Bearista

Bodyguard Shifters #1

by Lauren Esker

A tough bear shifter bodyguard undercover in a coffee shop + a curvy barista with an adorable 5-year-old + a deadly shifter assassin = a scorching thrill ride of a romance!

Tough as nails and hard as steel, Derek Ruger has spent his life in dangerous parts of the world, and has the scars (emotional and physical) to show for it. But this is his most difficult assignment yet: going undercover in a coffee shop to protect a curvy witness, who happens to be his fated mate!

Single mom Gaby Diaz is just trying to make ends meet, working as a coffee shop barista while taking night classes, caring for her 5-year-old son, and supporting her widowed mother. Then she witnesses an armed robbery, and now she's being hunted by an assassin and protected by a hot, gruff bodyguard who just might be able to coax Gaby into opening up the heart she's been sheltering for years.

Hot as a fresh cup of coffee, Bearista is a standalone BBW paranormal romance with a Latina heroine and a protective bear shifter hero. No cliffhangers!

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

174 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 24, 2017

About the author

Lauren Esker writes romantic suspense and paranormal romance that’s just a little off the beaten path. Which isn’t surprising since she’s a lifelong Alaskan who is a little off the beaten path herself! (Literally and figuratively.) She also writes graphic novels and scifi/fantasy as Layla Lawlor, and m/m romance as Layla M. Wier.

Reviews

[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 got a review copy of this book, and no one tells me what to think, feel, or write about any book! I have bought this book because I loved it, and I own most of Zoe’s books!

The cover is WOW!! It is my favorite kind of cover with both beautiful beasts on it!

I loved this book because she is a single mom who works her butt off for her family, and she wins all around in the end with her happily ever after. Her son is adorable, and he is included in the HEA! She is fierce when it comes to the people she cares about, and she won’t leave anyone behind. Derek is pretty awesome, and I love how automatically her family is now his. It is definitely a sexy quality in a man! He is just as fierce and protects what is his.

Zoe Chant is amazing at writing action packed HEAs that leave you so happy to have read them! I can’t wait to read the next one!

I highly recommend this book and any Zoe Chant book to shifter lovers who love a perfect blend of action, romance, and HEAs! Zoe nails the combination every time!

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet alpha shifter meets his mate at a coffee shop..

This novel is a great example of a traditional shifter romance--an alpha shifter who longs for a family, a strong heroine who longs to find someone she can depend on, a villain who threatens to tear them apart, and a meddling grandmother who wants to see them both happy. I really enjoyed this novel because of it's simplicity and heart and found myself unwilling to put it down. There was just the right amount of action and heartwarming scenes between the two MCs and Gaby's family, and the story flowed seamlessly. I'd recommend this book to readers who enjoy shifter romances with talk of finding one's mate and ultimately fighting for what you desire most.

[Ivy Deluca · Rating 2 out of 5]

What can I say? The book title? Totally cracky and cheestastic enough to draw me in.

The story? Well...it's not bad and it's got some themes I'm a total sucker for (characters in peril, forced proximity, on the run) plus bears. Grizzly and polar. I really wish the worldbuilding was stronger and that the love went beyond insta. It's ok, but like crack, I got a taste of the next book in the series and since it drives me nuts not to complete a series this short, yes I'm diving in.

What does this review mean? It's not great, it's not horrible, it's ok. So if you're into shifter romances and you're a completist, read this book. If not, skip and go to the next book. That review will be up next.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (4/8/2019)! 🎁

[Feyre · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was nice, I really liked Gaby and Derek. At some points I found myself thinking "and you're only thinking about this NOW?!" but I still overall enjoyed this and I'm really looking forward to the next story!

[Teri Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

I love that is a great mystery story, love story, action story and family story. I can't wait for the next book!

[Ann Hupe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, it's brain candy, but it's fun. It's your typical heroine needs a bodyguard because she witnessed a crime, this time involving a psychotic polar bear shifter who shifted right before her eyes. In swoops in Derek, a private securities guard specializing in really bad/boring assignments, still smarting from his last encounter with the very same polar bear shifter, except now this Ghost of a polar bear shifter has Gaby, our heroine, in his sights. After all, don't leave any witnesses, right?

Yep! That's the bodyguard template plot line. It's fun, gets to the point, doesn't drag it all down with nothing going on, and wraps up in one pretty satisfactory parcel at the very end. Which only leaves me with "Who is this Keegan character?" I suppose that'll be explained in the next book in this series.

Yeah, I suppose there is chemistry. The problem is that the book is too short to get into some real deep intimacy issues. I only wish there had been much more, but then again, I did introduce this book as brain candy. Editing isn't horrible. No really bad continuity problems. I believed the exposition though there could had been a little more to round out the location where Derek and the family hid. Still a little pat in some areas.

If you have the opportunity to read this on KU, go ahead! I'll tell you this series' purchase possibilities once I read the next book in line.

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coffee Please........

Gaby witnesses what will change her life forever. The only thing good to come of this is the fact that the man they have sent to guard her is one hella hunk and her body is screaming for him to really guard her body in naughty ways.

Derek only agreed to this job because his old nemesis Ghost is involved, but when he walks into the coffee shop to meet his charge, his bear goes all crazy on him wanting to get to his mate, so he can really guard her all over. He never thought they'd put an apron on him and put him to work as a barista, but at the same time this way he can be closer to his mate. Now he just has to make sure Ghost gets no where near her.

[Fiction Junkie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, fast read. No ow/om drama at all. My kind of book when the H and h are together the whole book.

