What do you think?
Rate this book
Ducked for Christmas
Twenty-nine-year-old Montgomery Keller learned long ago that to survive, hiding in plain sight is a necessity. This is especially true when you’re a bear shifter. His life in sleepy, idyllic Laurel Forest is quiet, predictable, and almost entirely—blissfully—people-free, apart from a couple of locals and his neighbor, Andy. He’s alone, but that suits him and his needs perfectly.
Until he met her.
Festive to the core, and in town for the holidays to watch her niece while her brother, Andy, is away, Evalina Resa is determined to spread Christmas cheer. Even toward her brother’s grumpy, but absolutely gorgeous, neighbor. However, his lack of interest in anything Christmas—or joy related, for that matter—suggests that nothing can crack his tough exterior.
But when a broken heater and a cold snap hit, Montgomery opens up his home to Evalina and her niece. What starts as prickly hospitality turns into lingering glances, unplanned laughter, and a slow burn pull neither of them anticipated.
When the holiday peace is shattered and danger strikes this quiet, mountain town, Montgomery must choose between running or staying to protect the woman who makes him want more than his solitary existence . . . a woman his heart demands he protect.
Until he met her.
Festive to the core, and in town for the holidays to watch her niece while her brother, Andy, is away, Evalina Resa is determined to spread Christmas cheer. Even toward her brother’s grumpy, but absolutely gorgeous, neighbor. However, his lack of interest in anything Christmas—or joy related, for that matter—suggests that nothing can crack his tough exterior.
But when a broken heater and a cold snap hit, Montgomery opens up his home to Evalina and her niece. What starts as prickly hospitality turns into lingering glances, unplanned laughter, and a slow burn pull neither of them anticipated.
When the holiday peace is shattered and danger strikes this quiet, mountain town, Montgomery must choose between running or staying to protect the woman who makes him want more than his solitary existence . . . a woman his heart demands he protect.
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 6, 2025
37 people are currently reading
101 people want to read
About the author
Y. Maria
5 books34 followersWhile I wasn’t born with a pen or book in my hand, it feels as if I’ve loved to write and read since forever. Now that I live in Texas, my favorite place to do either is in front of my fireplace. When I’m not reading or writing, you can find me hiking or exploring small towns with my husband and kids.
I love anything romance. Seriously, give me all the kissing books. But there’s something magical about diving deep into my imagination where dragons and fae exist. So, I guess you can say I’m in my romantasy era
I love anything romance. Seriously, give me all the kissing books. But there’s something magical about diving deep into my imagination where dragons and fae exist. So, I guess you can say I’m in my romantasy era
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
November 11, 2025
Tropes
• Grumpy x Sunshine
• Bear Shifter ( MMC )
• Forced Proximity
• Found Family
• Small Town
• 3½ 🌶️
We have Monty, who's implemented rules and isolation to protect himself. Which in turn makes him come across as a grumpy, reclusive man. But when he's forced into close proximity with his neighbor's sister and little daughter. Evie's caring and sunny personality has him wanting to break his rules...
This book took me by surprise. I don't normally go for shifter romance, but I'm so grateful to have read this one. It was heartwarming, adorable, and bittersweet. The slow burn and tension between Monty and Evie was so well done. You can feel how much he yearned for her throughout. How they both would tiptoe around one another to make sure they weren't making the other uncomfortable. I just truly enjoyed these characters. The side characters were wonderful as well, especially Lettie. Overall I give this read a 4.75 ⭐.
I want to thank BookSirens and Y. Maria for the opportunity to read this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
• Grumpy x Sunshine
• Bear Shifter ( MMC )
• Forced Proximity
• Found Family
• Small Town
• 3½ 🌶️
We have Monty, who's implemented rules and isolation to protect himself. Which in turn makes him come across as a grumpy, reclusive man. But when he's forced into close proximity with his neighbor's sister and little daughter. Evie's caring and sunny personality has him wanting to break his rules...
This book took me by surprise. I don't normally go for shifter romance, but I'm so grateful to have read this one. It was heartwarming, adorable, and bittersweet. The slow burn and tension between Monty and Evie was so well done. You can feel how much he yearned for her throughout. How they both would tiptoe around one another to make sure they weren't making the other uncomfortable. I just truly enjoyed these characters. The side characters were wonderful as well, especially Lettie. Overall I give this read a 4.75 ⭐.
I want to thank BookSirens and Y. Maria for the opportunity to read this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
October 3, 2025
4.5⭐
“𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚. 𝑬𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒔𝒌 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒊𝒕.”
Ducked for Christmas felt like the perfect Christmas shifter romance. It’s cozy, heartfelt, and so vivid that I could almost step right into it. I rarely see full pictures in my head when I read. I usually have to look up photos for inspo, but here I could actually picture the snowy town and holiday vibe on my own.
At the heart of the story are Evie and Monty. Evie brings sunshine and warmth wherever she goes, while Monty is the classic grumpy hero with layers just waiting to be unraveled. Together, they strike that perfect balance of grumpy × sunshine that makes every scene between them shine. Add Evie’s sweet niece, Scarlett, Fish and the rubber duckies to the mix, and you’ve got characters that will make you smile constantly. They definitely added heart and humor in the best ways.
Monty, though, deserves a special mention. Beneath his guarded, gruff exterior, he’s protective, unexpectedly soft, and one of those MMCs you can’t help but root for. He’s the kind of book boyfriend who sticks with you long after you finish reading. And honestly, whoever loves my dog and takes care of them too is a sure green flag.
Beyond the romance, what stood out to me most was the sense of family and community woven into the story. Even the side characters had me invested. I found myself wanting to know more about everyone, because Laurel Forest felt like it had so many more stories waiting to be told.
Overall, Ducked for Christmas is cozy, swoony, and full of festive magic. It gave me everything I want in a holiday romance: a charming small town, a grumpy yet irresistible mmc, and a story that makes you feel both giddy and comforted. Definitely one of the highlights of my seasonal reads, and one I’d recommend to anyone looking for something heartwarming and a little different for Christmas.
Thanks to Y. Maria for the chance to read this early. Ducked for Christmas is out on November 6, just in time for an early holiday reading.
“𝑯𝒆’𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒓𝒖𝒃𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒌. 𝑯𝒆’𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕, 𝒈𝒓𝒖𝒎𝒑𝒚 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒓.”
“𝑵𝒐 𝒐𝒏𝒆’𝒔 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒈𝒊𝒇𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒆 𝒂 𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒏𝒐𝒘, 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆. 𝑨 𝒈𝒊𝒇𝒕, 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏.“
“𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒔𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒏, 𝒏𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔.”
“𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕 𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆.”
“𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒐𝒐, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒔𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝑰’𝒎 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒂𝒏 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆. 𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒚 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆. 𝑰 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒂 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝒈𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒃𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒖𝒑 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕. 𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒘𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒂 𝒍𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑰 𝒔𝒂𝒚 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝑰 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝒊𝒕. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏’𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒊𝒇𝒔 𝒐𝒓 𝒃𝒖𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒓 𝒘𝒉𝒚𝒔 𝒐𝒓 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕-𝒊𝒇𝒔. 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖.”
“𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚. 𝑬𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒔𝒌 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒊𝒕.”
Ducked for Christmas felt like the perfect Christmas shifter romance. It’s cozy, heartfelt, and so vivid that I could almost step right into it. I rarely see full pictures in my head when I read. I usually have to look up photos for inspo, but here I could actually picture the snowy town and holiday vibe on my own.
At the heart of the story are Evie and Monty. Evie brings sunshine and warmth wherever she goes, while Monty is the classic grumpy hero with layers just waiting to be unraveled. Together, they strike that perfect balance of grumpy × sunshine that makes every scene between them shine. Add Evie’s sweet niece, Scarlett, Fish and the rubber duckies to the mix, and you’ve got characters that will make you smile constantly. They definitely added heart and humor in the best ways.
Monty, though, deserves a special mention. Beneath his guarded, gruff exterior, he’s protective, unexpectedly soft, and one of those MMCs you can’t help but root for. He’s the kind of book boyfriend who sticks with you long after you finish reading. And honestly, whoever loves my dog and takes care of them too is a sure green flag.
Beyond the romance, what stood out to me most was the sense of family and community woven into the story. Even the side characters had me invested. I found myself wanting to know more about everyone, because Laurel Forest felt like it had so many more stories waiting to be told.
