My den left me out in the cold as a cub, hoping I’d never return. That didn’t work out too well for them.
As the firstborn son of the most powerful Alpha our den has ever known, I should’ve had everything. Respect. Protection. A future. Instead, my stepfather tosses me out into the freezing cold, left to face the elements before my first shift, and leaves me there to die.
My polar bear refuses to give up, pushing my shift early and saving my life. He keeps me alive. Keeps me fighting. Helps me find safety in the embrace of a small wolf pack.
While the den forgets me, I prepare. I study business management, train in mixed martial arts, and learn to survive among humans. I wait for the right time to return and take back what’s mine.
When I hear about a human scientist coming north to tag and track polar bears and examine why we settled so far away from most of our kind, my timeline shifts. It doesn’t matter if I’m ready or not, my den doesn’t understand how dangerous humans can be. Despite my past, protecting them is my duty… even if they never wanted me.
I don’t expect the scientist to be a hot nerd with a heart filled with kindness and a true desire to help wildlife. And I certainly don’t expect my bear to scent him as mine.
Now I have to find a way to save my kind without losing the one person fate put on this planet just for me.
Out Cold is the first book in the highly anticipated new MM Mpreg bears shifter romance series Bramble Woods by the best-selling writing duo, Colbie Dunbar and Lorelei M. Hart. Out Cold features an alpha polar bear destined for power, the family who betrayed him, a human omega attempting to help the bears he’d always been drawn to in the least helpful way possible, true love, fated mates, forbidden lovers, discovering that not all villains are easy to spot, found family, and unusual alliance, an adorable baby, and a guaranteed happy ever after. If you love your alphas hawt, your omegas strong, and your mpreg with heart, download your copy today.
Lorelei M. Hart is the cowriting team of USA Today Bestselling Authors Kate Richards and Ever Coming. Friends for years, the duo decided to come together and write one of their favorite guilty pleasures: Mpreg.
Out Cold is the first book in the ‘Bramble Woods series. It stars Asher, an Alpha Polar Bear shifter, and Weston, a human omega. This is told in first person from Asher and Weston’s pov.
I liked the plot of this story. Asher was left for dead as a cub but rescued by a wolf shifter and raised in their pack. Weston has always had an affinity for polar bears and has grown to become a scientist. He’s learned of polar bears at a town and travels there to study them. Unfortunately, he’s not prepared for what he finds.
This is a very quick instant lust with mating on Weston’s part even though he doesn’t know that is what he did. Asher has to deal with the half mating and protecting Weston from Asher’s old bear pack that he hasn’t had contact with since he was left for dead.
I would have liked it if Asher’s life with the wolf pack had more detail since they were instrumental in his survival. Instead, little was mentioned about it. There was mention of Weston being a virgin before he mated with Asher, but that was an irrelevant point and didn’t need to be included since it had no importance to the plot. Even after all the mpreg books I’ve read, I still think it’s odd that almost none of the omegas care if they’re knocked up right away with the probability that the Alpha will leave. A story can be mpreg, but what about responsible mpreg?
Asher and Weston seemed to suit each other, but only because they were mates, even though Weston didn’t know it at the time.
Overall, Out Cold was a fast read. I liked the plot and the characters. The background of Asher could have been more fleshed out. The story felt like it should’ve been longer. I give this book 3 Stars.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
He was abandoned by his own, but love brought him home.
Asher was abandoned by his own people and left to die as a child. Growing up in a wolf pack far from the den that rejected him, he built a life on survival and the strength of his bond with his polar bear. But when a human scientist arrives to study polar bears, Asher’s world tilts when his bear scents Weston as his fated mate.
Weston is a compassionate scientist. His research brings him closer to a mystery, and to Asher, an enigmatic man who makes him feel things he never expected. But Asher holds secrets, and Weston has no idea what’s at stake. As their connection deepens, so does the tension between Asher’s responsibilities to his past and his future with Weston.
Torn between love and duty, Asher’s journey is one of painful self-discovery and the healing power of trust. Weston’s quiet strength challenges everything Asher once believed about himself. In a world of shifters and humans, they must fight to protect what they’ve found in each other.
Asher is hardened by his abandonment but gradually opens up to Weston, embracing his role as a mate and father. Weston’s connection with Asher shifts his priorities, making him question everything he once believed. Their bond strengthens, blending intense chemistry with emotional intimacy that allows them to confront their pasts and build a future together. Despite their initial hesitations, Asher and Weston’s love evolves into a profound, unbreakable bond, grounded in vulnerability and trust.