[Judy Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEARISTA IS BEARLICIOUS !!!
Title: Bearista
Author: Zoe CHant
Designation: Novella, Standalone, NO Cliffhanger, #ParanormalRomance #BearShifter
Reading Platform: Kindle Ebook Edition
My Rating: Five Sexy Bearlicious Stars*****
Oh my! I loved, loved, loved Bearista by Zoe Chant. It's no secret I'm a Zoe Chant fan and enjoy everything she writes, but this book is definitely one of my all-time favorites! Bearista is a sexy, fast-paced, easy-to-follow, novella-length, standalone paranormal romance filled to the brim with pulse-pounding danger, riveting action, heart-wrenching drama, undeniable attraction, steamy passion and, of course, heartwarming romance. It's also a perfect example of why I love Chant's books. Chant is a talented wordslinger and skilled wordsmith who consistently publishes well crafted and edited paranormal/supernatural/fantasy romance. When Chant releases a book, I never even bother to read the blurb; I just one-click and dive in. I've never read a Chant story I didn't like and Bearista is no exception. The narrative is beautifully written in the third person with clearly defined his and her perspectives. The dialogue is smart, snappy, well-executed, sometimes humorous, and flows effortlessly. I never tire of Chant's imaginative settings, riveting storylines, skilled execution, and perfect prose but, without a doubt, my favorite element is the wonderful cast of diverse, captivating, and always engaging characters. I was immediately smitten with our two protagonists: curvaceous, plucky human Gaby Diaz and fearless, tough-as-nails bear-shifter Derek Ruger. Gaby is a hardworking, selfless, single mom and student, beautiful both inside and out, working full-time as a barista to support her five-year-old son Sandy and disabled mother Luisa, while attending college classes at night to earn her degree in business. Kindhearted Gaby has no time for dating, relationships, or distractions of any kind, but after witnessing a robbery on her way to work and becoming the target of a psycho polar bear shifter, she's forced to accept around the clock protection from a hot, handsome bodyguard hired by the police to whom she's unnaturally attracted. Derek Ruger is a hardened former mercenary and private security specialist bear shifter, now freelancing as a bodyguard and bouncer. He agreed to accept a job protecting a witness as a favor to his longtime friend, police lieutenant Keegan. Unfortunately, the perp is an old enemy who almost killed him years ago in Peru while working for an international security company. He and his bear both want to bring this criminal to justice, and a little payback for the scars on his body that serve as a daily reminder of his brush with death would go a long way in satisfying his need for revenge. But after meeting his new client, all bets are off. Derek never believed the stories his grandmother told about shifters and fated mates. He thought they were all tall tales - until he meets beautiful barista, Gaby Diaz. It takes only one look for Derek and his bear to know that Gaby Diaz is much more than just a job - she's their mate Oh my! Derek and Gaby are just perfect together. And Gaby's mom, Luiza, and son, Sandy, are just adorable! They added so much to the story. No spoilers from me but I will say this... Beautiful, hardworking human heroine who witnesses a lot more than just a crime-check! Handsome former mercenary bear shifter who realizes there are more important things than revenge-check! Danger, drama, action, and an old enemy hell-bent on payback-check! An adorable five-year-old and hilarious matchmaking mother-check! Undeniable attraction, fiery passion, and dreamy romance-you bet! That and a whole lot more!

Did I like this story? No, I LOVED it! WOuld I recommend it? You bet and I am but only for adult readers since it does contain explicit sex scenes. Will I read this author again? Absolutely! ANd finally, was I entertained? Completely! Fabulous entertainment and an awesome read!

[Diana Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

I laughed so much at Gaby and Derek, they sounded a lot like my parents it was eerie !! But other than that it was a really high octane, fight and flight when Gaby witnesses a robbery and Derek is assigned to guard her and her family as the robber is a bear shifter Derek had gone up against years before. Things get hot and heavy between Gaby and Derek and after being tracked to their hideaway by tge Ghost Gaby and Derek fight together to save each others lives as well as Gaby's family . 4⭐'s for a sweet and sexy paranormal romance with a few fight scenes to keep it interesting!! I received a gifted copy of the book and am voluntarily choosing to leave an honest and unbiased review.

[Wild_irish_rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good, quick, and fun read. I loved both main characters and look forward to reading more of her books.

[Carly · Rating 2 out of 5]

My copy of this book has its author listed as Lauren Esker who also writes as Zoe Chant, Layla Lawlor, Julie Ecker, and maybe other names as well. The copyright page includes the name, Zoe Chant. Ms. Chant is a prolific writer known for her “paranormal light” stories, and this one is within this boundary.

The book title caught my eye – it was horrifically punny and I hoped it would mean the main character was a bear shifter who doubled as a barista in a coffee bar. What fun…! But, no…not so. The bearista role existed for all of three hours. I’ve no idea what the significance of the book’s title is. Three hours does not a bearista make.

I admit I am drawn to books’ covers. I do not like cartoon-y covers because I’ve learned that they are wannabe comedic stories that usually fall flat. I also don’t like book covers that lop off the heads of the buff gentlemen that pose thereon. One of the several covers this book has had—it was initially published in 2017—has its bear shifter with impressive abs and half a head. Why? That has a creepiness factor that we tend to call misogynistic when men do this to women. [Turnabout is not really fair play.]

At the onset, the book lacks consistency. It’s 04:30 in the morning, predawn, and our heroine, Gaby, witnesses an armored car robbery. It’s dark out. There are streetlights, but the robbery is occurring in the dark. Somehow, Gabby notices one of the robbers has “a blond crewcut and ice-pale eyes.” Hmmm. It may be that she’d recognize a blond crewcut, but she would not notice pale eyes…unless they glowed, and they didn’t. I think the writer has never looked at someone perhaps 75 feet away in predawn light. It would be hard to discern the haircut, impossible to note the eye color. This pulled me out of the story to wonder what was going on.

