I picked up Signed by Layla Nash because sometimes I just like a good hot shifter romance, and it definitely lived up to its promise.
It’s the story of Hannah, a young woman from NYC who’s trying to figure out what she wants out of life, and Wade, a super hot grizzly bear shifter from North Dakota. They’re brought together when her best friend and his brother join a dating site and promptly fall in love, causing the friend to drag Hannah out to North Dakota to go visit her new honey.
At which point, Wade’s siblings and Hannah’s best friend promptly start working on setting them up.
I liked the friends and I loved both Hannah and Wade. Hannah is awesome and lovely and everything I like in an MFC, while Wade is sweet but gruff and honestly super hot even when he’s not a grizzly bear. They’re both adorable and sexy, and the two of them make an excellent couple.
Also, the worldbuilding is great. We’ve got the bears and the wolves, all of whom are living under the noses of people who know nothing about the supernatural. Plus Hannah and her job struggles in NYC (though I did predict how that would end) and just…lovely.
But in the end, I still debated over what to rate this book.
The thing is, I enjoyed it.
If you like shifter romances, and especially if you like good characters, bear shifters, and some worldbuilding, this is a great book.
But.
I had a few problems.
1) The most major issue: consent. The first time Hannah and Wade have sex, she’s had a minimum of four beers, possibly five – to the point that she can’t remember the number. Therefore, she’s drunk and in no state to consent. I don’t care that she’s the one offering and that she clearly enjoys it, Wade should have said “let’s talk when you’re not drunk.” Instead they have sex, and it’s well-written, but not having consent is a Problem.
1a) No discussion of birth control, no use of a condom. While I know some people prefer this, it always bugs me.
2) I do not understand this new trend for the female POV to be written in first person while the male POV is written in third. It’s frankly jarring when you’re jumping POVs.
I’m fine with both first and third! And both were well-written! But I’d honestly prefer authors pick one type and stick to it. Alternate the two main characters, sure. But put them both in first or both in third, don’t switch that too.
The thing is, I still enjoyed the book, so it would’ve been a solid five stars…except for these issues.
Therefore, I debated a lot and ultimately am giving it
Four Stars
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