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Step Brother Bear

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Her step-brother is an animal, and she is his prey.

Isabella has always hated her unruly step-brother, Derek. Luckily for her, he spent most of their lonely upbringings at a boarding school for troubled kids. Now that she’s an adult and back in her childhood home, she hates the tattooed, moody man even more. Mostly because he’s right next door, set on making her life miserable and behaving like a literal animal. Things get even worse when her mom and step-dad leave town and task her to care for the beast and his newly acquired gunshot wounds. Their close quarters reveal heated secrets with monstrous consequences. There’s more to Derek than meets the eye, leaving Isabella to excavate terrifying and confusing feelings.

Can she see past the claws, or will she decide the two are just entirely different species?

219 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 20, 2026

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About the author

G.M. Fairy

17 books683 followers
G.M. FAIRY is a #1 best-selling, romance author who dabbles in Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and all things whimsical. She's best known for Get In My Swamp and Pounded by Produce. Her specialty is taking the stories we all know and love and ruining them in the best way possible.

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5 stars
114 (31%)
4 stars
148 (40%)
3 stars
77 (21%)
2 stars
22 (6%)
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5 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 186 reviews
Profile Image for cat (slow).
322 reviews117 followers
Review of advance copy
June 5, 2026
well… this was certainly different

if you’re into paranormal romance and don’t mind a little (okay a lot of) taboo, this is a super quick and easy read. the whole dynamic basically boils down to “he’s mean to you because he likes you.”

Derek and Isabella had a surprising amount of chemistry, and even though the stepbrother aspect definitely pushes the taboo factor, their banter and tension kept things entertaining.

And yes… there is a washing machine scene. ironic really for the stepbro theme. I actually had to put my face in my hands for a second. But considering the title, cover, and general vibe of the book, i probably shouldn’t have been surprised.

Overall, i had fun with this one. it’s not a book i took very seriously, but it was easy to fly through, gave me a few laughs, and kept me entertained from start to finish. if you’re looking for something short, weird, steamy, and unapologetically over-the-top, this might be worth checking out.

things to know about the book ↓

🐻 bear shifter
🐻 paranormal
🐻 stepbrother
🐻 taboo
🐻 forced proximity
🐻 mates
🐻 single POV (hers)

spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
→ chapters: 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 20
swearing: yes

Thank you Luna Literary, publisher & author for this arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

─────────
・❥・⁀➷ 🐻💋𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕

what was i thinking when i requested this...
giving you full permission to judge me rn
Profile Image for EmJustReading.
45 reviews5 followers
June 22, 2026
Obviously this is a taboo relationship, so it’s important to accept that going into this!

There was a TV show about step siblings that had chemistry (which the dedication seems to nod at) and funny enough that show is why I liked the name Derek, and ALSO why I wanted to read this book.

This was a very quick read, and I was so captivated I read it in one day. The desire between the two was clear, but honestly I wish the “fun” scenes would’ve been more dragged out. It seemed like a lot of work to be done within a page or two.

The ending really made me smile. I liked the teasing about how the relationship’s title changed, and it was very ironic how things worked out for the ex-boyfriend, as well as the best friend (I did predict that outcome lol)

I received this as an ARC

Profile Image for Britt.
655 reviews73 followers
June 20, 2026
G.M. Fairy brought together monster romance and the step sibling trope and I could not have been more excited to read this one!!

Let’s start with that cover. Ummmm, can I be held lovingly yet manhandled by a bear shifter?!? Where would I meet said bear shifter as a daughter of a couple still married (thanks a lot guys…)? Gorgeous and deserving of all your attention without a word even noted yet, that’s what the cover is.

I appreciated watching Isabella come around to her stepbrother, in both forms. As someone who had also dealt with less than stellar treatment from her blood parent, I loved watching her fight to keep him safe from his father when stuff started taking a dark path.

I felt so bad for Derek. He was basically not allowed his mate for so many years, he was abused by his father, and he was obviously highly distressed worrying about Isabella, especially around his shifted form. I loved how he finally got his HEA 😊

I love how these two fought their sexual tension, often stopping mid hookup when they came to their “right minds”. But when they finally gave in and just let everything happen? AMAZING!! I love the step sibling trope and the fuck it moment so much!!

