Wolf with Benefits by Shelly Laurenston
While I read “Bite Me” first, reading the books out of order did not detract from their stories. These are fun reads with larger than life characters. They have all of the human problems well all face with the addition of animal/shifter issues and pack politics. I like that Ms. Laurenston doesn’t just tack on the fact that these characters have an animal form but in both “Wolf with Benefits” and “Bite Me” these characters human and animal lives are so well sewn together that you see them as a part of their identity. Bears, especially Russian Bears are difficult to negotiate with, wolves are possessive and wild dogs are very close to their family. These things are characteristics of their personalities but each wolf is different, as is each dog and bear. Laurenston gives us a hilarious good time, with sexy characters and a thrilling suspense.
The shape shifter angle adds another degree of danger to the suspense and romance. The relationships are fun, funny and dysfunctional. Easy going redneck wolf Ricky Lee Reed falls for the big sister jackal Toni Jean-Louise Parker, the caretaker of her 10 siblings all proteges. She is the only normal one in the family, well, she and her father and it is up to them to ride herd over the ubber-talented crazies that make up the rest of their family.
Ricky Lee Reed is just hanging around for the entertainment but as part of a security team ends up protecting Toni when she is sent to negotiate with Russian Bears. He ends up falling for the she jackal. When someone threatens her family, Toni starts worrying that she shouldn’t have her own life. Thankfully Ricky, his pack, her family and their friends are there to protect and rescue and see that they all have a happy ending.
OCD hockey player, miniature geniuses, human government snoops, a religious cult, crazy relatives, an ex-girl friend, a new job, and the craziness that is life in the Jean-Louise Parker house all of this is added together to make a great paranormal romantic suspense with action, tension and attitude.
Wolf with Benefits by Shelly Laurenston
