Friday, September 05, 2025

Book Review: Mated to the Mountain Bear by Reece Barden

 

Book Description

ZARA

My stalker destroyed my life. My grumpy mountain man protector is about to ruin me for anyone else.

Running to a remote cabin wasn't part of the plan. Neither was the massive, silent man who opens the door, all dark eyes, muscly arms, and barely concealed irritation at having his solitude interrupted.

Ben Lennox doesn't want me here, and he makes that crystal clear with every growl, glare, and gruff one-word answer.

Too bad I'm stranded here, stuck with a man who hasn't had a houseguest in years and treats every conversation like torture.

But the longer I'm forced to stay, the more I realise Ben isn't all he seems.

I should be terrified of the danger hunting me. Instead, I'm terrified of how safe I feel in Ben's arms. How right this cabin feels like home. How much I want to stay.

BEN

She talks too much. Touches everything. Fills my silent world with chaos. She's also mine.

My bear knew it the second Zara walked through my door, this sweet but noisy woman who doesn't belong in my world of isolation and secrets. I've spent years keeping everyone out. Then my brother dumps her here. Terrified. Running from danger and needing protection.

Now she's wearing my clothes. Sleeping in my bed. Eating my food. And making me want things I can't have.

Because I know what I am.

She thinks she's hiding from a monster, but she has no idea her presence has awakened one. And I'll tear apart anyone who tries to take her from me.

Forced proximity meets fated mates in this scorching shifter romance. Standalone, no cliffhangers, guaranteed HEA


My Review

Zara's sister has been missing for a few weeks and now someone is stalking Zara. When she realizes that someone's in her apartment, she runs but not before she spots a dark outline of a man in her window who tells her not to run. After running into a diner and asking for help, the two police officers who are there check out her apartment but can find no signs that anyone was there. No one believes her once again. So she calls Lennox Private Security, a phone number someone gave her and told her might be able to keep her safe and he comes to get her within a few minutes. 

Beau picks her up and decides to take her her to his brothers cabin in the woods where he knows she'll be safe while he can look into the stalker. When Beau gets to Ben's cabin, Ben is not happy, he's a loner but he agrees to let Zara stay with him for a few days while his brothers work her case. 

Ben's cabin is out in the middle of the woods, no TV, no Wi-fi and no cell service. So they just have each other to keep them company. The sexual tension between these two was off the charts especially once Ben realizes that Zara is his mate. Ben is a Bear shifter and Zara is a human who knows nothing about shifters. So he doesn't think that it could possibly work between them so even though he wants her, he keeps his distance and she tries to even though she's completely infatuated with him. 

When Zara's stalker doesn't stop looking for her there's a huge twist about him. Oh what a good twist, sad though. I won't say more about that. You'll just have to read this one to find out more. 

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. 

Disclosure: I was given an ARC copy of this book via the author but all thoughts and opinions are my own.