A fated mates MM romance between a polar bear shifter and the human scientist he never expected to fall for. It's about survival, self-discovery, and the healing power of love after years of abandonment and betrayal. Together, they face their darkest fears and deepest truths, finding home in each other and rebuilding their lives.
The Elevator Pitch: Abandoned by his own people, a polar bear shifter has spent his life surviving on his own terms, but everything changes when a human scientist arrives in the north. As their worlds collide, an undeniable bond forms between them, one that forces them both to confront hidden truths and unspoken fears. What begins as an unexpected connection becomes a battle to protect love, trust, and identity in a world that refuses to let them forget their pasts.
4.5 stars I enjoyed the first book in the new series Bramble Woods. Asher is a polar bear shifter, he almost drowned when he was 6 and was rescued and raised by wolves (yes, there’s a story there). He is now 26 and has gone to the small town of Bramble Woods to find out more about a scientist coming to study polar bears living so far south of their normal habitat. Will this be a problem for the den? As the firstborn son of the polar bear Alpha, (even though he hasn’t lived in the den for years), he feels it is his responsibility to protect the den if he can.
Weston is human, has been obsessed with polar bears since the age of 4, and he plans to dedicate his life as a scientist to making them safer, more protected, and with better lives, once he figures out why they have been living so far away from their normal habitat. He has no idea there are such things as shifters, polar bears or otherwise.
The minute Asher arrives in Bramble Woods, he scents his mate — and of course, it’s Weston. After an initial meeting where Asher rescues him from negative townsfolk, Asher and Weston immediately hook up (those mate feelings, you know), and Weston bites Asher. Torn between the mate drive versus not feeling he should reciprocate without Weston knowing who and what he is, Asher sneaks out, leaving Weston to wonder what happened.
Both do communicate, but the big polar bear reveal comes in an unexpected way, the mating bond is completed (it’s a romance, gotta happen) and baby is on the way to complete the family. Weston gets to do his research and Asher is able to help Weston fit in, as well as be a bridge between humans and the more secretive polar bear den and wolf pack.
The story is engaging, Asher and Weston are relatable, and the attitude of the shifter groups is understandable, given the little contact they have with humans. We will hopefully see Asher and Weston in future books set in Bramble Woods as Asher facilitates better communication and interactions between all inhabitants. An entertaining beginning to a new series, short and easy to read, with a satisfying conclusion.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Weston has always felt an affinity with polar bears. His entire life has been spent preparing to study them in the wild and help put conservation measures in place to protect the majestic animals. He finally gets his chance when he receives the funds he needs to start a study in the small town of Bramble Woods. When he arrives ahead of his research team to set up the study, he feels rejected by many in the town but doesn't understand why. Bramble Woods is unique in that polar bears should not live in the region but do, so it's the perfect opportunity for him and his coworkers to understand why the bears are there.
Asher, driven from his polar bear den as a child, has been raised by the neighboring wolf pack. He has remained hidden from his birth pack, but when he hears of a research team coming to town to study the bears, he knows he must protect the bear den. What he doesn't expect is that the human scientist is his mate.
Asher and Weston tumble into bed together, but Asher's anxiety turns to panic as he tries to figure out what to do - he's torn between the wolves and the bears and now he has a human mate that both groups believe is out to disrupt their ways of life.
As the romance between Asher and Weston develops, danger from the duplicitous bear den omega as well as distrust from the wolves and other bears draws danger to the couple. Both Asher and Weston will have to adjust their perceptions of the other to make a long-term bond work. Both are committed to finding a way to their happily ever after.
Asher, while a bit distrustful and anxiety-ridden at the outset, learns his place in the world and how to open up to his mate. Weston is introduced to a world he never knew existed and embraces it fully. Both of these men are willing to work for what they want and are truly good and caring souls.
Four stars for this omegaverse romance.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Fierce revenge, fated mates, and a polar bear who refuses to die
Out Cold by Colbie Dunbar is a powerful start to this shifter series—packed with betrayal, survival, and a fiercely protective alpha who earns every bit of his HEA.
Asher’s backstory is brutal. Cast out as a cub by his own den and left to freeze before his first shift? The pain and anger shape everything about him. But instead of breaking, he hardens. His early shift, triggered by pure will to survive, is such a strong moment—it sets the tone for who he becomes.
I loved the found family element with the small wolf pack. Watching Asher build himself up—studying business, training in MMA, preparing to reclaim what’s his—adds depth beyond typical shifter drama. He’s not just muscle and dominance; he’s strategic.
Then there’s Weston.
