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Bear Mountain #4
Idle Bear
Sara Henley has resigned herself to a life alone. Though she wants nothing more than a husband and a family, she knows she won’t find him in Bear Mountain, and she’s not willing to leave the small town. Her popular bed and breakfast, and the occasional tourist, keeps her active, but nothing will ever fill the lonely space in her heart.
Aaron Williams hasn’t shifted into his bear form in almost a hundred years. Though he considers his shifter side a curse, and hates his other form, he can’t resist the pull of a pregnant bear. He visits Bear Mountain out of sheer obligation, but when he meets the curvy owner of the bed and breakfast, he decides to extend his stay.
Meeting Sara forces Aaron to reconsider his past choices, but he still can’t reconcile with his bear. When Sara is put in danger, his careful restraint shatters, and breaks all of his rules. Once free, his bear takes control until the two become one. Now all he has to do is convince his mate to give him another chance.
Aaron Williams hasn’t shifted into his bear form in almost a hundred years. Though he considers his shifter side a curse, and hates his other form, he can’t resist the pull of a pregnant bear. He visits Bear Mountain out of sheer obligation, but when he meets the curvy owner of the bed and breakfast, he decides to extend his stay.
Meeting Sara forces Aaron to reconsider his past choices, but he still can’t reconcile with his bear. When Sara is put in danger, his careful restraint shatters, and breaks all of his rules. Once free, his bear takes control until the two become one. Now all he has to do is convince his mate to give him another chance.
69 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 14, 2014
61 people are currently reading
97 people want to read
About the author
Ruby Shae
65 books248 followersUSA TODAY Bestselling Author
I write sizzling, sexy, shifter romance featuring women in all their beautiful forms and the alpha men who love them.
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I write sizzling, sexy, shifter romance featuring women in all their beautiful forms and the alpha men who love them.
Word Slayer | Coffee Drinker | Book Lover
Sign up for my Newsletter and stay up to date on all of my book news!
https://subscribepage.io/t6d7oI
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
December 27, 2014
I enjoyed the story but after reading all four books back to back, the actions of the protagonists was so similar that the books became indistinct. Sara uses the same defense with Aaron that Ana used with Seth..."You haven't touched me in X days so I didn't think you wanted me anymore." Also, the men and their spanking. All of them do it but it just came out of the blue and the women just accepted it. I have no problem with it but the suddenness of it was just....yeah...
August 3, 2016
Review coming soon
September 25, 2020
4.75/5 stars
Wow! This was a dark, drama filled, angsty book. For a short a lot was packed into it. Sara is a B&B owner in Bear Mountain, she is a total bad ass, she owns her sexuality, she runs her own business, and is a strong independent woman but is not threatened by asking for help. Aaron is drawn to Bear Mountain by the cubs energies, he had a very bad experience a century ago and has not shifted since, he is denying his bear. One look at Sara has him changing his mind, he is drawn to her and knows she’s his mate but he’s not ready for that. Neither can deny the attraction and they sleep together, he does have possessive feelings about Sara having previous lovers. He is not a virgin and he remembers talking up women in clubs for sex and blow jobs but still shames Sara. They are doing well with one another until a hunter takes a shot that grazes Sara, Aaron can’t help it and shifts. He’s ready to attack the man when Sara calls him off. Disgusted with himself for shifting, he picks a fight with Sara after he gets her to the doctor. Devastated by Aaron’s mean and ugly words she leaves and he literally runs away. Sara runs into the hunter at a craft fair where he is selling bear body parts. She confronts him and reports him to Gage. A few days later the hunters kidnap her thinking she can call the bears to them. After being held captive three days they bring in someone even worse to get her to cooperate. Meanwhile, Aaron has come to an understanding with his bear and needs Sara back. When he arrives he finds out she’s missing and goes nuts. He does work with Seth tracking and does find her. Sara has been tied up and beaten by the hunters and now this new guy is trying to rape her and stabs her in her arm, but still she fights him. Aaron does bust in as his bear and they kill all the bad guys. Aaron confesses everything while Sara is in the hospital, she tells him it’s a lot of info and she needs to think about if she wants eternity with him, especially after he was so mean to her and slut shamed her. They spend time together and after two weeks make up, he proposes and they mate. Epilogue two weeks later confirming a pregnancy with twins.
