The Polar Bear's Fake Mate

by Sophie Stern

One bear. One human. One big, fat lie.JustinYou'd think that with a backstory like mine, the idea of taking a mate is unbelievable. You'd be right. The only reason I'm agreeing to this entire "mates" thing is so that my mother gets off my back, my shareholders are happy, and I continue moving forward in my career. I'm the face of a multi-billion dollar company. I don't need any scandals in my midst.RebeccaThe offer is for one year. One year of pretending to be this guy's mate, and then we can have a quiet divorce. He just needs his shareholders off of his back, and me? Well, I'd like to not starve to death. Only, there's more than meets the eye when it comes to Justin. He might have money and brains and incredibly good looks, but there's a secret that lurks behind those beautiful eyes.And I intend to find out what it is.THE POLAR BEAR'S FAKE MATE is the first book in SHIFTERS OF RAWR a new shifter series from Sophie Stern. There is no cheating and a guaranteed HEA for our happy couple. You may also want to check out THE DRAGON'S CHRISTMAS TREASURE for a sneak peek at life in Rawr County!

Genres: Romance, Paranormal, Shapeshifters, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Amazon, Billionaires

225 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 27, 2021

About the author

Sophie Stern writes contemporary and paranormal romance <3 Visit her on Facebook for frequent updates!

http://facebook.com/sexysophiestern

Reviews

[Shawna Finnigan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: This review contains brief discussions of adult content.

TW// cancer, mentions of death (including parents)

Is this book trash? Absolutely! Did I enjoy it? Surprisingly yes!

The thing about my star rating is that I rate based on enjoyment level. Sometimes books are so bad that they make me laugh to the point that I genuinely can’t take the book seriously and I end up finding a lot of amusement out of the story. The Polar Bear’s Fake Mate is objectively a bad book, but I enjoyed the heck out of this story because of how funny I found it.

I’m going to separate my review into three sections. The good parts, the bad parts, and the parts that were so bad that they were funny.

The Good:
-I liked the premise of the story. Fake marriage usually make for fun stories and adding the shifter twist to the fake marriage trope was interesting.
-The locations were really beautiful and easy to picture.
-Rebecca was a fierce female main charcter. I wasn’t necessarily the hugest fan of her, but I was so scared that this book was going to make Rebecca a submissive women who wouldn't stand up for herself, especially since her partner is literally a bear shifter. Luckily she stood up for herself though and she made herself heard more often than not. Her body is also described in a way that is very body positive and that representation was wonderful.

The Bad:
-The romance is instalove.
-Some plotlines should’ve been developed further. The cancer plot line should’ve been expanded upon to create an emotional impact. The conversation Rebecca overheard should’ve gotten some sort of resolution. The climax of the story needed more tension and emotion.
-The writing isn’t great. The writing lacks strong descriptions and instead brushes over important plot points. The writing in general is also very bland.
-The fact that shifters can smell when people are aroused… I hate it so much.
-“I wanted to slide deep inside of her, filling her with my seed.” If I ever hear the word “seed” being used in this context again, it will be too soon.

