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Operation Bear

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Sometimes, when you’re desperate enough, poking the bear is exactly what’s needed.

Ethan
Even a shifter needs rest after a grueling operation, but I’m not going to get it. I’ve just been handed a new mission. I’m staring at an image of a British POW in need of rescue and my heart is thumping. How can a simple photograph do that to me?
Suddenly, I realize this mission has to succeed…I’m going to get you out of there James, I promise. And I always keep my promises.

James
War is hell. Being a POW has nearly broken me but I won’t give in, despite the pain and torture I’ve had to endure from my captors. Dreams of home, and a hot, muscled, blue-eyed rescuer have kept me going this long…that and my British resolve.
Then, just as think I might be better off dead, I see him, running towards me, dodging bullets. I must still be dreaming, right?

It’s a long way to the border, and safety. Ethan and James must fight their way through hell, bullets and bombs, and learn to put their trust in one another, if they want to make it out alive.

A Gay Shifter Romance.

148 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 3, 2019

16 people are currently reading
26 people want to read

About the author

Espen Arcadia

7 books28 followers

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5 stars
46 (48%)
4 stars
36 (38%)
3 stars
9 (9%)
2 stars
3 (3%)
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0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
Profile Image for ♥️Victoria ♥️ ♥️love books♥️.
837 reviews69 followers
April 8, 2019
This was really one of my fav short read shifter books in a long time!!! This was not an erotic orgy like most of the short read shifter books available, this was really a good book witha lot of blood and gore and interesting humor along the way.

Defintly an author to keep my eye on❤❤❤❤
Profile Image for Ula'ndi Hart.
989 reviews15 followers
April 12, 2019
Overall book rating: 3.8
Audio Book: N/A
Book Cover: 4


Well, this is my first book by the author, and might I say that it has potential.

I’m sort of “over” my shiftier faze at the moment. I think maybe I read one to many cheesy ones? Maybe it’s just the mood I don’t know.

But. I did enjoy this one. I think it was something else.

It’s not perfect, but it’s a good read and it makes for entertaining moments.

I could have done with more. I usually can you know. It’s a flaw of mine okay?

I really liked the feel of this one and everything happening. The situation these guys find themselves in and how they try to make it to a safe place.

I will definitely be keeping an eye on the author.
Profile Image for ~nikki the recovering book addict.
1,248 reviews2 followers
April 9, 2019
Not the best...

I almost DNF @74% but then it said 22 minutes to the end so I pushed on. It wasn’t badly written. I guess the story line just didn’t appeal to me. It was 2 men fighting to get out of war. I should be more excited about the story but I think I didn’t quite enjoy the style it was written in? There was a lot of internal monologue from both sides. How they fell in love without much time to get to know each other, I do not know. But they did, surprisingly. I don’t know... I’m trying not to be snarky but it’s a little hard because it wasn’t very enjoyable. Boo ☹️
61 reviews
April 5, 2019
It's amazing when a writer can tell a story that makes you feel as though your traipsing right along the pages with the characters in their story; I felt as if I was going through everything along with James and Ethan, and it was intense.
This is an mm military romance, with a shifter aspect to you. It doesnt delve into shifter politics or societal aspects (theres no omega or alpha - even though Ethan is a total alpha), it brings us into a war zone and gives us real, raw, and hope.
Seasoned US Spcial unit Lieutenant Ethan is given an order to rescue POW British Forces James. Ethan, who excels at his job because of his shifter senses, takes the assignment with no resistance, if there is anyone to bring back a POW deep in enemy territory its him. He feels drawn to his charge even before he meets him, and when he finally gets to him, it's as if his heart instantly give itself to James. We follow their fight and flight to safety, taking us with them on their escape route towards their allies, they lean towards eachother and we get to witness their relationship grow.
This book contains so much it's hard to even describe what I felt reading it. Its excellently written, the warzone is realistic and the romance is a fire that is slowly stoked until it's a raging inferno.
You get pulled into this tale and form connections with the characters, half the time I wanted to jump in and help Ethan and James myself and let nothing happen to them.
I cant say I've ever experienced what Espen has written about here, but it sure as heck felt real to me; I can't wait to see what he comes up with next

