ARC Review--Heart of the Bear by Alyssa Rose Ivy

 

Love often comes when we least expect it.

Bear shifter Shaw is at a loss. His role as an agent for the Rangers has him running non-stop, and he can’t get over his best friend's decision to quit in the dead of night. He’s not thrilled about being partnered with a human for his latest mission, until he meets Janie.

Janie is homesick. The excitement of being a consultant for a supernatural agency has worn off, and all she wants to do is go home. She’s about to call it quits until she gets to know her new partner, Shaw.

Working together on a mission with high stakes and deception at every turn, Janie and Shaw might just have to take their partnership to a whole different level.

*New Adult Paranormal Romance*

 

 

I received this ARC from the author in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

 

Returning to The Chronicles world is a little like returning home after a long time away. Alyssa Rose Ivy returns us to The Heart Chronicles with Heart of the Bear. Each of these books in this particular series have all been standalones, but you usually see the next book's characters while in the current one. It's a great way to expand the series but also letting readers dive in at a moment's notice.

In this story we meet Janie who is a human consultant to the elite group the Rangers who are basically a super secret police force for the Society. Janie is a researcher and was once a history teacher, her skills are usually needed on cases where they need to learn about whatever baddie they're chasing or something about the area...however it relates to the case. Janie is starting to tire of the job though, she misses her home and her teaching job. But her life is about to get shaken up when she's give a new partner.

Shaw is a bear shifter and he's being given a partner for his most recent case. Shaw and Janie are being sent to a town that is being afflicted with vampire attacks. And as usual, Janie and Shaw don't quite click when they first meet. Janie is a smart young woman who says what's she's thinking and Shaw isn't exactly the hotheaded shifter you'd expect. He's rather thoughtful, but still has a bit of an attitude. But sparks fly whenever they're together.

Shaw and Janie are waylaid on their mission when a pair of Allures approach them. They need the help of the Rangers as something is happening to their powers...they've diminishing. But Janie and Shaw know better than to take the Allures at their word and do their own bit of investigating their story. What they uncover is a mountain's worth of secrets!

This book was absolutely amazing! It was so refreshing to have a lighter read after a string of epic fantasies. Diving back into the paranormal world was seriously like coming home! I positively LOVE this world that Alyssa has created! It's so extraordinary. Truly a world I'd like to be apart of! Lol. There's just something about reading paranormal books that take place in our world but hide their own society within ours.

The romance between Janie and Shaw was done remarkably well! There's always some level of resistance between the star-crossed lovers in this series, and eventually one falls for the other first and starts a pursuit of sorts and then or course, there's the actual falling in love with each other! I guess sometimes I feel like the love springs up a little too quickly, but I feel like when it comes to shifters meeting their mates, they just know right away, so a one-sided feeling of love is expected. Of course, it doesn't stay one-sided for long at all. But I guess I wouldn't have minded if it took a wee bit longer before declarations of love were being made.

The ending was pretty shocking too! A total twist to the series of events that were being laid out! I feel like there was enough groundwork being laid out that another installment to the Heart Chronicles could be possible. When you have different characters starring in each installment, there's no telling how long the series could go! Only time will tell. As always, I will say that with Alyssa's books you can easily pick up any of her books and dive into the story at large! If you have yet to join the Chronicles world I would highly urge you to do so!

Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars

Heart of the Bear is out now!