Like he'd tear apart anyone who tries to touch me.
I should be terrified of him. Instead, I'm wondering what it would take to make a man like him lose control.
******
Three months in fur. Three months avoiding everyone I know. Then Chase Walker drags me back to civilization for one last job, protect a woman being held as collateral for her brother's debt.
Simple. Get in. Guard the asset. Get out.
Then I recognise her. My mate. And I know I'm in trouble.
Every instinct screams to claim her, protect her, keep her. But she thinks I'm just hired muscle. Another dangerous man in a house full of predators.
She has no idea she belongs to an alpha bear who's more animal than man.
She has no idea I'll burn the whole world down before I let anyone hurt what's mine.
A wild bear shifter romance with a possessive alpha hero, fated mates, and a guaranteed HEA. No cliffhangers.
He's massive, barely speaks, and is supposedly here to protect me until my brother pays his debt.
But the way he looks at me? Like I'm already his. Like he'd tear apart anyone who tries to touch me.
I should be terrified of him. Instead, I'm wondering what it would take to make a man like him lose control.
******
Three months in fur. Three months avoiding everyone I know. Then Chase Walker drags me back to civilization for one last job, protect a woman being held as collateral for her brother's debt.
Simple. Get in. Guard the asset. Get out.
Then I recognise her. My mate. And I know I'm in trouble.
Every instinct screams to claim her, protect her, keep her. But she thinks I'm just hired muscle. Another dangerous man in a house full of predators.
She has no idea she belongs to an alpha bear who's more animal than man.
She has no idea I'll burn the whole world down before I let anyone hurt what's mine.
A wild bear shifter romance with a possessive alpha hero, fated mates, and a guaranteed HEA. No cliffhangers.
366 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 26, 2026
347 people are currently reading
277 people want to read
About the author
Reece Barden
37 books547 followersReece is a steamy paranormal romance author writing wickedly wild romance. She is currently working on the shifter romance series, The Shifters of Grey Ridge and the Steel Pack Alphas.
She loves creating steamy stories about hot, growly alpha men and the women who love and torment them.
She writes for people just like her who love a little light-hearted fun with their naughty heroes and edge-of-your-seat storylines.
She loves creating steamy stories about hot, growly alpha men and the women who love and torment them.
She writes for people just like her who love a little light-hearted fun with their naughty heroes and edge-of-your-seat storylines.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
January 27, 2026
Bodhi has been my favorite character since I first started reading Reece's books and I had been counting down the days until this book came out so it is killing me to give it such a low rating. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. I'm so frustrated with how this book turned out that I'm writing my first ever review on goodreads. The poor editing, timeline inconsistencies, continuity errors, and formatting issues were all distracting and, for a large chunk of the story, it honestly felt like I was reading two different books at the same time.
The first part of the book was engaging and strong. I was really intrigued by Bodhi and Emma's story. However, the writing felt rushed and sloppy. Both characters would describe the same event and entirely different conversations or actions would take place across their perspectives which could not be chalked up to a difference of perception. Conversations between characters had confusing responses and you could tell they had been rewritten or rearranged without any further editing to ensure they still made sense. There were sentences throughout the book that were straight up unreadable due to editing mistakes or errors.
The story also took a strong pivot about 70% of the way into the book without any real resolution to the first two thirds. I understand there is an overarching story here that will cross the entire series but there was no real transition into the final act of the book and there was no real resolution to the conflict between the main characters. Emma had every right to be upset and she still just keeps chasing Bodhi and accepts everything without any conversation. Almost everything she learns about shifters is off page in conversations with characters other than Bodhi and we never see her reactions or processing it.
I can't give tons of examples of continuity errors without spoiling parts of the book but a vague example would be in a later chapter, Bodhi physically acknowledges something that happened between him and Emma while explaining the significance of it but five pages later it's like nothing has happened yet and she asks about when it will happen for them. There were so many things like that where it just didn't make sense and took me out of the story.
I could go on and on with everything that was disappointing with this book but I don't want to keep piling on. I have loved Reece's books and I've read a lot of them but this book felt like it was written by a different person. That or it was rushed to be finished and what we received was more like a draft than a final product. If it had been written by anyone else, I would have DNFed but I pushed through.
The first part of the book was engaging and strong. I was really intrigued by Bodhi and Emma's story. However, the writing felt rushed and sloppy. Both characters would describe the same event and entirely different conversations or actions would take place across their perspectives which could not be chalked up to a difference of perception. Conversations between characters had confusing responses and you could tell they had been rewritten or rearranged without any further editing to ensure they still made sense. There were sentences throughout the book that were straight up unreadable due to editing mistakes or errors.
The story also took a strong pivot about 70% of the way into the book without any real resolution to the first two thirds. I understand there is an overarching story here that will cross the entire series but there was no real transition into the final act of the book and there was no real resolution to the conflict between the main characters. Emma had every right to be upset and she still just keeps chasing Bodhi and accepts everything without any conversation. Almost everything she learns about shifters is off page in conversations with characters other than Bodhi and we never see her reactions or processing it.
I can't give tons of examples of continuity errors without spoiling parts of the book but a vague example would be in a later chapter, Bodhi physically acknowledges something that happened between him and Emma while explaining the significance of it but five pages later it's like nothing has happened yet and she asks about when it will happen for them. There were so many things like that where it just didn't make sense and took me out of the story.
I could go on and on with everything that was disappointing with this book but I don't want to keep piling on. I have loved Reece's books and I've read a lot of them but this book felt like it was written by a different person. That or it was rushed to be finished and what we received was more like a draft than a final product. If it had been written by anyone else, I would have DNFed but I pushed through.
February 3, 2026
3 - 3.25 shifter smut-scale stars!
“Careful, Emma. You’re playing with fire.” He’s moving again, carrying me through the front door, but his voice is rough as the door slams shut behind us. “Bite me again, and I might just bite you back.”
January 21, 2026
Arghhh Bodhi!! 🫶🏻
I’ve been really looking forward to Bodhi’s story and I loved seeing him get his happy ending (no pun intended). Even going full circle and ending up back at Black River.
In mated to the Alpha Bear, we see Bodhi have to pose as a hired muscle for a Russian loan shark and criminal, to protect his mate, Emma. Balancing his protective instincts and the need to claim her, with keeping her safe while they’re both in danger.