Next, we’re told the nearest place for Gabby to go is the coffee shop where she works, but she would have to find her keys and unlock the door in order to get in. From this, we can surmise that she will not be able to get into the coffee shop. However, she dodges down the alley and goes in the unlocked back door to this same coffee shop. Why didn’t she just run for the back door initially? The narration about unlocking the front door should have been edited out. It slows down the action and makes it appear as if she has all the time in the world to decide where to hide.

She witnesses the robber’s transformation into a polar bear and somehow, it’s odd, but okay. Never mind that the man had a gun that he could have used in his human form and that would be the end of our heroine. Instead, he shifts forms. Why? It’s obviously a device the writer uses for the heroine to observe a shifter in action.

Later, when Gaby reports what she’s seen to the police, our hero, Derek, comes to protect her. Gaby asks him, “Are you a police officer?” and Derek answers, “No. Private security.” So why does Derek—a page later—think “Telling her that the cop who was protecting her was also a shifter…” when he’s the one who is protecting her and he’s not a cop? It causes the reader to wonder if there is a cop assigned to Gabby, other than Derek who is in private security. As it turns out, there isn’t. I think this is an error by the writer.

Three are parenthetical observations that stop the flow of the story. Here’s an example: “She slapped the coffee-containing device (a small metal cup with a spigot, on a handle) into his palm.” This reads like a draft where the writer will come back later to smooth out the sentence into something like, “She slapped the portafilter into his hand, explaining that it was used to hold two shots of espresso…” and so on. It’s a rough form and shoos the reader out of the story to ponder what the writer is trying to say.

Another disconnect concerns Gaby’s mother, Luisa, who has just had the second of two hip surgeries. She uses a walker and has difficulty maneuvering up and down stairs. Derek has secured a hotel room, Room 419 we’re told, presumably on the fourth floor – Derek and Gaby checked out the room earlier and took the elevator. Why then, did they walk up those four flights with Luisa when an elevator was available? The writer tells us, “…Gaby helped her mother unfold the walker for the trek upstairs.” And why is Gaby unfolding the walker? Luisa would not be able to use her walker up one flight of stairs, let alone four. Later, Gaby is solicitous over her mother’s inability to navigate stairs. When she notices steps up to a porch, she says, “I can help you with your walker.” And later still, Gaby “…hurried down to give her mother a hand up the steps.” Again…why did they subject Luisa to walking up four flights of stairs in a hotel? I think that’s carelessness on the writer’s part.

The whole “fated mate” concept is used but not explored in this book. Here, it’s an excuse to have sex fast which is exactly what Gaby and Derek do mere hours after meeting each other. It’s too fast without any buildup or introduction to the concept. It’s truly “wham-bam, thank you, ma’am” sex. They react at a physical level, but not an emotional one. Sex seems to be something they have because it’s what the mating bond is all about. In the writer’s world, this seems to be so. But I’d rather there be some magical romance behind it. If they are really soulmates, then there should be much more than physicality.

There are some stoppers that pull a reader out of the story. For example:
 There’s a missing preposition: “…I’m not letting anything happen you on my watch…” That should read, “…not letting anything happen to you…”
 The most common way of explaining that someone is available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week is “24/7.” The writer uses “24-7.” Not a terrible thing, but it makes the reader pause to consider what the writer is trying to say.
 A gerund is needed here: “He was completely unused to deal with family occasions.” This should read, “He was unused to dealing with family occasions.” I also removed the adverb (“completely”), because adverbs get old, although this is more of an editorial choice.
 The wrong verb is used: “I’ve got a savings account that’s just sitting there…” That should read, “I’ve got a savings account that’s just setting there…” Animate objects (people, animals) sit; inanimate objects (books, savings accounts) set.

I rated this book 2.5 stars and rounded down. There were so many illogical instances where characters were manipulated—way too obviously—to do things that made no sense. There were disconnects in the story that forced a reader to ignore good sense and reasonable behaviors. The hero, Derek, is a professional mercenary, yet he made numerous mistakes in his protection of Gaby and her family. Gaby is written as someone who is strong and a whiner and a little stupid. After being rescued from another attack of the killer polar bear, she whines, “Oh, I’m so tired of this.” It makes her sound like an ungrateful twit. She cannot see that her insistence on keeping her schedule of working at a coffee shop and going to night school puts not only herself in danger, but the people around her as well. Instead, she is bullheaded and stubborn, refusing to alter her schedule until her boss, Polly, tells her to take some time off and go away. This is the writer coming through, moving her characters around on whims to suit a plot that is not well thought-out, but rather coming together as she writes. That’s okay and seems to be what the writer enjoys doing, but if a writer simply sits and writes without deep plot analysis and character exploration first, then ruthless editing is a critical step in the writing process. That is precisely what this book needs: a ruthless edit. I’ll still read books by Zoe Chant – most are very quick reads, and I usually skim them for the gist of the plotline. Generally, good plots are in this writer’s wheelhouse, so this one was surprising. Although I was stopped by disconnects and thrown out of the story from time to time, it won’t stop me from reading more of Ms. Chant’s books in the future.

[Urdestan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Time to continue into the world of shifter romance and basically seeing my remorse into the whole subgenre of fantasy. I know its targeted to an adult audience at a first glance (the cover really just makes it obvious that its going to include a romance scene? That’s why I hate muscular, buff men in front of a book cover) so no surprise here, but I did identify two sex scenes here. (God knows what)

Apart from these, its pretty easy to digest in my current state - yet it feels shallow, we don’t learn a lot about Gaby and her background. The main character, Derek, just falls flat and his enemy doesn’t seem to be quite invested as a character and just serves as a small obstacle to their love. Yes, I understand its between the two mates, but Derek’s backstory could’ve been expanded to a flashback.

