Bear Next Door

Midlife Shifters #1

by J.L. Wilder

It’s been twenty years since I’ve been home, and I accidentally just slept with the bear next door ...

This is the first book in the Midlife Shifters series.

Welcome to my midlife shifter crisis.
I’m fleeing a failed marriage with a wolf.

I just slept with my childhood bestie,
And didn’t even realize it was him.
He’s hot and gruff, and gives me more pleasure than I’ve ever known.

But he’s got a chip on his shoulder,
'cause he’s supposed to be our den’s alpha.

Oh, and I moved back in with my parents.

My consolation prize -- A little werebear growing in my belly -- that we have to keep a secret.

Note: Intended for readers 18+ only. Standalone, friends to lovers shifter romance with an HEA.

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

189 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 8, 2021

About the author

J.L. Wilder likes wild things! Her alpha shifters are gruff and tough, with a pinch of tenderness. Curl up with these bad boy book boyfriends, and they will have you howling at the moon!

When not writing shifter smut, J.L. spends as much time as possible exploring the outdoors. She loves getting into trouble with Ace, her Siberian Husky.

Your can grab a free shifter romance and join her email here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/kjxrqvslu9

Join J.L. Wilder's VIP Readers Group "Wild About Shifters" on FB:
facebook.com/groups/wildaboutshifters

Reviews

[Francheska · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not much shifting

This story is...meh at best. Shifters who don't shift, value put on a community that isn't community, an alpha who isn't particularly alpha. None of the characters were particularly charismatic or interesting.

[Chalice · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

The couple: Brady and Evelyn

Romance trope: shifter; friends to lovers
Series: Midlife Shifters
Length: 189 pages

Plot: Evelyn has finally decided to leave her controlling husband after 20 years of a miserable marriage. She goes home, stopping at a hotel before heading to her parents' home. There she meets Brady, a beta wolf who it itching to be alpha, but his past alcoholism means that his alpha won't let it happen. The two spend the night together, but Evelyn sneaks out before Brady wakes up. When she gets home, she discovers that Brady is her childhood friend from 20 years ago, and their parents live next door to each other. The two become an item, but the den's alpha is a clear danger and they have to make some difficult decisions about how to protect their new family.

Commentary: I liked several things about this story: the friends-to-lovers aspect (since they were such good friends when they were young but Brady had an unrequited crush on her), the fact that they were older and wiser with all the accompanying mistakes, and Evelyn finally standing up to her parents (but early on in the story). Things I didn't like: Brady never came across as much of an alpha; he seemed like he had been beaten down by life, and while he fully acknowledged that it was his own fault, he was still so pessimistic. Also, it seemed like the den was run by pure chaos. Surely there were actual rules and traditions, but nobody made Steve the alpha abide by those. They said, well he's the alpha, he's in charge of us. But through what power? They all knew his position was temporary, but they let him continue even though he was doing a terrible job. Why? Could he force them to do anything? Use magic? What power did he have? It seems like none, and in that case, he could have been easily deposed.

Next book in the series: Midlife Harem

[Annette Drewett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful read. Brady and Evelyn are both strong characters who have had a lot of trauma in their lives. How they overcome outside influences and reach for their HEA, keeps you turning the pages to find out what will happen next. If you like books with some intrigue, shifter clan dynamics and a few Alpha fights, then this one is for you. I really enjoyed this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Michele Blanchard · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this. Older couple, shifters, what's not to love? Well, the author gets 2 stars for drawing me in with a potentially delicious trope, correct spelling and on point grammar. My problems come in where 2 bear shifters can't scent each other. There is a hotel filled with bear shifters and she doesn't scent a single one. WTH. Both think the other is a human 🙄. The female is weak. Why? She's a woman in her early 40's. As a woman in my early 40's, I can assure you- we are sick of everyone's $hit. She doesn't shift into a bear even once. Her unstable, verbally and emotional abusive ex locks her in a closet. Instead of getting angry and breaking out she cowers in the corner of the closet huddling under an old coat. She is a bear shifter, she shouldn't have even made it into that closet. How does a bear shifter spend 20 years being scared of a wolf shifter. Sorry, not sorry, a bear would easily kill a wolf. Do the females not shift in this world? She leaves her ex with only the clothes in her back, but she's huddling under an old coat that she doesn't wear anymore 😶In her new apartment. Her parents are so happy to have their first grandchild, but they have several kids and she's one of the youngest and she's 40. The fact that bears need their "dens", but wolves can do fine on their own. That is literally the opposite of how it goes. Bears are mostly solitary and wolves are the ones that run in packs. I don't find it likely they didn't have any other grandchildren. Her human coworkers throw her a baby shower when she's 2 months pregnant. She's not even showing yet. Nobody does that. Ever. Did a man write this? Either way I won't be reading more. This was my first and only foray into this author. Boo