I wished there had been a little more of focus on Bodhi moving on from his past trauma and being able to open up more about his upbringing as it felt slightly rushed that suddenly he was more comfortable in his human form and his bear had taken a step back. However, I still really enjoyed the story and liked their relationship.
Thank you to Reece Barden for the ARC!
I’ve been really looking forward to Bodhi’s story and I loved seeing him get his happy ending (no pun intended). Even going full circle and ending up back at Black River.
In mated to the Alpha Bear, we see Bodhi have to pose as a hired muscle for a Russian loan shark and criminal, to protect his mate, Emma. Balancing his protective instincts and the need to claim her, with keeping her safe while they’re both in danger.
I wished there had been a little more of focus on Bodhi moving on from his past trauma and being able to open up more about his upbringing as it felt slightly rushed that suddenly he was more comfortable in his human form and his bear had taken a step back. However, I still really enjoyed the story and liked their relationship.
Thank you to Reece Barden for the ARC!
January 27, 2026
Notes for me
Bodhi - huge bear shifter. Brother from Alpha’s Inferno.
The main issue in Inferno is bears usually don’t want to stay with one person even their mate.
Emma - human working a lower paying job. Knows her brother is in trouble and offers him all she has to pay his debt.
Jake - her brother who deals with PTSD with a gambling addiction. He truly is a good guy.
Jake owes money so the sketchy guy, Kozlov, takes Emma as collateral. Jake knows Chase and asks him for help. Bodhi works with Chase so he’s involved. Bodhi sees her picture and knows she’s his mate.
Emma is on a bidding website because she’s a V.
This is one of my favorite authors, but this book didn’t hold my interest. Just a me thing.
Bodhi - huge bear shifter. Brother from Alpha’s Inferno.
The main issue in Inferno is bears usually don’t want to stay with one person even their mate.
Emma - human working a lower paying job. Knows her brother is in trouble and offers him all she has to pay his debt.
Jake - her brother who deals with PTSD with a gambling addiction. He truly is a good guy.
Jake owes money so the sketchy guy, Kozlov, takes Emma as collateral. Jake knows Chase and asks him for help. Bodhi works with Chase so he’s involved. Bodhi sees her picture and knows she’s his mate.
Emma is on a bidding website because she’s a V.
This is one of my favorite authors, but this book didn’t hold my interest. Just a me thing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 1, 2026
4/5 for the story but 2/5 for editing and continuity. It reads as if no one was paying attention when they were editing this book. There are so many continuity errors and pieces of dialogue that pop out of no where and reference something that did not happen. I don’t normally write reviews like this but it’s a pet peeve when published books are not edited well. There were so many errors that could’ve been an easy fix but almost seems like it was written in a rush. There were several times that part of the story or dialogue was skipped over.
January 27, 2026
been waiting for this book for years & im honestly disappointed
Let me start by saying I’ve read all of the Shifters of Grey Ridge series and the first book in this spin-off, and I’ve loved them. From day one, I’ve been hoping Bodhi would get his own book — he’s always been one of the most intriguing characters to me. So when I found out this was finally his story, I was so excited.
With that being said… this honestly hurts me to say, but I was genuinely disappointed.
This book just wasn’t it for me, and at times I wanted to scream at Bodhi. The second half of the story felt like an entirely different book and was extremely rushed. Bodhi randomly becoming Alpha without even talking to Emma first?! That alone could’ve been a whole storyline. And honestly, Emma should’ve made him grovel — instead it felt like she was chasing him around, which was frustrating to read.
I wanted to DNF this so many times, which makes me sad because I really wanted to love this book.
That being said, I still love this world and these characters, and I’m really hoping Rowen and Amber get their own book.
Let me start by saying I’ve read all of the Shifters of Grey Ridge series and the first book in this spin-off, and I’ve loved them. From day one, I’ve been hoping Bodhi would get his own book — he’s always been one of the most intriguing characters to me. So when I found out this was finally his story, I was so excited.
With that being said… this honestly hurts me to say, but I was genuinely disappointed.
This book just wasn’t it for me, and at times I wanted to scream at Bodhi. The second half of the story felt like an entirely different book and was extremely rushed. Bodhi randomly becoming Alpha without even talking to Emma first?! That alone could’ve been a whole storyline. And honestly, Emma should’ve made him grovel — instead it felt like she was chasing him around, which was frustrating to read.
I wanted to DNF this so many times, which makes me sad because I really wanted to love this book.
That being said, I still love this world and these characters, and I’m really hoping Rowen and Amber get their own book.
February 1, 2026
Bodhi somehow managed to make every single wrong fucking decision possible. I knew men were dumber than a pile of shit, but Bodhi managed to surprise me with his stupidity
February 1, 2026
I enjoy Reece's shifter books sooooo much! Her writing always hooks me and makes me FEEL so many things! Her books take me for a ride, just like this one.
The beginning of this story had me HOOKED. I instantly felt for the FMC and had to know what was going to happen next. Then add in the tension with the MMC and I was grinning like a fool and kicking my feet all giddy.
This book took me for ride! Check it out!
The beginning of this story had me HOOKED. I instantly felt for the FMC and had to know what was going to happen next. Then add in the tension with the MMC and I was grinning like a fool and kicking my feet all giddy.
This book took me for ride! Check it out!
February 3, 2026
Really disappointing.. I was so exited to have bodhi story but too many incoherencies, plot holes, dialogue holes, etc … really need editing …
January 30, 2026
Story started off great, but man did it get weak quickly! Conversations felt stiff, no flow, and the story strayed in too many directions, it reads like a bunch of random ideas badly strung together. Maybe it needs more editing...
February 6, 2026
Overall, not the most terrible read. The spice was good if you like the virginal thing (I don't.) The action was interesting. Up to the point where it became another book altogether
But I have questions. Quite a few actually.
1. Why the mystery about the other female captive being Amber? Why little baby crumbs on this? If this is supposed to be a romantic suspense story involving shifters, readers need a but more intel.
2. In the first book, Amber's fated mate, Rowan, was identified as the stalker of her sister. Yet there was no mention of him AT ALL in this book. In the previous book, he was on his way to death because his mate wasn't found. So what's the deal about that? No mention at all?
