Otterly in Love by Lorelei M. Hart and Aria Grace

Title: Otterly in Love

Author: Lorelei M. Hart and Aria Grace

Series: #3 in The River's Edge Shifters series

Genre: M/M Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Surrendered Press (November 21, 2020)

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Rating: ☕☕☕

Synopsis: An M/M MPreg Shifter Romance

Sometimes the past holds your future...

Omega otter shifter Doc loved his adopted son and wanted to protect him from his past. But when the boy's past flings itself at him in the form of a series of letters, Doce is faced with the heart wrenching decision of either ripping open old wounds or keeping unforgivable secrets from the child.

Rabbit shifter Levi hates his life as Alpha of his Colony. Put there by birthright and held there by his past, he has no choice: If he leaves, they will kill his one true mate. Rabbits were brutal like that.

When the colony is all abuzz with word of a stranger in town, Levi doesn't expect an otter and he certainly doesn't expect the man to be the bearer of both the worst and the best news of his life: His mate was gone and he had a son. And he most definitely doesn't expect to have his rabbit announcing the man as his mate. 

Otterly In Love is a sweet with knotty heat M/M shifter mpreg romance featuring an otter shifter looking out for his son, a rabbit shifter who fears he isn't strong enough to fix the wrongs of his path, an evil sheriff who won't stay gone, a boy who in some ways has more to teach him, true fated love, and an adorable little baby. This is the third book in the River's Edge Shifters series brought to you by the co-writing team of Lorelei M. Hart and Aria Grace and can be read as a stand-alone.

(Synopsis courtesy of GoodReads)

My Thoughts: I was really looking forward to getting to know Doc more and although this was his story it left me wanting more.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: So, about the synopsis.... for the most part it is exactly what this book is about, but that last paragraph isn't quite accurate. The evil sheriff is taken care of in book 2 and although it's been 4 days since I finished this book, I'm pretty sure I am remembering this book correctly. Also, the "adorable little baby"...not sure which baby this is in reference to. I believe August and Jase's baby is in the book and she is adorable, but she isn't in a lot of the scenes as at least half the book takes place at the rabbit Colony and not in River's Edge. There is another baby, but I believe doesn't make an appearance until the very end. One more complaint about the last paragraph of the synopsis and then I'll move on....it says it is the 3rd book in the series but can be read as a stand-alone. I'm terrible about reading things in order and my GR friends could attest to this. I often pick something up based on what I get approved at NetGalley. I'll pick something up based on what my library has available at the time. I'll even pick something up based on the shiny cover. However, I really think in order for Doc's story (and Xander's as well) to be fully appreciated the first book in the series should be read before this one, at the very least. Book 2 is almost an independent book within the series as the characters in that story don't make an appearance in book 3 but more about that later.

While I did enjoy this book, I was sad that Leo and Ron (from Feline the Love) weren't in this book. I really liked those characters. Also, I know Doc was older, but I don't recall how much older (I'm actually thinkin it never said) and for some reason this bugged me. I like an age gap romance but like to know what ages I'm working with LOL. 

With the background story of Xander being heartbreaking and intense from the first book I was disappointed that part of that story was concluded off page, happening sometime after book 1 ended and book 3 started (but not mentioned in book 2 at all.) I know that is quite vague, but I don't want to include any spoilers for anyone who may want to read the series.

As far as Levi and Doc go, I really wanted more from their story. On one hand it was a really good story, but I think the page count limited the development of a believable love story. As with most fated mate tropes the "I Love You's" happened quickly and in shifter romances sex usually means love. Too bad I'm not a shifter and can't appreciate this type of relationship. Hello insta-love. <insert should shrug here>. 

In a Nutshell: I am definitely moving on to book 4 although I'm not sure who will find their true love as there weren't any new shifters introduced except 3 bunny adults (new adult age so not viable for relationship status in my mind), a handful of rabbit Colony asshats (only good for evil mastermind status), and Mama (a widowed lion shifter who played a major role in helping Levi leave the Colony....loved her by the way.) I guess I'll have to wait until I can pick up book #4, Canine Love You after I finish up my current reads.

Baby from Frost by Ashe Moon

 

Title: Baby from Frost

Author: Ashe Moon

Series: #3 in the Dragon Firefighters Series

Genre: M/M Historical Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Ashe Moon (September 14, 2021)

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Fleeing from his dangerous dragon family, half-human omega Raka finds himself unable to control his desires for Delos, the winsome ice dragon alpha he hired to escort him across the frozen sea. But falling in love was never part of the escape plan. To protect them both, Raka vanishes from the flaming wreckage of their ship, leaving Delos behind with a broken heart—not knowing he's carrying the alpha's child.

