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Oak Fast Fated Mates #1
Barista and the Bear
Of all the coffee shops in the world, he just had to walk into hers…
When Teresa Ruiz’s Aunt Mary passed away, she lost the guiding light of her life and found herself alone and adrift. But for all her loneliness, Teresa never gave up and made for herself a new life and at the center of it was Barista Witch, the coffee shop she worked at. And for a time her life was good, predictable, and surrounded by a work-family she trusted---a feat in a world of magic, shifters, and fey…
In this world of magic, there are mates, and then there are fated mates. What Teresa doesn’t know is that she’s destined for her very own fated mate.
But when Cash Strongheart, her fated mate, walks into her coffee shop one day, it’s anything but magic and Teresa is determined to do this on her own terms.
Will Teresa learn to trust the magic of mates, and can Cash prove to her that for all the risk, life with a fated mate is just sweeter.
Find out both in the first book of the Oak Fast Fated Mates Series! This a sweet, whimsical, and grin-inducing PNR shifter romance set in a small town with plenty of found family vibes, smart-mouthed heroines, magical realism, and cinnamon roll heroes.
*This is a novella of approx 32k words*
When Teresa Ruiz’s Aunt Mary passed away, she lost the guiding light of her life and found herself alone and adrift. But for all her loneliness, Teresa never gave up and made for herself a new life and at the center of it was Barista Witch, the coffee shop she worked at. And for a time her life was good, predictable, and surrounded by a work-family she trusted---a feat in a world of magic, shifters, and fey…
In this world of magic, there are mates, and then there are fated mates. What Teresa doesn’t know is that she’s destined for her very own fated mate.
But when Cash Strongheart, her fated mate, walks into her coffee shop one day, it’s anything but magic and Teresa is determined to do this on her own terms.
Will Teresa learn to trust the magic of mates, and can Cash prove to her that for all the risk, life with a fated mate is just sweeter.
Find out both in the first book of the Oak Fast Fated Mates Series! This a sweet, whimsical, and grin-inducing PNR shifter romance set in a small town with plenty of found family vibes, smart-mouthed heroines, magical realism, and cinnamon roll heroes.
*This is a novella of approx 32k words*
152 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 5, 2020
253 people are currently reading
588 people want to read
About the author
Rebel Carter
46 books352 followersRebel Carter loves love. So much in fact that she decided to write the love stories she desperately wanted to read. A book by Rebel means diverse characters, sexy banter, a real big helping of steamy scenes, and, of course, a whole lotta heart.
Rebel lives in Colorado, makes a mean espresso, and is hell-bent on filling your bookcase with as many romance stories as humanly possible!
Rebel lives in Colorado, makes a mean espresso, and is hell-bent on filling your bookcase with as many romance stories as humanly possible!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
January 27, 2022
eresa was heart broken when her Aunt Mary passed away and now she feels a little lonely even though she has the people she works with at the coffee shop.
Cash knows as soon as he spots her in the coffee shop that Teresa is his fated mate but she wants nothing to do with him at first. All of her friends are very protective of her so he has to show them that he's a good guy before they will trust her with him.
Teresa grew up thinking she was human but once she and Cash start getting to know one another, he tells her something that she can hardly believe. He's a bear shifter so he can smell that she is more than just a human. She wants to take things slow and get to know him but because she's fighting the bond between them, she and Cash start to have weird symptoms because magic will not be denied. So she agrees to bond with him because she really does like him.
The magic between them makes itself known and at that point it's hard for Teresa to keep things slow and stop herself from falling for cash.
This was a great shifter, fated mates story. It was also a quick read because it was a novella but we got an entire story and I didn't feel like I was missing anything.
Cash knows as soon as he spots her in the coffee shop that Teresa is his fated mate but she wants nothing to do with him at first. All of her friends are very protective of her so he has to show them that he's a good guy before they will trust her with him.
Teresa grew up thinking she was human but once she and Cash start getting to know one another, he tells her something that she can hardly believe. He's a bear shifter so he can smell that she is more than just a human. She wants to take things slow and get to know him but because she's fighting the bond between them, she and Cash start to have weird symptoms because magic will not be denied. So she agrees to bond with him because she really does like him.