3. Actually, there's almost no mention of Amber at all here. The first book drops readers directly into an entirely new missing persons case. It appears to be just a fluke that Amber even gets mentioned. Yet even in the beginning of this book, there's no indication that anyone is still looking for Amber. It's only near the end that she comes up.
4. If Rowan is indeed suffering without Amber, isn't she also suffering without him? I guess we can't know since there's no mention of either character here.
5. Based on the pages after the epilogue showcasing an upcoming book about Beau and Lisa, there's no indication that the Rowan/Amber story will be addressed. I don't get that. Why the cliffhanger of sorts, yet no clarity that this storyline will continue? So far, stories are not running on the same timeline.
6. I'm not getting the timeline of this series. If the second book follows on the heels of the first book, does that mean that the third book also starts at the end of book 2? If so, by the time the next book gets rolling, more than a couple of months will have passed. Does this mean that Rowan died? He was in terrible shape near the end of book 1, and it had only been 3 weeks since he felt his mate was near.
This whole mystery around Amber is sitting in a cold pan without any heat on the back burner. WTH? I don't get it.
As others have noted, there are a number of weird inconsistencies in the story. Conversations are repeated, and later take place as if previous conversations didn't happen. There was some conversations about a Bigger Bad Guy who was directing some criminal activities, but that kind of died out quickly and wasn't discussed again.
The MMC was way, way, way too filled with guilt. Guilt about wanting the FMC. Guilt about lying to the Bad Guys. Guilt about not rescuing the mysterious other woman. Guilt about abandoning his mate when she needed him. Guilt about not taking up his alpha role. Guilt about leaning on someone else who is exhausted and doesn't want the role, either. It's way overboard.
The FMC is...too young and innocent. OK, I'm not criticizing. OK, yeah, I am. Why a YA type female lead? And for someone who was supposed to be a virgin, the FMC is quite bold. Even though she's trying to thwart the Bad Guys who want to sell her virginity, it doesn't make much sense. Or maybe it just didn't ride well.
I haven't read many other books by this author, so if there's a backstory to the MMCs I haven't read it. Because of that, these male leads don't have much backstory. In this book, more of the past came out near the end, but it didn't seem to balance with the earlier part of the story. I didn't have a good grip on what kind of business these shifters are running. Security? Like being personal guards? Or searching for missing persons? Or working with other law enforcement who may or may not be shifters, too? Not really clear.
After reading some other comments, I think some of these characters were in other books. It's a real peeve of mine when an author starts a new series, but it's really a continuation of other series. At least say so at the beginning so readers can go start at a more appropriate place.
But I have questions. Quite a few actually.
1. Why the mystery about the other female captive being Amber? Why little baby crumbs on this? If this is supposed to be a romantic suspense story involving shifters, readers need a but more intel.
2. In the first book, Amber's fated mate, Rowan, was identified as the stalker of her sister. Yet there was no mention of him AT ALL in this book. In the previous book, he was on his way to death because his mate wasn't found. So what's the deal about that? No mention at all?
3. Actually, there's almost no mention of Amber at all here. The first book drops readers directly into an entirely new missing persons case. It appears to be just a fluke that Amber even gets mentioned. Yet even in the beginning of this book, there's no indication that anyone is still looking for Amber. It's only near the end that she comes up.
4. If Rowan is indeed suffering without Amber, isn't she also suffering without him? I guess we can't know since there's no mention of either character here.
5. Based on the pages after the epilogue showcasing an upcoming book about Beau and Lisa, there's no indication that the Rowan/Amber story will be addressed. I don't get that. Why the cliffhanger of sorts, yet no clarity that this storyline will continue? So far, stories are not running on the same timeline.
6. I'm not getting the timeline of this series. If the second book follows on the heels of the first book, does that mean that the third book also starts at the end of book 2? If so, by the time the next book gets rolling, more than a couple of months will have passed. Does this mean that Rowan died? He was in terrible shape near the end of book 1, and it had only been 3 weeks since he felt his mate was near.
This whole mystery around Amber is sitting in a cold pan without any heat on the back burner. WTH? I don't get it.
As others have noted, there are a number of weird inconsistencies in the story. Conversations are repeated, and later take place as if previous conversations didn't happen. There was some conversations about a Bigger Bad Guy who was directing some criminal activities, but that kind of died out quickly and wasn't discussed again.
The MMC was way, way, way too filled with guilt. Guilt about wanting the FMC. Guilt about lying to the Bad Guys. Guilt about not rescuing the mysterious other woman. Guilt about abandoning his mate when she needed him. Guilt about not taking up his alpha role. Guilt about leaning on someone else who is exhausted and doesn't want the role, either. It's way overboard.
The FMC is...too young and innocent. OK, I'm not criticizing. OK, yeah, I am. Why a YA type female lead? And for someone who was supposed to be a virgin, the FMC is quite bold. Even though she's trying to thwart the Bad Guys who want to sell her virginity, it doesn't make much sense. Or maybe it just didn't ride well.
I haven't read many other books by this author, so if there's a backstory to the MMCs I haven't read it. Because of that, these male leads don't have much backstory. In this book, more of the past came out near the end, but it didn't seem to balance with the earlier part of the story. I didn't have a good grip on what kind of business these shifters are running. Security? Like being personal guards? Or searching for missing persons? Or working with other law enforcement who may or may not be shifters, too? Not really clear.
After reading some other comments, I think some of these characters were in other books. It's a real peeve of mine when an author starts a new series, but it's really a continuation of other series. At least say so at the beginning so readers can go start at a more appropriate place.
January 27, 2026
Emma can't believe her brother, Jake owes around $80,000 to a loan shark and is asking her for a loan. It's not like she's rich and has the money to bail him out. His gambling is out of control and now he owes the wrong people a lot of money. Those bad people come looking for Jake and they find him at Emma's place. Now the loan shark decides to take Emma as collateral until Jakes can pay off his debts to him. But all the loan shark can see are dollar signs when he finds out that Emma is a virgin.
