Thank you to Berkley Publishing for the advanced reader copy and to PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

Darcy meets Teagan when he and his sister show up at the rehab retreat where she works in Montana. And their first interaction is her saving him from a bear. When he needs to return to his job in New York, he doesn't want to leave Darcy behind. So he hires her as a sober companion, even though he was dealing with panic attacks, not addiction.

This is a really tough book for me to review. I greatly appreciate seeing books that delve into topics of depression. But this felt like it showed too much of the stigma and not enough of what recovery entails. I would have liked to see more therapy without it being derided. And this was all exacerbated by a lot of miscommunication.

I liked both characters, enjoyed the plot around his charity, and loved the background in Montana. But this didn't quite meet my expectations. I think it could have done so much more with the plot to really help people.

3.5 stars rounded up

✨ Book Review ✨

A big thank you to @berkleyromance @netgalley for the #gifted ARC #BearWithMeNow !! Available 4/25!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Bear With Me Now by Katie Shepard

An aspiring park ranger and a charitable foundation executive cross paths at a wilderness retreat altering the course of both their lives.

What it has to offer:

💋 Romance
❤️‍🔥 Slow Burn
💖 Friends to Lovers
🏞️ Wildlife

Quick thoughts:

✨ Loved the characterizations.
✨ Fun wildlife scenes.
✨ Cute, flirty moments.
✨ Funny miscommunication.

Overall thoughts:

📝 I thought the story flowed at a nice pace. The chapters were a good length. All the tropes in play really worked well together.

💋 This was a mildly spicy romance where the temperature slowly heats up. I thought the characters had tons of chemistry. I loved the dynamic of their relationship where he’s the more reserved one and she’s more upfront.

❤️‍🔥 This is definitely a slow burn but the progression didn’t drag out. It moved at the perfect pace.

💖 I loved the friends to lovers relationship that played out. The will we, won’t we internal monologue for each character was executed so well. It was just the right amount of tortured longing, in no way overdone.

🏞️ There were a few fun wildlife moments that peaked my interest. There were some moments of reflection on environmentalism that were interesting.

💔 I enjoyed the first half of the book more than the second. The second half felt a bit disjointed from the first.

💜 My favorite part was the way the miscommunication trope was used in a way that actually made me laugh instead of frustrated. I still wanted them to get on the same page but it didn’t irritate me the entire time that they weren’t.

If you’re looking for a light read then give this one a try!

'Bear With Me Now' is a good read. There's a lot of discussions on heavy topics like panic disorders, alcoholism, addiction and recovery, and generational trauma. The characters, especially Darcy, are witty and intelligent and seem to have good hearts. The romance is sweet and sexy. I enjoyed it!

What keeps this a 3 star is the miscommunication. When it works it works! But it doesn't work here. Almost the majority of the book, Darcy thinks Teagan is an alcoholic and works diligently to address it for ultimately no reason as Teagan is not an alcoholic. It seemed to frame panic disorders as being more shameful than alcoholism, at least in Teagan's mind? I was just a bit confused as to why it was a big deal at all which made me not really care about the "reveal". I was a little bit annoyed by it in the end. Perhaps it was just to get Darcy to New York, which I get, but it was clumsy and seemed to serve no real purpose the longer the charade went on.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review

BEAR WITH ME NOW – Katie Shepard
Berkley
ISBN: 978-0593549292
April 25, 2023
Romantic Comedy

Montana & New York City – Present Day

Teagan Van Zijl and his younger sister Sloane are in a wilderness therapy facility in Montana, and they are both like fish out of water. Everyone at the facility thinks Teagan is there due to alcoholism, but his issue is the panic attacks that threatened to ruin his life. Darcy Albano is one of the employees there, and one day while outside, she hears Teagan screaming. He accidentally stumbled onto a bear and got injured in the process. While Darcy reprimands Teagan for going off the hiking path and not following orders, she does assist him in getting patched up. During this time, she starts to be intrigued by the man—and the feeling is mutual. Yet, as much as they start to like each other, the more apparent are their differences. When Teagan learns there are people in his New York City office who may try to ruin his family’s nonprofit charity, he needs to return. He hires Darcy to be his sober companion. Darcy still thinks Teagan’s issue is alcoholism, so how soon will she find out the real reason he is in need of someone to help him?

BEAR WITH ME NOW is a quirky tale with quirky characters that will have readers chuckling several times. Sloane dragged Teagan to the facility in rural Montana after he experienced another panic attack. The place specializes in treating alcohol and drug addiction, which is not what happened to Teagan. He doesn’t say anything because he cares for his sister, who does in fact suffer from an alcohol addiction. The food is healthy—and Teagan can barely stomach it—but he soldiers on. After the bear attack and getting to know Darcy, he learns that she is a nature lover who wants to be a park ranger. Alas, she needs a college degree and is having problems getting those final credits to graduate from the online school. Teagan tries to help her, which she reluctantly accepts. As they banter back and forth, it’s clear to readers that they are heading for something more than friendship.

This tale starts out first in Montana, but then shifts to New York City. Just as Teagan felt out of place in Montana, Darcy isn’t sure how to act in New York, especially when she accompanies him to work. After all, her jean shorts don’t fit in well with the people outfitted in power suits. Throughout BEAR WITH ME NOW, readers see how Teagan and Darcy feel being in situations foreign to what they’re used to. By the end of the book, will they be together romantically? If so, where will they live? She loves Montana and the rustic life. Teagan was born and raised in New York City. Their preferred lifestyles are opposite of each other, yet they need one another.

A cute tale that will tickle your funny bone, don’t miss BEAR WITH ME NOW.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

This is a tough one for me. On one hand, I really enjoyed the story and the dynamic between Teagan and Darcy. On the other, there are some major blurred lines and questionable ethics to contend with.

Teagan is one of my new favorite dandelion boys (albeit with a panic disorder, so actually not too far off from Peeta). Just the SWEETEST at his core. He read as the perfect balance to Darcy’s particular brand of chaos. So all in all, I like the romance of the book.

But then we get into the gray areas. I know it’s a misunderstanding, but Teagan goes along with the farce that he’s a recovering alcoholic. And then Darcy, with NO qualifications, experience, or professional training, becomes his full-time sober companion to help him through his “recovery.” ???? As much as I enjoyed the other aspects of the book, I just couldn’t shake the little bit of ick at this whole situation.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Berkley for the gifted e-book ❤️

Check triggers *

Read if you like: Dual POV, mental health representation, coworkers

There are lots of heavy topics woven within this romance book. I liked that. It was mostly well done, but there were some cringey moments. It was FAR too long for a contemporary romance, which led to a lot of slower parts. Darcy wasn't the mostly likable. There is A LOT of lying done for no real reason. She literally brushes off things he says like he's lying when he isn't. The sober companion thing threw me off. There are so many unprofessional parts in this. There were some charming and funny parts. This had potential, but overall, it was a miss for me.

Bear With Me Now By Katie Shepard was not at all the book I was expecting. I thought the book primarily took place at a retreat center. Wrong.

I wanted to love this book, but I didn’t. I think I really struggled with the fact that the MMC was pretending to have a substance issue when he didn’t, because he was too “embarrassed” about his anxiety. Yes, lessons are learned and growth occurs, but the element of deception in this novel didn’t sit well with me.

I know people often wear masks to hide layers of themselves from the world. The fact that the MMC felt guilty, but proceeded with the lie at each juncture is where i really felt some type of way.

I also walked into this hoping for a city escape novel. I got that in part during the first third of the book, which is probably my favorite part. I ill admit the frequency of cute animals and the way the MFC was crafted were to elements I particularly enjoyed.

Thank you very much @netgalley for the #gifted copy of the book! While this wasn’t the one for me, I am sure I know some avid readers will enjoy it!

I had a great time with this book! After finding himself in the hospital for panic attacks, Teagan is talked into going to a wilderness rehab by his sister, Sloane, who also is attending. Teagan has no desire to attend of the activities so he spends his day working alongside Darcy. Darcy and Teagan soon form a bond and I thought that there were good for each other.

