BREATH TAKING is the second book in L.P. Maxa's St. Leasing paranormal romance series. Not all books in this series strike exactly the same tone. Each book is determined by the main characters and their unique personalities, as well as the varied circumstances. In BREATH TAKING, the focus is on a shifter who occasionally and adorably stumbles in his attempts at wooing the human who turns out to be his fated mate. The major villain in this series takes a back seat in the story, and the source of conflict comes from the FBI presence in town, and the chaos caused when one of the agents tries to get between a shifter and his mate.

The opening of BREATH TAKING hooked me immediately and has me rooting for Keller and Molly as a couple. They both obviously are smitten, but Keller sends Molly some mixed signals as he has an internal debate about the wisdom and fairness of making his move. BREATH TAKING is a very romance-centered story rather than being an urban fantasy or suspense story. This is a classic "boy-meets-girl" tale except the guy is a wolf shifter and the FBI plays an interesting role in this love story. As Molly and Keller have their courtship, two FBI agents are in town investigating wild claims of werewolves, a possible paranormal connection at St. Leasing -- the school where Keller works, and any possible link to a very, very bad and powerful man. I like that BREATH TAKING isn't bogged down in the typical resistance by the human heroine to being mated to a werewolf. Molly takes the news that the guy she loves is a supernatural being relatively well. There is a lot of honesty in this relationship and not a lot of game playing. Keller is up front about his possessive and protective instincts when it comes to Molly, but he does his best to reign them in as best he can, and Molly is pretty understanding while still stating what her boundaries are. Keller and Molly are my favorite couple in this series so far. The fireworks between these two are off the charts, and Keller is such a sweetie as he tries to win over his woman.

BREATH TAKING is an adorable and amazing werewolf badass- meets-yoga instructor romance. This story has a lighter tone than some of the other books in this series. The interplay between the pack members and the antics of Riley and a few of the younger members add humor and releases tension. The end of BREATH TAKING sets up Linc as the hero of the next book in this series with some foreshadowing. I look forward to reading L.P. Maxa's next exciting St. Leasing book.