Thank you to G.M. Fairy and Luna Literary for the eARC! The thoughts and opinions expressed above are honest and my own.
Profile Image for thebookish.dragon.
321 reviews35 followers
June 23, 2026
Format: 📱
Spice: 🥵🌶️


This was my first G.M. Fairy book, and I was so nervous to start. Step Brother Bear was everything I was hoping for in a spicy taboo novella - fast pacing, the spice was spicing, and just a dash of monster romance (my current obsession thanks to CM Nascosta)!

We have enemies (step-enemies?) to lovers, forbidden attraction (what are you doing, step bro?? 😅), bear shifter, alpha aggression, fated mates, and a sort of second chance romance.

This may have been my first G.M. Fairy story, but it won’t be my last. I’m looking at Scream For Me as my next foray 😏



I received this eARC from Luna Literary Management and author G.M. Fairy as an opportunity to read and give my honest review.
Profile Image for kelsie.
536 reviews29 followers
June 25, 2026
i, too, do the darndest things if someone tells me i won’t

this was bad but i will say the storyline did kind of surprise me
Profile Image for Lynn_G.
1,209 reviews28 followers
June 7, 2026
Returning to a parent’s home at twenty-three after a breakup is never easy, but Isabella’s ordeal is made even more humiliating when she must share a wall with her brooding, hostile-to-her stepbrother, who also happens to be a tatted, hulking hunk of a man who tormented her all through middle and high school. He’s careless about the volume at which his preferred self-gratification videos are played, and he sends her mixed signals all. the. time. When her ex shows up charming the (almost literal) pants off her mother and stepfather, her stepbrother goes from contemptuous to unbearable, pun intended.

Recovering from a GSW, Derek’s already a growly ball of irritability, but when Isabella comes to stay, her presence is like gasoline on his barely contained pyre of desire and rage at the impossibility of their situation. A father who tried and failed to beat his ursine nature out of him, and a grasping stepmother who’s embarrassed by him at best have made for a rocky convalescence, and they continue to try to pit him and Isabella against each other even as his inner voice screams at him that she’s his mate.

I am a big fan of GM Fairy’s writing, the humor and the drama alike. While this was a good read, there were a couple of things which if expounded upon would’ve made for a great read. As an example, the interactions between Isabella and Derek especially in the first third of the book were basically them telling each other “F@€k you”, not really in a sexy way, just a juvenile way for a couple of twenty-something’s. Additionally I would’ve liked to know more about Derek’s father’s relationship with his birth mother, why he hated his son so much, especially.

Fans of shifter and bully romances will enjoy this one. Be sure to read the TWs if you are a sensitive reader; not all the characters survive this one, btw. (The MCs do!)

I was graciously furnished an advance reader copy from the author, and I’m sharing my honest review.
Profile Image for Emma Bookish 📚.
171 reviews6 followers
June 7, 2026
This book follows Isabella and her Life With Derek, her stepbrother who’s also a bear shifter. The entire book can basically be summed up as Derek being a jerk and jerking off or talking about jerking off. And I enjoyed every moment!!

Derek put into words a character type I’ve always loved but never knew how to describe: “I was and am eager for any attention you’ll give me, even if it’s negative.” Give me every MMC who is so obsessed with his woman that he’ll gladly accept her irritation, annoyance, and outright hatred as long as she’s paying attention to him. The man is starving for crumbs and somehow it’s the hottest thing imaginable.

Isabella’s life is turned upside down. Losing her relationship and her job, forcing her to move back in with her mom and stepdad. Not realizing that Derek is also staying there in their childhood home. They spent years hating each other or apart, so sharing a house again should be a disaster. Instead, it becomes something neither of them saw coming. Aka them both cumming several times.

Thank Luna Literacy and G.M. Fairy for the opportunity to be an arc reader!
Profile Image for Paige Ottaway.
164 reviews4 followers
June 12, 2026
This is hilarious and brilliant, I can’t decide what parts funnier; the fact it’s her step brother or the fact he’s also a bear shifter. This is of course absolute fire as I would expect from a GM Fairy book and the plot is a damn good time. Our FMC Isabella is gorgeous, I think I actually fell for her rather than our moody, bear shifter MMC Derek. I actually found the use of a knot bloody hot 🥵 (which is not usually my thing) highly recommend this to anyone who wants a fun smutty time ❤️
Profile Image for Mandy Robitaille .
2,348 reviews27 followers
June 28, 2026
4.5 🌟 this was so good. Love when the line between love and hate is so thin, plus the step-siblings, plus he's a bear shifter! Ate this up!
Profile Image for Sarah-Louise.
221 reviews
June 20, 2026
I'd like to start by thanking the author and Luna Literary for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions shared are my own.

