Bear With Me

Woodland Creek

by Nicole Blanchard

Sully
One walk in the woods changed the course of my life forever.

I’d seen strange things before, but learning the man I'm falling for can shift into a bear topped them all. I should have been afraid of him, but I felt something a whole lot worse than fear.

Curiosity.

He’s the only person I’ve ever known to be immune to my gift. The only person whose thoughts I can’t hear. Everything from his claws to his glare is dangerous, but I don’t care.

I want to know more.

Declan
I’ve never wanted to claim anyone as much as I wanted to claim her.

She’s the picture of innocence.
Young. Naïve. Sweet.
Everything I’m not.

I should know better than to give in to my baser animal instincts. Doing so has gotten me into trouble before. But when it comes to her, I can’t seem to control myself.

I want to ruin all those sweet parts of her, make her mine.

She thinks she’s safe with me.
That couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance

194 pages, Paperback

Published February 6, 2022

About the author

Nicole Blanchard is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the TikTok-viral dark romance Toxic, a wildly addictive bestseller that has sold over 90,000 copies worldwide. Known for her morally gray antiheroes, off-the-charts heat, and jaw-dropping twists, Nicole’s stories drag readers deep into love’s darkest corners—where no one escapes unscarred.

When she’s not crafting twisted love stories that break your heart and then heal it, you can find her soaking up beach sun with a glass of sweet tea, getting inked, or running a farm full of lovable misfit animals.

You may learn more about Nicole and her work at www.authornicoleblanchard.com. Join her mailing list for updates at http://www.authornicoleblanchard.com/...

Reviews

[Niki {Still a Widow but reading more} · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started decent, then started to unravel...

This shifter romance started good. Declan and Sully meet by chance in the woods and have an instant connection. I could feel the tension and those fluttery butterflies in your stomach you get when you really like someone. They go on a lovely first date, things start to heat up physically. Declan is a sexy and considerate gentleman to Sully up through this, then the murders start and it kinda goes off the rails.

Past secrets come to light which are blown more out of proportion than they should be causing Declan to push Sully away, and even though her Grandma tells her to fight for him, she doesn't. This is were it started losing it's magic for me. Weeks go by where Declan and Sully don't even see each other, and when they finally do see each other down the sidewalk Sully refuses to go and even talk to him. Yet later in that day when she finds out he's a shifter I'm supposed to believe she has complete trust and faith in him not to hurt her and she's pretty much in love with him. Yeah no. Not quite.

This could have been so much better. Declan and Sully had such steamy hot chemistry and yet it was all floundered. And on top of that there are questions that weren't answered like what gift Sully's grandma had. Also it's insinuated that the town might be a paranormal town where everyone looks out for each other, and there are other shifters there, yet it's never really addressed. If this becomes a series I hope the next one is better.

Even though this was an ARC review, I will always shoot you straight. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[✿kawehi.reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

☆ I received an RC via the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!! ☆

My second ever Nicole Blanchard read, Bear With Me was another insatiable novel that kept me intrigued and wanting for more.

It has everything from starting over, coping with a tragic loss, and assimilating to the new gifts that fate has given you.

For Sully, that change all starts after moving in with her grandmother, and the chain of events that take place right there after.

She learns that her world is not as black and white as it has always seemed, and finds herself opening up to new possibilities, including her heart.

I was really taken aback by the vivid imagination and suspense that Nicole’s writing gives us. It was captivating, with an abundant amount of twists and turns that kept me guessing. And let’s not forget about the steam factor it presented!! Ooohlala!!

Loved this!!

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been following Nicole Blanchard for a while now but this was my first time actually reading any of her work. While I really enjoyed Bear With Me, this is one of those novellas that could have benefited from being a full length novel. That being said, it was still a great read and I'll definitely be checking out her other books in the future.

Sullivan is an eighteen year old struggling with the death of her parents and trying to learn how to cope with the new "gifts" she received from her mom. Being able to see people's and object's thoughts and memories when you touch them can't be an easy thing, then you add in the fact that Sully's distancing herself from her twin brother because she doesn't know how to talk to him about it, and the poor girl is feeling pretty alone in the world.

When Sully and Declan meet there's an instant connection between them and things start to heat up rather quickly. The romance aspect was spot on in the beginning, in my opinion, but after some things come to light, the romance gets pulled to a halt and that was where my main issue with the length came in. I'm not a fan of heroes pushing the heroine away in general but the fact that this was so short made it hard for me to feel like their relationship was back on track when we got to the end.

Of course along with the romance we get some great mystery, suspense, and danger that made made up for the other issues that I had. And finding out who the baddie was? Totally didn't see that coming!

