Bear, The Daddies of River Gorge #2 by Jacki James

Can a friendship grow into something more? Bear is a Daddy through and through, but his attraction for Ty can't go anywhere because Ty isn't a boy. Ty is always helping others but being taken care of by handsome and caring Bear may allow Ty to keep the man he has grown to love in his life.

From the blurb:

When two big, strong men who are both accustomed to being in charge fall in love, you have to wonder… Who’s the Daddy?

One thing Ty Ingalls knows is when you’re six-foot-three and two hundred and twenty-five pounds, people make assumptions about you. And Ty doesn’t like to disappoint people. He has been the go-to guy for everyone’s problems for as long as he can remember. His family, his friends, and even his former partners all look to him to be Large and in Charge whether that is what he wants or not. No one has ever wanted to take care of him. Until Bear.

Bear needs to be in control. That need, coupled with his care-taking tendencies, led him to the Daddy lifestyle. A lifestyle he isn’t about to give up anytime soon. When he first meets Ty, he makes the same assumptions everyone else does, and he thinks he will have to settle for friendship, even if he finds the man distractingly attractive.

But the more time they spend together, the more he sees that being the person everyone else relies on is weighing the big man down. And then all Bear wants to do is help carry some of that load.

Ty is caught up in what the world expects from him and can’t see himself as a boy... but Bear can. Will he be able to help Ty realize that the way everyone else sees him isn’t as important as the way he sees himself? 

SNik's Review:

Second in series (The Daddies of River Gorge) but can be read as a standalone. Daddy/boy. Mature characters. Friends to lovers. Slow burn. Dual POV. 

As the owner of a roofing business Bear is used to being in charge, and he hasn’t found a boy that accepts his need to be a protective and caring Daddy. Bear finds himself attracted to artist and welder Ty, a big, kind man that is always helping others, but who takes care of Ty? Ty has never considered being a boy and Bear doesn’t want to lose his friendship but it may be that a Daddy/boy relationship between them is just what they both need. 

The friendship between Bear and Ty is a wonderful build up to more for two likable characters that enjoy each other's company and appreciate the other before tentatively seeing if a romantic relationship will work. I really enjoyed all of their interactions in developing a strong friendship bond and their eventual steamy times.

Ty and Bear are both dedicated to their family, hard workers, good friends, and very much deserving of finding their forever person. I am really enjoying River Gorge and this new set of Daddies.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Heather's Review:

I really appreciated the slow build to a relationship in Bear, so different from the typical Daddy/boy stories of instant connection - this one took us through mutual respect to friendship and then the realization that the might want a relationship... and I was there for all of it!  This book was refreshing, sweet, steamy and lovely!

Jacki James was able to strike the delicate balance between caring Daddy and Daddy who wants to make all the decisions...  

Rating: 5 Stars

Bear is available to buy as an ebook or to read with Kindle Unlimited subscription.