The magic between them makes itself known and at that point it's hard for Teresa to keep things slow and stop herself from falling for cash.
This was a great shifter, fated mates story. It was also a quick read because it was a novella but we got an entire story and I didn't feel like I was missing anything.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 25, 2020
This one came highly recommended to me, so I was excited to read it. Sadly it didn't work for me and I found myself bored while reading. At the 50% mark I gave it up. I realized that I didn't care if Cash and Teresa were able to work things out, of why Teresa was at odds with being Cash's mate. This one just wasn't for me.
November 14, 2020
This was so cute. Sexy, funny, a bit unbelievable but so fun.
August 21, 2020
Quick(ish) Review
Teresa Ruiz has recently lost her aunt and she’s adrift. She loves her friends and her job at the local coffee shop called Barista Witch, but she’s lonely. She’s waiting for….she doesn’t know what, but she was not prepared for big bear shifter Cash Strongheart to stroll into her shop, much less declare to all that she’s his mate. Well, sparks fly (literally) and before you know it, romance happens.
Rebel Carter reached into my brain and wrote shifter romances that are my jam. Full stop. Rebel’s Latinx, so is her heroine, and so am I, and let me tell you, representation matters, especially in my romance reads. Besides this, the shifter men are all about their mates but not about that alphahole life. There’s found family ties between the heroine and her friends, and the banter is just what I love - a little snarky, alot of heart. It’s more of a novella, so the story isn’t particularly long and the central conflict isn’t deep, and it resolves fairly quickly. Is there an instant connection? Yes, but there’s still work to be done for the HEA, which is what I enjoy most of all.
I’m definitely down to check out her backlist. Can’t tell you how happy I am that I picked her up on a twitter rec. If you love shifter romances as much as I do, I would recommend you check her out.
**borrowed through Kindle Unlimited**
Teresa Ruiz has recently lost her aunt and she’s adrift. She loves her friends and her job at the local coffee shop called Barista Witch, but she’s lonely. She’s waiting for….she doesn’t know what, but she was not prepared for big bear shifter Cash Strongheart to stroll into her shop, much less declare to all that she’s his mate. Well, sparks fly (literally) and before you know it, romance happens.
Rebel Carter reached into my brain and wrote shifter romances that are my jam. Full stop. Rebel’s Latinx, so is her heroine, and so am I, and let me tell you, representation matters, especially in my romance reads. Besides this, the shifter men are all about their mates but not about that alphahole life. There’s found family ties between the heroine and her friends, and the banter is just what I love - a little snarky, alot of heart. It’s more of a novella, so the story isn’t particularly long and the central conflict isn’t deep, and it resolves fairly quickly. Is there an instant connection? Yes, but there’s still work to be done for the HEA, which is what I enjoy most of all.
I’m definitely down to check out her backlist. Can’t tell you how happy I am that I picked her up on a twitter rec. If you love shifter romances as much as I do, I would recommend you check her out.
**borrowed through Kindle Unlimited**
April 24, 2022
3.5 ⭐️
Sweet, short and low drama story perfect to relax between longer books. Some inconsistencies here and there and it felt like some parts were missing at times but an enjoyable read nonetheless.
Sweet, short and low drama story perfect to relax between longer books. Some inconsistencies here and there and it felt like some parts were missing at times but an enjoyable read nonetheless.
November 13, 2020
3.5
This is such a fun cute fated mates novella. I just felt happy the whole time I was reading it.
This is such a fun cute fated mates novella. I just felt happy the whole time I was reading it.
November 18, 2020
A really cute and short shifter novella that was really fun. It took me so long because I read a couple pages before bed. But I thought this was an adorable hug of a shifter book. I want more.
August 17, 2020
FTC : I borrowed this through my KU subscription.
This short little novella was hot and fun which is always a good combination.
This was literally a insta-mates story. When Cash walks into the coffee bar and tells Teresa that she is his mate, he will not take no for an answer. Even though she feels the pull, she thinks its all too fast … no one else agrees with her.