He needs to seriously chill out on immediately coming off with instant intimacy on Gaby. If you want to make it instant, at least make sure Gaby and her family have a feeling of danger or being worried: a stranger out of nowhere suddenly becoming paired with them quickly just doesn’t feel right and comes off for me as somewhat off-putting. They don’t even know each other prior to their encounter! Alright, I’m taking this too seriously on rewriting this. Let’s chill out.

Funnily enough, I might add the next sequel to the bucket list of what to read next. I mean, who wants to read the sequel of this book series, right? Right? …

Overall, still a generic shifter novel for me. After reading a previous shifter novel, I am starting to think everyone is here for fan service of their audiences rather than focusing on character development.

So its a three star for this.

[PepperP0t · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bearista - Zoe Chant 27-Nov - 3.25stars (P)
On her way to work before dawn for the early shift, harried barista Gabriella ‘Gaby’ Diaz witnesses a robbery at the nearby credit union and is chased by one of the robbers who turns into a bear before her eyes. Luckily, the lieutenant that comes to investigate believes her, notes his suspicions and calls his old friend that works personal security, Derek Ruger.

Derek scents his old enemy, Ghost, immediately and gladly agrees to guard the witness certain Ghost will try to kill her. As soon as he can but when Derek enters the coffee shop, he scents and sees Gaby and recognizes her as his mate. She’s given Derek more reason for this rematch, his mate is at stake.

The characters were easy to invest in, but Gaby gets a special mention as the only one with depth and layers though she went through all the shifter revelations a bit too easily. That said, this reader wasn’t a fan of the outing, a light read was expected but not the annoyance at issues a beta reader should’ve caught even in this world where shifters need first aid.
Rating: 3.25stars

[Jenny From The Bog · Rating 2 out of 5]

Where are the puns?

To be honest, I mostly downloaded this book because of the title. I was hoping for many more puns, but the book was sadly lacking.
The romance consisted of "hey, it's my mate, let's get it on and talk dirty! Yay, love!" With a side of instant family.
Light on character development, making it hard to really connect with the characters. That has the silver lining of having characters not developed enough to be annoying though.
The book was supposed to be about him going undercover as a barista, but that plot line took up one morning before abandoning that plot altogether.
I didn't hate the book. It was fine. Like 7-11 coffee, this story technically fulfilled its role as a novel, while leaving me wishing for something fuller bodied.

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun story of a bear shifter meeting his mate while he is her bodyguard. Gaby witnesses a robbery and sees one of the thieves turn into a polar bear! Derek is assigned to protect her and discovers she is his mate. The romance is sweet and Gaby's family is nice.

This is a quick read and is a sweet romance with a bit of heat.

[Elizabeth]

It’s fine but I’m bored and don’t think I care enough to finish. DNF at 55%.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my first Zoe Chant book and it sounded like exactly my kind of thing. I love bodyguard romances. I like Shifter romances. And I like the “pre-destined mate” thing too because I like when the couple are electrically drawn to each other right from the start. So why did I only give it 2 stars? Two words – the plot.

Unfortunately, in order for me to enjoy a book, the plot has to actually make sense and be believable, within the rules of the fictional world. If the characters do stupid things just to make the plot happen it ruins the whole thing. And sadly, the majority of this plot just doesn’t make sense.


The story opens with our heroine, Gaby, getting up early to go to her job at a coffee house. We’re given a quick info dump about how Gaby is a single mom to a 5 year old boy and she also supports her mother, who is recovering from a double hip replacement. Gaby is also taking night classes but we never find out what she’s studying.

On her way to work she happens to witness an armored car robbery and this is where the plot stopped making sense. First of all, “robbery” is kind of over-selling it. All she sees are people taking bags out of the back of the armored car and putting them into a dark sedan instead. There’s no mention of the guards who should have been with said armored car. Not here in the scene nor anywhere else in the story. The crime is always referred to as a robbery, never a murder, so the guards, if they ever existed, weren’t killed. But Gaby is also treated as the only witness to the crime. So apparently there were no guards? This was just an armored car full of money left unguarded on the street for some reason?

Also, the main bad guy, Ghost, he’s committing this robbery without a face mask or making any attempt to hide his identity. Why on Earth would he do that??? This guy is apparently a career criminal. A mercenary for hire who will do any unscrupulous thing as long as he gets paid. And we’re told that he’s committing this robbery on behalf of the local mafia family. And you ask me to believe that a guy like that wouldn’t just put on a ski mask before doing his crimes? When he’s got very memorable features? (White-blond hair and piercing ice-blue eyes). Yeah, I call BS. Even the local mob thugs would know that the armored car has cameras, and so does practically every business on that street. Not to mention that, even at 3 am, people can just be out and about. There’s virtually no reason for them to take the risk of exposing their faces on a public street while committing a crime.

But wait! That’s not all the logic-breaking BS we have to swallow with this inciting incident! Ghost looks up and sees Gaby, so he takes off after her. She runs to the alley behind the coffee shop because she knows her boss will have already unlocked that door. Once at the alley, Ghost has a completely clear shot to kill Gaby with the gun that the author makes it a point to tell us he has…but he doesn’t do it. Instead he takes the time to tear off his clothes and transform into a polar bear, then keep chasing her.

