Review: Bear Necessities by Tressie Lockwood

I got this book at the same time as Stripped Bear by Tressie Lockwood.  These two books are actually together in the print book simply titled 'Bear'.  I can't tell if they are the start of a series, or just two linked books at this time. In this story we are introduced to Simone, Ayana's cousin and the two new found cousins of one of Ayana's mate, Blaine.

Simone, after having issues with her mother's boyfriend putting the moves on Simone, decides to head down to North Carolina and visit her cousin Ayana.  Oddly enough, Blaine has found some long lost family and brought them to visit the day that Simone arrives unannounced   And these two twin brothers believe they are the mates to Simone.   Though one tries to fight his feelings for Simone, the other is more than happy to get right to the mating.  Simone herself isn't sure what is going on, and though attracted to both, is in no hurry to just agree to be their mate.

I read this book mainly because I read the first one and hoped that this one would be better.  It was, but not my much.  There was still the issue of things moving very fast and the timeline needed to be corrected in several places.  I had no idea where the author was going with Simone's character.  When we are first introduced to her, she is talking about leaving her mother and her parade of boyfriends, and I thought she was very young, like 17 or 18.  But then you find out Simone is 28.  This happened a several times in the book.  I would think the character was acting very young and/or immature and then something would happen to contradict that previous act.  It just felt like the author didn't know where she was going with the character.  I am giving this book a 2 on Goodreads.  I will be thinking long and hard before trying another book by this author.

When her mother's new boyfriend gets a little too free with his hands, Simone decides it's time to relocate. Without warning her cousin, she travels to Charlotte, North Carolina to see what kind of better life she can make for herself. To her surprise, her cousin Ayana--who's never been that good with the opposite sex--has not one but two sexy men sharing her bed. And the sounds of their loving on Ayana in the middle of the night has Simone wishing she had her own lover. Then she's wondering just what they put in the water down in the South because two more hot men show up at Ayana's. This time it's identical twins, and they're not looking for her cousin, but they have their sights set on Simone. Well, one of them anyway.

Artan has no problem claiming the mocha beauty as his mate, but his brother Fallyn refuses her. Fallyn knows the importance of finding a strong mate who can bear his children, especially since their clan is dying out. He has no use for a woman born and raised in the city with a fear of nature. The problem is he can't keep his eyes off of her, and every time she gets excited, he can't think straight. Pulling Simone out of one scrape after another is not in his plan. Things get really complicated when a female bear shifter from home shows up to claim Fallyn, and she has no problem killing Simone to get what she wants.