Overall, Ducked for Christmas is cozy, swoony, and full of festive magic. It gave me everything I want in a holiday romance: a charming small town, a grumpy yet irresistible mmc, and a story that makes you feel both giddy and comforted. Definitely one of the highlights of my seasonal reads, and one I’d recommend to anyone looking for something heartwarming and a little different for Christmas.
Thanks to Y. Maria for the chance to read this early. Ducked for Christmas is out on November 6, just in time for an early holiday reading.
“𝑯𝒆’𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒓𝒖𝒃𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒌. 𝑯𝒆’𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕, 𝒈𝒓𝒖𝒎𝒑𝒚 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒓.”
“𝑵𝒐 𝒐𝒏𝒆’𝒔 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒈𝒊𝒇𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒆 𝒂 𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒏𝒐𝒘, 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆. 𝑨 𝒈𝒊𝒇𝒕, 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏.“
“𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒔𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒏, 𝒏𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔.”
“𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕 𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆.”
“𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒐𝒐, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒔𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝑰’𝒎 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒂𝒏 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆. 𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒚 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆. 𝑰 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒂 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝒈𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒃𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒖𝒑 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕. 𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒘𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒂 𝒍𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑰 𝒔𝒂𝒚 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝑰 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝒊𝒕. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏’𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒊𝒇𝒔 𝒐𝒓 𝒃𝒖𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒓 𝒘𝒉𝒚𝒔 𝒐𝒓 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕-𝒊𝒇𝒔. 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖.”
November 5, 2025
Cozy, small-town holiday romance with a light, easy shifter twist. Montgomery is a grumpy loner; Evalina brings pure Christmas cheer. A broken heater forces them together, and the slow burn feels warm and real. When danger hits, his protective side shines. My first bear-shifter book—and not my last.
Pick it up on release day: November 6, 2025. 🐻❄️
Add it to your TBR if you love:
❄️Small town romance
🎄PNR
❄️Grumpy/sunshine
🎄Slow burn
❄️Found family
🎄Protective MMC
❄️Forced proximity
🎄Christmas romance
❄️Snowed in
🎄Bear shifter MMC
❄️Reclusive mountain man
🎄Caregiver FMC
Pick it up on release day: November 6, 2025. 🐻❄️
Add it to your TBR if you love:
❄️Small town romance
🎄PNR
❄️Grumpy/sunshine
🎄Slow burn
❄️Found family
🎄Protective MMC
❄️Forced proximity
🎄Christmas romance
❄️Snowed in
🎄Bear shifter MMC
❄️Reclusive mountain man
🎄Caregiver FMC
December 27, 2025
I won an e-copy of this book in a competition, so I was excited to read it. Unfortunately I had mixed feelings about this book.
I loved that the book read like a Hallmark Christmas movie, with all of the Christmassy feels. I love how Evie and her niece Scarlet imposed themselves on Montgomery’s lonely life and changed his grumpiness into happiness. But, the bear shifter storyline didn’t work for me. When I read the blurb on the book, I wasn’t sure what it was referring to, but turning into an actual bear just didn’t work for me I’m afraid.
There was nothing wrong with this book whatsoever, it just wasn’t one for me.
I loved that the book read like a Hallmark Christmas movie, with all of the Christmassy feels. I love how Evie and her niece Scarlet imposed themselves on Montgomery’s lonely life and changed his grumpiness into happiness. But, the bear shifter storyline didn’t work for me. When I read the blurb on the book, I wasn’t sure what it was referring to, but turning into an actual bear just didn’t work for me I’m afraid.
There was nothing wrong with this book whatsoever, it just wasn’t one for me.
November 1, 2025
I was lucky enough to receive this book as an arc and I am so glad I did! It was a super cute romance book with a touch of fantasy! I love a good protective mmc and Monty was the perfect one! I loved the plot and dynamic between all the characters. Highly recommend reading this cute Christmas themed book!
September 26, 2025
4.75⭐️
At this point, I'm absolutely in love with Y. Maria's writing.
Beta reading this book might be the highest privilege I've ever received and I feel SPOILED.
With that being said, it certainly does not mean my review is biased or anything of sorts. This is 100% my genuine opinion and I stand by it.
How do I even begin to explain how much I absolutely ADORED this book.
Letty? The CUTEST and most SAVAGE child I've read about.
Monty? The man of my dream.
Evalina? The kindest soul.
Andy? The most supportive brother one could ask for.
The yearning in this book had me on my knees.
"How the hell am I supposed to keep my hands off her when every breath tastes like her and every glance reminds me I want her in my arms?"
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
ONE OF MY FAV SCENES EVERRRR:
"He interrupted my reading to read certain scenes aloud to me. I did the same, and he looked pleased each time I read to him. It's easily one of my most favorite times I've had with anyone."
Some scenes in this book made me all teary eyed🥹:
“You’re not a lot.” One side of his lips slants in half a smile. “You’re exactly right.”
'Montgomery’s kneeling in front of me, easing socks on my feet. My heart does that strange hiccup again, and I lean in to press my lips to his forehead.'
MONTY WAS THE SWEETEST MMC EVER. A grumpy exterior with a soft and sweet heart.
“I want you, Monty,” I say. “I want you exactly as you are right now. I want the man who reads beside me, the one who does dishes with me, the one who is a covert snuggler and will eat anything I make. I want the man who was brave enough to show me who he is, and I want the bear who pushes his head against my stomach, the one who could crush me with a single blow, but I know will always choose to be gentle.”
It's clear by this long rant that I loved this book and need everyone to pick it up🤣
If not, this has to convince you:
-Grumpy/sunshine
-Slow burn
-Found family
-Forced proximity
-Small town romance (but make it PNR)
-Reclusive mountain man
-Caregiver FMC
-Bear shifter MMC
At this point, I'm absolutely in love with Y. Maria's writing.
Beta reading this book might be the highest privilege I've ever received and I feel SPOILED.
With that being said, it certainly does not mean my review is biased or anything of sorts. This is 100% my genuine opinion and I stand by it.
How do I even begin to explain how much I absolutely ADORED this book.
Letty? The CUTEST and most SAVAGE child I've read about.
Monty? The man of my dream.
Evalina? The kindest soul.
Andy? The most supportive brother one could ask for.
The yearning in this book had me on my knees.
"How the hell am I supposed to keep my hands off her when every breath tastes like her and every glance reminds me I want her in my arms?"
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
ONE OF MY FAV SCENES EVERRRR:
"He interrupted my reading to read certain scenes aloud to me. I did the same, and he looked pleased each time I read to him. It's easily one of my most favorite times I've had with anyone."
Some scenes in this book made me all teary eyed🥹:
“You’re not a lot.” One side of his lips slants in half a smile. “You’re exactly right.”
'Montgomery’s kneeling in front of me, easing socks on my feet. My heart does that strange hiccup again, and I lean in to press my lips to his forehead.'
MONTY WAS THE SWEETEST MMC EVER. A grumpy exterior with a soft and sweet heart.
“I want you, Monty,” I say. “I want you exactly as you are right now. I want the man who reads beside me, the one who does dishes with me, the one who is a covert snuggler and will eat anything I make. I want the man who was brave enough to show me who he is, and I want the bear who pushes his head against my stomach, the one who could crush me with a single blow, but I know will always choose to be gentle.”
It's clear by this long rant that I loved this book and need everyone to pick it up🤣
If not, this has to convince you:
-Grumpy/sunshine
-Slow burn
-Found family
-Forced proximity
-Small town romance (but make it PNR)
-Reclusive mountain man
-Caregiver FMC
-Bear shifter MMC
November 5, 2025
Tis the season for curling up by the fire with a cozy holiday romance! DUCKED FOR CHRISTMAS is a slow burn, grumpy/sunshine, paranormal romance with just the right amount of heart and heat.
My Rating: 4/5 Stars ⭐️
This is the first “shifter” romance I’ve ever read since Twilight. It was such a sweet heart-warming read that restored my faith in relationships, healthy conflict resolution, and found family connections. It goes beyond just a romance, but incorporates the love between family, friends, pets, and community.
Montgomery is such a sweetie underneath all his grizzly grumpiness and the way Evie can soften him is just so cute. And the animal friendship Monty develops with Evie’s collie Fish is so adorable (because bears and fish go together, right?? 😂). And I did not see the twists at the end coming!!