The So Bad It Was Funny:
-First of all, this whole series is called “Rawr County.” I can’t get over how cringeworthy and funny that is.
-The whole allergy plotline! I could include dozens of quotes from the book to show you how ridiculous this plotline is, but I’ll try to summarize it here. Basically Justin is being photoshopped in photos to make him look like a playboy and create a bad image of him. That shoud be what his mom is most worried about, right? Nope! She’s most worried about his cherry allergy that is mentioned nonstop throughout the story to the point that it is one of the major conflicts in the story. “My mother was rightfully worried about someone poisoning me and trying to take over the business.” I get it bro, you have a bad allergy. I do, too, but there’s no need to be so dramatic. “Most of the shfiters in Rawr County knew that I was able to transform myself into a polar bear, but somehow, sharing the fact that I had allergies seemed much more personal.” Dude literally strips naked so that he can change into a polar bear yet he’s more concerned about people learning about his cherry allergy. Dramatic much? Then low and behold, Rebecca is the perfect mate for Justin because she has allergies, too!! Shocking!! And of course he has to do a sob story about how poorly people treated him for not being able to eat freaking cherry popsicles. Then look at that shocker - Rebecca is being dramatic about allergies as well and thinking that she might not be a good fit for Justin because she can’t eat shrimp. I think you get the idea. The allergy plotline is so out of pocket and dramatic that it made me crack up every time it was brought up. Cherry isn’t even a common allergen either; the author went out of her way to single out cherries. It’s a bit odd on the author’s part, but it was still super funny.
-“I stood at the front desk, smiling at the receptionist like some sort of socially awkward shark.” I love this quote because it’s so random but also I can relate.
-There’s this huge passage about Rebecca walking into Justin’s house for the first time and thinking that Justin is a beekeper because she smells honey. She searches for honey and even bluntly asks Justin if he’s a beekeeper. Do you know what she was smelling? A freaking wax melt. Her one brain cell was just not working in the moment and the beekeper thing is never mentioned again after this incident. It’s so random and dramatic that it makes me crack up.

Honestly I’d only recommend reading this book if you want to read a book because it’s so bad that it’s funny. This isn’t the book to read if you want a serious and well written shifter romance.

[Ꮗ€♫◗☿ ❤️ ilikebooksbest.com ❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Polar bear shifter fake marriage romance!



The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙🖤💜❤️
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙📘
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌍
Character development: 😟🤭☺️🥰

The Heroes: Justin - he is the CEO of a successful software company that his family owns, and he is a polar bear shifter. Though humans are aware that shifters exist, not all of them believe it and some fear it so the general public doesn’t know that Justin is one. Justin used to be quite a playboy, but since his father died, his mother had been running the company and last year when she got cancer, Justin took over as CEO. He has been dedicated to the job, but someone has been posting pictures in the tabloids of someone who looks just like Justin, out on the town, drinking and carousing. They are trying to discredit him and his company. His mother thinks he should settle down and get married to counteract the bad press.

The heroine: Rebecca - she recently graduated with her masters degree in English Literature but is finding it hard to get a job. Her roommate in the tiny apartment where she lives is getting married and moving out with his new husband soon, so Rebecca has less than a month to find a job and a new place to live. She sees an add for a man looking for a wife for one year who will provide a place to live for over a year and will pay well during and after the marriage.

The Story: - Rebecca decides to take a chance for an adventure and answers the ad for a bride. After a couple of phone interviews, she is one of three women chosen and she meets Justin at a nice resort. He sees her first in the elevator and immediately knows that she is his mate. He doesn’t even want to bother with the other two candidates.

“It seemed as though sweet Rebecca wasn’t nearly as innocent as she might have me believe. If I had to guess, I’d say she’d even thought about me naked before.”

The story is cute, and the characters are pretty good. There were some questions I had from the beginning that weren’t answered, so I think there could have been some more background information given. Like regarding Justin’s mother. Was she a bear shifter as well or was she human? That wasn’t answered till late in the book. She had cancer and in most shifter stories, shifters can’t get sick or get diseases. Justin also had an allergy to cherries, so what was up with that, I wish that shifters would have been explained better. The characters weren’t described very well either. I wanted to know what Justin looked like. Does he have dark hair, light hair, blue eyes or what?

Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Twitter|BookBub

[Linda · Rating 1 out of 5]

No, No.No.

I lost interest in the first few pages " Being allergic to cherries makes him look weak" stupidest thing I've read in a long time. Glad I didn't pay for it.

[Sunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Going into this book, I didn't know what to expect 🫢 But what I got was truly sweet and romantic☺️ It was short, in some places rushed, but it was enough. Justin and Rebecca were made for each other 🥰

[Pam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Done! I tried really, really hard to make it through, and I did. First, the author told us the whole story. Everything! We did not get to experience the dates, office functions or anything that was required of this contract. Including the wedding. When the “relationship “ started to develop, we experienced nothing. I felt nothing for the couple, them individually or any of the characters because we were never given an opportunity to experience anything. This is not the writer for me. I prefer to ride along with the characters and experience the story developing.

