Title:  Grizzly Mate
Series:  Riverwood #2
Author:  Keira Blackwood
Published:  July 10, 2016
My Rating:  4.5 stars
Source:  Borrowed with Kindle Unlimited
Cover Description:

He’s beg-for-more hot in the bedroom, err broom closet, but…

Smalltown Sheriff Emma Hiller needs more from her partner, let alone boyfriend. Starting with the truth. While she tries to figure out exactly what she’s feeling for the huge man that’s practically a stranger, trouble in Riverwood goes from bad to worse. With the town’s body count on the rise, how can Emma focus on her feelings for Liam, and be sure that their relationship won’t fail before it has a chance to blossom?

After living a life of secrets, rough-around-the-edges grizzly enforcer Liam Blake knows he’s found his mate. But finding her is one thing, and protecting her is another. How can Liam keep the woman he loves safe when new threats surface, and every answer uncovered leads to another question?

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

Read on for my thoughts on Grizzly Mate.

We return once again to the growing romance between Liam and Emma – as well as the slowly deepening mysteries and mayhem taking place in the small town of Riverwood.  While you “could” read Grizzly Mate on its own, I would strongly suggest that if you are just now getting into this series, please take the time to go back and read Grizzly Bait first… it will enhance this story and fill in any blanks.  Yes, there is enough mention of events to keep you current in this story – but, you will miss the nuances and underlying tension that sets up this current story.  It’s a suggestion, but one I hope you’ll take.

Things are heating up in Riverwood – and getting more dangerous to the residents by the hour it seems.  There’s a beautiful, alluring stranger in town and she seems to have her claws sharpened to hook up with Emma’s deputy.  An unlikely pair, to be sure, but only time will tell about that pairing.  Unfortunately, the death toll continues to rise, and who those that were killed truly are comes deeper into play.  The unsolved murders, unruly shifters in town and a generally deepening unease directed at everyone has the townsfolk demanding answers from Emma.  Answers she doesn’t have – yet.

Liam knows he has to come clean to Emma about what he is, who he works for and the fact that she is his mate.  If he delays too much longer everything is going to blow up in his face, and he knows it… but he hesitates.  Loving someone, knowing they are in constant danger that he cannot protect them from is wearing on Liam.  He doesn’t always make the best decisions, but they come from his heart.  His mate is one stubborn, strong woman and while he believes she can handle anything life tosses at her or them, telling her isn’t as easy as it seems.

Emma is running on overload right now.  Her emotions are all over the map and the one person who can calm and redirect her is the one man who is causing the most emotional turmoil.  She’s getting comfortable seeing her hot US Marshal as a boyfriend, heck she’s even daring to take him home to meet her mother… and that’s saying a lot.  But as usual, Mom has her own plans and what a fiasco that breakfast turned out to be.  Between discovering that her father was a bear shifter and that her baby brother, Logan, is a newly emerged bear shifter – the relationship between Emma and her mother has now reached a breaking point.  Just one more thing that Emma didn’t need to deal with.

The evil head of the mining excavation company is finally revealed – and what he is will stun and shock Liam and Emma.  There are always politics within any origination, and Liam is beginning to see some serious break downs within the Tribunal he works for… and who to trust comes deeply into play.

When events come to a head, Liam’s hesitation in explaining who and what he is to Emma will come and bite him on the butt… as usually is the case when we wait just that little bit too long to deal with life.  And don’t forget about the symbols – and we are given a good clue as to the events in the finale chapter of the Riverwood series in the epilogue… and I can’t say that I’m too surprised.  But I am definitely looking forward to that story.

So, it sounds like there is a lot going on in Grizzly Mate – and there certainly is.  Yet it is not the least bit overwhelming as you read, events flow into each other quite seamlessly.  Liam and Emma will deal with their personal issues and again, have their Happy For Now ending.  The other mysteries are ratcheting up and will definitely provide some explosive outcomes in the final story.

If you love Shifter Romance, if details matter and you are good with an overarching story that finished for the  moment but holds out the temptation of the next bits of excitement… then Grizzly Mate is a story you’ll want on your reading list and the Riverwood series is one that you will want to experience from the start.  I’d highly recommend this one so go out and Indulge yourself and Enjoy.

Available for the Kindle