Bodhi is a bear shifter and works with his brother's in their security company. Jake goes to them to ask for help getting his sister back but Bodhi is in bad shape and doesn't know if he can keep it together to help them. Once the plan is set and he looks at her picture, he knows right away that she's his mate, that fact almost blows the entire plan because he wants nothing more than to just go in there, pick her up and take her to safety but he can't, not yet. Bodhi is sent in to just be more muscle for the bad guy and he plays his hand well.
Being around her once he gets in as more muscle for the bad guy, is hard for him. He wants to let her know that he's going to get her out of there, but he can't let her know it yet. Emma knows she only has a few days of freedom left because the bad guy is auctioning her off to the highest bidder soon.
When something happens to make the auction not happen, there's a flurry of changes that happen all at once and Bodhi doesn't realize that the bad guy knows something about him now that puts Emma in danger. With the danger at its highest now, Bodhi does the only thing he can and tries to save Emma. But afterwards, he thinks that he's a monster and that Emma might not be able to look at him and see any kind of forever. So of course, there's a time when they are apart and they both have hard feelings about it because not talking about what they are both feeling is coming between them.
I really love this series. It just gets better and better. Bodhi is a grumpy bear shifter who's childhood was hard because of an abusive father who was frightened by and probably jealous of how big and powerful Bodhi was growing up to be. When Bodhi shifts, his bear is 800 lbs of muscle and that scares some of his clan because of what his father made him do and how he feels about himself because of it. But in reality, Bodhi is a nice guy with a troubled past and abusive father who treated him bad and kicked him out of the clan when he was just a teenager. Bodhi and Emma both have bad things happen to them and they deserved to be happy and be together finally. I loved the ending of this book.
Bodhi is a bear shifter and works with his brother's in their security company. Jake goes to them to ask for help getting his sister back but Bodhi is in bad shape and doesn't know if he can keep it together to help them. Once the plan is set and he looks at her picture, he knows right away that she's his mate, that fact almost blows the entire plan because he wants nothing more than to just go in there, pick her up and take her to safety but he can't, not yet. Bodhi is sent in to just be more muscle for the bad guy and he plays his hand well.
Being around her once he gets in as more muscle for the bad guy, is hard for him. He wants to let her know that he's going to get her out of there, but he can't let her know it yet. Emma knows she only has a few days of freedom left because the bad guy is auctioning her off to the highest bidder soon.
When something happens to make the auction not happen, there's a flurry of changes that happen all at once and Bodhi doesn't realize that the bad guy knows something about him now that puts Emma in danger. With the danger at its highest now, Bodhi does the only thing he can and tries to save Emma. But afterwards, he thinks that he's a monster and that Emma might not be able to look at him and see any kind of forever. So of course, there's a time when they are apart and they both have hard feelings about it because not talking about what they are both feeling is coming between them.
I really love this series. It just gets better and better. Bodhi is a grumpy bear shifter who's childhood was hard because of an abusive father who was frightened by and probably jealous of how big and powerful Bodhi was growing up to be. When Bodhi shifts, his bear is 800 lbs of muscle and that scares some of his clan because of what his father made him do and how he feels about himself because of it. But in reality, Bodhi is a nice guy with a troubled past and abusive father who treated him bad and kicked him out of the clan when he was just a teenager. Bodhi and Emma both have bad things happen to them and they deserved to be happy and be together finally. I loved the ending of this book.
January 28, 2026
It feels like I’ve waited forever for Bodhi’s story. Since his character first was mentioned on the page I wanted this so bad!
Emma just found out that her brother owes money to a very powerful Russian mob/loan shark and when the lone shark comes to collect his money, of course the brother doesn’t have it and he takes Emma instead to be sold in an auction and then also the icing on the cake is the brother accidentally spills a secret that she is still a virgin so of course that makes things even more interesting. Why the brother would say such a crazy thing to a person he couldn’t trust is beyond me.
Bodhi is going in to work for this loanshark who is proud to have a Lennox on his staff and he will protect Emma until they can figure out a way to break her out. But as soon as he sees the picture of Emma, he knows that Emma is his mate so of course the risks are even higher.
I love everything that this author has written from the gray wolf shifters to the alpha games to the bear protectors. I was disappointed at the end when *** SPOILERS???*** they got back and Emma was safe, but then BODHI wouldn’t go to her claiming he needed to tie up loose ends with the trafficking. I hated that he wouldn’t go to her and I hated that she felt abandoned, especially after everything she had gone through, and then he leaves and goes back to his pack and starts helping build homes, which is great and visiting with his brother, which is also great, doing the healing that he needs to do and then decides to take over the pack to make things better for everybody. Is he missing Emma? Oh yeah, I’m sure but isn’t your mate like your biggest thought? And obviously in those moments she wasn’t and that was disappointing. I do feel like they dragged it out for them to be a part at the end and they rushed him healing and dealing with the trauma that he had all through his life.
Emma just found out that her brother owes money to a very powerful Russian mob/loan shark and when the lone shark comes to collect his money, of course the brother doesn’t have it and he takes Emma instead to be sold in an auction and then also the icing on the cake is the brother accidentally spills a secret that she is still a virgin so of course that makes things even more interesting. Why the brother would say such a crazy thing to a person he couldn’t trust is beyond me.
Bodhi is going in to work for this loanshark who is proud to have a Lennox on his staff and he will protect Emma until they can figure out a way to break her out. But as soon as he sees the picture of Emma, he knows that Emma is his mate so of course the risks are even higher.
I love everything that this author has written from the gray wolf shifters to the alpha games to the bear protectors. I was disappointed at the end when *** SPOILERS???*** they got back and Emma was safe, but then BODHI wouldn’t go to her claiming he needed to tie up loose ends with the trafficking. I hated that he wouldn’t go to her and I hated that she felt abandoned, especially after everything she had gone through, and then he leaves and goes back to his pack and starts helping build homes, which is great and visiting with his brother, which is also great, doing the healing that he needs to do and then decides to take over the pack to make things better for everybody. Is he missing Emma? Oh yeah, I’m sure but isn’t your mate like your biggest thought? And obviously in those moments she wasn’t and that was disappointing. I do feel like they dragged it out for them to be a part at the end and they rushed him healing and dealing with the trauma that he had all through his life.
