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Sweetwater Brides #1

Big Bear Problems

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Not everything's sweet in Sweetwater...

Jennifer Howell's been through enough crap to last her a good long while. A cheating fiancee and a depressing job in her past, she's more than ready to make a new future in the little town of Sweetwater, Wyoming. When she bought the house, curvy Jen never expected to inherit a whole lot of trouble along with it, though. Having looked for love in all the wrong places, she's used to getting burned. But this time, she won't play nice anymore... Not with her heart, or with her home!

Ethan Grimpaw is not exactly looking for love, but when he lays his eyes on Jen, he knows she must be sent straight by fate. The Alpha of the local werebear clan, he has his hands full with more rivaling wolf drama than he can easily gnaw through, while all he wants is to have his hands on Jen. But he knows he has to play it smart... Not only for his own sake, but for Jen's as well.

Thrust in the middle of a shifter conflict, can Jen learn to love the man she so desperately wants or will the sharp jaws of reality rip her happiness to shreds?

182 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 31, 2015

59 people are currently reading
187 people want to read

About the author

Anya Nowlan

110 books871 followers

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5 stars
136 (42%)
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85 (26%)
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72 (22%)
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20 (6%)
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4 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
Profile Image for Ivy Deluca.
2,383 reviews330 followers
July 11, 2016
description
-Picked it up as a freebie which was nice. Also, fairly quick read, so not a big time investment.

-Setup was standard with the obligatory cheating fiance (banging her BFF, of course) and she runs off to Wyoming, where she meets werebear who is instantly intrigued. Cue to the danger, then the mating and along the way romance happens.

-The part that has potential is the conflict between the bears and the wolves, and there’s some information given about their history. However, it could have been developed more, and I would have loved to have seen some time devoted to worldbuilding, or at least making the villain a bit more than just a cartoon. There’s hints of background, but no real depth.

-The connection can be instant in a shifter romance, but I need more time spent on actual dialogue. Ethan and Jennifer’s relationship is fairly silent at first, with brief conversations, and alot of inner monologues. There’s even a line about the comfortable silence between them, which doesn’t help convey much to the reader. I’d rather be shown their chemistry and connection, rather than told in past tense.


description
Meh. I’m always a sucker for a BBW heroine, so I went into this with hopes of discovering a new series to devour. It just fell a bit shy of the mark. There’s potential, but needs more work on the dialogue and flow of the story to keep my interest.

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Profile Image for Hollie.
1,680 reviews
November 12, 2015
When I started this book, I think for the first half of it I kept thinking..........have I already read this one??? It just felt like a ton of other books I've come across. Pretty cliché throughout and not one I would recommend. It had no depth at all. I never felt any connection to the characters or the storyline. Glad it was offered as a kindleunlimited though.
Profile Image for DebbieReadsBooks.
2,769 reviews50 followers
November 8, 2015
Independent reviewer for Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock, I was gifted my copy of this book.

Jennifer's day went from finding her fiancée in bed with her "best friend" to losing her job when the firm relocates. She upped and moved to Wyoming and bought a property that put her bang in the middle of a turf war. Ethan is the leader of the local bear clan that Jen's property previously belonged to. She commissions him to do some work on the property. Ethan then finds himself fighting not only for his territory but also for his mate.

Short and sweet, cute and sexy!

A perfect bathtub, lunch break, hang over cure. Just what you need after a heavy book.

I like these types of books, short and sexy, they are my go-to books for a quick, not too complicated, or taxing on the brain sort of books, and they rarely disappoint!

I loved that Jen decided to go for it with Ethan, that he didn't push. Loved that she took Ethan AND his bear in stride.

Is this a new series? I'd like to think so, I do love the bear shifters!

I would also like, at some point, to read a longer, more in depth book by this author. I'm not knocking these short ones, but I would like to see what she can do with more pages.