I read an advance reader copy of this book and am leaving an unbiased review.
Profile Image for Toni.
2,380 reviews24 followers
April 12, 2019
Ethan is a bear shifter who has just come back from a very grueling mission. As he and his delta team are sitting down to eat real food for the first time in weeks. As he prepares to eat the General of the base arrives to ask for a small team to go in to rescue a POW. So Ethan and two others are picked and away they go. As they parachute down, one man is killed, Ethan and the other soldier are left to continue the mission. Meanwhile, James, the English soldier, is being beaten to get information out of him. He dreams of his deceased partner and then dreams of a soldier who comes to rescue him. His dream is so real and he;s so drawn to the soldier who will rescue him. Meanwhile, Ethan feels like he needs to rescue James. Meanwhile Ethan uses his shifter abilities to get him and his partner through a hot spot. Then he loses his partner. Now it;s up to Ethan to rescue James. Hopefully he is worth the death and the risk. Will he make it and will they make it with something to show for the fuss.
A thriller that will ensnare you in the story and keep you till the last page.
Fantastic story and read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
1,199 reviews8 followers
April 13, 2019
I loved this book. Is it an unconventional MM romance? Yes. This is a story focused more on how love develops, than on lust or sex. It is a story of discovery, hidden strengths and fears, emotional breakthroughs, unbelievable bravery, and the violence of war. It is also a story of acceptance.
Ethan is Delta Force, sent to rescue a British POW from the most notorious prison camp. He is intrigued by the picture of the man he is to rescue, James. After losing the rest of his team, Ethan knows he must rescue James at all costs. James has been tortured regularly, both physically and mentally. He doesn't break. But he is near that point when Ethan rescues him. Now they must run, keeping out of the way of the enemy. Ethan is a Bear shifter, keeping that side hidden from the world; afraid that anyone, especially James, will reject him if they know the truth. Can these two men find love amid the horrors of war?
This is a violent book. Wars are not clean. There is torture, killing, even slaughter. But through it all, there is a sense of purpose. A sense that two men can find love in spite of it all.
Due to the violence, mature themes, language, and MM sex, this book is intended for mature 18+ readers only.
1,550 reviews11 followers
July 30, 2020
Definitely not what I expected, but so, so good!
I expected a typical shifter romance where the shifter part of Ethan is his predominant aspect and the “extraction” plot part is put somehow second place.
Instead what I got is a really interesting and well-written war-story, where you are right there with Ethan and James, in the midst of the Azerbaijani woods, fleeing for safety with Turks soldiers shooting at you. You are really transported into the thick of things in this book. At some points I really felt like thee were bullets flying over my head!
And the love that develops between this two man is strong and grows organically, yes there’s instant attraction, and there’s flirting and banter, but they’re both too trained and focused of making it out alive to act on impulse, so when they act on their feelings, it’s because there’s already something real between them.
Allen Jeffries is a new to me narrator, and I liked what he did with the voices: two completely different accents for American Ethan and Brit James.
Profile Image for Wide Eyes, Big Ears!.
2,635 reviews
May 31, 2020
Ethan leads an elite military team to rescue a British soldier held captive and tortured by Turkish forces. The enemy are no match for Ethan who can shift into bear form. Having rescued James, Ethan must get James across enemy lines without being distracted by their growing feelings for each other. There are many glowing reviews for this story but I found it fair rather than good - the action was gripping but I didn’t warm to the two main characters or feel convinced about their military credentials. 🎧 Allen Jeffries has the perfect voice for action novels, it’s rich and deep. When he voiced the American characters it was perfect. However, his Turkish voice sounded Afrikaner and the two British voices made for extremely uncomfortable listening, it kept pulling me out of the book and made it hard to continue.
———————-
I received a free copy of the audiobook and voluntarily left this honest review.
Profile Image for Jo Bird.
Author 1 book3 followers
April 5, 2019
This is an MM shifter military romance with a difference. It’s raw, it’s edgy, it’s real. The emotional quality is spot on and at times I was on the edge of my seat, I even cried. A seasoned US army specialist and bear shifter, Ethan, is sent behind enemy lines to rescue a British POW, James. The plot revolves around the rescue and the two men’s escape through enemy held territory but the real story is the growing relationship between them.
There is everything in this book, drama, emotion, pathos, action, tension, heat, even romance. The characters are absolutely perfectly written. The plot is tense and exciting. The heat ratchets up nicely and the ending ties it all up with a nice bow.
I wish I could give it more than five stars! I read an advance reader copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest and unbiased review.
661 reviews2 followers
April 6, 2019
Ethan is sent to get James a missing British officer. James has lost count how long he has been a prisoner. He is slowly losing hope that someone will find him. Ethan and his crew were ambushed before they even start. Ethan loses both of his crew within twenty four hours of jumping from the plane to rescue the POW. After spending a week to get to the camp where James is being held, Ethan watches James dig a grave and waits to make sure no one is coming out. Ethan and James take off and try to make it to the Russian boarder for pickup. Ethan and James get to know each other as they try to run to freedom. When they get to the Russian boarder the Turkish army is on their tail. Will they get across the border or will they die within sight of freedom?