All her friends conspire against her and enable the big bear to take her home (it starts off a little bit like kidnapping TBH… she relents quite quickly though). Still, she says no. I liked that .. she had a strength of character that is sometimes missing in Insta-mates storties. Still, I knew that she would have to relent at some point.
The love story between Cash and Teresa was cute but not the thing that kept me reading. Being a fated mates story, there isn’t much in the way of wooing but I did like the open communication between the protagonists. It actually made me believe they could be something special even without the magic. I did feel that Cash’s character wasn’t as 3D as others and, for me, that made their love scenes fall a little bit flat at points.
The thing I enjoyed the most about this novella was the portrayal of female characters; These witty, strong women were the stars of the show. If I could have had more of Teresa and Alice together, I would have been a very happy lady but, as this is a novella, their scenes together were satisfying yet brief.
I will pick up book two of this series because the way the dialogue was written worked so well for me; it had me smiling a lot. Teresa and Alice’s interactions in particular had me chuckling aloud at certain points :
I did get a little confused at certain points as we often jumped forward in time, at the start of a new chapter, and then back-filled the story. It wasn’t hard to read but it take some getting used to.
Overall, this was a fun, easy read. Although I won’t read it again, I will pick up more from this author.
This short little novella was hot and fun which is always a good combination.
This was literally a insta-mates story. When Cash walks into the coffee bar and tells Teresa that she is his mate, he will not take no for an answer. Even though she feels the pull, she thinks its all too fast … no one else agrees with her.
All her friends conspire against her and enable the big bear to take her home (it starts off a little bit like kidnapping TBH… she relents quite quickly though). Still, she says no. I liked that .. she had a strength of character that is sometimes missing in Insta-mates storties. Still, I knew that she would have to relent at some point.
The love story between Cash and Teresa was cute but not the thing that kept me reading. Being a fated mates story, there isn’t much in the way of wooing but I did like the open communication between the protagonists. It actually made me believe they could be something special even without the magic. I did feel that Cash’s character wasn’t as 3D as others and, for me, that made their love scenes fall a little bit flat at points.
The thing I enjoyed the most about this novella was the portrayal of female characters; These witty, strong women were the stars of the show. If I could have had more of Teresa and Alice together, I would have been a very happy lady but, as this is a novella, their scenes together were satisfying yet brief.
I will pick up book two of this series because the way the dialogue was written worked so well for me; it had me smiling a lot. Teresa and Alice’s interactions in particular had me chuckling aloud at certain points :
“I told you to stay away from her,” Alice interrupted and the shifter sighed looked past Teresa where Alice was standing with her hands on her hips.
The bear’s eyes slid over to Alice. “She thought I didn’t like the drink.”
“Then leave a Yelp review like a normal person”
I did get a little confused at certain points as we often jumped forward in time, at the start of a new chapter, and then back-filled the story. It wasn’t hard to read but it take some getting used to.
Overall, this was a fun, easy read. Although I won’t read it again, I will pick up more from this author.
August 26, 2021
DNF. Very disappointing. I didn't like the characters, not her so called best friend or the people she considers family, and I especially didn't like the love interest. I only liked the friend (sort of friend) in the coffee shop.
June 20, 2021
This was short and a fine story but some parts of this felt overly chaotic and I just didn't feel enough of a connection between the characters.
This is a fated mates story but Teresa really doesn't want to give into those feelings and for me, there wasn't enough time between Teresa and Cash that might have caused her to want to be with him. Instead, she was pushed into the relationship by things mostly outside of her control, which I don't really like in this type of story. I also just didn't really get anything from the banter between them and the sex scenes didn't really work for me either.
I'll read other books by this author because the writing was fine but this plot line just didn't work well for me.
This is a fated mates story but Teresa really doesn't want to give into those feelings and for me, there wasn't enough time between Teresa and Cash that might have caused her to want to be with him. Instead, she was pushed into the relationship by things mostly outside of her control, which I don't really like in this type of story. I also just didn't really get anything from the banter between them and the sex scenes didn't really work for me either.
I'll read other books by this author because the writing was fine but this plot line just didn't work well for me.
November 9, 2020
3.5 stars
November 17, 2020
So cute!
