ARC Review: The Bear's Fated Mate (Borealis Bears #2)

The Bear's Fated Mate (Borealis Bears #2)

by Vivian Arend 

Blurb:

He’s going to pick someone perfectly wrong for him—because fate isn’t in charge of his world!

As head of security for the family company, polar bear shifter Alex Borealis has intel warning something big is about to happen. His prime suspect? Tantalizing, infuriating Lara Lazuli, youngest daughter of Borealis Gems’ main competitor. But when mating fever hits, he decides she’s the perfect one to turn to. They’ve got chemistry hot enough to melt the polar ice caps, but he doesn’t trust her enough for a permanent connection to form.

Being with Alex is one step shy of torture for Lara. As a wolf shifter, she scented the truth the instant she met him months ago—he’s her mate. But she’s not about to trap anyone into being with her, especially not a man who thinks she’s up to no good. Add in her own suspicions of wrong-doing in her pack and Lara’s caught between heaven and hell.

But tangled sheets lead to real communication, and a bond of friendship forms that neither expected. When Lara asks for help, Alex finds himself living in the pack house, scaring off random Alpha wolves and fighting at her side.

Because the mating fever knows a thing or two about fate and forever.

Themes:  Paranormal, Shifters

Rating:  4.25 stars

Heat Rating:
Review:

That wily Grampa Giles strikes again and poor Alex never knew what hit him.  I was thrilled when I learned that Vivian Arend had an all new spin-off series beginning, taking us back into the world of her sexy and primal shifters in the Canadian wilds, and this series is just crazy enough to remind readers why we fell in love with her writing.  I personal love the way Vivian manages to combine the wildness and civilization in her characters as she brings together the animal and man for both her hero and heroine, but the love and passion between them is definitely led by the chemistry that makes these shifters so sexy. Alex and Lara have been circling one another for a while, but his inability to trust in her motives for befriending the women in his life keeps him from truly seeing her for the woman that she is.  Frenemies is definitely the best way to describe Alex’s view of Lara, but she knows the truth and being so close to her fated mate but not being able to touch or love him is slowly driving her insane.  When the mating fever hits, Alex has the brilliant plan to ask Lara to help him get through the fever, knowing that there is no way in hell the bond will ever form.  She reluctantly agrees because, though she knows there will be pain on the other end of the week with him, denying the need in her mate is not something that Lara has the power to do.  But as they deal with the fever they also become closer and soon Alex begins to wonder why he ever believed this woman wasn’t truly the one for him, but will a hidden plot coming to light make their lives easier or more difficult and keep them from finding their HEA? If you love sexy sneaky shifters and the passion and chemistry that can arise as two of them clash again and again, then The Bear’s Fated Mate is the perfect story to enjoy and you will find just every moment of the adventure, just as I did.

I loved getting to see Alex and Lara as they circled around one another and learned to handle the attraction and pull they both felt toward one another.  Alex is a stubborn and grumbly guy, definitely the home of a polar bear, but he is also a badass and smart security expert with a suspicious nature, so when his radar continues to be triggered by a woman he has trained his brain to think of as an enemy it takes him a good long time to overcome that impression. Once he does, Alex’s passion overcomes his mistrust and he begins to enjoy his time with the sexy she-wolf, he learns that they have so much more in common than he imagined.  Lara has been hiding her feelings for the growly bear for six months and it is slowly making her wild, but she has to figure out what is going on in her pack and family company before she can turn her thoughts to finding a way to capturing her mate. Putting her efforts into ferreting out the secrets that are being kept from her, she is side-swept by Alex’s proposal for helping him through the fever but there is no denying him when he needs her.  Together the passion they share will keep any reader plenty warm on a cold winter’s night and I loved having it to keep me warm for sure. The story was sweet, sexy and had me laughing and sighing in equal measure.  I enjoy seeing the bears as they challenge one another and Grandpa Giles is definitely a tricky old bastard and I am dying to find out what scheme he comes up with next to get his last grandson mated.  Cooper’s story is bound to be a doozy and I know that his and Amber’s story will be beyond sensually amazing. I am looking forward to the chance to read the finale, but Alex and Lara are a couple that I know I will be coming back to for rereads when I need something for a light, fun and sexy read.  Thanks for another passionate adventure Vivian.

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