Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book
Rate this book

A curvy, small town ballerina. A Bear Prince yearning for his mate. An archaic law forbidding them to wed...


Bear shifter Prince Andrei defends street ballerina Hannah from the noxious advances of an odious human toad. He soon realizes this unassuming young woman is his fated mate and is determined to win her heart and wed her- even if his rebellion will cost him his crown.


Hannah has only ever wanted to dance. Raised in a conservative Christian community, she fights to balance her small town values with the more worldly ways of the big city. When the magnetic stranger calling himself Andrew defends her from an assault, she can't help but sense something dark and feral under his quiet, stern exterior.


When she discovers his secret identity, will the strength of their relationship hold up under the strain of a new, foreign life in the spotlight? And with a surprise pregnancy, does she even have a choice but to make their relationship work?


This 37K paranormal romance is for readers who enjoy billionaire alpha males, interracial (bwwm) couples and happily ever afters.

175 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 26, 2015

214 people are currently reading
298 people want to read

About the author

Emma Alisyn

141 books379 followers
Emma is a Black/white Muslim American mom of five, ages 6-22, in her mid-forties just trying to live her best life…which usually includes coffee, wine, and an unfortunate habit of one-clicking any pretty special edition that winds up in her feed. (If you DM it, she will come.)

She likes K-pop (#army, #moa) cultivation dramas (Till the End of the Moon,) precioussss silence, and collects more makeup than she uses.

She bends knee to Michelle Sagara West, Anne Bishop, N.K. Jemisin, Grace Draven, J.D. Robb, and Nalini Singh—a nod to Sanderson, Goodkind, Eddings, McCaffrey, and McKinley.

If you are looking for romantic epic fantasy set in complex, diverse, sex positive worlds with morally gray societies, powerful anti-heroes with THAD energy, multi-racial heroines at least 35—if not 350—coming into power, and a central theme of family, both dysfunctional and supportive, then you will binge her stories..

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
170 (36%)
4 stars
148 (31%)
3 stars
101 (21%)
2 stars
30 (6%)
1 star
16 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
Profile Image for Andie.
246 reviews45 followers
August 31, 2017
I liked Andrei and his family, but Hanna drove me nuts with her repetitive, sometimes obscurant ideology. Everyone believes in what they want, but it was so boring to read on every other page about hard work and honest people, when nothing really interesting happened.
Unlike what the blurb states, this story is not enjoyable as a standalone, it ended so abruptly, like where is the next page? In the next book, that's where. Too bad that in my opinion, the story is not worthy to read the other books in the series. Especially if there are as many typos in them as here. I'm sorry, because Bear Prince had potential to be better than this.
368 reviews5 followers
September 9, 2016
I have to admit it. I absolutely fell in love with Prince Andrei. He was not like many of the other princes, paranormal or otherwise, that you tend to read in romance books. He was willing to give his mate a chance at a normal life by just being with her without putting all of the pressure that comes with the crown. The Prince was also willing to give up his crown in order to be with his mate.
Hannah is the epitome of a small town country girl. To the point that she grew up without any electronics and yet she didn't end up hating that way of life even when she went to the big city. Matter of fact, she missed that way of life. Where the women took care of the household while the man provided. To me, this acceptance of how she was raised and not saying that it was horrible, when in fact this way of life is what made her who she is today is what made the book so enjoyable.
The chemistry between Hannah and Andrei is electric, and yet they took their time before falling into bed with one another. And they made sure they actually had a sound relationship before they had intercourse. Those small things are what, to me, made this book so much more enjoyable then many other paranormal romances I have had the pleasure of reading.
I would definitely recommend this book, heck this series, to anyone who is looking for a change of what is considered the norm when it comes to paranormal romance lovers.
1,803 reviews11 followers
June 14, 2018
I enjoyed this book and really liked Andrei and the way he respects Hannah and is prepared to wait until she is ready to accept him. Hannah has a few issues but overall I thought she was a great counterpoint to Andrei, opposites attract and all that. I didn't like the way the story ended, not a fan of cliffhangers.
Profile Image for Racy.
1,711 reviews16 followers
December 31, 2015
I received this for an honest review. This was truly a great read. This is actually the first book I have read of Emma Alisyn and Danae Ashe.

Hannah was a beautiful curvy woman. She was from a simple, strict, religious life. Her family were famers and had very strict views. The thing Hannah loved more was dance. She put her heart and soul into her dance. She was happy her parents allowed her to go to school to study dance and Hannah was not about to allow anything get in her way.

Prince Andrei Sahakian was a handsome bear shifter. His mother was pressuring him to find a mate. It was his duty to mate with another bear shifter and produce a heir. Andrei could not take his eyes of this america girl. He could see she was truly talented.