The story itself was ridiculous. A shifter with an allergy to cherries or anything I couldn’t fathom. Also cancer. Weird. But, the author has the right to create. So, the story was just not for me. Two stars because there were a couple of fun parts in beginning. I’m definitely in the minority, so read for yourself.

[Sophie Faulkner · Rating 2 out of 5]

Author has a very intense obsession with allergies


The author's obsession with allergies is utterly bizarre. It honestly was brought up every couple of pages and I do not know anyone who would talk about allergies the way she does. A restaurant that ONLY people with allergies eat at? I'm not convinced such a thing exists.

[Kathleen Bradbury (Bulfon) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this shifter book. It has strong characters and was wonderfully written, and the author is one of my favorites. I cannot wait to see what is written next. I highly recommend this book to everyone who loves shifter books.

[Hannah · Rating 1 out of 5]

*READ FOR AN A-Z CHALLENGE; BOOK WITH A NUMBER IN THE TITLE*
This was wild in a way I was not expecting, and not in a good or fun way.

[Angie Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sophie Stern has written a 5-star book. This is the story of Rebecca and Justin. Justin is being forced to find a wife. The shareholders of his company do not like that he is single. His mother tries to talk him into it but he is not happy. She tells him the one thing he doesn't want to hear again. She said that her cancer is back and she wants this problem to go away. They come up with a plan for a fake marriage. They put an ad up for a fake wife. Rebecca is in a coffee shop looking for a job when she comes across the ad for the fake wife. She sends an email asking what all is needed to apply. Rebecca passes the interview so far now she is to meet the man for a one-on-one interview. They are to meet at a resort and spend a little time together. When Rebecca gets to the resort, she checks in and is told to go up the elevator. She is not told what floor she is on. She gets in the elevator and sees a man. She has a strange feeling about him. He tells her what room and floor she is on. When Justin meets Rebecca in the elevator and sees she has one of the rooms, his bear goes crazy saying she is the one. When he gets to his room, he calls Liz, his attorney, and tells her to call the other two women and cancel their meetings. She tries to talk him into going to the meetings but he tells her that Rebecca is the one, his mate. When they meet, she is shocked to see it is the man from the elevator. Before she can find out his name, she has to sign a nondisclosure agreement. It tells her that she is not allowed to tell anyone about the agreement. If she is not selected and later finds out who he is, she is not allowed to tell anyone, also it has fees and information on the different ways he could sue her if anything is not followed. They talk while they wait for their lunch. He tells her his name is Justin. She likes the way it sounds when she says it. When their lunch gets there, Rebecca looks at her and pushes it away. Justin asks "What don't like shrimp?" "Don't like being dead." “I’m allergic. Like, deathly allergic. Like, even the smell is starting to make me a little sick.” “What?” “I told this to the person who interviewed me,” she said. She didn’t seem pleased to have to tell me now. I didn’t blame her, either. If she’d mentioned this during her interview, I felt like it should have been at the forefront and center of the interview notes I’d gotten from Liz. “They didn’t tell me,” I said. “I’m not trying to be rude, but can we substitute this for something else?” I stood up, grabbed our plates, and headed toward the door. “Don’t go anywhere,” I told her. “I’ll get us something else.” When the waiter brings out their plates, they both have chicken. They seem to be getting along really well. Things move really fast and now Rebecca only has seven days to get her things ready to move into Justin's home. She is going to be living with him so that their story will believable. The more time they spend together the more they fall for each other and they are not even engaged. Once she moves in, Justin tells her that she is going to share his room. They have fun doing things together and just spending time with each other. The trouble with the company is still going on but with Rebecca and Justin together, whoever is trying to discredit Justin's company has nothing to work with. Rebecca finds out the truth about Justin at Thanksgiving when she hears two of his cousins talking about her and him. She finds out that he is a Polar Bear shifter. She doesn't tell him that she knows, she wants him to tell her. She is out with his mother and she brings it up and is told the truth. She still doesn't say anything to Justin. A lot of things are adding up now that she knows the truth about Justin. At work, Justin is having lunch with Heather, head of marketing and she tells him something about one of the companies they do business with wanting to get his company. This puts Justin on alert about things.
Will Rebecca and Justin realize that they love each other for real?
Can Justin save his company?
This was a wonderful book and I would recommend it to anyone.

