I have been in much need of reading a novel as badass as The Animal Under the Fur! I’m so happy E.J. Mellow wrote it, but I’m sad because it was so good that I don’t know what could compare and it put me in a book hangover.

Nashville a.k.a. 3 was abandoned as a child. She grew up training to work with SI6 to be the perfect assassin since she’s an A+, which is a human with heightened senses and abilities. During one of her assignments, she meets Carter, another assassin from a different agency called COA. When they meet, they immediately hate one each other with a passion. What they don’t know is that it was a test to see if they could work on a bigger and harder mission.

I’ve killed more people than years I’ve been alive. And for reference I’m twenty-six.

Even though Nashville intimidated (and scared) me so much, I absolutely loved her! Her character is beyond kickass and full of badassery! She’s had it so rough in life and because of that, she’s so detached from everybody except her roommate and childhood friend. I felt for Nash so many times because she didn’t have a normal upbringing and it obviously affects her and has her vulnerable side. At the same time, she’s so tough and put together that if you don’t glimpse her vulnerable side, you’d think she doesn’t have any humanity in her. That’s what made this character so special to me and intrigued me to no end, especially when Carter is thrown in her life and how she’s suddenly experimenting these feelings she had never known.

Carter’s heartbeat is a locomotive in my ears, his pheromones blanketing the sheets like an alluring aroma from a lit candle. How long as it been since I’ve enjoyed the touch of another? Allowed myself to experience pleasure rather than pain?

I kind of disliked Carter in the beginning. He was cocky as hell, would boast about how good he is at his job and getting any women to sleep with, knows he’s beyond attractive… All these qualities had me eye-rolling so much. BUT! My goodness, did I end up loving this cocky man. He ended up showing this vulnerable side to him that had my heart beating crazy fast. The way he ended up being there for Nashville and caring for her had me melting completely.

Now, these two characters together… Explosion. Fireworks. Steamy as hell. They kept each other on their toes and that’s what made their relationship even more exciting!

Trading hits seems to be our messed-up way to blow off steam, and even though I usually prefer a different, more…grinding way of getting a release, sparring with 3 and having her meet my strength with her own has become a weird sort of foreplay.

While reading the book, I felt like I was watching a movie (that’s a compliment)! All I needed was a huge bag of popcorn and I would have been set. Mellow went into detail with every aspect of the story, especially the action scenes. My fear when reading action books is that they will be brushed off and you can tell the author didn’t really do research. Well, Mellow definitely did and it showed! Those action scenes were the best I’ve read in a long time! They had my heart and pulse racing! It all felt so thrilling!

The Animal Under the Fur is an action-packed, badass, suspenseful, steamy, thrilling story with a hate-to-love and intense romance, and outstanding writing! I need more of E.J. Mellow’s writing and Nashville and Carter!