I really liked Darcy and Teagan. They had fantastic chemistry together and really seemed to be meant for each other if they could each figure out their individual issues. The story did have a bit of a different feel during the second half of the book but I found it equally enjoyable. I did wish that they would have been more honest and listened to each other a little better but they did eventually learn and I enjoyed seeing the growth of their characters.

I listened to the audiobook and thought that Savannah Peachwood did a fantastic job with the audio. I found the narrator’s voice to be very pleasant and I loved the fact that she was able to bring this cast of characters to life. I thought that she did a great job with both the male and female characters’ voices. I do believe that the narrator’s performance added to my enjoyment of the story.

I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a fun story filled with great characters that I wanted to see find a way to a forever together. I do hope to read more of this author’s work in the future.

I received a review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group and Penguin Random House Audio.

I’ll first begin with the positive aspects of the novel. The writer I think did a great effort to describe the importance of mental health through Teagan’s character. Second, I love the characters in Montana. The novel starts with an excellent pace and I really enjoyed it through several pages.

But as the story progresses further, there is unnecessary explanation. That’s why the plot seems too dragged. Next I didn’t like Darcy’s character. She is extra rude towards everyone.

In the end, I think this book isn’t for me.

I was excited for this novel after I heard Ali Hazelwood praising it. But honestly it turned out to be a disappointing book for me.

I'd like to formally apologize to the bear for thinking it was going to be a more important part of the story and not just misunderstood like the lack of communication that was found within. I was hoping for some more comedic elements to bring this rounded out, but unfortunately, it fell flat for me.

“Disappointment always hurt worse than brutal honesty would have.”

This was a cute, albeit slightly disjointed story for me. You have a wealthy brother and sister taking a much needed break out west at what is supposed to be rehab but they’re using it as more of a vacation retreat.

Enter Darcy. A feisty worker at the facility who takes Teagan under her wing by throwing him into nature and spewing out random facts about animals. She was my favorite by far! Unapologetic and not afraid to ask for what she wants (even in the sex department), she was like a breath of fresh air.

I struggled with Teagan not just fessing up to Darcy about having a panic disorder and not alcoholism, and the big reveal of said disorder was a little anticlimactic for me. There is also this undercurrent of the Manhattan elite and their shady dealings. Overall it was an enjoyable read but I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more if it leaned more towards the romance. Because those sex scenes were HOT and I loved Darcy and Teagan together.

“My family tree forks a lot. Too much extramarital forking, you know?” 😂😂

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley, Berkley Publishing, and the author for the ARC.

I enjoyed this story for what it was, but it was nothing memorable. I think if you are looking for an unique story that handles heavy content with sensitivity, this is the book for you. Thank you to Berkeley, Netgalley, and the Katie Shepard for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of this book!

I found a lot of things I liked about this book. I liked the characters, the unique storyline, and the pacing of the book. It was a pretty quick read, and I found myself wanting to know what happened after each chapter ended. I also found the author's sensitivity towards difficult topics rather comforting; there were several trigger warnings at the beginning of the book, but I didn't feel uncomfortable reading about those topics. I think this is a testament to how the author handled the topics.

While I liked this one, I don't think I'll be re-reading it or buying it for my shelves. I did like it, but I didn't love it. There are a lot of fun elements, but I thought the story was a bit of a strange mashup of tropes at certain points.

Still fun, though! And still something I would encourage you to read for yourself because the characters are enjoyable and relatable.

Rating: 3 stars

Loved this book and appreciated how it depicted realistic image of mental health. Katie Shepard created complex characters with heart and soul, so real you felt that you knew these people.

This was a fun light hearted book, even if it did deal with some hard topics. Teagan is taken to "rehab" by his sister Sloane, who thinks he needs a break after he ends up in the hospital from stress and just working too hard. When she confesses it is her that needs rehab and she wants him to stay with her, he relents and decides to take some time off.
While he is at this wilderness rehab, he meets Darcy. She is basically the handiman, but does a plethora of other things her job description doesn't say as well. She saves Teagan from a bear attack and immediately the two are drawn together. Teagan feels better than he has in as long as he can remember, and he has Darcy to thank. So when work calls him back to the city, he takes Darcy along to help him.
I will be honest, I didn't understand why Teagan ever lied to anyone and why he didn't tell the truth about his conditions. I know mental illness, anxiety/depression, can be taboo, but alcoholism is also not a great thing to lie about. He uses the fact that his mother was a alcoholic to say "yes, I am just like my mother", when in truth, he is nothing like her. He is trying to keep her foundation afloat and it is clear he is not right for the job. He is floundering in pretty much all aspects of his life. Lying to the girl he is falling for, failing at work and treating his sister like she is still a child. I am glad at the end he was able to see exactly what he was doing.
I felt I couldn't relate much to either of the lead characters so it was hard for me to get into this book after the initial meet cute. I understand this was a debut so I am interested to see what the author writes next and how her characters evolve.
CW: Depression, panic attacks, death of a parent
Thank you to Berkley, Netgalley and Kaite Shephard for an early copy.

Thanks to Chelsea at Berkley; this title wasn't one I would have chosen for myself, unfortunately, and I waver between 2 stars for plot and maybe 3.5 for the odd redeeming line of dialogue or funny thing Darcy does. We'll say it evens out to 3 stars.

So, I think the whole gist of this plot was kind of a headscratcher to begin with. I guess I simply don't know why you wouldn't admit to a panic disorder, particularly to a stranger in a far-off seasonal resort whom you don't need to see again, and instead let a misconstrual of your problem go so far. Alcoholism is triggering to me personally, so this probably wasn't the best book for me first off; to lie about it and let Darcy carry on for literally 87 percent of the plot as an earnest sober companion was upsetting, to say the least.

The book is quite dense for a contemporary romance, unfortunately prolonging my frustrations. I honestly don't know where it all came from, Teagan's inner thought narration perhaps, and I started skimming.

As likable as Teagan was, a soft, skinny tall boy with severe anxiety issues, he was also a wealthy, white Manhattan resident, and I could only connect so much with him, besides the aforementioned issues. Darcy was a funny character, adorably invested in her wildlife studies, quoting random facts and advice throughout. I found her dialogue one of the best parts of the book, her bluntness and pragmatism endearing.

The sex and other intimacy scenes were great, and I enjoyed how creative their first sex scene was, given that Teagan's prescription had some adverse libido effects. The treatment of his mental health issues was done well besides the obvious problems I had with the charade part of things.

But a book with a few good parts interspersed with much less enjoyable parts is just that. I hope this book finds its reader niche.

Quick Stats
Age Rating: 18+
Spice Level: 2/5
Over All: 2.5 stars
Plot: 2.5/5
Characters: 3/5
Setting: 3/5
Writing: 3/5
Representation: 1/5

Special thanks to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for an eARC of this book! All thoughts and opinions reflected in this review are my own.

I really wanted to like this book. Largely because the author’s name is Katie Shepard, which is my cousin’s name (or it was, before she got married). Also it has disability rep! What else could you ask for?
A lot, apparently.
The characters had no depth, no personality, and no chemistry. The story didn’t really go anywhere, and the entire premise… did not work for me.
Darcy and Teagan meet at rehab, where she is the groundskeeper and he is an inpatient. He’s there because, for some reason, his sister decided to drag him to rehab for drug addiction and alcoholism to treat a panic disorder. So, Darcy thinks he’s an alcoholic. And when he has to leave early, she decides to go with him and be his sober companion while he lies about being an alcoholic. Also while they sleep together and have a romantic relationship. What.
They do touch on the potentially ethical dilemma of SC screwing her recovering alcoholic for about a sentence, but decide it’s fine because “she’s not his sponsor or his therapist.” Wrong. Also they don’t consider the quite obvious negative effects that would have on his purported recovery if their relationship went south. Like, I get he’s not actually an alcoholic, but Darcy thinks he is. But I digress.
Anyway, they decide this is totally a great idea! And Teagan decides to just, lie to her indefinitely without getting any help for his actual mental health issue. Also he goes off his meds without talking to a doctor because they’re giving him ED, which Darcy has no problem with him doing. And aside from a single comment from his sister of “you did WHAT?!” it’s never condemned as a dumbass thing to do.
You know what other stupid thing is prevalent throughout the book and never condemned? The comparison of addiction and panic disorders, as in panic disorders are worse to have than addiction. Teagan has multiple internal monologues about how it would’ve been easier to have an addiction, because he could just not drink, but his panic disorder is a part of his brain chemistry and he’ll have to live with that forever. That’s not how addiction works and that entire thought process is fucked on so many levels. So many. Similarly, when talking to his sister about her own potential addiction, Teagan tells her she just has to decide to do better and go to rehab, as if it’s that easy. Darcy’s thought process about the whole thing seems nontoxic, but this aspect is never addressed from her POV, and it’s never condemned in the novel.
None of this worked for me, and I’m beyond disappointed that that’s the case. But even outside of the rep, I simply did not care about the characters, the setting, the world. It all felt underdeveloped. While these things weren’t terrible, I’m not sure I could call them good, either. I can’t say I recommend this book, nor do I intend to pick up any of this author’s future work.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5/5 stars

