By
USA Today Bestselling Author
Skye MacKinnon

Can she tame her bear shifters
or will she be their dinner?

Alone, frozen, and far from home, Isla finds herself in the care of four frustratingly sexy bear shifters. They soon end up on a Scottish island, trying to survive the disasters of a failing world.

With new relationships unfolding, Isla has to make the decision between her humanity and the bears protecting her.

Will winter drive them apart
or can Isla claim her bears?

Rescued by Bears is a full-length reverse harem novel featuring one sassy heroine and four sexy bear shifters (including a polar bear!). Prepare for strong alpha males with a trace of vulnerability, an epic quest, Viking beards, very steamy scenes, Scottish landscapes, Celtic mythology and a post-apocalyptic setting.

NOTE:
Previously published as Polar Destiny.

Isla’s Uncle has decided she should marry, the one he has chosen is the man who was married to her best friend. When Isla found her tied up and beaten she frees her. Julie was never seen or heard from again, a boat was missing and Isla had been punished for it.

Sort of resigned to her fate, her wedding coincides with the celebration of the Winter Solstice. With many revelers she wanders away then starts running across the vast expanse of frozen ocean. Eventually she collapses from the cold not expecting to wake.

Instead Isla wakes wrapped in warmth by a fire. Unwrapping herself she starts to explore her surroundings.

This is a favorite scene.

A screetch signals the opening of the front door.

“Hello?” a male voice calls. “Shit, where–”

A guy comes into the room. Oh my. He’s gorgeous. His blond hair falls down to the thick lashes circling his pale blue eyes, his jaw has just the right angles, and his beautiful, full lips are saying – “There you are! I was worried you may have gone outside. It’s cold out there, and you could have easily got lost. I almost got lost when we first got here, no paths, you see?”

I stare at him. Is he for real?

“Sorry, I’m not used to strangers, and I’m babbling. Sorry. I’ll stop now.” He pauses, then grins and bursts out: “How are you feeling?”

“I’m… eh… who are you?”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I’m Finn. Finnean, really, but everybody calls me Finn.” He does a short bow, which makes me stare at him even more. “And who do I have the pleasure of talking to?”

“Isla, my name is Isla. Do you live here?”

He looks around himself as if he’s not quite sure about something. Then he nods. “Yes, me and my friends. They’re outside now, but should be back soon…” He still looks distracted.

“Was it you who found me on the beach?”

“What? No, that was Torben, the… my friend. He was out for a walk when he spotted you lying in the snow. You looked pretty blue. I mean blue. And pretty. Aargh. Sorry, I haven’t talked to a girl in a while.” He grins at me, sheepishly. He motions for me to follow him back into the living room. The fire is calling to me, and I sit down on the furs next to him. The light of the fire makes his hair look almost golden. He’s beautiful in a fine, angelic kind of way. An angel with quite a bit of muscle – stop it, Isla. He could be anyone. I mean, who lives on an island with just friends? How do they survive?

He clears his throat. Adorable. “So, what brought you to this island?”

“Well, I kind of had to leave my home, and the sea was frozen, so I just started to walk – and eventually ended up here. I didn’t really think it through. It was probably a mistake, but… I couldn’t stay there.”

“Why?” he asks softly, his eyes meeting mine.

“I was supposed to do something that I didn’t want to do.” I pause and laugh humourlessly. Ok, that sounded like I was a child who didn’t want to do her chores. “Actually, my uncle wanted me to marry a guy from our community. And I didn’t want that. That man… he scares me. I couldn’t stay.”

He’s still looking straight into my eyes, and somehow I’ve got the feeling that they’ve told him a lot more about what brought me here than my words.

“Why would your uncle make you? I guess you’re not close?”

“Close? No, not really. I don’t think he sees me as anything other than a young, unmarried woman who can be sold off. There are not many women living on our island, and even fewer ones young enough to have children. The island’s population is growing older, and we need younger workers who still have energy and can be moulded-” I stop, shocked at how I had repeated my uncle’s words. I’m usually so careful, locking away all I heard when he had men over for meetings. This guy and his blue eyes are getting to me. I evade his gaze and look out of the window behind him – into another set of eyes, big brown ones, surrounded by fur, lots of fur. I scream.

Finn whirls around, on his feet before I can even see him move. He’s leaning forward, looking ready to jump, when he sees what I’m seeing. A large dark bear running away from the house. I’ve never seen a real bear, but he looks exactly like they look like in photos. Big, shaggy, scary.

Finn let’s out a sharp laugh. “I see you’ve met one of our … neighbours.”

“Your… neighbours? Aren’t they dangerous?”

“Nah, not once you get to know them. They’re actually quite cuddly.”

He laughs, and I’m just about to shoot him an incredulous smile when I see a white bear burst out of the forest, chasing after the darker one.

“Is that a polar bear? Here? In Scotland?”

“Ehm, yes, I think so.” He gives me a shrug. “Must have swum here.”

I’m about to quiz him further when the door opens, slammed against the wall by a massive man. Huge. Giant. Enormous. I can’t seem to find a word for his massiveness. He’s all bulging muscle, almost ripping the black t-shirt he’s wearing. Wait, t-shirt? It’s freezing out there, and this guy is wearing – almost nothing. I shiver just looking at him.

“Are you cold?” Finn’s concerned voice comes from behind me. He must have been looking at me very closely to see the tiny shiver my body made.

“I’m fine. Ehm… who are you?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” the giant grumbles. He sounds like a mountain smiling at the morning dew.

“You’re a mysterious girl. You looked dead and frozen. Now you look… alive. Are you hungry?”

Only now I see the fish he’s holding in one of his oversized hands.

“Yes, I suppose I am. Thank you.”

He looks at me in confusion, then clears his throat. “You’re welcome. I guess.”

His shoes are leaving wet prints on the wooden floor as he moves into the kitchen.

“That’s Ràn,” Finn whispers. “You’ve met him on one of his chattier days.”

“Is he always walking around in t-shirts?”

Finn throws back his head and laughs. “Usually he’s wearing even less.”

“But it’s winter! Isn’t he cold?”

“He’s got a rather good metabolism,” he chuckles. “Now, where did we put the plates?”

point towards the kitchen. “There were some on the floor.”

“Ah yes, I don’t think anyone’s used them for a while. But nothing a quick wash shouldn’t improve.”

Men.
Skye MacKinnon. Claiming Her Bears: The complete series (Kindle Locations 209-257). Peryton Press. Kindle Edition.

After meeting the men who rescued her from certain death, she is given the attic room to sleep. Unfortunately for the men she hears their conversation and tries to flee injuring her ankle.

of course you know nothing is going to be easy and the number of OMG moments are many.

Lots of changes, surprises and sizzling romance in this first book of the series. I can’t wait to read the next one.

5 Contented Purrs for Skye!

Skye MacKinnon

Skye MacKinnon is a USA Today & International Bestselling Author whose books are filled with strong heroines who don’t have to choose.

She embraces her Scottishness with fantastical Scottish settings and a dash of mythology, no matter if she’s writing about Celtic gods, cat shifters, or the streets of Edinburgh.

When she’s not typing away at her favourite cafe, Skye loves dried mango, as much exotic tea as she can squeeze into her cupboards, and being covered in pet hair by her two bunnies, Emma and Darwin.