Dancing Bearfoot

Green Valley Shifters #1

by Elva Birch

A single dad from the city + his daughter's BBW teacher + a surprise snow storm = a steamy story that will melt your heart.

Patricia works hard to keep her small-town preschool afloat, and the last thing she needs is trouble from the arrogant single father of her newest student. But when the stunningly handsome man captures her heart with a single look, trouble is what's in store.

Big city billionaire bear shifter Lee doesn't believe in soulmates. He's loved and lost before, and he's sure that there's no such thing as a perfect mate... until he meets the golden goddess who teaches his daughter.

When a sudden snowstorm traps them in his mansion, the spark between them catches fire. Lee has to balance his past and present, and somehow tell her his secret - a secret that he never even shared with the wife he lost. With Patricia's help, can his heart learn to dance again?

Dancing Bearfoot is a sweet and sexy short standalone BBW bear shifter second-chance romance. No cliffhangers!

Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Shapeshifters, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Contemporary, Novella

118 pages, ebook

First published February 13, 2016

About the author

Elva Birch is an author of the impossible and irresistible. She is a fire dragon Gemini living in Alaska who belly dances outside at twenty below in the winter and loves to find tiny fairy moss worlds in the summer with her camera.

Elva also writes SHIFTING SANDS RESORT, GREEN VALLEY SHIFTERS, and FAE SHIFTER KNIGHTS as Zoe Chant.

Join her Reader's Retreat on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/elvab... for sneak previews or join her mailing list and get a free novella at: http://www.elvabirch.com/join-the-mai...

Not sure where to start? Take the quiz at her site to find your perfect book! https://www.elvabirch.com/find-a-book/

Reviews

[Yesenia Gonzalez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dancing bearfoot is a cute story of a single dad meeting his soulmate, he never believed until he laid eyes on his daughters beautiful teacher. Loved his relationship with his daughter and his nickname for her "Cub". I liked the short got too the point story.


*free on amazon*

[Alba M. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lee se ha mudado a Green Valley con su hija para poder llevar una mejor vida. Cree que un pueblecito será mejor para ella, pero también para el oso de Lee y porque no sabe si la pequeña Clara acabará siendo una cambiafornas. Lo que no espera Lee es encontrar a su alma gemela en la profesora de Clara, Patricia. Nunca ha creído en esas cosas pero está dispuesto a luchar por ello.

No ha sido de lo peor pero tampoco de lo mejor. No sé si fue la forma de escribir de la autora o la traducción que me dejaron mal sabor de boca con esta historia. Aunque lo que más me fastidió fue que sentí la historia un poco demasiado infantil para mi gusto.

Aún así sirve para pasar el rato ...

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (10/14/2019)! 🎁

[Elizabeth]

DNF at 48%.

No. That is a horrifying description.

"pressing at her waiting, wet lips"


Not those lips, those lips.

I don't like the way this author writes

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Thoughts - 5 out of 5 Unicorns - I loved it!!!
***I choose what I read and review based on what intrigues me!! Yes, I bought this book, but no one tells me what to think, feel, or write about any book! I own most of Zoe’s books because she is an author that is one of my favorites!

The cover is beautiful!

This is the first book in this series, and it is for adults only due to the steamy content.

This book had me from single dad. Lee is amazing with his daughter. I always find this incredibly sexy in my male leads. Patricia is a pre-school teacher who does everything for the kids, and she works hard at everything she does. The two of them are stumbling through their attractions. The story is a perfect mix as Zoe’s stories always are where I couldn’t put it down because it was awesome. Her stories are my go to when I need something I will love. Amazing start to a series, and I can’t wait to read the next one!

I highly recommend to anyone who loves shifters and Zoe Chant because if you love one of her stories, you don’t want to miss any of them!

[Chalice · Rating 3 out of 5]

The couple: Patricia and Lee

Romance trope: shifter
Series: Green Valley Shifters
Length: 122 pages

Plot: Single dad Lee is new in town and his daughter will be going to the town's only preschool. But when he meets the teacher, Patricia, he knows right away that she is his mate. She doesn't know anything about shifters though and he's not sure how to tell her.

