What I love about these anthologies is that you get a sampler of authors in short novellas. It’s a great way to see if you like an authors work before buying their books. In Thanks Fur Last Night, Eve Langais, Milly Taiden and Kate Baxter each provided us a novella on bear shifters and a werewolf.

Bearing His Sin by Eve Langlais: What I’ve learned about Eve Langlais’ books is that she loves to write the silly, comedic love stories on all kinds of shifters. Bearing His Sin is on the lighter side and was pretty entertaining. It’s over the top silly, but it worked in this story. I laughed a lot! If you enjoy the sillier side, I think you’ll enjoy Bearing His Sin.

Bought By The Bear by Milly Taiden: This story was cute but an average read. I liked that the Hero hired the heroine to pretend to be his mate for his grandma only to find out she actually is his mate. It’s also a rich man, poor girl Cinderella type of story. For a rich man, the Hero was not as confident as I would have expected. He came off more as a boy entering an adult world. This might be one that if extended to a longer story, I would have enjoyed the better developed characters.

The Alpha and I by Kate Baxter: This was a good story but an average read. There wasn’t anything about it to make it standout for such a short read. What you do learn is that it’s well written and has potential to be a great story if it was longer and better developed. Novellas are great but sometimes the shortness of a story makes it feel too rushed. Also, I have to admit that it bothered me that the author forgot about the dog in the story. I’m sure it was an oversite but it made it seem like they just abandoned the dog in a cabin the woods and never went back for it.

Conclusion: Out of all three novellas, Eve Langlais was my favorite. It stood out for making me laugh and kept me entertained with the silliness.

Unfortunately, these three stories just were not my cup of tea. The first two had writing styles that came across very odd and I just plain didn't like the hero and heroine in the first story at all. Kate Baxter's novella was the only one in the collection that was good, but it wasn't enough to save the book. I need to like more than one of the stories to justify recommending it to my readers.

Sooo......I thought this might be a fun set of short shifter-themed stories. Yes, they were short but fun? While I enjoyed The Alpha and I the most (because the female main character didn’t come off as totally ditsy) the other two stories were not as enjoyable. Predictable plot lines and slapstick kind of humor that just wasn’t that funny...

This anthology contained three stories. I liked the story by Milly Taiden but didn’t care for the stories by Kate Baxter and Eve Langlais.

Probably closer to a 3 1/2 but rounded up.

Bearing His Sins: Eve Langlais - She's been a favorite of mine for a while, but it feels like she's just dialing it in as of late. Didn't particularly care for either of the leads, but did like the feisty grandma.

Bought by the Bear: Milly Taiden - First I've read of hers, will definitely seek out some more as I loved the storyline even though a bit of the plot got confusing (multiple car crash incidents that blur a bit during part of the story).

The Alpha and I: Kate Baxter - Again, first I've read by Kate but I'll be seeking more. Solid story and interesting that it was the male's past that came back to haunt the couple as it's usually something in the woman's past in most stories.

*Digital review copy provided by NetGalley and the publisher.

Decent book. Lots of smutty goodness. If that isn't your thing, then do not pick this one up.

Shifters! I love 'em and I get a kick out of watching them fall all over themselves when they find their special someone.

Bearing His Sin - I'm a big Eve Langlais fan, so Cole and Anja's story was a hit with me. Both of them are a little feral, a little crazed, and a little bloodthirsty. Well, more than a little on that last part. They fight. They flirt while fighting (heck, often while fighting with one another). They aren't afraid to get their hands dirty. I have to say, I liked them!

Bought by the Bear - Well. By contrast, this story felt disjointed. While Xander and Josie weren't exactly unlikable, things happened that made no sense to me. Sudden attacks by random shifters (how'd they come into contact with the person who set them on their path, anyway?), followed up by the revelation someone was playing a VERY long con. Everything was tied up TOO nicely with some of the reveals and I had a hard time following along with some of the choices the characters made.

The Alpha and I - Sexy shifters in the snow. Yep, I have a weakness for those guys. Liam certainly hits all those buttons. Devon, meanwhile, takes the sudden revelation that there's a whole lot more than humans out there pretty well. What can I say? I liked these two. Sexy times in an isolated cabin do it for me.