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darn these interesting blurbs! I get dragged into all kinds of trouble.

This one really piqued my interest: older MC's, one night stand, knew each other and a baby. BAM- I was hooked. This story doesn't waste any time getting right to it and I for one appreciate that.

This was a solid 5 for me all the way thru them meeting at a family dinner after a 1 night stand.
Then as the story unfolded, the whole storyline and ex-husband really bothered me. It was like- oh I left him so I am not married anymore. Totally unrealistic and felt like a loose end- which of course came back as a problem. And it was never explained how she became pregnant, was she on the pill?- no contraceptives talk just action.

The story headed down to a 3 (why did she make a big deal about making friends with a human only for us to never hear about her again??), so average is a 4. Or 3.85. Yes, that feels better.

Some humor and hotness, but these shifters are very vanilla compared to other stories.
Can't smell each other, can't smell to know if someone just had sex, can't smell who they had sex with, the heroine never shifted (which I was hoping for so she could save herself instead of waiting for a man to save her), etc. Was not the typical shifter world.

What does that say about me that I feel like I know the "real" shifter world and judge this one to not be as accurate? What madness is this???

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

I wish Marty , Steve and his merry band of jerks got was more karma then they got. Also I wish I knew what happened to her human friend .

[Nicole Benson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m sorry

I read a lot of books and this one was goodish. It says shifter in the title. But no one had any traits of shifters. No enhanced smell or hearing or running, slow aging process, or really anything. The only time it was a ‘shifter book’ was when there was a fight. Never once did they ‘shift’ for fun.
When I read a shifter book that’s like one thing I’m looking for that they change into their other form. That’s what shifter books are about and this did not have it.

[Mel B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short and sweet

This book is actually more like a novella. It is quite short, and a lot is crammed into it.

**SPOILERS**

Evelyn is a bear shifter that ran away from her den (her family, and community) when she was 20. She married a douche of a wolf shifter named Marty. Evelyn realizes one day, after 20 years of a pretty awful marriage, that she can’t stay with Marty and handle his “abuse” and toxicity. She knows the only thing she can do it move back to the den and live with her parents until she’s back on her feet again.

Brady, is a disillusioned, and upset bear shifter. Once an alcoholic, he’s been sober for 5 years but the people in the den still treat him as if he’s an alcoholic, and his Alpha hates him. The Alpha hates Brady because Brady was BORN to be Alpha. He was stronger, better than Steve, but when he became an alcoholic, the older bear members gave the leadership/Alpha title to Steve (who is secretly/no so secretly, sure that Brady wants to become Alpha again now that he’s sober.

A chance meeting brings Evelyn and Brady together. Sparks fly, they have instant chemistry and when they’re reunited at the Den they decide to try their hand at having a relationship (when Evelyn’s dad kicks her out of the house). Everything is going well, then Evelyn finds out she’s pregnant, and Brady, although happy about the baby, is also scared of this development. Brady knows if he has a son, that Brady’s son would instantly be next in line to be the Alpha, over any of Steve’s daughters. He relocates Evelyn and pretends that they broke up to keep Steve and his Lackeys from hurting or killing Evelyn and is unborn child. The strain of being away from Brady while she’s pregnant is too much for Evelyn. Knowing they can’t acknowledge their relationship AND they hardly see one another, leads Evelyn into having a large angry argument with Brady about where his priorities lie, because Brady (while Evelyn’s in hiding) has been secretly gathering up followers and planning on taking his Den and title back. Finally Brady fights Steve for the Alpha role, and although Steve cheats, Brady still wins and is “crowned” Alpha. Brady and Evelyn make up, and happily nine months later (7 in the book since she was already 2 months along) welcome their first child, a son they name Alexander. Then they all live HEA :)