I wanted to slap Aaron, he should have had to grovel a lot, not just hangout at her B&B with her. I think she forgave him to quickly. I loved Sara’s character for all the reasons listed above.
Wow! This was a dark, drama filled, angsty book. For a short a lot was packed into it. Sara is a B&B owner in Bear Mountain, she is a total bad ass, she owns her sexuality, she runs her own business, and is a strong independent woman but is not threatened by asking for help. Aaron is drawn to Bear Mountain by the cubs energies, he had a very bad experience a century ago and has not shifted since, he is denying his bear. One look at Sara has him changing his mind, he is drawn to her and knows she’s his mate but he’s not ready for that. Neither can deny the attraction and they sleep together, he does have possessive feelings about Sara having previous lovers. He is not a virgin and he remembers talking up women in clubs for sex and blow jobs but still shames Sara. They are doing well with one another until a hunter takes a shot that grazes Sara, Aaron can’t help it and shifts. He’s ready to attack the man when Sara calls him off. Disgusted with himself for shifting, he picks a fight with Sara after he gets her to the doctor. Devastated by Aaron’s mean and ugly words she leaves and he literally runs away. Sara runs into the hunter at a craft fair where he is selling bear body parts. She confronts him and reports him to Gage. A few days later the hunters kidnap her thinking she can call the bears to them. After being held captive three days they bring in someone even worse to get her to cooperate. Meanwhile, Aaron has come to an understanding with his bear and needs Sara back. When he arrives he finds out she’s missing and goes nuts. He does work with Seth tracking and does find her. Sara has been tied up and beaten by the hunters and now this new guy is trying to rape her and stabs her in her arm, but still she fights him. Aaron does bust in as his bear and they kill all the bad guys. Aaron confesses everything while Sara is in the hospital, she tells him it’s a lot of info and she needs to think about if she wants eternity with him, especially after he was so mean to her and slut shamed her. They spend time together and after two weeks make up, he proposes and they mate. Epilogue two weeks later confirming a pregnancy with twins.
I wanted to slap Aaron, he should have had to grovel a lot, not just hangout at her B&B with her. I think she forgave him to quickly. I loved Sara’s character for all the reasons listed above.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2025
Much the same as the last three. fast paced Low drama and a little danger. Not a lot of time for the plot to develop into something deep and gripping . Outside of the couples the only other characters to seemingly exist are the antagonists. Samantha is a self-sufficient woman with a prospering business. I really liked her, I liked all the characters however you don’t really get to know them . Aaron was a little bit of a meanie with how he reacted to things. I understand that something terrible happened to him however that does not give him the right to say the things that he did. I mean my goodness, it was over a hundred years ago let it go already.
August 5, 2023
Method: ebook
Rating: 4/5 stars
Hero rating: 4/5 - Aaron
Heroine rating: 4/5 - Sara
Drama: 3/5
Trope(s): paranormal; shifter
Thoughts: Great read, will continue!
September 28, 2019
I liked it but not as much as RB other books. The heroine, Sara I enjoyed and I loved how comfortable she was in her sexuality. But Aaron was a little bit of an a-hole in how he reacted to certain situations. And talk about stubborn! I get it. What happened to him many, many, many, many years ago was horrible. But goodness, it was a hundred years ago.
October 1, 2020
Sara is running a successful business but longs for love and a family. Aaron is drawn to town my pregnancy energy and meets the local clan. He’s been denying his bear and lives to regret it. Angsty good story of a shifter coming to terms with his dual side. I love how strong and independent Sara is. I read this using my KU subscription.
November 29, 2020
Another great read
Enjoyed reading this book and reading about the characters and their story. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
Enjoyed reading this book and reading about the characters and their story. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
July 29, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 20, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Aaron’s struggle with his bear side and Sara’s quiet loneliness create a compelling dynamic rich in emotional depth. The story’s themes of self-acceptance, redemption, and second chances resonate strongly. The gradual unfolding of their connection and the suspense around Sara’s danger add nice momentum to this touching romance.
