Product Description

Pride hasn't had an easy life. No matter what he does, things seem to go bad. This time, though, he's not sure he can get out of his predicament, and he figures he might just have to call it quits. Bear is a mountain of a man, making a home where most folks woudn't, and he comes across Pride right when the other man's irons are all hanging in the fire. Bear doesn't even hesitate, he just barges in and saves Pride's bacon, taking the man home with him to give him a second chance. Or third or fourth. When they get snowed in for the winter, they figure they have plenty of time to get to know one another. They laugh, learn, and love, both of them finding it incredibly easy to get to know all about the other. It's not all easy with these two hard-headed men. Pride lives up to his name, and Bear is just as stubborn. They can survive their petty struggles, but will the bigger demons in Bear's past tear them apart before the spring thaws come? Kiernan Kelly spins a great tale of the late 1800s in Colorado, with a heartwarming relationship that will keep the home fires burning for a long time to come.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #503674 in Books
• Published on: 2008-08-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 188 pages

Review

Jourdan Lane, author of the Soul Mates books, writes: Life hasn't been easy for Pride, but he doesn't let that get him down much. He works hard and keeps on going, just hoping to scratch together enough to call his own. But it seems the cards he's dealt just keep getting worse. That last straw is almost too much to stomach. Hell, he might not even make it out of it alive, this time. Just when he thinks he's done for, his savior comes along, his likeness fitting his name. Bear is a hulk of a man, living up in the foothills of the Colorado Rockies, making a home where few would dare to tread. He finds Pride in the worst of positions and doesn't even hesitate to give him the help that Pride so desperately needs.

Snowed in for the winter in Bear's cabin, the two men strike up an almost immediate friendship. They've never trusted others before, but this time it seems different. There's something else there, a deeper level of understanding that makes it almost easy for them. But their relationship is far from easy. Pride and Bear are both strong-willed and proud, and it's hard not to let that get in the way. However, Bear's past threatens to put an end to it all. I fell in love with Pride and Bear immediately, laughing when they laughed, aching for them when their pasts came to light.

This story owned every emotion I had, from the first page to the last. It is, at times, as heartbreaking as it is heartwarming. Two men, both with so much love to give, hurt in ways that seem unimaginable. Some of it, while rough, is the harsh realities of life in the late 1800's. And some, just proves how cruel people can be. A wonderfully rich and complex tale of friendship, love, and trust - In Bear Country is not to be missed. Kiernan Kelley is a very gifted storyteller and I, for one, thank her for sharing this one. It's from the heart and is one I will re-read over and over again.

Customer Reviews

3.5 Stars
I was suprised to find this was historical fiction. The story is set a few years after the Civil War, and has a rural feel to it. The romance between Bear and Pride is touching, and the sex is more understated than I usually find in Torquere titles (not a bad thing). The revenge/treasure hunt storyline was a nice backdrop, but the focus was definitely on the two men and how they learn and come to love each other.

While I did enjoy this book, it wasn't as good as other M/M romances. Mainly because it was so short. I have noticed a very unfortunate trend with many of Torquere Press' recent print releases being long novellas, not novels. This was especially true Manners and Means which had VERY large type and VERY large margins. While the type for "In Bear Country" is more normal, the margins are still very big so the reader isn't really getting 220 pages. It's hard to recommend a long novella for $13.95 when there are great books like "The Tin Star" for only $11.99, or Ransom for $14.99, and many others that are the same or cheaper after Amazon discounts them. WA Hoffman's awesome "Raised by Wolves" books clock in close to 500 pages, with very small type and very big stories to go with the M/M romance.

I don't want to imply this wasn't worth reading. It was a very good story, just not a novel. I highly recommend getting this in e-book form rather than paying this much for the paperback.

Two Pretty Good Stereotypes Fall in Love
Huge, hairy, gentle bear of a mountain man falls in love with a slender, wiry, blond, cowboy of a Rebel soldier, who is left for dead in the deep forest in the Rocky Mountains. They spend the winter snowed into a cabin in the mountains, hunt for treasure, fend off the attacks of a sadistic lunatic, and find a deeply satisfying love. The guys are lovable, but they don't seem to get too far past the stereotypes. The sex is satisfying and the story spends more time focused on the plotline than the sex (a good thing, as another reviewer points out). The plot ends in such a way as to set up a sequel (actually, BEGS for a sequel). I just hope that, if she writes a sequel, Ms Kelly spends enough time to fill out these two lovely guys into more three dimensional characters. The sequel will have to find some conflicts, not only between the two guys and the hostile wide world they live in but also between the two of them if she is to make them fully credible. Pleasant read, two lovely guys, mildly interesting love story. Three and a half to four stars and a most enjoyable read.

Heartwarming M/M romance with a fine plot.
I truly enjoy this latest from Kelly. If you are a fan of Torquerepress, you will notice how prolific this writer is. "In Bear Country" is her 6th release with Torquerepress and she has given as much more than just a M/M romance. Her description of the setting in the Colorado mountains as winter melts into spring is extremely vivid and she certainly does not shy away from gory details in her story. Pride and Bear are extremely likable. Pride may be young but already a war veteran and his plight in the beginning is most touching. Bear, a mountain man hunted and haunted by his past, may be huge in size but so gentle in character. From strangers to friends to lovers, Kelly has certainly given us a most heartwarming romance as these 2 lonely men found solace in and love with each other. Add in a psychotic villain and treasure hunt, this M/M romance is one enjoyable read indeed! And what better way to end a romance then the couple able to fulfill their dreams!