The overall storyline of this book does exactly what you want it to do- make you fall for a very morally grey MMC and still have the fantasy ending, and with the spice it was very easy to read

I didn’t find that I was able to really relate, connect or build up a relationship with the FMC so that was the only part that made it boring to read. Overall it did what you want a spicy buffer book to do on your TBR

IM OBSESSED WITH THEM AHHH NATALIE AND KAGE ♾ literally everything about them is perfect <3 ALSO I CANT WAIT TO READ THE NEXT ONE ABOUT SLOANE

*3.5

where can i find my own mafia boss who’s 6’6” and wants to take care of me financially

wow This was very very good. I saw one line from tiktok and knew I needed to read it. I was right I absolutely devoured this book in one sitting. KAGE!? KAAAGGGEEEE. Wow you just gotta read this to grasp how amazing his character is written. Also the spice 🌶🌶🌶 Although I would love another book with them where the story is a bit more dragged out, I am honestly very excited for Sloane’s book.

Between Kage sexy alpha male attitude and Sloane who is Nat best friend made this a good read. Loved Nat and Sloane friendship and made for some good easy laughs. I am not a huge insta love unless with Fated Mates in PNR but J.T. Geissinger made it work. I totally fell for Kage with his sexy, over protectiveness in Ruthless Creatures (Queens & Monsters #1). Fast pace, good action and I did feel bad for them as their relationship is not normal cause of his mafia ties and secrets he is hiding. Loved that he did have a softer side when it came to Nat.

The more I think about this book the more I love it. A favorite in life? Not sure yet. But a favorite of the year? For sure.

3.5 ⭐️'s i was hooked on this book from the first chapter. why, you ask? simple answer: Nat and Sloane. from their first phone call a few pages in, i was in love with the both of them. both sassy women who have been best friends for years, with great senses of humour and no apologies for who they are. our main girl is Natalie, who's fiancé disappeared 5 years ago the day before their wedding. she's still not over the heartache, or the grief, or the constant questioning of 'what if.' that is, until Kage, a total dark, mysterious, broody stranger comes into town. Natalie's personality and internal monologue had me laughing out loud on multiple occasions. her quick wit is one of my favourite things about this book. I sit back down at the kitchen table, drop my head, and gently bang my forehead against it a few times. "What's that sound" "My mental breakdown." this girl is a whole mood. Kage intrigued me from the get go with his confidence and witty banter. it felt like their relationship went from nothing to everything in an extremely short period, but to me it's obvious he and Nat have a lot of chemistry and they're adorable together so i'll let it slide. this book is your typical mafia romance but also with lots of twists and turns along the way. also if you like the main guy whispering cute nothings into his girl's ear in Russian, then definitely read this. each time i finished a chapter, i couldn't wait to move on to the next one and finished this book in a day. seeing as book #2 is Sloane's book, i'm moving on to that one straight away!

Didn’t love this one as much. I didn’t connect with them all the way. Loved the banter & spice though.

This was one of those humbling moments in which I realize how much of an IDIOT I was for not reading this sooner, despite nothing but rave reviews from my book besties. Blah blah blah, I'm a contrarian asshole. Moving on. In short, this book was fucking FANTASTIC. Everything about it was chef's kiss. No notes. Nat and Kage have immediate sexual chemistry, and he's shrouded in just enough mystery to keep her coming back for more, again and again. He spends his time bicoastally, split between his duties as Bratva boss in New York and visiting Nat in Tahoe. When they're apart, they're hardcore pining for each other. And when they're together, they make up for the time lost. Kage is a dirty talking CHAMP and actually made me blush. I felt like this was a great example of the perfect blend of spice and plot--there was a lot going on in this book but at no point did it feel overwhelming, or that I wanted more of any one particular thing. I really enjoyed JT's writing style--the woman is lowkey a comedian. Some of my favorite moments were Nat's BFF Sloane sharing her eccentric and unfiltered wisdom, which got me VERY excited for Carnal Urges and more of Sloane. Highly recommend!

SMOKING HOT, UTTERLY BREATHTAKING, AND BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN I was hesitant to read this book. I'd seen some reviews talking about poor character development and plot execution, but they were absolutely WRONG. This book is one of the best spicy romance books I've ever read in my entire life. Natalie and Kage have incredible chemistry, character arcs, and steamy scenes. I love how the author didn't hold back on the spice. The writing style is exceptional, it reminds me of Sophie Lark, but J. T. Geissinger has a flair for writing that I've found to be rare in the romance world. Very few authors are talented enough to build characters and universes through sex scenes, but Geissinger has successfully done it. Dual-POV, I find, is difficult to write well. 60-80% of the Dual-POV books I read fail to accept that each POV should be written in the character's voice and not the author's. Geissinger has done an incredible job of exploring characters through their narration. When I read each POV, I'm not checking to see who it is because it's blatantly obvious through the narrative style. Nat and Kage are shown to be two people who find in each other what they lack in themselves, and in order to sell that story, Geissinger delivers sizzling hot scenes where each character goes out of their way to be truly, and utterly, themselves. It's raw, powerful, emotional, and the love that's developed over the course of the novel is fantastic. I also loved how the author used Sloane and Chris to elevate the plot/story instead of detract from it. They each added depth to the MCs and ensured that the whole book wasn't just two people looking at each other. Sloane's personality really complimented Natalie's and offered a nice break from heavier scenes. Chris, well, I think we all know a man like Chris (and wished we didn't). Hopelessly in love with another fictional man I'll never meet, I'm ending this review by recommending this book to anyone who doubts the power of attraction and a good orgasm. Potential CW/TWs: - Restraints - Mentions of self harm - Mentions of suicide - Guns - Murder - Blood/Injury - Blindfolds - Spanking - Slapping - Paddles - Gunshots - Alcohol/Alcohol in excess - Cheating (NOT the MCs!!!) - Mafia/Mob - Human trafficking mentions - Drug mentions - Marking/Bruising - Biting

3.5

An enjoyable read

Wow. This was everything. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you since the day we met. I’m not someone who obsesses over things, but I’ve obsessed over you. To the point of distraction. To the point where it interfered with my work. I can’t get you out of my head, and I’ve tried. Hard. It was useless. So I gave up trying.” Talk about bringing a big bad Russian mob boss to his knees. Nat is stuck 5 years in the past. She’s reliving her own worst nightmare.. and for two days a year, she allows herself to do just that. Live in a blur. Kage was her undoing. The balm she needed to sooth her shattered heart; but in that process she made his heart start beating. “Ruthless Creatures,” by JT Geissinger is book one in her Queens and Monsters Series. It is a standalone dark romance, and is an unconventional and unexpected type of love. Kage is in the Russian mob; second in command and a ghost in the night. Hired to kill Natalie he is immediately entranced - and for the first time ever, he’s selfish and takes her for himself. Although it is a standalone, there is a continued storyline throughout the series. Add in some gang wars - a missing fiance - and some seriously hot chemistry, you get this amazing read. I was obsessed with Kage and Nat from the get go and they are perfect for each other.