Overall, Bear With Me was a great paranormal romance and I can't wait to check out the other books in the Woodland Creek Series.

*ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.

[Joan Ortiz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Needed more, this was way too short. Wish the concepts was fleshed out to be a little longer, overall good story.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sully and Declan . . .

Sully has a rare gift she found out about after her parents were killed in a car accident. She is able to touch people or objects and “see” their history. She is not very happy with this power since it does make things awkward. But when she finds that she can actually touch Declan and not have that occur, she is amazed and curious.

Declan is a bear shifter and, amazingly, she cannot hear his thoughts when she touches him. He wants her for his own. But will she accept him when she discovers what he really is?

There is also a mystery that will keep the reader in suspense and wondering how this will be resolved. Grab your copy and enjoy!

[Rhianjan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

Shocked how much I enjoyed this. It wasn’t really the romance that got me, more the suspense and plot honestly. Once I thought I knew what was happening, another thing would happen and I would be back to the edge of my seat.

[Gladys · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fast-paced, paranormal romance novella was interesting and engaging. I enjoyed the story, the characters and the writing. I can't help feeling though, that the story being told had a massive amount of potential that was simply left unexplored. There is a lot going on here. Romance, drama, secrets, danger, suspense and multiple PNR elements are in play, and I would have loved to spend more time in depth with them. As it stands this is still a satisfying read...I just wish it had been more. This is my elective, candid review.

[Bree · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nicole Blanchard's Bear With Me Novella features Sully who is moving with her twin brother to live with her grandmother after the unexpected death of their parents. Since they lost their parents, Sully has begun seeing the memories of others and objects with just a touch - something her brother does not understand. During their first week in their new town, Sully's brother insists on her attending a party with him and once there, she meets Declan, a big burly man who lives in the woods that she is shocked to find that she can't read any memories from.

This has all the makings of a good shifter romance but it missed the mark. There is so much going on with Sully's powers and Declan's shifter ability and grief that they both have that the romance never got to develop. I feel like the book alluded to Sully and Declan being fated mates and that is why they connect so quickly but it never says that so things just felt awkward to me. I wanted to know why she wasn't able to read any memories off of him and even when she talked about her powers with her grandmother, it's not brought up. There is also the fact that Declan will say no to being with Sully and then change his mind like two seconds later, it was giving me whiplash.

[Nicole Blanchard]

<3

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the beginning I liked the story. Sully and her twin brother Sam lose their parents in an accident so they go to live with their grandma. They are both starting their freshman yr of college. Sully has just gotten her magical gift of seeing someone’s memories when she touches them. While at a party, she takes off to the woods to escape the frat guy that grabbed her and in walks Declan. They have an instant connection when she realizes she can’t read him. He tries to warn her away, but ends up falling for her. He is a bear shifter and dealing with his past.
They are cute together until the sex scenes. It’s hard to read about an 18 yr old girl the way the scenes are written. Would have much rather her been older. I happen to have an 18 yr old daughter so this was just ick.
Your led to believe the town is a paranormal town, but it’s not really played upon. Random mentionings of other shifters. The whole scene with Red who is the bad guy, just felt a little cheesy. After the battle, it skips to a one year later epilogue. There is a happy ending but it doesn’t go into details. Just the scene is laid out.

[Queen B · Rating 3 out of 5]

With a name like Bear With Me, this could only have been a paranormal about bear shifters. Sully is grieving over the unexpected deaths of her parents, while simultaneously dealing with a new psychic “gift.” Then she meets Declan, a man on whom her gift doesn’t work, and their obsession with each other is immediate. Declan feels guilt about past secrets and does his best to push Sully away, and honestly, she lets him. It’s not until she’s in the direct path of a tornado (excuse me, what?) that Declan shifts and saves her life. And then, does the silly girl call her family so they know she’s safe? NO. She just spends all night and day with Declan, happily in love. The chemistry was definitely there, but the romance went off the rails for me.

[Shayay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining, interesting story! Loved the chemistry between Sully and Declan! Totally sweet! Like her cool power of psychometry; she gets the history of things and people she touches. Sully doesn’t really enjoy her power because she can’t really control it, so she’s excited that she can touch Declan without her power causing her issues. Declan is a bear shifter; love shifters, so that’s a fun element for me! There’s also a bit of mystery and danger surrounding the new place that Sully moved to. Enjoyed the whole read!

[Secret Romance Junkie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whirl wind romance interlaced with fast paced suspense and mystery. Sullivan is sweet and introverted woman but she is highly motivated and takes what she wants. So after the intense chemistry she felt when she met Declan, she takes matters into her own hands. I wish we had more time to get more of the big, sweet brooding Declan. Struggling with accepting his own past, he thinks pushing Sully away is the right thing to do but she and fate have different plans. Despite being a short story, Nicole’s characters grabbed my attention right from the beginning and kept me engaged till the end.