After seven years, Delos’s icy heart shows no sign of thawing. On an away mission for his dragon flight brothers, he unexpectedly finds the omega he can’t forget. His resentment is matched only by his enduring need for Raka, but the omega is in hiding, unable to leave his library sanctuary. It’s clear they can’t have a second chance together—but then there’s Raka’s son, the boisterous little boy who looks so much like Delos. The child needs an alpha to teach him how to be an ice dragon—can Delos open his heart and become the daddy he was meant to be?


Baby From Frost is the third book in the Dragon Firefighters mpreg series. It expands on characters and the story introduced in the previous books, and while it can be enjoyed as a standalone it’s recommended you read the others first. This book features ice dragons, second chances, a secret child, an industrial fantasy setting, pregnancy and dragon eggs, toddlers, family moments, friendship and loyalty, love in a library (shhh!), light drama, and, as always, a happily ever after.

My Thoughts: Another good installation to the Dragon Firefighter series.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: I've been remiss in my review writing, so I haven't reviewed books 1 and 2 in this series so here's a bit of thought about the series in general. It's written is if they are historical romances but there are very little clues as to the timeframe. There are no modern vehicles (cars, planes, etc.), the fighting of the fires is very primitive (buckets being hauled), and dragons are common. The series is set firmly in the Omegaverse and to my knowledge thus far in the series, dragons are the only shifters in this world. The dragons have classifications based on their elemental affinity. Altair and Rainor (from books 1 and 2 respectively) are both Fire Dragons. Delos is an Ice Dragon.

With that said I've really enjoyed this world Ashe Moon has created. I like the idea of a hodgepodge of dragons creating a family (called a dragon flight.) They, of course, are more openminded than most and have expanded their circle to include human mates and they don't feel Omegas are less of a person than someone else. This theme of Omegas being lesser than, let's say, an Alpha is a common occurrence within the Omegaverse no matter who is writing the book (at least in my experiences with the sub-genre.)

As far as this book goes, I've wondered what Delos's deal was. Brooding, self-isolated, more interested in Alchemy than personal interactions are what makes up Delos. Now we find out why. Raka was the deal. I like a brooding hero for sure and Delos fit the bill. I wish there was a more substantial reason Raka was in hiding. Unless the conflict is carried over from this book to the next the entire reason Raka couldn't be with Delos to begin with was a moot point. Nothing happened with that storyline. The romance was sweet, and the sex was spicy (library sex anyone?) I wish the relationship had more oomph though. As I mentioned since the entire reason Raka and Delos couldn't be together was not substantiated within this book there was no conflict or added intensity other than what was in Raka's head making me a bit miffed because Delos suffered alone for 7 years for no reason.

I really like Shen (a Thunder Dragon) and am glad he was introduced as now all 3 dragons in the flight are mated. I wasn't ready for the series to end. 

In a Nutshell: I'm hooked. I cannot wait to read the next book to see where the series goes.

An Omega Bear for Kit by Lorelei M. Hart and Colbie Dunbar

Title: An Omega Bear for Kit

Author: Lorelei M. Hart and Colbie Dunbar

Series: #2 in the Bruin Ridge Bear-Ginnings series

Genre: M/M Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Surrendered Press (May 22, 2022)

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Rating: ☕☕☕

Synopsis: Grant didn't know an omega could become Beta of his Bear Den, but that's exactly what just happened.

Omega bear shifter Grant loves all of the positive changes that his den has seen since their new Alpha arrived. Now that he has food in his bellym, a comfortable place to live, and a taste of the human world, he yearns to take another step and do what no one from his den has attempted--get a college education. If only he was brave enough to ask.

Alpha mountain lion shifter Kit enjoys his life in the city. Great food, fun nightlife, andf best of all... no pack politics. That's until his pack's Alpha sends word he's needed at home. Kit has no choice but to agree and decides to take a detour to the Bruin Ridge shifters to visit his old roommate, their new Alpha. Anything to delay the inevitable.

Kit's short trip is complicated when he scents his true mate and doubly complicated when Grant, his fated, is name den Beta.

An Omega Bear of Kit is the seond book in the Bruin Ridge Bear-ginning series, a sweet with knotty heat M/M Mpreg Shifter Romance by the popular writing team of Colbie Dunbar and Lorelei M. Hart. It features an alpha mountin lion thrown into a role he is woefully unprepared for, an omega bear trying to find his place, a den beginning to thrive, an unexpected position, true lovem, fatedf mates, and of course, an adorable baby. If you love your shifters hawt, your omegas strong, and your mpreg with heart, download your copy of An Omega Bear for Kit today.