Commentary: I liked that the couple didn't necessarily hide their relationship from his daughter - if this were real life, I might urge more caution but in a book this short and with the daughter's love for Miss Patricia, this worked well.

Next book in the series: The Girl Nest Door

[Darla Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lee is a bear shifter, billionaire, and single father who's moved to the small town of Green Valley as a quiet place to raise his daughter, Clara. When he meets Clara's new preschool teacher he realizes she's his soulmate although he'd never believed they'd existed. Patricia is a preschool teacher and waitress trying to keep her school in business and believes she has no time for romance. But she can't fight her attraction to Lee and when she brings Clara home one afternoon due to a snow storm, she and Lee succumb to the inevitable.

I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the rest of the series. The book's well-written with believable characters in their interactions. I love the way Zoe addresses single parenting and dating. I highly recommend this as a "to be read".

[Tammy Moldovan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet swoony shifter story

I really enjoyed Lee and Patricia’s story. Lee is a bear shifter who recently moved to town with his 4 yo daughter. Patricia is a waitress and preschool teacher. When Lee meets Patricia at his daughter’s first day of preschool, he realizes Patricia is his mate. This is where the bumbling adorable journey to their HEA starts helped along with forced proximity as a result of a snowstorm. The book is fairly low angst and has a little bit of everything - sweet moments, a bit of steam, laughs, cringe worthy moments, supportive and nosy townspeople, cute children, painful pasts, and lots of swoony love. The story was well written with relatable characters and an engaging storyline. I’ll definitely keep reading this series. 3.5 stars.

[Diane Schroeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spicy but cute...

We are introduced to Leland Montgomery, his adorably cute four year old daughter, Clara, and the town of Green Valley. We quickly meet Clara's preschool teacher, Miss Patricia. The instant attraction can't be denied. I really enjoyed the fast paced story. I'm left wanting more...lol

[Gale Albright · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a cute short shifter story with all the insta-love due to them being mates. I enjoyed it and plan to read more in the series.

[Mehsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sexy and fun read featuring a single dad shifter and a teacher. Featuring tons of sexy times and snow~


This was one of the books I got from Amazon during my hunt for fun free books to read featuring hot romance! I am definitely glad I picked this one up, because it was so good!

In this one we meet Lee, a bear shifter (which he should have told Patricia sooner and not when THAT happened), who has just moved to a little town with his 4-year old daughter. We also meet the pre-school teacher Patricia! I loved both the characters a lot. I loved reading about Lee, he was such a great character with a big heart. I loved that, despite being billionaire, he wasn’t rubbing it in that much. Yes, you could clearly see it with the house that he had enough money, but he wasn’t like throwing it around which does happen in other billionaire romance stories. Lee was just so sweet with his daughter and I loved how he let her choose things, but also was there to help. His relationship with his daughter was just the best!

Then there is Patricia, who was just the sweetest and I loved how she clicked with Lee and with his daughter. Often people will talk to a kid in kid-voices, but she talked normally towards Clara. She definitely brought joy wherever she went.

And then there are the sexy scenes, OH MY GOSH. Those were HOT! STEAMY! SEXY! And I love it. They were so well written! Tender but also more than that! I loved that it wasn’t just Lee taking control, but also Patricia.

Clara was just the most adorable little daughter and I loved that she wasn’t written just so that Lee was single dad, but that she also had an active role in the book. I had a laugh at what she at times said, kids are just so darn honest. Like when they went to the dinner the first time because, as Clara states, Daddy can only make pancakes. XD

I am not sure how I felt about the instant attraction/instant love… but I guess I can forgive it. Given that they are mates (though she doesn’t know it until much later in the book) there is some pull, some attraction at play. I was at least happy that Lee wasn’t pushing too much. He just let things happen as they go. Unlike some other shifter books I read over time. I still remember that one shifter book in which the shifters were just forced together because OMG MATE….. rolls eyes

It was also just so American. I am sorry, but it was. Patricia had two jobs. Pre-school teacher and waitress. Then when something happens and her ankle is possibly broken she would rather go home and take care of the car than go to the ER. What the fuck? I know that the healthcare system there is broken as hell, but each time I read about it I am just shaking my head… how the fuck?

