Reviewed by Kat
TITLE: Bear Creek Valentine
SERIES: Holiday Mates (Book 2)
AUTHOR: Alexander Elliott
PUBLISHER: 4th Ave Press
LENGTH: 369 pages
RELEASE DATE: February 24, 2023
BLURB:
Over a decade ago, bear shifter, Dash Hawthorn, tragically lost his mate near Valentine’s Day. Alone ever since, he shuns the lover’s holiday to keep his fragile heart from breaking. With a new business venture under construction near Bear Creek, Dash prepares to leave painful memories behind and embrace a different kind of life. He doesn’t know it will include an intriguing human his bear can’t resist.
Aiden Romero’s world revolved around Delicious, his popular downtown chocolate shop. While he loved most holidays, Valentine’s only reminded him that his desire for a shifter mate remained unfulfilled. When the town’s newest resident stops by the shop, their instant attraction begins a complicated romance neither man expected.
As their attraction grows, Delicious experiences a wave of attacks that leave Aiden shaken and his business at risk. Despite Dash’s inner doubts, he does everything possible to protect the human he knows is his mate. In the process, and with the help of Dash’s bear, they begin to see a future full of possibilities.
Can two lonely hearts overcome the past and embrace a new Valentine’s Day together? See what Cupid’s been up to in this hot and angsty romance with a guaranteed happy ending! (Book 2 of the Holiday Mates series. Contains steamy M/M content.)
REVIEW:
Aiden has lusted after Knox long enough. He’s actually happy for him and his mate Levi and they have become even closer friends. But being single, all alone, desiring to be with a bear shifter and no prospects in their quaint little town has left him longing and defeated. At least he has his shop Delicious to keep him so busy he doesn’t have time to be too sad. But it still hurts a bit seeing all the wonderful couples in town and knowing you don’t have that. That is until the mayor brings by the new benefactor that has decided to put to use his wealth and philanthropic work to help out Bear Creek. One sniff of Aiden and Dash is very confused. He’s already had his mate and Harv’s sudden death has left Dash devastated and depressed for ten years. So how can his bear be screaming “Mate” in his head?
I really, really loved this book. It continued nicely the story theme that came in the Christmas book that preceded it. And I highly recommend that you read these books in order. They both revolves around the entire town but each book highlights a specific individual couple and their struggles and successes as they reach their happily ever after! The author did a fabulous job building a believable universe where bear shifters and humans not only mingle and cohabitate in the tiny town of Bear Creek successfully but both can also find their mates from either shifters or humans. I love that he has the characters like Knox and Levi continuing to be featured in this book and interacting a lot with both Aiden and Dash.
I felt for both men. Poor Aiden being shunned by his homophobic family and all alone. He longs for what his friends have found. A mate to love him and to be tied to. Unfortunately it took a bit longer that he would have liked but was worth the wait. Plus the whole destroy Aiden was hard but his friends rallied to make sure he kept succeeding. And who wouldn’t feel heartbroken for Dash in what he endured. The loss of his mate Harv was senseless and devastating. Finding Aiden and falling for him was the perfect story line.
The only part that confused me a bit was that both men seemed so worried/concerned about their personal kink/desires before they wound up together. They did align perfectly so it wasn’t an issue. But the dominance and caring for factor seemed to switch directs. I know that Dash was older and much more wealthy. And the fact he lost his first mate would make him protective. Add in the targeting done to Aiden and that would have driven up his bear’s anxiety. But he seemed at least Raquel in dominance instead of what was portrayed as his eagerness to submit and Aiden’s to domineer.
I am so thankful I took a chance on this new-to-me author. He has blown me away with this amazing series and I can’t wait for more books. I am really hoping we get Leo and Ryder’s story next. Leo seems to be open to the idea and Ryder seems to be thawing to the relationship idea after watching is best friend get his much needed and hard earned HEA.
RATING: 
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