The stand alone first title in a brand-new shifter trilogy by New York Times bestselling author Vivian Arend.Get mated—or else!When their meddling, match-making family patriarch lays down the law, Giles Borealis’ three polar bear shifter grandsons agree to follow his edict. Only James, Alex and Cooper each have a vastly different plan in mind to deal with their impending mating fevers. Will any … their impending mating fevers. Will any of them be able to fight fate?
Spoiler: not likely!
First up: James, the youngest of the brothers….
He’s going to accept his fate—but only with the woman he chooses!
Youngest brother James Borealis figures if he has to get mated, it should be with someone he already knows and cares about—his best friend Kaylee. But when the mating fever hits, she’s still stuck in friendshipland while he’s ready to move all the way to true love and forever.
Kaylee has heard about polar bear mating fever, but while James has held the starring role in her fantasies for a long time, she’s not about to leap into a permanent relationship that’s all wrong for him. He’s the PR powerhouse for Borealis Gems while she’s a quiet bobcat shifter with massive family baggage. He loves the spotlight; she wants to hide in quiet corners.
But mating fever knows best, and when the storm settles, there’s no use in arguing with a polar bear’s choice.
Borealis Bears series:
Book 1 – The Bear’s Chosen Mate
Book 2 – The Bear’s Fated Mate
Book 3 – The Bear’s Forever Mate
more
I enjoyed reading this story because it was really a story of old friendship turning to love.
This is a really sweet romance. It almost did not need to be about shifters.
loved it great story
I have read several shifter stories and this one was okay. The shifter stories are a very interesting concept.
Shame on me. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed reading Vivian Arend’s paranormal romances. With so many books being released, her books got further down on the TBR shelf. Too many books so little time. I will soon be correcting the error of my ways. I have set days apart for a binge re-read of all the author’s paranormal books.
I enjoyed the narrator of this audiobook. She kept me engaged. I never doubted who was supposed to be speaking. I have found some narrators a little annoying as of late, but this gal kept me listening until the very end. I cannot tell you how much yard work I got done. Wahoo!!!!
The Bear’s Chosen Mate has great characters. The grandfather is the bomb and he is tired of waiting for his grandsons to find their true mates. He has decided that a threat goes along way. It isn’t a little threat, it is a big, big threat. One the boys don’t want to risk.
The Bear’s Chosen Mate is a wonderful friends to lovers story. In fact, James and Kaylee have been best friends forever. James will do anything for his best friend. He soon realizes she is his true mate. Only problem, she isn’t convinced. He will pull out all the stops to prove he is right.
The Bear’s Chosen Mate is a wonderful journey to happily ever after. It was a joyful listen. I am sure it will be an amazing read. I can guarantee it is part of my planned binge read.
great read
Loved James and Kaylee, a great best friends to mates shifter romance
Polar bear shifter James Borealis and bobcat shifter Kaylee Banks have been best friends since childhood. James is the PR golden boy for his families multibillion dollar company. Kaylee is a talented photographer. They both want more, but are afraid stepping out of the friend zone will cost them their friendship.
When grandpa Giles, tells James and his two older brothers to find their mates before his 85 birthday or loose the company, James decided when his mating hear hits he is choosing his mate not fate. His choice is Kaylee.
Kaylee has a lot of baggage. She tries to save James from himself.
James only wants Kaylee. He is convinced she is his mate. Now he has to convince her they belong together.
Sweet and steamy best friends to mates shifter romance. Looking forward to Alex and Cooper finding their mates
I enjoyed that the Grandfather was the one playing matchmaker. Can’t wait to read the next brother’s story. Since each one thinks he’s going to escape his grandfather’s efforts. It should be a wild ride.
Grandpa Giles Borealis, owner of Borealis Gems, was tired of waiting for his grandchildren to finally find good shifter girls and get married. Then, close to turning 85, he gave an ultimatum: the grandchildren would have 9 months to find their mates, or he would sell the entire empire to his opponents.
