Ros would like to boot sexy Rock Brolin and his mixed messages right out of her bar. He wants to watch her back? More like her backside. But right now she’s alone with every male shifter in bear country coming after her, so she’s not in a place to turn down help. Not even when it comes in the handsome, confusing package of the man she has always been in love with. But while he’s protecting her body, who is going to protect her heart?

The longer Rock stays in Bear Canyon, the more he feels the intense pressures of his past and the unrequited love between him and Rosalyn that turns into a glowing bonfire whenever they touch. For the first time in his life, he’s determined to stay in Bear Canyon, even if it kills him. The only problem? It just might. 

Sexy shifters and their feisty mates who aren’t shy about loving each other – so, this is an adult, 18+ reader tale.

Titles in the Trapped In Bear Canyon series include:  Sheltered By The Bear – Craved By The Bear – Redeemed By The Bear

Title:  Craved By The Bear
Series:  Trapped in Bear Canyon #2
Author:  Terry Bolryder
Published:  February 13, 2017
My Rating:  4.5 stars

The Brolin brothers had every reason to despise Bear Canyon.  It was the scene of constant abuse from their crazed father… and those memories, those scars both physical and mental have a very long reach.  Their father may be gone now, but the effects of his abuse linger on.  Now the only thing that brings them back to Bear Canyon is the yearly Brawl.  And that has become more of a chain around their necks than anything else.

Rock had not only the physical scar from his father’s bear on his face as a constant reminder, but the nightly nightmares never, ever let him forget what he and his brothers had gone through.  He returned to Bear Canyon throughout the year, not only at Brawl time because there was another draw here – Ros, his childhood friend, the woman who’d cleaned him up, listened to his tales and stood beside him no matter what was still here.  And no matter how much he hated this town, he’d always return for a short time to be near her.  He’d proposed over the years, they both knew he’d never settle down here but on some level he knew that she was his.  Now he’s back, early and Ros is in trouble.  He’ll help her the only way he can but he cannot stay, eventually he’ll run again.

I like Ros and Rock, individually and together.  They both feel the draw, the suspicion that they are mates, but he won’t stay and she won’t beg so they’re at an impasse.  Watching Rock deal with his nightmares, the memories that simply will not let him be is heartbreaking.  What I found even sadder on some level was that even though Ros knew intellectually how bad his nightmares were – she really couldn’t get the absolute terror he fought almost every time he shut his eyes in this town.  No one could, so it’s no one’s fault, I don’t mean it that way – just sadness that she loves him and wants to help but she’s powerless to completely erase that pain. It’s unfortunately a journey that Rock has to take on his own and really for himself.  He can’t begin to heal until he stops running and faces the past – with her love and the project he’s undertaken perhaps that time has finally arrived.

I had to smile at the epilogue of this story.  I suspected, but it was fun having everything laid out and a tease of what was to come.

If you love Shifter Romance, then Craved By The Bear is a story you should pick up.  It’s intense, definitely sexy, and touches so many emotions.  I’d recommend this story and this series without hesitation.  A good story, likable main couple and interesting secondary characters.

I read this title through my Kindle Unlimited subscription.

Available for the Kindle