Every instinct in me says protect the secret.  Every look at her says protect her instead.

Nora Ellis came to Graywater Cove to study seals.  She has no idea the harbor’s biggest mystery walks on two legs.

Just one problem… My eight-year-old already picked her out for me.

She’s sharp. Steady. Patient with things nobody else is.  Like a guarded widower who gives her nothing to work with.

My job is keeping this clan hidden.  My heart just outed itself instead.

Somewhere between the tide pools and my daughter’s laughter, careful stops being something I can afford.

She thinks she’s just documenting seals.  She’s about to find out what’s really guarding this coastline.  And how far it’ll go to protect what’s his.

I buried my heart once already.  I’m not burying this too.

~Standalone~

This story may include language, violence, and/or sexual content intended for an adult audience 18+.

Title:  Grizzly Business
Series:  Standalone
Author:  Kala Aster & Milly Taiden
Published:  October 8, 2026
My Rating:  4.5 stars

Grizzly Business is a standalone title that quickly drew me into Nora and Sai’s story.  Nora is a scientist who recently arrived in this small coastal village to conduct her research.  She had no idea that watching tide pools or cataloging injuries on seals would lead her to a conspiracy so heinous that she’d risk her life to save others.  Or that one striking man and his adorable daughter would wind themselves so tightly around her heart that she’d risk everything to keep them and their community safe.

There are some nasty villains here, and they’re even nastier because of the underhanded, insidious way they do “research” for truly despicable reasons.  Grizzly Business is well-written (as I’d expect from this writing duo), dangerous, emotional, and passionate.  Truthfully, little Lily steals every single scene she’s in.  That little lady is wise beyond her years.  Their story is intense and action-packed, and I enjoyed every moment in this world.  Sai is a complicated man; Nora is braver than she knew, and together they become a force to be reckoned with as they fight for the lives of so many others.  If that sounds like your kind of Shifter Romantic Suspense, then you’d enjoy 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. I chose to leave a review with my personal opinion of this book.*

This title is available on Amazon