This was a fun read! I had some LOL moments. The suspense was good, however, the book was slow at times. Overall, I really enjoyed the read!

I really enjoyed this book!! It was funny, had a great plot and was fast paced! I loved the characters and thought Annette & David made a great couple!

Bears Behaving Badly is the first story in the BeWere My Heart series and delivers an intriguing world full of shifters, bad guys, with an interesting plot. This is my first story by MaryJanice Davidson, and while I enjoyed the story it took me a little bit to become comfortable with her writing style. (every author is slightly different so this is not unusual)

Annette and David have been dancing around each other with an attraction that neither one has actually acknowledged or tried to go any further on – there were reasons, but also there was not the ‘shifter insta-mate knowledge’ that I’m more accustomed to. They definitely have a banter-filled relationship going into this unusual situation but romance isn’t the full focus of their story. One selectively mute wolf shifter teen is at the center of a lot of this story in many ways, and when the danger truly begins the action is fast-paced and intense. In a world where humans have no idea that they are living side by side with shifters the threat of ousting the shifters is very real and plays into other aspects of this story as well.

I enjoyed Bears Behaving Badly and will pick up the next story in this series when it’s released.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

I'm sure this book is good but the e-reader version I got was not formatted correctly and multiple pages were duplicated.

So I DNF. The rating is for the publisher, not the author, whom I adore.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆
3.5 Stars

Spoiler-Free Review.

Bears Behaving Badly is the first installment in the BeWere My Heart series. It's been well over a decade since I read a MaryJanice Davidson novel, and I was beyond curious to see if her writing style was as I remembered it. Thankfully, it most certainly was. As you can see by the 3.5 star rating, it wasn't so much that Davidson changed – I have as a reader.

Bears Behaving Badly is a solid paranormal romance with a thread of suspense.

As a social worker for at-risk children, Annette Garsea basically oversees a foster care situation for shifter children. A mute child in her custody leads to multiple attempted murder plots, where the investigation draws toward David Auberon, a bear shifter investigator.

What I enjoy most about Davidson's writing is that paranormal creatures are realistic. Human. They're flawed, down-to-earth, and well-rounded characters. Even the side cast of characters are developed, adding to the overall story. Quirky. Zany. There is always humor to displace uncomfortable situations. The romance comes off as a bit cheesy at times, not super realistic, more being told by the author than the reader actually feeling it.

Delightful and entertaining, the world Davidson created was a real page-turner. So why didn't I give a higher rating?

As I said, my reading tastes have changed. While I still love paranormal romance, I need a bit more depth. Everything was there, but it was just at the surface, not delving deep enough emotionally. Either laughed off or something else occurs, to where Annette didn't fully emote what the human condition dictates she should be feeling. While this makes for a light, quick read, where most readers will find it addictively fast-paced, I just need more.

❤️ out of 5
I read all the way to 75% before DNFing which is massive for me- normally I DNF a lot earlier in the book but the storyline kept me going (just) until it didn’t anymore. For me it was the writing style- it was an absolute struggle for me.

Our heroine is a social worker for weres when she gets dumped in the middle of a case that not only puts her charges in trouble but also herself. Along for the ride is an investigator who our heroine has had the hots for but is totally convinced he doesn’t feel the same.

I just don’t think this author is for me. For me her writing style doesn’t gel- I get the feeling that everything written is supposed to be full of wit however it falls flat every time (which is every second sentence). I genuinely wanted to know what was happening with the storyline (not the romance because at 75% it was still pretty non-existent) but I was so bogged down by the writing and the world building that contradicted itself that I had to call it quits.

First time reading this author and I enjoyed this book! Hopefully will get to read more from this series soon!

Mary Janice Davidson has written a romantic paranormal about Bears Behaving Badly, including different shifters. Only for the diehard fans of shifter stories.

My thoughts:

Rating: 5

Would I recommend it ? yes

Will I read more of this series ? yes

Would I read more by this author? yes

Right from the start this story had me felling in loving with the characters and their inter actions with each other. Another thing i love about the story is that its not all about the romance between the two main characters its also about helping the kids that have no one to fight for them. With that said i want to say thank you to the publisher as well as NetGalley for letting me read and review it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the free review copy. This was a DNF for me at 42%. There were parts of the style that really worked for me and I would definitely check out another book by the author - I enjoyed the humor and got drawn in to the characters.

However it started to feel repetitive. I also found it tough at times to keep track of who was saying what, especially in conversations with more than 2 characters present - however this may be resolved by publication. I enjoy the hints of romance but this is a slow burn and I’m not understanding what the conflict is that’s holding them back other than poor communication.

Really enjoyed this action packed, emotionally thrilling adventure filled with exciting charters, witty dialog, heart racing twists, exciting turns and undeniable passion..... was a great read! A real edge of your seat, cant put it down till the breath stealing end adventure!

I always have a good time with MaryJanice Davidson's books and this was no different. Some serious parts, but also Davidson's trademark funny and irreverent sense of humor. David and Annette aren't my favorite couple, but I did enjoy the book overall..I'm definitely on the lookout if there's a Book 2.

Although this was not my favorites from Ms. Davidson, it's a good addition to any fan's collection and you should make time for this one. I think you'll enjoy it.


"I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review"

I have read the Undead series by Mary Janice Davidson and I was eager to read her take on the shifter world. However, Ms. Davidson drops us right in the middle of the story without any background on the main characters. There is no prologue and no background is given as to how the main character became a social worker for shifter cubs. We know that there is tension between her and the male protagonist, but the author offers no history for the reader as to how they met or even their first impressions of each other. I was not vested in the main characters' story at all, but the other characters like Pat and Dev were really interesting. I would love to read more about their lives. I kept putting this book down and going back to it and eventually I finished because I wanted to see how she wrapped up the story. I hope that subsequent novels in this series will flesh out the main characters more and include action in the chapters.

I requested Bears Behaving Badly for a number of reasons; the front cover caught my eye – you’ve got to agree, that cover model is hot 🔥 and I love the bear they used too, the story description piqued my interest – a main character who helps disadvantaged and at-risk children, uncovering a trafficking ring, secrets, peril, , yes please, and of course, I 💜 love 💜 paranormal romances – they’re my thing. Unfortunately, Bears Behaving Badly didn’t turn out to be quite what I expected or live up to my expectations.

I liked the premise of non-shifters being called “Stables” i.e. not being able to change their form, it’s original and made sense. The underlying plot about the trafficking cartel was gripping and I liked this grittier aspect of the book, although some of the twists and the big reveal came as no surprise.

I really loved the idea of our female protagonist, Annette (or Net as the kids call her) growing up in the Foster care system and then working to protect kids as an adult, I have read this in other books and love this troupe as it gives the character a further depth of understanding for their charges. There are several key characters in this book, and I liked how the various personalities were different from each other, including the villains of the story.

As you can tell from my low rating, I thought this book was OK but there was a lot that didn’t work for me. I need to be honest and admit that I started skim reading after reaching the halfway point. I’m not going to list everything that I didn’t enjoy, however, I will highlight my main grumbles.

Firstly, I struggled with the writing style. I understand that I read an Advanced Reader Copy that was pre-publication, so I expected to see the many proofreading needs, what frustrated me was Davidson’s writing style. This story is missing any carefully woven world building. We’re thrown in the deep end into this world, so much so, that it felt more like a second or third book in a series instead of an opener. The flow didn’t feel smooth. There were a lot of times where the scenes just confused me so much that I had to reread them. In short, there was head jumping galore, whole scenes of dialogue where I didn’t know who was saying what and there was far too much “tell” instead of “show” which all hindered my enjoyment of this book.

Secondly, this book is marketed as a “fun, sexy, paranormal romance” but I didn’t get some of the humour, the characters would laugh at something that I’d obviously missed (oh, and in my opinion, men don’t “giggle” they “chuckle” instead. “Giggle” is certainly not a word that I’d associate with a stoic alpha male). It was baffling.

And finally, I felt disappointed with our heroine, Annette. If you’ve read my reviews before, you’ll know that I crave leading female characters that are intelligent, resilient, resourceful and have plenty of gumption; Annette seemed to have these qualities but a lot of the time, I couldn’t understand why she reacted to situations the way she did, why she didn’t solve mysteries when I did and I got very frustrated. We are continually told she was soft-hearted but we weren’t shown it very often.

Although Bears Behaving Badly wasn’t the book for me, I’m sure plenty of readers will love the mix. The story has plenty of tension, conflict, humour and banter with a generous helping of sexual anticipation and a slow-burn romance.

Due to some of the themes of abuse, violence and sexual content, I’d recommend Bears Behaving Badly to adults who aren’t offended by content of this nature and are fans of relationship tales set against a dark backstory within the paranormal romance genre.

So, although BEARS BEHAVING BADLY (BEWARE MY HEART #1) was not the book for me, I hope my review still may encourage you to find out more? As I write this, it has received some glowing 4 and 5 star reviews from other readers.

Annette is a social worker for the IPA, managing and working with juvenile shifters in crisis, much as a Child Protective Services worker would do in the human world. In fact, the shifters in this world have their own equivalent (and often interconnected) services that include hospitals, counseling, and even courts. Currently, a regular (for Annette) client in Dev, and adorably unapologetic werefox has been brought in with his ‘sister’ Caro, a young werewolf after Caro attacked and nearly killed an adult male. Brought in by David, a contractor to the IPA, Caro is not uttering any words, in her defense or not – and Dev appears to be much more upset by the fact he can’t see her- than in his own predicament.

And that’s the set-up as we follow Annette and David through multiple adventures as they are digging to find out who is running a ‘ring of slavers’ for kids either unwanted or unknown in their area. This is a Dive Right In sort of book, with plenty of characters coming at you hard and fast, with partial backstories revealed as the story moves on: don’t fret – you’ll get plenty more information on everyone as the story unfolds: and much of that adds to readers (and our two main characters) trying to discover who is behind the child slavery ring, and just how deep it goes.

Full of the usual snarky and often self-deprecating humor, a roommate (for Annette) who is ‘flexible’ with his masculinity, a judge who appears to be a wererhino, a boss who is a raptor, plenty of “stables’ that we meet through David, and a sweet moment when it dawns on Annette why Dev (and many of the other kids she works with and for) call her ‘Net’. We meet Annette’s foster mother and finally see the fierce Mama-Bear that is Annette when the chips are down and kids are in danger. With lots to look forward to as we get to know everyone better and see David and Annette’s relationship develop – I can see this becoming as well-loved as Davidson’s Queen Betsy series.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-aG3 /”> <a> I am, Indeed </a>

A promising start to BeWere My Heart series. Good world building, enjoyable character interaction and an overall engaging read. I will be looking to read more

Annette teams up with fellow bear-shifter, David, investigating an assault by one of their at-risk juvenile charges, and that’s what starts this whacky, fun-filled mystery.

David’s had a crush on Annette, but hasn’t found the courage to ask her out, and when a rumor gets out at the office that they’re dating Annette forcefully denies it making it seems she’s not interested. Little does he know that she really, really is, and just denies anything going on because Annette thinks David isn’t interested. They operate under this misconception all the while hunting down a horrible, abusive group of shifter traffickers. But the more they work together, the more their undeniable attraction surfaces, and it’s impossible to hide that they’re falling a little more with every hour spent together. These bears were made for each other!

Bears Behaving Badly was slapstick mayhem, with a sweet romance, and hilarious characters. It was a little on the long side, and went around in circles a bit, but pretty fun, and downright steamy in the end! I think fans of Shelly Laurenston would enjoy Ms. Davidson’s brand of storytelling.

Mary Janice Davidson has a way to surprise you. In this book you got shape shifters, suspense, some humor and if course a good storyline. I really should read more books by this author who makes every paranormal book spectacular!

