I didn’t think I could love Carnal Urges more than I loved Ruthless Creatures, but I did have high hopes. This story blew me away. With a character like Sloane, a woman everyone underestimates and few actually know, she couldn’t have a low key mafia romance. Her story starts out strong and just keeps snowballing from there – she is kidnapped by Declan who is the newly minted head of the Irish mafia and the rivals of her bestie’s love interest. After inadvertently starting a war between the criminal factions in Ruthless Creatures, Sloane’s story could only get more complicated. She is a woman who has no desire to commit and thinks love is a 4 letter word. Men are dessert, enjoyed quickly and forgotten until she meets her match. Declan was everything I wanted him to be as a morally gray hero. He’s demanding, dominating, and eventually a total marshmallow on the inside for Sloane. And their banter is some of the best I’ve read. This enemies to lovers, captive, mafia romance had plot twists, passion, and so action to keep you on your toes.

This story had so many unexpected layers and surprised me on several occasions. Right from the start it sucked me in and from the moment Sloane and Declan started arguing, I knew I was going to love them together. They are both extremely intelligent and they use it against one another in the best enemies to lovers fore play. I also loved how Sloane manages to surprise everyone throughout the book with her skills. She constantly made me giggle. I couldn’t get enough of Declan’s frustration and attraction to her, while still protecting her and falling all the while. This story is one of my favorite reads of the year and I’m shocked this sat on my TBR so long. Can’t wait to see what’s next in the series.

This felt much flatter than book 1 - the main characters' backstories didn't really feel fleshed out for most of the story, so their actions lacked the same depth I got from book 1. It also felt at times like it was just following the steps of what is now a pretty archetypal BDSM romance: age/experience/wealth gap, reluctant sub, etc, never really deviating from that the way that book 1 does. This was fine, but nothing I'd go out of my way to recommend.

I thought I loved Ruthless Creatures, but I LOVED Carnal Urges. I absolutely loved Sloan in the first book and couldn't wait to get more of her in this book. Her confidence and zest for life is something that had me drawn to her from the get go. I loved their story and how chaotic it was from start to finish. This was incredible

“I already know nothing else will ever be able to compare to you. Nothing and no one will ever come close."
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according to all the crime syndicates on the east coast, Sloane is responsible for starting a mafia war. she’s a high stakes target, so it’s only natural that she would get kidnapped and immediately fall in love with her captor, right (it’s not Stockholm Syndrome, she swears!)?

honestly, their chemistry was lost on me. all they did was trade sarcastic quips back-and-forth for a couple days, and suddenly they are more in love with each other than they imagined they could be with anyone ever? it felt a bit like a filler book that just provides enough breadcrumbs and foreshadowing to get us to the next one.

it’s a quick read but not my favorite.
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this and that:
♡ age gap (28 x 42)
♡ dual pov
♡ enemies-to-lovers
♡ espionage
♡ he’s (reluctantly) obsessed
♡ insta love
♡ mafia romance
♡ open door spice
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triggers:
☞ blood and gore
☞ body shaming
☞ kidnapping
☞ miscarriage (mentioned)
☞ rape and sexual violence (mentioned)
☞ self-harm (discussed)
☞ violence

Somehow better than the first in the series. Carnal Urges was a fiercely strong romance between two people whose wills could not be dampened, no matter how hard other sources tried. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

I LOVE JT Geissinger so much and this was amazing, I admit I didn't take to Sloane in the first book but I really warmed to her in this one, she's a refreshing fiesty FMC great chemistry and tension between her and Declan, spice was just enough not to be overbearing and a substantial propulsive plot with lots of twists had me eating this up, I really enjoyed the banter and humour, love anything Geissinger does!