How I love Carnal!! 
 Just when I thought another Kristen Ashley hero could not break my heart any more than her earlier heroes, along comes Deke Hightower. A loner, almost a recluse, a man of very few words (the original strong, silent type!), Deke has had a hard, tough life, never putting down roots anywhere and never, ever opening his heart to a woman. He is a simple man, a lover of his bike and the open road, which he makes VERY clear to everyone he meets. Deke and Justice have a history together (he just doesn't remember it!!) but when they meet again years later, they have a verrrry slow build-up, and the slow burn worked perfectly for these two. There are lots of misunderstandings, lots of miscommunications, but when these two get together....OMG!!!! Expect the usual HAWTNESS and over-the-top Alpha-male sexiness that is pure Kristen Ashley. 
 One of the things I absolutely adored about this book was Deke. He is no kid (and neither is Justice), and Kristen Ashley describes him as all man and then some. 
 "...All of it covering exceptional pecs and the most amazing stomach I'd ever seen. 
 Not abs. 
 A manly stomach. 
 I had to admit, I was over the cut leanness that was all the rage. In the beginning, it was hot. But now it seemed daunting, men being so developed they didn't have an inch of extra flesh on them, not like they were human beings but like they were diagrams of a body's muscularity. 
 Not Deke." 
 *FAINTS* And Justice, I loved her! She is a gifted musician, with a renowned family but with lots and lots of heartache to go along with that. But this is Carnal and she is trying to hide out and get some peace. She hires Deke to renovate her new house and I think that Kristen Ashley must have a second secret career as a contractor. At first I thought there was too much detail about the house renovations but then I fell in love with the wonderful detail. Deke works with his hands, he takes pride in his work and the contrast between his blue-collar background and Justice's upbringing is both perfect and poignant at the same time. She has plenty of craziness to deal with, which Deke doesn't get at first. He really closes off his heart and Justice at first hides the fact that she remembers him from years before. He is almost sullen, but all of it comes from a place of heartbreak. 
 "My life, babe," he shook his head, "until I was about twenty, it was not good." "Okay," I prompted carefully, not liking that. "And because a' that, I got a way I gotta be and that's a way that's not gonna change." 
 > 
 All Justice wants is love and acceptance and some peace in her life. I loved that she was always herself around Deke, and eventually he warmed up to her cheerfulness, honesty and just plain goodness. It is difficult for a man like Deke to be with a brilliant and successful woman like Justice. But Deke, being Deke, accepts this in his own way. 
 He squatted and reached into the bag. 
 "Open a beer for me, yeah?" 
 "I live to serve." 
 Deke wanted to test that but do it when they were both naked. 
 Fuck him. 
 Total dumbfuck. 
 I must mention that FANTASTIC cast of secondary characters here. Each and every one felt fully developed and essential to the story. In my opinion, Kristen Ashley can pretty much write about anything and I will devour it. But when she writes about two people who have already lived a full life, who have their own demons and pasts, and who know what they want, well, to me that's a winner. Welcome back to Carnal, folks, it is a beautiful place. Enjoy the bounty. 
 "I was living it and all I had to do was take care of it, nurture it, make it stronger. 
 Then it always would be mine. 
 Everything I'd ever wanted. 
 My place in this universe. 
 And it felt amazing." 
 (ARC provided by the author in return for an honest review.)