This was fun, fast paced and everything I have come to know and love from G.M.Fairy's writing! Forced to return to her childhood home, Isabella is lost after losing her job and being dumped but she uses this as motivation to push herself to find something new and leave the home she doesn't feel right in. However, her stepbrother Derek is home and keeps making her existence feel even worse than it is. Throughout the story we explore the love/hate relationship between them and swoon at the tension that exists as they both figure out what exactly it is they feel for the other.

The spice in this book is insane, it feels primal and passionate, they really do just want to devour each other in those moments and feel everything good in the world from one another. I am actually obsessed because Derek was everything that Isabella needed and didn't know she wanted, and I was ready to hunt down my own bear shifter. Especially as bear related moments occur, that added to the experience... ALSO KNOTTING MY BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE!!! WE GOT KNOTTING AND I LOVED IT!

Overall this was a great read, and I highly recommend picking it up if you get the chance and want something fun and a little different!

What to expect:
🐻 Step Siblings
🐻 Enemies to Lovers
🐻 Knotting
🐻 Forced Proximity
🐻 Bear Shifter
🐻 Touch Her and Die
🐻 Plus Size FMC
🐻 Masked spicy scene

Quotes:
🐻 "I'm dangling by a fucking thread. I'm trying my best to drown you out, but goddamit, you make it near impossible."
🐻 "It doesn't matter if you're an animal. Even if you become more feral every day, I want to be with you."
🐻 "Eyes on me. I want to watch as you fall apart, remember it whenever I see that prick."
🐻 "We've both been dealt a shit hand when it comes to examples of love, but we have each other to rewire our brains and show what real love looks like."
🐻 "Be a good girl, shut up, and let me fuck and knot you until you forget I'm your stepbrother."
🐻 "Why do you hate me so much?" "Not because I hated you. I wanted to see if you'd get jealous." "Why?" "I was and am eager for any attention you'll give me, even if it's negative."
Profile Image for Meredith.
606 reviews6 followers
June 20, 2026
Love, love, love GM Fairy’s writing! So I knew going in and I would be happy. And I was right!

This was so much fun of a stepbrother romance, starring Isabella - a young adult FMC who returns home after losing her job and her boyfriend in NYC to live with her narcissistic mother and stepfather. And her stepbrother Derek is there, recovering from a gunshot wound. They’ve always hated each other… but maybe they didn’t? Maybe it was masking attraction all along?

Also, he’s a bear.

This isn’t a spoiler. It’s in the title. You should have known.

This is spicy, sometimes violent (because BEAR and things happen, ok), often absurd and always fun. Single POV, and Isabella’s voice is perfect. A bit of snark, a lot of righteous disgust with her “parenting influencer” mother and Lewis, her ex. And really so much fun! It’s fast paced and you’ll enjoy it. Trust me.

Perfect for both fans of taboo romance who haven’t yet ventured into the world of knots and for experienced shifter readers!

Thanks so much to Luna Literary and the author for the review copy.
Profile Image for Maddie.
160 reviews6 followers
June 22, 2026
4.5 ⭐️’s!!

GM Fairy delivers again!! I can confidently share that Derek & Isabella will be rent free in my mind for the foreseeable future. The plot is deliciously messy and the taboo nature made it all the more intense. And their connection? Hotter than a sizzling pan of Chili’s fajitas. HIGHLY recommend!!

SBB has definitely hit my top 3 GM Fairy stories!! And the extra .5⭐️ is for an incredibly satisfying ending!!

Check out Step Brother Bear if you like:

❤️‍🔥 forbidden love
🐻 shifter with knotting
❤️‍🔥 SPICY AFFFF
🐻 Phil Collin’s Brother Bear Soundtrack
❤️‍🔥 taboo romance
🐻 secret hookups
Profile Image for Katie Welder .
169 reviews4 followers
June 20, 2026
Her Step-brother is a beast...