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

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Polar Bear’s Fake Mate is the first book in the Shifters of Rawr County. Justin’s reputation and his company are under scrutiny, so he hatches up a plan to have a fake wife. Rebecca feels called to answer his ad and can’t help but feel drawn to Justin. When emotions feel real and everything on the line, will secrets tear them apart or can these fake mates find true love?

This book was fun to read! I love a good fated mates book, add in the twist with the marriage of convenience, and I’m all in! Rebecca and Justin were steamy and had great connection. I loved that they both seemed to want more, but were cautious about taking that step because of the agreement that was legally between them. Rebecca was adventurous and willing to step outside of her comfort zone, and I loved how open minded she was. Justin was a little more cautious, due to lots of reasons, but I loved how hard his bear wanted Rebecca to be theirs! They had great chemistry, one that could sizzle, but one they found they could both relax and be their true selves around each other. Plus, I liked the drama of Justin’s company that happened in the background, too! I’ve read all of Ms. Stern’s dragon books, so this was fun to read her take on shifters in a new town and series! I’m really excited to read the next one, too!

[Cath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book one of the Shifters of Rawr County series and the main characters are Justin Honey and Rebecca Reynolds. Justin is the CEO of Honey Bear Software are the sudden death of his father. Rebecca has been sharing an apartment with a friend and his fiancé, but now has a deadline to get her own place, or more importantly a job, as it seems nobody is interested in hiring a very qualified English teacher anywhere. She is looking for jobs one day and finds her eyes pulled to an ad for a fake wife needed, for the period of one year, and well paid. She thinks it could be a bit of a con, but sends off a short reply anyway. Justin has been given an ultimatum from his mother, to get married and put a stop to all the faked pictures of him out and about with different women and acting like a playboy, which isn’t helping with the company’s reputation. When he hears the other reason his mother is pushing for this to happen and quickly, he soon gives in and his lawyer arranges all the interviews. Rebecca is one of three women who makes it to the final three interviews, which are face to face meetings with each possible wife for Justin.

Justin has a secret that could make him a target for any of his enemies and since he was an adult, his mother has insisted he tells no one! But he also has a much bigger secret about the fact he is a polar bear shifter and his pretend wife is human. Revealing his shifter status isn’t something any of them tell others about and since it is only a fake marriage, he doesn’t see any reason to tell her. The first time he met Rebecca in the lift up to their rooms, his bear told him she was his mate, but he isn’t so sure he is ready for that big a step. He had enjoyed his playboy years, until he got too busy with work and the company. He picks Rebecca and doesn’t even meet the others. He is kind and generous to her and they both seem to get on well, but it was a no sex marriage, which he ends up muddying the water for, when he gives her a very sensual kiss! One that she returns! They would be a great match, as his bear already knows, but his lawyer told him not to tell his mother that Rebecca was his mate, as relationships between shifters and humans can have many difficulties and not succeed. They need to be more open with each other, about their true feelings and they will either make it or break it, amongst all the efforts to discredit Justin and his business. An easy read romance with two characters meant for each other and some underhand behaviour from someone trying to take his business! I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.

