With Hearts of Flame (Deluxe Limited Edition): A Dark Academia Romantasy Novel of Vampires and Dragons Featuring Stenciled Edges and Illustrated Endpapers (Bloodwing Academy, 4)
Briar Boleyn
THORN: Cozy Spicy Small Town Grizzly Shifter Romance (Bears of Burden Book 1)
by Candace Ayers
About this book
Allie Bennett is a runaway bride with no destination, a dead phone, and a desperate need to disappear. When her car dies outside the dusty town of Burden, Texas, she expects nothing more than a temporary pit stop. Instead, she finds herself serving drinks at The Cave under the watchful eye of its alpha owner, Hawthorne Thorn Canton. Allie is looking for a fresh start, not a complication, but she has no idea that the bar owner is a bear shifter who just found the one thing he swore he would never want: his fated mate.
Thorn lives by a strict code of freedom and detachment, avoiding permanent ties at all costs. However, when his primal bear instinct recognizes Allie as his destiny, his carefully curated rules begin to crumble. Caught between her unwanted engagement back home and a possessive shifter who refuses to let her go, Allie is drawn into a world of pack dynamics and undeniable heat.
This cozy, high-heat paranormal romance delivers a perfect blend of small-town charm and primal tension. With forced proximity, slow-burn chemistry, and a deep sense of found family, this story is a must-read for anyone seeking a steamy escape. Prepare to be hooked by an alpha hero who finally meets his match.
- Publication Date
- May 25, 2026
- ASIN
- B01N2N0KRN
Reader Reviews
November 4, 2025
Such a cute story. I was lost in the characters. I never knew a bar could be fun. I caught myself rooting for Allie. I was glad to see the end result. Simply delightful. )
January 11, 2018
A quick read, about how a girl gets a guy to see her as a woman, not just his kid sisters friend. The writer has a way with descriptions that draws you in. Therese some twists and turns in the story's plot to keep you entertained. A quick , fun read that left me wanting more, and that more was the whole bunch of extra stories after the end of the book that kept me busy for hours. Lots of hot action for adult readers only, with some definite steam involved. ) One person found this helpful
January 24, 2026
So cute! Quick and fun read. I liked both characters and can’t wait for the other’s stories. Such a feel good book. )
August 23, 2020
Allie was running from her boyfriend, a known cheater, when she ends up on the side of the road outside of a small community in Texas. She starts working at a local bar for money to keep moving on. Until she met her new boss, Thorn. She feels chemistry with him that she never had with her past men. Not only that she feels like she is finally home. But what she doesn't know is that she is smack dab in the middle of bear shifters and he is her mate. Their courtship is what the rest of the story...
January 5, 2025
Although this is short read, the plot wasn’t sacrificed. The heat in the book is perfect. Many novellas are all heat and no substance. The author found the perfect balance in the unique and sweet love story. )