Sooooo…as long as that summary was, is about how short this book felt like. It really read more as a novella. The entire taking over the Alpha position and dealing with the idiot, Steve, could’ve been explored further to flesh out the plot even more.

I liked Evelyn and Brady’s characters, quite a bit. But everyone else (including villains Marty and Steve) seemed like “throwaway characters,” because 1) the book was too short to dig further into some story arc’s and 2) All the secondary characters were pretty two dimensional, and the plot just kind of tossed them around without giving them any real substance.

However, that being said, if you enjoy sweet, definitely not deep, and short shifter romances, then you’ll enjoy “Bear Next Door.”

[Shifter Haven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed at Shifter Haven

In many ways, Bear Next Door which begins the Midlife Shifters series is a story of redemption and second chances for both Brady and Evelyn. Brady should have become alpha of his clan, but his drinking caused him to be passed over. Evelyn had run away with a wolf shifter believing she was desperately in love, effectively being shut off from her family, her home. Turns out all those who tried to talk her out of this marriage were right, he did end up being an abusive jerk that she would eventually leave, or try to leave, and return home hoping that her parents would give her a second chance.

She never expected to find her true mate in a childhood friend, and a man who has been beaten down in life almost as much as she has, although in a different way. What started out as an impulsive one-night stand is about to turn into so much more for this couple… if they survive that is.

I enjoyed Bear Next Door. It has a slightly different feel to me as Brady fights his own inner demons, tries to take back what was, in effect, stolen from him, and puts together a complex plan to keep his mate safe until he can change their situation. Evelyn is a strong woman, even though she might not have believed that. Her strength comes from knowing that she and Brady are mates, that she has finally found where she should have been all along… and in fighting for the life she wants with the man she loves.

Although I was easily caught up in Bear Next Door, I won’t be continuing the series. Not because the opening wasn’t really good – it was – but because the next two stories are tropes that I simply do not enjoy so this will be a standalone read for me, and that’s okay. (I’m not a harem/reverse harem reader and that’s my choice) I enjoyed my time with Evelyn and Brady.

I read this title through my Kindle Unlimited subscription.

[Jackie · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF - quit at 27%
I wanted to quit earlier than the 27%, but hoped when Evelyn left the wolf things might improve, but things were just meh thru the whole 27%. The story lacked drive, or gave any hope for the characters to break out of their situations & improve. Nothing really pulled me in or made me care about the characters or the plot. There’s some “shifter” type variances that are not explained here that seem different than other shifter books, so it’s hard to wrap my brain around those differences without explanations. This left the “Bear-shifter” part of the story not feeling very bear-like. The fact that Barry lost his chance at Alpha because he was an “alcoholic” & had an accident due to drunk driving -didn’t leave me feeling all warm & fuzzy about him either. That he’s so bitter about it & drank in the first place because he really didn’t want the responsibility back when he lost it just made things worse. Just comes across as sour grapes…just wanting what he threw away. Evelyn comes across as a typical verbally abused woman & the fact that it took her 20 years to finally have enough & leave the wolf (when there weren’t children involved) was a bitter pill for me. I need the heroine of a book to be smarter, to be able to recognize the bad situation & not take 20 years to finally have enough. (I know that’s not always what happens in real life, but I don’t want to read real life). I didn’t read far enough to sort it out, but it sounded like she might be part bear shifter or something, from what her father welcoming her back said. So that adds another layer of confusion to the story that pulled me out of it. Needless to say, I won’t be continuing with the series.

At my age (approaching 60), life is way to short & my time is to important to force myself to read a book I'm not enjoying, especially when there are so many other books out there waiting to be read.