Isabella is almost at her lowest. Having to move back home, jobless and single. And just when she thinks it can't get any worse...her pain in the butt stepbrother is also there. Little does she know where it leads....

This was such a quick, fun, and spicy read. Poor Derek really was pining forever. So much grump and you just wanna cuddle him. Don't worry Isabella takes care of that for us.

Things got INTENSE! I'm just gonna let you find that out on your own. Definitely a perfect little pallet cleanser that leaves you satisfied.
12 reviews
June 20, 2026
Thank you for the ARC.

Once again, G.M. Fairy has managed to positively delight me with her newest book, Step Brother Bear.

Isabella is having a terrible time; her boyfriend left her, she lost her job, and now she has to move back in with her mum and stepdad. Worst of all, her stepbrother Derek is there too, and he's a freaking bear...shifter.

G.M. Fairy has worked a fantastic plot into such a short book. The tension between the MCs is incredibly hot, and the steamy scenes are incredibly knotty ;) I adored the pair of them instantly, and we can all agree their parents are the worst.

The ending was adorable, as I have come to expect from G.M. Fairy after reading half of her available body of work. Highly recommend this to anyone who wants a smutty read with depth and relatable characters.

Also the Goldilocks reference made me cackle.
Profile Image for Chloe (BrunetteBibliophile).
396 reviews89 followers
June 21, 2026
*Thank you to the author for providing me with a digital ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Overall, this is not my favorite book from G.M. Fairy, but I do want to continue to see what other crazy retellings we get in the future. She does remain an author I go to for so wacky books, like this one.

I was not a big fan of the characters. It was as if one moment they were enemies and the next they were having sex without ever talking over the conflicts. I also didn’t feel like we got enough explanation about the shifter plot.

It kept me entertained enough, therefore it is a 3 star read for me.
237 reviews15 followers
June 29, 2026
“I’ve never experienced anything as glorious. If I survive this, I fear I’ll become addicted.”

Hehehe this was a really hot time. I loved how their tension absolutely exploded! Definitely a really fun and spicy read! I laughed out loud multiple times and then got to explain EVERYTHING to my innocent hubby.
Profile Image for alexis.
224 reviews5 followers
July 2, 2026
This was so much fun. I love a little taboo and then mix in some paranormal shifter fun in there and I am having a great time. Its a quick easy read with amazing spice, I wish there was more in the end about how the ended up etc but overall a fun, quick paranormal romance
Profile Image for Sam.
354 reviews35 followers
June 21, 2026
Kinda mad at my parents for staying happily married. A stepbrother shifter sounds fun.
Profile Image for Amanda.
369 reviews7 followers
June 22, 2026
Shifters, fated mates, enemies to lovers, taboo, some gore, some spice... it had a little bit of everything all wrapped up in a quick and fun little read!
Profile Image for eli.
169 reviews15 followers
July 2, 2026
oh how i didn't want to give nor expect to give this book five stars but, I cannot remember the last time I had this much FUN with a book, absolutely adored it.
Profile Image for Britney Jean | JeanInTheHeatOfBooks.
326 reviews10 followers
June 30, 2026
The tension between the two main characters is impossible to ignore in this one. Step siblings with true enemies to lovers vibes plus it’s short and sweet.

- Touch her & die
- Taboo
- Shifter romance
- Knotting
- Enemies to lovers
Profile Image for Zahra (Bookish_Platypus).
306 reviews18 followers
June 29, 2026
I love a trope where both adult step siblings have to return home!

I was definitely endeared to both of the main characters. I felt bad that Isabella's mom was so awful and inconsiderate to her but Derek's dad was somehow even worse.
There was definitely some trauma bonding going on!

This was such a short, fun, and spicy taboo read with some monster/shifter mixed in. I had a blast with it!


