Bear and Book

by Fel Fern, Ria Lake

He’s sunshine and cinnamon rolls. His fated mate? A grumpy, reclusive fox shifter.

Leo has always been the easygoing one, Sugarpaw Springs’ golden-retriever bear shifter, quick with a smile and always ready to help. But when a storm sends him to repair a damaged bookstore, he meets Elias, the prickly, older fox shifter who wants nothing to do with him.

Elias has built walls around his heart after a painful past, and the last thing he needs is a younger, overly cheerful bear barging into his sanctuary. Yet fate does not care what he wants. The bond between them crackles stronger with every touch, every glance, every argument that feels far too much like flirting.

When danger from Elias’s old life slinks back into Sugarpaw Springs, Leo refuses to let go. He may be soft around the edges, but when it comes to protecting his fated mate, this bear has claws.

Bear and Book is book 3 of the Sugarpaw Springs series.

217 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 30, 2026

Reviews

[Tris]

2.5 ⭐️

This book has such great potential.

I think the first quarter of the book was done very well. Leo is a sunshine golden retriever bear shifter whilst Elias is the older jaded grumpy fox who is wary of their connection; why would someone so young and full of life want to be tied down to him? He’s been there and done that and got the message.

I think we can see the complications coming right from the start. Like the story is writing itself - If you don’t want to hear from your ex again then block his number? Right? Right?? So yeahhh I think the third act thing was just trying too much to make it happen and just felt unnecessary.

Anyways, looking forward to the next book

[Fiona]

This was another book in the Sugarpaw Springs series, and I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Leo is a young and enthusiastic, bear shifter who has a job to repair a bookstore where Elias, an older Fox shifter who is grumpy, is his fated mate. Elias didn’t want anything to do with him because of some hurts from his past, but eventually he wins him over and they overcome the struggles from his past and go onto have their happily ever after.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[LittleBatsy]

"Golden retriever in bear’s clothing. That’s what he was. All smiles and sunshine and oversized optimism, stomping through my space like he belonged in it."~Elias
Absolutely loved this addition to the Sugarpaw Springs series!!
I admire Leo and his ability to smile and laugh through almost anything even when things get tough. My heart goes out to him for what he had to go through in his pasts but I'm glad he did what he thought was best. He is kind, charming, and knows exactly what he wants.
I admire Elias and the fact that he kept going even after his ex left. He is guarded, stubborn, and really self conscious (which I'm glad Leo is there to help him out with). His ex is a pos and I'm happy things worked out the way they did and the ex left without anyone getting hurt.
I loved the plot of this book!! I love me some grumpy X sunshine with found family (my two favorite tropes!!!). I loved how Leo let Elias know he was there for him and let Elias speak and never pushed for more. And I love how Elias still gave Leo a chance even when he didn't want to get heartbroken again. My favorite part of this book was when they ran together in their shifted forms!!
All in all another 10/10 for this series and I'm eagerly waiting for number 4!!

[Marion]

This is the third book in the Sugarpaw Springs series. Each book features a different couple and this is the story of Leo and Elias. Leo is Sugarpaw Springs’ golden-retriever bear shifter, quick with a smile and always ready to help. When a storm damages the book store, Leo shows up to help fix it. Elias is a prickly older fox shifter who wants nothing to do personally with Leo. He has built walls up around his heart to protect him from being hurt again. Leo may be younger, but he knows exactly what he wants. This is their story. I liked how the bond between them continually grew even if they both weren't ready for it it develop. I enjoyed how Leo respected Elias' boundaries and supported him without taking over. He let Elias set the pace and slowly helped him bring down the walls surrounding his heart. The book is written well and is easy to read. This is a sweet paranormal romance. I look forward to the next book in this series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nicole Deanne Veracruz]

This is the third book in the Sugarpaw series. I swear each book is better than the last, and I have enjoyed all three. Leo is quick with a smile or a laugh, but it hides his soft heart that longs for a mate he fears he will never have. When he volunteered to help repair damage to businesses hit by a storm, he never imagined walking into the Cozy bookstore and meeting his grumpy mate. Elias would have preferred to clean up his bookstore on his own, but the damage was so extensive that he knew he needed help. To his further annoyance, the bear who showed up was sunshine and optimism and so very attractive. He wanted nothing to do with him, even though his fox knew that was his true mate. But he was not looking; he still wore the emotional scars from his last relationship. Just when he is giving in to Leo and building something worth fighting for, Jason returns and tries to destroy everything Elias had built for himself.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tasha]

Bear and Book by Fel Fern and Ria Lake is such a fun, cozy addition to the Sugarpaw Springs series! I loved the grumpy fox and sunshine bear pairing, and Leo and Elias had wonderful chemistry. Their personalities were complete opposites, which made their interactions both entertaining and heartwarming. The small-town setting, bookstore atmosphere, shifter romance, and fated-mates storyline all came together beautifully. I especially enjoyed watching Elias slowly let down his walls while Leo's warmth and patience brought out a softer side of him. There’s plenty of romance, emotional depth, and just enough suspense to keep the story moving. Fel Fern and Ria Lake have created another sweet paranormal romance that felt comforting while still giving the characters meaningful obstacles to overcome. Overall, Bear and Book was a charming, feel-good read with plenty of heart.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[P Leslie]

A sweet fated mates story! Can a sweet , bouncing ray of sunshine, bring light into a grumpy foxes life?

Leo was more than up for the challenge and I absolutely adored him. His personality just shined out of him and Elias could only resist for so long.

A great addition to the series!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Debbie Benson]

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. I liked Leo and was glad he found love with Elias. They appreciated each other as they are. I'm glad Elias finally was able to tell his ex that he wanted nothing to do with him.

[Margaret]

Great story

I am really loving this series. This time we get Leo’s story. These two were so good for each other and I really enjoyed how patient Leo was. I can’t wait for the next story.