These bachelor brothers are about to have their world turned upside down!

Max, Tad, and Jake think fate – and mates – have passed them by. Resigned to life alone, they have each put all their energy into their careers. However, change arrives in the small but perfectly formed guise of baby Milly. Orphaned when her mother overdoses on drugs, Milly brings out the protective side in all three bear shifter brothers.

Well, Jake might need a little persuading!

But that’s not all.

When Milly’s foster mom, Josephine, comes to visit, Max instantly knows she is his mate. Max is more than ready to open his heart and his home to Milly and Josephine. But Josephine has a hidden past, and as danger threatens, he will do whatever it takes to keep his new family safe.

Josephine has a past she’d rather forget. But visions of the abuse she suffered at the hands of an ex-boyfriend, are impossible to wipe from her memory. Not that she’s let his actions prevent her from building a good life for herself. One where she provides love and care for children in need.

However, she’s never let anyone else in. She’s never allowed herself to trust another man.

But now, Max tells her she is his mate. Josephine knows what that means. And she wants to be part of a family, a real loving family, for the first time. Can she open her heart to love?

Just when she finds the answer to that question, her past finally catches up with her.

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

Titles in the Three Silverback Bears and A Baby series include —  Max – Tad – Jake

This series connects in some ways to the Bear Creek series, the Bear Bluff series, the Return to Bear Bluff series… And especially to the Return to Bear Creek series.  Characters from all these series seem to visit in quite a neighborly fashion *grin* between Bear Creek and Bear Bluff… so if you haven’t checked them out the list of somewhat connecting series is on the Harmony Raines page.

Title:  Max
Series:  Three Silverback Bears and A Baby #1
Author:  Harmony Raines
Published:  July 5, 2019
My Rating:  4.5 stars

MAX, the first story in the (at least) trilogy/series, Three Silverback Bears and A Baby from Harmony Raines set in her Bear Creek/Bear Bluff universe.  I love that we are seeing more of the Seasoned Romance genre in Shifter Romance (although depending on the lore, Shifters are older than their human counterparts) and this story has Josephine in her 40s.  Max and his brothers Jake and Tad are showing silver at the temples and a few wrinkles but I got no impression of exact age for them so I’m assuming at least older if not much older Shifter-wise.

The cover description pretty much tells you all you’ll need to know to make the decision to pick up MAX, and I believe you’ll enjoy yourself in this story.  Max and his brothers have always had a united front, they are closer than some might expect but then they’ve been through so much together and stood strong throughout.  They all believe they’re past the age of finding their mates and are settled into their lives when little Milly comes into their lives.  As her only remaining relatives, they have the option of adopting her and raising her in their loving home.  What Max didn’t expect was that Josephine, Milly’s foster mother would turn out to be his mate – and that changed and enhanced so much in all their lives.

There is a villain from Josephine’s past to be dealt with, and watching Josephine accept Max and the future he offers was heartwarming indeed.  She’s had a rough life, as you will discover, and to finally find safety and home in Bear Creek and with Max is a dream she never thought would happen for her.  I admired Josephine for all she’s gone through and the strong woman she is.

We’ll run into some familiar faces from Bear Creek, and I always love seeing the interactions between people who have become family over the course of all of these connecting series.  I had fun with MAX, and I’m looking forward to the next brother finding his mate.  I don’t know if this will be an actual series or a trilogy, but no matter, I’m going to enjoy these silverback bears as they find their mates at an unexpected age.

I read this title through my Kindle Unlimited subscription.

Available for the Kindle