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Layla

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Thomas Harrow is new to Carnal Pleasures. Though an accomplished Dominant, not everyone is impressed with him at first sight. In an effort to prove that he belongs, he sets up a public demonstration that has a disastrous end.

Layla Marks is a dreamer who works behind the scenes at the club. Night after night she watches the playing, secretly longing to be apart of the lifestyle.

The pair couldn't be more different: Thomas is demanding with little patience for Layla's naiveté. With a rocky start already between them, they enter into a tentative D/s relationship, hoping that the other can be what they need.

But Thomas is not the only one who covets the shy beauty, and Layla soon finds herself caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse.

*The Carnal Pleasures series will be a mixture of various M/M and M/F pairings following the lives of the employees and patrons of the club. Due to language and explicit sexual interaction, it is recommended for readers 18 and up*

244 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 21, 2020

13 people are currently reading
73 people want to read

About the author

Claire Marta

81 books1,316 followers
Claire Marta is a USA Today Bestselling Author who writes addictive, dark, hot stories. A native Brit, she lives in Italy with her daughter and husband. She loves drinking copious amounts of tea and goes walking when brainstorming one of her twisty book plots.

You can follow me for News and Updates on my books on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/clairemartab...

If you love my book then why not join my Facebook book group:
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I also have a website:
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5 stars
23 (32%)
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26 (37%)
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16 (22%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
Profile Image for Philomena Callan Cheekypee.
4,023 reviews434 followers
January 26, 2020
This is book two in Carnal Pleasures. Yet again these authors sucked me into a genre I don’t usually read. As I read book one I thought I’d give this a go and I’m so glad I did.

Thomas is a new Dom at Carnal Pleasures. He’s also a dragon. Layla, a mermaid, is a cleaning lady at the club. She secretly wants to be a part of the activities at the club.

A well written hot and sexy read. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Profile Image for Scarlett.
49 reviews8 followers
September 16, 2022
Mermaid + Dragon + bdsm = An unexpectedly good combination with an explosive ending.

I want to start this review by clarifying that this is my first bdsm MF story. I have to admit that after the first book and switching to a MF couple I had no expectations at all.

But gods, the female authors threw me right into the deep waters, and even Laila was unlikely to be able to save me from drowning. Because I totally immersed myself in the story and was captivated by it until the very end.

This is definitely not the typical BDSM story you would expect to read. Once again we find ourselves in the favorite club - Carnal Pleasures, but the spotlight is on new characters.

Right from the start we have Thomas – a Dominant Dragon who knows what he wants and isn't afraid to go to any lengths to get it. Too arrogant and not patient enough, but as the story unfolds we learn more about him and what is behind the choices he makes.

Laila on the other hand is a super insecure mermaid who has big dreams and plans for life. Her curiosity is so fascinating that it draws her into a whole new world that she may not be able to handle, even though she has a terrible desire to.

The relationship between the two is like a tornado trying to swallow both land and water.
BUT the story was really captivating, both characters rediscovered so much about themselves and developed in an unexpected way.

I also liked that it was shown that every situation has 2 points of view and yours is not always the right one for others. There were many interesting moments, as always the chemistry between the characters and hot scenes were not lacking. And the best part is that the world is so well built that you want to read more and more and you can't stop!

The ending is logical but left me wanting MORE! So I'm looking forward to seeing how the series develops in the next books.
5,704 reviews39 followers
March 14, 2021
very good.. interesting storyline and characters that made me happy and smile.. some parts were sad but overall it was a well written and fun story . i liked it
Profile Image for Patricia Nelson.
1,739 reviews20 followers
March 26, 2021
I really enjoyed reading this awesome story. I must admit to wanting to rattle the teeth of certain characters, but I can't wait to see what happens next.
Profile Image for Ola Adamska.
2,881 reviews27 followers
February 4, 2020
I had not read book one in this series so I was going into it with an open mind and wanted to experience as much from it.
Layla is a shy girl that works at Carnal Pleasures but she's not working there as a sub or Domme, she's helping staff.
Thomas is a new Dom the CP and he needs to prove himself on his first day so he would be accepted.
Those two very unlikely to cooperate on stage meet and there is some kind of spark there. But what it is? They are about to clash and nothing can be sure with that as they come from completely different worlds.
What will happen between those two? Will Layla allow herself to submit to Thomas or their difference will put them apart?
In the book, you will find BDSM, D/s relationships, spanking and more content of the sexual kind as well as growing up and angst.
I can't wait to see what will come next for all those characters!
Profile Image for Leanne.
537 reviews47 followers
January 11, 2020
3.5 stars
I've been looking forward to delving back into the world of Carnal Pleasures. I really enjoyed Bane & Adam's story and was looking forward to meeting new characters.

I have to say, this story is a complete step away from Bane's tragic tale and I didn't feel as connected to Layla & Thomas and their story. I didn't really get a solid feel of who they are, their characterisation fell a little slack for me.

However, the ending of their story made for a refreshing change and I am eager to see more of them, as well as, I hope, getting to know Eli & Callum a lot better!
Profile Image for Natasha TerMaat.
170 reviews
January 27, 2020
I need more of these two

Loved the first book in this series so its no surprise id love the second. Its not the same characters as book 1 but alot of the characters from book 1 make an appearance in this book as well obviously since based around the infamous Carnal Pleasures club. Love this story on Layla & Thomas ....but i neeeeed more cant wait to see where their journey ends. These authors definitely tease you at the very end. Great read
Profile Image for Coline Peterson.
623 reviews6 followers
March 5, 2021
This book was so good the second in the Carnal Pleasures series by Claire Marta and Summer Stanton, can not wait to read the next. Be careful what you wish for because sometimes when you get it, it's not what you thought you needed and for Layla and Thomas this could be so true it could change everything, but could they still be everything to each other.
Profile Image for Joyffree.
3,414 reviews62 followers
February 8, 2020
No spoilers
I'm not sure how I feel about that but in a lot of ways, it makes sense.