[Rebecca Grove · Rating 5 out of 5]

Justin is the head of the family business but he has been given an ultimatium by his mother. The board of directors see him as a careless playboy due to some fake pictures in the press. His mother will kick him out of his job if he doesn't get married right away. She is afraid what will happen to their business if the board has no confidence in Justin. She is dying of cancer and he is the best hope for the business. Justin agrees to a plan to advertise for a temporary wife. The winning candidate will go to events with him and marry him in a couple of months. After a year or two, they will get divorced. After an intense screening , three candidates are chosen and Justin has arranged for a weekend at a resort for them so he can get to know them. When he meets the first woman Rebecca, his bear lets him know that she is his mate. Now Justin has to figure out how to continue on with an imaginary relationship with the mate chosen by his bear.

Rebecca is at loose ends. She has been unable to find a well paying job and she is losing her roommate. Within a month she will be homeless, so the ad looking for a temporary wife is a blessing. She is excited to have her own little adventure. After she meets Justin, she feels a strong connection to him. She wants to be closer to him but she is afraid of getting a broken heart. Beside he is acting suspiciously and hiding a big secret.

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

[Twinsie Talk Angie J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out this review and others at
www.Twinsietalk.com
www.Facebook.com/Twinsietalk
www.Twitter.com/Twinsietalk
www.instagram.com/twinsietalkbookreview
Newsletter : http://eepurl.com/brwkPv



I was given this book by the author for an honest review.

Justin is a playa. His mom is on him to find a wife and settle down. The business cannot handle all the negative press from his playboy ways. He is not happy about this but places an ad for a fake wife. He figures get married for a year and boom be free. I mean how bad can it be right?? When he sees Rebecca, he and his bear know they are in trouble!!! BIG BIG trouble!!

Rebecca needs a place to live. She sees and ad for a marriage. Good Money. Place to stay for a year. What can go wrong with this deal right??? AND then Justin appears in the elevator……..

I love love love this series. I have been reading the RAWR County Shifters out of order and don’t care. LOL I started late and am loving seeing the couples I know getting together. I totally enjoyed the twists that Sophie has in each book. I mean we need a little drama so we know that the HEA will be that much better right!! If you like shifters, these books will satisfy you in every way possible!!!

100% this series is such a great read. I loved Rebecca and Justin’s story. Especially when I actually met them in book 4 they were so happy and in love.

[Mary Kirkland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Justin's mother wants her son married off even if it's a fake mate and a fake wedding. She doesn't want her son to lose their company after someone is editing pictures of him to make it look like he's bad for the company. Plus she just found out that she has some health problems. So her idea is to put an ad out in another city for a woman who will be paid well for one year's time who agrees to be fake married and everything that comes with that. But Rebecca doesn't realize that Justin is a shifter when she agrees to become his bride.

Rebecca needs the money this fake marriage will bring her so she steps out of her comfort zone and applies to the ad not knowing if it's a real deal or not. But she gets the job, the only problem is after spending time with Justin, getting ready for the fake marriage ceremony, getting to know his mother and realizing that Justin is a nice guy...she starts falling for him. That's not supposed to be part of the deal, right? But she doesn't know that Justin wants her for more than just a fake wife, he has feelings for her too. Watching these two navigate a fake relationship, having to play at being in love when they really are and falling for each other was so much fun.

Justin is a great character but he does come off a bit gruff at first. I think it's because he was hiding a big part of who he was but we get to see another side of him once all the secrets are revealed.

I had a good time with this book.

[Malini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keeping my secrets by MeemsAngel82

This was a sweet story between a shifter who had been framed in a bad light and a girl trying to find her place in the world. And her place as it just so happens-turns out to be right at his side. If only he'd let her in! The writing gives proper thought to everything. They both process the things that life throws at them in logical ways and that alone proves the trustworthy aspects of their personalities. The writing is easy to read and be aware of a possible trigger.

He needed to fix the false image someone was spreading about him. She would be the answer and his bear agreed-but made it known to him that she was also his fated mate!

The right person saw that ad! He sure did get lucky with his choice of bride and I give her credit. I would be not ok with the huge shifter secret that he was keeping. I felt that he was keeping that secret for far too long. They have some great chemistry and I love their connection. I do wish they talked more on page, rather than telling us that they did. I felt for his situation and his mom and didn't expect that ending. Too real for me. They are both good people and were both trying the best they could to be happy. I just wish he let her in on the shifter thing sooner! But a sweet read! I received this free copy from Book funnel and volunteered to write this review.