Aaron’s struggle with his bear side and Sara’s quiet loneliness create a compelling dynamic rich in emotional depth. The story’s themes of self-acceptance, redemption, and second chances resonate strongly. The gradual unfolding of their connection and the suspense around Sara’s danger add nice momentum to this touching romance.
March 4, 2017
A nice continuation of the series. This one focuses on Sara Henley, who runs the town B&B or guest cottages and who is a little less insecure about her curves, but still lacks self-esteem, believing herself only good for one night stands. And she has quite a few of them, which inspires jealousy and some "slut-shaming" in her love interest, Aaron Williams. He's out of touch with his inner bear and still a bit broken up over a woman who dumped him 100 years ago. He's pretty mean to Sara and other than mating hormones, I couldn't quite figure out what she saw in him. And she really took the whole shifting thing in stride. At least some of the rules of the shifter-verse are clearing up (apparently chance of pregnancy with unprotected sex is 99%, but the previous two stories were the 1%). This of course leads me to wonder how there aren't a million bears wandering the planet. They're immortal (as in NOTHING can kill them) and they get pregnant the instant they have unprotected sex - the planet would be beyond populated with bear shifters. So a touch unbelievable...but I do get that this is paranormal romance and therefore entirely unbelievable. Also...a little pet peeve with the grammar check..."mesmerize" instead of "memorize" had me LOLing where I shouldn't have been. I do like this series, the stories are nice and short, they feel very complete and the stories are rather engaging. I will be finishing out this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2017
Sara and Aaron. It's pretty short, but even so, there's very little to it. It reads more like an overview of the real story than the finished story. Aaron hasn't shifted in a century and wishes he wasn't a bear. What he wishes he was, I've no idea. Basically he has no life and has been a drifter this whole time. So he meets Sara and panics, makes an ass of himself more than once... grovels and that's that. Oh yeah, there's some crazy 'stock villains' to create conflict. Real simple, and short and well, sweet but kinda empty too. Sara had a more rounded character (no pun on her curvaceous character intended... well not really). Even so her back history was a bit repetitive and in such a short story, that was annoying. She showed more understanding for human nature than Aaron, who has lived 5 times as long. I don't know why authors make shifters live so long, if they aren't going to make it believable. Kinda like writing a story as 'paint by numbers'. I really did feel the author did a good job with the heroine's character, but everyone else was like cardboard.
December 30, 2014
Time To Embrace The Bear
Sara and Aaron's story was very good, but too short. Sara owned a bed and breakfast and figured she would be alone for the rest of her life.
Aaron never stayed in one place for too long, but he was stopping at Bear Mountain to see his friend Gage. He felt he was cursed with being a bear shifter. It had only brought him heartache. He refuses to embrace his bear. He meets Sara and things start to change.
This was good, but too short. I wish the author would try to write a full length book and approach the stories differently. The storylines vary, very little.
Sara and Aaron's story was very good, but too short. Sara owned a bed and breakfast and figured she would be alone for the rest of her life.
Aaron never stayed in one place for too long, but he was stopping at Bear Mountain to see his friend Gage. He felt he was cursed with being a bear shifter. It had only brought him heartache. He refuses to embrace his bear. He meets Sara and things start to change.
This was good, but too short. I wish the author would try to write a full length book and approach the stories differently. The storylines vary, very little.
January 28, 2015
Great shifter story
This story has a bear shifter that is denying his bear which almost makes him lose his HEA. The story has some surprises. I like most of this authors tales except she always has the heroines acting as if they can,t find love cause they are big. I am a big beautiful woman that found my one and only over twenty years ago
You need to make your heroines comfortable with themselves and knowing that they will find love.
This story has a bear shifter that is denying his bear which almost makes him lose his HEA. The story has some surprises. I like most of this authors tales except she always has the heroines acting as if they can,t find love cause they are big. I am a big beautiful woman that found my one and only over twenty years ago
You need to make your heroines comfortable with themselves and knowing that they will find love.
February 11, 2015
Lone Bear....