My Thoughts: While I didn't like this book nearly as much as the first it held my interest from the first page to the last.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: So, I honestly don't know why I didn't connect to Grant and Kit as much as I did Aspen and Lucian other than Lucian's plight caught me in my feels and both Grant and Kit were just, well, there. Not saying their tumultuous relationship wasn't worth reading about because it certainly was. I just found it to be more angsty than anything else. They are not necessarily star-crossed lovers but each of the separate lives dictated they were on different paths. It was Kit's situation that made for them not being able to be together and I while I did feel for them, I just didn't like the situation. We had a healthy dose of tyrannical Alphas from the former Bruin Ride Bear Alpha in the first book, so, having yet another one in Kit's pride was a bit too much for me. 

I thought Grant was an exceptional character though and his battle with his bear was captivating. Although Grant was an Omega, I'd venture to say his bear was a little bit alpha with how strong he was. 

The love story between Kit and Grant was lovely and although this was a short novel (as they all are) I felt it was well balanced between the spicy sex, the angsty plot, the fated mate trope, the character development (even though Grant was more fleshed out than Kit), and the insta-love I love you's.

In a Nutshell: I'm still hooked on this series and I'm looking forward to the 3rd book a lot.

An Alpha Bear for Lucian by Lorelei M. Hart and Colbie Dunbar

Title: An Alpha Bear for Lucian

Author: Lorelei M. Hart and Colbie Dunbar

Series: #1 in The Bruin Ridge Bear-Ginnings

Genre: M/M Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Surrendered Press (February 27, 2022)

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Aspen didn't know you could accidentally become Alpha of Den, but that's exactly what he just did.

Apha bear shifter Aspen was ready to begin his new life in the big city. He has a job lined up, a lease signed, and his truck packed. All he has left is to get there. Too bad that's easier said than done because his truck picked the middle of nowhere to break down--alongside a bear den's land of all places. When Aspen seeks permission to spend the night, he plans to keep his head down and just mind his own business and he does, until he hears the scream that changes everything.

Omega bear shifter Lucian hated his den. No, that wasn't fair. It wasn't the den he hated as much as it was the leadership. Wehen the Alpha he had most of his life died, he crossed his fingers the new one would bring their den into this century. He didn't--the alpha was not only old-school, but also cruel. When rumors of an alpha bear seeking refuge until his truck is repaired reach him, Lucian forms a plan. If he can convince the shifter to take him when he leaves, he can escape this horrible life. 

Sneaking out to find the new bear sounded like a great idea, until Lucian gets caught. His den Alpha is a strike first kind of guy, and strike he does. Lucien knows better than to scream, it only makes the punishment worse, but scream he does, the pain too much to hold inside. A flurry of furm, teeth, a dead Alpha, and the scenting of his fated mate leaves the visiting shifter a their new Alpha.

So much for best laid plans.

An Alpha Bear for Lucian is the first book in the anticipated Bruin Ridge Bear-Ginning series, a sweet with knotty hear M/M Mpreg Shifter Romance by the popular writing team of Colbie Dunbar and Lorelei M. Hart. It features an alpha bear thrown into a role he is woefully unprepared for, an omega whose plans for the future very much did not include being his den's Alpha Omega, a pack on the verge of collapse, the challenge that changes everything, true love, fated mates, and of course an adorable baby. If you love your shifters hawt, your omegas strong, and your mpreg with heart, download your copy of An Alpha Bear for Lucian today.

(synopsis courtesy of GoodReads)

My Thoughts: This was a darn good book with a great balance of love and conflict.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: It's been a while since I finished this book (3 weeks ago) so I don't necessarily remember every little detail, but I do remember how I adored these characters. I'm so character driven that if I can connect with the characters, I'm sure to love the book even if the plot is weak. In this instance I don't think the plot was weak either, but I was so wrapped up in Aspen and Lucian I might not have noticed. Grant also gets special consideration from me as well. He's a great friend to Lucian. 

The whole dynamics of the Den was very interesting when Aspen took over after the death of the previous alpha. There was some set-in tradition and refused to accept the new path Aspen was taking the Den and the ones who were happy about the changes were mostly Omegas who were considered less than in the hierarchy of the Den. Aspen never planned on being the leader of a Den, ever, but he ends up being great at it. 

In a Nutshell: I'm certainly invested in the future of the Bruin Ridge Bear Den and the shifters living there. I am really looking forward to reading more about them.