Things get hot and heavy between Hannah and Andrei. Andrei had told her his name was Andrew and kept the fact that he was a prince from her. His bear was determined that they had found their mate. Andrei wanted so badly to court her and win her heart.

Andrei and Hannah are faced with a battle. The council of Andrei country do not want to accept Hannah as a mate. Will they be forced apart? Will Andrei be forced to produce and heir with another woman that is a bear shifter?

I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series. I can not wait to see where this series takes us.
Profile Image for Belinda.
398 reviews2 followers
February 1, 2016
Once again, Emma Alisyn has done it again. Along with her mother, they have written a story that the reader can easily see herself as the protagonist of the story and yet view it as an outsider looking in! The story may be a PNR, but the circumstances can be applied to so many outside situations of any person in a relationship with someone “out of their league” whether they know it or not. I loved the pace at which this story moved and how the characters themselves unfolded—even the mean ones. I wish I would find a prince like Andrei and be happy. I will be getting the next story because I’m dying to know how his sister Mia’s story works its way out!
Profile Image for Jamoz23.
5,361 reviews46 followers
March 8, 2018
Tried and tried again to get into this book and though I finished it I was sorry I wasted my time.
Andrei was okay, his family was nice but his mother was not likeable.
Hanna was a bit repetitive and boring.
This books ends fairly abruptly leaving you needing to read the next book to know what happens.
Had the potential to be great but missed the mark. Just not for me.
I had read book 2 and 3 first ages ago and wasn’t planning to read this but it snuck in as part of a box set. Didn’t realise it was the same series until doing my review.
Profile Image for Christine Woinich.
2,800 reviews26 followers
January 8, 2016
I enjoyed this story. Andrei gets to hide in plain sight as a commoner and meets a dancer on the street, Hannah. He is drawn to her, and their attraction pulls them together quickly. Andrei's secrets could break them apart, and Hannah handles everything with grace. Despite his family and circumstances, they find their HEA. This is a good quick read.

I had the opportunity to read this story in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Kristi Hudecek-Ashwill.
Author 2 books48 followers
October 9, 2017
Hannah Fisher is a curvy (just what does that mean? Is she overweight or what?), shy, religious, sheltered, conservative ballerina. She's far away from home on a dance scholarship and is in with some pretty snarky girls. That, in my opinion, was a missed opportunity to make this story great.

Andrei is a bear shifter prince who meets her when defending her from a guy who is trying to force her into his apartment. He has a migraine headache that won't go away and ends up spending days with her in her apartment. He started out by being endearing and caring. As the story progressed, he fell out of character and was not much more than another lustful dude, making her say words that she wasn't comfortable with and basically being a total jerk.

Hannah's character wasn't much better. She, too, slipped out of character. She asked very few questions when she mated with Andrei. That was unreal to me. She'd been raised in a strict religious community and didn't even know him before she gave it up to him. She was a girl out on her own for the first time in a big city. This brute of a guy is staying in her apartment and they end up in bed but she doesn't ask any questions? She didn't even know his real name. She thought his name was Andrew and he didn't tell her the truth until they were in the throes of passion.

By the end of the book, I didn't care about her at all. She'd flown off to another country with Andrei's mom, writing her parents a letter and telling them what was going on, and then we don't see them until after she is with Andrei in Andrei's country, yet they were supposed to be an important part of her life. If her character had stayed true, she would have been frightened and apprehensive instead of just going with the flow. She would have been filled with questions at the very least.

If she'd never been to the big city and had never traveled, why would she have the need for a passport? But she conveniently had one when she had to travel to Andrei's country. Why wasn't she upset when she found out she was pregnant? This girl came from a strong religious background and you don't get pregnant out of wedlock when you're brought up like she was.

The flow of the story was even, meaning there were real no ups and downs, no surprises, and the ending was predictable. These things, combined with the characters falling out of character, earn this book three stars. It was a pleasant read most of the time, but it wasn't firing on all cylinders. It had a ton of potential, but didn't quite make the mark.

I didn't care for this book, but many will enjoy it a lot.
Profile Image for Lady.
638 reviews
May 8, 2018
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Hannah is a curvy, shy, small town dancer in the big city for the first time. She got a scholarship to dance at a school. This is Hannah first time away from home, so she has to make ends meet and does the only thing she can think of and dances on the street for money. All she ever want to be is a dancer and now her dreams are coming true, hopefully. Then she meets Andrei and things start to change. Is for the good or the bad?

Andrei is a crown bear shifter prince who just want to live a simple life. On one of his many escapes from his detail, he runs across Hannah on the street. He is drawn to her instantly. They exchange small as she is dancing on the street. Just with the small talk they shared he feels something for her. So when she leaves to go home, he follows her. Andrei ends up saving her from an attack on her way home. But it cost him a lot to do that in more ways one.

