Gilded Mess

Three Bears #1

by Colette Rhodes

Once upon a time, there was a young girl named Goldilocks, who innocently wandered into a home owned by a family of bears…

Okay, my name is Ria. And I may have broken in, but I was high and it was cold outside. Oh, and the bears were actually shifters.

Potayto, potahto.

The point is, I’m kind of a wreck. Plus, I robbed my cheating, lying a-hole of an ex-boyfriend on my way out the door and he’s not thrilled about it, so I’m stuck with these three distractingly attractive men for the time being — one of whom is weirdly hung up on the whole breaking and entering thing. What could go wrong?

Gilded Mess is book one of the Three Bears duet. It is a medium burn, reverse harem romance for readers 18+

Genres: Shapeshifters, Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy, Why Choose, Paranormal Romance, Retellings

269 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 6, 2021

About the author

Colette Rhodes is a paranormal romance author from New Zealand. She loves to write about love in all its forms, and adores imperfect heroes and heroines who find perfection in each other. You’ll often find her trying to justify her degree by including ancient history and mythological influences in her work.

If she’s not writing, then you’re almost certain to find her reading—ideally with a cup of tea in hand and a scented candle burning to match the mood.

Keep up with Colette here:

Website: coletterhodes.com
Instagram: @coletterhodes_author

Reviews

[Isabella. R · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 No Harm, No Foul Stars ⭐

“I find beauty in the imperfections. The flaws that make up the perfect whole.”

In this modern retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, fairytales just got a whole lot dirtier.
Featuring one feisty heroine; these shifter brothers don't know what hit them. Gilded Mess is the first book in the Three Bears duet and it was adorably witty and damn amusing.

👑 Aurelia, our heroine is a rebellious disaster. For a grown woman, bad decisions are her speciality.
🐻 Noah, the authoritative Daddy Bear. Used to shouldering the responsibility; he's a total grump.
🐻 Seth, thoughtful, intense and gorgeously kinky.
🐻 Eli, is Baby Bear who's cheeky and fun. The first one to promise and deliver on a good time.

Apart from the breaking and entering of their cabin, this is just another of her questionable choices. Although soon enough Aurelia will realise she's hit the Trifecta of Dominants.

How very cliché to have found their very own Goldie in their home. While Seth and Eli are adamant about her staying, Noah is not convinced even if the Bernard Brothers have an unspoken desire. Finding a mate, they could share.

“Can we keep her?” Eli asked eagerly.

“You want to keep the girl that smells like marijuana and tears?”

It was only meant to be a pit stop for Aurelia till she returns to New York. Disillusioned and lost, she never expected to enjoy her time with the Bears. And if the men are offering to fulfil her 'Fuck it List' in the interim, what's are girl to do except ride the tide...

“Are we having a threesome right now?” she gasped. “Oh my god, we are. We’re actually having a threesome. This is fucking Christmas.”

A quirky tale that ends on a cliffhanger. I need the next book immediately because I need these four to make it official like now. 💜

[Namera [The Literary Invertebrate] · Rating 3 out of 5]

⤅ I owe a massive debt to this book for being the one to introduce me to Colette Rhodes.

It's an RH retelling of Goldilocks; actually my second one, because Maren Smith has a BDSM RH version of Goldilocks which is absolutely superb. This fairytale really lends itself well to RH. Here we have a bratty, immature (in an engaging way) heroine and three well-developed bear shifter brothers, whom she encounters when she breaks into their house as she's escaping her cheating ex.

Gilded Mess was going to get 4 stars, but the second half is rather weaker than the first half. The drama (not relationship-based, don't worry) takes a vaguely unrealistic turn, and it isn't anywhere near as good as the first 50% of the book. I actually don't think I'm going to bother with the sequel. But it's solidly written and one of Rhodes's other series is excellent. I wouldn't have discovered it if not for this book, so. Thanks, book.

