Autumn Sinclair arrived in Celestial Pines to cleanse haunted houses — not fall for brooding innkeeper Dorian Hawthorne and his unsettlingly cozy, mildly possessed Briar Hollow Inn.

Dorian wasn’t supposed to be charming, funny, or protective. He was supposed to be gloomy, mysterious, and maybe a little tragic. But from their first meeting, with his golden eyes and flannel-wrapped muscles, he was dangerously warm—and undeniably intriguing.

As Autumn dove into the inn’s haunted past, she uncovered secrets older than the town itself, ones tied to a curse rooted in lost love and betrayal. Spirits lingered, not out of malice, but fear—a warning that history might repeat itself.

Together, Autumn and Dorian faced truths hidden in the whispers of restless ghosts.

But with the curse tightening its hold, Autumn had to decide: could she risk her guarded heart for a man who made her believe she finally belonged?

Or was history bound to repeat, dragging them both into its haunted embrace?

Welcome to Celestial Pines, where cozy meets paranormal, and love whispers through the veil.

Titles in the Celestial Pines series include: Cub My Way ~ Mane Squeeze ~ Bear Naked Truth ~ Feline the Spark ~ 

This is an adult 18+ story that contains language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.

Title:  Bear Naked Truth
Series:  Celestial Pines #3
Author:  Kala Aster & Milly Taiden
Published:  July 10, 2025
My Rating:  5 stars

Have you ever read a story where you just… ached in empathy, in sympathy for a character?  I did just that for Autumn in the third title of the Celestial Pines series, Bear Naked Truth by Kala Aster and Milly Taiden.  Autumn is a ghost whisperer.   She travels from haunted house to haunted house, freeing the spirits within to move on, to no longer linger in their past.  It’s a profession that often leaves her alone, a sole woman fighting for peace for spirits (and searching for peace for herself, perhaps).  Autumn believes that she will never truly be loved for herself, just as she is.  She was raised to believe that what she carries in helping spirits is so heavy that no one could ever see through her shields to the true woman within… and stay.

Her firm belief begins to show cracks around the edges as she meets Dorian, the bear shifter owner of the haunted inn that she’s dealing with now.  Dorian knows that Autumn is his mate, yet she’s afraid to trust in the bond that shimmers between them.  Watching Dorian’s patience, his solid acceptance of Autumn just as she is, was such a heartwarming experience.  His small actions to show her that she’s safe and accepted are touching.  I loved the garden he made specifically for her.  I have loved all the stories in the Celestial Pines series, but I believe that Bear Naked Truth by Kala Aster and Milly Taiden is my ultimate favorite.  If you love a well-written, emotional, steamy romance with a couple that faces the hard issues and finds… home, then you’d love this one.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the author or the author’s team via Booksprout, and I sincerely thank them for their trust. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

This title is available at Amazon (affiliate link)