Bear Attraction (Shifters Unbound 6.5) by Jennifer Ashley-a review

ebook only $1.99: Amazon.com / Barnes and Noble / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 17, 2015

As the military liaison between the human Shifter Bureau and Shiftertown, Walker is often stuck trying to appease both sides—and angering both. So when bear-Shifter Rebecca is captured taking a run in a restricted area, Walker comes up with a compromise: if Rebecca helps him find a missing woman—thought to have been abducted by a Shifter—she won’t be charged and executed.

As a bear used to roaming for miles, Rebecca hates being confined, distrusts anything involving humans, and—worst of all—the strong and handsome Walker starts triggering her mating need. They have no choice but to work together but both Walker and Rebecca find it hard not to mix business with pleasure.

•••••••••••••

REVIEW: BEAR ATTRACTION is the latest novella in Jennifer Ashley’s contemporary, adult Shifters Unbound paranormal, romance series focusing on the shifters from Shiftertown USA. This is human Shifter Bureau liaison Walker Danielson and Kodiak bear shifter Rebecca. BEAR ATTRACTION can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. As per Jennifer’s style of writing, many of the previous storyline characters and couples play a secondary and supporting role. Any important background information is revealed when necessary.

SOME BACKGROUND: Approximately twenty years earlier shifters were exposed to the human population. Out of fear, discrimination and specieism, the shifters were collared in the belief that it would control aggression then forced into segregated communities known as Shiftertowns. There are several Shiftertowns located throughout the world where shifters live in a relative but strained peace amongst their own kind. But once in awhile, a shifter crosses into human territory and the resulting upheaval is handled by the government’s Shifter Bureau. Not all shifters were caught under the Shiftertown ordinance; some remain free and un-collared, while others go rogue and feral.

Told from third person point of view, BEAR ATTRACTION finds Walker and Rebecca working together on an assignment. Technically, Rebecca is under Walker’s custody because she trespassed onto human-owned land and the Shifter Bureau frowns on any shifters leaving their assigned territory. As part of Rebecca’s punishment, she must aid Walker in the search for a missing human female known to frequent shifter bars posing as a shifter groupie. What ensues is a foray into shifter nightlife where our couple finds more trouble at every stop. Even amongst shifters there is discrimination against different kinds.

There is a prior history between Rebecca and Walker; an attraction that finds our couple secretly desiring one another but a desire that has never been acted upon. Throughout the storyline, their attraction builds; there is an overriding need to protect; and the mate bond growing stronger. The $ex scenes are limited but the sexual tension is high-so great that the other shifters sense the mate bond before Rebecca and Walker admit it to themselves.

The secondary roles include many of the previous storyline characters including some of the younger cubs and children. We get an up close look into the shifter’s personal lives, their loves and their families; as well as the introduction to several new characters and the possibility of a shifter breed not previously known to exist.

The world building continues on the theme of discrimination and prejudice against a species because of their differences. Fear is rampant within the human population, perpetuated by the Shifter Bureau whose aim is to control with intimidation and collars.

BEAR ATTRACTION is a fast paced story with a little bit of suspense, mystery, romance, fun and $ex. Jennifer Ashley’s wonderful and passionate family of shifters are a tight knit community where shifters of all species have been welcomed into the town but there is no denying that safety is a matter of degrees. BEAR ATTRACTION is a welcome addition to the Shifters Unbound series and a go-to read every time.

Reading Order
.5. Shifter Made
1. Pride Mates
2. Primal Bonds
2.5 Body Guard
3. Wild Cat
3.5 Hard Mated
4. Mate Claimed
4.5 Lone Wolf
5. Tiger Magic
5.5 Feral Heat
6. Wild Wolf
6.5 Bear Attraction

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.

Reviewed by Sandy