January 27, 2026
Fated to the Alpha Bear is the much anticipated book about Bodhi Lennox and his happy ending. I have loved Bodhi since his first cameo in the Shifters of Grey Ridge series. I had high hopes for his character development from staying in his bear form to becoming the man and alpha we all knew he could be with his fated mate by his side, but was sadly disappointed by this book.
The first half of the book where Bodhi is undercover to help free Emma was exciting and had a lot of potential. Bodhi was in his protective bear element and I was loving it. I also loved when Emma bit him. However, Bodhi's shift from wanting to protect Emma and not touch her due to her being vulnerable and not knowing who he was to taking her virginity while she's being held captive was a shock and seemed very out of character for him.
After Emma is saved, the book takes a sharp decline. Bodhi takes the Cooper Jones approach and decides he knows better than Emma and completely freezes her out. Bodhi's shift in character is truly shocking and his extremely quick change of heart to take over the clan was so unexpected I had to reread that part to make sure I wasn't misunderstanding. And of course, Emma is completely okay with Bodhi freezing her out, making big decisions for them, and just wants to be mated to him.
By the end of the book, I did not like Bodhi or Emma. The story progressed too quickly, lacked any meaningful character development, and had characters making rash and unexpected decisions. I really wanted to like this book because of how much I liked Bodhi in the other books, but I felt like this book just went to fast and was extremely out of character of the other books.
The first half of the book where Bodhi is undercover to help free Emma was exciting and had a lot of potential. Bodhi was in his protective bear element and I was loving it. I also loved when Emma bit him. However, Bodhi's shift from wanting to protect Emma and not touch her due to her being vulnerable and not knowing who he was to taking her virginity while she's being held captive was a shock and seemed very out of character for him.
After Emma is saved, the book takes a sharp decline. Bodhi takes the Cooper Jones approach and decides he knows better than Emma and completely freezes her out. Bodhi's shift in character is truly shocking and his extremely quick change of heart to take over the clan was so unexpected I had to reread that part to make sure I wasn't misunderstanding. And of course, Emma is completely okay with Bodhi freezing her out, making big decisions for them, and just wants to be mated to him.
By the end of the book, I did not like Bodhi or Emma. The story progressed too quickly, lacked any meaningful character development, and had characters making rash and unexpected decisions. I really wanted to like this book because of how much I liked Bodhi in the other books, but I felt like this book just went to fast and was extremely out of character of the other books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2026
This wasn’t the pairing or scenario I imagined for Bodhi back when I first learned about him in the Grey Ridge series. I had certain expectations tucked away for his story, and this wasn’t quite what I pictured.
That said… Reese absolutely worked her magic.
Even though the setup surprised me, I was completely hooked from the start. The forced-proximity, high-stakes situation pulls you in immediately, and watching Bodhi grapple with his instincts, his past, and a destiny he’s been running from made for such a compelling emotional arc. He’s gruff, guarded, and deeply conflicted in a way that feels earned rather than performative.
Emma was a wonderful counterbalance to him—strong, resilient, and far more than just a pawn in someone else’s mess. Their connection builds naturally under pressure, and the fated-mates pull feels intense without overshadowing the character development. I especially loved seeing the cracks in Bodhi’s armor and the way his bear and his heart slowly come back online, even as he fights it every step of the way.
In the end, this story proved that sometimes the best romances are the ones you didn’t see coming. If you enjoy alpha heroes who resist their fate, protective instincts dialed all the way up, and a romance forged in danger and emotional reckoning, this one delivers.
That said… Reese absolutely worked her magic.
Even though the setup surprised me, I was completely hooked from the start. The forced-proximity, high-stakes situation pulls you in immediately, and watching Bodhi grapple with his instincts, his past, and a destiny he’s been running from made for such a compelling emotional arc. He’s gruff, guarded, and deeply conflicted in a way that feels earned rather than performative.
Emma was a wonderful counterbalance to him—strong, resilient, and far more than just a pawn in someone else’s mess. Their connection builds naturally under pressure, and the fated-mates pull feels intense without overshadowing the character development. I especially loved seeing the cracks in Bodhi’s armor and the way his bear and his heart slowly come back online, even as he fights it every step of the way.
In the end, this story proved that sometimes the best romances are the ones you didn’t see coming. If you enjoy alpha heroes who resist their fate, protective instincts dialed all the way up, and a romance forged in danger and emotional reckoning, this one delivers.
February 6, 2026
I liked the first book in this series and like this author but I DNF this book. I hate the virgin purity trope, it needs to stop, especially when the character is 25 and previously engaged (why are you still a virgin?) and then her brother tells the loan shark/mafia/sex trafficker that she’s a virgin (why does he know this and why does he tell him). So then her “virgin purity” is meant to be auctioned off to the highest bidder until her bear shifter mate (who she doesn’t know is a bear or her mate) comes to save her from the sex trafficking ring.
I am not one to kink shame and I get that “first time” scenes can be hot, but purity culture is rape culture and romance writers need to recognize that. The issue isn’t if a character is a virgin or sexually inexperienced, the problem is when a woman’s “virginity” is framed as undamaged, pure, or morally superior. This framework enables and condones sexual violence by further opening the victim blaming door (only bad girls get raped), creates shame and stigma around sexual choices and experiences, and normalizes male aggression by setting up the expectation that men will do whatever for sex so it’s women’s responsibility to say no. Instead how about bodily and sexual autonomy and saying goodbye by to purity culture language and ideals.
I am not one to kink shame and I get that “first time” scenes can be hot, but purity culture is rape culture and romance writers need to recognize that. The issue isn’t if a character is a virgin or sexually inexperienced, the problem is when a woman’s “virginity” is framed as undamaged, pure, or morally superior. This framework enables and condones sexual violence by further opening the victim blaming door (only bad girls get raped), creates shame and stigma around sexual choices and experiences, and normalizes male aggression by setting up the expectation that men will do whatever for sex so it’s women’s responsibility to say no. Instead how about bodily and sexual autonomy and saying goodbye by to purity culture language and ideals.