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Patricia Hoffstaetter.
3,160 reviews40 followers
April 7, 2019
An excellent & exciting MM military shifter romance, I found the plot exceptional well-written & highly intriguing with the trials & tribulations that the main characters had go through in the fight for freedom.
There is: a US special unit Lt. & bear shifter (Ethan King) is ordered to rescue a British Lt. POW (James Davis) held in enemy territory, twists & turns, intrigue, suspense, drama, secrets, action, hostile forces, threats, danger, enemies, life-threatening incidents, violence, conflict, torture, death, attractions, verbal banter, affection, confusion, confrontations, shifting, rage, discovery, conversations, trapped, injuries, sorrow, guilt, promises, love, some steam & a well-earned happy conclusion’
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this MM military shifter romance & would recommend it to people who enjoy reading this genre; I sincerely doubt that you would be disappointed.
Profile Image for A.L. Miller.
Author 5 books15 followers
April 18, 2019
James has been captured and tortured while he watch his friends be killed. Ethan is a us soldier who is also a bear shifter who gets sent to save him and from the moment he first saw James photo, he knew there was something about him that captivated him. Ethan number one mission is to rescue James and keep him alive and he knows letting his feelings for him get in the way could put them both in danger but its getting harder each day to stay away.James didn't think anyone was coming for him and thought he was left there for dead but that was until a hott stranger came in to save him. I really enjoyed this one and it held my attention the whole time. It had lots of action, romance and a hott bear shifter. what more could you ask for? I look forward to reading more from this author.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
1,992 reviews16 followers
April 7, 2019
The story of a rescue mission, where there is a fictitious war in a real country with an unlikely coalition of nations warring against an occupying army.
The "hero" out to rescue a single prisoner is a bear shifter and after losing his two comrades early on continues to finish his mission. His bear comes in handy, but personally I found the descriptions off-putting when he became a killing bear. The book is written from both the rescuer and the rescued man's perspective, alternating their story.
If you like lots of gore and fairly cold-blooded killings - then this is for you. The little romance towards the end does not outbalance the violence of war in my eyes.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for John Altman.
258 reviews33 followers
April 9, 2019
Operation Bear!

Rating Review Rollout:
(1) Attention Keeper: 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
(2) Digging deep in Character Development: 3 🌟🌟🌟
(3) Danger-Drama-Friction-Suspense Fulfillment?: 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
(4) Edit to Perfection!: 3 🌟🌟🌟
(5) Feeling the Words: 4 🌟🌟🌟🌟
(6) Give me more please factor: 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
(7) Going with the Flow of the Story: 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
(8) Grammar Police: 3 🌟🌟🌟
(9) It's all about the Chemistry, baby: 4 🌟🌟🌟🌟
(10) Laugh out loud funny: N/A
(11) Love connection: 3 🌟🌟🌟
(12) Plot Worthy: 4 🌟🌟🌟🌟
(13) Show me Entertainment: 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
(14) Super-Duper-Natural feels: 4 🌟🌟🌟🌟
(15) The Writing speaks for itself: 4 🌟🌟🌟🌟
(16) The Wrap Up of all loose ends in a tidy bow: 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Total Rating: 4.1 Stars out of 5 😃👍
Profile Image for Fran.
1,054 reviews11 followers
April 5, 2019
I first got this as an ARC but now I've purchased it and here's why: have to say that this is one terrific and gritty military story, full of realism. This is not the usual MM shifter story. Sure this is an alpha/omega type but so much more than that. Ethan is a Delta Lt. assigned to rescue 2nd Lt. James who being held by Turkish forces in a POW camp and tortured for days by the sadistic Ayden. There are realistic scenes of what he's suffering under. Ethan and 2 of his team are assigned to get him out. Losses are suffered in horrendous ways (I did say "gritty"). Mr. Arcadia has done himself proud in writing this book. I finished this in one no time flat.
1,957 reviews19 followers
April 6, 2019
Great read. Ethan and his team are sent on a rescue mission to save James but before he locates James the other two members of his team are killed and the mission becomes harder. James has been tortured and starts to believe that no one is coming for him. The relationship that develops between the two men is well written and touches the heart strings as they make there way to the rendezvous point. The book deals with James’ torture, engaging the enemy, trying to escape alive and a new developing love interest. I enjoyed the book, it was a great read but I quickly scanned thru the parts that related to the torture James endured. I would recommend this book as a great read.
3,229 reviews25 followers
April 8, 2019
Bear shifter Ethan is sent behind enemy lines to rescue James a POW.
Along with two other Bear shifter Ethan are sent into Azerbaijan to rescue POW James. One of his colleagues dies before they reach the ground the other within the first day but he continues finding something attracting him to the person in the picture he had been given to recognize him. When he reach the compound where James is reportedly held he finds him in a field digging a grave for the bodies of other prisoner that are being dumped nearby. A MM military shifter romance to relax and enjoy.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
4,903 reviews18 followers
April 9, 2019
FANTASTIC! Ethan and James are military men a country should be proud of. The action is AMAZING! You can almost smell the warzone. The author did a great descriptive job bringing us up front and personal. War is not like a video game. The smells and tastes are what overwhelm and frighten. This is an excellent story. Can Ethan and his men rescue James? What's it like doing back to back missions? Can they make it back to the rendevous? Amazon needs to have a 10 scoring system. I received an ARC from Booksprout for a review.
Profile Image for Donna.
3,389 reviews42 followers
September 28, 2022
Even though this was a solid read, I think it would have worked better for me if there hadn't been any sex scenes during their flight to freedom. James is the "human" of the story and his body was all but giving out on him from his captivity and torture when Ethan rescues him. I just don't see how he could physically be able to make the transition in 3 or 4 days, but what do I know, I am a woman! 🤔

