Review: Paranormal romance, action, and drama - solid read
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 26, 2014
I received a copy of this story for an honest review for Amber's Reading Room.Laura Kaplan, a semi-reformed con artist with major self-esteem issues, has been raised to roll with the punches and adapt to survive. The crushing guilt she experiences after witnessing a brutal crime sends her running to her father’s secluded cabin for a little R&R.;  The last thing she expected to find was a gorgeous veteran nursing his own wounds in the barn on her father’s property.“He didn’t know what had happened to cast that shadow over her, but he had the urge to take her into his arms, hold her tight, and tell her that everything would be all right.”Roy Farrell, a dyed in the wool soldier, never anticipated that in one fell swoop he’d lose his military career and be forced to go on the run from the government he dedicated his life to. Turned into a werewolf by his best friend and fellow soldier in an attempt to save him from fatal battle field wounds, Roy knows he may spend the rest of his days as a lab rat if he doesn’t stay on the move. One look at Laura has him rethinking that plan. As Roy struggles against the new powers consuming him, he starts to feel a separate call to protect Laura at any cost. A call so strong that he may be willing to share his secret with Laura.“You can yell and swear if it’ll make you feel better. You got shot protecting me. There’s absolutely nothing you can do that’ll convince me you’re not a world-class badass.”As Laura and Roy face mounting threats from a dangerous opponent, the two must learn to trust each other and face their personal demons – together.“Maybe it didn’t matter if they both needed years more to heal. They didn’t have to wait till they had perfected themselves to live their lives and be together. They could start now, as they were. They had already started.”When it comes to indie books I am a big fan of the old saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” So when I say that I hope you don’t judge Laura’s Wolf by its cover, know that I mean it in the best possible way. A hot shirtless soldier standing in front of a full moon gives off a very, very sexed up paranormal vibe, but in reality Laura’s Wolf is so much more than that. It’s almost three stories in one – a sweet and spicy romance, a paranormal action adventure, and a touching story about a soldier dealing with the effects of PTSD.The one issue I had with the story is the pacing. Where the first 85% of the book is pumped full of energy and completely flies, the last 15% of the story heavily focuses on Roy’s issues with PTSD and gets slightly bogged down.Overall Laura’s Wolf was a solid read and a unique spin on the paranormal beauty and the beast standard. This would be a fun pick-up for other paranormal fans.Happy reading