For more thoughts, go here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9e2g...
For more thoughts, go here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9e2g...
Read
July 10, 2024read this bc of Fated Mates pod and it was pretty underwhelming.
June 14, 2024
Two things you should know about me….
1. I love fated mates so I was stoked to read this.
2. I don’t care how strong the bond is I am always going to DNF a book when the FMC’s mate ignores her wishes, forces her to be in a situation she doesn’t want to be in without listening or trying to explain what is happening and then the author makes all the people closest to her ignore what the FMC wants and doesn’t help her when she asks for it. It’s beyond infuriating
I can not stand when we force FMC’s to go along with whatever the MMC wants just because the ‘universe wants it to happen’. It’s gross and not how equal partner relationships work. Authors need to do better.
Maybe I’m overreacting but oh well 🤷🏻♀️
1. I love fated mates so I was stoked to read this.
2. I don’t care how strong the bond is I am always going to DNF a book when the FMC’s mate ignores her wishes, forces her to be in a situation she doesn’t want to be in without listening or trying to explain what is happening and then the author makes all the people closest to her ignore what the FMC wants and doesn’t help her when she asks for it. It’s beyond infuriating
I can not stand when we force FMC’s to go along with whatever the MMC wants just because the ‘universe wants it to happen’. It’s gross and not how equal partner relationships work. Authors need to do better.
Maybe I’m overreacting but oh well 🤷🏻♀️
July 22, 2022
I sped right through this cute novella!
The writing isn't amazing, and my version definitely had punctuation/formatting issues, but overall this novella was super light and fluffy, with just the right amount of steam!
The best part of it in my opinion was the rich setting--in this world there are witches and shifters and fey and more, and magic is a driving force across all of them.
Teresa is a human who on page 2 is confronted by a bear shifter claiming that she is his mate. She is resistant to the idea--people don't fall in love instantly, even if magic is pulling them together so strongly! And what if someday that magic fades or fails?
This story is Cash trying to woo Teresa and how she comes around to the idea of being mates (very quickly) and then they officially bond (via sex).
Super cute, want to continue the others in this series.
The writing isn't amazing, and my version definitely had punctuation/formatting issues, but overall this novella was super light and fluffy, with just the right amount of steam!
The best part of it in my opinion was the rich setting--in this world there are witches and shifters and fey and more, and magic is a driving force across all of them.
Teresa is a human who on page 2 is confronted by a bear shifter claiming that she is his mate. She is resistant to the idea--people don't fall in love instantly, even if magic is pulling them together so strongly! And what if someday that magic fades or fails?
This story is Cash trying to woo Teresa and how she comes around to the idea of being mates (very quickly) and then they officially bond (via sex).
Super cute, want to continue the others in this series.
March 28, 2024
While initially drawn to the promising premise of "Barista and the Bear," my enthusiasm waned as I delved into its pages. Positioned as a light and fluffy palate-cleanser, this novella indeed delivers on its intended tone. The narrative follows Teresa, a grieving and apprehensive protagonist, and Cash, a charming yet underdeveloped bear shifter.
Teresa's portrayal as a jaded and lonely character with a history of disappointing romantic encounters sets the stage for potential depth. However, the execution falls short, leaving her character arc feeling incomplete. Cash, on the other hand, lacks the necessary definition to fully engage the reader, with his persona left ambiguous and open to interpretation.
The story unfolds at a coffee shop, where Cash's intense gaze catches Teresa's attention, sparking curiosity and concern among her coworkers. Yet, crucial elements such as the significance of this encounter and the concept of fated mates are introduced but left unexplored, detracting from the overall coherence of the narrative.
Supporting characters like Teresa's best friend, Bea, exhibit inconsistencies in their behavior, undermining the portrayal of genuine friendship. Bea's actions, particularly in moments of crisis, appear contradictory and fail to align with her supposed concern for Teresa's well-being.
Cash's sudden abduction of Teresa further strains the credibility of their budding relationship, with little justification provided for his rushed actions. The subsequent lack of meaningful interaction between the pair during their time together leaves much to be desired, missing opportunities for character development and world-building.