[Clara Atkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evelyn grew up in a big family of shifters bear to be exact. Then when she was twenty she was wooed by a wolf shifter their natural enemy. Against her family's wishes she left town and married him. She regretted that many times as the years passed. Finally at her breaking point twenty years later she flees from his controlling ways and heads back to her parents house. Afraid that they will reject her yet she has to try to see them. She stops at a hotel for a night to get herself together before going home where she meets a guy at the bar that makes her feel safe. They end up having a night of passion but they never exchanged names and she slips out while he's asleep.
Brady should of been the alpha of the South Side Bears it was his birth right but he made some poor choices which caused him to lose his position. He has worked hard to redeem and better himself only to be shot down. He goes to a shifter conference to try again and his alpha Steve jumps up interrupting him causing everyone to laugh. Frustrated he ends up in the hotel bar where he meets a beautiful woman they hit it off and end up in his room where they never even exchange names. They end up running into each other again not realizing that they actually were best friends growing up and just didn't recognize each other. Both are dealing with anguish due to past decisions and present ones so they end up leaning on each other. Their story is one of love redemption, forgiveness and destiny.
I would of liked to see Marty and Steve get what was coming to them. I also thought her father was a jerk.
I received an ARC from AuthorBoom through Booksprout for my honest review.
4⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bear Next Door is about a woman who left her family and ran off with a wolf shifter. After years of his abuse, she has come back home to, hopefully, make peace with her parents. She decides to spend one night in a hotel near her parent's home in Chicago before she throws herself on their mercy. She meets a man in the hotel bar and they clicked. She goes to his room and they have a great time, but she sneaks out early and packs up to head home. Yeah, she's a chicken. So, imagine her surprise when she joins her parents at the neighbor's house for dinner and discovers that her one-night stand was her childhood friend, Brady. Whoops.

Brady was supposed to be the alpha of his bear- shifter den, but that position had been taken from him before he ever got it. His misspent youth bit him in the butt when he got drunk and wrecked his motorcycle. Since the "got drunk" part wasn't a new thing, he ended up in rehab and someone else ended up as alpha. Steve was supposed to be the temporary alpha...somehow that little fact has been forgotten. Brady has tried to work his way back to the position, but Steve isn't about to let that happen. The conference at the local hotel was going to be Brady's chance to shine. Unfortunately, Steve once again made him look like an idiot and now he doesn't know what to do. A visit to the hotel bar could have been a disaster, but instead of drinking he found a beautiful woman who rocked his world...at least until she disappeared on him in the early morning hours. He doesn't even know her name, only that she lives in Chicago. But there she is in his parent's living room and it seems they were childhood playmates. Can they be something more now?

[PepperP0t · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brady Matthews had been tagged to be alpha but youthful drinking led to an accident, rehab, a lost opportunity and now he’s a beta in their den. The alpha resents Brady’s presence and tries to humiliate him enough so that Brady turns to drink. Brady does go to the bar but strikes up a conversation with a woman who makes him feel good about himself rather than drink.

It took 20years but when Evelyn Matthews snapped, she ran away from her domineering husband back to her parents despite her father’s words to not return, Evelyn got a hotel room and stopped to have a drink before facing them in the morning but she found company and had a great night with a man, but left without saying goodbye or exchanging names.

At dinner with their parents Evelyn and Brady are surprised they’re sitting across from each other. Neither recognized the other as their childhood crushes but wished for much of the night before. Their friendship is on track quickly and romance follows quicker but find themselves with challenges from their pasts, a bullying leader, parental disapproval and nature.