Hannah is nursing Andrei back to health after he helped her from an unwanted attacked on her, where is was injured. The days that they spend together while he recuperates, they build a stronger bond that Andrei's bear like and so does he. What will happen once Hannah finds out who and what Andrei is? How long will Andrei keep is identity a secret from Hannah?

I loved this book. I could not put it down once I started reading it. I really liked the characters. They were will built and described. The flow of the story was on point. I can not wait to read the second book in this series. I recommend this book and author to others.
Profile Image for Karen Voitik.
3,219 reviews
September 20, 2017
>Book review – Bear Prince –

>I am an independent reviewer. This book is the 1st in the Royal Bears series and ends in an HEA. Prince Andrei sees a street dancer in Seattle and is infatuated with her. He ends up protecting Hannah on her way home and their relationship begins. Hannah’s background is conservative Christian. She is very naïve of the ways of the world. She only knows that she loves to dance.

>Hannah’s family seem very strict and cold. Hannah is afraid to let them know how poorly she is living. A loving Christian family would seem to be the opposite of how Hannah’s family is described. Hannah seems to be shocked at Prince Andrei cooking for her as the men in her family wouldn’t demean themselves to do something like that. Once again, Hannah’s family seemed more Amish or Mennonite, rather than conservative Christian.

>Hannah is not accepted by the Royalty, even though she is the mate of Prince Andrei. This story will lead into the next as Andrei wants to abdicate to keep Hannah. This book is appropriate for an adult audience. I am giving this story 4 stars. Neither family of Hannah or Andrei are very likable. Hannah also seems to accept her new normal without any real issues, which according to her background, is not a typical reaction.

Profile Image for Alethia.
1,021 reviews16 followers
April 4, 2018
This book follows Andrei as he escapes from being prince for a little while and stumbles upon Hannah as she's dancing. Through a series of events, they wind up getting closer, knowing each other better, and forming a bond that Andrei's bear is all too happy about. I liked that it wasn't an insta-love type of shifter book. There was room for growth in the characters. I also liked that Hannah was strong enough in herself and personal beliefs that she didn't waver. I don't think I would have liked the book as much if she did.
My only gripe with this book is that the ending felt kind of rushed and left quite a few things loose ended. I have a lot of questions that I felt needed answering. The second book of the series is set to talk about Andrei's sister, so I'm hoping that some of my questions will be touched upon in that book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Stormy.
105 reviews20 followers
November 7, 2018
Well...

I liked the book, but I can't say that is my favorite. The ending left you wanting. After reading the final sentence, I uttered "that's it?" And even more frustrating is how it ended with his abdication. Really? He just throws in the towel.
Also, what was with the obsession with Hannahs body? By the third usage of the word "plump," I was rolling my eyes. We get it. She is a curvy Ballerina but guess what? Everybody got a bit of plump somewhere on their body. We don't need a constant reminder that she got it too.
I can't say that this is one of my favorites and there are a few of Emma's books that grace that list but one fell short for me. Won't stop me from reading her books, but this one fell short.
Profile Image for Kristen Lewendon.
8,429 reviews64 followers
April 28, 2018
I feel so silly. I’ve had this sitting in my library waiting to be read for quite a long time, but I hadn’t stopped and made time to enjoy it, until now. And I’m so glad that I finally did. I loved watching the way the relationship between Andrei and Hannah builds. That the big, tough alpha bear is willing to take it slowly with the sheltered ballerina. Allowing her to set the pace, even at the expense of his duties. I think this pair is adorable together, in spite of the fact that they often don’t have a clue how to communicate with one another. I’m looking forward to seeing how the rest of this series plays out.
Profile Image for Caroline Doig.
5,463 reviews49 followers
April 30, 2018
Hannah loved to street dance and she was going to college studying dance, she was brought up by a very religious family but she’s living a very different life in the city. Prince Andrei is a bear shifter and he leaves being a prince behind for awhile and he eventually meets Hannah, his bear takes up and notices her and Andrei finds her really attractive. He doesn’t tell her who he is but Hannah has a feeling that he is hiding something. I enjoyed reading this book and I liked how Andrei stood up for Hannah against his own family, that to me is true love. A fantastic read and I highly recommend this book it’s well worth the read.
242 reviews1 follower
September 14, 2017
Bear shifter Prince Andrei see ballerina Hannah performing on the street while he is in the states. They spend time together and Andrei figures that Hannah is his fated mate even though she is human. He is going to spend time with her to win her heart and take her back to his country to marry. However, Hannah does not know that Andrei is a prince. There are bumps in the road and things does not go as planned. Now, I am ready to read the 2nd book in the series to finish following Andrei and Hannah story and find out what happens with Andrei's sister.
Profile Image for Lory.
3,272 reviews33 followers
April 13, 2018
Enjoyable and Entertaining Read