Thank you to the author and Luna Literary for the ARC.
Profile Image for Ariday Books.
339 reviews87 followers
June 15, 2026
My God!! 🥵 We started strong. For a moment, when he challenged her, I thought she wasn’t actually going to do it… but this girl was definitely not shy 😂

Okay, okay, being serious for a second, this book was really entertaining and fast-paced (which is perfect for me). The author doesn’t over-explain things that are already perfectly clear through the narration 👌🏽. There was one chapter where I almost DNF’d because the author made me think he was with another woman in his room, but then in the very next paragraph, it turned out to be just an adult movie 😂 I laughed at myself and kept reading like nothing happened. I’m so glad I did because it only got better :)

———
Thank you so much, Luna Literary, for the ARC 💗

Tropes:
🐻 Shifter romance
🚫 Forbidden romance
🌾 Small town
🪢 Forced proximity (knotting)
💌 He falls first

Isabella 🍯:
After breaking up with her long-term boyfriend, Isa is forced to move back in with her parents, whom she absolutely can’t stand. She’s desperate to find a new job so she can leave her hometown as quickly as possible. Especially when she has to sleep in the room right next to her stepbrother’s 🙈

Derek 🐻:
Growing up as a bear shifter in a family that never really wanted him was incredibly lonely. He was constantly sent away, and whenever he was home, he could barely control himself around Isa 😳

Story 📝:
When Isa returns home after years away, she thinks her stepbrother has finally matured and will stop making her life miserable. She couldn’t have been more wrong because now that their bedrooms are right next to each other, he won’t stop blasting loud music and making way too much noise with his nighttime activities 🫣😳. She tries to stay away from him until their parents leave them alone for a few days… and things get way too hot 🔥

Safety Warnings ⚠️:

* Possessive MMC
* Knotting 🪢
* Celibacy? No, but after they reunite, neither of them is involved with anyone else.
* OW drama: Her ex comes back wanting to win her over, and she considers giving him another chance before realizing she’s being foolish. Also, a guy at a bar asks her to dance, and she accepts.
* OM drama: Not exactly, but one of her former friends reveals that she hooked up with the stepbrother years ago because he wanted to make Isa jealous.
* Separation? Only for a few hours.
* Happy ending? Yes.


Español💌;

My god!! 🥵 empezamos fuerte. Por un momento, cuando el la retó pensé que no lo iba hacer perooo esta chica no fue nada tímida xd
Bueno bueno, hablando enserio, el libro está bastante entretenido y va a paso rápido (perfecto para mi) la autora no sobre explica cosas que quedan perfectamente claras con su narración 👌🏽. Hubo un capítulo que casi lo abandono porque la autora de hizo creer que el estaba con una mujer en su habitación pero luego en el siguiente párrafo resultó que era solo una película para adultos 😂 hahaha me reí de mi misma y luego seguí como sin nada y que bueno que lo hice porque se puso mejor:)

———
Thank you so much Luna Literary for the ARC💗

Tropes:
🐻 shifter romance
🚫romance prohibido
🌾small town
🪢proximidad forzada (nudo)
💌he falls first

Isabella 🍯:
Después de terminar con su novio de años Isa se ve obligada a volver a vivir con sus padres a los cuales detesta. Está desesperada por conseguir un nuevo trabajo para salir de su pueblo de más rápido posible y más cuando tiene que dormir en el cuarto de a lado al de su hermanastro 🙈

Derek🐻:
Creciendo como un cambiaforma oso en una familia que no lo quería para nada fue bastante solitario para él. Lo enviaban todo el tiempo lejos y cada vez que estaba en casa apenas y se podía controlar cerca de Isa😳

Historia 📝:
Luego de que Isa volviera a casa después de años, pensó que su hermanastro ya había madurado y dejaría de hacerle la vida imposible. Pensó mal porque ahora que tienen la habitación una a lado de la otra , el no deja de poner música muy fuerte y hacer demasiado ruido con sus actividades nocturnas 🫪😳. Trata de mantenerse alejada de él hasta que sus padres los dejan solos unos días y todo se pone demasiado hot🔥

Safety warnings⚠️:
-mmc posesivo
-nudo 🪢
-célibes? no, pero después de que ambos se volven a ver ninguno está con nadie
-drama OH (otro hombre) el ex de ella vuelve para recuperarla y ella piensa en darle una oportunidad, al final se da cuenta que está siendo tonta, also un chico en un bar la invita a bailar y ella acepta

-drama OM (otra mujer) no como tal pero la ex amiga de ella comenta que se metió con el hermanastro hace años porque el quería darle celos a ella

-separación? unas horas
-final feliz ? Si
Profile Image for Martina.
68 reviews
Review of advance copy
June 10, 2026
This book was... something else. And, sadly, I don't mean that in a good way. I had high hopes for this book, the premise was fascinating, but it did not deliver the way I hoped it would.