[Goddess of Chaos · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I should have done things right the first time.”

Justin liked his life as is, unfortunately pictures in the media were creating an image of him that wasn’t good for business… not only was a lifestyle change being ordered, it was to be a publicly visible one.

Rebecca loved getting her graduate degree in English Lit., unfortunately that didn’t immediately translate into employment. Now she was looking to make ends meet, and if that meant doing something unorthodox while she looked for the job she really wanted, she could handle that.

This done in one story walks a fun and fascinating line with this fake relationship, after all fake girlfriends can’t demand answers to questions real girlfriends can ask, and fake boyfriends shouldn’t feel frustrated when family members nearly spoil their perfectly planned proposal. Things friends can set aside, and move past, but partners have different expectations on become increasingly interesting situations as pretend and reality crash together, even as Justin is trying to figure out why anyone was publishing those pictures and messing with his reputation in the first place.

I was gifted with a copy of this book and chose to share my review.

[Melinda ~ Twinsie Talk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the author for an honest review.
Justin has it all looks, company, and knows how to have a good time. However, the shareholders do not like the idea of Justin being single and running the company. His mother comes up with a plan to find him a fake mate to appease everyone. Well except for Justin that is. The search is on for the fake mate he will marry and then after a year they can divorce. Once they have it narrowed down the ladies are whisked off to a remote resort to a face-to-face meeting.
Rebecca’s life is unraveling she cannot find a job and her roommate is leaving. If she doesn’t figure something out, she will be homeless before long. When she sees the ad for a temporary wife, she decides this is the adventure she needs.
When Rebecca arrives at the resort, she meets a guy in the elevator there were sparks. Justin sees Rebecca in the elevator he knows this is the one and sends the rest away. Rebecca holds back knowing Justin can break her heart. Plus, she knows he is hiding something but she cannot quite put her finger on what it is.
I enjoyed this book and cannot wait to read more of the series and learn more about these characters. There was so much going on here and the twist. Great start to a series.

[Victoria Rebecca Hawkes · Rating 5 out of 5]

One bear. One human. One big, fat lie.
Justin.
You'd think that with a backstory like mine, the idea of taking a mate is unbelievable. You'd be right. The only reason I'm agreeing to this entire "mates" thing is so that my mother gets off my back, my shareholders are happy, and I continue moving forward in my career. I'm the face of a multi-billion dollar company. I don't need any scandals in my midst.

Rebecca.
The offer is for one year. One year of pretending to be this guy's mate, and then we can have a quiet divorce. He just needs his shareholders off of his back, and me? Well, I'd like to not starve to death. Only, there's more than meets the eye when it comes to Justin. He might have money and brains and incredibly good looks, but there's a secret that lurks behind those beautiful eyes.

Oh my gosh was this book amazing from beginning to end. The story line is absolutely brilliant and the characters really brought the book to life and made it entertaining. You could sense the sexual chemistry of both the main characters. This is the first time I've read a book by Sophie Stern and if this book is anything to go by I will definitely be reading more of her books in the future.

