Bear's Midlife Matchmaker

Shifter Nation: Fated Over Forty

By: Meg Ripley

Narrated by: D.C. Cole

"I just couldn’t see myself in a relationship with anyone here. Except you."

Those are the last words I expected to hear that night. After a failed marriage and sending my twins off to college, it was finally time to put myself first. I stepped way outside of my comfort zone and moved my relationship therapy practice up north. To help get my name out there, I hosted a speed dating event from my new home office, just in time for Valentine’s Day. But I never thought I’d be struck by Cupid’s arrow myself.

When a rugged stranger with soulful eyes showed up and asked me to take a round with him, I soon learned just how good this carpenter is with his hands. But there’s another side of Pax unlike anything I’ve seen. At the risk of sounding certifiably insane, when I was attacked by a client, Pax changed from the man I’d come to love to a snarling, ferocious bear.

He may have saved me from that fate, but now, who will save me from him?

Steamy shifter love scenes and an HEA inside! No cheating or cliffhanger in this stand-alone romance. Listeners 18+.

©2022 Meg Ripley (P)2023 Meg Ripley

"James Thompson wasn’t much of a talker,..."

"James Thompson wasn’t much of a talker, so if he did open his mouth, the others would listen. But would they understand?"

It's a toss up which Pax notices first, Carrie, or the woodwork in her home, but either way, his eye has been caught and he's interested in spending more time with them.

Carrie is establishing a new business in a tight knit community, that's hard enough, but the self-doubt her ex-husband planted in her mind is egged on at the most unfortunate times by misunderstandings, and some good old fashioned local secrets.

This done in one story was incredibly satisfying, containing more story/plot and character moments than I expected, all well paced.

So often stories about trust issues focus on trusting others, and there is some of that here, but add in the self-doubt / struggling to trust yourself at times and the story gets really interesting.

Captivating, Steamy and Dangerous

Bear's Midlife Matchmaker by Meg Ripley is a captivating shifter romance novel that brings a mature touch to the genre with its characters over 40. With a mix of real-life experience and shifter magic, this book is an enthralling read that explores themes such as divorce, dating as an older adult, speed dating, Steam, and an interconnected universe with past books in the series. Whether you enjoy standalone books or the series as a whole, this book will keep you engaged with its intense moments of drama that lead to a satisfying HEA.

Finding Love

The third book in the Shifter Nation: Fated Over Forty series another well written story that held my interest until the end. Carrie a human hosted a speed dating event from her new home office, just in time for Valentine’s Day, she meets bear shifter Pax. I enjoyed seeing their story come together with all its ups and downs. D.C. Cole does a very good narration of this story. I hope more stories in this series are put in to Audible.

Shifters

Loved the story. Liked the narrator but not so much for the female voices. The story has heat and a mystery to solve and some action. I think I would like the book better but I am interested in the rest of the series.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Good

I enjoyed this book. I've listened to the previous books on audio. I liked that Carrie and Pax met at a speed dating event that she held (and that she was a relationship therapist). Their attraction to each other was immediate. He wasn't connecting with anyone there (except her), and she couldn't take her eyes off him. I liked Carrie's personality and that she was willing to take risks. As with the previous books, D.C. Cole narrated this one as well and did a good job.

Overall: 4 stars
Performance: 4 stars
Story: 4 stars

Awesome Bear Shifter Romance

This is a great paranormal bear shifter romance. I enjoyed this audio version; it made the characters come alive with the narration, it is steamy, entertaining, romantic with a great hero and heroine.
I love reading/listening about sexy big bad cuddly bear shifters and that is what the hero Pax is. Pax wants a mate so when he attends a speed dating event he sets his sites on the organizer Carrie who is a relationship therapist. The two have a sizzling, passionate night together and neither can seem to keep the other off their mind. The more time the two spend together Pax realized that Carrie is his fated mate.

Can Pax the sexy big cuddly bear shifter find love in a human relationship therapist, how will Carrie take it when she finds out that Pax is a bear shifter, will it make or break their relationship?

I received an ARC via Booksprout and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

First Time Audio Read

I’m usually an avid book reader. Love having the book physically in my hand, so it was definitely interesting for me to have an audible only book to review. It was definitely a new experience, but enjoyable none the less. To hear the inflection in voices and, just hearing the voices reading the book in general, created a new world for the book. It was a new experience, to say the least. Good character dynamic and storytelling.

My bear

A sweet love story with a couple o twists. To accept another person with all the different is not easy.

Carrie and Pax

I read this book before I listened to it, I have to say that I liked the eBook but loved the audio version even more. The narration by D C Cole lifted the story and gave it something extra.

The storyline is all about acceptance, overcoming doubts and believing in yourself. Carrie and Pax both had issues to work through. Carrie's are the understandable ones faced by any woman when she comes through a divorce and has to start again. She also has the insecurities faced by any woman who has given birth and the changes that inevitably bring to one's body. Pax is plagued by doubts about the difficulties being in a relationship with a human can bring and wonders if Carrie will be able to accept him as he is.

I loved the way they actually talked and accepted help from the pack - no man is an island and even as a couple when you need help you should accept it gladly, especially as the clan's relationship therapist was happy to help.

Pax and Carrie

liked the story line. action packed. They are bear shifters. she is a therapist. Pax felt attraction from a previous story and they got their own fears and drama to overcome. Pax's bear knew better than he what an adventure they were in for. good audio.