To this reader’s taste, the paranormal and world-building were underdeveloped; the loose ends, hastily tied and I wasn’t a fan of the solution to their issue. That said, there was a fairly good premise, likeable (but flimsy) leads over 40 in this second chance redemption romance that could works as a foundation.
Rating: 3.25stars

[Raecharmed · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Evelyn was young she left her pack for a wolf shifter. Now years later she has had enough and has left him to return home. Before she goes to her parents she stops to regroup and get herself ready for what she'll face once she gets back with her pack. She runs into a man at a bar and they start talking and end up spending an amazing night together. Evelyn is gone the next morning heading home. When she arrives at her parents its not a warm welcome but they take her in. When her parents tell her about another pack family inviting them to dinner she agrees to go and gets a shock when her one night stand turns out to be Brady her once friend before she left the pack. Brady is stunned when he sees Evelyn but he has other things on his mind as well. Its not long before they end up together again. Brady wants to take his place as the rightful Alpha of their pack and when something happens between him and Evelyn they have to separate in order to keep her safe. Will they get their chance to finally be together? Can he take over as the Alpha of their pack?

This is a great story that will draw you in from the first chapter and leave you wanting more with the last one. This is a well written and very entertaining story. I would recommend this book to any book lover.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved that the characters were older. A little action, a little steam and a secret will keep you reading til the end. Childhood crushes come full circle in this story. Something seemed to pass between them, something powerful and electric.

Evelyn left Marty after twenty years of marriage. He wasn't always abusive, but things continued to get worse over the years. Now she's going home in hopes her parents will welcome her back. Her first night in town, she has a one-night stand. "Evelyn felt as if she could have been knocked over with a feather. She hadn’t ever expected to see him again." She hadn't recognized him last night, but she knew who he was when he walked into the living room.

Brady was a Beta with the South Side Bears. He had a lot of ideas, but his Alpha always shot him down. "By birthright, Brady was supposed to be his den’s alpha. But the title had been passed on to Steve when the previous alpha had deemed Brady unfit." Brady is sitting in the bar, about to order a drink, when she walks in. When he wakes in the morning, she's gone. He never expected to see her again. Now she's sitting in my parents living room staring at me.

[Ramona · Rating 5 out of 5]

A enjoyable shifter story I could totally relate to the main characters which was geared toward a older couple in their forties. Like Brady and Evelyn at that age I too was questioning my life's decision. Brady got his alpha position taken away by his den because of his alcoholism which through the program he conquered for five years. The assigned Alpha Steve and his comrades belittle Brady at every turn. Brady is determined to reclaim his Alpha role so when he's invited to a convention he hopes to impress the other Alpha's but it goes wrong so disheartened he goes to the bar to get a drink but meets Evelyn. Evelyn left her controlling husband Marty, a wolf shifter who she been married to for twenty years. Evelyn decided to stop at a hotel for a night before arriving at her parents house and meets Brady at the bar which they have a night of passion. Evelyn returns home and goes to the neighbors to eat supper when she meets Brady again. What will Brady and Evelyn do? I look forward to the next story in this series. I volunteer to read and review this ARC via Booksprout.

[Debbie Caswell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in a new series and it draws you in from almost the first page Evelyn and Brady are both having to face up to decision that they made in their pasts but with the support of one another they may finally become the people that they want to be

Twenty years earlier Evelyn left her family and den to take up with a wolf shifter a choice she has regretted for quite a while as Marty was extremely controlling he may have never hit her but she had no money or friends. Finally she has had enough and she decides to flee back to her parents Brady was supposed to be the alpha of his clan but when his alcoholism became to bad he was deposed he has been clean for a number of years and is hoping to reclaim his place. The two of them meet not realising who one another is and have a night together The next day they meet again with their families There is a strong connection between have they finally found what both have been looking for and can they have a future together You will have to read to see

[Stacey Gomez · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quick easy read, if you're in a reading slump, this should help you out of it. I know it did with mine. Anyways, I liked this story. I would recommend reading this paranormal romance book. There is a bit of domestic abuse, well verbal and some rough pulling.

Evelyn at the end of her ropes with her husband Marty, he scared her enough for her to flee their apartment. She is tired of tip toeing around him and setting off his anger. So, she travels back home to Chicago to her parents. But before Evelyn goes home to her parents she meets a stranger. But this stranger just so happens to be a childhood friend Brady. Brady happens to be the Beta of her clans group. Neither one recognize each other, until introduced back to one another. Can they rekindle their friendship? Can they ignore their lust for one another? or will there be someone out there stoppiing them? Gotta riead this to find out.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sharon Richmond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aww.. You Gotta Love Brady of Not, lol

Bear Next Door (Midlife Shifters Book 1)
By J. L. Wilder. 4.5 Stars

Aww you gotta love Brady or not, lol.