Blurb:
Twenty-nine-year-old Montgomery Keller learned long ago that to survive, hiding in plain sight is a necessity. This is especially true when you’re a bear shifter. His life in sleepy, idyllic Laurel Forest is quiet, predictable, and almost entirely—blissfully—people-free, apart from a couple of locals and his neighbor, Andy. He’s alone, but that suits him and his needs perfectly.
Until he met her.
Festive to the core, and in town for the holidays to watch her niece while her brother, Andy, is away, Evalina Resa is determined to spread Christmas cheer. Even toward her brother’s grumpy, but absolutely gorgeous, neighbor.
What starts as prickly hospitality turns into lingering glances, unplanned laughter, and a slow burn pull neither of them anticipated. When the holiday peace is shattered and danger strikes this quiet, mountain town, Montgomery must choose between running or staying to protect the woman who makes him want more than his solitary existence . . . a woman his heart demands he protect.
Tropes:
Grumpy/sunshine
Slow burn
Found family
Protective MMC
Small town romance
Forced proximity
Bear shifter MMC
Reclusive mountain man
Caregiver FMC
My Rating: 4/5 Stars ⭐️
This is the first “shifter” romance I’ve ever read since Twilight. It was such a sweet heart-warming read that restored my faith in relationships, healthy conflict resolution, and found family connections. It goes beyond just a romance, but incorporates the love between family, friends, pets, and community.
Montgomery is such a sweetie underneath all his grizzly grumpiness and the way Evie can soften him is just so cute. And the animal friendship Monty develops with Evie’s collie Fish is so adorable (because bears and fish go together, right?? 😂). And I did not see the twists at the end coming!!
Blurb:
Twenty-nine-year-old Montgomery Keller learned long ago that to survive, hiding in plain sight is a necessity. This is especially true when you’re a bear shifter. His life in sleepy, idyllic Laurel Forest is quiet, predictable, and almost entirely—blissfully—people-free, apart from a couple of locals and his neighbor, Andy. He’s alone, but that suits him and his needs perfectly.
Until he met her.
Festive to the core, and in town for the holidays to watch her niece while her brother, Andy, is away, Evalina Resa is determined to spread Christmas cheer. Even toward her brother’s grumpy, but absolutely gorgeous, neighbor.
What starts as prickly hospitality turns into lingering glances, unplanned laughter, and a slow burn pull neither of them anticipated. When the holiday peace is shattered and danger strikes this quiet, mountain town, Montgomery must choose between running or staying to protect the woman who makes him want more than his solitary existence . . . a woman his heart demands he protect.
Tropes:
Grumpy/sunshine
Slow burn
Found family
Protective MMC
Small town romance
Forced proximity
Bear shifter MMC
Reclusive mountain man
Caregiver FMC
October 31, 2025
If you are looking for a cosy, feel good romance with a grumpy, bear shifting MMC and a bright, cheerful FMC...then this is for you!
Evalina is pure sunshine! She has a bright and loud presence, of which she is a little self aware, but I loved her way of loving. She is warm, kindhearted and loves to feed her people.
Montgomery is a recluse. He struggles to connect with others and prefers the safety of his own bubble. It turns out though that he is a real marshmallow.
Scarlet is a vibrant young girl, who is sassy and honest, and is the little whitchling that brings together Monty's quiet and Evie's wild.
I guess she ducked them real good. 😜
Fish is the energetic, butterfly-loving dog that is just unavoidably adorable.
These characters, as well as the side characters, definitely brought heart and humor to this story and made it a very easy read. It has a strong sense of family, community and family traditions. It is also filled with fun moments, hot spice and a little drama.
You will not regret reading this book!
🐻 Found Family
🐻 Forced Proximity
🐻 Grumpy x Sunshine
🐻 Small Town
🐻 Christmas Traditions
I hope there is a second book where we can read about Andy and Tasha 😉
Evalina is pure sunshine! She has a bright and loud presence, of which she is a little self aware, but I loved her way of loving. She is warm, kindhearted and loves to feed her people.
Montgomery is a recluse. He struggles to connect with others and prefers the safety of his own bubble. It turns out though that he is a real marshmallow.
Scarlet is a vibrant young girl, who is sassy and honest, and is the little whitchling that brings together Monty's quiet and Evie's wild.
I guess she ducked them real good. 😜
Fish is the energetic, butterfly-loving dog that is just unavoidably adorable.
These characters, as well as the side characters, definitely brought heart and humor to this story and made it a very easy read. It has a strong sense of family, community and family traditions. It is also filled with fun moments, hot spice and a little drama.
You will not regret reading this book!
🐻 Found Family
🐻 Forced Proximity
🐻 Grumpy x Sunshine
🐻 Small Town
🐻 Christmas Traditions
I hope there is a second book where we can read about Andy and Tasha 😉
October 16, 2025
Time for holiday romance with a twist of fantasy baked in!
* golden retriever MMC
* grumpy x sunshine
* bear shifter (!!)
* a touch of holiday magic 🎄
* found family
* small town
* forced proximity
I loved Evie and Monty's story! The cozy holiday touches and the fantasy elements make this romance an excellent holiday read. The epic action in chapter 28 👀 had me yelling into my empty house: "What is happening here!?" Pick it up on November 6th, 2025. While you are at it, check out @ymariawrites Fated Mates series as well (Available on KU)!
Thank you Y. Maria for trusting me to read and review an ARC copy. I will forever read anything you write!
* golden retriever MMC
* grumpy x sunshine
* bear shifter (!!)
* a touch of holiday magic 🎄
* found family
* small town
* forced proximity
I loved Evie and Monty's story! The cozy holiday touches and the fantasy elements make this romance an excellent holiday read. The epic action in chapter 28 👀 had me yelling into my empty house: "What is happening here!?" Pick it up on November 6th, 2025. While you are at it, check out @ymariawrites Fated Mates series as well (Available on KU)!
Thank you Y. Maria for trusting me to read and review an ARC copy. I will forever read anything you write!
November 5, 2025
The cutest winter mood-read!!! ❄️☃️🌲
I love the blend of a bear shifter with a contemporary romance! Monty was the sweetest, teddy bear (literally) 🧸 of an mmc! He was shy and reserved, but I love that Evie’s spunky personality brought out the best in him.
I enjoyed the couples sweet romance and how they brought out the best in one another. Sure their relationship was (very) fast paced, but I think it’s only natural for some couples to move that quickly when you’re stuck in a cabin/close proximity with one another for several weeks.
I would recommend this to any of my fellow romance lovers who might like the added little magical twist of having a bear shifter fmc. 🩵
I love the blend of a bear shifter with a contemporary romance! Monty was the sweetest, teddy bear (literally) 🧸 of an mmc! He was shy and reserved, but I love that Evie’s spunky personality brought out the best in him.
I enjoyed the couples sweet romance and how they brought out the best in one another. Sure their relationship was (very) fast paced, but I think it’s only natural for some couples to move that quickly when you’re stuck in a cabin/close proximity with one another for several weeks.
I would recommend this to any of my fellow romance lovers who might like the added little magical twist of having a bear shifter fmc. 🩵
November 10, 2025
Montgomery is a bear shifter who loves his quiet, predictable, and blissful life, until Evalina, who spreads Christmas cheer, comes into his life. A broken heater forced them together.
This is a well written easy to read, slow burn story, with found family, friendships, emotions, survival, danger, intrigue, determinations, humour, witty banter, grumpy / sunshine, opposites attract, forced proximity, twists, undeniable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining, paranormal romance.
I look forward to reading more from this author.
This is a well written easy to read, slow burn story, with found family, friendships, emotions, survival, danger, intrigue, determinations, humour, witty banter, grumpy / sunshine, opposites attract, forced proximity, twists, undeniable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining, paranormal romance.
I look forward to reading more from this author.
October 13, 2025
This is one of the easiest five stars I've ever given. This book will forever live rent-free in my head every single holiday season. It's laugh out loud funny, but also deeply emotional and tugs at your heart strings.
Evie embodies every girl who has ever been told she was too loud or too much. To be less in order to be accepted. Be still my adhd heart because her struggles are my struggles, and this gives such an amazing neurodivergent rep.
Monty? No one will ever say a bad word about him ever. I will literally go to war for this man. To anyone who's ever grown up not feeling like they belonged or like they weren't enough, his story will heal you. Panic attack representation is ON point.