The human scientist could’ve been a simple obstacle, but instead he’s thoughtful, kind, and genuinely passionate about protecting wildlife—even if his methods create tension. The fated mate bond between a powerful polar bear alpha and a “hot nerd” omega works beautifully. Weston isn’t weak—he’s compassionate and brave in his own way.
The push-pull between protecting the den that betrayed him and protecting the mate fate chose for him creates strong emotional stakes. Add in den politics, hidden villains, unusual alliances, and a sweet baby payoff, and this novella delivers a lot in a short space.
If you love wounded alphas, strong omegas, mpreg with heart, and shifter romance full of redemption and found family, Out Cold absolutely hits the mark.
Out Cold, the first book in Yet another new series from these amazing authors, the Bramble Woods series. I loved the opening backstory that immediately pulls at your heart and into the book.
Asher, cast out as a cub by a cruel stepfather and left to die before his first shift, survives only because his polar bear forces an early transformation. From there, his journey is shaped by resilience, building strength, education and alliances while waiting for the day he can reclaim his place. Despite everything, he remains empathetic and fiercely protective of the very den that abandoned him.
Enter Weston, a human scientist devoted to polar bear conservation. He arrives in the north determined to help, only to find himself unexpectedly drawn to the very alpha shifter he’s technically there to study. Their connection feels natural and sincere, built on shared compassion rather than instant drama. The complication of Asher being exactly what Weston is researching adds a meaningful layer of tension.
The story weaves together betrayal, found family, redemption and environmental themes, all wrapped in a fated mates, mpreg framework. Watching Asher move toward a future defined by love rather than rejection is deeply satisfying.
Plenty of emotional, protectiveness and heartwarming, this is a strong start to a new shifter series with plenty of bite and plenty of heart. Looking forward to more.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Polar Bear shifter Asher has not lived with his den since he was six years old and his stepfather left him for dead. Adopted by a wolf clan he's been happy but always felt that something, more than just being part of a den, was missing.
Weston is a student, a researcher, a scientist and has had, since about the age of six, an obsession with polar bears. Now he wants to get a grant, funding to help him head up north and do some research, research that will protect these beautiful animals.
Weston is surprised by the town he finds himself in and by the welcome he is given, particularly by Asher. Something doesn't seem quite right and yet when he is with Asher, a man he has known for only minutes, everything seems right. Asher might have his bear telling him Weston is theirs but Weston only has a strong draw to go on. Can the pair of them overcome those differences, find common ground, understand one another and the hopes, dreams they have for the bears, and help others understand too?
With strong themes of environmentalism, protection for wild animals, and of course fated mates insta-love, this is a wonderful read. I was hooked and fascinated, wanting to know so much more and loving the way the story arc developed. This is a very promising start to a brand new and very different shifter series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I was so hooked by what Asher went through as a young cub, I had to make sure he got a well deserved HEA! He was a gentle and empathetic soul, even when young. Weston, a human, was obsessed with polar bears from a young age and devoted his life to making sure they were treated compassionately and fairly. These two are perfect for eachother! When Weston goes to the area populated by the bears he wants to study, he meets Asher and gets slightly sidetracked - oops!😉🥰 There's still the hurdle of Asher being a shifter - the very shifter type Weston plans to study - standing between them. Of all the ways to reveal himself, Asher never imagined this one!! This story touches on several sensitive topics: family dynamics with step parents, found families, and facing mistakes and regrets to name a few. It was easy to get invested in this couple and be rooting for them. I was all in for Asher to get a HEA from the start- however he wants it to look. My only issue was that I would have liked to see his dad step up a bit more. Oh well, it was still a moving and heartwarming story.