There was some drama near the end that had me rolling my eyes. Thankfully, things are resolved. Things are talked over. It is just a bit of a shame something had to happen for that to happen. Hope that makes sense. But yeah, I am just a tad tired of misunderstandings and drama near the end of romances. Instead of talking it over people just run away… Come on. 😐

But the end/epilogue made me happy, things were resolved. Things were good. I am happy for this couple and I wish them many more happy years.

Now, I definitely want to continue reading the other books about the other shifters in the valley! I want to explore this world more and meet new people.

Plus, I would recommend this sexy and fun book to all~

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Shyla Colt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic short read! I loved Patricia. The down to earth preschool teacher was sweet, funny, and so worthy of a man who would do anything to keep her happy. In the tiny town where new mean always garnered attention, she caught the eye of the sexy single father, Lee Mongomery. Lee has a secret, he's s bear shifter. Of course he doesn't let that minor detail stop him from courting Ms.Patricia.

Completely devoted to his little girl, Lee Montgomery is a mountain of a man you can't help but love. He was honest, hardworking, and yet, still sensitive. Ms. Chant did a great job bringing out the best in him, while showing his flaws.

This is a great short read.

[Jyvur Entropy · Rating 2 out of 5]

At the end of the book there is a note from an author where she mentions that she appreciates all reviews, whether positive or negative. I always really admire authors that encourage negative reviews, which is why I bumped mine up from a one to a two star.

Okay....where to start....

Basically, I think the romance genre is THE most misogynistic genre. Mainstream liberal feminism does a lot of blaming men for misogyny. Nah. It is not systemic. It is not patriarchy. But misogyny does exist and most of it comes from women. Misogyny comes from women policing the gender performance of other women.

If you want to learn about women, what they really think, how they really feel, the romance genre, a genre that is pure fantasy, pure female wish fulfillment is a great place to start. The majority of women today are anti-slut shaming, pro sexual liberation, etc.
Yet, if you want to see how women really feel about sluts, take a look at the romance genre.
One character trope that we see pop up all the time in romance is the slutty, tawdry, caring FAR too much about her appearance (because women should care but not TOO much), and sexually assertive female competition character. This character is sometimes the waitress, or the real estate agent, or a coworker. Harriet is the 'performing femininity all wrong' female competition character in this book.

Harriet wears what she wants, drives what she wants, goes after the men that she is attracted to. She's a single mother who makes time to be involved in her son's preschool (letting Patricia know what foods and activities are not acceptable for her child) while also buying and selling real estate. Like a bad ass BOSS BITCH. I fucking stan Harriet. Fuck Lee and Patricia and their slut-shaming, purple car-hating ways. Y'all wish you had enough confidence to wear teased 1980s hair and drive a purple car. Fuck off, Lee. Who gave you the right to decide how reasonably shiny a purple car can be? A woman makes her own money, is self-made, and not afraid to let a man know she's feeling him? Go off, queen. Have as shiny a purple car as you fucking want.

There is a long tradition in media, particularly media produced by and geared at women, of demonizing hyper-femininity. Women who like clothes and fashion are "silly." Women who buy designer purses are the villains.

This is always the character compared to the main character to show us, the readers, what the "right" way of performing femininity is.

A friend of Lee's says that all women wear silly shoes (like the "silly" heels Harriet was wearing in snow-a decision that affects fucking nobody-yet these judgy main characters be tearing her down) and Lee thinks about Patrica in snow boots and says "not all women."

Patricia can cook and is nurturing, but she isn't too prissy or vain.

Women are judged by their appearance constantly, but god forbid a women actually likes looking good.
Women are conditioned to view success as material items-yet God forbid a woman makes her own money and wants to show off the luxury she has fucking earned, with a "silly" designer handbag.

The way both of the main characters judged poor Harriet made me detest them.

Harriet is the fucking hero of the story.

Patricia talks about how nobody in the town has much money. It's a shithole town with a dying economy. Harriet up in here making money moves and trying to bring some life and industry to the town. She's not the villain for buying "family farms." A sale of property is something that both parties have to agree to. She isn't the government. She doesn't have eminent domain. If both parties agree to the sale, then how is Harriet the bad guy? If they agreed to sell, I have to imagine the farm wasn't doing super well and probably would have gone under eventually anyway, leaving them with nothing. Harriet saved them from destitution.

Also, farms are so fucking useless most of the time. The U.S is just not an agricultural nation anymore. That's why the U.S government subsidizes corn. Taxpayer dollars pay farmers to grow more corn then could ever possibly be used (although they sure as hell try and that's why corn syrup is in everything) and then the excess corn is fucking burned every year.

Farms are useless. In the U.S at least. And if you can NOT find a way to make a profit from your farm, then you shouldn't keep it. Why you taking up land growing food nobody fucking wants?

Such anti-capitalist nonsense in this book. Harriet did nothing wrong.

And you could say, "Jyvur, it ain't that deep."

I do think the values that are spread via fiction are deep.

The misogyny that permeates the romance genre and belies the insidious gender policing of women BY WOMEN-not men (men would fuck us if we walked around in potato sacks-they ain't the problem) it is wrong. It is ugly. It is a demonization of any woman who is sexually assertive (really "vultures"?? How many nasty words were used to describe any woman who DARE show her interest in a man). It is a demonization of any woman who is "too feminine"-whatever in the fuck that is supposed to mean.

And then the demonization of entrepreneurial grit was just an extra little dose of bullshit. Common in fiction, but not exclusively the romance genre.

Now that I've got that out of the way, what did I like about the book?

The chemistry between Lee and Patricia was cute and if they weren't both fucking misogynists hating on Harriet for no reason, I probably would have really enjoyed their cute romance and sweet chemistry. The snowball fight was adorable and the sex scenes were nothing special, but serviceable enough.

[Lara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably my least favorite of the Green Valley Shifters (I've read 3 of the 4 out so far) but still an enjoyable read.

Maybe part of my problem was it was the shortest of the ones I've read so far. Books 2 and 3 are each about 150 pages, while this one is about 90. Not that I would have wanted an extra 60 pages of Patricia angsting away over Lee's deceased wife and their relationship, or brooding over their miscommunication (that she allowed to happen by not letting him finish what he was saying!!). But those extra pages would have given more chance for the characters to develop, give it a little more depth.

I did like Lee. And the nickname Cub for his daughter was cute.

A few plot threads not really addressed. Who was driving the ominous dark car that ran Patricia off the road? Or was it just another driver out in the snow? And Harriette just kinda fell off the face of town, didn't she? Yes, we learn in book 2 that she runs to her ex and dumps Trevor on him before leaving the area for good, but she just kinda fades away here, after causing a fair amount of Mean Girl drama. Even the epilogue just refers to her as "still missing."

Alternating 3rd person POV. No cheating, no love triangle. Only OW drama is Patricia reading more into Lee's previous marriage than what he actually said. Sweet and simple and light. Quick too. A nice change of pace from some of the darker urban fantasies I've read recently. HEA and no cliffhangers, though characters are introduced for future books.

Would I read more from this author? Definitely yes. She's one of my go-tos for fast SPN romances.
From this series? I already have read books 2 and 3 and am just waiting for 4 to go on sale.

[S.M.M. Lindström · Rating 5 out of 5]

Giving this book five stars because it does what it sets out to do and it does it well. If you're looking for "love at first sight between rich guy from the city and small town gal" with a touch of urban fantasy flavor, this is the series for you! This is a light and fluffy story with a side dish of happy sex scenes and many marriages. It's a feel-good kind of book.

Now, I'm not really the target audience for this. I've got some Strong Opinions about how rich a person should be allowed to get (just like I'm not in favor of people hoarding food), I never want to have children and I'm an aromantic with no interest in marriage. I do enjoy romance stories, but I can rarely focus on them if there isn't another plot or three running parallel to the people falling in love, and I have no personal experience of instant attraction other than "huh, that person is hot", so the concept of instant soul mates isn't one I seek out. Yet I still enjoyed this book, children, marriages, soul mates, and all.

The only reason I didn't finish this sooner was...well, I think you all know why. We're living through extra rough times right now - allowing yourself to enjoy a silly little romance can be both rewarding and trying under these circumstances. I place no blame on these books for my slow reading speed; that honor goes to the world at large.

Highly recommended to all looking to read cute m/f romances, fantasy lovers or no!

[J.M. Northup · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic Story

My introduction to Green Valley was a shortshort lead in. Of course, loving it, I immediately sought the series. I'm glad I did as it didn't disappoint.

What I enjoy most is the reasons for attraction. The authors do a great job giving substance to the characters and meaning to why they are connected to each other. It makes you drawn to them, allowing the reader to love them, too.

The mix of humor, drama, and romance is well done. I'm not always impressed by the formatting, but the story is so good that it captivates me. It simply consumes me, and I literally lose myself in the pages. Damn be the flaws, for that's exactly what a good book should do!

I definitely recommend this title. I'm jumping into the next installment, which I suspect to absorb greedily. I've no doubt other HEA romance readers will do the same.

[Joetta Spurling · Rating 5 out of 5]

No cookie-cutter romance here!

Kindle Unlimited purchase
By Zoe Chant
One thing I have to point out: this is a short story. But it does not read as one! You have character development, LOTS OF SEX, and a plot that carries from cover to cover. I didn't get to the end and feel like I was missing some of the book. Lot of writers need to understand this point. Cookie cutter romance books don't cut it. And that is something that ZC does do. I'm on to book 2.
This book is about a single father and how he finds his second chance at love. Lee and his daughter, Clara, moved to Green Valley from the city. It starts off with Clara jumping off the walls with excitement because of her first day of preschool. And that excitement continues to the whole book.

[Eri | Encrucijadas cotidianas · Rating 4 out of 5]

#Critica: 3.5 Lee, un hombre billonario y padre soltero, decide mudarse a un pueblo tranquilo para que su hija Clara comience jardín de infantes y crezca en un lugar donde pueda estar en contacto con la naturaleza… pero cuando conoce a Patricia, la maestra de su hija, todos aquellos pensamientos de que el alma gemela no existe, se van de su cabeza inmediatamente, porque es allí donde se da cuenta que ha conocido a la mujer que está destinada a compartir su vida… si ella le permite conocerlo y acepta que él es un oso. ¿Podrá convencerla de que están hechos el uno para el otro? El libro es instalove pero a la vez nos deja ver parte de la personalidad de ambos protagonistas e incluso de la pequeña y cada uno te enamora un poquito. Ideal para leer este otoño antes de dormir.

[Emily Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute love story that is easy to get lost in, I started reading this and didn't stop until the last page. The characters were lovable and the plot was easy to follow with a flow that just makes you want to keep reading chapter after chapter. This is a complete story, but the first in a series, and there were enough hints built in to make me wonder which character will be given their own story, which ones will be more fully developed in future books, and who was behind the wheel of that car near the end, lol, kind of like a modern-day "Who shot JR?" kind of vibe. It was just the right length to read at bedtime without keeping me awake longer than I could realistically still get up in time for work.

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lee is a single dad, that is an exceptional dad to his cute as all get out 4 year old daughter Clara! On Clara's first day in Preschool Lee is taken aback when he feasts his eyes on Clara's teacher, she's not what he imagined her to be, all the contrary his bear rears his head and Lee realizes that what he thought to be fairy tales all his life is definetly real. She is his mate!

Patricia is a Preschool teacher that puts her all into her students, she really cares for them all. When she turns to greet her student Clara she is not prepared for the vision she encounters, Mr Montgomery is the epitome of hotness and if love at first site exists, this is it.

Get ready for the hotness, especially the passionate moments, they are intense!