Evie embodies every girl who has ever been told she was too loud or too much. To be less in order to be accepted. Be still my adhd heart because her struggles are my struggles, and this gives such an amazing neurodivergent rep.
Monty? No one will ever say a bad word about him ever. I will literally go to war for this man. To anyone who's ever grown up not feeling like they belonged or like they weren't enough, his story will heal you. Panic attack representation is ON point.
December 27, 2025
It's such a heartwarming story
I absolutely just love this. Home isn't a place. It's a person, who accepts you and love you for who you are. And Opening your own heart up after being continuously let down and abandoned by the parents who are meant to love you unconditionally. Finding that sense of community, your people who also let's you be you. I loved Evie and Monty journey
I absolutely just love this. Home isn't a place. It's a person, who accepts you and love you for who you are. And Opening your own heart up after being continuously let down and abandoned by the parents who are meant to love you unconditionally. Finding that sense of community, your people who also let's you be you. I loved Evie and Monty journey
October 18, 2025
This was exactly what I was needing. It was a good length cozy holiday romance with all the good feelings that come with that. I love that Monty is a grumpy but mellow bear shifter and Evie is chaos that fits him perfectly.
I was not prepared for when Andy showed up, but definitely kept me hooked on what would happen next.
Open Door Romance
I was not prepared for when Andy showed up, but definitely kept me hooked on what would happen next.
Open Door Romance
November 9, 2025
Ducked for Christmas is a bingeable paranormal romance set at Christmas. It was a fun and easy read that mainly focused on the relationship between MMC Monty, a bear shifter, and FMC Evie. Because it was so romance-focused, I was surprised when a bit of a non-romance plot kicked in but I liked it. It was a sweet romance with some spice, and it had me laughing out loud in places. A fun, festive read with the paranormal element embedded really naturally into the romance.
November 15, 2025
My first couple of Christmas romances have been really great reads! Ducked for Christmas was one of my favorite reads of November so far. There was so much to love in this one - grumpy x sunshine, a slow burn romance, found family, small town paranormal romance, forced proximity, a bear shifter MMC, a caregiver FMC, banter, and so much more!
Monty’s a secluded mountain man bear shifter who wants nothing to do with pretty much anyone. Insert Evie. She’s basically chaos in a human form, but in all the best ways. Her niece Scarlett convinces her to duck Monty’s Jeep, and the rest is history.
This adorable Christmas romance was the perfect length, and we got to see real growth in both Monty and Evie’s characters. It wasn’t all just holiday fluff, and I really enjoyed the depth we got out of this book.
Thank you so much to Y. Maria and Crowns and Chaos PR for the gifted copy of this book! 🐻❄️
Monty’s a secluded mountain man bear shifter who wants nothing to do with pretty much anyone. Insert Evie. She’s basically chaos in a human form, but in all the best ways. Her niece Scarlett convinces her to duck Monty’s Jeep, and the rest is history.
This adorable Christmas romance was the perfect length, and we got to see real growth in both Monty and Evie’s characters. It wasn’t all just holiday fluff, and I really enjoyed the depth we got out of this book.
Thank you so much to Y. Maria and Crowns and Chaos PR for the gifted copy of this book! 🐻❄️
November 22, 2025
This book was the best shifter Christmas book that I’ve read in a while. It was steamy it was protective and it was fierce. I love the idea of a grumpy recluse person falling in love with a bubbly, bright lady. I love the twist that happened in the story. And the community that was built afterwards, I really do hope that there is a second book that’s going to follow. I need to know what’s going to happen with Andy and Tasha.
December 11, 2025
Grumpy Bear meets Holiday Cheer.
If you like slow burn shifter romances then you will like this one. With found family that adds something special to the mix.
Monty isolates himself as a way to protect himself but it all comes to a halt when he helps his neighbors sister and daughter. And all his rules fly out the window.
The attraction is heartfelt and real, he is protective she is sweet, the slow burn, the chemistry, the connections, family, the holiday atmosphere, the suspense all bring it together. Add this to your list.
If you like slow burn shifter romances then you will like this one. With found family that adds something special to the mix.
Monty isolates himself as a way to protect himself but it all comes to a halt when he helps his neighbors sister and daughter. And all his rules fly out the window.
The attraction is heartfelt and real, he is protective she is sweet, the slow burn, the chemistry, the connections, family, the holiday atmosphere, the suspense all bring it together. Add this to your list.
November 6, 2025
This has to be my favorite book from Y. María and that’s saying a lot, because I absolutely loved AFOIAL and AFOBAM! She has a gift for writing character-driven stories that overflow with emotion, humor, and heart, and DFC is no exception. The story feels full of life. It makes you want to fall in love and find your own found family who truly cares for you.
The fantasy elements, especially the shape-shifting, are woven so seamlessly into the story that they feel completely natural. Once you start, you are submerged into a world that in and of itself could be real. The pacing was flawless, and the character development was absolutely perfect.
If I were to say something about the chararcters themselves, I would keep it short and sweet: Monty is officially my new book boyfriend, and Scarlett —sassy and full of strength— has become my new favorite character (and maybe even my spirit animal).
I finished the book completely satisfied with how it ended, yet still wanting more from this world. It’s rare to feel that perfect balance…closure and longing at once.
In short, DFC is a must read. Beautifully written, emotionally rich, and filled with unforgettable characters. I would say Y. María did it again, but this time she outdid herself.
Thank you Y. María for the opportunity to be a beta reader for this amazing book.
—————————
Este tiene que ser mi libro favorito de Y. María, ¡y eso es decir mucho!, porque me encantaron AFOIAL y AFOBAM. Ella tiene un don para escribir historias centradas en los personajes, rebosantes de emoción, humor y ternura, y DFC no es la excepción. La historia está llena de vida. Te dan ganas de enamorarte y encontrar tu propia familia elegida que te quiera de verdad.
Los elementos fantásticos, sobre todo la metamorfosis, están tan bien integrados en la historia que resultan completamente naturales. Una vez que empiezas a leer, te sumerges en un mundo que bien podría ser real. El ritmo es impecable y el desarrollo de los personajes, absolutamente perfecto.
Si tuviera que decir algo sobre los personajes, sería breve: Monty es oficialmente mi nuevo amor literario, y Scarlett —atrevida y llena de fuerza— se ha convertido en mi personaje favorito (y quizá incluso en mi alma gemela).
Terminé el libro completamente satisfecha con el final, pero con ganas de más de este mundo. Es raro sentir ese equilibrio perfecto… la sensación de cierre y añoranza a la vez.
En resumen, DFC es una lectura obligada. Bellamente escrita, conmovedora y llena de personajes inolvidables. Diría que Y. María lo ha vuelto a hacer, pero esta vez se ha superado a sí misma.
Gracias Y. María por la oportunidad de ser lectora beta de este maravilloso libro.
The fantasy elements, especially the shape-shifting, are woven so seamlessly into the story that they feel completely natural. Once you start, you are submerged into a world that in and of itself could be real. The pacing was flawless, and the character development was absolutely perfect.
If I were to say something about the chararcters themselves, I would keep it short and sweet: Monty is officially my new book boyfriend, and Scarlett —sassy and full of strength— has become my new favorite character (and maybe even my spirit animal).
I finished the book completely satisfied with how it ended, yet still wanting more from this world. It’s rare to feel that perfect balance…closure and longing at once.
In short, DFC is a must read. Beautifully written, emotionally rich, and filled with unforgettable characters. I would say Y. María did it again, but this time she outdid herself.
Thank you Y. María for the opportunity to be a beta reader for this amazing book.
—————————
Este tiene que ser mi libro favorito de Y. María, ¡y eso es decir mucho!, porque me encantaron AFOIAL y AFOBAM. Ella tiene un don para escribir historias centradas en los personajes, rebosantes de emoción, humor y ternura, y DFC no es la excepción. La historia está llena de vida. Te dan ganas de enamorarte y encontrar tu propia familia elegida que te quiera de verdad.
Los elementos fantásticos, sobre todo la metamorfosis, están tan bien integrados en la historia que resultan completamente naturales. Una vez que empiezas a leer, te sumerges en un mundo que bien podría ser real. El ritmo es impecable y el desarrollo de los personajes, absolutamente perfecto.