I was gifted a copy of this book and voluntarily provided this review. Happy Reading Y'all 📚
This is the first book in the Bramble Woods series and I really enjoyed it. This is the story of Asher and Weston Morris. Asher is an alpha polar bear who has spent most of his life with a neighboring wolf pack after his step father attempted to kill him when he was six years old. Winston is an omega scientist who has been fascinated by polar bears from the first time he saw one in the zoo. His life long polar bear stuffie, Bear-Bear reminds him daily of his fight to protect polar bears. When he finds an anomaly of polar bears being sighted in Bramble Woods, he needs to investigate to ensure that they are not hurt. The two meet in Bramble Woods. This is their story. The book is written well and is easy to read. I ached for what Asher endured as a child and am happy that he finally has the love and happiness in his life that he deserves. Winston is also happy as he now has his own personal polar bear with him everyday. I enjoyed this book and look forward to the next book in the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Although I like the storyline, I wish the book had been longer so it didn't feel so rushed to get everything in. Asher was a polar bear shifter cub when his stepfather tried to eliminate him. His Polar Bear shifted early to save him from drowning, but ultimately it was a wolf shifter who rescued him and took him back to his pack to be raised. If the book had been longer, it would have been nice to know more about the person that rescued him besides the fact that he passed away. It also would have been nice to know more about his Alpha father. Weston is a human Omega scientist who loves polar bears. His best friend Stevenson's Uncle Frank offers to fund his research and how to help the polar bears in a small town. That is where he meets Asher, his mate. I have questions about Uncle Frank. He said his brother was with a shifter, and we know that Zach is from a mixed relationship. Is it possible that he is related to Uncle Frank?.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really enjoyed the story of Western who is a human omega, but also is a scientist and has a fascination towards polar bears. he hears of polar bears being near a town called Bramble Woods, where a den of holiday shifters live away from humans, but real polar bears feel safe around them. Asher is an alpha polar bear shifter, who’s stepfather, tried to off him when he was six years old, but was rescued by a wolf shifter who took him to his pack and raised him as a son. When Asher learns about scientists who have come to town to study the polar bears. Little does he know that when he meets Western, he learns that he is his fated mate. A lot that happens in the story where their lives are in danger but eventually Asher is able to save the day and his mate and go onto have a baby girl and live happily ever after.
I was given an advanced copy of this book to read and I am reviewing with my honest and fair opinion.
'Out Cold features an alpha polar bear destined for power, the family who betrayed him, a human omega attempting to help the bears he’d always been drawn to in the least helpful way possible, true love, fated mates, forbidden lovers, discovering that not all villains are easy to spot, found family, and unusual alliance, an adorable baby, and a guaranteed happy ever after. If you love your alphas hawt, your omegas strong, and your mpreg with heart, download your copy today.'
The characters were so very appealing and likeable and complicated and perfectly steamy together. Plot was intriguing and exciting and well paced. World building was excellent and solidly drawn. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.
Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
"How many animals had I passed over the years that went home and lived a boring human life most of the time?"
This is book one in a new series, Bramble Woods, by Colbie Dunbar and the writing duo of Lorelei M Hart. When I saw this one pop-up on Booksprout I grabbed it up. I love these authors and always enjoy reading their stories.
What a great start to a new bear shifter series. It had a little bit of everything packed into this 126 page story. Book 2 will be out in June and I can't wait. I'm hoping to find out more about the missing brother of Weston's research investor Frank.
Fated mates, human/shifter, a lifelong obsession with polar bears, it started with a trip to the zoo and a stuffie, inexperienced, raised by wolves, an abhorrent stepfather, kidnapping, mpreg
Weston has devoted his life to studying and protecting polar bears, so when he secures funding to research an unusual population in Bramble Woods, it feels like a dream come true, despite the town’s chilly reception. What he doesn’t know is that Asher, a polar bear shifter raised by wolves, is determined to protect his hidden den from the incoming scientists. Their unexpected mate bond complicates everything, leaving Asher torn between two packs and a human who challenges everything he thought he knew. As danger and distrust close in, both men must confront their fears and choose love if they want a future together.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I loved the story and characters. Weston was so cute from the beginning with his polar bear stuffie. His love for polar bears was unmatched. Even with him wanting to study them he wanted to study them to help them not keep them captive. Asher made me cry in the beginning. He just wanted to be love and even with what happened he still cared for his former den as an adult. Weston and Asher where the perfect match in helping start bridge the gap between humans and shifters. Honestly I was happy that Asher had a happy ending. Only thing I wished that was added was more about Asher's time as a cub being part of a wolf pack. I was also left wondering where was Kipp's child if he indeed was pregnant years ago.
Exciting! Asher, is a polar bear who has had the most challenging start in life and was saved by an early shift by his bear. He is taken into a wolf den and nurtured. As an adult, when he hears a human scientist is researching polar bears. Jumping into protective mode, Asher vows to protect his old den who basically threw him away. Weston, as a scientist has always loved everything bear. He wants to learn and protect bears. He is unaware of the shifter community, so faces challenges in gathering information. When his life is threatened, Asher steps up to rescue him ready to confront all challenges. Nice start to series, sweet flow, nice cover art. Well done! I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.
What a great start to a new series! I love the small town of Bramble Woods. Having both a pack and a den to deal with isn’t easy. But our heroes will make it work. Asher and Westen are drawn to each other from the time they first see each other. Their attraction is as immediate as it is inevitable. I was drawn into their story from the first pages. It just wouldn't let me go! I could see everything so clearly, like I was there. Is there violence? Yes, shifters after all. And the sex... whew! Keep your fan handy! Of course, there is a birth to remember. HEA is assured. You have got to get this book! I loved it! You will, too.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Honestly, Lorelai and Colbie never disappoint. This has a really interesting backstory for the shifter half of the mpreg couple, too. Asher is a polar bear shifter who was abandoned by his stepfather and left for dead, but survived by an early shift. He meets Weston, a scientist looking to study the polar bears in an unusual area - yes, that is Weston's former den. They have an instant (fated mates) connection but Weston is human and has no idea the polar bears he's so fascinated by are shifters. There is a lot of angst and a lot of sweetness and heat in this story and I am so glad Asher's horrid stepfather gets the fate he deserves.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This story was pretty fast paced with low stakes (which is pretty standard for this writing duo) so I got what I was expecting out of it. Asher and Weston were cute together, though they did the fated mates insta-lust thing so most of the getting to know each other wasn't really covered (there was a pretty good time skip from finding out about the pregnancy to giving birth). If you're in the mood for something feel good with a fluffy story that somehow doesn't get angsty even though it felt like it should, this is worth checking out.
***I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.***
New series and I'm excited for it. I love shifter romances and this one started with so much promise. I love Weston love of the polar bears and the coincidence that he is ultimately fated to one. This is a novella and normally I don't feel like the stories be rushed....much...but this one I felt was rushed and the great romance this could have been fell just a little flat. Too much was going on at one time. I still enjoyed Weston and Asher love story but I was kind of disappointed how rush their journey was. I hoping the next book i will not feel the same and enjoy it more.
I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Out Cold is the first book in the Bramble Woods series. This is the story of Asher an alpha polar bear and Weston a human omega. I loved this book so much. I wanted to take andhug Asher for what he went through as a child. This book captured me from the beginning. The characters and world building are done so well but I would expect nothing else from Colbie Dunbar and Lorelei M. Hart. The plot kept the story interesting and I wanted to see how it would end. I can't wait for the next book in the series. I would definitely recommend this book. received a free review copy
Asher and Weston story was sweet with a bit of danger and adrenaline, as well as a little heartache thanks to a little misunderstanding and a bit of panic. It had some interesting concepts, a polar bear and a human pairing, a traumatic past, and a blooming love that has some challenges ahead. After the little mishaps I really liked their communication, the trust they developed, the changes in their lives, and the bundle of joy that made them complete. I liked the story, and I’m hoping to see more of the characters.
It was not good that Asher was treated so poorly by his pack. But Asher is a good guy and he tries to help when he hears a human scientist is coming to study them. Weston travels to study why there are certain animals present where science says they should not be. Turns out that he is traveling to where he will meet his mate. Weston and Asher are fated. This first book in the series was a good one and I am looking forward to what comes next.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Out Cold is the first book in the Bramble Woods series by Colbie Dunbar and Lorelei M. Hart. Weston has always loved polar bears. When he gets a chance to study them, he hurries down to Bramble Woods. Asher, disowned by his pack, finds himself in a pickle when he must protect the pack that disowned him and navigate his relationship with the mate he never expected to find.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I cannot resist alpha/omega series by this writing duo. They write fated fluffy goodness with guys you want all the good things for. Asher our polar bear was left to fend for himself. I had so much respect for him because despite it all he still cared for the pack that rejected him. I adored his nerdy human mate, Weston!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. I liked how things worked out for Weston and Asher thanks to a benefactor. The truth of Asher's separation from his den came out and was dealt with. Weston proves to be a perfect mate. I liked that Weston marked Asher first. Asher is reunited with his father and den but his love for Weston still comes first.
Out Cold is the first book in the new Bramble Woods series. This is a fated mates read about polar bear shifter Asher and human Weston. I really enjoyed this story and the wonderful characters, other than the evil stepdad of course. Another wonderful series by these two authors, I can't wait for the next one.
Asher's, a polar shifter, stepfather tried to drown him when he was six, but he was saved when his polar bear shifted early. He was raised in the pack of the wolf shifter who found him. Weston, a human, cares about polar bear so he comes to town to study them. Asher and Weston meet and Asher knows their mates and he has to figure out a way to tell Weston. I really enjoyed this book.
Weston didn't know that he was being called by his mate when he decided to venture out for science!! Asher was ready and waiting on him. This was such a good story!! Hope Stevenson finds his mate too!!
I really enjoyed this story. This is the first book in a new series that looks to be very interesting. These characters were wonderful and I really enjoyed the small pushes that fate gave them. I can’t wait for the next book.