Their entire "enemies to lovers" trope dynamic actually boils down to "he's a dick to her because he's in love with her and has no self control." I felt like the main characters had very little chemistry, and their banter was more cringey than hot.

Of course, I always expect the plot in a novella to be fast-paced, but any kind of natural relationship progress was basically nonexistent in this story. One moment they're barking at each other, Derek is bullying and mocking Isabella, and Isabella is suffering from nightmares of Derek almost drowning her when they were young, the next he's groping her against her will while she clearly tells him to stop, but apparently that's hot now. And, don't get me wrong, I enjoy cnc when it's written well, but you can't forget the "consensual" part of consensual non-nonsent.

I knew I was going to rate this book low when I noticed myself finding the borderline abusive and neglectful parents more rational than our main characters. "God, I love him, Mom!" No, you do not, you hated him just two weeks ago, and he's been bullying you your entire adolescence.

"Derek, last week I didn't even know what I wanted, but now I do. All I want is a life with you." Isabella is so incredibly naive and childish, it's almost annoying. She barely knows what she wants, but she knows it's not living in the small town near her stepbrother, so of course her happily ever after is in a small town with her stepbrother!

Derek is a chapter all on his own. First, he makes Isabella suffer in numerous ways, then he forces himself onto her several times because "he can feel she likes it," and then he pushes her away because he's "not good enough for her." Well, duh, he's not. Not like her ex is any better, but still.

The only actually tolerable character is Chrishell, even though through Isabella's POV we are forced to see her as a slutty bitch, who's been a horrible friend to Isabella. "Chrishell wasn't always a great friend to me, but she was still a friend." She had her faults, but Isabella dropped her like a hot potato the moment she got a chance to better her life, and then expected her to crawl back the moment Isabella came back to town.

All in all, the writing was fine, but I don't think I'll be reading more from this author. Thank you to Luna Literary and the author for the eARC of this book.
Profile Image for TheBookishGothGirl.
166 reviews30 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
June 9, 2026
4.75 STARS
3.5 CHILLIES

This is dark, spicy, taboo shifter romance so please read the content warnings first.

Ok so I was introduced to GM's writing earlier this year when I read Scream For Me and now I can't stay away. GM Fairy writes monsters so well, there is tension, darkness, yearning and a lot of spicy spice.

The story centres around Isabella, our curvy FMC, after her life in New York is turned upside-down she returns to her childhood home, little does she know her annoying stepbrother Derek is home after recently being on the receiving end of a gun.

I found it quite easy to identify with Isabella's character, she seems a bit lost after losing her dream job and being dumped but she is also strong willed and determined not to let things get to her (especially her overbearing bitch of a mother that wants to change everything about her to maintain her own reputation).

I loved the way she interacts with Derek, the love hate relationship between them made for some great tension and exploration of confusing feelings.

Derek is your typical hottie bad boy, tall, dark and covered in tattoos. He is trying so hard to piss Isabella off even though that's the complete opposite of what he really wants. There were times where I wanted to slap him for being so hot and cold but then other times I just wanted to hug him and tell him it would be ok.

Their horrible parents only bring them closer together and that forms the unbreakable bond when it comes to the truth about Derek.

Now the spice, holy mother of demons, the animalistic passion, the dominance and the praise that comes from Derek is just delicious. The way Isabella just can't control her thoughts around Derek makes it all the more sexy to read. And, of course, the taboo that they are step-siblings adds a whole other layer of naughty.

Overall, a great read, devoured it (was actually annoyed I had to put it down to sleep lol)

If you love shifter romances with a difference, this is definitely the book for you.
7 reviews
June 23, 2026
Title: Step Brother Bear
Author: G.M. Fairy

Summary:
When Isabella’s mother marries into a family she barely knows, the last thing she expects is to find herself sharing a home with Derek — her new stepbrother. The attraction between them is immediate, intense, and impossible to ignore, but Derek is hiding a secret that everyone around them seems to know except Isabella. As tensions rise and emotions spiral out of control, Isabella finds herself caught between family expectations, undeniable chemistry, and a truth that could change everything she thought she knew about Derek.

