ARC Review: The Bear's Chosen Mate (Borealis Bears #1)

The Bear's Chosen Mate (Borealis Bears #1)

by Vivian Arend

Blurb:

He’s going to accept his fate—but only with the woman he chooses!

Youngest brother James Borealis figures if he has to get mated, it should be with someone he already knows and cares about—his best friend Kaylee. But when the mating fever hits, she’s still stuck in friendshipland while he’s ready to move all the way to true love and forever.

Kaylee has heard about polar bear mating fever, but while James has held the starring role in her fantasies for a long time, she’s not about to leap into a permanent relationship that’s all wrong for him. He’s the PR powerhouse for Borealis Gems while she’s a quiet bobcat shifter with massive family baggage. He loves the spotlight; she wants to hide in quiet corners.

But mating fever knows best, and when the storm settles, there’s no use in arguing with a polar bear’s choice.

Themes: Paranormal, Shifters

Rating: 4.5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

I have honestly waited AGES for Vivian to return to her world of shifters and this new trilogy is just what the Romance Witch doctor ordered! The setting is beautiful, the characters are hilarious, and the best friends-to-lovers story never gets old in my opinion—as long as it is well-written. The series kicks off with the three Borealis brothers, millionaire polar-bear shifters that own an outrageously successful gem mining company in the Canadian wilds, being confronted with an ultimatum from their rather pushy Grandfather, who is determined to see them mated and happy as he is. Arend weaves her tale as she leads the youngest brother James on a crazy adventure through his mating fever to find true love with his best friend, a wild-cat shifter that has always had intense feelings for him though she has resisted him.  If you love a sexy but sweet alpha male, obviously head-over-heels in love with a woman resisting her every instinct as they both fall in love and lust and give into their hearts and bodies, along with a crazy cast of characters, a bit of intrigue, and of course a little bit of silliness here and there, The Bear’s Chosen Mate will be just the story to fill your evening with warmth and joy.  I am dying to find out what happens next for these sexy brothers and see them each find love and their happily-ever-after with their fated mates, even though I imagine they will be surprised who they end up with.

James is beyond pissed at his grandfather’s ultimatum when he first hears about it, but after coming to terms with facts, he begins to see the possibilities and decides that instead of letting the whims of fate lead him around, he would chose his mate.  He has always loved Kaylee, first as his young partner in crime, then as his  best friend, but recently his attraction has become undeniable, and now he has even more reason to let loose that lust.  Kaylee has been attracted to and secretly in love with her best friend since she was a young woman, but she knows she’s not good enough for the youngest of the Borealis dynasty, for several reasons.  When he begins subtly flirting with her, then not so subtly hitting on her, she resists and pretends it doesn’t affect her, but when he pulls her into his arms in the midst of his mating fever, the ability to resist begins to crumble.  Once they both give in to their lust, they begin to see that their attraction and emotional connection could grow into something so much more, if they allow it to, but Kaylee’s objections and fears are nearly impossible to overcome.  Only true love and a desire to be what they need for one another can truly open that last lock on their hearts, if they can get it opened in time.

I Loved getting to know Kaylee and James.  They were both silly, sweet, intense, and sensual in their every interaction whether they were fighting, working together, or making love, but my favorite moments were the quiet times they spent trying to come together as a couple and find a way to overcome the obstacles in the path of their love. James was a stubborn, alpha male to the core, but then again being a huge polar bear-shifter would probably have a lot to do with that.  I could see that he was willing to go the extra mile to prove he was the male for Kaylee, working hard to overcome her fears, and find a way for them to be together, even to the point of sacrificing a big part of himself.  He was sweet, sexy as all get out, and his inner strength shined through as much as his crazy protective side making him even hotter, but he also was willing to let Kaylee stand on her own two feet and be the strong female she was destined to be at his side. Kaylee likewise had some emotional and mental baggage she needed to work through before she could be the mate that she needed to be for James.  Her parents and childhood have left a few lasting scars that she needed to work through, but honestly I think the love of her sexy bear was the best thing for that in the end, giving her the confidence she needed to find her four paws in his world and make her stand to be his lover and mate.  She was intelligent and a smart-ass which made me love her all the more, of course, being as I am one too, and when she was finally able to embrace her inner rebel I found that she was my favorite heroine in a long time (for a cat anyway).

When you begin a new series, even a spin-off a beloved one or one written by one of your favorite authors, there  is always that fear or chance that you will be disappointed, but the Borealis Bears are shaping up to be awesome.  I am so looking forward to seeing more of these sexy bears and getting to know more about their lives, after all who wouldn’t love three sexy millionaires that can also shift into huge, cute, furry polar pears?! James and Kaylee captured my heart from the very beginning, each of them looking for something in the other that they were denying has been right in front of them from the very beginning.  James has resisted the attraction to his best friend, but once he gives his heart and beast free-reign it’s obvious that the only choice for a mate for him is his Kaylee, Fate be damned. He’s an alpha, sexy and sweet bear with a heart of gold and enough charm to have women throwing panties at him at ten paces, but he only has eyes for his woman and his willing to fight for her and fight her to keep their relationship.  Kaylee is a bit of a scaredy-cat in the beginning, fighting and running from the emotions and passion for her man, but once he overcomes those things she let’s loose, she becomes the sensual and sexy beast that is the perfect mate for her bear.  Her wit and sweetness marries well with James’s and you can see together that they will be a force to be reckoned with. The heat between these two is definitely unchartable and undeniable from the very second they are in one another’s orbit, but once they get their hands on one another you will need a cold shower just to be able to move forward with reading, guaranteed.  I loved getting to see Kaylee and James find their way together and am looking forward to seeing more of them in the rest of the trilogy as James’s brothers find their mates.  We did get a bit of a clue for Alex’s mating in the very end and I can see that one will be just as fiery if not even more so than James’s so look out! Another masterpiece Ms. Arend, keep up the magic!

*eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.