Who does love a shifter story but 3 in 1 even better- Bearing his sins by Eve Langlais starts of the trio. Cole has a job to die kill the three men and then move on but a young woman is about to change all that. Anja has tried to get the man to listen but he won't budge that is until her grandmother rocks up. Cole's bear wants his mate and so he has no choice but to follow the old lady but things just start getting stranger. Who wants Anja and the old lady dead? Can he save them from certain death? Anja is about to learn so much about her past and she isn't happy as her nonna lied to her about everything and the only person she can trust is Cole. Can she take a chance on him and try get away from all this madness or will it be too late? Cole will do anything to make sure she is safe even if it means killing everyone to make sure that happens. A good read.
-Bought by the bear by Milly Taiden- Xander is about to meet his mate even though it is met to be pretend. He needs to make sure that his grandmother is happy now that he has a mate and she will leave him alone. Josie doesn't even know if this is a good idea but she needs the money and she needs to be able to pay the bills and keep her nephew Nick safe. She is stunned when she meets Xander as he is the shifter that just saved her from certain death. She will need to move in with him for the week so that they can be a real couple lucky Nick is away but she still worries about him. The more time they spend together the stronger the feelings become until they give into their bond but what does this mean for Josie and Nick now, he comes before everyone and everything? But she still isn't safe as someone is still out there to get her and the past comes rushing back in with a vengeance. Can she get away before it is too late? Will Xander be strong enough to find her? A good read.
-The Alpha and I by Kate Baxter- my favorite one of the three. Devon just wants to live her life in peace in the mountain and run her pub but that is all about to change when she finds a hurt bloodied naked man in a ditch. She can't leave him there can she? When Liam wakens he remembers some of what happened by his wolf is hiding much of it and he is in for a surprise as the woman that saved him is his mate. How can Liam prove to her that he isn't a killer just a werewolf and will she run once he shows her his wolf? Devon can't believe it but he never lied but what now? Liam knows that there is a bear out there and that they won't be safe in her cabin but the weather has turned back and it is a long way to get to his pack. Will they make it before the bear gets his revenge? Liam knows that he will have to do everything to keep his mate safe so will he be able to get there in time? Can Devon give up her life and change to be with Liam or will it all be too much for her? Can Liam give her the time to make up her own mind? What will happen to this couple a future or a certain loneliness? Best by way. I was lucky to receive a copy via Netgalley & the publishing house a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks Fur Last Night is a shifter/paranormal anthology written by Eve Langlais, Milly Taiden and Kate Baxter. This was an ok anthology for me. Some of the characters and story didn't really click for me as most would. I'm a huge shifter fan and I found that I was forcing myself to read it, rather than really enjoying it. I did like the Kate Baxter story quite a bit and would check out more books but the other stories were just a little too all over the place for me.

I was only interested in Milly Taiden’s book. I tried to read the other books, but I could not finish the first one. I hate leaving books unfinished, but I just could not finish it. In Bearing His Sin, I did not like the characters or the writing. It was hard to follow, and did not hold my attention at all. I skipped right onto the next 2 books. Next is Bought by the Bear. I usually love Milly Taiden, but this book was a little disappointing. It was not what I was expecting, and it is not a book that I would reread. There were several parts in the book that did not make sense to me. The third book, The Alpha and I, is by far my favorite. It is still not a book that I would reread, but it was the most interesting.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book.

Thanks Fur Last Night is a collection of shifter stories bringing us fated mates as growly bears and hunky werewolves find themselves faced with the one who is their other half.
Overall, I enjoyed this collection of stories. Some more than others but I think all three authors will be authors I'm going to want to read more of.

Bearing His Sins by Eve Langlais (from the Thanks Fur Last Night anthology)
Bearing His Sins is a fun and sometimes wacky romp when a brash young woman bursts into the life of an shapeshifting bear assassin who is deciding whether to kill her or keep her.
I gotta say, for the better part of the book, I had no idea what the heck was happening beyond some crazy banter going on between Anja and Cole, and men with guns trying to either kill or kidnap Anja. It was all kinda hard to tell. And honestly, I'm not sure if I liked how wacky it all was. I mean, some of it was funny, but it was more a shaking my head, wondering what the heck was going on kind of funny, rather than a ha ha, rolling with laughter kind of funny. Still, it was an entertaining read once you got past Cole and Anja's antics.
I liked Cole. He's a no nonsense, straight-shooting kind of a guy. He's blunt, direct and honest. And he's also big and intimidating, what with being a bear shifter and all. And I loved his profession and the way he went about doing things. He was a man of means and ability. And while Anja didn't always need protecting, he was able-bodied and protective. I loved when Cole came to the rescue. It was satisfyingly efficient and impressive.
As for Anja, I'm not sure I liked her all that much. I didn't dislike her, but she was much too brash and outspoken for my liking. Don't get me wrong, I like a sassy and strong heroine as much as the next person, but boy, did Anja have a mouth on her. It didn't work for me when she kept trying to top Cole. It's not a character trait I like in a heroine.
I've read other books by Ms Langlais before and enjoyed them so I'm certain I'll be reading more of her from her extensive backlist in the future.

Bought By The Bear by Milly Taiden (from the Thanks Fur Last Night anthology)
Bought By The Bear is a fun, sexy story of a bear who finds his one true mate through an arrangement with a fake mate and the woman who becomes his whole world.
I loved this story. It was so much fun. The hint on danger and mystery surrounding Josie certainly got me curious as to what was going on. That was a rather strange plot twist that kept things thumping along.
I loved Xander. He's such a great guy. He's kind, charming and sexy as heck. And so adorable when he was being growly and frustrated by his mate who didn't understand how a fated mate bond worked. I loved how Xander was not afraid of letting his feelings show and being demonstrative about them. Definitely swoon-worthy!
And Josie was so sweet and caring. I loved how much she loved her nephew and how hard she worked. My heart broke for her at how much she suffered. And even with all she suffered, she never stopped being loving, kind and wonderful.
This is my first time reading Ms Taiden's writing and I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I will definitely be reading more of her. In fact, I think I have some on my Kindle that I should go look up.

The Alpha and I by Kate Baxter (from the Thanks Fur Last Night anthology)
The Alpha and I brings together an Alpha werewolf being hunted by an enemy and his very human fated mate who is thrown into the midst of the conflict simply for being his mate.
Honestly, I wanted to like this story a lot more than I did but the storytelling seemed a little stilted to me and I had a hard time connecting with Devon.
Devon is very independent. After a rather difficult relationship which caused her to leave her home and move to Lowman, Idaho, she's turned her life around. Her life now revolves around running her bar and caring for her dog, Mac, and very little else. It's a safe, comfortable life. Until she rescues Liam one snowy night. Then everything changes. While I admired Devon for her independence and her strength, I got annoyed at her stubbornness. Particularly, at times when things got dangerous and Liam wanted them to get to safety. Instead of complying, she argues with Liam. And when Liam wants to do something to ensure her safety, she decides to distance herself in order to think about it, in the face of a terrible danger coming after them. Gotta say, I have to admire Liam for his patience with her and he makes a lot of allowances for her being human. I would not have been quite so understanding. Mostly, I wanted to shake her out of her stubbornness and tell her to get with the program.
I liked Liam as an Alpha werewolf, strong, able, protective and determined to keep Devon safe while he is being hunted by an enemy. I suppose things are a lot easier for him to grasp because he is a werewolf and he understands the life and the dangers surrounding that life. I loved how tough Liam is and how quickly he healed. The supernatural aspects of him being a werewolf drew me in.
I also enjoyed Ms Baxter's world building a great deal. Even though this was a short story, I did not feel as though she rushed or stinted on the world building and I felt like I understood how everything and everyone came to be. How shifters and werewolves co-existed and how the supernatural beings of the world operated. I felt like I was falling into a very well-established world.
This is not the first story of Ms Baxter's I've read. It will not be the last.

Bearing His Sins by Eve Langlais is the first book in the anthology. This is such a good book. Cole is an Assassin and he’s trying to decide if he wants to finish a job that was canceled. But before he can make that decision, he’s discovered! Now he has to decide whether to kill Anja. But wait! She’s his mate so he can’t just kill her. Now what is he to do? This was such a fun story to read. It’s hilarious and serious all at the same time. There’s a lot going on all the way to Russia. I absolutely loved this book.
Bought by the Bear by Milly Taiden is the second book. What a good book. Josie is raising her nephew and this is a really bad situation because she’s flat broke. Her ex-husband took everything from her, even her good reputation. So her good friend decides it’s time to help her. Shawna works for a company that helps shifters that need to hire a mate for some reason. She put Josie’s name in and it came up with a hit. With the money that she could make, she would be clear of debt. So now she’s on her way to a better life with this job being a fake mate to Xander. But a lot of things are happening fast. Some good and a lot not so good. This is such an exciting book. I really enjoyed reading it.
The Alpha and I by Kate Baxter is the last book. This was really enjoyable. Devon is driving home during a snow storm when she happens upon the body of a naked man. Well, that doesn’t happen very often. But being a Good Samaritan, she stops and drags him to the car and takes him home. Liam wakes up and tells her a really good tall tale about him being a werewolf which is different from being a shifter. Things just get more unbelievable from there. But the exciting things begin to happen. It’s a good short story and I enjoyed reading it. The only thing I had a problem with is they leave Devon’s dog, Mac, at home in a blizzard alone and that’s the last time he’s mentioned. I would have loved to hear that they went back and took care of him but that was the only thing that I felt was forgotten about. Other than that, this was a really good story. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book that I received from Net Galley.

