Bear Creek Christmas

Holiday Mates #1

by Alexander Elliott

Looking for a fresh start, Levi accepts a new teaching position in Bear Creek. Home to both humans and bear shifters, it also hosts an annual holiday celebration like no other. Focused on his students and preparing for Christmas, romance is the last thing on his gift list. When a local shifter shows interest, however, Levi’s hesitant to get involved.

Knox lives a simple, quiet life just outside of town, longing for someone to love. When his bear picks up an intriguing and unforgettable scent, he’s determined to win over the cautious new music teacher. After a rough start, he patiently breaks down the walls around Levi’s heart, hoping for a future neither man thought possible.

Aided by the magic of Christmas, a cozy cabin, and a lot of snow, Knox and Levi discover love is the greatest gift of all. Follow the twinkle lights to Bear Creek for a warm and furry holiday romance with a guaranteed happy ending! (Contains steamy M/M content.)

Genres: M M Romance, Christmas, Paranormal, Shapeshifters, Holiday, Romance, Fantasy

270 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 24, 2021

About the author

Alexander Elliott resides in the Midwest and writes in multiple genres, including romance, paranormal, fantasy and science-fiction. His work is replete with themes of love, passion, family, humor, hope, and acceptance.

The author is praised for exceptional storytelling and creative world-building. He strives for realistic, well-developed characters, emotional depth, sizzling romance, and all the adventure, action, and intrigue necessary for a great read.

All of Alexander’s books are HUMAN authored, without the use of generative A.I.

If you have enjoyed his work, he would love to hear from you!

Email: aelliottbooks@gmail.com
Website: https://aelliottbooks.com/

Reviews

[~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semicolons~✡~]

DNF @ 38%

No rating.

I like shifter stories, and bear shifters are yummy. This book appeared on my recommended list, so I thought I'd give it a go despite not being familiar with the author.

Well ...

Maybe there's a reason I haven't read anything by Alexander Elliott before, because I DNF this book (which is rare for me) due to the execution, not the concept.

I like the idea of a disillusioned music teacher moving to a small town only to be swept off his feet by a burly, lonely bear who works with his hands and longs for a mate.

Sadly, this story is so poorly written, every page was a struggle.

Each chapter began with a clear singular, third-person POV, but the POV shifted from one MC to another, not to mention various secondary characters, and even to omniscient narration at one point.

Also, the explanation marks were exhausting!! There was one on every page! People typically don't yell!!! They talk without screaming. PERIOD.

I was just waiting for Levi's evil ex to appear. This story was painfully predictable and not even remotely captivating. I had to give up on it for the sake of my sanity.

I do not recommend and have to bid adieu to this author.

[Cindi]

DNF @ 34%.

Nothing against the author or even the story, I just couldn't get into it. And the !!!!! all over the place were distracting. I don't think I've ever read a book that had so many so close together on pretty much every single page.

I may try again another time.

[Ed Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this wonderful shifter Christmas story. This was my first book by Alexander Elliott, but it won’t be my last. I love his simple style of writing. It’s clean and precise and story just flows along.

I love the characters of Knox and Levi. The bear shifters actually felt like animals in their shifted forms. Knox was just a big cuddly bear and he was so patient with Levi. It’s a sweet story with lots of good feels and low angst.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an excellent story idea with terrible execution.

I liked the characters, I liked the idea of moving to a small town to start fresh, I liked the fact that the author made Knox a bear shifter and worked in a lot of bear characteristics, I liked the people Levi gets to know in the small fictional town of Bear Creek, and I liked how the romance wasn't "fuck, mark, claim" right away. I liked the relationship Knox and Levi were building, and I liked how protective and solicitous Knox was for his mate. I could understand Levi's reluctance in trusting the growing attachment he was feeling, and not wanting to jump head-first into another romance after his last one ended badly.

So why only 3 stars? Because the writing style drove me batty. A chapter would start out in the 3rd person POV of either Levi or Knox, and then switch to the other's POV halfway through. Some chapters went from Levi to Knox back to Levi and then to some omniscient narrator. In some cases, the narrative changed to the POV of a supporting character, which was even more jarring. And it was dry, so very dry. The dialogue felt mostly organic, but the narrative was not. Everything was all tell and no show. Meh.

So, yeah - plot gets 4 stars. The writing comes in at barely 2 stars. YMMV.

[Alexis Woods · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beary merry Christmas

Awww.. this was all sorts of adorable. It's not often I get to read an omniscient POV story, but this author excels at it.

KU, paranormal, standalone, holiday season, MM, bear shifter, music teacher, fated mates.

[Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

The sheer volume of exclamation points about did me in. And the bits that were supposed to be hot and heavy were just oddly worded with crude slang that dragged me out of the story every time. You can't talk about forever love with hearts and flowers and then call a butthole a one eyed bandit and expect me to take it seriously.

Loved the premise, it just needs some editing and rewording to make it work for me.

[Hayley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Knox is a bear shifter and he immediately knows that Levi is his mate. Levi is human and though he feels drawn to Knox he has just come from a bad relationship and doesn't want to jump into something new. It was a nice little story with low angst and a slow burn. Both men want each other but Knox has to fight his bear instincts to not overwhelm the leery Levi. Levi feels the attraction but is hesitant to completely give in to it. The fire works between the two are hot. Knox and Levi are both sweet characters and i loved the Bear Christmas activities in the Bear Creek.

[Dani (Daniiireads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly, this wasn't even bad. Bear Creek Christmas is cute and pretty fluffy, with a sweet romance between a disillusioned music teacher recently out of a relationship and a loner bear shifter longing for a mate. However, the author's writing style leaves a lot to be desired lol

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧:
- human + shifter
- holiday romance
- size difference
- small town romance
- insta lust/love
- mates

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put it down!

Great heartwarming story line that wasn't rushed as many are.
Loved the back story on Levi but wish there could have been a little more about Knox. Really enjoyed the various ways Levi got the info he needed about what being a mate meant. Lots of thoughtful points thought of and used to fill out a wonderful read!

[Debra ~~ seriously slacking on her reviews ~~]

DNF at 39%

While the story is cute, and the characters likable, the writing style is just not working for me. Lots of head-hopping and jarring POV shifts from one sentence to the next is just killing me and the dialogue is just odd at times.

[Damian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just the right book to lift your spirits.

Knox is a lonely bear shifter only because he hasn't found his mate. He receives a service call for a plumbing problem, and that's when he scents his mate. Levi is a human and a teacher. He has broken up with someone who didn't care about Levi, only about himself. Knox follows Levi's scent to the bakery and finds his mate, but his mate doesn't know that. Knox begins to "court" Levi and affections begin.

[Patdbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book of a bear shifter finding his human mate and patiently waiting till the mate is ready. Looking forward to more from bear creek.

[Nicole Lungeanu]

DNF at 29%

I'm really sorry, but that wasn't my cup of tea.

[Merissa (Archaeolibrarian) · Rating 4 out of 5]

BEAR CREEK CHRISTMAS is the first book in a new series, Holiday Mates. If you are looking for a slightly humorous, warm and fuzzy, low-angst bear shifter book, then you've come to the right place.

Levi has left his ex-boyfriend and family behind as he moves to Bear Creek to start again. His boyfriend was only interested in Levi's looks, and Levi wants to be more than just eye candy on someone's arm. Knox is the local bear shifter handyman who has just about given up on meeting his mate. When Knox first scents Levi, his bear roars to the front, determined to claim his mate. This scares Levi back and he has to seek the advice of a good friend before he decides what to do next.

If you like books where the main characters fall for each other, instead of insta-lust, then this is just the thing. Levi wants to take it slow, and Knox will fight his bear to give Levi that time. Knox worships Levi and will do all he can to give him what he needs, even if it's not what Knox wants.

The ex turning up wasn't a surprise, him dropping out of the story the way he did, was. I kept expecting him to return and cause more trouble, but then, that may be against the warm and fuzzy Christmas story we've got going on.

One thing to be warned about - there are comments about a lot of exclamation marks! 😉 Personally, I didn't notice that many and so didn't affect my enjoyment of the story. If you read this book with the expectation of a gentle, holiday-themed, slow-burn love story then you won't be disappointed. Definitely recommended by me.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Dec 2, 2021

[Monika · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked Levi and Knox and the premise of their story, but it really could use some reworking. It started out great and was really sweet but then it quickly turned into something that had me shaking my head more than I’d like. I also thought the story was wordy. So much could be deleted or condensed and some of the language used… I don’t even know what to say about that other than it just didn’t work. There were a few weird mistakes one example, Levi says goodnight to Knox as he leaves but they wake up the next morning in bed together, maybe this is more an editing/proofreading mistake. Also, there were a couple of things that I thought had promise to give this story that little bit of drama/angst and excitement but they were introduced then quickly went nowhere, it’s a shame.

