3 stars — I was actually *really* looking forward to this book (despite the fact that I am 2 years late in my review). But…something just didn’t quite work for me in this one, so Mark’s book remains my favourite. (and please note that I don’t think you can read it without reading the first 2…you would survive, but you would be missing enough to be annoying)

Can I admit that I got bored in this book? I mean, maybe it was just me, but I found myself wanting to skim…I mean, I even wanted to skim the sex scenes. I wonder if part of that is that I was disappointed with Alan and Tonya. There was so much self-hate, which translated into hate of the “other”, and I just didn’t have enough patience for it. They eventually got to a better place, but it was almost too late for me, you know? Most of that self-hate is obviously on Alan. But as he’s sitting there calling all these animal things about himself “monster” and disgusting, etc, he’s inadvertently making commentary on the shifters he’s grown up with…and Tonya, whom he supposedly has a huge crush on. It didn’t jibe. I sort of got it, but it was a little too far or something. I expected to feel all the things for him and what he was going through, and in the end I mostly felt like he was a jerk who wasn’t even trying. I think that’s half my own impatience, and half the story itself, so it might not come across that way to every reader.

I was also, initially, really disappointed in Tonya’s sudden feelings for Alan now that he’s a shifter. Or at least, that’s the impression I got for the like the whole first half of the book. It reminded me of all those books where the couple doesn’t fall in love until one of them loses a whole bunch of weight, or starts working out, or whatever. Now, that changed, and we got to see background, and it does appear she had feelings for him before…but by that time I was already annoyed with Tonya thinking she only liked him now that he was “like her”. So I’m having a hard time reconciling my initial annoyance with how the story turned out…why couldn’t we have seen that from the beginning? I feel like it hurt the story.

And in the end because of those silly things, I wasn’t that invested in either character (they were okay, I just wasn’t in love), and I wasn’t that invested in their romance. I thought it would be nice, but I wasn’t clamouring for it. I did appreciate Alan’s growth and understanding, though I felt like I wouldn’t have minded seeing *his* thoughts in that final turnaround moment in the climax.

So yeah. It was good, but it was marred by my own high expectations…which is a bummer, but what can you do? Still an interesting world, but for some reason I’ve lost my verve for it.

With what has easily become of my favorite shifter series to date, I am thrilled to see the story of Alan and Tonya finally come to light. These two have been circling each other for some time, with their constant bickering and carrying on, it only stood to ramp up the sexual tension between them. However, we always thought that Tonya carried a torch for Carl, so most readers never thought that Alan was on her radar. Boy were we wrong.

I have to say that Alan's book is so much darker than the first two- mainly because this a man who is out for revenge. He is fueled by hate and anger, and vengeance is the only thing that is pushing him to keep going at this point. Not a trace of love is in his heart- not even for the one woman that he has wanted his whole life- Tonya. The only thing he wants now is to bring down the woman who made him into what he feels is a horrific monster. He doesn't care about anything or anyone else- not his family, and certainly not Tonya. Even though, she definitely cares for him.

To say that I was shocked to see that Tonya was head over heels for Alan this whole time was an understatement. Like I mentioned before- I thought she was courting some unrequited love for Carl, but it was only the position that he could offer her that she wanted- not the man. Nope- the only man for her was the one who currently wanted nothing to do with anyone around him. So, it was her duty to bring him back into civility and show him that he wasn't the monster that he thought himself to be.

Trust me when I say that this book is the most heartbreaking of the three, simply because you see the pain and anger that Alan has to work through. You have to relive his ordeal, through his eyes, and that part just really sucks, because it ain't pretty. To see a man be treated that way- well, it just flat out made me furious. Especially someone as kind and giving as Alan, who had devoted his entire life to the shifter community, and then be mistreated by one. Well, the woman deserved exactly what she got in the end- let's just say that.

When all was said and done, this may have been my favorite book- just because of the rollercoaster of emotions that I experienced with it. It had everything I could've wanted to see happen, so I didn't feel like it lacked anything. Not only the series, but this book, get a blinding 5 star review from me- because they are simply great reads!!

Alan is the moody angry bear, literally. I liked Alan. He gives so much to the pack and when he needed them, he is let down so badly. I can understand Alan because he is left out of both worlds. He is a bear shifter but he can't shift so he isn't really one of them. Yet he can not be with humans fully because he is part shifter. Straddling this line where neither worlds will accept him is hard and disheartening. His character is the easiest for readers who have been excluded from a "club" to empathize with. They way he is under appreciated is maddening and it is amazing he even wants to have anything to do with his so called family. When a terrible violation is perpetrated against him and he can finally shift and become part of the "club" through essentially a blood sacrifice, he is now welcome with open arms.

It is interesting to see how become a shifter allows him to be fully accepted in his society. This social commentary is an interesting one to ponder. Does it mean when one conforms to be like everyone, they are finally accepted? Because now, the woman Alan's been interested in but wouldn't give him the time of day is finally showing interest. Tonya Kappes who refuted his love interest is suddenly able to give into the "love" because she can now have his babies! Yes, sarcasm is a language I employ frequently. Since Alan is no longer the quiet and dutiful good boy, Tonya wants him. His bitter bad boy needing to be saved persona attracts Tonya to him like bees to pollen. Once again, this shows that females want to save a bad boy and be damned with the nice guy. Because nice guys finish last. As a side note, nice guys finishing last is only good when in reference to sex.

Relationship dynamics aside, this book's plot kept me interested. The reasons for the crazy mad scientist route to create hybrid shifters out of nightmares are revealed. It is a sad story and whilst it is understandable as to why this happened, it does not sway me to feel sorry for the villains. It just goes to show that revenge plots rarely bring about any type of happy resolution. Fortunately for Alan, following the revenge roadmap at excess speeds, Tonya brings him to a halt before he crashes and burns. This is really the only good thing Tonya is for... well and to be a breeding bear for a new generation of shifters.

Ms. Lyons's series amused me and I enjoyed her writing style. The story flows easily and the characters are not perfect. The flaws in them make them more real even if I may not like them. This story does a nice balance with the different emotions invoked by the conflicts and resolutions. Alan's perspective adds another dimension in this world Ms. Lyons' created. Hope there will be more stories in this shifter world. This paranormal romance is recommended to readers who like bad boy alpha males saved by the love a tough take no prisoner female.

I really loved the first two books in this series and couldn't wait to read Alan and Tonya's story. They have been dancing around each other for years both having their challenges. Alan was tortured at the hands of a monster and was changed because of it. His beast rules and wants nothing more than revenge. He feels abandoned by his clan who didn't even notice he was gone. My heart hurt for this man. I loved Tonya. She is badass. She wants this man and has for so long. She fights for her man to bring him back to his family and into her life. I so enjoyed their story.

I give For the Bear's Eyes Only 4 hearts!