There’s nothing I love more than PNR and Derek and Bria hit the spot for me!
I enjoyed their chemistry and banter and got completely swept up in this story!
I loved the overall premise and the world building in this book is very good.
I really enjoyed how the main characters came together and the secondary characters made the story pop.

Looking forward to reading more books in this series.

Bria and Derek's story. Bria is an academic, seeking research into shifters, and Derek is a park ranger, and also happens to be a bear shifter. Parts of the story were good, but others not so much. The fight with the mountain lions added action, but the cave seemed off. Also, at times the book seemed to run on, and then rushed at the end. Would have liked to have seen more with the issues of her ex-boyfriend and her parents too, as it was mentioned. Still, even with this, I enjoyed the book enough to finish it, so would recommend. A quick summer read.

Bria was in a tent at Deep Creek National Park. Bria had a gun at her waist but it was more for mental security than anything. Coming back to Deep Creek is the biggest mistake of Bria's life.If Bria failed her career would be over she would be the laughing stock of the college and her peers. If she didn’t discover what she came for she had to discover something. Even worse her parents would be devastated if she made no impact on the academia. It seemed like all her parents cared about. Bria couldn’t take any more of her parents disdain and disappointment . Dr Robert Dane had been Bria’s boyfriend until he stole her research and published as his own. Then a man came upon Bria’s campsite He was looking for dead wood that he repurposed into furniture. He said he name was Derek Poole and he was also an off duty ranger. For some reason Derek felt familiar to Bria. she couldn’t let him or anyone interfere with her work as she had too much invested. Bria was a ursinologist which was someone who studies bears. This park ranger was hot and Bria was attracted to him but she came here to work. Derek was a planner and took things slowly that ways he had time to make decisions based on logic and details and not pure emotion. The Cave Of whispers had to be protected as Derek and all the bear shifters knew. Yet Derek was compelled to be near Bria and he was definitely attracted to Bria. Most any other campers wouldn’t have gotten more than a warning or maybe a ticket . Bria knew bear shifters existed she had seen a man and his child shift once when Bria was a child right here in this park. Derek figures out Bria is his mate. There is a war coming from the mountain lions as the lions wanted the bear territory for their own and wanted to claim it through war.
I liked this story. It was annoying though to keep being reminded that Bria must do something spectacular as she thought maybe then her parents would love her. I felt the ending was a little rushed also. But i did like Bria and Derek as a couple. I did like the struggle between Derek and his bear that isn’t usually shown that much in shifter stories. I liked the characters a lot as well as the ins and outs of this story and I recommend.

This book was just okay for me, although I admit it was far better than some of the other shifter books that I have read. Unlike those books, this author didn't paint a picture of everyone knowing and being okay with shifters existing. There was a general unknown about shifters and even Bria had doubts about shifters even acted in their human forms.

Some of the story lines seemed drawn out, while the ending felt incredibly rushed. Despite all her previous questions about shifters, Bria simply accepts Derek for who he is and gives up her entire life without asking any of those questions. Just once I want an author to go into detail about the crazy questions a human would have when someone stands before her and announces he is a shifter.

Not having read the first book in the series was not a detriment to the overall pull of this story. It was intense and intriguing, yet left me s bit on edge about Bria and her relationship with her parents. That aspect of the story left me feeling lost in her myopic focus on pleasing them. To me it wasn't necessary to the overall story itself because the fire between Bria and Derek was enough to carry the story. The secondary characters added an additional enjoyable element.

This book was provided by the Publisher and Netgalley, I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

Bria Lane knows that bear shifters exist. She has known since she was a small child, when she saw a man and small boy shift from human form to bears. Now she is in Deep Creek National Park on sabbatical to prove it. She is equipped with everything she needs to find her proof. After all she has been preparing for this her whole life. She will finally make her parents proud and prove her worth at the university. Then she meets park ranger Derek Poole and it all changes.

Derek is stunned when he comes across Bria camping in the woods. He finds himself drawn to everything about her and suspects that she is something more to him. As he sits with her at her campsite he tries to find out why she is in his park studying his bears. Finally she reveals what she is here for and his world tips. No one can ever know about the shifters. It will end his way of life and destroy his pack. Now he has to figure out how to stop her from finding out and telling the world when he is pretty sure she is his mate.

As the two get to know each other Derek hopes he will be able to trust her with his secret. Surely he can make her understand that she puts everyone in danger including herself. With a war brewing between all the shifters, he must try to keep her safe and hope that love is enough to keep her quiet.

Second book in the series and can be read stand alone. I have already purchased the first one in the series to read and I am looking forward to the next.

Not yet finished. Stopped at 48% - cannot connect with the heroine and can't get into the story.....