Hard muscled bear, Marine Jack Enright has returned from his top secret undercover mission in Uzbekistan just too late. After years of absence, his mate believes him dead. Can he track lush bodied Hannah down before she shares her buxom delights with some other bear?
Bearshifter Hannah Metcalfe is tired of pining for her long-gone fated mate. If she can’t forget her sexy bad-boy, she can still have a romp with some other shifter and make the babies she longs for.
But ruthless mob soldiers tracking a fortune in heroin and guns are on Jack’s trail. And there is suddenly far more at stake than two wounded hearts.
Is Jack Marine enough to protect his pregnant fated mate? And can Hannah trust her inner bear when it tells her to forgive Jack’s lies? Or will a life-time of doubting her own beauty, cause her to lose her chance to be loved by this red-hot bear?
Heads up: BBW meets passionate and insatiable bear in this novella. If hot and hungry coupling and shifter mating battles aren’t what you crave, this book will offend. Opt for something tamer to satisfy your needs. Book One in the Bear Fursuits series, this novella has a HEA with no cliffhangers, and can be read alone.
Isadora Montrose writes steamy paranormal romance about shifters of all stripes. Her books transport you to exotic locales and give you a little break from the commonplace. Her alpha male heroes are swept off their feet by strong-minded, feisty, curvy women. There’s a mini-vacation in every story.
Join her as dragons, bears, phoenixes and others romp through her feel-good romantic comedies in quest of their fated mates. Passion, adventure, humor and sizzling action await you.
Thank goodness this was free on Amazon. The story was like a draft outline with no character development and the smexy scenes were almost embarrassingly cheesy.
There is so much wrong in this little book that I almost admire the tenacity of the writer in packing so much bad into something this short. Amazon declares that this book “can be read alone.” There’s even a note to readers telling us that the book can be read alone and not to worry about the asterisks that appear after some of the characters – they simply indicate those characters who have appeared in other books. BIG QUESTION: Why are these characters even in this book and why is it important to know that they already have books written about them?
The book opens with something called a “Sexy Sneak Preview.” Why? This preview is composed of four pages lifted from the book. We’re treated to someone named Hannah wandering upstream in search of fish resting under a log. Okay. She ambles around. She finds her way back to her cabin and is proud of herself for this accomplishment. Again…okay. She meets a big ol’ male bear, so we can assume Hannah is a bear shifter. She’s not interested in this male and another takes his place. Apparently, she’s interested in this one because he tells her he’s there to claim his mate. And that’s the preview. It’s a confusing bit of fluff. No context. No introduction. No telling one player from another.
Chapter 1 opens in “October, three years earlier…” So, we’re in the past. Hannah Metcalfe is at a bar waiting for someone named Charlie, perhaps her date. It turns out Charlie is a girlfriend who has stood her up, so Hannah is alone in a strange bar on her birthday and is picked up by a large giant of a man who becomes our hero, Jack Enright. There is the obligatory self-denigration where Hannah “could tell herself a million times that she was big and beautiful but inside she still felt just plain fat.” Why does the writer do this to her heroine? Size doesn’t matter. Really. What matters is the female lead’s character, moral compass, sense of self. But this is the first of many, many references to our heroine’s large size. A few paragraphs later and the writer tells us about Hannah’s “plump fingers.” Why? It’s enough to tell us that Jack did not release Hannah’s fingers when they shook hands; the plumpness of her fingers is neither here nor there.
After the characters met, and wine was ordered, the writer lost a great opportunity to explore the behavior of fine wine in a glass, comparing its behavior to seduction itself. The writer tells us, “[Hannah] swirled the wine and looked at the legs trickling down the sides.” These legs form on the inside of a wine glass and indicate a higher alcohol content and…rich texture, full body. Tell me this could not have been worked into something luscious and seductive and erotic. While legs do not establish the quality of a wine—just the alcohol content—it does suggest some fine comparisons to sensual pleasures. Yum…
Again, we’re treated to Hannah’s large size. And again…why? She’s big. She’s beautiful. Nothing else matters. Hannah’s large size is not explored in this book, but it is referenced often for no purpose or reason. It quickly gets old. If there were a purpose behind bringing up Hannah’s size every few pages, then that might be acceptable, but it feels gratuitous.
Chapter 2 begins “November, three years earlier…” So…Hannah and Jack have made it through their first month together. It would have been nice to see how that had happened, but this is a very short book, and their relationship is relegated to background material. If November is any indication of how their month together has gone, it isn’t good. Jack lies to Hannah about his disappearances, and she knows it. Hannah asks Jack to find another line of work. Wait…what? We don’t know what his career is. She doesn’t either. We don’t know what’s gone on during their first month together, but apparently, Hannah feels comfy enough to ask him to change careers. Sure seems autocratic and bossy, though, without context. We can see a pattern in their association: she gets annoyed, catches him lying, doesn’t know what he does for a living, and he takes her mind off everything with mind-blowing sex. Okay. Jack leaves for another “tour” (hint, hint), and the chapter ends.
Chapter 3 begins “Last June,” so presumably two-and-a-half years have passed. Jack is in western Uzbekistan, having infiltrated a Russian mafia operation involving guns and drugs. So, now we know what Hannah does not. He’s injured and his bear will be the only way he can survive his wounds. The chapter ends with him hiding from the Russians.
Chapter 4, and subsequent chapters, apparently pick up in current time. Hannah has moved on and appears to be settled and happy. She’s bought a “1930s Craftsman style house” that fits her, and she’s made new friends whom she loves. Hannah has had her first shift (two years earlier) and she has been adopted into a small bear family that has embraced her. Again, it would have been so good to see how Hannah handled Jack being gone without any communication from him, and to see how she recovered from someone she thought would be in her life for a long, long time. But no, their relationship is just background material. Hannah decides to look for a bear of her own and elects to attend Sanctuary which we can ascertain is a mating ground for female bear shifters in heat.
In subsequent chapters we discover that Jack made it back from Uzbekistan. He’s a Marine, not a mercenary, and his treatment upon his return is improbable and insulting. The writer tells us, “No one was glad to see him [Jack]. No one wanted to hear his report. He had been treated more like a fu**ing terrorist than a returning hero.” This is hogwash. Marines do not treat their soldiers like this. Politicians might, but the Marine Corps, never. Shame on the writer. Yes, it was a ploy that moved the story along, but it is wrong and offensive to Marines—indeed soldiers—everywhere.
Jack has been in the U.S. for six weeks and hasn’t contacted Hannah nor his family. The writer tells us he wasn’t permitted to contact anyone during that time. Grrrr. I call B.S. on that. Again, it’s not the way the Marine Corps treats soldiers…double shame on the writer.
The remaining chapters get sillier and sillier. Hannah goes off to her Sanctuary and we discover this is where the “Sexy Sneak Preview” came from. The rest of the book has Jack turning into a man-bear who must have his way and if Hannah doesn’t agree, he sexes her into submission. Jack’s family removes her from her adopted family—whom she loves—and when she objects, Jack sexes her into submission. Hannah is literally kidnapped by Jack’s family, removed from the home she loved, and moved into a cabin on Enright land. When she starts to protest, Jack sexes her into submission. Get the pattern?
The book doesn’t end. The writer just stops writing. It’s not exactly a cliffhanger, although close enough. Here’s the ending paragraph after Jack tells Hannah “Let’s go,” presumably to their cabin: “Hannah kept her seat and worked on her food thoughtfully. Let’s go? Looked like she was going to earn the ring. Time to stand your ground, woman. She held up her mug. ‘I’d like some more coffee first.’”
Are they going to the cabin assigned to them? Jack has given her an expensive jeweled ring. What is she going to have to do to earn it? What does Hannah mean by telling herself to stand her ground? What is she going to do? We’ve learned over and over again that Jack will simply sex her into submission to his will. She’s had countless opportunities to stand her ground and say “no” to any number of offences and indignations, but she allows herself to fall into sex and go with the flow. The book ends as it began, with confusion and uncertain behaviors.
I rated this book zero stars and rounded up to 1-star. When I finished it, I sat, shaking my head. Thank goodness it was a short read; any longer and it would have gone onto my “DNF” spreadsheet. I disliked so much in this book: Hannah’s self-denigrating, the writer’s treatment of a Marine hero, the abuse Hannah accepted at the hands of Jack’s family—kidnapping is not good; it’s evil. I got tired of Hannah being sexed into submission; anytime she disagreed, or was about to disagree, Jack took over and sexed her up so she’d shut up. Yikes. No more books like these for me. I like bears. I like paranormal shifters. But the combination here is deadly dull and pitiful.
4 Star Review This was a great first book in a Paranormal Romance series with Bear Shifters. The world building was really well done, and good story of a military man, who leaves his mate to deal with a whole new world alone, after claiming her.
Hannah is looking for something permanent in her life when she met Jack but he was gone a lot due to his military career. But they are mates, when he disappears for two years can she make it.
Loved this book about Hannah who is a bear shifter but doesn’t know it yet and Jack who is a bear shifter they find each other while Hannah is waiting for her friend to celebrate her birthday said friend doesn’t turn up but ends up taking Jack home. Through their short time together Jack disappears for days and doesn’t really give an explanation then he goes and doesn’t come back until nearly 3 years have past. Jack who is a marine is sent on an undercover mission that goes wrong and he can’t escape until the tables are turned and he gets away. Hannah meets Jack again after he has found her but then disappears again but she is then pulled into his family as she is bearing his cub he needs to apologise to both Hannah and his family and win Hannah’s heart and trust back. Bad People from his mission turn up and he has to protect Hannah and his family. If you love shifters this is the book for you.
BEAR NECESSITIES is the first book in the Bear Fursuits series.