Bear With Me Now is a sensitive, sweet romance that tackles many issues, while still providing plenty of swoonworthy moments. Teagan is forced into a wilderness therapy retreat by his sister after suffering from panic attacks for two years following his mother’s death. At the retreat, Teagan has a run-in with a bear and is saved by the program’s handywoman, Darcy. After spending the summer together, Teagan finds a way to keep Darcy with him by hiring her to be his sober companion. He leaves out that he created this job solely to keep her close to him. What will happen when Darcy finds out?

I appreciated how likable and layered all of the characters were, but overall, the romance didn’t grab me like I want it to. Loved the meet cute, but I wanted a bit more from the third act. Overall, I really enjoyed this romcom and look forward to seeing what the author writes next.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have mixed feelings about this debut romance about two lost people trying to figure life out and finding solace in each other. The meet disaster in this book was top notch (who can beat being rescued by a woman from a bear??). When Darcy saves Teagan during his stay at a wilderness therapy retreat in Montana the two hit it off and Teagan ends up offering Darcy a job as his 'sober companion' back in the real world.

What he doesn't tell Darcy is that he's NOT an alcoholic (though his mother was). Instead, he suffers from extreme anxiety and panic attacks and was hospitalized in the past because of it. Darcy too is floundering from not having finished her degree, largely in part to having undiagnosed dyslexia.

Together in the city Darcy and Teagan grow closer while also realizing Teagan's sister, Sloane, needs serious rehab help herself. Sloane is a fun character that reminded me a lot of Alexis from Schitt's Creek. Where this book lost a star rating from me was the miscommunication and lying Teagan does about his true condition. I didn't love that he hid what was really going on from Darcy.

Overall though the disability and mental health rep in this book was excellent, Darcy is a kick ass female main character and the whole premise was unique and fresh. The narration by Savannah Peachwood was also well done and I would definitely read the next book this author writes. Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and @prhaudio for complimentary digital copies in exchange for my honest review!

This started strong and finished in a big, confusing, ethically questionable mess. The first 40% or so where they’re in Montana at the rehab facility was pretty good. But as soon as Teagan started actively lying to everyone about being an alcoholic* so that Darcy could come with him to New York as his sober companion, things fell apart. (*Not a spoiler as it’s clear at the beginning of the book that he’s not an addict, but ends up with his sister at rehab for Reasons.)

My biggest problem with this book is the unethical behavior by almost everyone. Teagan lies about his dependencies to get Darcy to leave her job and go home with him. Darcy has no training or qualifications to be a sober companion, and her very first act in her new job is to initiate sex with her charge/employer/addict in recovery (she thinks). The book treats this like a very romantic thing to do. There’s more but you get the idea.

Plotlines are introduced and abandoned with frequency. They have money trouble! No, wait, they’re still super rich. Someone lies about something very important! No big deal. Actual theft! Cute anecdote. Darcy needs a job! She doesn’t seem to care enough to pick one. Teagan needs mood stabilizing medication! He can just stop taking it with no ill effects.

This had a lot of potential but I was so disappointed in the execution. It’s the author’s debut novel, so maybe with the right editor for future books, things will improve. She’s a great writer and there were some very funny moments. But it wasn’t enough to save the terrible plot and morally bankrupt people.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.