Si tuviera que decir algo sobre los personajes, sería breve: Monty es oficialmente mi nuevo amor literario, y Scarlett —atrevida y llena de fuerza— se ha convertido en mi personaje favorito (y quizá incluso en mi alma gemela).
Terminé el libro completamente satisfecha con el final, pero con ganas de más de este mundo. Es raro sentir ese equilibrio perfecto… la sensación de cierre y añoranza a la vez.
En resumen, DFC es una lectura obligada. Bellamente escrita, conmovedora y llena de personajes inolvidables. Diría que Y. María lo ha vuelto a hacer, pero esta vez se ha superado a sí misma.
Gracias Y. María por la oportunidad de ser lectora beta de este maravilloso libro.
November 7, 2025
his gave me all the swoony Hallmark vibes, but make it paranormal and spicy.
Montgomery likes peace, quiet, and the solitude of the forest, where he can be himself, a bear shifter. Too bad Evie didn’t get the memo. Evalina Resa is in town taking care of her niece for Christmas while her brother is away. She’s an avalanche of holiday cheer and has enough sparkle to melt even the grumpiest bear. Her bright, giving nature is impossible to resist. When a broken heater lands them on Monty’s doorstep, cozy nights and smoldering looks start to break down his walls, filling his home and heart with warmth and care. It’s something he’s never known, and something he’s not about to let go of now.
Monty has spent his life self-isolating, not only because of crippling anxiety but also because he’s a bear shifter. His bear constantly paces inside him, feeding his grumpiness. After his parents left when he was eighteen, he’s been on his own, and that’s just how he likes it. But when Evie barrels into his life, it’s pure perfection. Her infectious energy breathes life back into him, and even his bear becomes attached. For the first time, he’s learning what it means to love, to care, to belong.
I absolutely adore Evie’s tornado-in-human-form personality. She’s all energy, light, and heart. Having just left her job because of a despicable boss, she comes to this small town to care for her niece Scarlett and finds their large, brooding neighbor a bit too attractive. She can’t help but be drawn to Monty, determined to include him, to coax him out of his shell, and when she does, she finds a soft, squishy man who just so happens to be a bear. And who doesn’t want a bear shifter to snuggle!
Together they just fit! I loved seeing how Evie and Monty bring out the best in each other. Evie worries about how people perceive her big, “too much” energy, while Monty struggles with anxiety and the fear of not being left behind. Yet they see each other fully, love every facet, and let each other in despite and because of their perceived imperfections. Their connection feels effortless, natural, and safe. It’s a simply beautiful read.
Thank you so much to Crowns and Chaos pr, as well as Y Maria for this gifted e-copy!
Montgomery likes peace, quiet, and the solitude of the forest, where he can be himself, a bear shifter. Too bad Evie didn’t get the memo. Evalina Resa is in town taking care of her niece for Christmas while her brother is away. She’s an avalanche of holiday cheer and has enough sparkle to melt even the grumpiest bear. Her bright, giving nature is impossible to resist. When a broken heater lands them on Monty’s doorstep, cozy nights and smoldering looks start to break down his walls, filling his home and heart with warmth and care. It’s something he’s never known, and something he’s not about to let go of now.
Monty has spent his life self-isolating, not only because of crippling anxiety but also because he’s a bear shifter. His bear constantly paces inside him, feeding his grumpiness. After his parents left when he was eighteen, he’s been on his own, and that’s just how he likes it. But when Evie barrels into his life, it’s pure perfection. Her infectious energy breathes life back into him, and even his bear becomes attached. For the first time, he’s learning what it means to love, to care, to belong.
I absolutely adore Evie’s tornado-in-human-form personality. She’s all energy, light, and heart. Having just left her job because of a despicable boss, she comes to this small town to care for her niece Scarlett and finds their large, brooding neighbor a bit too attractive. She can’t help but be drawn to Monty, determined to include him, to coax him out of his shell, and when she does, she finds a soft, squishy man who just so happens to be a bear. And who doesn’t want a bear shifter to snuggle!
Together they just fit! I loved seeing how Evie and Monty bring out the best in each other. Evie worries about how people perceive her big, “too much” energy, while Monty struggles with anxiety and the fear of not being left behind. Yet they see each other fully, love every facet, and let each other in despite and because of their perceived imperfections. Their connection feels effortless, natural, and safe. It’s a simply beautiful read.
Thank you so much to Crowns and Chaos pr, as well as Y Maria for this gifted e-copy!
November 6, 2025
Some may say it is early for Holiday(Christmas) Romances, but I say never!
Ducked for Christmas was such a perfect slip into the holiday spirt with a little added paranormal twist. It was cozy and festive for sure but also fun, funny, flirty, a bit steamy once the slow burn got burning, as well as was filled with so many great quotes and thoughts throughout.
I may or may not have highlighted about half this book 🤭 but in my defense it's because Y.Maria just didn't stop with the quotes and internal dialouge that had to be remembered. So much of this book was centered around the premise of being true to yourself, being unapologetically you, never dimming yourself for someone else or to hide yourself for someone else's comfort, which is just so freaking beautiful as well as a lesson I try to remind myself on the regular because the right people will love you for all of you.
Y. Maria gave us such a great Grumpy x Sunshine combo with Monty and Evie. I mean Monty is quite literally a Grumpy Bear of a Mountain Man, being a bear shifter who has tried his best to isolate himself into the forest which is both his home in and outside the cabin.That is until he met Evie who is pure Sunshine that is unapologetically herself with equal sides of sweetness, fearless, festive, nurturing, relentless when it comes to those she cares about and a bit "loud" (I like to say enthusiastic 😅) in the most beautiful way.
This was my first Bear Shifter Romance and I loved it! I really enjoyed how she brought into the story the different moments with Monty's shifts with his bear as well how his bear was always a part of him just beneath the surface; they were both one and seperate at the same time.
I love Y.Maria's writing and so glad to have found another book to add to my collection to love on of hers. It was quite fun to see her writing style come through in a different type of book compared to her other series which I also love.
If you love Holiday Romances with festive and cozy feels, multi-layered characters, fun and flirty banter with a Paranormal Shifter Twist then go and give Ducked for Christmas by Y.Maria a look and wish her a Happy Release day today!!
Ducked for Christmas was such a perfect slip into the holiday spirt with a little added paranormal twist. It was cozy and festive for sure but also fun, funny, flirty, a bit steamy once the slow burn got burning, as well as was filled with so many great quotes and thoughts throughout.
I may or may not have highlighted about half this book 🤭 but in my defense it's because Y.Maria just didn't stop with the quotes and internal dialouge that had to be remembered. So much of this book was centered around the premise of being true to yourself, being unapologetically you, never dimming yourself for someone else or to hide yourself for someone else's comfort, which is just so freaking beautiful as well as a lesson I try to remind myself on the regular because the right people will love you for all of you.
Y. Maria gave us such a great Grumpy x Sunshine combo with Monty and Evie. I mean Monty is quite literally a Grumpy Bear of a Mountain Man, being a bear shifter who has tried his best to isolate himself into the forest which is both his home in and outside the cabin.That is until he met Evie who is pure Sunshine that is unapologetically herself with equal sides of sweetness, fearless, festive, nurturing, relentless when it comes to those she cares about and a bit "loud" (I like to say enthusiastic 😅) in the most beautiful way.
This was my first Bear Shifter Romance and I loved it! I really enjoyed how she brought into the story the different moments with Monty's shifts with his bear as well how his bear was always a part of him just beneath the surface; they were both one and seperate at the same time.
I love Y.Maria's writing and so glad to have found another book to add to my collection to love on of hers. It was quite fun to see her writing style come through in a different type of book compared to her other series which I also love.
If you love Holiday Romances with festive and cozy feels, multi-layered characters, fun and flirty banter with a Paranormal Shifter Twist then go and give Ducked for Christmas by Y.Maria a look and wish her a Happy Release day today!!
November 3, 2025
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫(4.25/5)
Spice: 🌶️
Oh man. Where do I even start? I picked this up as a palate cleanser from my usual dark reads, and it delivered exactly what my brain needed. Ducked for Christmas is that sickly sweet Hallmark-core romance with just enough spice to warm your cheeks and kick off the holiday mood. Told in dual POV, we’ve got our grumpy MMC, Montgomery (Monty), and our sunshine FMC, Evie.