4 stars

**same worded review will appear on Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com**
Profile Image for Jamoz23.
5,354 reviews46 followers
August 18, 2023
Simple and easy book that I grabbed as a free read.
Likeable main characters.
Plot was as expected from blurb.
Some tension and problems between the bears and the wolves which is obviously going to continue throughout the series.
Profile Image for Robyn.
304 reviews2 followers
November 9, 2015
A bear with great hands!
How bad is bad you ask… how about finding what you thought was a committed monogamous relationship boyfriend in the sweaty, deep thrusting passion of your best friend! Jennifer has had enough of the lies and late nights. No amount of begging and I’m sorry will cut it for her. To make matters worse the career path she has planned for herself goes up in smoke when the business she works for decides to layoff and relocate.. With a nice exit package she drives off into the big unknown, buying a home site unseen is the right dose of medicine to start over, in Wyoming? Little does Jennifer know that her bad can go to worse getting in the middle of a Settlement war between the Grimpaws and the Wolf pack of Clearponds. Jennifer’s world is about to get turned up-side down in this shifter romance. Ethan is a bear shifter and the clan leader; he is not too bad with his hands. (wink) With a home in need of repair can Ethan heal and fix Jennifer’s heart? I enjoyed the story line and the writing was well developed. The characters had depth and I would not be surprised if we see more from the Grimpaw family. Anya Nowlan and Rory Dale did a phenomenal collaboration on this book.
Profile Image for Sherill.
1,296 reviews38 followers
November 2, 2015
CAPTIVATING & SIZZLING ROMANCE!

BIG BEAR PROBLEMS-A sizzling romantic story.

This story features; Ethan, a strapping, heart-stopping gorgeous, powerful Alpha bear-shifter; Jennifer, a curvaceous, sassy beautiful human.

What you'll find in this story; a cast of remarkable impressive and engaging characters, fabulous story-line, potent vivid scene descriptions, superb banter, gripping suspense, life threatening incidents, horrific danger, heart-throbbing pulsating romance, and a melt your heart conclusion leaving you content and wanting more.

Moving to Sweetwater, Wyoming catapults Jennifer into a world of danger and passion.

FANTASTIC fast paced well written read by gifted authors. The characters spring to life with breathtaking scene descriptions. The chemistry between Ethan and Jennifer is sensual and filled with unwavering devotion. A most exhilarating read from start to finish. If you treasure shifter romance this is definitely an excellent choice for your library. {I received a copy of this book for a completely honest review}. In the world of shifter romance the possibilities are endless and always fascinating. Without reservations I recommend this book.
Profile Image for iliana G.
1,699 reviews27 followers
November 3, 2015
I was given an ARC by the author in exchange for an honest review.


Jennifer Howell's been through enough crap to last her a good long while. A cheating fiancee and a dissolving job in her past, she's more than ready to make a new future in the little town of Sweetwater, Wyoming. When she bought the house, curvy Jen never expected to inherit a whole lot of trouble along with it, though.

Ethan Grimpaw is not exactly looking for love, but when he lays his eyes on Jen, he knows she must be sent straight by fate. The Alpha of the local werebear clan, he has his hands full with more wolf drama than he can gnaw through, while all he wants is to have his hands on Jen. But he knows he has to play it smart... Not only for his own sake, but for Jen's as well.

Thrust in the middle of a shifter conflict, can Jen learn to love the man she so desperately wants or will the sharp jaws of reality rip her happiness to shreds?


An awesome read that i have to say thrilled me.
It was fun and with lots of conflict and action and a sexy grizzly!
Fast paced and well written i found the story refreshing and to the point.
A great book
Profile Image for Linda Levine.
4,643 reviews25 followers
November 2, 2015
Jennifer has a really bad day and it motivates her to make some big changes. She moves from a major city to Wyoming to find some peace. She buys a house that needs some work and is told to contact Ethan for help.

Ethan is a bear shifter and the Alpha of the clan. He has not found his mate yet but talking to Jennifer on the phone really attracts his interest. He has had issues with the wolf shifters in the area and it doesn't take long for them to make it clear they want Jennifer's land and are willing to kill to get it.

Jennifer feels a chemistry to Ethan too. He is so different from her ex. They get involved very quickly. Ethan is protective and he makes sure to be there if she is in need. When the wolf shifters come, he takes them on.

It is a nice romance with characters you will like and want to find happiness. It is a pretty quick read and moves at a good pace. I always enjoy when there is an epilogue included to provide more information on how the relationship goes.

