Grizzly shifter Jon Torben is planning a summer of sword-fighting and beer-drinking at his hometown’s annual Renaissance Faire…up until the moment that he lays eyes on his fated mate, Alissandra. But what really turns Jon’s world upside-down is also recognizing the notorious swordsman known as the Black Knight as his mate…and the way that sometimes Alis makes his heart sing, and other times seems like just another woman when they meet eyes across the crowded fairgrounds.

Swordswoman Alis Capellas didn’t mean to live a double life as the Black Knight and a lady fair, but things got out of hand. Now she mostly enjoys her secret and is careful to maintain her cover—until she meets Jon, and keeping secrets starts to feel less and less necessary. Usually careful with her heart, Alis is all in with this pub-owning minstrel…

…until the modern world risks bringing courtly love to an end when a threat emerges against the faire itself. To save the faire, Jon and Alis must figure out the plot that’s going on right beneath their noses—without breaking character in the story they’re performing for the faire audiences. But if they can find the answers, it’ll mean that not only Alis and Jon, but the whole Faire, will get their happily ever after…

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:  Renaissance Bear
Series:  Renaissance Shifters #3
Author:  Murphy Lawless (a Zoe Chant writer)
Published:  July 8, 2025
My Rating:  4.5 stars

Renaissance Bear is the third title in the Renaissance Shifters series, bringing us Alissandra (Alis) and Jon’s… well, confusing to Jon at least, romance. But not to us, since we have the inside information that, at the moment, Jon lacks.

I chuckled my way through Renaissance Bear by Murphy Lawless.  Although Jon and his brother, Laurie, have been annoying in earlier stories, they were not pulling their weight in the family business.  This story gave a bit of redemption for Jon, as his world is tilted through meeting his mate… and, his mate?  His confusion was adorable (if a grizzly bear can be adorable), and kept the hidden agenda portion of the mystery of Alis going for most of their story.  Each gives their loyalty to their families in different ways, yet watching them fall for each other was delightful.

There is an evil to fight as well.  And, although I suspected, I wasn’t quite ready for the actual reveal or its meaning to others in this small town.  Plus, we have another connection to the Virtue shifters.  I love when familiar faces from another series make cameo appearances.

In all, I greatly enjoyed myself back in this world.  Alis and Jon are a delightful couple, their families are amazing, the tensions are high, and the twists are placed perfectly.  If you love a well-written shifter romance with touches of humor, a couple to wish a happy ending for, and running into old friends again, then you’d love Renaissance Bear by Murphy Lawless.  You don’t need to have read the Virtue series to enjoy this one… but I’m betting you’ll be tempted to.  Go ahead, dive in; the Virtue Shifters are just as amazing.

I read this title through my Kindle Unlimited subscription.

This title is available on Amazon (affiliate link)