I felt so seen by Monty at the beginning. His loathing of all things Christmas and allergy to relentless cheer? Same, bro. Same. He keeps people at arm’s length and treats solitude like a safety blanket—partly because of his shifter nature and the lack of a community to anchor him. Enter Evie, his neighbor’s sister, who’s caring for her adorable niece, Scarlett, while her brother is deployed. Fate by the name of a cold snap and a power outage later, Evie and Scarlett end up at Monty’s place, and those glacial walls of his start to thaw. The man has rules, but Evie becomes an exception. Watching him negotiate that truth is half the fun.
Like any good Hallmark movie, conflicts resolve quickly; this isn’t about labyrinthine drama so much as it is about two people choosing each other, day by day. It’s character-centric and cozy—grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, found family vibes, and a soft undercurrent of “you are safe with me” that made my cold, black little holiday heart grow three sizes. The shifter element adds a playful twist without hijacking the warm rom-com theme.
Is it sappy? Absolutely. Did I grin anyway? Also absolutely. The chemistry has a dash of spice (hehe), the pacing is breezy, and the emotional beats land where they should. If you’re craving an entirely feel-good holiday romance that tastes like peppermint cocoa with a tiny cinnamon kick, add Ducked for Christmas to your TBR. You won’t regret it.
Thank you to Crowns and Chaos PR and Y. Maria for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Spice: 🌶️
Oh man. Where do I even start? I picked this up as a palate cleanser from my usual dark reads, and it delivered exactly what my brain needed. Ducked for Christmas is that sickly sweet Hallmark-core romance with just enough spice to warm your cheeks and kick off the holiday mood. Told in dual POV, we’ve got our grumpy MMC, Montgomery (Monty), and our sunshine FMC, Evie.
I felt so seen by Monty at the beginning. His loathing of all things Christmas and allergy to relentless cheer? Same, bro. Same. He keeps people at arm’s length and treats solitude like a safety blanket—partly because of his shifter nature and the lack of a community to anchor him. Enter Evie, his neighbor’s sister, who’s caring for her adorable niece, Scarlett, while her brother is deployed. Fate by the name of a cold snap and a power outage later, Evie and Scarlett end up at Monty’s place, and those glacial walls of his start to thaw. The man has rules, but Evie becomes an exception. Watching him negotiate that truth is half the fun.
Like any good Hallmark movie, conflicts resolve quickly; this isn’t about labyrinthine drama so much as it is about two people choosing each other, day by day. It’s character-centric and cozy—grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, found family vibes, and a soft undercurrent of “you are safe with me” that made my cold, black little holiday heart grow three sizes. The shifter element adds a playful twist without hijacking the warm rom-com theme.
Is it sappy? Absolutely. Did I grin anyway? Also absolutely. The chemistry has a dash of spice (hehe), the pacing is breezy, and the emotional beats land where they should. If you’re craving an entirely feel-good holiday romance that tastes like peppermint cocoa with a tiny cinnamon kick, add Ducked for Christmas to your TBR. You won’t regret it.
Thank you to Crowns and Chaos PR and Y. Maria for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
October 14, 2025
🎄ARC REVIEW🎄
Bear Shifter | Grumpy vs Sunshine | Paranormal Romance | Found Family | Holiday Romance
When this popped up on my BookSirens suggestions, it was an instant yes. The adorable cover and first lines of the blurb had me hooked. (The fact that I promised no more ARCs is beside the point 🤣🙄). Between the Christmas vibes and a Bear Shifter romance? Y. Maria immediately had my attention 🫰
This book is such a cute, toe-curling, swoon-worthy, laugh-out-loud Christmas romance... basically pure joy from start to finish 😍
Scarlett and Evie are the perfect aunt-and-niece chaotic duo ✨️ adorable, funny, and just the right amount of unhinged. The chemistry between Montgomery and Evalina could melt snow faster than a roaring fireplace 🤭 and Fish was the cutest addition to the story. Tasha and Andy’s love-hate antics had me in stitches, and I’m so hoping a romance or story is coming for them. Add in the found family feels, the sibling love, the ducking-jeep chaos 🐣😂, and all those quiet, healing moments 🥺 and you've got a story that tugs on every heartstring!
It’s romance heaven with a sprinkle of Christmas magic and a generous dash of spice 🥵 because wowwwww, the spice levels had me blushing and discreetly tilting my screen like a guilty little elf 🤣🔥
I know I’m completely biased toward all things Christmas 🤭 but throw in a bear shifter, snowy mountains, grumpy x sunshine, and found family? 🥺 This is my serotonin cocktail right here 😍 My heart did lil happy dances through every chapter.
Grab your hot chocolate, wrap yourself in your fluffiest blanket, and dive headfirst into this cozy, spicy, joy-filled read. You won’t regret it 😁 It’s the ultimate Christmas pick-me-up 🎄💖
Thank you to BookSirens and the author for the opportunity to be an early reader.
Bear Shifter | Grumpy vs Sunshine | Paranormal Romance | Found Family | Holiday Romance
When this popped up on my BookSirens suggestions, it was an instant yes. The adorable cover and first lines of the blurb had me hooked. (The fact that I promised no more ARCs is beside the point 🤣🙄). Between the Christmas vibes and a Bear Shifter romance? Y. Maria immediately had my attention 🫰
This book is such a cute, toe-curling, swoon-worthy, laugh-out-loud Christmas romance... basically pure joy from start to finish 😍
Scarlett and Evie are the perfect aunt-and-niece chaotic duo ✨️ adorable, funny, and just the right amount of unhinged. The chemistry between Montgomery and Evalina could melt snow faster than a roaring fireplace 🤭 and Fish was the cutest addition to the story. Tasha and Andy’s love-hate antics had me in stitches, and I’m so hoping a romance or story is coming for them. Add in the found family feels, the sibling love, the ducking-jeep chaos 🐣😂, and all those quiet, healing moments 🥺 and you've got a story that tugs on every heartstring!
It’s romance heaven with a sprinkle of Christmas magic and a generous dash of spice 🥵 because wowwwww, the spice levels had me blushing and discreetly tilting my screen like a guilty little elf 🤣🔥
I know I’m completely biased toward all things Christmas 🤭 but throw in a bear shifter, snowy mountains, grumpy x sunshine, and found family? 🥺 This is my serotonin cocktail right here 😍 My heart did lil happy dances through every chapter.
Grab your hot chocolate, wrap yourself in your fluffiest blanket, and dive headfirst into this cozy, spicy, joy-filled read. You won’t regret it 😁 It’s the ultimate Christmas pick-me-up 🎄💖
Thank you to BookSirens and the author for the opportunity to be an early reader.
November 3, 2025
What a fun and refreshing read. This grumpy X sunshine is a cute little small town romance mixed with a little paranormal shifter vibe.
Monty, the grumpy MMC, likes to be alone and keep to his schedule. It helps keep his shifter-self under control. Evie, his neighbor’s sister, comes into town and destroys all semblance of routine. She inserts herself in his life and proceeds to crack through this grumpy man’s hard shell.
I loved seeing the way Evie was able to reach Monty, especially when he kept his two closest friends at arms reach, but within a week she was able to completely get under his skin. Monty was such a sweet, gentle soul under his gruff exterior. I loved seeing him begin to open up to others at the end of the book. Evie was such a sweet lady. Her love and joy just poured out on the pages. I loved seeing the way she cared for her niece and Monty. She just had such a bright and beautiful personality. I loved the forced proximity situation and also how resilient Evie was when faced with challenges.
The twist with the shifters being hunted was interesting, but felt a little underdeveloped for me. There wasn’t any mention in the first half of the book that shifters were being hunted down, so that didn’t resonate with me.
Overall, a very enjoyable book. A super quick read with enjoyable character growth. There is spice in this book and the two main characters have an insta-love romance.
Tropes:
Grumpy X sunshine
Forced proximity
Bear Shifter
Small town
Family and found family
Babysitter next door
Quotes
“Reading is”—he hesitates—“it’s oxygen for my soul.”
“I want to do everything with you, baby.” Especially “ducking” when there’s an F involved.”
Thank you book sirens and Y. Maria for this gifted eARC. These are my honest opinions
Monty, the grumpy MMC, likes to be alone and keep to his schedule. It helps keep his shifter-self under control. Evie, his neighbor’s sister, comes into town and destroys all semblance of routine. She inserts herself in his life and proceeds to crack through this grumpy man’s hard shell.