As the novella progresses, Teresa's resistance to the mate bond diminishes without adequate narrative justification, detracting from the authenticity of her emotional journey. Additionally, the portrayal of intimate scenes lacks depth, failing to fully immerse the reader in the protagonists' experiences.
While "Barista and the Bear" offers moments of light-hearted entertainment, its shortcomings in character development and narrative coherence leave room for improvement. With a more robust exploration of its premise and a focus on cohesive storytelling, this novella has the potential to fulfill its promise and deliver a more satisfying reading experience.
Teresa's portrayal as a jaded and lonely character with a history of disappointing romantic encounters sets the stage for potential depth. However, the execution falls short, leaving her character arc feeling incomplete. Cash, on the other hand, lacks the necessary definition to fully engage the reader, with his persona left ambiguous and open to interpretation.
The story unfolds at a coffee shop, where Cash's intense gaze catches Teresa's attention, sparking curiosity and concern among her coworkers. Yet, crucial elements such as the significance of this encounter and the concept of fated mates are introduced but left unexplored, detracting from the overall coherence of the narrative.
Supporting characters like Teresa's best friend, Bea, exhibit inconsistencies in their behavior, undermining the portrayal of genuine friendship. Bea's actions, particularly in moments of crisis, appear contradictory and fail to align with her supposed concern for Teresa's well-being.
Cash's sudden abduction of Teresa further strains the credibility of their budding relationship, with little justification provided for his rushed actions. The subsequent lack of meaningful interaction between the pair during their time together leaves much to be desired, missing opportunities for character development and world-building.
As the novella progresses, Teresa's resistance to the mate bond diminishes without adequate narrative justification, detracting from the authenticity of her emotional journey. Additionally, the portrayal of intimate scenes lacks depth, failing to fully immerse the reader in the protagonists' experiences.
While "Barista and the Bear" offers moments of light-hearted entertainment, its shortcomings in character development and narrative coherence leave room for improvement. With a more robust exploration of its premise and a focus on cohesive storytelling, this novella has the potential to fulfill its promise and deliver a more satisfying reading experience.
September 14, 2020
I so badly wanted to like this quick novella. I got the first 3 in the series in preparation to dive into a new author. Instead, I DNF'd at 100 pages in (literally the last chap before the epilogue). I just couldn't do it anymore.
The concept is cute. Lonely girl dreams of companionship, finds a huge hunk of man who falls in insta-love with her, but common sense prevails and she fights it for a while before succumbing.
The world-building wasn't perfect but it was compelling enough to keep turning pages. We seem to be missing a lot of foundational information that there just wasn't room for - a simpler world may have done better justice to the plot.
There were also too many unfleshed supporting characters for a novella of this size - why have both the father and son employers when they were essentially the same role? Just a waste. And Cash the hero was completely undeveloped to the point of being flat and dull. He had no flaws, no depth, no reactions. I'm not expecting Darcy-level growth in 100 pages, but he literally had no negatives.
Steam scenes were straight trash. The author was clearly uncomfortable using descriptives and instead chose to rely on overused analogies. She also didn't know how to introduce heat in the first place, which she avoided by starting the scenes mid-action.
Lastly, the straw that broke the camel's back: I cannot put into words how badly this story needs an editor. HOLY MOTHER OF TYPOS. Missing quotations, comma splices, missing commas, and the most run-on sentences I have probably ever seen in a published work. The first chapter or so started well enough but the writing got progressively worse as the story dragged on and the author's desire to give the heroine a culturally-relevant voice completely overtook the plot.
Ultimately, these flaws are workable when separate, but dumped together in such a condensed piece makes the entire thing unreadable.
The concept is cute. Lonely girl dreams of companionship, finds a huge hunk of man who falls in insta-love with her, but common sense prevails and she fights it for a while before succumbing.
The world-building wasn't perfect but it was compelling enough to keep turning pages. We seem to be missing a lot of foundational information that there just wasn't room for - a simpler world may have done better justice to the plot.
There were also too many unfleshed supporting characters for a novella of this size - why have both the father and son employers when they were essentially the same role? Just a waste. And Cash the hero was completely undeveloped to the point of being flat and dull. He had no flaws, no depth, no reactions. I'm not expecting Darcy-level growth in 100 pages, but he literally had no negatives.