Aaron thought he could live without his bear...till he meets his mate Sara...then everything goes crazy for him. He didn't know what to do...and his bear knows what it wants to do! So does he stay and claim his mate? Does he run from her and his bear? Does his bear take over and not let the man back out? Will the other bear's accept him in the clan and does he want to stay in the clan? Read the book and find out! I just did and loved it!
Aaron thought he could live without his bear...till he meets his mate Sara...then everything goes crazy for him. He didn't know what to do...and his bear knows what it wants to do! So does he stay and claim his mate? Does he run from her and his bear? Does his bear take over and not let the man back out? Will the other bear's accept him in the clan and does he want to stay in the clan? Read the book and find out! I just did and loved it!
December 21, 2014
Sara was a doormat, and it was rather annoying. Aaron was a dick. An asshole. A jerk. And I didn't feel like he deserved a second chance without at least a LITTLE groveling. Instead we got instant forgiveness. This was just to blaaaaah for me. The characters weren't memorable, the villains were stupid, and the story was predictable.
January 3, 2015
HEA - Part of Kindle Unlimited - standalone book but part of a series. Have grown to love bear shifter books!! A new bear shifter comes back to town because of another bear mate's pregnancy. Aaron and Sara is a tough story because he hasn't shifted in 100 years and she doesn't believe he wants her.
December 23, 2014
Missing something
This book was not as good as the first three in the series. It was missing something. It was too quick and didn't have enough of the story line. Even the love scenes were quick.
This book was not as good as the first three in the series. It was missing something. It was too quick and didn't have enough of the story line. Even the love scenes were quick.
January 5, 2015
Won't No Idle Bear ... Sweet
Interesting story, although I don't understand the title. I loved the heroine, Sara. Question, it wasn't explained when the bears shifted, what happened to their clothes? I enjoyed the action and the settings.
Interesting story, although I don't understand the title. I loved the heroine, Sara. Question, it wasn't explained when the bears shifted, what happened to their clothes? I enjoyed the action and the settings.
January 22, 2015
One complaint
It's too short. Well written and a great storyline. I would have loved to know more about Aaron. It was a quick and wonderful read. Can't wait for the rest of the series.
It's too short. Well written and a great storyline. I would have loved to know more about Aaron. It was a quick and wonderful read. Can't wait for the rest of the series.
February 11, 2015
IDLE BEAR
The title is misleading--should be the RELUCTANT BEAR SHIFTER because Aaron doesn't want to have anything to do with his bear or with his mate. Funny pick-up all around. Good read.
S. Oto
The title is misleading--should be the RELUCTANT BEAR SHIFTER because Aaron doesn't want to have anything to do with his bear or with his mate. Funny pick-up all around. Good read.
S. Oto
January 23, 2017
Idle Bear
Aaron hasn't shifted in a century. He feels the call of the energy from the pregnancies. He finds Gage and says he isn't staying in Bear Mountain. Then he meets Sara. She gets kidnapped by Grizzly poachers. Great book.
Aaron hasn't shifted in a century. He feels the call of the energy from the pregnancies. He finds Gage and says he isn't staying in Bear Mountain. Then he meets Sara. She gets kidnapped by Grizzly poachers. Great book.
December 18, 2014
Love the series
January 4, 2015
Nice story
January 5, 2015
so good!
This is a great series!!! It is perfect for a break and for a reread!!! It is worth the time and money! Just great!! The author is a great writer!!
This is a great series!!! It is perfect for a break and for a reread!!! It is worth the time and money! Just great!! The author is a great writer!!
February 17, 2015
Great book
I liked this book a lot. the storyline is well written, so is the love story. I'm really enjoying the series. can't wait to get the next one.
I liked this book a lot. the storyline is well written, so is the love story. I'm really enjoying the series. can't wait to get the next one.
March 4, 2015
Idle Bear was sweet and sexy.
March 31, 2015
There was so much packed into this short story that I was amazed. I love the characters, the plot and the series!
October 25, 2015
Really 2.75 stars... would be higher except for the annoyance of the spanking. Which is not noted anywhere, and detracts from the sex scenes. Gratuitous.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews