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Husband Fur Hire

(Bears Fur Hire #1)

T.S. Joyce (Goodreads Author)

4.12 · Rating details · 3,463 ratings · 253 reviews

Elyse Abram is desperate. On the wrong side of a relationship with a man who has lost his mind, she’s making big changes, starting with being utterly done with love. But life on her Alaskan homestead is too hard to handle alone, so she’s got a plan. Hire a husband. No romance, no emotions, just a marriage certificate that will tie an able-bodied man to her. But when a stra ...more

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Kindle Edition, 239 pages

Published October 24th 2015 by Wicked Willow Press

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Oct 14, 2016 Val ⚓️ Shameless Non-Snowflake ⚓️ rated it really liked it

Shelves: shifters, 4-stars, favorite-couple, marriage-of-convenience-ish, alpha-male, paranormal

4 Alaskan Grizzly Shifter Stars

So I'm about a week or so late in reviewing this.

And before I get started, I should probably just go ahead and call myself out by saying:

This "review" is going to suck.

HARD.

I have been feeling very, VERY lazy lately.

I think I did too much "socializing" last weekend.
And now my introvert ass is in recovery mode.

description

For realz though.

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#TRUTH

Book reviewing has also seemed to fall under the category of "things that require too much effort for Val to tackle" this week. ...more

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Nov 02, 2015 Hollie rated it liked it

Shelves: ya-fantasy, romance, hot-paranormal, alpha-male, insta-love, depressing, kindle-unlimited

~2.5 stars~

I am a huge fan of this writer, but this one just wasn’t for me. It was still an ok read, but nothing overly memorable. I did like the storyline for the most part, but certain aspects kept me from truly enjoying this read. First of all, I feel like the heroine got a really shitty deal in all this. Yes, she finds this sexy shifter who seems almost perfect but here is my deal breaker...........the hero hibernates 6 months out of the year. That just seems extreme to me. So the 6 months h ...more

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Apr 17, 2016 Denisa rated it liked it

Shelves: cute, relaxing, romance, shorter-than-usual, better-than-i-expected, interesting, fun, uf-or-paranormal

3.5 This book for me?

You know that feeling when you're not really in the mood to read anything yet you want to read something? Well, this book is perfect for that.

It's cute and fast-paced, the characters are really nice and there are fun moments that make you laugh or at least smile. The writing style is absolutely great, but I've read this author before and I've come to expect this from her.

Plus, I found a new element, and that's really something! It's so rare to find something new in a shifte ...more

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Sep 18, 2016 ~*~Princess Nhya~*~ rated it it was amazing

The absolute Best Bear Shifter story I've EVER read!

Seriously, I was about to give up on the Bear Shifter stories. Every one I've attempted to read has always been just beyond horrible, or too cheesy/fluffy for my taste. Or simply just not enough of anything to hold my attention.

This book has renewed my faith that there are authors out there talented enough to write a gripping pulse pounding, heart jumping and intriguing story. One that's sexy and romantic with an abundance of heart. And such r ...more

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Oct 16, 2016 Monty Cupcake ☠ Queen of Bloodshed ☠ rated it liked it

Shelves: paranormal, 2016, werewolves-shifters

Sweet. A story of surviving on a homestead in the Alaskan wilderness. I liked it, especially because of how sweet Ian is, but living on the frontier kind of books are not my thing.

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Nov 13, 2016 Gwen (The Gwendolyn Reading Method) rated it really liked it

Shelves: best-romance

UPDATE
Reread this for book club and knowing what was coming made it a little less over-the-top for me and thus slightly less enjoyable, but, still, just a wonderfully, fun example of this genre!

ORIGINAL REVIEW
This has everything I like about a good ridiculously titled book. Over-the-top heart-string-tugging hard-knock tales (double check), characters that manage to be more than just a collection of sad backstory plot points (double check), and, of course, a horrifically punny title (ALL THE CHE ...more

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Sep 19, 2016 Ivy Deluca rated it really liked it

-Different setup for bear shifters (genuine hibernation by the hero isn’t something that I expected) was the distinguishing feature of this book. I really enjoyed that it went to the extreme making the hero so like an actual bear that it affected his body, his family relationships, every aspect of his life. It was unusual and stands out from my usual shifter reads.

-Felt as if it were taking place in 1816, not 2016 though, especially when it comes to communication. Then again, I’ve had a fascinat ...more

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Sep 29, 2016 Malinda rated it liked it

Shelves: pov-mixed, amazon-kindle-book, mistaken-identity, sexual-mf, paranormal-shifters, arrangement-leads-to-love, job-pilot

3-3.5 stars

**Fair warning - I let a spoiler out...mainly having to do with Ian being a bear-shifter and the unusual way that affects the MC's HEA**

This was a good story overall. I liked both Elyse and Ian and their story was enjoyable. This is the first story I've read by this author and I liked it well enough that I would consider trying more of her work in the future.

Elyse is a woman that owns a homestead in Alaska that she's trying to make a living off of. This wouldn't be so difficult if she 3-3.5 stars

**Fair warning - I let a spoiler out...mainly having to do with Ian being a bear-shifter and the unusual way that affects the MC's HEA**

This was a good story overall. I liked both Elyse and Ian and their story was enjoyable. This is the first story I've read by this author and I liked it well enough that I would consider trying more of her work in the future.

Elyse is a woman that owns a homestead in Alaska that she's trying to make a living off of. This wouldn't be so difficult if she hadn't gotten involved with her ex, Cole. Cole was a leach who took all her money and food and left her with nothing. She kicked him out when he made the mistake of hitting her but by that time, Cole had already pretty much drained her dry.

Ian is a bear shifter that hibernates half the year and works as a pilot around Alaska the rest of the time. Ian also works as a shifter enforcer that takes down other shifters that have gone off the deep end and kill humans and/or threaten to expose the shifter secret to the public. Ian has 2 brothers but they haven't been in touch much since they matured because their bears can't stand each other.

After Elyse kicked Cole out, she didn't have hardly any reserves and even with working her butt off, Elyse was having issues stocking up enough meat and supplies for the winter season that is approaching in a few months. Many years ago, her Uncle (who she inherited the homestead from) had placed an ad in the paper for a companion/helper. He ended up with a woman that became like a mother to Elyse and the pairing worked out well. Elyse decided to try something like that and put an ad in the paper for her own husband. She doesn't have much luck with finding a decent prospect though. Ian had to take Cole down because he went mad and started killing humans. Months later, Ian went to Elyse's cabin to deliver a message but when he meets her, he finds he can't leave without trying to help her.

Ian ends up acting as though he is looking to answer Elyse's ad and it's a rough start but they decide to give it a try and get married if things go well through the winter. Ian is great about teaching Elyse the things she needs to know and doesn't yet (like how to trap and shoot better) and he helps her stock up her reserves, determined to make sure that she'll be provided for over the winter. The thing he doesn't tell her at first (and I wondered how they were going to get around it) is the fact that in this mythos, bear shifters hibernate through the winter so Elyse would be stuck spending the winter by herself...how could Ian explain that? Eventually, Elyse learns the whole truth (including that Ian is a shifter) and she's able to accept Ian but neither of them are thrilled with the winters she'll have to spend on her own. There's also some trouble with Cole's brother who is also rather whacked in the head and needs to be handled. In the end, Elyse and Ian work things out and have their HEA together.

This was an enjoyably story. I liked Ian and Elyse but I have to admit that the whole story I was thinking that the HEA wouldn't be completely happy because the couple will only ever get to spend 6 month together out of every year. It worked out for the most part but it's not you typical HEA to be sure. I also had some trouble keeping engaged in the story but this might have been partially because I wasn't sure what to expect out of the ending and was a bit reluctant to find out. Overall, it was a good story but I wasn't majorly thrilled with a HEA that includes long separations between the MCs. ...more

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Feb 15, 2017 bella farren rated it liked it

Shelves: family-dynamic, mental-health, romance, books-i-own, angsty, shifters, alpha-males, small-towns, insta-love, alaska-my-dream-land

3/5 stars

"Being with someone and still feeling completely alone was the worst feeling in the world."

Well, this is the second book in this series that I have read, and my biggest complaint with the book previously read was that there wasn't enough angst. I can definitely confirm that this book had enough angst for the both of them, with legitimately insane (no, that was not figure of speech. He truely took a dive off the deep end) ex-boyfriends, angsty romance and so many tears, I don't thin ...more

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Nov 18, 2015 Jacqueline J rated it liked it

I had a hard time choosing a rating for this book. It was a shifter romance that had a slightly different take while still staying within a "normal " shifter storyline. The hero was a grizzly bear shifter and had to hibernate for six months. This was both a plus and a minus to the story. Plus because it was a logical outcome of bear shifter dynamics and I've never read this concept before so yeah! But on the other hand wow that sucks for a long term romance. As for the rest of the story, it was ...more

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Nov 18, 2015 Jalina rated it it was amazing

I didn't expect this much...

I like that TS has stretched in this series. When I usually read shifter romance, it's all slam, bam, I'm a bear, let's have torrid sex, thank you ma'am! But this story had grit, sub plots and extremely deep character buildout! Thanks!! Usually in books I'm always coming away with a book BF, but I totally have a girl-crush on WarriorBadass Elyse! She did a full 360 and for the right reasons, she went from a weak and broken tiny bird to raging, strong warrior princess. ...more

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Sep 15, 2016 Billie rated it it was ok

Shelves: shifters

2.5 stars
There was nothing particularly offensive or irritating about this book but it didn't really make an impact. (And I didn't really understand the whole "6 month forced hibernation" thing, but whatever) ...more

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Sep 28, 2016 Shanna Matheo rated it really liked it

I liked this alot. Interestingly different approach to shifters.

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Oct 01, 2020 Jac K rated it it was amazing

Shelves: kindle-unlimited, shifters, freebie

5 Shifter Stars

Husband for Hire Good Alaskan man wanted. Must have strong back. Hunter preferable and bonus points for good marksmanship. Must not be prone to cabin fever and must be self-entertaining. Works well under stress for long hours. Good hygiene. Romantics need not apply.

This was a freebie I picked up somewhere, (also free w/ KU) and a pleasant surprise. The full moon always makes me crave para-romance, and I was in the mood for something unique… so, I decided to give this MOC/mail- 5 Shifter Stars

Husband for Hire Good Alaskan man wanted. Must have strong back. Hunter preferable and bonus points for good marksmanship. Must not be prone to cabin fever and must be self-entertaining. Works well under stress for long hours. Good hygiene. Romantics need not apply.

This was a freebie I picked up somewhere, (also free w/ KU) and a pleasant surprise. The full moon always makes me crave para-romance, and I was in the mood for something unique… so, I decided to give this MOC/mail-order groom Alaskan-bear shifter romance a shot. I've read several of this author’s shifter romances, and found them hit or miss, but this one was a hit for me.

First, the “shifter concept” was fairly unique, and quite informative. I spend most of my tv time watching either crime or animal shows, so I loved all the homestead/bear tidbits sprinkled throughout. I also loved the concept of the man/bear hibernating for 6-mths of the year, and found the solitary lifestyle of the bear making the human man lonely… super interesting.

I liked both the mc’s. Elyse is fighting to live on her homestead, and she’s tough, but not confrontational or negative. I feel like authors struggle with this a lot, and in their attempts to make h’s “feisty” they make them hostile and unlikeable. Elyse is a survivor; she’s hard working, but not jaded or closed off to love. Ian is a grizzly shifter enforcer, which means it’s his job to police/punish, but mostly eliminate unruly shifters… which is a total bummer, and on top of that he’s alone, and lonely. He sees a picture of Elyse, and his bear immediately stirs, but he comes with complications.

The relationship is a slow burn, but the respect/attraction is immediate. It felt natural, and very realistic which was different for a shifter book, but I dug it. It’s sweet, and the mutual support, and respect was pretty awesome.
“I can’t in good conscious marry you without you seeing what kind of man I am for one full winter. I can’t explain to you why, but I don’t feel right tethering you to me legally until you know all of what you’re in for. But I can give you this.” He held up the ring, and the sunlight glinted off it like newly washed miner’s gold. “I’ve never asked a woman to marry me, never even considered it, and this is the first and last ring I’ll ever buy. This ties me to you and to this place as well as any marriage license would. I’ll be your man, Elyse Abram. I’ll make sure you don’t go hungry and that you are safe. As long as I’m alive.” The last part he said in a quieter voice as the heat cooled from his eyes. “Wear my ring, and it’ll make me a part of this place. This is the only vow I can give you right now. It’s my final offer.”

Bottom Line- I really liked this one; I especially liked that Elyse was empowered, and a true equal in the relationship… BUT… it’s not the typical action packed, growly alpha bossing his woman around, so if that’s what you’re in the mood for… then, this isn’t the right book… BUT… if your in the mood for a sweet, slow-burn with a kickass h that protects her mate as much as he protects her…then, give this a shot. ...more

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Nov 05, 2015 DemetraP rated it it was ok

So the grizzly shifter has to hibernate for months at a time. I don't like the idea of a hero who has to leave the heroine alone for almost half a year. ...more

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Dec 22, 2019 SheLove2Read rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2019, shifters

I have to say, this is one TS Joyce I just wasn't clicking with. 2 stars ...more

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Apr 29, 2016 Katelynn rated it liked it

Shelves: romance

Originally posted on Books & Bottles.

Oh goodness, I'm still laughing at this book. And the other reviews on Goodreads! I don't mean to sound like a bitch, but I love how many people like how much more "realistic" it is to have the bear shifter hibernate, like a regular ol' bear, and it's so funny to me! I'm sorry I'm sorry, I'm an ass, but this book is just gruff and fluff and fucking hilarious to read serious reviews about this.

Don't get me wrong, it's pretty well written! Ian's a big, strong, ...more

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Oct 25, 2015 ValerieC rated it really liked it

Shelves: mf, werewolves, shape-shifters, kindle-edition, bears, t-s-joyce, bears-fur-hire

A very good start to this new series.

The book begins at a rural Alaskan homestead where Elyse Abram has kicked out her crazy, thieving, drunken, woman-hitting mooch of a boyfriend...

Bear-shifter Ian Silver awakens from his winter hibernation to find a folder with details about a wolf-shifter that's gone insane and must be put down...

When Elyse and Ian meet, quite a story ensues.

The only reason I didn't rate this book at 5 stars was I would have liked to see some expansion of the aftermath of the ...more

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Dec 07, 2018 Just Josie rated it really liked it

Shelves: e-book-kindle, hot-broody-alpha-males-yes-please, paranormal, shifter, 3-stars, romance

This was so sweet and lovely !

Elyse was so kindhearted and sweet, but strong underneath. Nice combo👏

Ian was big, quiet, but you felt how deeply he cared.

A very good book. Flowy writing, interesting, but a slightly mundane plot and lots of personal development for both characters.
I really like it.

Read: 07-12/2018
Genre: Paranormal/ shifter/ bear
Cover: 2 stars
1st rating: 3,5 stars. A nice solid read, but not “epic “. It was sweet. (But very close to 4 stars- that’s way I rounded up!)
Will I rec ...more

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Nov 29, 2015 Erin rated it really liked it

Shelves: pnr-junkie-fantasy

4 stars!

I really enjoyed this start to Joyce's new series! You really can't go wrong with T.S. Joyce if you want some short, but great, paranormal. This one was located in rural Alaska, a setting that was a little rougher, more base living, compared to her other novels (I haven't read all of them). The environment made the story even more interesting and added another element to the couple's relationship.

Great read! ...more

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Jul 20, 2020 Victoria rated it liked it

Shelves: freebie, 1st-in-series, paranormal, ts-joyce

3.5 Stars

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Oct 07, 2018 Debbie rated it really liked it

I’ve been in the mood for paranormal romances lately and came across this book. It’s the first book I’ve read by this author, and although the title is a little quirky, I actually enjoyed the story.

Ian is a grizzly bear shifter. I haven’t read a lot of shifter books involving bears, however I don’t recall ever reading one where the bear had to hibernate - and for six long months at that. No wonder the man was so lonely. He was a badass bear enforcer who wasn’t close to anyone, not even his broth ...more

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May 25, 2019 Darcy rated it liked it

Shelves: pnr, e-book, 2019, rw

I liked this one but man...all I could think was what a hard life it would be living how they did in Alaska. I'm not sure that I would want my whole live to be about squirreling away enough supplies to live through the cold winter, let alone deal with an outhouse on a daily basis. lol

Elyse was interesting, a bit of a hard ass, but she needed to be. I was glad when she kicked Colt out, it had been a long time coming and with his actions he was slowly killing her. Ian was a much better match for E ...more

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May 12, 2019 Pet rated it it was amazing

This is an author that never disappoints, hard choices, heart break and tough circumstances are a wonderful background to a story that tugs at the heart strings.
I can’t put A T.S. Joyce book down once I’ve started it no matter how late or how much my eyes droop and I’m trying to read with one eye while the other one sleeps, I just must know the outcome. Honestly I can’t recommend these books enough.

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Aug 01, 2018 Jenny Prose rated it really liked it

4 Stars

This was a cute Bear Shifter book. We have a strong woman who is trying to make it in the Alaska bush and not fairing to well. She puts an ad in the paper for a homestead husband but isn't looking for romance. Ian is a bear shifter, who hibernates for 6 months out of the year, but one look at a picture of this feisty women and he's done for.
Like I said, it was a cute story, well-developed character, with an interesting storyline that keeps you reading and engaged. Some editing issues, but ...more

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Oct 23, 2018 Maddux rated it really liked it

Shelves: contemporary-romance, paranormal, shapeshifters

This series is very different from Damon's Mountains. The canon follows a different vein because these grizzly shifters have to hibernate.

Not as light-hearted as her other books, but still very familiar.

Nice read. ...more

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Jan 16, 2019 Rishika rated it really liked it

That was surprisingly quite enjoyable. A shifter story where the bear actually does hibernate. It showed what a good relationship looks like, and how a relationship should make both people better and stronger.

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Sep 17, 2020 Amanda rated it really liked it

Good

Good but not what I was expecting. The 6 months hibernation threw me way off. If you have read any of her other books or later book that’s not exactly how the bear shifters are in those books. And claiming marks have a different kind reaction. I will say I absolutely loved the characters and the feel of the whole story.

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Aug 15, 2018 BJ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: loved-it

Great story with some angst. H is grizzly shifter, triplet, and they are all brawlers. He falls for h when he sees her picture, but has a lot to hide from her. A lot of pain, mixed with courage and above all their love for each other made this a wonderful book.

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Nov 16, 2015 Ln Winchester rated it liked it

Interesting look into Alaskan life

This story surprised me by being more complex and interesting than most others in this genre. The best parts were the descriptions of the Alaskan wilderness and what one would have to do to get through the long winters in such a remote area. The hard work and planning are very intense and survival depends on being as strong and resourceful as possible.

Those were the pros. The cons for this book were the love relationship that really didn't make any sense - the h Interesting look into Alaskan life

This story surprised me by being more complex and interesting than most others in this genre. The best parts were the descriptions of the Alaskan wilderness and what one would have to do to get through the long winters in such a remote area. The hard work and planning are very intense and survival depends on being as strong and resourceful as possible.

Those were the pros. The cons for this book were the love relationship that really didn't make any sense - the h, Elyse, specifically said she wanted no romance, then tells the H she saw he had a "boner" and she liked it. Who says that? He's a complete stranger, no idea if he's an serial killer, didn't need to check his ID or criminal record or even any references, just move him right in and start talking about his junk. It was weird.

The H, Ian, is s super caring, nice, responsible, model-gorgeous, sensitive yet manly man who adores Elyse from a photo he saw. Yes, his bear claimed her as mate by looking at her picture...I guess? He wants only to protect her and make sure she survives and thrives.

***Spoiler-ish comments ahead***

The other con is the bear shifter aspect. In this world, both the man and the bear have to hibernate 6 months out of the year, October to April. That leaves the h alone though the difficult winter, which she earlier feared in case something happened to her, a legitimate concern. This unfortunate quirk means during the coming conflict with bad guys it's pretty obvious the H will be at a serious disadvantage.

Despite the oddness between the H and h, the story progressed well and painted a picture of an Alaskan homesteader's challenging life.

There were some typos, a couple of which were unintentionally funny - the h "gasped in aw" and was "peeling with laughter" - and some other not-so-funny ones. Nothing too terrible, but between them and the strangeness of the character's relationship development (as in the "boner" thing and instantly accepting a grizzly bear shifter), a good strong editor would greatly improve the story. This could have been 4 stars for its genre except for the things that made no sense - i.e., why wouldn't you leave food for yourself when you wake up ravenous, instead of just clothes and money? Or why wouldn't you ask your brother and/or your friendly neighbors for help before almost running your farm into the ground and starving yourself to death?

All in all, a pretty good lightweight paranormal romance. Nothing that will change the world but enjoyable. ...more

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About T.S. Joyce

T.S. Joyce

2,865 followers

T.S. Joyce is devoted to bringing hot shifter romances to readers. Hungry alpha males are her calling card, and the wilder the men, the more she'll make them pour their hearts out. She werebear swears there'll be no swooning heroines in her books. It takes tough-as-nails women to handle the shifters of Bear Valley.

She lives in a tiny town, outside of a tiny city, and devotes her life to writing bi ...more