Steam scenes were straight trash. The author was clearly uncomfortable using descriptives and instead chose to rely on overused analogies. She also didn't know how to introduce heat in the first place, which she avoided by starting the scenes mid-action.
Lastly, the straw that broke the camel's back: I cannot put into words how badly this story needs an editor. HOLY MOTHER OF TYPOS. Missing quotations, comma splices, missing commas, and the most run-on sentences I have probably ever seen in a published work. The first chapter or so started well enough but the writing got progressively worse as the story dragged on and the author's desire to give the heroine a culturally-relevant voice completely overtook the plot.
Ultimately, these flaws are workable when separate, but dumped together in such a condensed piece makes the entire thing unreadable.
August 6, 2021
Rating: 3 stars
What I Liked: This was fun and cute. There was nothing complicated here and it was a nice, light read. The worldbuilding was quite fun, I liked the idea of things like the fey reality shows and so on, and the emphasis on consent in this world of shifters was good. The writing was nice and easy to follow.
I liked the main character, Teresa. I liked her attitude and how she stood up for herself. Cash was a little bland for me, but he was quite sweet in the end. I thought their relationship had decent chemistry and the sex scenes were quite fun.
I also liked some of the side characters, particularly Alice, who won my heart with her fierce protectiveness in the opening chapter.
What I Didn’t: I wasn’t so keen on the , and whilst I liked that
Overall: It was short and sweet with some really fun and entertaining ideas. Some parts of the romance didn’t work so well for me, but for the most part it was cute and sexy and a lot of fun to read about.
Would I Recommend It?: Yes, if you’re looking for a fun, lighthearted bear shifter fated mates romance.
Would I Read Something By The Author Again?: Yes.
Content Notes:
What I Liked: This was fun and cute. There was nothing complicated here and it was a nice, light read. The worldbuilding was quite fun, I liked the idea of things like the fey reality shows and so on, and the emphasis on consent in this world of shifters was good. The writing was nice and easy to follow.
I liked the main character, Teresa. I liked her attitude and how she stood up for herself. Cash was a little bland for me, but he was quite sweet in the end. I thought their relationship had decent chemistry and the sex scenes were quite fun.
I also liked some of the side characters, particularly Alice, who won my heart with her fierce protectiveness in the opening chapter.
What I Didn’t: I wasn’t so keen on the , and whilst I liked that
Overall: It was short and sweet with some really fun and entertaining ideas. Some parts of the romance didn’t work so well for me, but for the most part it was cute and sexy and a lot of fun to read about.
Would I Recommend It?: Yes, if you’re looking for a fun, lighthearted bear shifter fated mates romance.
Would I Read Something By The Author Again?: Yes.
Content Notes:
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February 23, 2024The Smut Report team is participating in Wendy the Super Librarian's #TBRChallenge 2024. Our goal: to dust off our TBRs once a month and talk about the book we read.
Read our full TBR Challenge update at The Smut Report
The basic premise here is that when Teresa’s fated mate shows up, she resists the pull…until she doesn’t. So there’s a bit of potential conflict between destiny and free will—but destiny wins here because of the way magic works, so there’s not really an interrogation of how these ideas can work together (as in the case with, for example, Lucy Eden’s Bear with Me or many of Elva Birch’s shifter books). In fact, there are a lot of hints toward potential conflict, but this book doesn’t commit to any of them.
The end result is a book that feels very slight. There are so many places where things could have been fleshed out and weren’t. So even though I enjoyed some of the vignettes, and generally found the voice engaging, I ended up skimming most of the second half.
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Read our full TBR Challenge update at The Smut Report
The basic premise here is that when Teresa’s fated mate shows up, she resists the pull…until she doesn’t. So there’s a bit of potential conflict between destiny and free will—but destiny wins here because of the way magic works, so there’s not really an interrogation of how these ideas can work together (as in the case with, for example, Lucy Eden’s Bear with Me or many of Elva Birch’s shifter books). In fact, there are a lot of hints toward potential conflict, but this book doesn’t commit to any of them.
