Quick Take
- Narration: Michelle Sparks leads the multicast production with range and presence; the ensemble format suits the dual-perspective structure well.
- Themes: Enemy-to-lovers tension, mafia power dynamics, loyalty under duress
- Mood: High-heat and propulsive, with a sharp comedic undercurrent
- Verdict: A confident second entry in J.T. Geissinger’s Queens and Monsters series, best experienced after Ruthless Creatures but strong enough to work as a standalone if you’re walking in cold.
I picked up Carnal Urges on a Sunday when I wanted something with real momentum – the kind of story that doesn’t let you wander off to check your phone. Geissinger delivered. By the time Sloane was trading barbs with the blue-eyed devil who’d made her his captive, I’d lost track of the afternoon entirely. The Queens and Monsters series has a specific energy: it’s dark but not humorless, high-stakes but not punishing, and this second entry sharpens everything that worked in Ruthless Creatures.
Published by Macmillan Audio as part of their Bramble line, this Deluxe Edition includes a bonus chapter not available elsewhere, which matters to completionists and series fans who want every detail of Sloane and Declan’s story. The multicast narration, led by Michelle Sparks, handles the dual first-person structure with enough variation that you always know whose head you’re in – which is not a given in ensemble audiobook productions.
Our Take on Carnal Urges
The premise is familiar in broad strokes: Irish mafia king Declan kidnaps Sloane, the woman he holds responsible for deaths in a war he’s been fighting. She’s innocent. He doesn’t believe her. What follows is not the predictable hostage romance the setup might suggest, largely because Sloane refuses to behave like a captive. She’s described across multiple reviews as one of the most compelling female protagonists readers have encountered in the genre – “strong, smart, loyal, and sassy,” as one reviewer put it, with a tendency to turn mafia members into “puppies” through sheer force of personality.
Geissinger is working in the tradition of dark romance but with better dialogue than the genre typically produces. The “witty repartee” between Sloane and Declan is a genuine strength – it earns the chemistry rather than asserting it. Declan’s “darkly protective charm” doesn’t slide into the kind of toxic-without-acknowledgment that plagues lesser entries in the subgenre. He’s formidable, and he’s wrong about Sloane, and the book knows the difference between those two things.
Why Listen to Carnal Urges
The multicast narration is the right call for this material. Geissinger writes alternating chapters from Sloane and Declan’s perspectives, and the format needs two distinct voices to sustain the tension. Michelle Sparks brings Sloane’s particular brand of sardonic self-possession to life in ways that feel genuine. The Declan chapters have their own register – harder-edged, more guarded – and the ensemble production lets both characters exist in their own space without blurring into each other.
At just under ten hours, the pacing is tight. Geissinger doesn’t linger, which suits the material. The kidnapping setup establishes itself quickly, the power dynamic begins shifting almost immediately, and by the midpoint the book has moved from tension to something more complicated and interesting. Reviewers who have read the series out of order – one describes accidentally reading the books in the wrong sequence – report that the stories hold up regardless of entry point, though the connections between characters deepen considerably when listened to in order.
What to Watch For in Carnal Urges
The content notes in reviews are worth attending to. One reviewer details BDSM themes, elements of restraint and dominance, and violence including kidnapping and torture. This is dark romance operating at the more explicit end of the spectrum, and listeners who prefer lighter heat levels or who have specific content triggers should read those warnings carefully. The book is published as a deluxe edition with that bonus chapter, but new listeners should know the story picks up very close to where Ruthless Creatures ends – if you genuinely haven’t encountered the series before, the first book is worth starting with.
The series is also in active continuation, so Carnal Urges ends with threads still running. There’s resolution for the central relationship, but the Queens and Monsters world has ongoing plotlines that extend into Savage Hearts and Brutal Vows.
Who Should Listen to Carnal Urges
Fans of dark romance with sharp protagonists, mafia settings, and forced proximity who want something with actual wit in the dialogue will find this delivers. It works best for listeners who have some familiarity with Ruthless Creatures, though several reviewers confirm it functions well as a standalone. Anyone with aversion to explicit content, power imbalance dynamics, or violence depicted in romantic contexts should approach carefully. This is a book that knows what it is and executes it confidently – the audience for it will recognize themselves immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Carnal Urges be listened to without reading Ruthless Creatures first?
Technically yes – several reviewers report reading the series out of order with no major confusion. But the story picks up close to where Ruthless Creatures ends, and the character connections are richer if you’ve had the first book’s setup. Starting at the beginning is the better experience.
How explicit is Carnal Urges compared to other dark romance audiobooks?
It’s on the more explicit end of the dark romance spectrum. Reviews detail BDSM themes including restraint, dominance and submission, and spankings, along with violence such as kidnapping, torture, and references to human trafficking. It’s not shy about either the heat or the darkness.
Does the multicast narration work for the dual first-person structure?
Yes. The ensemble format is well-suited to Geissinger’s alternating Sloane-and-Declan chapters. Michelle Sparks gives Sloane the right sardonic edge, and the production keeps the two perspectives clearly distinct throughout.
Is the Deluxe Edition bonus chapter substantial, or is it a minor addition?
It’s described as a never-before-heard bonus chapter. For casual listeners this is a minor addendum, but for series fans and completionists who want every detail of Sloane and Declan’s story, it’s a genuine reason to choose the Deluxe Edition over earlier versions of the text.