I loved seeing the way Evie was able to reach Monty, especially when he kept his two closest friends at arms reach, but within a week she was able to completely get under his skin. Monty was such a sweet, gentle soul under his gruff exterior. I loved seeing him begin to open up to others at the end of the book. Evie was such a sweet lady. Her love and joy just poured out on the pages. I loved seeing the way she cared for her niece and Monty. She just had such a bright and beautiful personality. I loved the forced proximity situation and also how resilient Evie was when faced with challenges.
The twist with the shifters being hunted was interesting, but felt a little underdeveloped for me. There wasn’t any mention in the first half of the book that shifters were being hunted down, so that didn’t resonate with me.
Overall, a very enjoyable book. A super quick read with enjoyable character growth. There is spice in this book and the two main characters have an insta-love romance.
Tropes:
Grumpy X sunshine
Forced proximity
Bear Shifter
Small town
Family and found family
Babysitter next door
Quotes
“Reading is”—he hesitates—“it’s oxygen for my soul.”
“I want to do everything with you, baby.” Especially “ducking” when there’s an F involved.”
Thank you book sirens and Y. Maria for this gifted eARC. These are my honest opinions
November 4, 2025
ARC review
This review is 100% my own thoughts and feelings and haven’t been impacted by the author at all, thank you to the author for this free ARC
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
I absolutely love the fact that the ‘Ducked’ in this book was given by a little girl who saw an unducked jeep and thought it needed a duck 💙 bless her little cotton socks this has got to be the cutest thing.
The emotions were definitely running high by the end of this book when I realised I could never read it again for the first time and have forever been recommending it to my bookish friends since finishing it.
💛grumpy/sunshine
💚bear shifter/paranormal
💜RomCom vibes
🩷small town romance
Our MMC Montgomery is a grumpy, isolated, lonely bear shifter that is quite happy being in his own space, until one little girl named Scarlett decided his jeep needed to be ducked. This then bring me our 2 MC’s together.
Our FMC Evelina, is kind, caring, and protective of the ones she loves. She is currently unemployed taking full time care of her niece while her brother is deployed. When this sassy little lady decides to duck someone’s jeep and they are forced into conversation.
These 2 MC’s compliment each other so well the tension between the 2 is amazing to read plus there is so much growth between the characters, especially from our MMC. The banter between them is absolutely amazing.
The world building and storyline I really enjoyed, everything was perfectly timed for me personally. The twist towards the end, wow I didn’t see that coming but what an amazing change in plot also who dosnt love a bit of spice.
I would 100% recommend this book for a Christmas feel good romance. These characters will steal your heart.
This review is 100% my own thoughts and feelings and haven’t been impacted by the author at all, thank you to the author for this free ARC
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
I absolutely love the fact that the ‘Ducked’ in this book was given by a little girl who saw an unducked jeep and thought it needed a duck 💙 bless her little cotton socks this has got to be the cutest thing.
The emotions were definitely running high by the end of this book when I realised I could never read it again for the first time and have forever been recommending it to my bookish friends since finishing it.
💛grumpy/sunshine
💚bear shifter/paranormal
💜RomCom vibes
🩷small town romance
Our MMC Montgomery is a grumpy, isolated, lonely bear shifter that is quite happy being in his own space, until one little girl named Scarlett decided his jeep needed to be ducked. This then bring me our 2 MC’s together.
Our FMC Evelina, is kind, caring, and protective of the ones she loves. She is currently unemployed taking full time care of her niece while her brother is deployed. When this sassy little lady decides to duck someone’s jeep and they are forced into conversation.
These 2 MC’s compliment each other so well the tension between the 2 is amazing to read plus there is so much growth between the characters, especially from our MMC. The banter between them is absolutely amazing.
The world building and storyline I really enjoyed, everything was perfectly timed for me personally. The twist towards the end, wow I didn’t see that coming but what an amazing change in plot also who dosnt love a bit of spice.
I would 100% recommend this book for a Christmas feel good romance. These characters will steal your heart.
November 7, 2025
Reviewed by Robyn for Saucy Reviews on Kinky Korner
This is your classic grumpy/sunshine trope and it’s such an enjoyable read. Paranormal books are not my usual choice to read, but shifters are definitely in a class of their own, and I occasionally read one for variety. This is my first read by this author and I am so glad I found her.
Grumpy, AKA Montgomery, is a loner who only likes three people in Laurel Forest—the lady at the diner, his neighbour Andy, and Andy’s daughter Scarlett. Oh, and he is a bear shifter as well… of course, living out of town in a secluded cabin near the woods is a must. He is a protective and kind man beneath all his grumpiness.
Sunshine, AKA Evalina, is a veterinarian from Florida who lives her life to the fullest sharing joy along the way. Leaving small rubber ducks to brighten people’s lives makes her happy. While Andy is away for work she is looking after her niece, Scarlett and they have a great time together (Scarlett is a delight who is a schemer or matchmaker 🤣). Evie is creative, festive, loud, fun, and warm-hearted.
The chemistry between Evalina and Montgomery is clear from the beginning but quite alien to grumpy Monty. 😂 These two characters are perfect for each other and I thoroughly enjoyed this cosy read.
*ARC received in exchange for an honest review*
This is your classic grumpy/sunshine trope and it’s such an enjoyable read. Paranormal books are not my usual choice to read, but shifters are definitely in a class of their own, and I occasionally read one for variety. This is my first read by this author and I am so glad I found her.
Grumpy, AKA Montgomery, is a loner who only likes three people in Laurel Forest—the lady at the diner, his neighbour Andy, and Andy’s daughter Scarlett. Oh, and he is a bear shifter as well… of course, living out of town in a secluded cabin near the woods is a must. He is a protective and kind man beneath all his grumpiness.
Sunshine, AKA Evalina, is a veterinarian from Florida who lives her life to the fullest sharing joy along the way. Leaving small rubber ducks to brighten people’s lives makes her happy. While Andy is away for work she is looking after her niece, Scarlett and they have a great time together (Scarlett is a delight who is a schemer or matchmaker 🤣). Evie is creative, festive, loud, fun, and warm-hearted.
The chemistry between Evalina and Montgomery is clear from the beginning but quite alien to grumpy Monty. 😂 These two characters are perfect for each other and I thoroughly enjoyed this cosy read.
*ARC received in exchange for an honest review*
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
December 15, 2025
ᎪᎡᏟ ᎡᎬᏙᏆᎬᏔ ❄️❄️⛄
Thank you @ymariawrites for my early copy of
🅳🆄🅲🅺🅴🅳 🅵🅾🆁 🅲🅷🆁🅸🆂🆃🅼🅰🆂
Coming out November 6th, 2025
Just in time for your holiday reads list!
I normally don't enjoy reading Christmas books because they are usually overly saccharine, and unrealistic.
This book was holiday perfection in my opinion. It was a culmination of everything that makes Christmas special with a dose of shifter magic and spicy moments that weren't cringe. ( I normally gloss over the over the top in your face spice. )
I LOVED this book because it was heartfelt, cozy and was about finding your place, your person, your family in the most unexpected place. I loved how Maria brought real issues into the story, such as abandonment, anxiety, and feelings of being unworthy.
The MMC Monty, is a grizzly grump of a man, but you can see there are layers to him and he is worth rooting for. He's protective and has a tender side to him that needs to be brought out.
Evie, Our MFC loves animals and is actually an out of work veternarian who is just love and sunshine in a bottle. She is feisty, and protective and loves her family and pets with her whole being.
The yearning, the banter, the adorable text messages and some intense, action packed, heart stopping moments all make up one of the most engaging Christmas novels I've read in years. All nestled in Laurel Forrest, a small charming town I hope to read about again.
You need to grab this one, I mean just look at that adorable cover!
❄️ Grumpy x Sunshine
❄️ Shifter
❄️ Forced proximity
❄️ Found Family
❄️ Cute kid and animals
❄️ Slow Burn
❄️ Small town romance ( but make it PNR)
Thank you @ymariawrites for my early copy of
🅳🆄🅲🅺🅴🅳 🅵🅾🆁 🅲🅷🆁🅸🆂🆃🅼🅰🆂
Coming out November 6th, 2025
Just in time for your holiday reads list!