I think most will go into this story seeing Ethan as the hero that rescues the man that will become his future, but be prepared... there is an interesting twist!

Profile Image for Joscelyn Smith.
2,305 reviews17 followers
April 8, 2019
Different in a good way

I was taken aback by different this was from what I expected. It was gritty, painful, and visceral but in a good way if that makes sense. The characters were complex and compelling and the storyline had me reading it in one sitting, I really, really enjoyed this. All in all a very enjoyable read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Virginia Lee.
2,480 reviews34 followers
May 3, 2019
This was a wonderful story of shifter with in the Military. Ethan is part of the Delta crew when he sent on a mission to recover a missing POW. We are taking through the journey that Ethan and James go through to return home. This is thriller and action pack story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Not sure what will happen around the bend if they will make it to freedom or be caught. Highly recommend this book
1,068 reviews6 followers
June 7, 2019
Different but good

This book is very different from other shifter books that I have read. Ethan being a shifter is not the main focus and instead the main focus is the horrors of war, the rescue of James and the developing feelings between Ethan and James.
I really liked this approach even if I would have liked a little bit more shifter at some points ( like in the end) but the main story is great on it's own.
401 reviews4 followers
August 21, 2019
Enjoyed it

It seemed a bit stilted in the beginning--I had to push through it, but once our shifter is on the ground, things go sideways fast, and the story is both engaging and heart breaking. There's a rock solid HEA, but the details are less predictable. I finished it feeling a little surprised that I ended up liking it as much as I did. It was a little unusual for the genre because while being a bear shifter was important, it wasn't one of the most central elements.
Profile Image for Lucrecia.
413 reviews16 followers
April 7, 2019
Operation Bear

Loved this.
Can't pretend to know what being in combat is though I'm sure is not even close to what was told here. But this painted a good picture for me, a fictional one yea, and not only cause we have a bear shifter though bear shifter? Yummy!
It was a good read, intense and felt all kinds of wrongly right.

I'll keep reading 📖
7,160 reviews33 followers
April 8, 2019
A great first read for me from this author. It didn't disappoint. The story will keep you reading and turning the pages till the end to see what happens next. The story was well written, strong characters and chemistry. A must read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Kathleen Bradbury (Bulfon).
16.4k reviews217 followers
May 10, 2019
I absolutely loved this book and was honored to have been able to read and review. It was such a phenomenal read and had amazing characters as well as an amazing story line. I just could not get enough of it and once I started reading it I could not put it down. I recommend that you read it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
1,713 reviews5 followers
April 7, 2019
The action and adventure was phenomenal. The suspense and the passion was spot on. The twist and turns had me on edge. It was an excellent read you won't be disappointed.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Cynthia Brooks.
2,352 reviews12 followers
April 9, 2019
Ethan is in the American special forces and is a bear shifter. James is a sniper in the British arms forces. He gets captured and tortured. Ethan is sent to rescue him. I really enjoyed this book and the characters were interesting.
7,813 reviews65 followers
April 10, 2019
This was a good PNR book that had a great storyline and a great set of characters. The chemistry starts with a picture and a rescue that has mates meeting for the first time.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Annemarie.
2,186 reviews16 followers
April 13, 2019
I loved reading this story! It went a little slow for me at 1st. The first 30-ish pages are about trying to find James. The action, attraction, shifting and running for their lives makes it worth the wait. I believe that Ethan and James were meant to be mates. Sweet ending.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews

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