January 29, 2026
Ich habe wirklich lange überlegt, ob ich dieses Buch lesen soll. Die Hauptprotagonistin der Story ist jungfräulich und der Virgin-Trope liegt mir persönlich überhaupt nicht, weshalb ich Bücher mit dieser Thematik grundsätzlich meide. Damit möchte ich mir selbst die Enttäuschung über ein Buch, aber vor allem den Autorinnen eine schlechte Bewertung aufgrund meines persönlichen Geschmackes ersparen. Reece Barden ist jedoch nicht irgendeine Autorin für mich, sondern zählt zu meinen absoluten Lieblingsautorinnen im Shifter-Romance Genre. Ich habe alle anderen Shifter-Reihen von ihr lückenlos gelesen und konnte mich einfach nicht dazu durchringen gerade auf Bodhis Story zu verzichten. Deshalb habe ich mich dazu entschieden trotz aller Bedenken der Autorin wie immer zu vertrauen und mich auf diese Reise mitnehmen zu lassen.
Bodhi und Emma sind wirklich ein süßes Paar und sympathische Hauptcharaktere, aber auch wenn ich die beiden mochte, ist der Funke nicht ganz übergesprungen, was meinem Lesevergnügen allerdings keinen Abbruch getan hat. Überzeugt hat mich aber die Art und Weise, wie der von mir gefürchtete Virgin-Trope hier behandelt wurde. Die Story hat mich wider Erwarten abgeholt und war in ihrer Gesamtheit eine absolut harmonische und runde Sache. Die Autorin konnte mir trotz meiner Vorurteile einen Trope näher bringen, den ich sonst ablehne, weshalb es hier mehr als verdiente 4 Sterne von mir gibt. Und auch wenn ich weiß, dass in dieser Reihe Beaus Story die nächste sein wird, kann ich es nicht erwarten die Geschichte von Mitch in die Finger zu bekommen, da sein Charakter in diesem Buch einfach mein Herz erobert hat.
Bodhi und Emma sind wirklich ein süßes Paar und sympathische Hauptcharaktere, aber auch wenn ich die beiden mochte, ist der Funke nicht ganz übergesprungen, was meinem Lesevergnügen allerdings keinen Abbruch getan hat. Überzeugt hat mich aber die Art und Weise, wie der von mir gefürchtete Virgin-Trope hier behandelt wurde. Die Story hat mich wider Erwarten abgeholt und war in ihrer Gesamtheit eine absolut harmonische und runde Sache. Die Autorin konnte mir trotz meiner Vorurteile einen Trope näher bringen, den ich sonst ablehne, weshalb es hier mehr als verdiente 4 Sterne von mir gibt. Und auch wenn ich weiß, dass in dieser Reihe Beaus Story die nächste sein wird, kann ich es nicht erwarten die Geschichte von Mitch in die Finger zu bekommen, da sein Charakter in diesem Buch einfach mein Herz erobert hat.
February 1, 2026
"Careful, Emma. You're playing with fire. Bite me again, and I might just bite you back."
4.75 stars
This book was exactly what I needed, and I enjoyed it so much! I loved the entire premise of this story as it felt so layered and was executed brilliantly. Emma was taken as collateral after her brother borrowed money from a loan shark, and Bodhi was sent in undercover to keep her safe. I loved the forbidden and hate-to-love spin on their relationship in the beginning. Emma was in fight-or-flight mode and didn't know whether she could trust Bodhi, while he was simply trying to keep his bear from blowing up his mission. Even though the trust and attraction between them continued to deepen, their courtship was far from perfect as they each seemed to sabotage their happiness at different times. I loved the imperfections between them as they made their HEA that much sweeter. This is one of my favorites by Reece so far, and I cannot wait for the next book!🖤
Tropes: fated mates, forbidden love, morally grey protective hero, heroine-in-danger, forced proximity, touch her and die, hidden identity, grumpy/sunshine, 'soft only for her' hero, captive heroine, hate-to-love-you, mutual pining, found family, STEAMY🔥
January 26, 2026
Ahhh, another steamy love story by Ms. Barden! This is another story in the world of the Lennox bear clan. This time we have Bhodi's story. I loved this book, it was full of steamy scenes, an overprotective, burly man and a woman who finds her strength.
First of all, Bhodi! Ugh, what a lumberjack snack this one is.🔥 He has spent the last 3 months as a grizzly bear, in the woods, basically being feral. But he is called back in by his brothers for a job, a life or death situation that only he can handle.😮They need him to go undercover to find a missing woman.
Emma is caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. Her brother is embroiled in the mob, gangsters who he owes money to, but he can't pay. Emma is trying to help, but is furious at her brother for the mess he is in. When she is taken as collateral to ensure he pays up, she is even more pissed off!! She has no idea what she is getting into, or just how bad it's going to get.
Bhodi and Emma together are dynamite! He knows right from the get go that she is his fated mate, and will do anything to keep her safe. She only knows that she feels something for this big burly man, but he is one of her captors and can't let his gentle eyes sway her. The spice is spicen, the danger is danger-n, and we know that we will get a HEA from Ms. Barden. 😊Loved this one, 4.5 stars! Comes out Jan 26th. Read your trigger warnings, this one does deal with sensitive topics
First of all, Bhodi! Ugh, what a lumberjack snack this one is.🔥 He has spent the last 3 months as a grizzly bear, in the woods, basically being feral. But he is called back in by his brothers for a job, a life or death situation that only he can handle.😮They need him to go undercover to find a missing woman.
Emma is caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. Her brother is embroiled in the mob, gangsters who he owes money to, but he can't pay. Emma is trying to help, but is furious at her brother for the mess he is in. When she is taken as collateral to ensure he pays up, she is even more pissed off!! She has no idea what she is getting into, or just how bad it's going to get.
Bhodi and Emma together are dynamite! He knows right from the get go that she is his fated mate, and will do anything to keep her safe. She only knows that she feels something for this big burly man, but he is one of her captors and can't let his gentle eyes sway her. The spice is spicen, the danger is danger-n, and we know that we will get a HEA from Ms. Barden. 😊Loved this one, 4.5 stars! Comes out Jan 26th. Read your trigger warnings, this one does deal with sensitive topics
Review of advance copy received from Author
I couldn’t get enough of Bodhi and Emma’s story. Bodhi is basically brought out of retirement in a sense, while he has been lost to his shifter side, to track down a missing woman because he is the best and when he sees Emma, he immediately knows she is his mate and will do anything to save her.