QUICK THOUGHTS

** Holiday/Christmas
** Bear shifter/human teacher pairing
** Mates
** Small town
** Starting over
** There are some sweet moments
** Started out as a slow burn that quickly changed
** Really great family and friends
** Too wordy, a lot of unnecessary stuff
** Too much sex, these guys were always getting naked
** Likeable MCs… Levi & Knox
** The story starts out great but got frustrating
** Satisfying enough HEA
** This was a slow read for me

[RACHEL BATTLE · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got all the feels

Knox meets his mate but has to break through the walls Levi has built to protect his heart. Knox is a bear shifter who wins Levi's heart with a lot of patience. A really sweet but hot love story. I want more Bear Creek stories.

[lynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful holiday read

Fresh off a painful breakup with his boyfriend, Levi Green is headed to his first teaching job in Bear Creek, Pennsylvania. He will teaching music to the high school students and have responsibilities for the seasonal programs at the school.He soon meets Knox McCoy, local handyman, woodworker and entrepreneur, oh and a bear shifter. It is well known that bear shifters live in this town but Levi has never met one before. Knox is immediately aware Levi is his mate, but because of Levi's past he is not looking at a quick attachment to anyone.
Knox sets out to prove he will be a good mate, and is patient and giving to Levi. The book is well written and edited. The author does a great job of explaining his version of shifters, through Knox himself and Levi's co-workers.
Not a lot of suspense or drama, just soft gentle story of two men finding their true happiness.

[Anna Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Holiday read!

Enjoyed the book. Looking forward the next Holiday Mates Book. Hope it for Aiden on New Years! I generally do not write reviews but its a sweet book where you want to read the next book in the series.

[Robbo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Levi’s fresh start unexpectedly involves a bear shifter that just keeps on getting better

Accidentally discovering his fiancé is not worth Levi’s time, he makes a new start, that goes spectacularly well. Realising he is also a bear shifter’s mate takes a while to get used to, well not a while really, a few weeks, until they both get the best Christmas they’ve ever had. This was a HEA almost from day one, with warm and fuzzy turned up to overload!

[Jeffrey McChesney · Rating 3 out of 5]

A light, fun, shifter Christmas story. No stress, any conflict only a page long. If you want a tense can't see the outcome story, this is not for you. On the other hand if you need a bit of easy, cute, HEA, this is for you.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have a “Beary” Wonderful Christmas

I loved this book. The characters are interesting and true to life. The small town setting makes me want to move in. The story carries you along that when it ends, you still want more. I’d love to see these characters again! This is a great read anytime of year!

[Mitch Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice intro to new author

Elliott creates a charming world in Bear Creek filled with instantly familiar characters. The reader can't help but enjoy the courtship between vocal instructor Levi and bear shifter/handyman Knox.
Subplot focusing on Levi's ex boyfriend could have been expanded/further developed - but in all did not detract from the main story.

[DLB2572 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute Shifter Christmas Story

This is such a cute story. I appreciated the fact that Levi wasn't immediately won over just because Knox was sure they were mates but he did give them the opportunity work on things together. I look forward to reading the next book. I hope Aiden is the next to get his mate

[Jere Kay Mullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

First Shifter Book for me

I enjoyed the book. First shifter book I have ever read. Didn’t realize it was a gay story line until I started reading. Liked the story line and the characters. I like gay romance so it was a pleasure to read.

[Aj · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I had me a Knox.

Beautifully written, winter romance. I loved it so much I couldn't put it down. Had to know what happened next. I'm disappointed in myself, cause I've finished the tale.

[Barbara J. Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible love story

I loved this book it had amazing characters and what could be better than a true love story at Christmas!

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (12/4/2021)! 🎁

[William L Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Christmas Ready

Loved this story. Friendship and true love with a twist and the characters had complete development. The story was brought full circle.

[cmbookdiva · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this a lot and will be looking out for Aiden’s book.

[Lu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much nicer than I thought. Very very sweet. I really enjoyed it!

I didn't mind the structure with the mixed POVs, it was very clear whose povs it was every time and it made the telling very smooth and fluid. Also thanks to this we would know the Pov of other characters too at times, that was nice.

Knox was a real sweetheart, and I loved the fact that Levi was new to his world and other couples gave a lot of insights so that it was helpful for me to understand since it was my first bear shifter romance.

I'm perfectly happy with holiday romance to have almost no angst so this was pretty much all cuteness and good feelings almost the whole time.

I loved the writing. The scene with Levi's ex was hilarious!

I also loved that it had the cast and songs and movies at the end. Quite uncommon and I wish all books had this!

I'm definitely going to look for more books in this series and from A. Elliott.