Work-focused, goal-oriented grizzly shifter Ashley Torben has just taken over managing her cousin’s brewpub. She has plans for the struggling business, cousins to corral, and a vision to implement. The last thing she needs—or expects—is to find her fated mate. But Penny Partridge, the drummer for breakout rock band The Sixty Pix, is everything Ashley could have ever dreamed of.

Brash, organized, and enthusiastic, Penny is a woman who goes for what she wants, and she wants the gorgeous, determined-to-succeed Ashley. But Ashley can barely even look at her, and The Sixty Pix’s sudden fame interferes with any hopes Penny might have of getting the pub manager to warm up to her. Still, the holidays are coming, and maybe Christmas wishes do come true—because Ashley has a business disaster on her hands, and Penny might just be the woman who can rescue her.

As one crisis is averted, another one presents itself when Penny’s life is turned upside-down…and this time it’s Ashley who has everything Penny needs to sort things out again. It starts to look like they might have a clear path forward together—assuming they can survive their first Christmas with Ashley’s huge, overwhelming family….

Titles in the Renaissance Shifters series include: OctoBeARfest ~ Partridge in a Bear Tree ~ Renaissance Bear ~ Bear Garden ~

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

Title:  Partridge in a Bear Tree
Series:  Renaissance Shifters #2
Author:  Murphy Lawless (a Zoe Chant writer)
Published:  December 17, 2024
My Rating:  4.5 stars

Partridge in a Bear Tree is the second title in the Renaissance Shifters series, bringing us Ashley’s and Penny’s surprise-filled romance.  Oh, my goodness!  I want to talk and talk about this story… but, I can’t, at least not as much as I’m tempted to because I don’t willing do spoilers (hey, I’m human, sometimes things slip) and you really need to discover this adorable couple for yourselves.  They are awesome!

We met Ashley (Bill’s cousin who took over as general manager at the family brewpub), who is quiet and focused, a take-charge type who has a very determined personality, and Penny (drummer in Gwen’s band the Sixty Pix) who is fierce in loyalty, protective of Gwen’s secrets and totally comfortable in her own skin, in the first story in this series, OctoBEARfest.  It was obvious then that there was a spark between these two women, but it wasn’t acted on because it wasn’t their story…yet.

I loved watching their romance unfold and the shenanigans of the Torben family.  I have to admit that I loved Ashley’s verbal take-down of Bill’s younger brothers, Laurie and Jon, for their arrogant, self-serving ways when suddenly she’s overbooked at the pub because of a “just helping out” offer.  To be frank, I don’t think the younger brothers (cousins) are bad; they simply couldn’t see beyond their own needs that Bill was drowning in overwork, or that the simple helping someone out gave Ashley tons of unexpected work to be done quickly… they just don’t think beyond the moment. I’m not sure how I’m going to react when their stories come about, guess that’s a future thing.

Anyways… this is running too long. *sigh* Overall, I adored Partridge in a Bear Tree by Murphy Lawless.  Ashley’s and Penny’s romance is cute, passionate, filled with laughter, and having each other’s backs.  And that twist!  The clue was there, I just didn’t see it.  We’ll get a cameo by another of Ms. Lawless’s couples from another series, and have several other mentions of other folks from even more series.  I love it when an author can bring in familiar faces once again in a current, non-related story.  If you’re in the mood for a well-written, lively, passionate, humorous, one-liner-filled shifter romance with enough feels to last a week, then you’d love this one.  Another title for the re-read pile. 🙂

I read this title through my Kindle Unlimited subscription.

If you love this author’s work, please be sure to visit our Murphy Lawless page or our Zoe Chant page for other reviews done here, or simply any series you might have missed over time.

This title is available at Amazon (affiliate link)