Kaia Monroe had two rules: never trust a fae, and never fall asleep near cursed lakes.

She broke both by accident.

Now she’s stuck in a cozy Appalachian town full of shapeshifters, witches, and suspiciously nice baked goods—and worst of all, she’s mated to a grumpy bear shifter who insists on protecting her from her nightmares. Literally. With claws. And maybe feelings.

Elias Vane didn’t ask for a mate to fall out of the sky. But the moment he fished her out of Moonmirror Lake, his bear called dibs. Now he’s rearranging patrols, dodging fae wedding planners, and trying not to scare the woman who smells like forever.

Unfortunately, Kaia’s childhood trauma summoned a nightmare warlock from the dream realm… and he wants her back.

Permanently.

She’ll have to choose: run from the people who care about her—or trust a sleepy mountain town (and one dangerously hot shifter) to fight for the dream of something real.

He brought her blankets. And snacks. And eternal soul-bonding.

Titles in the Hollow Oak Mates series include: Love at First Roar ~ Mate Night Snack ~ Claws for Celebration ~ Unbearable Attraction ~ Whisker Me Away ~ The Right to Bear Claws ~ Furever Bound ~

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

Title:  The Right to Bear Claws
Series:  Hollow Oak Mates #6
Author:  Kala Aster & Milly Taiden
Published:  August 28, 2025
My Rating:  4.5 stars

The Right to Bear Claws is the sixth title in the Hollow Oak Mates series, and features Kaia and Elias as Kaia, a dreamwalker, is haunted and on the run from a danger that can destroy everything, and Elias, a bear shifter who has come close to believing his mate will never appear… until she does, and he’ll do everything in his power and beyond to protect her.

Kaia and Elias’ story is riveting, gripping, and completely emotional as we get to know the danger Kaia is running from and how deeply Elias will travel to help and protect his mate.  The community takes Kaia under their collective wing, and even the most grumpy resident will find a kind word or a worried response to her situation.  I appreciated the sense of redemption rather than destruction, as this evil entity is faced in most unusual circumstances.  And I loved seeing their lives beyond the danger, where the reality of being mates and forging a future is lovingly addressed.

If you love a well-written paranormal romance, filled with emotions, danger, and solutions that will have you glued to the pages, then you’d love The Right to Bear Claws by Kala Aster and Milly Taiden.  This fantastic writing duo has done it once again, delivering a story that captured my heart and has me waiting for the next trip I’ll take into their world.

*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. It is my choice to leave a review, giving my personal opinion about this book.*

If you love this author’s work, be sure to visit our Kala Aster page or our Milly Taiden page for reviews of other series, or just to discover series you might have missed.

This title is available at Amazon (affiliate link)