It’s been a while since I have picked up a MaryJanice Davidson book and I am glad that I did! It’s hard to describe a paranormal romance to people who do not usually read them because it might sound a bit weird ;) But here it goes…
Werebear shifter Annette Garsea is a social worker for shifter children. The Interspecies Placement Agency is hidden in a government building and all the people who work there are shifters. David Auberon is also a bear shifter, but has not really worked with Annette until this case which involves two young werewolves. One who is an escape artist and one who won’t talk. When Annette And David team up, there are obvious sparks. They are working under the assumption that neither one of them wants to start something, which leads to some hilarious awkward moments. But the chemistry is there.

As the case goes on, this starts to turn into a mystery/action/suspense involving a shifter trafficking cartel. Because Annette is a social worker, part of her job is placing kids into foster homes, which is pretty emotional. Some of the secondary characters are Nadia, Oz and Pat. They sure do bring a lot of color to the story. They are funny, fierce and loyal to Annette. Pat is gender fluid, Oz is her foster brother and Nadia is her co-worker and friend. The dialogue when all these characters are together is irreverent, funny, silly and full of naughtiness. The story is set in Minnesota, which made me chuckle because one does not imagine that to be a hot-bed of shifter activity.

This book will have you laughing out loud. The mystery is full of suspense, the romance is more of a slow burn throughout the book, but the action will have your heart pumping. It’s a light-hearted book that does tackle some serious social issues, but the dialogue is well done and totally off the wall. I’m glad that I picked it up and this book might just be a great choice to tune out the world and find yourself a part of the shifter community for a while.

It’s been a while since I read anything by MJD - I think I read the first three or four in her Queen Betsy series about the accidental queen of the vampires - but I do recall enjoying her fun, lighthearted style. So when this first in a new series about the employees of a government agency protecting vulnerable shifter kids popped up for review, I picked it up for a try.

One of the things I liked best about the Queen Betsy series was the way the reader got to figure out how the vampire world worked right alongside Betsy. That doesn’t happen here and it’s a problem, because we get thrown into Annette’s world with no real introduction. She already knows almost all the principal characters, from her love interest (who she’s known two years and done nothing about their mutual attraction) to one of the two kids they have to protect. She knows all this stuff about them and we don’t, and to be honest she’s not a great narrator because she comes across extremely ADHD. She doesn’t focus on anything for more than five minutes and the constant jumps in train of thought mean the reader never gets more than a snippet or two of useful information before Annette’s off like a butterfly to the next subject which crosses her mind. Usually something to do with food.

There are some really weird bits in this book too which breach some standard conventions of fiction, like the following (copied precisely for format):
‘His monthly clothing budget was larger than her car payment. This clearly
“I’ve worn this shirt once. Once!”
wounded him deeply.’
It conveys Annette’s permanently-distracted air perfectly, but it reads super weird and it really pulled me out of the story. And it wasn’t always just used for her point of view either; I saw the exact same thing in David’s multiple times, which I think was a mistake. If it was just in Annette’s, it would have distinguished her PoV. Used for other people, it just made the writing look unedited.

Now, all this might sound like I hated the book, but I really didn’t. There were characters here I loved, like Nadia, the very British, uber-competent were-raptor, and Pat, Annette’s gender-fluid roomie, and Dev, the juvenile delinquent were-fox. They were all fabulous and I wanted Nadia especially to get her own story. The plot, once I finally worked out what was going on, was both righteous and a little tragic (and needs trigger warnings for child abuse), There’s just one sex scene, right at the end of the book, which is very hot and was pretty unexpected having got that far into it with nothing more than some heavy petting.

I’m kind of undecided about what rating to give here. There were elements I liked so much, but I actually found this really hard to read because the writing style just made it impossible for me to focus, and I do think that for the start of a series, we needed a bit more exposition before being thrown in at the deep end and having to figure out stacks of things the protagonist already knew but was too distracted to tell us. I’m giving it three stars… and as much as I enjoyed certain characters, I probably won’t be picking up book 2.