While Emma might be kidnapped, she is no damsel in distress, she fights every step of the way and only when a mountain of a man sets his sights on her does she start rethinking her strategy.
I loved how much Emma tried to get under Bodhi’s skin because she knew he wasn’t unaffected by her but Bodhi didn’t want to get her hurt. Though that f*ck it moment is so worth the wait.
Though it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows for them. Bodhi is still haunted by his past and the not so great legacy his father left and has to return to Black River to deal with an issue.
My heart was breaking for them both because Bodhi doesn’t think he is good enough for her and he just keeps walking and pushing Emma away. But Emma’s spirit doesn’t let him get away that easily and though she might not be a shifter, she shows how a human can be just as possessive of their mate.
We get a little taste of what is to come next in the series and I cannot wait!
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
While Emma might be kidnapped, she is no damsel in distress, she fights every step of the way and only when a mountain of a man sets his sights on her does she start rethinking her strategy.
I loved how much Emma tried to get under Bodhi’s skin because she knew he wasn’t unaffected by her but Bodhi didn’t want to get her hurt. Though that f*ck it moment is so worth the wait.
Though it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows for them. Bodhi is still haunted by his past and the not so great legacy his father left and has to return to Black River to deal with an issue.
My heart was breaking for them both because Bodhi doesn’t think he is good enough for her and he just keeps walking and pushing Emma away. But Emma’s spirit doesn’t let him get away that easily and though she might not be a shifter, she shows how a human can be just as possessive of their mate.
We get a little taste of what is to come next in the series and I cannot wait!
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
January 27, 2026
I absolutely loved the fated mates romance in this story, especially the tension Bodhi carries as an alpha bear shifter torn between duty and desire. Watching him balance keeping Emma safe while pretending emotional distance ...all while desperately wanting to claim her as his mate...was chef's kiss. His restraint made every moment feel heavier and more meaningful.
Emma's situation immediately pulls you in. Being held as collateral for her brother's debt, her future is uncertain and her control over her own life is stripped away. Yet even in that fear, she's inexplicably drawn to Bodhi. She doesn't understand why she feels safe with him, why his presence grounds her but the pull is undeniable.
Their connection unfolds beautifully, full of quiet intensity, protection, and longing. The push and pull between fate and free will, between obligation and love, makes this story impossible to put down. If you love fated mates, protective alpha heroes, and emotional tension that slowly ignites into something powerful, this book delivers.
Emma's situation immediately pulls you in. Being held as collateral for her brother's debt, her future is uncertain and her control over her own life is stripped away. Yet even in that fear, she's inexplicably drawn to Bodhi. She doesn't understand why she feels safe with him, why his presence grounds her but the pull is undeniable.
Their connection unfolds beautifully, full of quiet intensity, protection, and longing. The push and pull between fate and free will, between obligation and love, makes this story impossible to put down. If you love fated mates, protective alpha heroes, and emotional tension that slowly ignites into something powerful, this book delivers.
February 4, 2026
Another brilliant read from Reece Barden and another bear shifter that you can’t help but fall in love with. This time it’s Bodhi’s story, which I’ve eagerly awaited, everytime we’ve met him in the previous books I’ve been so intrigued by his character and story and I loved this book and finding out more about him. When he finds out that his fated mate is at risk he does what he has to do make sure she’s safe and where she belongs! Emma was a good match for bodhi and I’m glad they got their hea! Reece did an amazing job at writing bodhi’s barely contained feral nature and also Emma’s vulnerability in the situation he finds herself in but also her spark of defiance and resilience she shows despite her circumstances. Overall another great addition to the bear protector series and the grey ridge wider series too. I like crossover with characters from other books too!
This book does have some darker themes and potential triggers - kidnapping & trafficking but overall I would say it’s wasn’t too dark
This book does have some darker themes and potential triggers - kidnapping & trafficking but overall I would say it’s wasn’t too dark
January 25, 2026
I feel like those of us who have been reading Reece's books for a while have been waiting for Bodhi to have his time to shine, and boy did he ever! This book follows Bodhi and Emma through a roller coaster of experiences to finally come together and create a wonderful connection and heal each other.
I think I might be enjoying the bear series more than the wolf series. Don't get me wrong, the wolves have a very special place in my heart, but the bears just have a no nonsense to them that is kind of refreshing. It's kind of like a "this is me, take me as I am" kind of attitude and I really love that.
I was sad when the book was over, I wanted their story to go on forever. Bodhi happy and getting settled after so many years of feeling abandoned and unloved, is just such a nice way to end his story. I know we will see them again in the next stories, but was just sad for his main time to shine to be done.
I think I might be enjoying the bear series more than the wolf series. Don't get me wrong, the wolves have a very special place in my heart, but the bears just have a no nonsense to them that is kind of refreshing. It's kind of like a "this is me, take me as I am" kind of attitude and I really love that.
I was sad when the book was over, I wanted their story to go on forever. Bodhi happy and getting settled after so many years of feeling abandoned and unloved, is just such a nice way to end his story. I know we will see them again in the next stories, but was just sad for his main time to shine to be done.
January 27, 2026
This was another great read from Reece! I’ve been looking forward to Bodhi’s story for a LONG time and I’m so excited it’s finally here! The path it took into the criminal world was a refreshing change that lends good variety to her series and spinoffs. The chemistry and spice were perfect in this book and Bodhi and Emma were so sweet together. I also loved the overarching plot developments and it had been just long enough since reading the first book that I didn’t see the twist coming at all (just me? 🤣). I think the only thing I was looking for more of was a deeper dive into Bodhi’s history. That relies almost 100% on previous books in her other series, so I found myself peaking back at a few books to remember things. I was surprised that Bodhi didn’t address it all with Emma as that would have also reminded the reader. All in all though, I loved this book and the preview at Beau’s story has me ON EDGE.
Thank you to Reece for the ARC!
Thank you to Reece for the ARC!