I’m sorry, WHAT?!? There’s no logical reason for him to do this. He has a gun. He could just shoot her. And shapeshifters are a secret. The world doesn’t know they exist. Why would he waste a bunch of time shifting into an EXTREMELY MEMORABLE polar bear and then go back to chasing her? It means that if she survives, she’ll know the shifter secret and he’ll go from “random criminal with blond hair and blue eyes who could realistically be anyone” to “very specific criminal with blond hair and blue eyes who can turn into a freaking polar bear.”

Even if he figured she’d be dead so she couldn’t rat him out: 1) The fact that she’d been mauled by a bear instead of shot would make it pretty obvious to anyone who knew about shifters that it was a shifter killing, and 2) if anyone else happened to look out the window they’d sure as hell notice a freaking polar bear in the middle of the city.

But wait! There’s more! Gaby stumbles into the back of the coffee shop and locks the simple wooden door behind her. Then she collapses and tells her boss to call the police. They can hear the bear snuffling right outside the door…but he doesn’t just come in and kill them. Why?! Why would he just let her go after she’s seen him, and seen that he can turn into a polar bear? He’s definitely strong enough to bust through that flimsy little door. And the cops aren’t there yet because no one has called them. Why the hell would he just walk away? There’s no explanation given because the real reason he walks away is that we wouldn’t have a book if he did what makes sense in this situation.

Unfortunately, the logic failures don’t stop there. The cops arrive and Gaby tells the cop in charge, Keegan, what she saw, including the bear. He’s a panther shifter himself so he obviously believes her. He calls the hero, Derek. Derek and Ghost have some vague history that doesn’t really come to anything. In this first scene with Derek we’re led to believe that he has a personal vendetta against Ghost for whatever happened in their past (and he’s got some scars on his chest to prove it) but then later in the story we’re told that there really isn’t any bad blood between them. They both happened to be in Peru working on a job, Derek as security and Ghost as a saboteur for some dam or bridge or something. Ghost and Derek fought, Ghost won, end of story. They were both just doing their jobs and happened to be on opposite sides, but don’t really care all that much. Derek never really would have pursued Ghost if they hadn’t happened to cross paths now. Lame.

Anyway, Keegan asks Derek to come onboard to protect Gaby because he’s a grizzly shifter and knows Ghost’s abilities so he has a better shot at protecting her than regular human cops. Derek agrees and heads over to the coffee shop. The second he walks in and sees Gaby he knows she’s his fated mate. His bear, who he talks to in his mind like it’s a separate entity, wants to immediately grab her and drag her off to the nearest patch of woods so they can get busy with the “mating” but obviously Derek has to put a lid on that.

Gaby and Derek are introduced and chat. He confirms that shapeshifters are a thing and hints - but doesn’t outright say - that he’s a bear shifter too. Then he tells Gaby that he wants to take her to a safe house to protect her…and she refuses. She goes on and on about how she can’t miss work. She NEEDS this paycheck. Her mom and son are counting on her. The fact that there’s a killer after her does not trump the fact that she’ll have bills coming due. So she asks Derek to protect her there, at the coffee shop. She says that he can go “under cover” as a barista, hence the title. This was touted on the book like it was going to be a big part of the plot but it’s not. Derek is there for about 3 hours before they leave, so it was much ado about nothing.

But this whole scenario just didn’t ring true for me anyway. I couldn’t believe that Derek would just meekly let his mate put herself in such alleged danger so she can make minimum wage for a few hours. It made him come across as very passive and not like the take-charge hero I wanted him to be. It also served to let a lot of the tension out of this situation. If neither our hero nor heroine is all that worried about keeping the heroine safe then, guess what? I’m not either.

Then Gaby’s boss tells her to take the rest of the day off and she does. I’m sorry, what now? What about all the crap she was spewing about how she HAD to keep working despite the events of the morning? That she NEEDED this paycheck so, SO desperately? Apparently we weren’t supposed to remember that because now, suddenly, Gaby is totally cool with ditching work. Sigh.

Gaby and Derek have been very aware of each other physically all morning and the second they get in his car to leave they just kiss. Then they go to the hotel room that the cops arranged for them and just immediately have sex. This felt very abrupt to me and out of character for Gaby. We’d been told at least twice since the start of the book that Gaby didn’t trust men. Not since her baby daddy broke her heart and abandoned her and their kid. We were beaten over the head with how tough and responsible she had to be at all times. That she couldn’t count on anyone but herself. So it’s a complete contradiction in her character for her to just blithely sleep with a man she’s known for just a few hours.

It was all just too glossed over. We didn’t get nearly enough sexual fireworks for me to buy that the “fated mate” hormones were overriding her to the point where she’d abandon everything she held dear. It didn’t even really come across that she was just regular human horny for Derek. It was just so tame. And Derek’s side wasn’t much better. He was very passive in their lovemaking just like he was when she insisted on staying at work. I mean, I didn’t need him to be some kind of sex-crazed maniac but he just kind of sat there and let her take the lead for the most part and didn’t give any indication that he was desperate to have her. Just very tame overall.

Then they leave and go to her apartment where her mom and son are. Again, we have the logic fails. They’ve had some cops watching the apartment all day to make sure Ghost didn’t show up there but, how would Ghost know where Gaby lived? And if it was likely that he WOULD find out and potentially attack, then why wouldn’t the cops move the mom and son someplace else?? Sigh.

Gaby and Derek arrive and tell the cops watching the apartment they can leave because now Derek will take over watching the family…but he doesn’t? He goes inside with Gaby and sits down to have dinner with them. So he’s not watching the house to make sure Ghost doesn’t come in after them. Why wouldn’t he want the cops to stay there watching the entrances so he’d have some warning and backup if Ghost showed up? SO. MANY. LOGIC. FAILS.

So surprise, surprise, Ghost shows up and starts a fire in the building and Derek, Gaby, Grandma and Kid are all trapped upstairs. Gee, who could possibly have foreseen something like this? So they have to go downstairs with everyone else, knowing that Ghost is going to be down there waiting to pick them off. Derek doesn’t even call for help because THERE’S JUST NO TIME! Except…there is time. As they’re evacuating Derek reasons that Ghost must have only started a small fire because a big one would endanger him as well. So it’s probably just enough smoke to get the alarms going off and nothing more….but he still keeps ushering the family down the stairs. Why? Why not wait for the cops to arrive if you’re sure there’s no real threat from the fire? Why walk straight into the bad guy’s trap? Sigh.

But things take an even weirder turn from there. While they’re in the lobby with tons of other people milling around, Ghost goes ahead and attacks. Again, without wearing a ski mask or anything. So, let me get this straight, he’s trying to kill Gaby because she saw him committing a robbery and she can identify and testify against him. And his grand plan for solving this situation is to MURDER HER IN FRONT OF A HUNDRED PEOPLE? Yep, that’ll fix it! It wouldn’t, you know, create a hundred more witnesses who could place him at the scene of an even worse crime or anything.

Do you see how none of this makes sense if you think about it for more than a second?

Derek gives Gaby his keys and tells her to get to his car and drive away. Then he and Ghost fight. Ghost starts turning into his polar bear form right there in front of all of these people. So Derek runs for the back alley and…Ghost follows him…even though he knows Gaby went the other direction and she’s supposedly his target. Sigh.

Ghost savages Derek’s shoulder pretty bad with his bear teeth and has him pinned down in the alley, ready to go for the kill. Then Gaby smashes into him with Derek’s car, hard enough to send him flying into a wall and hurting him bad enough that he can’t immediately get back up again…but somehow doesn’t run over Derek at the same time? HOW? Ghost was literally on top of Derek. There’s just no possible way she could ram Ghost with the car and not be simultaneously running over Derek. SO. MANY. LOGIC. FAILS.

Derek gets in the car and they speed back to the hotel, where they all spend the night. Next day, they head to a cabin owned by Keegan. It’s very remote, to the point where help is hours away if anything should happen. The four of them spend the night and Derek and Gaby have sex again while there. The next morning they determine that they have to go into town to get supplies. Because apparently they didn’t think to get supplies on the way there, and Keegan also didn’t warn them that there wouldn’t be any food in the house. Sigh.

As they’re preparing to go to town, Derek suddenly thinks to check the car for trackers. Only NOW, after they’ve been at the safe house for hours, does he remember that Ghost had been outside the apartment before the fire and could have easily figured out which car belonged to Derek/Gaby based off of their scents. So he could have placed a tracker on the car and followed them out here. Great time to think of that, Derek!

Derek doesn’t find any trackers but admits that doesn’t mean there aren’t any. Trackers are small and there are a million places to hide them on a car. But despite having had this thought…he doesn’t do anything. It never occurs to him to, say, ditch the car and move to a new location? Nope, he just kind of shrugs and continues with their plan to go into town.

But wait, grandma refuses to go. Even though Derek wants everyone to stay together, grandma just says no. She wants to stay there and read her book thank you very much. And….Derek and Gaby just allow this. Why? Why would they allow this if they thought it was safer to stay together? The book tells us that “short of bodily carrying her” there was no way to make her change her mind but that just doesn’t wash. Everywhere else the grandmother is shown as being a perfectly reasonable person. If they explain that she could be taken as a hostage and used against them if Ghost shows up how could she possibly have refused? But this is the plot we’re given. Granny just HAD to stay because of reasons.

Derek, Gaby and the kid do their shopping but on the way home they hear some strange clanging happening in the engine. Derek stops to investigate and NOW he finds a tracker that was apparently knocked loose from all the driving over back roads. Gaby calls Keegan but since they’re so gosh darn far off the map, of course it’ll take ages for help to get to them. So they keep heading back to the cabin, knowing that Ghost is probably there waiting for them.

As they approach, Derek gets a bad feeling and stops the car. He finds that Ghost had set up a booby trap that would make a tree fall across the driveway. If the tree didn’t crush them, it would at least block them in so they couldn’t escape in the car. Derek disables the tripwire and then comes up with a plan. But like…Why wasn’t Ghost sitting there waiting to ambush them at this trip wire? That’s what would have made the most sense. The tree falls and either hits the car, which would most likely kill some or all of the occupants and Ghost just rocks up to finish them off, or it comes down behind the car, blocking them in. Most people would jump out of the car to inspect the situation at that point, giving Ghost a perfect opportunity to attack. But no, we’re expected to believe that he set this trip wire SO far from the house that he couldn’t even see it, and then just waited at the house for them to come back, because of reasons. Sigh.

Derek tells Gaby to stay where she is for 30 minutes. If he doesn’t come back in that amount of time she’s to drive off with the kid. Then Derek runs into the woods to approach the house from there. He can see Ghost on the top floor and suspects he’s got a rifle and is planning to take them out sniper-style. So Derek sets up a distraction, which Ghost totally falls for, and manages to get up against the house without being seen…or smelled, apparently? So much for shifter noses.

Derek sneaks around peeking into windows until he finds the one where Grandma is tied up, all alone. Then he manages to get the window open using his bear strength. And even though it “groans in protest” Ghost doesn’t hear and come to investigate. Derek has to shift into his bear form to cut Grandma’s ropes off and she sees so now she knows about shapeshifters and is totally cool with it. Then he tells her to make a run for it while he attacks Ghost.

Derek and Ghost fight for a while and Ghost seems to be winning pretty handily but he for some reason shifts back into his human form and prepares to shoot Derek in the head with his rifle. But then Gaby shows up and shoots him instead, using the gun Derek had been carting around but then lost in the fight. Apparently Ghost didn’t see, smell, or hear Gaby approaching. The shot doesn’t kill Ghost but surprises him enough that Derek can knock him out.

Keegan and the cavalry arrive and take Ghost into custody. Keegan says he’s pretty sure that the mafia family Ghost had been working for will cut their losses and won’t come after Gaby or her family so she’s fine now and can go back to her regular life. Derek and Gaby exchange ILYs and decide they like this remote town so they plan to move there and Gaby will open her own coffee shop. HEA.

Overall, there were just too many logic fallacies in this book for me to be able to enjoy it. The entire plot hinges on people acting like idiots. And we never reached a deep connection with either of our MCs. We know very little about who they were prior to this book. We never learn the story with Gaby’s ex, for example. Is there any chance of him popping up and trying to claim custody in future? Your guess is as good as mine. And what exactly happened with Ghost and Derek in the past? Derek was badly hurt after their fight so how did he survive? And why does he act like it’s no big deal now?

Their relationship also didn’t really get room to breathe. Having to cart grandma and kid around for most of the book really hampered things. They never had time to just talk and get to know each other. It was too superficial for me to believe they’re really in love.

[Marsha Keeper Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed at Shifter Haven

Bearista is fast paced, full of danger, charm, steamy moments and a couple who are so right for each other. When Gaby set off for her early morning shift at the coffee shop she had no idea that her life was about to change drastically. Witness to a crime, she’ll find herself witnessing more than bags of money being tossed out of an armored car… she’ll watch the man chasing her turn into a polar bear right before her eyes. When the detective in charge of the case brings in outside security to watch over Gaby and her family he does it not only for Gaby, but for Derick as well. For this polar bear is an assassin well known to them both, and the Ghost has more crimes than this one to answer for. Derick and the Ghost have a history and it’s time for this bad guy to take a tumble. Gaby is Derick’s mate, found at the craziest time in their lives… but at least she won’t think he’s crazy when he explains that he also can turn into a bear… a grizzly bear.

I enjoyed Bearista so very much. Danger is all around them yet Gaby and Derick are also falling for each other. He hadn’t expected to find his mate, but he and his bear are in agreement – no one is going to harm their mate or her family. While I loved Gaby and Derick together, I also adored her mother who had some of the finest one liners in the story. It’s fast, it’s sexy and it’s totally enjoyable. I’d recommend Bearista for any Paranormal Romance or Shifter Romance reader who loves that touch of danger as the couple is settling into each other, and lively secondary characters. I’d love to learn one of those secondary character’s story one day as well.

I read this title through my Kindle Unlimited subscription.

[Ingrid Stephanie Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Bearista
Release Date: #AlreadyReleased
Author: Zoe Chant
Reviewer: Ingrid Stephanie Jordan
Serial: Standalone, No Cliffhanger 
#PRN #GrizzlyBearShifter #PolorBear
My Rating: #5Stars☆☆☆☆☆
••••••••••••••
     Wow Ms. Zoe's books just keep getting better and better. Every book I read of hers is fantastic. This is another story that catches you from the first page, ties you up and takes you on the ride of your life.
     Gabriella Diaz aka: Gaby is a human single mom taking care of he five year old son and mother who had surgery on both hips. While she was walking to her very early morning shift at the coffee shop she saw something that wasn't right but they saw her too, so she started running, he I was catching up to her when she turned around and saw him change. OMG was she losing her mind? What is she going to tell the police? But first she had to get to safety.
     Derek Ruger is a Grizzly Bear Shifter who now works in the states because he gave up his guard for hire to protect the good. But not everybody is that way , he ran into the Ghost who is a BAD Polar Bear, many times they fought. The last was the worst, he hadn't heard from him since. But all that changed when he was asked to be a bodyguard to a witness and that witness happened to be his fated mate.
     A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and my comments here are my honest opinion.

[Elaine Kirby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cops & Robbers!

Gaby Diaz is a daughter, a mother, a student & a Barista. One day while walking to work she sees a robbery & just about the time she notices it the robbers notice her & start shooting & running after her. She does make her escape but not before she sees one of the robbers turn into a polar bear.

Derek River is a grizzly bear shifter & a friend of the policeman in charge of the investigation of the robbery that Gaby saw. The policeman, Keegan, calls Derek in to protect Gaby until the robbers are caught. Once Derek got to the scene of the crime & took a look around he realizes & tells Keegan that his old nemesis "Ghost" is one of the robbers; which also means that Gaby is in a lot more trouble than she would be. When Derek finally goes into the coffee shop where Gaby works & sets eyes on her, he immediately knows that she's his mate.

This is the beginning of not only their mating but also their adventure in keeping her & her family alive.

This book was very good because of the plot of good vs bad, the shooting scenes & the not very descriptive sex scenes.

[JodyL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gabi and Derek

Gabi is on her way to work at 4:30 in the morning and witnesses a crime in progress. When one of the men sees her and chases her she sees him turn into a polar bear. She gets away through the back door of the coffee shop she works at. Her boss calls the police.
Derick is a bodyguard who is a bear shifter. His friend from the police department called him in to guard Gabi. When he sees her he realizes that she is his mate. She is very stubborn and doesn't want to go to a safe house.
Gabi is the single mother of a five year old boy and also takes care of her disabled mother. She can't leave her job because she is the only one supporting all three of them.
The man who came after her is called Ghost. He is a hired merc who works for drug runners and crime lords. Derick met up with him several times previously in South America and they fought. So Derick knows how much danger Gabi is in.
This is a good story with some adventure involved as well as strong, stubborn heroine. Recommended read! Has a HEA.

