Kage awakens Natalie’s dormant libido and once she gives in to his touch, it brings out the sexy, temptress side of her. Natalie is fierce, feisty, sassy and strong which is good as the road to HEA is no walk in the park. This aspect didn't bother me as much as in Carnal Urges, since I knew not to take the mafia part of this series too seriously, but it's still laughable. These people are so hopeless, I feel so embarassed for them. Whatever she writes, she always has her talented way of telling her story and I love her writing but I cannot make my peace with certain things such as gangsters / mafia / killing / BDSM in romance books.

Natalie was a feisty, smart mouthed character, although some of her choices weren’t the smartest at times.You make me believe in miracles, Riley Rose. When I’m with you, I feel like my life hasn’t been such a waste.” Every mile closer I drove, the harder it was not to jam my foot onto the accelerator. She’s the most powerful magnet, pulling me home. Sloane convinces her to go out with her to a bar on the 5 yr anniversary of her fiancés disappearance so she doesn’t wallow in depression at home alone. At the bar, they see a mysterious man named Kage sitting at the bar alone. The town gossiper informs them that he’s Natalie’s new next door neighbor. Sloane & Natalie both approach him separately but are both met with his rude dismissal of any form of a conversation. Mal on the other hand, maybe my favorite MMC that this author has ever written. And that’s going into the last book adoring Declan. What can I say? I love me a cinnamon roll, the quieter the better. I especially loved how he took care of Riley and whispered how much ge adored her in Russian from the get go.

Ruthless Creatures is book one in the Queens and Monsters series and is the story of Natalie and Kage (Kasimir). I had other issues with the book which didn’t have to do with the main relationship. I called it when I read the last book - I didn’t like Sloan and I was right. This one had a good story with Sloane being outgoing and amiable, yet talkative and Declan being grumpy and often frustrated with her. Especially since he just can’t figure out how well she takes everything that happens to her. She is kidnapped, shot at and more and she takes everything in stride while making friends with stoic gangsters along the way. Riley's characters gave me whiplash, because in one chapter she reminds me of a mini Sloane with her flair for exaggerations and witty responses, but then in other chapters when she's talking about Sloane she was so judgy and annoying.He leans close to my face and says from between gritted teeth, “You’re about as charming as herpes. Now go take a piss.” He looks suspicious at my tone of wounded surprise. “I mean he came into this room working for me, and he went out of it working for you. He suddenly thinks he’s your goddamn butler!” The hero and heroine are very likable as I have already mentioned. If only Malek didn’t use the “daddy” word, their relationship would be awesome for me but he went and spoiled it all twice by using it. (Well, thank God, he didn't say it every time they had sex).