February 5, 2026
Bodhi & Emma
Another good book in this series. There are a few few things that I didn’t like in the story. To me it took too long to get her out of the kidnapper‘s house and that situation. And then after he saves her from the cabin, he does a complete 180 and puts distance between them. He feels that he’s not good enough for her or that she’s scared of him, even though she repeatedly says that she’s not scared of him. It drives me crazy when a character totally flips. He was all about her and the fact that she was his mate and then he’s pushing her away and putting distance between them. I found that whole part unnecessary. A lot of of the relationship building and conversations to get to know each other were done off page. How did she know his brother’s names? How did she feel so comfortable with the people who came to help rescue her? Not once were their introductions made between people, but she seemed to know who everyone was.
Another good book in this series. There are a few few things that I didn’t like in the story. To me it took too long to get her out of the kidnapper‘s house and that situation. And then after he saves her from the cabin, he does a complete 180 and puts distance between them. He feels that he’s not good enough for her or that she’s scared of him, even though she repeatedly says that she’s not scared of him. It drives me crazy when a character totally flips. He was all about her and the fact that she was his mate and then he’s pushing her away and putting distance between them. I found that whole part unnecessary. A lot of of the relationship building and conversations to get to know each other were done off page. How did she know his brother’s names? How did she feel so comfortable with the people who came to help rescue her? Not once were their introductions made between people, but she seemed to know who everyone was.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
LOVED! LOVED! I absolutely loved Reece Barden’s, “Fated to the Alpha Bear”. The suspense and intrigue began from the start with great writing combined with the layered characters who just led the story. I was engaged from the attention grabber beginning and then the journey that followed. I loved the cohesiveness of the story, the connections to family, and everything else in this page-turner. Bodhi and Emma make a compelling couple as bear to human, but even more so with their development of trust, friendship, steamy relationship, and love with one another as they deal with the fall-out from Emma’s brother’s actions and their own personal conflicts. This fated mate, romantic thriller is well worth the read and highly recommended.
I received an ARC copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
I received an ARC copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
January 26, 2026
This book was beautiful. The main characters are so much fun to read and the plot was full of intrigue, tension, and thrill. I love the continued story line from the first book. Reece's writing style is more character and action focused then on details which makes you feel so connected to the characters.
I honestly knew I would fall in love with Bodhi (MMC)... I mean reformed gangster bear shifter... You had me at hi. He is kind, passionate, and knows how to get things done but has a scarred past that haunts him. Watching he overcome what happened was heartwarming.
The third act almost break up was a bit disappointing but made sense with what was going on.
There are connected standalones but the first book should be read first! There are a ton of spoilers for the first book within the second.
I honestly knew I would fall in love with Bodhi (MMC)... I mean reformed gangster bear shifter... You had me at hi. He is kind, passionate, and knows how to get things done but has a scarred past that haunts him. Watching he overcome what happened was heartwarming.
The third act almost break up was a bit disappointing but made sense with what was going on.
There are connected standalones but the first book should be read first! There are a ton of spoilers for the first book within the second.
January 31, 2026
I have devoured most of Reece's books and Bodhi was no different. We have all looked forward to his HEA and I am so excited he got it.
Bodhi was driven away by his crazy dad as a teen and had to fend for himself, so you can't blame the guys for having poor social skills and begin a bit emotionally stumped.
Emma is stronger than anyone ever needs to be and takes her fate into her own hands and in the aftermath teaches Bodhi how to face his emotions and work through them.
The theme of the book is a darker one and although we do get our HEA, I was left a bit emotionally raw afterwards and the chaperters after the ordeal felt a bit on fast forward. I guess I needed the healing Bodhi and Emma got too and missed that a bit.
Still, I loved their story, like all of Reece's books, and will for sure read it again.
Bodhi was driven away by his crazy dad as a teen and had to fend for himself, so you can't blame the guys for having poor social skills and begin a bit emotionally stumped.
Emma is stronger than anyone ever needs to be and takes her fate into her own hands and in the aftermath teaches Bodhi how to face his emotions and work through them.
The theme of the book is a darker one and although we do get our HEA, I was left a bit emotionally raw afterwards and the chaperters after the ordeal felt a bit on fast forward. I guess I needed the healing Bodhi and Emma got too and missed that a bit.
Still, I loved their story, like all of Reece's books, and will for sure read it again.
January 23, 2026
Another bear shifter that you can’t help but fall in love with. When he finds out his mate has been taken before he has even had a chance to meet her, you know he is going to be over the top protective.
Bear shifters are just mountain men to the extreme especially Bodhi who has been living mostly as a bear for so long.
This book does have some darker themes with the kidnapping and trafficking storyline but it never goes too far.
Definitely recommend this book, but would recommend reading Mated to the Mountain Bear first just to have a bit more understanding. It could be read as a standalone but a couple of points will make more sense if read in order.
Looking forward to the rest of the series.
Bear shifters are just mountain men to the extreme especially Bodhi who has been living mostly as a bear for so long.
This book does have some darker themes with the kidnapping and trafficking storyline but it never goes too far.
Definitely recommend this book, but would recommend reading Mated to the Mountain Bear first just to have a bit more understanding. It could be read as a standalone but a couple of points will make more sense if read in order.
Looking forward to the rest of the series.
January 24, 2026
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Overall: Reece Barden can literally do no wrong in my eyes. This book is absolutely chefs kiss perfect. I am truly so blessed to be a part of her ARC team. I have been waiting seemingly years for Bodhi’s story. The suspense in this series was perfectly offset by the spice and the MCs dynamic. Bodhi and Emma are truly attraction at first sight. Emma is a human who doesn’t know the depth of her attraction for Bodhi but being held captive she knows she can trust him. Of course I know that things are going to be HEA but it still kept me on the edge of my seat of will he get his head out his ass and fix things. This book pulled on my heartstrings in the best of way. My love for shifter romance perpetuates through every book Reece Barden writes.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Overall: Reece Barden can literally do no wrong in my eyes. This book is absolutely chefs kiss perfect. I am truly so blessed to be a part of her ARC team. I have been waiting seemingly years for Bodhi’s story. The suspense in this series was perfectly offset by the spice and the MCs dynamic. Bodhi and Emma are truly attraction at first sight. Emma is a human who doesn’t know the depth of her attraction for Bodhi but being held captive she knows she can trust him. Of course I know that things are going to be HEA but it still kept me on the edge of my seat of will he get his head out his ass and fix things. This book pulled on my heartstrings in the best of way. My love for shifter romance perpetuates through every book Reece Barden writes.
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