I did find this to be a very sweet and cute read. It did have enough intrigue to keep me interested. I really like Hannah too but felt she was a little bit to naïve for my liking. I mean she a hard worker with a simple way of life from a very strict religious background, but she kinda drove me crazy with her repetitive, sometime obscured ideology. I felt bad for Andrei but he should've been honest with Hannah from the get-go but besides that this was a enjoyable and entertaining read.
Profile Image for Kristen Lewendon.
8,429 reviews64 followers
September 30, 2020
I loved watching the way the relationship between Andrei and Hannah builds. That the big, tough alpha bear is willing to take it slowly with the sheltered ballerina. Allowing her to set the pace, even at the expense of his duties. I think this pair is adorable together, in spite of the fact that they often don’t have a clue how to communicate with one another. I’m looking forward to seeing how the rest of this series plays out.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Booksprout as part of the box set.
Profile Image for SweetsP.
141 reviews8 followers
December 15, 2017
Very cute but next to no plot, but the writing made me pick up the whole series.

I'm not conservative at all, so it was interesting to read bout Hannah's life and her pride in the seemingly simple life she craved. I say seemingly, because it truly was a life with meaning that required hard-work and perseverance and a back-bone made of steel. I found myself checking my own bias a few times and I enjoyed that the book took me there.
2,226 reviews4 followers
August 31, 2017
Love before duty

Our hero was on walkabout when he spotted our heroine dancing, he couldn't look away and followed her home. Our heroine couldn't explain the sense of peace she felt having our hero around nor the discomfort when he wasn't there. Reality steps in, mating bond flares, pregnancy ensues, politics happens and the Prince makes a choice.
1,137 reviews3 followers
September 17, 2017
BEAR PRINCE(Royal Bears Book 1) By EMMA ALISYN

Very ENJOYABLE READING with a wonderful build-up to their relationship with differences between them in various ways to get their HEA. I'm SOOOOO RECOMMENDING THIS SERIES BY EMMA ALISYN! As soon as I can, I will be getting her other books in this series since I enjoyed reading it. 🍷📚😍👏👏👏👏🔟🔟🔟💑💞💒👶😍
Profile Image for Gladys.
14k reviews163 followers
April 29, 2018
A sweet, funny, and steamy shifter romance. I enjoyed Andrei and Hannah as a couple. I liked their chemistry and the attraction between them. My problem with this book is that I did feel there were some pretty serious inconsistencies in the characters behavior and attitudes. I'm posting a totally honest, voluntary review.
684 reviews3 followers
November 18, 2020
Hannah and Andrei

Hannah is a young woman who just wants to be a dancer. Andrei is a bear shifter who happens to be a prince. He sees Hannah dancing on the street and is drawn to her. Andrei has a migraine and Hannah take him to her apartment. They are drawn to each other but can they make a relationship work. This is a fun read.
Profile Image for Rosemary Hughes.
4,192 reviews23 followers
Read
October 27, 2021
He saw her on the street corner, busking for money, using her dancing skills to entertain..
He knew his Mother would have been interested in sponsoring the young lady. So that's where it began. For more, well you need to read what the author has taken time and effort to meld into an enjoyable tale.
Profile Image for Mary.
272 reviews15 followers
September 17, 2017
Ballerina and the bear

Shifter book. The story tells of the beginning and early relationship of the semi- well developed characters. Enough intrigue to keep interesting. Recommended
Profile Image for Nikky.
55 reviews
May 1, 2018
Fast paced read with somewhat of a cliff hanger ending. A prince, a commoner, a bear-shifter, and a human...interesting mixture. They fell for one another but their love is forbidden by an archaic law. Duty or love, seems like a tough choice for some, but Andrei makes it seem easy.
Profile Image for Karen.
382 reviews
May 4, 2018
I really enjoyed this sweet shifter fairy tale romance. The author catches you from the very beginning and keeps you entertained all the way through with a great storyline and believable characters. If you enjoy Paranormal Romance with shifters then you will truly enjoy this book.
Profile Image for Flora Opal.
58 reviews
June 12, 2018
I enjoyed the story. It was good, but didn't care for the ending. To melt didn't ring as true. I can see where the author foreshadowed it, but at the same time I would have preferred a different ending.
Profile Image for Jennifer Holzapfel.
1,037 reviews4 followers
June 2, 2019
Average fare for a shifter romance. Hannah is a plus sized dancer from a very religious secular community. Andrei is a foreign bear shifter prince. They make heads spin on his home country when he chooses a human mate.
Profile Image for Roslyn Donohoe.
359 reviews
June 28, 2019
I enjoyed reading this story.

Another great story from this author. If this is the type of stories you like to read them you should really enjoy this one. So very well worth the read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.