I normally don't enjoy reading Christmas books because they are usually overly saccharine, and unrealistic.
This book was holiday perfection in my opinion. It was a culmination of everything that makes Christmas special with a dose of shifter magic and spicy moments that weren't cringe. ( I normally gloss over the over the top in your face spice. )
I LOVED this book because it was heartfelt, cozy and was about finding your place, your person, your family in the most unexpected place. I loved how Maria brought real issues into the story, such as abandonment, anxiety, and feelings of being unworthy.
The MMC Monty, is a grizzly grump of a man, but you can see there are layers to him and he is worth rooting for. He's protective and has a tender side to him that needs to be brought out.
Evie, Our MFC loves animals and is actually an out of work veternarian who is just love and sunshine in a bottle. She is feisty, and protective and loves her family and pets with her whole being.
The yearning, the banter, the adorable text messages and some intense, action packed, heart stopping moments all make up one of the most engaging Christmas novels I've read in years. All nestled in Laurel Forrest, a small charming town I hope to read about again.
You need to grab this one, I mean just look at that adorable cover!
❄️ Grumpy x Sunshine
❄️ Shifter
❄️ Forced proximity
❄️ Found Family
❄️ Cute kid and animals
❄️ Slow Burn
❄️ Small town romance ( but make it PNR)
October 29, 2025
There are so many wonderful elements to this story, so it greatly disappoints me to say that they did not all quite come together.
I’ll start off with some of the many positives. The first 3 quarters of this book are basically a Hallmark Christmas movie but with a Bear Shifter. Who doesn’t want that? Montgomery is a big, broody cinnamon roll of a man that also happens to shift into a giant black bear. Evie is the perfect storm of chaos that sweeps into his orderly life with her baked goods and Christmas spirit, 9 year old niece and dog named Fish in tow. The dynamic between the four of them is charming and wraps you up like a warm blanket and mug of cocoa.
While I was willing to over look just how easily every obstacle in their relationship path seemed to be crossed, the story takes a hard turn in the third act that I feel was not particularly well done. The details were muddled and the resolution unsatisfactorily explained. It ends up feeling like you briefly changed the channel from Hallmark to an episode of NCIS or Homeland and then back to Hallmark to wrap everything up in a pretty Christmas bow.
It is a shame because I believe this book would have been easily one I could recommend with enthusiasm if it had one more draft to bring some of the third act’s tension and obstacles into the earlier portions of the book and the twist itself was more detailed and explained more satisfactorily.
I am grateful to Y Maria and BookSirens for allowing me the chance to read and review this ARC.
I’ll start off with some of the many positives. The first 3 quarters of this book are basically a Hallmark Christmas movie but with a Bear Shifter. Who doesn’t want that? Montgomery is a big, broody cinnamon roll of a man that also happens to shift into a giant black bear. Evie is the perfect storm of chaos that sweeps into his orderly life with her baked goods and Christmas spirit, 9 year old niece and dog named Fish in tow. The dynamic between the four of them is charming and wraps you up like a warm blanket and mug of cocoa.
While I was willing to over look just how easily every obstacle in their relationship path seemed to be crossed, the story takes a hard turn in the third act that I feel was not particularly well done. The details were muddled and the resolution unsatisfactorily explained. It ends up feeling like you briefly changed the channel from Hallmark to an episode of NCIS or Homeland and then back to Hallmark to wrap everything up in a pretty Christmas bow.
It is a shame because I believe this book would have been easily one I could recommend with enthusiasm if it had one more draft to bring some of the third act’s tension and obstacles into the earlier portions of the book and the twist itself was more detailed and explained more satisfactorily.
I am grateful to Y Maria and BookSirens for allowing me the chance to read and review this ARC.
December 5, 2025
When your meet-cute starts with ducking a stranger’s Jeep and with him eating cinnamon rolls like foreplay, then ending with a nickname for himself and his jeep, you know you’re in for a spicy, snowy delight.
As a devoted bear-shifter girlie (they’ll forever outrank wolves for me), Montgomery absolutely stole my heart with his grumpy-marshmallow energy, while Evalina shines like pure chaotic sunshine.
🐻“Don’t dim yourself, Evie. You’ve always been the good kind of chaos. The right people, the ones who matter, will always love you for it.”
This story is equal parts cozy, hilarious, and heart-squeezingly sweet, so much so that I may never look at cinnamon rolls the same way again (iykyk).
🐻 “He’s better than any rubber duck. He’s my sweet, grumpy bear.”
Their forced-proximity slow burn is equal parts adorable and swoony, sprinkled with just enough danger to let Monty’s protective side roar. Monty never stood a chance once fate, aka a broken heater, shoved them together.
🐻"How the h!ll am I supposed to keep my hands off her when every breath tastes like her and every glance reminds me I want her in my arms?"
Between sassy little Scarlet, chaotic-sweet pup Fish, and charming townfolk (oh, and snuggle tank), this story delivers charm, humor, warmth, and holiday magic in spades. It’s cute, it’s cozy, it’s hilarious, it’s sweet, and it left me smiling the whole way through.
The Vibes:
💫 Holiday Paranormal Romance | Grumpy x Sunshine | Bear Shifter x Veterinarian | Reclusive Mountain Man x Caregiver FMC | Forced Proximity | Small-Town | Found Family | Banter/Humor | Cozy/Seasonal (Christmas Vibes)
Favorite Quote(s):
🐻 "Everyone deserves family. Especially the ones who don’t know how to ask for it.”
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)
Spice: 🔥.5 (1.5/5)
As a devoted bear-shifter girlie (they’ll forever outrank wolves for me), Montgomery absolutely stole my heart with his grumpy-marshmallow energy, while Evalina shines like pure chaotic sunshine.
🐻“Don’t dim yourself, Evie. You’ve always been the good kind of chaos. The right people, the ones who matter, will always love you for it.”
This story is equal parts cozy, hilarious, and heart-squeezingly sweet, so much so that I may never look at cinnamon rolls the same way again (iykyk).
🐻 “He’s better than any rubber duck. He’s my sweet, grumpy bear.”
Their forced-proximity slow burn is equal parts adorable and swoony, sprinkled with just enough danger to let Monty’s protective side roar. Monty never stood a chance once fate, aka a broken heater, shoved them together.
🐻"How the h!ll am I supposed to keep my hands off her when every breath tastes like her and every glance reminds me I want her in my arms?"
Between sassy little Scarlet, chaotic-sweet pup Fish, and charming townfolk (oh, and snuggle tank), this story delivers charm, humor, warmth, and holiday magic in spades. It’s cute, it’s cozy, it’s hilarious, it’s sweet, and it left me smiling the whole way through.
The Vibes:
💫 Holiday Paranormal Romance | Grumpy x Sunshine | Bear Shifter x Veterinarian | Reclusive Mountain Man x Caregiver FMC | Forced Proximity | Small-Town | Found Family | Banter/Humor | Cozy/Seasonal (Christmas Vibes)
Favorite Quote(s):
🐻 "Everyone deserves family. Especially the ones who don’t know how to ask for it.”
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)
Spice: 🔥.5 (1.5/5)
November 4, 2025
I wrote this review for Saucy Reviews on Kinky Korner.
This is your classic grumpy/sunshine trope and it’s such an enjoyable read. Paranormal books are not my usual choice to read, but shifters are definitely in a class of their own, and I occasionally read one for variety. This is my first read by this author and I am so glad I found her.
Grumpy, AKA Montgomery, is a loner who only likes three people in Laurel Forest—the lady at the diner, his neighbour Andy, and Andy’s daughter Scarlett. Oh, and he is a bear shifter as well… of course, living out of town in a secluded cabin near the woods is a must. He is a protective and kind man beneath all his grumpiness.
Sunshine, AKA Evalina, is a veterinarian from Florida who lives her life to the fullest sharing joy along the way. Leaving small rubber ducks to brighten people’s lives makes her happy. While Andy is away for work she is looking after her niece, Scarlett and they have a great time together (Scarlett is a delight who is a schemer or matchmaker 🤣). Evie is creative, festive, loud, fun, and warm-hearted.
The chemistry between Evalina and Montgomery is clear from the beginning but quite alien to grumpy Monty. 😂 These two characters are perfect for each other and I thoroughly enjoyed this cosy read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews