Christmas With The Grizzly: A Fated-Mates Romance

by Ariana Hawkes

A steamy, sparkly snowed-in Christmas romance with a growly grizzly, and all the magic of second chances!

This time of year is hell for a bear like me. The lights, the noise. The darn happy-human celebrations.
Usually, I stay in my beast form and sleep right through—chased by dreams of the one I let get away.
Then her voice cuts through the frozen air.
Scared. Desperate.
Stranded in the snow… calling for a goddamn lost cat?!
Lila.
Five years older. Still stubborn. Still so beautiful she knocks me senseless.
The bond snaps tight and my bear roars to life.
She still doesn’t know what I am.
She doesn’t know why I tore myself away from her.
But the moment we touch, the years collapse, and all I can think about is pulling her into my arms and never letting her go.
And when the blizzard comes, trapping us together in a little log cabin, there’s no hiding anymore.
I might be a grumpy, furry-ass beast, but Lila is mine to protect.
Mine to claim.
And this Christmas, I’ll stop at nothing to make her mine forever.

If you like obsessed, possessive, grizzly-shifter heros, snarky heroines who deserves the world, and enough snowy coziness, found family vibes, and second-chance magic to melt even the coldest winter night, you'll love Holt and Lila's story!

Genres: Novella, Holiday, Paranormal Romance, Contemporary, Romance, Shapeshifters, Paranormal

113 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 4, 2025

About the author

USA Today bestselling author Ariana Hawkes writes spicy romantic stories with lovable characters, plenty of suspense, and a whole lot of laughs. She told her first story at the age of four, and has been writing ever since, for both work and pleasure. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two huskies.

Reviews

[꧁ᙏᗣᙃⱿꙆᗣ꧂ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obsessed Mountain Mates Series :
✅ 1. Snowed In With the Grizzly - 3.5 🐻
𝐉𝐀𝐗𝐓𝐎𝐍 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐀𝐍
✅ 2. Driven Wild By The Grizzly - 4 🐻🐻🐻🐻
𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐉𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐂𝐀
✅ 3. Chosen By The Grizzly - 3.4 🐻
𝐉𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐄
✅ 4. Off-Limits To The Grizzly - 3.6 🐻
𝗭𝗔𝗖𝗛 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗟𝗔𝗜𝗥
✅ 5. Taken Home By The Grizzly - 4 🐻🐻🐻🐻
𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐊 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐙𝐎𝐄
✅ 6. Fated To The Grizzly - 3.7 🐻
𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐓
✅ 7. Sunshine for the Grumpy Grizzly - 4🐻🐻🐻🐻
𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐍 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐔𝐂𝐘
✅ 8 Christmas With The Grizzly - 3.5 🐻
𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐓 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐈𝐋𝐀
❌ 9. ...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CDS4K636

[Lord Meag · Rating 2 out of 5]

so many errors

Ugh! The story line was so cute but it was obvious that this was not really looked through! So many errors…. For one he is naked when he shifts back inside the house then of course when they start getting it on 3 seconds later he’s taking off his clothes…..and the next morning she’s putting them on? Also how r the Christmas lights still working when the power is out? And I also SERIOUSLY doubt that the parrot isn’t yelling shit when they’re banging right I front of it…. Rant over just v disappointed as this could have been great, but not it’s all I’m thinking of. Even more sad because I LOVE this author, her stories are always great short reads.

[PollyAnna Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holt & Lila

I honestly didn't know whether I like the paranormal shape-shifter stories or not. I haven't read very many, if any, over the many years of my reading. I was intrigued when I read the blurb for Christmas With the Grizzly, and I was not disappointed. Holt's desire to protect Lila and the mate-bond that has survived five years and distance between them is beyond romantic! Add in Christmas and it's enough to make a human girl swoon!!!

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

So many errors, he shifts, he’s naked wrapped in a blanket but three minutes later he has to get undressed?

If you need a quick little 2-3 hour break, you like fated mates zero to claimed in 4 pages, this might be just the thing you need to read to survive that train ride?

But I don’t think I can take another 24 year old virgin girl with perfect every thing that is perfect for his hugeness and knows exact how to please him. Instantly

[Christal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lila wanted to get out of the city for Christmas and takes a job pet sitting at a remote cabin. When the cat escapes the cabin, Lila has to face the weather to find the cat. Holt hears Lila calling for the cat and his grizzly knows it's Lila and she is his mate. Holt was afraid to show her his grizzly five years ago but now he has a second chance with his lovely mate and he won't waste that chance. This story has sweet romance, lots of pets and humor with a happy ending.

[Carylle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love forever after

This story tells of a young woman that is in love with guy that she met when she was eighteen and now she has her bear and life was good. I would like to say thank you for all your hard work and may fortune smile 😃on you always 😁from a bookworm that loves to read

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet story

This is the perfect book for those readers who need a shifter fix, but don't have a lot of time for a long novel. The characters are interesting, and it has a bittersweet back story for their past. It's always nice to visit a Bear clan, and meet the family. Trish. A.

[Sara Speck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute quick story

Christmas time story. Snowed in without power. At least the hot neighbor is there to help with the animals.

He broke her by walking away. Can he fix it when he shows back up?

[Ash Summers · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's cute and a great Christmas read. I especially loved the ending. This is the perfect book to pick up on a cold winter's night, bundled up and ready for some fun. It's not serious, it's relatively playful, with a decent backstory. Overall, I enjoyed it.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas with the grizzly

Novella, fated mates, second chance romance, secrets, bear shifter, mountain man, stranded close proximity, rescued, recluse, virgin, visiting hometown after leaving

[Darlena · Rating 5 out of 5]

2nd chances

Cute short story about 2nd chances with a huge grizzly bear and his human mate. And of course a HEA.

[Escapist Romantic · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐️

[Wanda Grier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet short novella!

This book was a good sweet novella filled with long lost love💘 It was family values and closeness. This book is what most romance readers want a HEA.

[Sarah Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

good

Great read highly recommend this book to anyone reading it. Holt and Lila are great. Great book to red kept me wanting more

[Meagan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note to self:
Meagan...stop reading mountain man books. You're not going to get you a mountain man. 😅😅

[BABEMCCASH · Rating 5 out of 5]

fun Read

Hot sex—handsome bear shifter and a virgin together for Christmas in a cabin and a blizzard. What a recipe for success!!

[CATHLEEN D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick read but good

This is a quick read but still very good. She was dog sitting for a friend but then found so much more.

[Cheri Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

It's a very emotional journey and getting a second at love with his soulmate and finally getting a family that is there always

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute

This was a cute and sweet story about mates finding each other in the mountains. It was a nice HEA short story.