The end result is a book that feels very slight. There are so many places where things could have been fleshed out and weren’t. So even though I enjoyed some of the vignettes, and generally found the voice engaging, I ended up skimming most of the second half.
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April 13, 2024
I hated this.
Oh, and reading other reviews, I found out the FMC is supposed to be "diverse" and "culturally relevant" WTF? the only latina feature she has is the name.
Oh, and reading other reviews, I found out the FMC is supposed to be "diverse" and "culturally relevant" WTF? the only latina feature she has is the name.
did-not-finish
September 20, 2020DNF 60%
As a fan of Rebel Carter’s historical series, Gold Sky, I figured I would enjoy her take on paranormal romance. Sadly this one didn’t work for me. I didn’t really like Teresa or Cliff. Both felt very flat and needed more character development, especially Cliff.
One of my biggest issues was the pacing of this story though. It was off and felt very choppy in some scenes which made it hard to enjoy the book. We also get thrown into this world and there is very little backstory or explanation for it. The story really needed more world development for me to understand the dynamics of this magical world.
I just couldn’t stay interested in this book which is why I am DNFing. I will still continue to read her books but this one just didn’t work for me.
This review was originally posted at Red-Haired Ash Reads.
As a fan of Rebel Carter’s historical series, Gold Sky, I figured I would enjoy her take on paranormal romance. Sadly this one didn’t work for me. I didn’t really like Teresa or Cliff. Both felt very flat and needed more character development, especially Cliff.
One of my biggest issues was the pacing of this story though. It was off and felt very choppy in some scenes which made it hard to enjoy the book. We also get thrown into this world and there is very little backstory or explanation for it. The story really needed more world development for me to understand the dynamics of this magical world.
I just couldn’t stay interested in this book which is why I am DNFing. I will still continue to read her books but this one just didn’t work for me.
This review was originally posted at Red-Haired Ash Reads.
July 7, 2022
Cutesy Fated Mates
This was a quick read for me, very cutesy and one of those books where you are just reading to see to people end up together without any other kind of outside plot line going on.
Teresa is lonely and grieving when one day she meets her fated mate, a bear shifter named Cash. You get to know Teresa a lot more than Cash because it’s completely from her POV. Teresa really isn’t super used to being a part of the supernatural world up until this point, even though she is really accepting of, she isn’t necessarily ready to be accepting of a fated mate. This is basically just the story of how they come to solidify their bond. Cash seems okay, you don’t get to really know much about him other than he lives outside of town and lives a different life than Teresa does.
If you are looking for a quick read and you like paranormal romance or fated mates then this might be a good option for you.
This was a quick read for me, very cutesy and one of those books where you are just reading to see to people end up together without any other kind of outside plot line going on.
Teresa is lonely and grieving when one day she meets her fated mate, a bear shifter named Cash. You get to know Teresa a lot more than Cash because it’s completely from her POV. Teresa really isn’t super used to being a part of the supernatural world up until this point, even though she is really accepting of, she isn’t necessarily ready to be accepting of a fated mate. This is basically just the story of how they come to solidify their bond. Cash seems okay, you don’t get to really know much about him other than he lives outside of town and lives a different life than Teresa does.
If you are looking for a quick read and you like paranormal romance or fated mates then this might be a good option for you.
December 13, 2020
Teresa Ruiz is no stranger to the magical world she lives in. After all, she works with a fox shapeshifter and her boss is a bear. She also heard about the fated mates rules but she never expected a bear shapeshifter to enter the coffee shop where she works and to announce that she's his fated mate. And the stranger expect her to follow him to his home right away! Teresa learned early on to only count of herself and she refused to listen to the bear's theory. But she lives a lonely life and she can't help thinking of him and what he said. Will she give him a chance?
I wanted to like this novella because hello, it's bear and a coffee shop. But at the end of the day, I didn't feel like I got to learn who Teresa and Cash really were and I expected to meet a bear clan or at least some friends.
I wanted to like this novella because hello, it's bear and a coffee shop. But at the end of the day, I didn't feel like I got to learn who Teresa and Cash really were and I expected to meet a bear clan or at least some friends.
