I Choose the Bear by Shiloh Walker
Format: eARC
Source: supplied by publisher via NetGalley
Formats available: ebook
Genres: paranormal romance, urban fantasy
Pages: 423
Published by Shiloh Walker Inc. on April 28, 2026
Purchasing Info: Author's Website, Publisher's Website, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Bookshop.org
Goodreads

Ivy thought she'd found one of the good ones, a nice guy who respected her wishes, the guy all of her friends liked...and then they head to his family's lake house for a night to watch for an expected meteor shower. But Neill had his own plans in mind and when Ivy said no, he didn't like it.

Enter the bear.

Jonah, on a hiking trip with his best friend, Liam, after the unexpected death of the clan's Alpha, and Jonah's grandfather, is enjoying the last few hours of freedom he'll know for some time. He's known for a long time he'll be stepping into his grandfather's shoes and with the countdown ticking away, he relishes the peace and quiet. But then it's shattered by the shouts of an angry, frightened woman. Both Liam and Jonah take off running to investigate.

Just as they reach the edge of the property, the woman shouts, "You're the reason why women choose the bear, Neill."

Now...Jonah abides by the laws governing supernaturals. He doesn't reveal himself to be a shapeshifter. But walking out there in his bear skin isn't really revealing himself. And predators deserve to be frightened, don't they?

And when he sees Ivy...his whole world is upended.

Now isn't the time for him to fall in love. He has a clan to care for, challenges to hold off.

But love doesn't believe in being convenient and Jonah and Ivy on are a collision course. Will she choose the bear...and will his bear choose her?

My Review:

I’m pretty sure that when women say they’d prefer to be alone in the woods with a bear rather than a man, they don’t expect the bear to shapeshift into one. On the other hand, they’d prefer that men didn’t shift into metaphorical bears – but that happens so damn often that it’s not even a surprise when they do. A disappointment, sure. But a surprise, not so much. At least the real bear is honest about their intentions.

And so is bear shifter Jonas Andersson, even if he can’t reveal his true nature when he rescues Ivy Cousins from the guy she thought was the perfect boyfriend. Right up until said douchecanoe  tried to maul her during what was supposed to be a nighttime drive to view the Perseid meteor shower. They’d been dating for five weeks, and Neill Brady had seemed better than okay. Listening to her, looking at her face instead of her rather impressive rack, interested in what she was thinking and not just her body. At least until he had her alone where he thought there’d be no one to hear her yell.

He didn’t expect her to stand up for herself. He didn’t expect her to fight him off. He certainly didn’t expect a BEAR to lumber to her rescue.

She chose the bear. She said it, out loud, where Jonas could hear her. And he was more than willing to make that choice the best decision she’d ever made. At least, once he figured out a way to tell her, not just that HE was the bear, but that he was THE bear, the mayor of the village of Bear Creek and the Alpha bear for the entire Mahoosuc den.

And that she was his mate. If he could get over his own fears about loving a short-lived human. If she could get past his initial deception. AND if they can manage to survive the separate, but equally deadly, threats that are headed straight for them both.

Escape Rating A-: I initially picked this book for its title. Because I’d pick the bear over some random guy who could go from zero to asshole in 30 seconds too. Ivy’s suddenly ex boyfriend had already performed that maneuver – making Ivy’s reasoning entirely clear and utterly justified. Because it happens all too often and all too easily in real life.

The story was a hoot and a half. A delightful reading pick-me-up. The romance is fun and flirty and takes a bit of its own sweet time in getting to the good parts in all the best ways, but what made the story so charming was the, well, charming, set up. (It also reminded me a bit of Anne Bishop’s World of the Others, also in the best ways – and with the underlying sense of humor.)

The village was also delightfully cozy in the way that the entire village is all in on matchmaking Jonas and Ivy, the way that the bear cubs are trying to be on their best behavior – and failing adorably – and the way that everyone is all in on both protecting Ivy’s safety AND helping her do her job. Which is promoting the artisans and craftworkers who are part of the Mahoosuc den and would love more outlets for their work.

It’s just a fun place and I hope this is the beginning of a series because I really want to go back!

At the same time, and of course, there has to be a crisis to spark the dramatic tension. (There’s already plenty of UST and romantic tension. That part was definitely covered – and happily uncovered!)

Both Jonas AND Ivy are facing HUGE existential crises that are threats to their lives. At the same time. Ivy’s bitter ex is stalking her with murderous intent. Meanwhile Jonas’s dad is planning to challenge him as Alpha. The challenge could be legit but dad is the type to bring a gun to a knife fight. Or to poison an opponent before a challenge. He fights dirty which is why he was passed over for Alpha in the first place.

Ivy is also questioning her identity, and those questions have become louder and more insistent since she came to Bear Creek. There’s a HUGE secret in her past hidden inside her memories, and it’s breaking free.

Both of their worlds have the potential to come crashing down. AND they’re two-steps-forward, one-step-back on a relationship that already has fundamental issues because shifters live for centuries and humans just plain don’t.

It’s a LOT. It all crashes down on them at the same time and makes a fundamental change to Ivy’s nature while opening up as many of Pandora’s Boxes as it answers questions. I loved Bear Creek and the bears. I enjoyed the way their romance worked out, the way they worked through their personal issues and conflicts to make a solid partnership.

The ending was a bit like an old Wild West gunfight at the center of town. Or something climactic and explosive with bodies on the ground. At least, the right bodies, but still. The new stuff Ivy will have to deal with is truly epic. She’s not who or what she thought she was and that’s going to be messing with her for a long time after the last page.

A part of me LOVED the slam-bang ending, and a part of me wished a bit of the fire had been saved for a future story – hoping that there is one – because this felt like a bit of a deus ex machina not totally earned climax – although the romantic HEA certainly was.

This book certainly carried me the rest of the way out of last week’s reading slump, so I’m VERY happy I chose the bear. I’d love to go back and choose another bear – or another kind of shifter – in a return visit to Bear Creek. Fingers crossed!

(Reviewer’s Note: The blurb refers to “Jonah” but the text I have in hand calls him “Jonas”. Admittedly, I have an eARC so I don’t know which is correct. I’d appreciate it if someone with a print copy would let me know. Thanks!)