I received a copy in return for a honest review.
Profile Image for ZETTER.
1,157 reviews23 followers
July 4, 2016
Enjoyed The Ride!!!

Jennifer Howell had a rooten luck when it came to her heart, her fiancé cheated on her and she hated her job. She was looking for a change when she decided to start over in the small town of Sweetwater, Wyoming.

Ethan Grimpaw the Alpha of the Grimpaw clan wasn't looking for a mate but when he saw Jennifer for the first time all his reservations went out the window. But Jen wasn't ready to hear what he had to say which was understandable after what she went through in the past.

Ethan was having some trouble with the wolves in the area who had it out for the werebear clan. Jennifer bought a house and some land which the wolves deemed their own. With Jen getting caught up in the middle of pack business, Ethan wasn't about to let his rivals harm the woman he and his bear have been waiting for for ages.

BIG BEAR PROBLEMS is the first book in the SWEETWATER BRIDES series by Anya Nowlan and Rory Dale. It was well paced, lovely, and a must read. The authors did an amazing job.
523 reviews2 followers
August 25, 2016
OMG! If a man a man could tell by your voice over the phone that you are his mate this world would be a more happier place. I love that Ethan got the feeling instantly that Jen was his mate. And good for Jen that after such a horrible morning finding out that your slimy Bff was shagging your supposedly fiancee who was also supposedly be this polish man. So what he's a dentist but he was a sleezeball. But considering Felicia was the one who sent the text, she left out the fact that it was her. Jennifer knocked them off the bed in one swoop . Then to make matters worst she lost her job in the same day. The only benefit from this fiasco was she got a large severance package and uprooted herself from Phoenix to Wyoming and found her true love. She wanted him the moment she laid eyes on him. The moment I picked up this book I could not put it down. I was given an ARC for my honest review and as always I give it 5+ for Ms. Nolan books.
Profile Image for Cheryl's Literary Corner.
72 reviews16 followers
December 20, 2016
I love Anya Nowlan's books and this one was no exception. Jen and Ethan show what happiness is all about even when things do not go your way. When Jen ends up leaving her home because of the betrayal of her fiancée and then losing her job, she finds herself in Sweetwater, Wyoming. Here she finds people who generally care about others and a love that will survive everything life will throw their way. Ethan is a bear shifter who is the alpha of the clan in Sweetwater. One look at Jen and he knows she is his...getting her to believe it while trying to keep peace between the bear clan and the werewolf pack will be harder than it looks. Keeping the secret from Jen until she accepts Ethan may not be as easy either.
*Honest review requested for an ARC* I could not put this book down and can't wait for more!!
Profile Image for Coral Mitchell.
3,189 reviews
July 5, 2016
Jennifer Howell dropped her fiancée and lost her job in a single day. She's more than ready to make a new future in the little town of Sweetwater, Wyoming. When she bought the house, curvy Jen never expected to inherit a whole lot of trouble along with it, though. Ethan Grimpaw is not exactly looking for love, but when he lays his eyes on Jen, he knows she must be sent straight by fate. The Alpha of the local werebear clan, he has his hands full with more rivaling wolf drama than he can easily gnaw through, while all he wants is to have his hands on Jen.

A quick shifter romance, with territory battles between werebears and werewolves. Jennifer hires Ethan to repair the house she purchase and she cannot help herself to finds more repairs to keep Ethan around. He is charming and courteous. But she senses something between them, something he is hiding from her.
Profile Image for Lynn Vincent.
653 reviews4 followers
November 2, 2015
Anya Nolan has created another great paranormal story. This one contains a feud over a parcel of land, that the wolves and bears both claim the own. Unfortunately For Jen she the actual owner is caught in the middle of said feud. Jen has lost her job and her rat of a boyfriend. She purchase the land to change her location to start anew. Jen meets Ethan a building contractor to help repair her new house. Ethan is the alpha of the bears and also Jens fated mate. The wolves are up to no good. Will Ethan be able to protect Jen? Will Jen survive the wolves attack or will she leave?
I enjoyed reading this fast paced story and give it 5 stars.
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Elizabeth/snoopypeach.
313 reviews2 followers
November 4, 2015
Jennifer is having a day for the record books! First she catches her fiancee and best friend having sex then finds out her job of 10 years is gone! Moving to Wyoming is her next step.