Cooper was the current CEO, while his parents traveled the world.
Alex was the head of security.
James, the youngest, was the company’s PR.
When traveling to Yellowknife, and meeting an old friend, James was unlucky enough to get into his Polar Bear mating fever. From then on, Kaylee Banks would have no escape.
Not that she wanted an escape.
Kaylee (bobcat shifter) has always been in love with James, but circumstances never seemed to be conducive to being together. After all, they were already great friends.
However, after the fever passes, James wants to continue the relationship because he knows Kaylee is “the one”, but she claims she doesn’t feel the same way about him.
Now, he would have to convince her that they could work together.
4 stars
Grandpa runs Borealis Gems, the family company set in the Northwest Territories (northern Canada). He wants to see his three grandsons – James, Alex and Cooper – married within the next nine months, before his New Year’s Eve birthday, or he’ll sell off his shares of the company (ergo, no inheritance). He doesn’t buy their excuses about being too busy, or not wanting to go through the effort of finding a mate so he’s forcing their hands… errr… paws. All polar bears go through a week of mating fever, wherein if they are in the vicinity of a like-minded female, it generally leads to settling down. James, the only woman he can imagine even wanting to spend mating fever week with is his best friend Kaylee Banks, a bobcat shifter and photographer. Little does he know that Kaylee has had a crush on him for years, but never acted on it for fear of losing their friendship. And James may have had some inappropriate thoughts about Kaylee in return. When Grandpa gets his little matchmaking hat on and sends Kaylee to James’ apartment just as the fever hits him, it’s too hard for Kaylee to resist his befuddled amorous advances. With an understanding between them that they’ll indulge in their mutual attraction while James is struck with his lustful mating fever they make the most of their week together. But will it be so easy to go back to being just friends?
Fun story.
The Bear’s Chosen Mate is a pretty short book. I was able to read it in one sitting; in less than a couple of hours. In addition to being a short read, this book is also pretty lighthearted, low angst with a small amount of suspense that I believe will resolve with the last book in the series. Or maybe the next one; I’m not entirely sure.
Because this book moved so fast and was short, I new not to expect a lot of character development. Otherwise I would have been disappointed. That said, I was NOT disappointed. I really enjoyed this book. Maybe I’m biased a little bit because Vivian Arend is included in my list of favorite authors and I love her books. Her writing always engages me from the first page to the last.
Let me get to it……
The Borealis brothers are Polar Bear shifters. All three brothers are unmated and happy to remain that way. It’s not until their meddlesome grandfather threatens to sell his shares of their extremely successful business, unless they find mates, that lights a fire under them. You see, once a year, bear shifters experience what is call mating fever. It is during that one week’s time they can find their mate. If they want to. If they don’t want a mate, they will hide away for the week. Which do you think the brothers have been doing? 😉
Youngest brother James decides to let nature take it’s course. This time around when the fever hits, he plans on seducing his best friend Kaylee. If he has to spend forever tied to a woman, he wants it to be her. Unfortunately, Kaylee doesn’t believe herself worthy of James. He will have to convince her. James doesn’t mind. He’s always loved Kaylee so there is no other option but to convince her to mate with him.
But what if Kaylee is not his chosen mate?
This couple gets together pretty fast. But Kaylee gives James a run by being so stubborn and insecure.
I really found this book a fun and enjoyable read. In fact, while I was swooning over James most of the time; I also found myself smiling and giggling throughout.
Next brother to find his mate is intense, head of security, middle brother Alex. It will be so much fun seeing this alpha Polar bear meet his match, in every way. Lara is a tough heroine. Literally and figuratively.
This is my honest and unbiased opinion. Thank you for taking the time to read it. 🙂
The synopsis covers the basic plot and giving any more away would be a spoiler, so I’ll just get right to it. I really enjoyed The Bear’s Chosen Mate.
The three Borealis brothers are tasked with finding mates during their next mating fever cycle. The brothers aren’t happy about that, but if he has to do it, James is going to pick who it is he wants to mate with … forever.