[Kym · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story

Setting: Unnamed city + rural Contemporary
Genre: Shifter Romance
While walking to work early one morning, Gaby witnesses the robbery of an armored car. One of the robbers comes after her when she runs into the alley to go into the back door, and he turns into a polar bear. The police lieutenant in charge of the investigation calls Derek, a grizzly shifter, to be her bodyguard. Gaby refuses to go into hiding because she needs to keep her job to support her 5 year old son & mother, and to pay tuition. Derek has a history with the polar shifter, known as Ghost, and the job becomes as much about settling an old score as protecting Gaby and her family. During the few days of running from Ghost, Gaby and Derek start work on their HEA.
This is a well-written book. The characters are three dimensional, dialogue is great and furthers the storyline, and the plot is suspenseful. The romance/sex is well described without being raunchy. Overall, a good first in series.

[Holly Fincher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happily ever after....

Gaby is a young single mother who is just going to work when she notices a robbery in progress. She gets into the cafe and has her boss call the police. Derek is a bodyguard and a bear shifter. He gets the call from his boss about the robbery and finds out the crook was also a bear shifter. It is the one known only as the Ghost. Derek has had several run ins with the Ghost. Gaby had no idea about shifters so when she saw the robber turn into a bear she is afraid no one will believe her. Derek figures out pretty quickly that Gaby is his mate. Gaby feels so drawn to Derek that it feels like love at first sight. With Derek protecting her, her son, and her mother they go on the run. Finally the Ghost shows up and the big battle begins. Gaby has to shoot the Ghost but finally between her and Derek they have the Ghost tied up for the police to come to arrest him. Gaby, her son Sandy, her mother, and Derek end up moving to the same small town to buy a home and open up Gaby's own coffee shop. Happily ever after.....

[Lynn Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take one large grizzly bear and put him in a coffee shop and what do you get a bearista. This is Gaby and Derek's story. It is one great read with humor romance and mayhem thrown in.
Gaby Diez is a single mom taking care of her 5 year old son and mother. While minding her own business on her way to work she witnesses a robbery. As if that isn't bad enough one of them chases her and changes into a polar bear.
Derek is a grizzly bear shifter called in by Keegan to protect Gaby. He is sure the polar bear is the Ghost. When Derek arrives at the coffee shop he realizes a large complication has arisen in the form of his mate. How is he going to keep she and her family safe having to stay in the city and work in the coffee shop with her.
When her apartment complex is set on fire they run to the Keegan's cabin. Will they be safe there until the Ghost is caught? I give this story 5 stars.

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

*WARNING* contains explicit adult sexual situations
Derek is a bear shifter and a security guard. Derek has a good friend on the police force who he helps sometimes, so when Keegan calls and tells him Ghost is back, Derek goes. Derek has tangled with Ghost before, so this time he needs to be sure the criminal polar bear is caught.
Gaby works 2 jobs, takes college courses, is a single mom, and takes care of her disabled mother. When Gaby sees a robbery in progress on her way to work, she tries to call for help, but one of the men turns into a huge polar bear and chases her down the alley. Gaby is close to the back door of the coffee shop were she works, so she slips inside and has her boss call 911, but she doesn't realize who chased her.
This was a good story. I have read many good stories just like it though. The bodyguard discovers the person he is suppose to protect is his mate, that's been done a lot. There's not really anything that makes this story stand out from the rest.

[Darla Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Single mother, Gaby Diaz is working as a barista while going to school, taking care of her disabled mother, and raising her 5 year old son. When she witnesses an armored car robbery on her way to work one morning, she's thrown into a world she's never known as she watches one of the robbers turn into a polar bear. Bear shifter, Derek Ruger, has seen a lot of the world and has the scars to prove it but when he's asked to guard Gaby he's not only up against his nemesis, he's found his mate and she's stronger than she looks.

This was a great book, well-written with well-rounded characters. You find yourself cheering for Gaby and Derek while getting a laugh from the way Gaby fights beside Derek much to his bear's frustration. I highly recommend this book and am looking forward to the next one in the series.

[Jamoz23 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful enjoyable read with great characters.
It is so nice to get a well written and paced story with a sensible heroine you can genuinely like.
Gabriel, Gaby, is one put together woman with straight priorities in her life. Family first and working hard to improve her lot in life.
Even when the action is taking place she did not act stupidly and thought out what to do without being a hindrance to the hero Derek. Loved her.
Derek was just such a sweetheart as well as being capable and likeable.
The build up of their relationship was good and even though they jumped into bed together straight away it didn’t annoy me.
Loved the mum and son too.
All in a very enjoyable read and will be looking to read Keegan’s story if he gets one.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A witness to a crime

Gaby hasn't had the easiest life. Left pregnant by the deadbeat dad, and taking care of her disabled and widowed mother, apparently wasn't enough for Gaby to have to struggle with. No, she had to witness a crime in progress on her way to work. But for her it was a blessing in disguise. She met Derek. Derek is hired to protect Gaby from a polar bear shifter only known as the "Ghost" because he is set on erasing the only witness to his crime. But Derek isn't just her bodyguard; he turns out to be her mate, and protects her from the Ghost. Derek ends up needing to be protected too, and Gaby puts her life at risk to help her mate. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book, and I borrowed it through the Kindle Unlimited program too.