Ethan is a bear shifter and the leader of his clan. Meeting Jennifer has lit a spark in him and his bear. Working on her house is the perfect way to get to know her. But can her protect her against the wolves lurking at her door?

What a passionate and exciting adventure! Bears, wolves, a battle for land, battle for a mate, really this story is an explosion of excitement. The passion between Jennifer and Ethan is fierce and loving. The characters are interesting and the story line is well paced and you can't help but rush to read the next page.

Received a copy for an honest review.
Profile Image for Ann.
753 reviews4 followers
November 9, 2015
This is a really quick hot read...I loved how even though Ethan realized that Jen was his mate right away he did not instantly try to claim her. Instead he tries to slowly work up to a relationship while repairing her house for her and trying to figure out how to tell her that he is a were bear. Jen is attracted to Ethan right away but after her last relationship is wary about getting into another right away. I enjoyed the pace of this story and although I wish it had been longer thought the ending was just right. Anya Nowlan is certainly an author that has made my must check for new releases list.
Profile Image for Scrap.
882 reviews6 followers
Read
July 1, 2016
I received an ARC of this book for an honest review

I loved this book Jennifer not only lost her job but also found her fiancee in bed with her "best" friend today. It is time to make some changes in her life and she does, she decides to buy a house and some land in Wyoming.
She knows from the realtor that the house needs work and was given a name of a very reputable contractor Ethan Grimpaw.
Ethan is the Alpha of the Grimpaw clan and the moment he hears the angelic voice over his phone he feels a connection to Jennifer. This book has action, fights, hot steamy scenes as well.

I highly recommend this book
Profile Image for Sue.
856 reviews1 follower
November 3, 2015
Another werebear romance...with the human woman. In this case, the werewolves want her property and aren't above killing her. Fortunately, the werebear she called to renovate her new home in the woods is her Fated Mate (of which she knows nothing). As he works on her home they get to know each other...and he protects her from the wolves that he knows are after her...he just doesn't think she's ready to hear about all the shifters in the area - including him!

This was a fairly short book - but the characters were likable and the story flowed nicely.
Profile Image for Karen Shortridge.
1,459 reviews19 followers
November 8, 2015
I was given this for my honest review. This has been a great read no surprise there, Jen has just had the two worst things happen to her and all she wants is a fresh start somewhere new and knowing no one she decides to head for Wyoming. Ethan is the bear shifter who lives in Sweetwater, their attraction is instant, but when the wolf shifters start wanting to take over her newly acquired land this is where Ethan knows no one will come to hurt his true mate even if she doesn't know yet. This is a brilliant hot steamy, action filled read that will keep you entertained
Profile Image for Stacey.
968 reviews13 followers
November 11, 2015
what do you do when your fiancee cheats on you and not only that but with your best friend .
and what do you do when you move only to find yourself in a middle of a shifter war between bears and wolves . on who owns what .
and finds a man that is everything you want in a man but is more than just a man .
and what if you find your mate to be a woman who is a city girl but also someone you must protect from the other clan .
this is a ARC review given in exchange for an honest review .
and i read the books in its entirety because i am an AVID reader .
Profile Image for Catrina.
265 reviews2 followers
December 31, 2015
Love it

I love a tasty werebear story, and this one definitely fits the bill as a good one. From the opening scenes where Jennifer experiences the life altering events which facilitate her move to Wyoming, to her fateful meeting with werebear alpha Ethan, and on to their eventual HEA, this story grabs and holds your attention and won't let it go! I have always enjoyed Anya Nowlan's work, and I very much appreciate this collaboration with Rory Dale. I love forward to reading more books set within the world of Sweetwater.
3,130 reviews
July 6, 2016
Short but good

After catching her boyfriend cheating with her best friend and losing her job, Jen decides she needs a change of scenery. She buys a house in Sweetwater, Wyoming. It needs a lot of work so she hires Ethan.
Ethan owns a construction company, Alpha, and a werebear. As soon as he hears Jen's voice, he knows she is someone different. He starts the renovations but a pack of wolves want the land. So they attack and Ethan shifts and Jen sees it. Can he save her and keep her for his mate?
Good story. Bears, wolves, and a woman caught in the middle of a feud.
Profile Image for Gale.
1,970 reviews22 followers
November 2, 2015
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The collaboration between Ms. Nowlan and Ms. Dale brought all I’ve come to enjoy about Ms. Nowlan’s shifter stories. It was fun, sexy, heartwarming, and (for me) a quick read. I loved Jen and Ethan’s HEA but it was a paranormal ride with lots of both sexy and shifter territorial action. The part I most enjoyed was Jen’s acceptance of shifters in her human world. Great read!
Profile Image for Deborah.
1,841 reviews
November 2, 2015
An ARC was given to me for an honest review. It seems like her life is taking a turn for the worse, or is it. I like Jenn's attitude, rather than having a pity party for herself, she moved to Wyoming. The first person in Wyoming she meets is Ethan. Ethan has been wanting to see her since he spoke to her on the phone about some work. And he likes what he sees.

This is quick fun exciting read. Enjoy I did.
Profile Image for Susan Epps.
157 reviews
November 13, 2015
If you're really bored...

Then read this book. Or watch paint dry. There was no depth at all. There was a shifter war and I didn't shed a tear. What's up with that? Jen was completely acceptable with Ethan's bear -- it barely made a splash. I read this since I subscribe to Kindle Unlimited. If I had bought it I probably would've returned the purchase. Come on . Give Jen a darn Starbucks already.
Profile Image for Lisa.
1,391 reviews4 followers
November 13, 2015
It a cute sweet light short story. Ms. Nowlan's stories are always good for a fast light-hearted read. I wish if had been longer and maybe darker. There was supposed to be a shifter war going on. However it did not feel that way at all. I hope some day Ms. Nowlan tries her hand at a full length novel. I would love to see what she could do with a more in depth story. In any case I liked the story and would recommend it.

****Gifted ARC copy*****
L.
Profile Image for Nicole.
4,261 reviews53 followers
November 15, 2015
Jennifer's life is going down the tubes and she makes a radical decision to move to Sweetwater. Little does she know she gets in the middle of turf war. She's on for another surprise because she has no clue bear shifters live in Sweetwater and her mate just be one of them. Alpha of the clan Ethan hasn't found his mate, but once he hears Jennifer's his bear stands up and takes notice. Trouble is brewing for this little town who will stand on top? This book is a nice quick read.
Profile Image for Emily Lindsey.
Author 4 books21 followers
October 21, 2016
A good, steady story

I liked the female lead character! Jen is stronger than she thought she was and I especially loved that she didn't let set backs keep her in a bad situation. The story pace was steady and held a few surprises. The plot was easy to follow and the expositions were worked in generally well. It dragged a little, in that it took a while to let the story unfold. It was a good story, well written, with characters that were strong and likable.
Profile Image for CharmaineW .
2,111 reviews11 followers
November 8, 2015
Received this from the author for an honest review.
Absolutely loved this story. All women would love this Ethan. He falls for Jennifer after she arrives in Sweet water after a cheat of an ex is found out and she loses her job. Jennifer Is his true mate and he fights for her. So romantic but scary as well. love their chemistry and the ending is perfect
Profile Image for Kimberly Walden.
1,276 reviews8 followers
November 10, 2015
Shifter series. No cliffhanger!

Kindle Unlimited standalone book. 4 1/2 star read. He's the Alpha and a bear shifter. She's starting over after losing her job and finding her best friend in bed with her fiancé. Can she look past his secrets to see he's the one or will his world pull them apart?
Profile Image for Tammy Sowards-Sanchez.
1,816 reviews7 followers
November 22, 2015
I found this book fun. Yes the female had some issues that forced her to move. The move was one of the best things she did. Will things go smoothly? Will there be some issues? Will she accept what fate has instore? What will happen next?

I received this free copy from the Author for an honest review.
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