EARTH SHATTERING is the sixth book in L.P. Maxa’s “St. Leasing” paranormal romance series. This is a story about wolf shifters, but the focus is on friendship and the changes a friendship can take when one friend finds love. Riley and Jasper are both wolf shifters and BFFs. When Riley goes away to college, he misses his friends and family but especially his partner-in-crime, Jasper. They did everything together – including trysts with consenting and eager women. One day, blonde bombshell Blake strolls into Riley’s dorm room, becomes his new best buddy, and generally turns his world upside down.
Blake knows nothing of the supernatural world, but she’s drawn to Riley and can’t resist teasing him and getting him to come out of his shell on campus. Strangely enough, even though Blake is a young woman, the dynamic between her and Riley is similar to the dynamic between Jasper and Riley. Blake and Jasper are both extroverts and “live for the moment” types. Once Riley and Blake become close, he worries what will happen when Jasper starts school with them. He has a massive internal dialogue with himself, thinking that it’s not because he feels romantic toward Blake, but he does feel a little possessive and worried that Jasper’s arrival will somehow disrupt things. Specifically, because Blake’s a hottie and he and Jasper have often had sex with a woman at the same time in the past, he worries that Jasper will force a situation that ends with, at best – some awkwardness between the three of them after having a shared encounter and, at worst – will destroy one or more friendship. Because the first part of the book is told strictly from Riley’s perspective, the tension is ratcheted up a few levels with not knowing how Blake feels about Riley. In the second halve of the book, L.P. Maxa gives alternating perspectives so that you get a better understanding of where Blake’s head is at. Although this is a book with werewolves and danger from a shadowy bad guy in the background, this book is very character-driven.
EARTH SHATTERING is full of friendship drama but doesn’t skimp on the steamy romance. I found Jasper to get on my last nerve in EARTH SHATTERING, but in the latter half of the book L.P. Maxa offers some explanation for his obnoxious behavior and tries to redeem him a bit for readers like me who found him almost insufferable. I was ultimately ok with Jasper’s mea culpa because Riley was. While I personally prefer the serious and sweet type of guy rather than the flirty and blustery type, I look forward to reading Jasper’s book because I think he will be paired with his opposite and I like that balance.
It's always the quiet ones. Riley, the good guy. The dependable packmate. Everyone's best friend. Especially Jasper's, with whom Riley shares women. Not I date 'em one night, you date 'em the next. More like, we're with the same woman at the same time. It's their thing, and they enjoy the hell out of doing it.
Then the universe decided Riley needed a swift kick in the head and sent Blake as the striker.
Petite, bubbly, and indefatigable, Blake pulls him out of his college freshman funk. And, for a while, they have a blast. New best friends enjoying college life.
But all good things must end, and when Jasper makes a surprise visit, there goes the party.
Or...maybe not.
Nothing goes according to plan or shifter lore, until it does. Then Blake's Riley's and he has no intention of sharing her with anyone.
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