December 12, 2020
I enjoyed this romance story of Teresa Ruiz and Cash Strongheart. Plus all the other characters.
Teresa Ruiz aunt has pasted away and now she feels that she is a lone. But soon find out that she has a fated mate. Her fated mate has came to her work place to see her. She is surprised to see him no one told her about this.
Cash Strongheart has came to claim his fated mate at long last. But she doesn't want him.
This story was short novella but very sweet to read. It was a funny book that had me laughing a lot. This book had magic and stifter. This is the first book in a series of three that the author has wrote so far.
I got this book through KU. This is my honest unbiased opinion.
Teresa Ruiz aunt has pasted away and now she feels that she is a lone. But soon find out that she has a fated mate. Her fated mate has came to her work place to see her. She is surprised to see him no one told her about this.
Cash Strongheart has came to claim his fated mate at long last. But she doesn't want him.
This story was short novella but very sweet to read. It was a funny book that had me laughing a lot. This book had magic and stifter. This is the first book in a series of three that the author has wrote so far.
I got this book through KU. This is my honest unbiased opinion.
July 24, 2022
*2.5 i wanted to like this book but i didn't really care about the characters or if they got together. I didn't really get why she was fighting it so much and then she changed her mind in like the last 50 pages for no reason. Also why is it that we are supposed to be ok with him kidnapping her. Also twice when he tells her that she's a witch she says no im not and then the 3rd time she suddenly believes him like i guess i am a witch for no reason and also she knows other shifters but nobody mentions this to her until now that she smells like a witch.
I did like Bea way more so maybe i will read the second one
I did like Bea way more so maybe i will read the second one
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2024
If you want a quick and sugary sweet novella than this is the perfect book for you. What do you get when a fiercely independent barista meets a confidently stubborn bear shifter who claims she is his fated mate? A fun story filled with "accidental" kidnapping, a car chase through the forest, chocolate croissant cravings, and a grizzly man who wants to follow all of his mates commands! Thoroughly enjoyed the short read, a wonderful palate cleanser that I know I will be reaching for more of this series in the future.
August 6, 2020
Wow what a fun quick read!
Rebel Carter is an insta buy for me, and when I saw she had a new series out I couldn't wait to read it. Her writing just gets better and better. I loved the fated mates trope. The friendship between Teresa and Bea is signature Rebel Carter. She does female friendships so well. The humor in this is perfect too. I can't wait for the rest of the series!
Rebel Carter is an insta buy for me, and when I saw she had a new series out I couldn't wait to read it. Her writing just gets better and better. I loved the fated mates trope. The friendship between Teresa and Bea is signature Rebel Carter. She does female friendships so well. The humor in this is perfect too. I can't wait for the rest of the series!
August 9, 2020
This was a quick, low-angst shifter read. Cash and Teresa worked around the mate bond to learn a little about each other. They finally gave in but continued to learn about each other at their time together grew. Teresa was definitely overwhelmed with the bond and wanted to fight it. I liked how even though Teresa was overwhelmed and confused about how the mate bond worked, that she listened to someone that was more knowledgable about it.
September 8, 2020
This was an easy read. The world-building didn’t blow me away but it kept me turning the pages. Still, something about the pace was off and there were too many underdeveloped threads.
Character notes: Teresa is tall (5’10) and a hedge witch. Based on her last name, I believe she’s Latina but did not see this stated anywhere. Cash is 30, white, and a bear shifter.
CW: mate kidnapping, recent death of aunt, grief
Character notes: Teresa is tall (5’10) and a hedge witch. Based on her last name, I believe she’s Latina but did not see this stated anywhere. Cash is 30, white, and a bear shifter.
CW: mate kidnapping, recent death of aunt, grief
November 6, 2020
I borrowed Barista and the Bear through KU. The story had a fantastic potential for a short novella. I got it for a pallet cleanser. The truth is I had to return and read a couple of passages, and this happened more than four times. I felt that the story was chopped; it did go smoothly, especially in between chapters.
I have to think if I will continue with the series—a good potential book with faulty execution.
I have to think if I will continue with the series—a good potential book with faulty execution.
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