[RLbooks (in and out) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gilded Mess is chockfull of hilarious moments, complex characters with vulnerabilities, steamy steaminess, and the start of an awesome romance! While it's overall a lighter book, don't worry, Ms. Rhodes will also hit you in the feels. I especially loved the main character, Ria, who knows she's made questionable choices that have led to questionable situations, but she has so many positives that you just want to hug her and show her how awesome she is. She's also got the best sense of humor and is unafraid to share it (thankfully).


In the midst of one of Ria's questionable choices that leads to a questionable situation, she meets brothers Noah, Seth, and Eli who are drawn to Ria and she to them. But there are complications with that attraction because of course. Add in a crazy ex and family complications and this is a character-driven story that also keeps things moving along until you get to the end just wanting more time with Ria and the guys. Eli's my favorite of the guys so far, he's so enthusiastically into Ria right from the get-go and I loved it.


The book ends with a hook leading into book 2. For the next one, I have theories and things I want to happen and I just know these characters are going to get a funny and steamy HEA!

[Lana Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 stars
I loved it!
Even though the chemistry between the heroine and one of the brothers totally fizzled out in the second half (I expected way more after THAT build up!!), it still was a decent and fun story.
I'm gonna just go and jump into the second book.

[Melissa Dickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(5 stars!)

*arc generously provided by the author*

This is one of my new fave RH's ever. I should have known based on Colette's previous book, Blood Nor Money, that I would enjoy this book as well but I was shocked at both how different it was and how amazing it was.

I won't lie. At first I was all, "how ... exactly does one do a Goldilocks retelling without it being super weird?

Well- here's how.

You take one Blonde haired beauty who makes poor life decisions in general and is absolutely hilarious, add in three gorgeous bear-shifting brothers who couldn't be more opposite, and a psycho ex boyfriend. Add a dash of breaking and entering, combined with a side of self-depreciation. Stir until a mentally manipulative psycho shows up, and you get an absolutely amazing read.

What the best part was? The MC's regularly bring up the fact that she's blonde and they're best shifters and refer to the old tale as an ongoing joke. What could have been a bit of an awkward retelling turned into something hilariously tongue-in-cheek and I was here for it.

Ria, who has to be my fave FMC of Colette's yet, decides to move in with her fairly new boyfriend into a random cabin deep in the woods. Almost immediately after they both get to the cabin, Ria finds out ole boy is cheating on her. So when he leaves the cabin she steals his gun and weed, and does what any scorned girlfriend does- gets high and decides to walk into town after destroying his phone.

Unfortunately, Ria isn't half as prepared for a traipse through the woods and she thinks she is and in her weed induced state she decides it's totally ok to break into a beautiful home she finds in the middle of the woods. There she proceeds to eat the owner's food, break their furniture, use their bath and sleep in their beds.

Of course the owners get home and it's alllll downhill from there 😂 (or ... uphill. Or maybe horizontal hill. *wiggles eye brows*)

This book has everything I love in a romance. Great character depth, awesome plot, fantastic plot twists and a broody asshole who's fighting his feelings. Not to mention one of the most hilarious female MC's ever.

Also can we just talk for a second about how amazing Colette is at writing her characters? I've read every single one of her books and not a single FMC is the same. Not a single one is a carbon copy and they all have so much depth. I genuinely don't know how she does it. Same with the guys. And don't get me wrong a lot of authors can write different FMC's but *not* with the level of depth that Colette does. It's baffling to me.

I almost cried when I found out the next book comes out in just a month. The cliffhanger was real and I'm dyyyyong to find out what happens next!

If you've read Colette's books before you will be so pleased with this one and can expect the same awesome story and romance and magic that comes with all her books. If you haven't read her books, then let me tell you how jealous I am that you have all these amazing stories ahead of you- she became one of my fave authors last year and her writing just keeps getting better and better. Even when I don't believe it can.. she somehow manages to surprise me yet again 😂

5/5 stars. Would totally recommend.

[Rayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is like the fifth book this month for me that had a promising first half only to disappoint in the second half. When I started this book up to a little over halfway, I definitely thought this was going to be a four star read for me. Then it started to drag more with nothing interesting happening and when something finally happened it seemed way too OTT and unrealistic. Rounding down to three stars and hoping the next one is better.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two books and there is STILL insta-love. Yawn.

[Dana Isaly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This came out of left field

I started this book not expecting to fall in love with it the way I did. I loved the characters. She did a great job of giving each guy his own unique personality and traits. It was a really fun, easy read and the cliffhanger at the end has me picking up the second book immediately.

Never thought I would like a shifter retelling of Goldilocks but here we are. Couldn’t be happier about it

[Kate V · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Imperfection is Perfection Stars!

This is the first book in a retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears duet and features Aurelia (Ria) and her bears - Noah, Seth and Eli. Ria comes barging into these solitary bears' lives and brightens up their lonely existence.

Aurelia - One of my favorite heroines to date. She is witty, hilarious, cute, rebellious and impulsive. Her zest for life is contagious and while she seems to never have any of her sh*t together, she somehow manages to be the glue for everyone else.

“Was he suggesting I ride on in to confront my asshole ex on top of a 1500-pound bear like a goddamn superhero? Obviously, yes. I was going to do that.”

Noah - Daddy bear to Ria, commanding and a total grump. Your heart breaks for Noah while also wanting to slap him. Noah carries a lot of trauma and has never had the opportunity to work through any of it. Aurelia is a threat to the walls he has built and the two of them go head-to-head in a delicious sexual tension filled enemies-to-lovers vibe.

Seth - Kinky in the best way, reserved and pensive and deliberate in everything he says and does. He thrives on control and Ria makes him want to throw caution to the wind at times. I LOVED HIM.

“What do you need, sweetheart?” I’d never get sick of asking her that question. I’d ask her every day for the rest of her life if she’d let me. “What can I have?” Everything.”

Eli - Baby bear, quirky, always up for a good time and wide open in everything but remarkably perceptive. Eli knows what he wants and isn’t afraid to go after it. He warmed my heart with his loyalty and acceptance.

“Can we keep her?” Eli asked eagerly. “You want to keep the girl that smells like marijuana and tears?”

Ria discovers her boyfriend Darren is cheating on her after she agrees to move in with him in a cabin and impulsively decides she needs to steal some weed and a gun and smash his phone. She ends up breaking into Noah, Seth and Eli’s cabin and makes herself at home. When the bears return home, they find her and their whole world is turned upside down. Eli knows immediately that he wants Ria forever. Seth is more hesitant but is not going to ignore the pull he feels. Noah is a grumpy butt (like super grumpy butt) and is WAY more reluctant to the whole situation. The more time they all spend together, the more feelings are caught but there is so much baggage the bears carry and Ria doesn’t want to keep making mistakes and being impulsive. So where does that leave them?

On a cliffhanger, that’s what. But luckily for me the next book is out so I can find out how these four make it official.

“Maybe Ria was our future, but we couldn’t offer her that until we dealt with the present.”

I loved this story. I was laughing so hard at some of the things that Ria said and did and loved each hero in different ways. I loved their blossoming relationship and the steam that went along with it. I also loved the more serious notes in this story which were tastefully written and tugged at my hear strings. Overall, a great read that I couldn’t put down.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I mean this lovingly, but the heroine Ria must have been drinking dumb bitch juice at the beginning of this book.

To be fair, throughout the first book as we get to know Ria and she reflects on the past 10 years of her life (she’s 29), she goes over the mistakes she’s made and her tendency to jump head first into new situations without thinking things through. This is how she ends up living in the middle of nowhere in a remote cabin in Alaska with a guy she’s dated for 6 months but hasn’t said I love you to, who she actually doesn’t love or trust, when her family (who lives across the country) and her one friend in town warns her against it. I mean… c’mon girl.

Ria is a hot mess. And after she runs away from the cabin of her now ex-boyfriend, she stumbles into a beautiful two story A-frame that’s unlocked and again the dumb bitch juice must be flowing because she goes inside and makes herself at home. I mean she’s high… but even when I was at my highest on a Rice Krispie Treat edible I don’t think I would have gone into a strangers home and not realized that perishable food that isn’t rotten in the kitchen = someone is living there.