[Alejandra Guerrero · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gah! Nobody in this freaking book is described! Nobody! Not even the basic stuff, like hair color. The only thing that is said is that he's fit, and she's "fatter" whatever that means. The story wasn't completely bad, but the shifter part doesn't weigh in the story that much. Make them both human, and not much changes. Except he wouldn't have a secret, which wasn't that important anyway. And the crazy villain didn't make sense.
I mean, why exactly did this woman think she was going to become CEO? It's not like she had any rights to the company, she wasn't even in a position to take over. It came out of nowhere. And exactly what did she plan to accomplish by ruining H's reputation? That wouldn't have made her CEO. And telling him their best client was to blame, just to take the attention away from herself was stupid. Seriously, how did this sabotage last so long without someone actually investigating? it wouldn't have been that hard, just hire a PI. Guess it wasn't that important. Oh, and why exactly did she try to kill them? If Phil figured it out, the police would have, too. Make it make sense. And the assistant's obsession was super creepy.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Justin needs a fake wife to improve his image and employs Rebecca.
Polar bear shifter Justin is shocked when his mother tells him he needs to get a wife to counter the damage that faked pictures are doing to his image. They agree to run an advert for a fake wife in a city some distance away and have their lawyer weed them down to a few who Justin would meet himself. It is arranged for Justin to meet and have a meal with the three it had been whittled down to but after he arrives he encounter one of them in the elevator and his bear tells him she is his mate so he cancels the meals with the other two women. Rebecca is struggling to find a job when she sees an ad for a temporary fake wife and applies not expecting to be the one chosen. She goes through all the questionnaires and a telephone interview but is still shocked when she is asked to go for a face to face interview. On arrival she gets talking to a man in the elevator who somehow knows the key card she was given is for the honeymoon suite.

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

[Marilyn Barr · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Polar Bear’s Fake Mate by Sophia Stern was a joy to read. I wanted to be best friends with Rebecca. She had the casual, down-to-earth, free-spirited personality that made going into a fake mate situation plausible. The relationship was instant-love in odd circumstances, but I could see it happening to Rebecca. She also had the mix of brains and naivete to go from fake-marriage-for-money to shifter fated mate. My favorite parts of the book were her dates with Justin. They were best friends before turning up the heat, giving their love story more credibility. But who could blame her for falling for Justin…?

The swoon-worthy shifter has all the right moves without the alpha-hole tendencies. I can safely say this is one shifter mate without the “must protect her as part of my animal DNA” trope. He is a modern male with a feminist view of Rebecca’s role in their relationship. Even though he is rich enough to pay a fake mate, he doesn’t get in her way when she expresses interest in teaching. He supports her as an individual. SWOON!

Overall, I highly recommend The Polar Bear’s Fake Mate – not just because I love bear shifters – for anyone tired of the domineering shifter male and ready for a twenty-first-century man with claws.

[Latecia Jennings · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was not out of the ordinary fake relationship romance but it was a cool one to read. I like how all the terms were upfront with nothing left out...well other than Justin leaving out a big part of himself from Rebecca. There first meet up was good and that kiss...WOW...good start...LOL. Now it started getting good when Rebecca started sleuthing trying to find out Justin's secrets. This really was an enjoyable fake to real. I had some LOL moments and a lot of moments that made me smile. Their banter what kept this a page turner. Rebecca had sass and I like how she handled the situation...all business but the lines got blurred when her feelings started to grow for sexy Justin. The confrontation between the two at the end was long time coming but it was sweet. These two were great together and their HEA was nice. I think the next book in the series will be worth giving a try.

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

[Viviana Izzo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great PNR and introduction to the RAWR COUNTY Series! I love shifter romance and this is my first polar bear! While I do love polar bears, never thought to read one that had a shifter. This is one of Sophie's favorite animals and it shows! I totally understand her love of polar bears and especially this one!

While the premise of "fake marriage" or "bad boy CEO needing to change their image" isn't new to romance, I love the subtle things sprinkled here and there as well as the heartfelt parent/son relationship. I also loved the twist she provided on something I can't share cuz spoiler! But trust me, you're going to enjoy it too!

The characters are like-able and developed well! You definitely end up wanting to know more about each of them and grabbing the next book to see what happens next. Did I do that? YES, YES I DID!!

Overall, it was a great story that gives you the satisfactory HEA and makes you want to know what happens next!

[Polly Barreto · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Polar Bear's Fake Mate is the first book in the Shifters of Rawr County series and revolves around Justin (polar bear shifter) and Rebecca (human). I can honestly say that I am not a huge PNR reader, but I found that I really enjoyed it! This would also be my first polar bear shifter read – but not my first billionaire lover/fake relationship one!