Most of the authors in this short stories volume were relatively new to me. The stories in this volume did not appeal to me and in fact I skipped the last story entirely.

I am not a huge fan of short stories though sometimes if they are related to a series I'm enjoying I like to read them and to find new authors that I might enjoy reading. Unfortunately that did not happen in this case.

One of the things that I really love about anthologies is that you can get a quick feel for a new author or get a short story from a author you love to tide you over till their next book comes out. Either way, it works for me. Thanks Fur Last Night is part of three anthologies book coming out. I'm thinking each individual story is part of it's own three book series.

I've read two of the three authors and I will admit that out of the two I read I only liked one. Not that I let it stop me from really enjoying and getting into the full book. I planned on reading the author I liked, skipping the author I didn't care for before and reading the new to me author.

You know what they say about best laid plans and all that.

So I started with Bearing His Sin by Eve Langlais. I haven't before read here but have seen her books around and often thought about it. I have to say, this is the one that I really didn't like. I can't say I found one thing about the story enjoyable. I didn't care for the characters or even the whole idea of the story.

This didn't bond well for the rest of the book. I was really worried because I knew that out of the other two authors I only liked one.

Because I didn't care for the one Milly Taiden book I read I skipped her story and moved on to Kate Baxter's story next. I already had enough disappointment with the first story.

I ended up loving The Alpha and I by Kate Baxter. It was kinda a given since I already like her. The Alpha and I is a wonderful romance with a bit of a mystery in it. Or maybe it's more suspense. Either way, I really loved this story. Laim is hot and you are so happy that Devon has found him. Wait till you read how they met! This story sets you up to want more of this group.

So far I have one story I didn't care for and another that I loved. I already knew that I didn't care for Taiden from the one other book I read of hers and I was going to pass on her but then I thought about the fact that I'd be reading the next two books for only Baxter and decided to give Taiden's book a try. That thought made me feel better about agreeing to review this book.

Bought By the Bear by Milly Taiden turned out to be very enjoyable. Imagine my surprise when I started reading it and really enjoyed it. I really liked the idea of the story and the characters are funny, touching and there is so much love to go around. I am so glad that I read it and I can't wait for another installment.

As a whole I really enjoyed this book. Two out of three that I liked is pretty good odds.

Anthologies/novellas are always a challenge -- fitting a full complete story in half the pages without short changing or rushing either characters or plot. All 3 authors effectively used the "fated mate/instant love" troupe to help counteract this limitation.

Bearing His Sin (Eve's story) -- this is Eve at her very in your face, rough & tumble, no holds barred snarkiness, which is not for everyone but if its for you you will definately enjoy this story. It has good pacing for novella,interesting primary & secondary characters, plus couple surprise twists, it also contains rough humor & over top silly/goofiness 3-1/2*

Bought by the Bear (Milly's story) -- this was the weakest of the 3 for me. started good w/ an interesting premise, liked h/h and how relationship building however villain/heroine in danger plot in 2nd half detracted from the story, it was convoluted & didn't work, rather it felt like it was just put in there to add a sense of danger (that wasn't needed) and to force the h/h to admit their love (but just felt forced) better to have just stuck w/ grandma as being the catalyst to the HEA (she would have been more interesting and fun I think) 2*

The Alpha & I (Kate's story) -- This is the first I read by this author and will consider reading more by her. the overall story pacing was well handled (the ending a little rushed but satisfying all the same), the characters were interesting and the h/h were rounded out characters so you got a sense of who they are. She handled the confusion, fear, doubts, excitement & curiosity of Devon being suddenly brought into the paranormal world of which she had no idea existed well on both the h/h side of the story giving both the characters and story depth. 3*

Shape-shifter stories are quite popular today and I have recently been reading and reviewing shape-shifter romance. This book is a series of short stories of that genre by three different authors. I think that a book of this type is perfect to introduce the reader to this genre and new authors. Enjoyable stories make this book a good read to add to the list of expanding para-normal romance.

Thanks Fur Last Night by Eve Langlais will be available January 30, 2018 from St. Martin's Press. An egalley of this book was made available by the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

I requested this book for the Eve Langlais story, but I read all 3.

I enjoyed them all and look forward to reading the future stories that will come out.

Bearing His Sin - Eve Langlais
Bought by the Bear – Millie Taiden
The Alpha and I – Kate Baxter
3 authors I love but I have to say these stories missed big time.

This is a good selection of short stories that I enjoyed reading each one was a fun quick read that I read that I would read when I needed a break from the "holiday" crazies.