More than I Can Bear by Sam Hall

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The hottest footballer in town is searching for the girl who got away. Me.

We had one amazing night together, but when I woke up, I knew I needed to get back to my boring life.

But he refuses to take no for an answer. The whole city is looking for the girl with the custom-painted Converse.

But I’ve got other problems. The guy who keeps coming into my cafe, who’s as grumpy as he is hot. Or the quiet guy who lurks in the corner then leaves drawings for me to find.

I was the girl that everyone ignored, but each one of these guys are going to shove me into the spotlight. And I’m not sure if any of us are going to survive that scrutiny.

More than I Can Bear

Brushstrokes & Bear Shifters

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💚💜💙❤️🩷
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙📔
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏🌍
Character development: 😋🙂☺️😍🥰
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Dual Narration

🦸🏼‍♀️ Heroine Spotlight: Freya

Freya lives in the margins—quiet, observant, and emotionally tucked away. A waitress by day and artist by passion, she pours herself into painting, sketching, and designing custom Converse sneakers. At 22, she’s never been kissed—until a spontaneous one-night stand with Aussie football star Adam Farelly flips her world. She vanishes before dawn, leaving behind a single shoe and a trail of questions. Freya craves connection but fears the spotlight, choosing solitude over spectacle.

🐻 Bear Shifter Sleuth: Adam, Kaine & River

Adam, the golden boy of Australian football and Magarey Medal winner, is more than just a star athlete—he’s a bear shifter with a sleuth of chosen family. His brother Kaine, the gruff protector, and River, the quiet artist with a soul full of sketches, round out the trio. Together, they’ve searched for their mate, and when Adam meets Freya, the sleuth knows she’s the one. But Freya’s retreat forces Kaine and River to step in, courting her with tenderness and patience.

• Adam: Charismatic, determined, and emotionally open.
• Kaine: Brooding, loyal, and quietly proud of his younger brother.
• River: Reserved, introspective, and artistically gifted—a mirror to Freya’s creative soul.

🔥 Plot Threads & Emotional Stakes

Freya’s internal tug-of-war between desire and self-preservation drives the story. She fears losing herself in Adam’s rising fame and resists the pull of a life in Melbourne’s spotlight. When Adam goes public in search of her, Kaine and River find her first—and the courtship begins. The twist? Kaine is Adam’s brother, adding layers of tension and intimacy to an already complex dynamic.

💡 What Sparkled

• The audiobook includes the novella Poke the Bear as a prequel—great setup for the emotional stakes.
• One-night stand turned slow-burn romance? Yes, please.
• Authentic Australian setting with narrators who actually sound Aussie.
• Freya and her friend Jack’s drunken antics? Comedy gold.

🤨 What Missed the Mark

• The Cinderella callback—Freya leaving behind a custom Converse for Adam to track her down—felt a bit too on-the-nose.
• The recurring sports-romance trope: heroine fears the limelight. Realistically, many partners of athletes live quietly unless they choose otherwise. It’s a trope that could use a refresh.

🎧 Narration Notes

Sofia Lette and Dorje Swallow deliver a multiple POV experience that feels immersive and emotionally textured.

• Sofia Lette: Soft, natural, and emotionally resonant.
• Dorje Swallow: Versatile, expressive, and skilled at character differentiation.
Bonus points for the Aussie accents—I used to date an Australian, and that lilt still makes me swoon.

💬 Favorite Quotes

“Women all across the world are not given choices: around what roles they take on or how they look, what clothes they wear, and who they do and don’t have as sexual partners. Bear shifters are supposed to be better than human men. You make sure you have her enthusiastic consent before claiming her because it’s the right thing to do.”

“People say that money doesn’t buy you happiness, but sh*t, does it buy you freedom.”

Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Twitter|BookBub



View all my reviews