While setting up the arrangements for the fake relationship/marriage that is to take place, Justin knows that deep down Rebecca is his true mate – but can he trust her with the knowledge of him being a shape shifter? Rebecca on the other hand is developing real feelings for Justin – but she knows he is keeping a secret from her.

As these two start to form a real connection we get to see experience the romance, some passion, family issues, and a little bit of drama! Just enough of everything to keep you turning the pages to discover their HEA! Can’t wait to dive into the next book in this series!

[Maggi · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Justin’s mother gives him an ultimatum about changing his public image and running the company, he has no choice but agree to her idea of finding him a wife through an ad, no less. Once the list of applicants is down sized to three possible candidates, a meeting is set in an out of the way place far from Rarw County. Rebecca is looking for a teaching job, she has no money and is losing her home since her roommates are leaving on an adventure to another country. When she answers the ad for a “bride wanted” she figures why not. When Justin first sees Rebecca in the elevator, his first instinct is “she’s the one” . An entertaining storyline that is sweet with some suspense and danger thrown in. The characters were caring and believable. This is a new series and I’m looking forward to more.

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

[Raecharmed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Justin's mother tells him that she wants him married and settled or she'll take his job from him. He places an ad looking for a wife for a year and this is how Rebecca meets him. She passes all the tests and is set up at a resort to meet him in person. They meet in an elevator though she doesn't know its him. He knows immediately that she's his mate and orders the other women removed. When they meet for dinner sparks fly between them and soon things become very real between them. Will something more come from the ad he placed? Will Rebecca leave when she learns his secret?

This is a great story that I couldn't put down once I started it. 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.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deze recensie is in het Engels omdat ik het boek las in het Engels

Justin has to find a woman who is going to marry him for a year and keep it a secret it's a fake marriage. But when he finally meets Rebecca his inner polar bear knows it directly, she is their mate!

Rebecca doesn't know Justin is a shifter and she doesn't know who he is, but does agree in the marriage for a year thing. Because she needs a place to stay and find out what she wants. But when she meets him, she is certainly attracted to him.

What follows is a story about secrets, also from Justin his side. But it is also different as the other book I read from this writer before this one. That one was more a detective kind of book, this is more a shifter romance story. If you like that kind of stories, this is a book for you to read.

[Valentina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Justin runs a multi-billion dollar company and is a polar bear shifter. His mother tells him that the share holders aren't happy and it's time to find a mate. They end up putting an ad out in the paper. Rebecca sees the ad and applies to it. Rebecca it's sure if it's a scam or not. Rebecca goes to the resort where she will be meeting up with Justin. From there everything moves on a fast track from moving in with Justin to meeting his mother to get wedding plans started. Justin didn't know that he needed someone like Rebecca in his life until she was in it. I enjoyed reading this book. I loved the storyline and plot. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Pene|ope • Reading Slump, Send Help · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you like:

1. every important conversation, revelation, relationship-changing feeling, and even death skipped over and talked about after the fact,

2. your characters to get hurt or angry and never talk about it, only to get over everything in the next second for no reason given on page,

3. no resolution on the trash his entire family talked about her behind her back (she didn't even let him know, and we never get an update on how they treat her),

4. both this character and the main character from what I assume is another book never admitting that their human fated mates are their fated mates to their families because they wouldn't understand or something, when they both marry them anyway....

5. ftb sex scene

6. horrible, stilted dialogue

...then you should read this book.

[BusyM3 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fabulous 5 star book from this author. This is the first book in this Shifters of Rawr County. This book will hold your attention all the way through. The characters are likeable and fit perfectly together. This is the story of a polar bear shifter Justin who has to find a mate. He finds Rebecca in a pub and asks her to be his wife. She is a human know nothing about what is really is. She is down on her luck and jumps at the money that he is offering and accepts. Their journey to their happily ever after was enjoyable. Looking forward to the next book.

I am voluntarily leaving a review.