Anyway, the three bears come home and they are:
Noah - the oldest, the grumpy one, the protector. “Daddy Bear”
Seth - twins with Noah, the artist, not as free with physical touch
Eli - the youngest, carefree, goofy

Did I mention that this story plays on Goldilocks and the Three Bears by making the guys bear shifters?

While there was a particularly spicy menage scene in this book, I didn’t connect to Ria and the guys’ relationship. Eli’s felt too sudden and silly, like puppy love or a crush - and I have a hard time buying into that insta-affection unless its backed up by a “fated mates” trope, which it wasn’t. Seth and her had attraction for sure but he’s so quiet and reserved… and she/Noah were antagonistic at best.

This book ends on a mild cliffhanger and no HEA/HFN so you’ll need to read the second book in the duet.

[Inna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this 2 book series sometimes in 2023… I forgot to add it to goodreads (but 2023 was a shitty year for me, so not all too surprising).

Pretty safe based on what I remember

The biggest ick was that they are brothers … but I guess that’s normal for shifters in this universe?!

Heroine has an ex who she caught cheating and escapes to the three bears. They keep the ex mostly away from her but he causes a lot of drama.

[omega’s rights activist · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 I loved all of the main characters

[Makyla · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 cuddly bear stars

"What are men to booze and smut?"

I loved this book! I did not think I would going in but oh my gosh, I can't even count the number of times I was laughing out loud. Ria is my new favourite person in the world. On some level, she resonates with me because I understand what it feels like to experience failures and make stupid decisions. She was so funny and smart with an 'I don't give a fuck' attitude, but at the same time had insecurities and fears.

"My sore feet? Darren's fault. The mud on my leggings? Darren's fault. Achy shoulders from carrying this pack? Darren's fault. Climate change? Darren's fault. World hunger? Darren's fault."

This story starts out with Ria making a stupid decision. She decided to move in with her boyfriend of only six months, only to find out he was a lying piece of garbage. Did I mention that they moved to the middle of nowhere? in the woods? She is lucky this is not a horror story.
So Ria decides that she would take a stroll through the forest and find the highway that would lead back to civilization, only to get lost and wind up at a beautiful empty house. And she does what any Goldilocks would do, she goes in and makes herself at home, only to come face to face with three bear shifters.

"Why don't we wake her up first?" Seth muttered, his nose twitching. "Great idea. I'll lick her face", Eli responded, more dog than bear.

Oh how I love these bear shifters. I wish there were more chapters in Noah's point of view, him being the most unreadable character and the most hostile toward Ria. Noah, Seth and Eli live in the middle of nowhere, having built their home from the ground and practically raised themselves. They are the sweetest and most delicious bear shifters you'll ever meet and have made a pact to share a mate. All I am going to say is, they are everything you would want in a man.

Was he suggesting I ride on in to confront my asshole ex on top of a 1500-pound bear like a goddamn superhero? Obviously, yes. I was going to do that.

I am so glad there is a second book because I could not get enough this.

[Lucy Lu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yay I got an ARC for this book and I am a huge fan!

Firstly I am already counting down for book 2 - April guys its not far away.

While I have loved everything this author writes I will say this is my favourite book they have done so far and is my leading book for 2021. Maybe because it hit close to home and is a little to relatable (minus the 3 hot AF bear shifters, dreams are free).

Ria is the MFC and being honest - she is a bit of a mess and I love it.

1. She isn't a 18 year old virgin who has the weight of the world on her somehow over experienced shoulders.
2. She is trying to own her shit and most of the time she does but there are some swings and misses. She is really real and down to earth.
3. She is funny AF but also deep its the perfect balance.

In short I love Ria and I want to be her when I grow up even though I am older then her.

And then there are the 3 bear shifters who have some of their own issues to work through who take on the wrecking ball that is Ria who comes smashing into their lives at full force.

This is hands down the funniest and lightest book by this author but at the same time she has managed to work in some deeper themes that are very relatable.

This book is just great so read it.

Did I mention book two is out in April... 🐻🐻🐻

[Tash · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first book from this author and definitely won't be the last. Rhodes has a way of capturing the attention of the reader and leaving them hooked. Gilded Mess is the story of Ria whose life becomes an a whirlwind of mess in a mere second thanks to her slimy ex who turns out to be everything but what she expected.

She wanted the fresh air and boy she got anything but what she wanted with ex. So when she follows the path to the mysterious house in the woods and finds three alpha bear shifters reminiscence of a certain fairy tale. These guys are everything, they play their roles perfectly and it quiet obvious who is who. But aside from the obvious references these guys have a lot on their plate.
Ria may of have walked out of her own mess but she walked into another where she is the star of the show. This retelling is about to get hot and complicated .


This PNR contemporary had everything I have been craving lately and I loved diving into this world from Rhodes. It wasn't the run of the mill PNR and I loved the twist at the end. Definitely will be keeping an eye out for the second half of this duet as I wanted to know what happens next.

[♡ Rosella Swan ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

The blurb does not do justice to the actual book. Reimagining of Goldilocks and the Three Bears but way better with RH, shifters, drama, plot twist, asshole Noah, bossy Seth, sappy Eli and quirky Aurelia. I loved them all. Rita's sassing was hilarious. It was adorable to see Eli being attached and loving. The smut was freaking hot. I didn't expect the mother plot twist. And that cliffhanger has left me wanting more so I'm immediately starting the next and last book hoping they get their HEA.

[Colette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gilded Mess is OUT NOW

Get it here.

[Zen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Retelling

What a fun read! This heroine is a mess, but she is definitely a work in progress. Can't wait to read the next one.

[Chrissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Messy World of Shifters in Alaska

I am ashamed to say that I wanted to read this book because it has such a beautiful cover. I’m glad it did because I probably wouldn’t have read it otherwise as 'retelling of fairy tales' isn’t exactly my favourite trope. I’m also not keen on MFC’s who are ‘a bit of a mess’. Whilst I know characters who are flawed are interesting and more fun to write about, I like to read about characters that are competent and together and just make reasonable mistakes. Ria, is definitely a bit of a mess. She’s nearly 30, never had a career, dropped out of college twice and is constantly needing to be bailed out of trouble by her older brothers.

Ria’s latest catastrophe is getting lured into a relationship with the promise of a great cabin in the woods of Alaska, a caring partner who wants to have children together and the opportunity to start a small business from home, rather than working in a diner. Only it turns out the caring partner is pretty much a sham and Ria runs away into the fading light out into the woods, with no idea where she is going. I pretty much wanted to smack some sense into the woman during the first couple of chapters but I stuck it out.

Ria started to grow on me when she met the bears. She stole into their fantastic cabin, made herself at home and wasn’t really embarrassed about being caught. Once she settled into staying with the bears she started to show more of her less ‘messy’ side. She chipped in around the house with chores without being asked. She had a go at things even when she didn’t know if she was capable or not and she stood up for herself against her ex. Some of her more messy personality traits turned into more admirable ones when taken with a more positive spin.

To be honest she wasn’t the messiest character. The three bear brothers were quite a bit unusual. They have lived together in the woods since the eldest twins were 15 and the youngest was 10 after their parents were killed in a house fire. They lived in their grandparents’ cottage and then built their own home by hand. They mainly live off the land with occasional trips into town to sell things they make. Living mainly in isolation from an early age and never really venturing out to face getting hurt again lead to isolationist tendencies. Putting the three messy bears together with the messy non-shifter leads to a much more balanced situation if only they can get out of their own way.

I ended up quite liking Ria and the bears, despite myself. Ria has a good sense of humour, a good heart and tries hard. I also quite liked the plot which was secondary to the relationship aspect, but it definitely adds some interest to the book. I will definitely be reading the second part of the duet, because I want to know what happens next, after the cliffhanger. Apparently, the second book comes out within a month, so fingers crossed the release date isn’t too far off.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a true sucker for retellings. Fairytale retellings, myth retellings, retellings of hero stories and legends, I all crave them. However, I don't think I've ever read a Goldilocks retelling before! So, when I got the BookSirens e-mail and this ARC was offered to me, I didn't hesitate and got the ARC immediately. Of course, I was quite certain that the three bears were gonna be shifters and all male, but apart from that. I was ready to be surprised.

And I was quite positively surprised by this book! I never read anything by Rhodes before, but she has a lovely writing style that really worked for me. Each character clearly had their own voice, and even though there were names above the chapters I didn't need them to know who was talking. That's also because the characters all felt so vivid, realistic and most of all different. They so clearly had their own personality and although I'm terrible with names, I had no issue at all telling the guys apart!

On top of that I really enjoyed the plot! I was a little nervous if a Goldilocks retelling wouldn't be too boring, but it was anything but! Of course there is the storyline with Darren, who has his mind set on Aria and is not willing to let her go that easily. But there was also the storyline of Noah, who is clearly dealing with a lot of weight on his shoulders and has no idea how to handle the whirlwind that has entered his house, especially since she has such a huge effect on him.

And despite the fact that Aria is a little reckless and acts before she thinks, it's not that hard to understand what the other two brothers see in her and why they fall for her so easily. She's also very witty, but without ever being mean. She is far from shy and she can keep up with all their longings and needs, with pleasure even. I also like how she's very honest, although we did find out that she does know when to keep her mouth shut.

I actually thought this was gonna be a stand-alone (my bad), but I'm afraid I'll have to get the other books now. I NEED TO KNOW HOW IT CONTINUES!

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite read by Colette so far!

I kept seeing people talk about this series in various groups and its been on my tbr list. I think I decided to bump it to the top of the list today because I read a post where someone said it gave them "warm and fuzzy" vibes and I really wanted some of that.

I think I had been somewhat reluctant on starting this because the blurb describes the fmc as being high and having stolen something from her ex, and generally being somewhat of a mess. I freely admit this is strictly my own bias but I was mildly put off by that description of the fmc, as I tend to gravitate towards strong fmc's who know the direction they want to head, and make it happen.

I was not entirely off in my initial ideas in how the fmc would present, but I was not entirely correct either.

Is she "flailing in the wind" a bit? Yes. Is her behavior mature and befitting her age? Sometimes no, but for the most part yes. I found Ria (fmc) to be surprisingly "human" and even a bit hard on herself. She was absolutely beautiful in her mistakes, and heartbreaking, but still hopeful, in her assessment of where she is at as she nears 30. She was so much more relatable than I thought she was going to be.

I also made an incorrect early assumption that this was going to be a "light" read. I don't know if it's just the mood I'm in right now, or the story (I think it's probably bit of both), but this story had so much more depth, with both the characters and the plot, than I was expecting.

This is by far my favorite read by Colette Rhodes so far. I concur with those who have said this is a "warm and fuzzy", or as I often refer to it, a "sweet heat" story in the making.

I'm hopeful and excited and eagerly moving on to book two.

Category Ratings
Character building:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
World building:🌎🌎🌎1/2
Romance: 💓💓💓💓
Heat/steam: 🔥 🔥 🔥1/2
Drama: 👀 👀 👀 👀
Suspense:💣💣
Action: 🍿 🍿
Dark: 💀 - nothing noteworthy
Triggers: Nothing noteworthy
Recommend: YES 👍👍

[❀ Crystal ✿ - PEACE ☮ LOVE ♥ BOOKS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gilded Mess was such a fun and enjoyable read, I can’t wait to dive into the next one. This book really had me laughing out loud at times. When the end came I was pretty surprised not realizing how quickly I’d finish. The RH aspect mixed with a Goldilocks retelling are a perfect blend. Perhaps I picked things out in my head that weren’t there, but there were so many little instances connected to the story that the author translated and adapted here. I should have known off the bat a heroine stealing her exes gun, his weed and traipsing off into the forest would be special. I really loved Rias character. She says what’s on her mind most of the time and really had the guys’ best interest at heart even the mean and surly oldest brother Noah. She admits her faults (and boy does she have some doozies) but really is just living her life on her terms and I have to give her major props for that. I don’t agree sometimes with her actions but we’ll blame it on the blonde hair 😜 I can’t wait to see how the guys’ win over Ria, ‘handle’ their new house guest and convince Noah and Ria to get along for longer than five minutes lol.

[vee]

hm solid writing, solid characters, solid relationships among bear shifters. didnt give me a tingle but what does these days

”Can we keep her?” Eli asked eagerly.
“You want to keep the girl that smells like marijuana and tears?”

“What’s your name?” Seth’s intrigue was alarming me. Usually, he and I were on the same page, reining in Eli together, but I got the impression we weren’t even reading the same book this time.
“Aurelia. Yours?” She ran her gaze appraisingly over the three of us. “Balls, Brains, and Brawn?”
“Why am I ‘Balls’?” Eli laughed, while Seth’s lips twitched at his apt ‘Brains’ moniker. She was a perceptive little criminal.
“You’ve got big ones, I can tell,” Aurelia replied sagely.
“The love of my life is a genius,” Eli sighed, clutching his chest dramatically.

[Miki’s⚠️ Safety Reviews & Rants⚠️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a review for the DUET. So both books. Spoilers….
Book 1 - 4 stars
Book 2- 3 stars


This was a cute light and mostly funny and mostly sweet (I’m looking at you Noah👀) duet.

It was a retake on Goldilocks with grumpy bear shifters and all.

At the start she is moving in with her boyfriend of six months out into the middle of nowhere Alaska into his small cabin in the woods. She finds out he is cheating and has lied to her about being a shifter.

See Ria ckk ok es from a family of fox shifters but she isn’t one. She is a carrier which is just a human that carried shifter babies. They are not well respected and no one wants to mate with them.

She takes off and leaves her BF making him a ex and wonders through the forest for hours until she comes upon a cabin. Shes is tired and sore and lost so she takes refuge in the house until the bear shifters that live there come home to find a beautiful woman sleeping in one of their beds.

‼️And so begins the shenanigans.
Insta love
Lots of sexy times
Miscommunication
1 real grumpy bear shifter that boarded on complete asshole
OMD cause he is cra cra
Parents coming back from the dead
Trauma
Irresponsible behavior
Fun, light and sweet times

‼️MY BIGGEST ISSUE WAS….
All theses characters should have been 10 years younger and I could have understood and looked past ALOT of their issues and lack of maturity

‼️Book 2-
Kinda not moving fast enough it’s the same stuff from book one for like 35-40% simple why am I reading the same shit! They want her she doesn’t think they do her thinking it’s temporary and Noah not wanting her at all.

🥀 Hero:
This is a RH
Eli- the playboy cinnamon roll
Seth-quiet Dom
Noah- the ASS

🦋 Heroine:
Ria - not a shifter but a CARRIER so a incubator for shifters lol her womb is perfect for breeding. looking for peace and quiet she moves to Alaska and meets Darren her BF. They decide to
Move to a his cabin in the woods.

💭 POV:
First person 4 POV

😡/😍 Angst level:
Low

❤️‍🔥 Sex & Burn Rate:
Fast 2 1/2 🔥🔥 it was ok. To much focus on trying to be kinky so the chemistry and romantic connection suffered. For me I wasn’t impressed.
2 guys are pretty all about her early in 1 is a hold out but also a complete dick!