I really enjoyed that they were older characters.
Whether your a shifter or plain human there's always a chance you'll find yourself a victim of domestic abuse.

Like many women have done, Evelyn leaves a bad marriage after 20 years. She knows the journey alone will be hard but hopes her family and den will accept her back.

Brady is one who will make you want to kiss him or slap the piss out of him with his remarks lo!. He's supposed to be Alpha now but poor decisions in the past cost him.

Brady and Evelyn are like oil and water but their childhood crushes come full circle in this story.

The story is gritty, funny, sad, maddening but oh so good, hehe.

I have voluntarily read an Advanced Reader Copy of this book and I'm voluntarily leaving a review for it. Reviewer for Nook Books and More Blog.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brady and Evelyn are older bear shifters. Both have had their share of disappointments in their lives. Evelyn had run off with a wolf shifter she thought she loved, and instead she had 20 years of abuse until she finally left him. Brady should have been alpha, but his addictive behavior costs him that position. But with Evelyn coming back home, does this give them the opportunity to make things good again? Do they have a second chance to fall in love? She and Brady are mates, and coming home can put her where she should have been all along, by his side. And in trying to make things right for his mate and cub, perhaps Brady will have a reason now to clean up his life for his new family.

This was a good story line giving us the hope that things will be made right for these two characters. You know there will be issues to face. Will they face it all together? Or has too much time passed to try?

[Karen Nastasio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evelyn has just left an abusive marriage after 20yrs and moves back in with her parents and hopefully the den as well. Just wanting to have a good time she decides to have a one night stand and what a fantastic night it was to her to actually feel loved for a change. Brady is the alpha and after some bad decisions made in the past he still struggles to get by. But meets a hot woman and has an amazing time but all good things must come to an end. At dinner with there parents they meet again and cannot believe that they slept with each other and to say it was a shock to both of them is an understatement and a couple of weeks later Evelyn finds out she is pregnant and tells Brady, now they must keep it a secret for the time being. Can two people that have known each other for the majority of there lives become a couple or will there pasts get in the way.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable enough

While I enjoyed this book overall, I have to say that it's not really a "typical" shifter book.

It seems that for the most part, them being shifters is low down in the scheme of things, in fact apart from the one instance of some characters actually physically shifting, I'm sure you could replace the "shifter" aspect of the story with something similar like ; religion, race, nationality, etc.

Don't get me wrong I enjoyed the book and the story was good enough but it feels more like a romance story about a segregated people (be that by being shifters, religion, race, sec, etc).

There are a fair few books in this series though so I have a feeling I will give the next one a go, but if it's still giving me the same impression of less about shifting/being a shifter/etc but something that could easily be replaced by many different things without really changing the story at all, I do not think I would read the rest of them. Shane really.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evelyn took off with a wolf when she was young and spent 20 years married to him. He was always extremely controlling and when he tried to take the one thing that was hers, it was the straw that broke the camel's back. She meets up with Brady the night before she goes to her parents. Not recognizing each other from their childhood, they hook up. What a surprise they have in store the next night at a dinner with their parents. Brady's folks were wonderful but Evelyn's dad was still trying to control her as though she was still 20. The story takes off after this. I really like how Evelyn finally was standing up for herself. Brady also had some changes he was trying to make after past mistakes. I admired both of them for what they were doing even when the going was difficult. The HEA at the end was perfect and full of the love and community that's found in a den of bears.

