The Bear's Chosen Mate

3.5 stars--THE BEAR’S CHOSEN MATE is the first instalment and novella in Vivian Arend’s contemporary, adult BOREALIS BEARS paranormal, romance series focusing on the polar bear shifters of the Borealis Bears. This is youngest brother businessman James Borealis, and feline shifter / photographer Kaylee Banks’ story line. Told from several third person perspectives including James and Kaylee THE BEAR’S CHOSEN MATE follows the friends to lovers relationship between polar bear shifter James Borealis, and feline shifter Kaylee Banks. Patriarch Giles Borealis is hoping to hand over the reigns of Borealis Gems to his three grandsons but in an effort to help things along, Giles blackmails his heirs into finding mates, or lose control of Borealis Gems. James, Cooper and Alex have no intention of tying themselves down with one woman but the mating fever is about to take control. When the mating fever hits, James only wants one woman, his best friend, Kaylee Banks. What ensues is the mating dance between Kaylee and James, and the potential fall out as Kaylee doesn’t feel the urge to mate the same way James feels about his life-long friend. THE BEAR’S CHOSEN MATE is a quick, erotic, paranormal read; an introductory tale that hints at a possible threat to Borealis Gems. A character driven story line, THE BEAR’S CHOSEN MATE is a fun, sassy and sexy look at shifters in love. A couple of issues: I was hoping for a little more background history with regards to Kaylee and James; and the confusing addition of a shipment of ‘product ‘ from Kaylee’s parents, an addition that appears to come out of left field, without explanation or purpose-perhaps there is something in future instalments that explains this particular story line inclusion.

I really enjoyed their story. It was steamy, funny and just short enough to read on a chilly afternoon. These brothers as stuborn as they are sexy.

Oh, how I love bears! Big, grumpy, clumsy, single-minded, bears. Faced with an ultimatum, youngest Borealis brother James, knows who he wants in his life. His best friend, and bobcat shifter, Kaylee, has had him lusting after her forever. But things don’t go smoothly, and while James is all in, Kaylee and her kitty need some convincing. There is no question of the heat of the attraction between them, and their emotions are fully involved, but getting fate on their side isn’t easy Sexy and funny, and setting us up with a wonderful cast of characters, this was an awesome read!