It was good. It was a bit smutty and stalkery (not in the truest sense). Then there was a happily ever after, but I felt like the romance was missing from this paranormal romance. This world isn’t the same as the shifter worlds in so many other books and maybe we needed more word-building to understand those differences.
I did enjoy the smexy meeting and the extended families are worth exploring in future stories.
Title: BEAR NECESSITIES Series: Bear Fursuits #1 Category /Genre: Paranormal Romance Recommended for: 18+ due to sexual content Grammar/editing: B – a few small errors Received from: Amazon purchase
Fantastic plot! Loved how real the military life is portrayed, top secret, can't tell anyone, not even your mate. Through many twists and turns, danger, secrects, misunderstandings, drama, and misconceptions, they still manage to get it right. Loved the close family, the acceptance of friends and families helps pull them together. It is a wonderful lovestory, with all the problems that military families have to face daily! A job well done.
Story has a lot of jumping around from present to past , which would have been fine if they actually line up. They do not. The dates are off. Also, there were too many characters involved and none of them were developed well, including the leads. A lot of them were also not necessary to the story. I understand this is the first in a series but that doesn't have to mean introducing everyone all at one time.
A wonderful book and a great story. I loved this book. It was well written and a little different. This is the first Isadora Montrose book I can remember reading but it will not be my last. If your looking for a great read this one is it. I would encourage everyone to get this one. I feel this one is worth your time and effort. I love shifter stories and this one is a good one!
A cute bear shifter romance about a Marine and an orphan who does not even know she is a bear shifter.
Story keeps your interest, has some adventure and bad guys, and lots of family feelings. The lady bear has figured out that she is a shifter and gained an adopted family when the marine returns from an extended operation and goes looking for her, his mate.
I read the entire book and felt the story was pretty good, but the book seemed lacking in emotion! Even the action scenes felt flat, I felt no anxiety when he was in trouble and I know that if my guy was the same, he'd be gone. Others may enjoy it, just not my cup of tea.
Hannah poor thing doesn’t think much of herself but when she meets Jack he thinks she is amazing but then he leaves and she doesn’t see him for three years. Thinking she was abandoned she meets some women who help her see who she really is but Jack her mate is gone so she doesn’t know what to do with herself. Very quick story happy ending
This was a pretty good story about a bear shifter and his mate! The descriptions of the people involved made a lot of sense for people who shift into Bears, and the families are great. I found the description of sex a bit odd, but it was still a good story.
Another wonderful series start. A full story with action, adventure, mates, and romance. I am glad the next books are already published, so I don't have to wait to read them!
Great read. Lots going on. Mystery, lust, pain and love. Such an interesting family. I just love the characters and the fact it named the other books so you knew who went where
Mated and fated. What happens when you meet your mate but fate sends you in opposite directions? Mixed emotions and signals complicated matters of the heart that needed to be mended. Our hero is steadfast, strong, and ready to protect his mate.
I enjoyed this book and it's a great read. My only complaint is that I wasn't thrilled with the ending, it would have been great to have a little more of Jack and Hannah's life together.
He's fines his mate but he is on a mission and he'll have to leave soon at least he mated her. She was meeting her friend at a bar but she was stood up and the man she was looking at came over and ask to join her, they enjoyed dinner with drinks.
Hannah meet jack at a bar after her friend charlie stands her up for her birthday dinner. Jack want undercover for a long time hannah is going into heat and goes to sanctuary to find a mate. Jack finds hannah at sancutary hannah is upset to find him at sancutary after more then 2 year absent in her life. After hannah gets pregent by jack she figures he left her 2 years earlier so she thinks he will be a bad father and she prepares to leave and raise her child or childern alone. Jacks on a hunt to find his mate now.hannah is kidnapped by jacks family to be brought to jack. Jack is now courting Hannah while she stays with jacks parents. While on a picnic jack spots 2 men from when he was undercover these men are bad and out too get jack. Jack wants to protect his family and mate jack and his family get the bad guys. Please read Bear Necessities to see if jack can final wine and dine Hannah. Will Jack and Hannah get there happily ever after or will Hannah go back to her clan and leave jack behind. This is a great book to read please enjoy it
Hannah is supposed to meet her friend at a bar to celebrate her birthday. Jack Enright saves her from a man who is too insistant. When her friends cancels, Hannah and Jack spend the evening together. Jack knows Hannah is his mate and he mates her without telling. He is then called away from Hannah by his job and promises he will be back in a few weeks. Three years later he finally makes it back to the United States to rejoin his mate. Hannah had no clue that he had mated her. She was brought up in foster care and had no clue she was shifter. Luckily she meets a bear family who helps her when she suddenly shifts. She really miss Jack but knows she must move on. She decides to go on the mate hunt hoping to find a new mate. Imagine her surprise when she is followed there by Jack. Hannah is still very angry at Jack but is still super attracted to him. Can she forgive Jack and get over her anger? I loved the characters in this book! I read this story in the Bear fursuit box set.