🌓 Push/Pull:
Only from Noah he doesn’t come around till 55-60% if book 2!!! So yeah! It wasn’t my fav plus his trauma kept him from any grovel. She was a doormat for him. I get his trauma but a I’m sorry just did t cut it for me. Also he didn’t really have to work to win her. As soon as he admits his feelings she is spreading her legs. This could have been handled differently

☠️ OW/OM Drama:
No OW at all

🤮 OW/OM Sex / Fluid or DNA Exchange:
None
No OP after they meet

🤬 Cheating:
None

👰🏼‍♀️ Virgins:
None!
-Love me a experienced h she has explored her kinks sex
-All the men have sex occasionally when they want they go to a sex club.

Umm there is definitely kinks going on in this one and mild BDSM/ I personally felt it was talked about WAY WAY to much and became like a thing. It should have just happened naturally. Also the hype was a huge let down lol 😂

⛈️Separation/ 3rd Act Breakup:
Yes at the end of book 1 she leaves
2 weeks separation
Then again in book 2 they leave her in NYC and she follows days? A week later.

🎧AUDIO
Good! Duet narration ♥️♥️
It was great but the h voice quivered to much for me at times… pet peeve it’s a me thing.

Safety⚠️Triggers🗡️:
2 of her harem have trauma from a fire when they were 15. Their parents died.
Noah allows his issues from giving in to his feelings for most of the duet. He does seek help EVENTUALLY after he is an asshole and fucked everything up and rejects the h time and time again.

🌈Epilogue:
Yes 4 years later mated with 2 kids

🥂HEA:
Yes

My rant about Noah cause the author messed up with him

‼️Noah didn’t miss her didn’t regret anything. Don’t want her he only wanted his brothers back it is really annoying that she pines for him while he could care less about her… well at least from his POV. Then BAM! 💥 he loves her???? What!? Fucking BS the change was literally OVERNIGHT. And I’m sorry this would have played out better if the author started his turn around in the beginning of book 2 not 55% in.
‼️He did some hurtful things to her and was only worried about his brothers he didn’t seem to really care about her..
If you have a grumpy H make him more grumpy and less asshole . If he is hurtful Make him grovel and work for her don’t just say it’s trauma and then everyone has to forgive cause then it’s not his fault.

‼️She was a doormat for him. She was the one who had to chase him and I hate that cause for all the sad emotions we heard from her about him he had NONE. No emotions. That’s not fun to read author.
Noah walked away pushed away time and time again. Showed no signs of wanting her. Made no actions to man up. Sorry Maybe if we had some emotional torment from him it would have been easier to feel compassion for him. I mean him being horny for her isn’t the same as feelings.

❌My opinion is just that… MY OPINION.❌
I know we all get passionate about our favorite reads and characters but we should respect each opinions a thoughts. ~Thank you

[Karin Dirksen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure about this book at first, with Ria coming off as TSTL. However, as the story progressed I could relate better. She had a dream for her future - happily married with kids. if happiness was not in the cards, she was willing to settle for content. And then still not be able to achieve that... yes she made some poor choices, but her self deprecation really hit me. I hope her bears show her she is worth happiness and that she will find it.

[JanetLW · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story, beautiful writing!

Colette took a classic tale and put a cheeky twist to it. Writing is amazing, characters are loveable, steam is steamy. Just go ahead and read it, you won't be disappointed!!

[Cat H · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.4 stars.
So far I’m really liking the characters and how things are being set up.
The humor and playfulness was fun.
The sex was hot and there were some great moments of soft dominance.
The relationships were forming, though a bit reluctantly all around for various reasons.
They’ve got a lot of work to do in the next book though. Especially one of them…
I’m looking forward to seeing how it all works out.

[❤️Emma Book Lover ❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh well!
Can someone point me in the direction of this guys house please? I don't have golden hair but I 'll dye it if needed lol😂
Hilarious sexy and totally awesome rh. A fox and 3 bears having a great time in the woods.
Yup. I'm in!

[a seductive cactus · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s 11pm and I am going to immediately start book 2. Why did I wait so long to read this?!

Ria is a self aware messy delight
Eli is a confident besotted flirt who is all in
Seth has that quiet certainty and secretly dom vibes
Noah can fuck right off and get some therapy

[Allia Reads (semi hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️