It’s a simple and sweet friends-to-lovers story. James happens to have someone he cares for deeply and he chooses Kaylee for a mate rather than let fate take it’s course. (that rebellious polar bear!) Kaylee chooses him back so to speak so love and lust isn’t the problem.. but there are a few minor complications they’ll need to get over before the mating fever “takes”.
It’s such cute story and I absolutely adored it’s simplicity. James is caring, adorable and perfect for Kaylee (and her crazy family — omg!) So much fun, and left me feeling good. Loved it!
An ARC was provided for review.
As always this author writes stories that is both easy to read and entertaining. This first book in a new series about shifters is very enjoyable
No unnecessary descriptions of surroundings
Good dialogues
Well described characters that’s developed in to realistic personalities
Hot chemistry between the main characters
4 steaming stars
*A copy of this book was gifted to me from the author and I freely give my honest review*
This is Book 1 in the Borealis Bears series. Wow! James’s grandfather has put his foot down and told the grandsons that they need to get mated/married or else!
James isn’t ready to settle down and decides he’s not going to fool with it; that’s until he went into mating fever. Now he wants to fool around with Kaylee, who has been his best friend for years. Kaylee doesn’t want to settle down with anyone, especially her best friend. He’s a famous polar bear/man and she’s just a nothing bobcat who shies away attention. This was just a fun book as we see the two interact with each other. Then it gets even better when James’s grandfather tries to get involved. I highly recommend you reading this book if you want a really good and fun book! I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.
I enjoyed this first book of the series featuring James and Kaylee. I liked the chemistry between the couple and with the rest of the supporting characters, especially Grandpa Giles (what a cagey guy). It was easy reading and look forward to the Alex and Cooper’s search for their mates, which may not be as far away as they think.
Three and a half
I was very excited when I heard this author was writing a Polar Bear shifter trilogy as I loved her Wolf stories and absolutely adored her sweet and sexy Cowboy books. Here we meet three brothers all trying to avoid Mating but with a interfering, meddlesome, not to mention loving grandfather on their case it seems like their carefree bachelor days might soon be a thing of the past ! The youngest brother James isn’t too bothered though because he’s got his eye on kitty cat Kaylee but as she’s his best friend how can he ever convince her that what he feels for her is real and everlasting ?
This is hard to review for me because I just didn’t love it as much as I’d hoped. It definitely felt like a first in series introducing characters and I do realise that friends to lovers trope is highly appealing to many readers. I think I probably prefer plot driven stories whilst the majority of this was just sexy times with a wee bit of angst thrown in . However that having been said the last third completely ramped up my interest with unusual parcels arriving and a character introduced that has me desperate to know more about her. Unfortunately not my favourite book from this author but it definitely was a sweet and steamy read that I’m sure many will enjoy.
This voluntary take is of an advanced copy and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
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.
Terrific! I love it when best friends take the plunge. For me, this is one of those romance stories that leave you with that breath of good warm feelings and you know when it ends you will read it again. James is determined and knows exactly who he wants. Kaylee is just as attracted to him but she second guesses herself. Great strong, independent and smart couple, great family their antics made me laugh. I absolutely love that the plot remains focused on them. James has set a very high standard for this series but I can’t wait to read about the next brother’s downfall, lol. Loved reading this from beginning to end, it’s fan yourself steamy and James is so patient and just the most love-able man and fierce, protective bear ever. Very well written! I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation from the author.
I voluntarily offered to review this book with no obligations and my opinions are honest
It was a great book!
His grandfather put down the gauntlet.
Marry or lose the company to their competitors.
James thought that he was too young to get married, forget being mated.
But if he had to do it, there is only one person he can think of: Kaylee
Kaylee was James best “girl” friend.
She would like to be more than just a good friend, but she did not want to rock the boat.
Well, James is just about to try to change Kaylee’s mind about that.
Let the wooing begin!
The characters + storytelling were very captivating
It has all the ingredients that you need for an awesome book!