Tropes:
- Stepbrother Romance
- Bear Shifter Romance
- Forbidden Romance
- Paranormal Romance
- Secret Shifter Identity
- Fated Mates
- Protective Hero
- Possessive MMC
- Fast Burn Romance
- Forced Proximity
- Family Secrets
- Small-Town Paranormal Vibes
- Instalove Chemistry

Personal Thoughts:
Step Brother Bear was a quick, addictive read that packed a surprising amount of tension and passion into a short page count. The fast pace kept the story moving while allowing the chemistry between Isabella and Derek to feel intense from the start. Watching the secrets unravel while Isabella tried to make sense of everything added an extra layer of anticipation to the romance. If you're looking for a fast, steamy paranormal read with plenty of tension and shifter drama, this one delivers.

#StepBrotherBear #GMFairy #BearShifterRomance #ShifterRomance #ParanormalRomance #FatedMates #ForbiddenRomance #StepbrotherRomance #ProtectiveHero #PossessiveHero #FastBurnRomance #SpicyBooks #SteamyRomance #ParanormalBooks #RomanceReaders #Bookstagram #RomanceBookstagram #KindleUnlimited #IndieRomanc
Profile Image for M Blair.
90 reviews
June 7, 2026
🐻 Review of Advanced Readers Copy from Luna Literary 🐻

You may be wondering, is this a worthwhile read? And to that I will ask YOU, are you a baddie who loves a monster/shifter romance? If your answer is yes, then baby this is for you 🤎let’s get into it!

Our girl Isabella is coming off of losing her dream job, long standing boyfriend, her place to live and all of her friends when she has to suck it up and move back in with her Mother & Step Father. You could say she’s up shits creek without a paddle… and the journey up the creek gets worse when she realizes that she’s not the only one who is crashing at the parents place. So is her step brother Derek, basically her arch nemesis of 11 years.

I have to say that I was wondering how close the MCs would be in this book, that’s a major determining factor on if I’ll be down to continue the story. This passed that factor with flying colours when we find out that the MCs weren’t close growing up and weren’t around each other very much at all because of the MMC being in boarding school.

As I said before, if you aren’t into paranormal/monster/shifter romances then this won’t be your vibe (and that’s okay pookie!!) buuuut if you are, keep an open mind and see if this is for you! This a quick moving story & plot but didn’t feel overly rushed. As a monster gworl myself, I really enjoyed the touch of universal shifter things (i.e; pack tings, knitting, etc.) I really enjoyed the read and look forward to reading more from GM 🫶🏻

🌶️ Be sure to understand that this is a taboo story and it is a SPICY vibe, if you aren’t comfortable with open door romance this is KNOT (hahaha that funny here I promise) for you.
Profile Image for Reece Andriese.
70 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy received from Author
June 10, 2026
Step brother bear
He’s a bear shifter and she’s his step sister. Yes I know oh dear the sound of that is insane but it works!!! It just does.
Isabella and Derrick are hardly
Even step siblings they did t grow up with one another.
Both Derrick and Isabella were isolated in their own ways, practically worlds apart only connected by two absolutely selfish people who didn’t act like parents but only portrayed them selfs as an ideal blended family! Ew!! But okay.
Isabella is a smart, sweet, beautiful voluptuous woman who is trying to find her way in life with a few bumps along the way. She has to go back home and sense where she is back under the same roof as her step Bro!
Derrick is a man who has a secret about him and can never live it aloud. He is healing from an injury and trying to get his life back to the norm. He finds himself under the same roof as his step sister.
They are both struggling with their living situation but there is something of a magnetic pull between them both and they find themselves divining one another for who they really are and understand that this is more then what is has always been.
They have a chemistry that is unexplained and they fall into it they can’t help themselves. They were meant to be regardless the step situation for that he’s a bear shifter.
I have to admit this was a different type of read for me but I loved it for sure. And oh boy there will be moments you will blush and giggle they forward ness is just to much but oh so good.
⭐️4 stars
🌶️ 3 the spice was spicy
💜 3 my own personal rating they way they absolutely love and except each other.
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