[Janet Hendricks · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Star Read

As always Zoe Chant has crafted an entertaining story. It's about sexy bear shifter Lee and his precocious 4 year old daughter Clara who both fall for Clara's preschool teacher Patricia. Patricia is unaware of the shifter's living in her home town but that's going to change because the first time Lee meets Patricia, he knows she is his mate. Can a human, a bear and a cub find happiness forever after? This is a fun read with well developed characters you'll love. This is a lovely start to a new series. I'm really looking forward to reading the next books in this series.

[Jennifer Holzapfel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leland "Lee" is a bear shifter with young daughter Clara has moved to a small town that has other shifters. His daughter's preschool teacher Patricia is his soul mate, something he never believed in. Patricia finds herself very attracted to Lee, not knowing he is a billionaire or a bear shifter. Patricia has always lived in town and didn't know that shape shifters were real. Will Patricia be able to love a widower bear shifter, or will the whole soul mate thing make here feel second place to his dead wife?

[E Oygard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Usual misinterpretation to keep plot moving and an abrupt ending.

A sweet story where Pre School teacher Patricia meets single dad billionaire Lee when he brings his daughter Clara to her school.
Unknown to Patricia, Lee is a bear shifter.
The story, while being ok, is the usual one churned out by authors. Lack of communication, misinterpretation of meanings by the characters, words left unspoken, until all is resolved. But with this particular story - what an abrupt ending! I read a sentence, turned the page to continue and could not believe there was no more!

[Gwen S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patricia and Lee the Bear Snowy Love Tryst! 3.75***** Spoiler

Wealthy Leland, the Bear Shifter, and his daughter, Clara, moved to Green Valley, where he met her new teacher/ soul mate Patricia. After being snowed in together, and overcoming their communication faux pax, they became the next GV mated couple.
Great novella, expected outcome, with a theme of not selling oneself short and judging a book by its cover. A quick read!

02/17/23- 02/18/23 COVID-19 President Day 2023!

[Holly Fincher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Snow and love.....

Patricia is a preschool teacher in small town. Lee is a bear shifter and a billionaire with a four year old daughter who registered his daughter,Clara, at the preschool. From the first glance they knew they were in love. When Patricia found out Lee was a bear shifter she thought it was so cool. Of course she found out by waking up to find a bear in bed with her. After having a little accident Patricia found out the woman who worked for her was also a shifter. This is a short love story and I would recommend it to anyone who likes shifter books.

[Terry Sasada · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the way this book came together. Lee is a bear shifter, new to the small town and a single dad to a wonderful little girl. Lee discovers there is something really special in this small town when he takes his daughter to preschool, there he meets Patricia, not only his daughter's teacher, but also his mate. He never actually believed in that until at that moment. Now to tell her that he is a bear shifter and she is his mate.... that should be easy.

[Jamoz23 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a very simple lust at first sight book with likeable characters.
Enjoyable but a very simple read.
Likeable characters and a sweet little girl.
A few errors missed in proofreading and a couple of unanswered questions.
Didn’t feel like there was enough explanation about his first wife.
Was it Harriet driving the car that ran Patricia off the road? If so why?
Will be reading the next book about Andrea.

[Rosemarie Grainer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great quick read!

I have been meaning to read this story for awhile. Now that there is a book 2, I decided to get it. I am glad I did. This is a fun shifter romance. There is a small but of action, but a lot of great character development. The story has a quick pace, a hopeful tone, a character oriented storyline with some steamy scenes and adorable characters who you love immediately! If this sounds good to you, I bet it will be! Enjoy! I can't wait to read the next one!

[Iluvbks · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun fast read. The story moves fast and at times a little too fast. The characters are believable and true to who they are. I enjoyed how the author reviled that Lee was a bear. Her are only so many ways to say "hey, I can turn into a bear."
The little girl in the book talked and acted like a 4 year old and that is something I liked, instead of talking or acting older.
You get your HEA and no cliffhanger. I am looking read more from the series

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very sweet shifter story

I love shifter romances and while not a prude by any means sometimes I do get a bit embarrassed at the expliced parts lol. It's the magick of shifters and pack life that fascinate. This one was just a sweet story with a sexy bear shifter but no explicit scenes. I loved his daughter so much, such a sweet child. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.