[sherri jones-teachout · Rating 5 out of 5]

She’s back hoping to finally live her own life.
Evelyn ran away from her family and den twenty years ago with a wolf shifter. He controlled her life for twenty years and when she’s finally had it she returns home. But the first night she meets a man at a bar and spends the night with him. And the next day she finds out he’s her childhood friend and the son of her parent’s friends. But Brady has not had it easy for the past twenty years either. He’s a recovering alcoholic and because of his past he lost the chance to be the alpha of the den. He wants it back because the current alpha Steve is terrible. He’s manipulative and everyone is afraid of him. What will Steve do when he learns Evelyne is pregnant with Brady’s child? I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Laure · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twenty years ago bear shifter Evelyn, thought she was in love so she left home with her wolf shifter boyfriend and married him. She's left her abusive husband and returned home. With no where else to go she moves back into her parents house. Brady should have been Alpha of the bear shifter den, but he was young and foolish and lost that title to another. He has redeemed himself, but it has become clear that the only way to reclaim his position as Alpha is to fight.
Absolutely wonderful, well written, and compelling characters that rediscover their friendship and become closer than they could have imagined. Fascinating plot with interesting twists, some action, with a little sizzle, and best of all, a happily ever after. Great book.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has been awhile since I have read a shifter book, but I decided to give this one a try. I really like that the two main characters, Brady and Evelyn, are older. I also like how the author brought in the issues of domestic violence and alcoholism, without them taking over the whole book. Instead, it focused more on strength and overcoming these issues, both as bear shifters. It was also interesting reading more about how the den works. As far as the story, I really enjoyed it. My favorite part was how the two of them first got together again, and then meeting up again at dinner with their parents. It was funny to me, even though it was not so for Brady and Evelyn. Very good book!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout, and also purchased a copy, and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lea Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this one so much. More mature characters trying to find the strength to rebuild their lives after past mistakes. Love and passion. Insecurity and fear. Family drama and danger.
Evelyn finally runs from her controlling, dangerous husband after 20 years. Will her family accept her back?
Brady lost his position as alpha due to his alcoholism. Can he find a way to get his position back when everyone seems to doubt and undermine him?
A one night stand. Strangers. They won't ever see each other again. Until a family dinner throws them back together. They find a love together they never imagined. When there's a surprise, they decide to separate to protect her. Will they have to stay apart or can Brady fix the situation? What kind of danger will Evelyn be in if her ex finds her alone?

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Donna Feibusch · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Awesome Book!!!!

I enjoyed reading Bear Next Door(Midlife Shifters Book 1). All about Evelyn a forty-two year old bear-shifter waitress & Brady O’Neil a forty-two year old Bear-shifter pre-ordained Alpha. Evelyn has been away living in Las Vegas with her husband a wolf-shifter named Marty. They ran away from Chicago twenty-two years ago, because her parents disowned her. She’s back in Chicago, hoping her parents will allow her to stay, till she gets back on her feet. Things are not what they seem, lots of water and ex tenuous circumstances surround Evelyn’s coming home! Read about Evelyn & Brady and see what trouble the two get into her first night back in town. Lots of emotions are running throughout this story. I hope you enjoy reading Book 1!!!! I can’t wait to read book 2!!!!

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

What could be more exciting than a bear shifter story? This book was full of action and drama where it tells about Brady who was raised to be the alpha but because of his alcoholism his position was taken away from him and he tells of his journey back to where he is ready to be the Alpha again. Evelyn is also a bear shifter and she ran away when she was 20 with a wolf and married him against her parents wishes. Now after 20 years later, she has come back home and her and Brady get together and form a relationship. They both have a lot to work through to get to the final destination of him claiming his position as alpha and Evelyn as his mate.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bear Next Door is Book 1 in J.L. Wilder’s, Midlife Shifters series. - Brady and Evelyn a couple in their forties.
Due to alcohol Brady’s den had taken away his alpha position. Now 5 years soba he wants it back. Unfortunately things don’t go as planned and he finds himself at a bar wanting a drink, only to meet Evelyn.
Evelyn who had just left her controlling Wolf husband after 20 years of marriage, was on her way back to her parents home. Stops overnight at a hotel where she has a night of passion with her childhood past and doesn’t even know it. Hello neighbour, oops, hello cub. I found this book well written with strong determined characters, with drama, suspense and action. Worth reading.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.