[Jacqueline Espinoza · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first shapeshifter romance, and honestly? It was pretty good! It's full of that protective, growly energy you secretly want in a fictional guy.

The moment Sully finds out that Declan is a bear shifter and doesn’t run for the hills? Loved that. She completely trusts him even from the beginning, which made it such a cute story for me because she wouldn't let him push her away! Declan’s all tough exterior with a heart that’s ridiculously soft for her—it works.

I was left with a few questions, but it was a short novella, so I didn't expect anything to go too into depth.

[Beverly · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all,who doesn't like 'bears' especially if you are a 5"2 tall.Second of all the said bear if a gentle giant to his mate and badass with everyone else.I loved that Sully found reprive from her "curse" rather a blessing if you ask me from the world when she touched Declan. I love they they both came back to life after meeting each other and they made afamily out of the brokeness.

[Sheila Schoenauer · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be honest I wasn't sure what I would think of this book. I like a good shifter book but I've never read a bear shifter before. I actually really enjoyed this book. I really liked getting to know Sullivan and Declan. Though I have to admit I was confused at first. We don't actually learn about Declan's shifter status until later in the book and Sully's ability was a bit confusing as well. No one actually talked about it for quite sometime.

I loved the romance between these two. It was fast and strong but I think they both really needed each other and thats what made it more special. I would have loved to learn more about "the bad guy" and what he actually was. But at the same time I think that would have taken away from our two main characters.

This wasn't a very long story. But it had enough sweet smexy times and plenty of heart to warm me up. Definitely worth the read.

*I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review*

[DesN2004 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick decent read!
This book was pretty good, I liked the characters and the premise of the story. I wish it was longer and more in depth, this had a lot of potential. However, I did enjoy reading this and can see myself rereading in the future as a quick read. There was mystery, chemistry, family, and instalove.

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a soft spot for novellas. They’re great coming off of longer reads. I enjoyed that it was a complete story, a quick read that kept me engaged, has multiple POV and has great characters. Im new to the shifter world, and I feel this book was a perfect introduction. I absolutely need more and I hope that Nicole turns this into a series.

[Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book had a strong start and a compelling premise, but as the story progressed, it felt like it lost its direction. The author aimed to cover a lot in a relatively short narrative, which made certain parts feel rushed and incomplete. With a bit more focus and development, this could have been a truly engaging read.

[Brooke E Brunelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book had a good concept and I really think the possibility for this book to be more was there but it was very rushed. I love how Nicole writes smut/sex scenes and loved the connection she gave Declan & Sully. There was just a lot of important details for me we never got to find out and that was lacking. Just wish we could have got a little bit more…

[Amanda Myers · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐️
This was cool for a novella... it should've been a novel, there's so much more I wanted out of this, it has so much potential. It was a bit cheesy but I didn't mind it, the story jumped so fast it was almost hard to keep up, I kept thinking I missed a paragraph. I liked the idea, I wish it was longer & mire detailed of course.

[Shelby White · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good fast, but short read. It’s filled with drama, intensity and exciting chemistry. I did like there was some areas that could’ve used a little more explanation or explored a little further. But Declan’s and Sullys story is still really good and worth the read.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sully and Declan's short story kept me turning pages. Their story has Sam her brother, suspense, drama, danger, twists, turns, a villain and romance. The story is well written and I found it to be well worth reading. I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Cali Jewel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was a great read from beginning to end. Emotionally thrilling, sexy, fun and action-packed adventure filled with magical and dangerous charters, witty dialog, heart racing twists and emotionally thrilling passion.

[Aure Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Awkwardly written and riddled with grammatical errors. The plot felt rushed and awkward. There was a lot of content that tried to be covered in a short amount of time. The book was 168 pages but needed at least double that to make sense.

[Hayley Quirk · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ✨️

Not at all what I expected. Now I wasn't sure what I expected but this wasn't it. I think that is both a good thing and a bad thing. Bears must not be my thing. Slowish burn and weird story but a very intriguing read.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I literally could not put it down. I was sucked into from the beginning. It has romance, shifters, people with special abilities and some serious twists. It is truly a great read.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute week written, just wish they would have explained w agar the monster was

[Veronica LaRoche · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good story with great characters. Sully and Declan are absolutely perfect together. I hope that maybe Sam’s story will be next. Another great read that had me hooked.

[Reading with 2 book lovers Sarah P - · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fab quick novella. I very kuch wanted more of this story. Highly recommended