Shelly Laurenston – Bear meets Girl

The seventh book in the Pride series, published April 1, 2012.



He's big, burly, and way smarter than your average shapeshifting bear. He's also about to get trapped by own his game. . .
Lou Crushek is a reasonable, mellow, easygoing kind of guy. But once someone starts killing the scumbags he works so hard to bust, that really gets under his fur. Especially when that someone is a curvy she-tiger with a skill set that's turning Crush's lone-bear world upside down--and bringing his passion out of hibernation. . .
As a member of an elite feline protection unit, Marcella Malone has no problem body-dropping anyone who hunts her kind. But Crush is proving one major pain in her gorgeous tail. The only reason she's joined forces with him is to track down the wealthy human who's got her entire species in his ruthless sights. It sure isn't because Crush's stubborn and contrary attitude is rubbing Cella in all the right ways. . .


The story starts when polar bear shifter Lou Chrushek (Crash) wakes up after a party with too many Jell-O shots with an equally naked female feline shifter on top of him. He sure does not make a habit of sleeping with people he doesn’t know. And when she explains in a very strange and roundabout way that she preferred using him as a pillow instead of sleeping with someone else, he gets even grumpier. But when Crush thinks that is the last he will see of that female, he is sorely mistaken.
He is being transferred from the “normal” police department, to the shifter department. And he is not happy with that. As a bear, he doesn’t like change. The pay is a lot better, but the work is not in his opinion. He liked being an undercover cop, and the shifter division hardly does any investigation. They just kill a lot. And when he gets surprised by the feline again, who literally throws herself in his lab, claiming him to be her new boyfriend, he is out of his league. If only he could just throw her off, but he cannot treat a female like that. Not even a clearly deranged one.
Crush is a major ice hockey fan, and he absolutely loves the home team, the Carnivores. He knows everything there is to know about all the players, the previous players, and the scores. And when he finds out that the woman who has been tormenting him, is one of their star players, he is totally flabbergasted. But when she introduces him to her father, who is his main hero, Crush doesn’t know what to do. Talk about hero-worship! And then there is the currant star player, Novikov, who is treating him like a friend. Just because his girlfriend likes Crush and got him a haircut?

And then Della needs a favor, her aunts are trying to matchmake her with one of her distant cousins. Her daughter is turning 18 soon, and she really needs a mate. They will not be dissuaded from this, so she needs to bring a boyfriend home asap! And the only one she can think of, is Crush. To his own surprise, he agrees. Especially as her best friend and the team doctor is with her, explaining things to him, and of course, the risk to the team if Della is off her game … He will be her pretend boyfriend, going to a birthday party and a wedding with her. And of course to the games!
Della really starts to really like this quiet and stodgy bear. He even has a little bulldog as a pet! Even though he claims he is only fostering Lola till he finds her a good home, with children. He is loyal and dependable, and so very strong. Hmm all those muscles ….


My best friend has been after me to read those books for years now, but it was not until I read all of the raving reviews about this specific book and the blurb, that I caved. And I am not sorry. Bear meets Girl is a fun book, with a special hero and heroine. I have not read the previous books, and I had no problem at all with following the story lines. But I do think I will read some others, especially the one about Dee-Ann. I really liked her. So Freya, thank you for lending me your copy of this book.

The relationship between Della and Crush is totally believable and kind of sweet. I was amazed that their first love scene took so long, and I really do appreciate that. They had time to get to know each other, and not just act on their hormones. Two total opposites, a bear and a tiger, a quiet man and a cop who likes order, and a whirlwind of a woman, who is also an enforcer for the team and a sometimes hired killer.
And ofcourse, there are many secondary characters I really liked and enjoyed and who made the book fun. Still, the story lines were good, and there was some action and suspense. I really do think this series will become auto-read for me.

8 stars.