Layla is still so young and she's curious about the lifestyle but she lacks self-appreciation. She has goals and she is book smart but her life smarts are for ch it! I am hoping as the series moves forward she evolves with it. She grew a lot in this episode alone. She found she didn't have to hide every time she was confronted. She found she could fight.

Thomas is an arrogant old arse who needs to spend some time in self-reflection - Sooooo wanted to crisp his arse on several occasions! I had a hard time with his character. He just plowed through everything without taking the time to properly step back and analyze. For an old man, he should have had better life skills. I will admit that I gave him a bit of a pass just because of what he was... one of my favorite species *sigh*.

Thomas came on the scene like a bulldozer he felt he had to prove something and in a way, he did but seriously? The whole mix up was his fault if he was this great big bad dom he should have seen the clues sooner. He also should have had a lot more patience. Yes, he makes a valid point to Layla that he was trapped in his choices as much as she was trapped on the receiving end. But still, there were kinder more patient ways to go about getting the same results.

As for our dangerous tiger - how could you lose him?

This has a HEA -
It's not your standard but it felt right for this situation, actually it was the only option for these two.
There are some loose ends but I think they will be tied up in future episodes.
I am excited to see who will bring Thomas to his knees and to watch Layla grow.
One of the things I enjoy about this series is the connection between the cast.
Profile Image for Amy  Crull.
2,451 reviews38 followers
March 22, 2021
So this one is a little different then the first book..It still takes place at the club so you still see all the characters from book 1. There isn't a lot of sex in this book and that didn't really bother me because of everything else that was happening in it. In this book, we have Layla. She is the behind the scene girl, the one hiding in the corner cleaning up after everyone. She is naive and lost. When a mistaken identity throws her into a place she never thought she'd be. Thomas is a new Dom at the club. He's out to prove he has what it takes. He wasn't planning on getting Layla but he was pretty patient with her. Since she's innocent, she brings a whole new level to the game. Layla is a mermaid and all by herself. She doesn't know her family and where they come from so she has no clue how to control her abilities. This is a problem especially with her being innocent..While she's trying to figure out her place in the world, her scent catches the eye of another Dom..This guy is creepy and the perfect stalker type. He knows what he wants and will do anything to get Layla. This adds a level of creepiness to the story. While I was thinking this was gonna be a complete story..it wasn't. It was a good start to Layla and Thomas's story and I can't wait to read more from them!
Profile Image for Kassandra  Knight.
1,531 reviews3 followers
March 19, 2021
Possible Spoilers

To start with it’s been a couple/few years since I’ve read a strictly MF book. That being said, I found the sex scenes in this one squicky for me, when you read them you might see what I mean. There’s quite a few plot holes and editing errors. I did receive an arc copy but it was supposed to be a final proof as the book is already published. With some proofreading it could definitely get bumped to at least a four star read but I’m not happy with the plot line of the book so I don’t think it would ever be a five star for me.

The only reason I read this one at all was because I was reading book one and book three and I wanted to see if there was any overlying plot line or anything like that to be carried into book three.

You could read this as a stand-alone but after reading all three books I do recommend reading them in order and even though I didn’t agree with what happened plot-wise I still recommend reading this one, especially if you’re reading book three.

I received an arc and this is my honest review.




Spoiler *** there is not a HFN or HEA for Layla and Thomas but apparently their story is not done and they will return in another book in the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Ida Umphers.
5,558 reviews48 followers
March 18, 2021
I read the first book in this series which was an m/m story and loved it. I'll be honest, that I approached this m/f story with some trepidation. I have largely stopped reading m/f romance of any sort because the power dynamics between the male and female characters often makes my skin crawl. Adding a D/s relationship here with a male Dom and female sub sounded like trouble to me. However, having enjoyed the authors' take on the relationship in the first book, I decided to give this one a try. Oh my, I really, really liked this. I never felt that Layla was being abused or that she was not a strong character. She was totally able to hold her own with Thomas (and teach him quite a few things, lol). They were a great pair and I would definitely read other m/f books by these authors again.
2,220 reviews5 followers
March 18, 2021
Second installment of the Carnal Pleasures series.

Layla's book didn't quite capture me as much as Bane's did. She and her Dom, Thomas, bore this love/hate relationship. Layla also had this naivete about her that made it hard for me to wrap my head around her overall character approach. I guess given her character's overall foundation, it kind of makes sense.
Thomas felt this need to prove his bona fides as a new Dom at Carnal Pleasures, so we can see his character's zest for going a step too far.

The ending was most surprising. Not even a hint at he right guess. Steamy scenes weren't as intense as I would have expected for the overall feel of the series to date.


**I received this ARC via Gay Romance Reviews for my honest feedback.**
Profile Image for Rachael.
267 reviews
February 23, 2021
This book is completely different than the first carnal pleasures. You do see the crew from book 1, but this one goes in an entirely different direction. I did not expect the ending. It was a surprise.

Thomas and Layla truly have a love/hate relationship. You never know what is going to happen next. If you are expecting many "sex" scenes you will be disappointed. It seams that talking is a majority theme in this series storyline.

Add in a stocker, a siren who can't control her magic, a dragon set in his ways and the crew of carnal pleasures and you have this book.
Profile Image for Shelly Celli.
2,248 reviews6 followers
March 17, 2021
So Intense!

Layla finding herself in a situation she wants but is afraid of is something most people would love, but with as shy as she is, things escalate quickly and get somewhat out of hand. She and her Dom hate one another as much as they love one another. I’ll be honest, I didn’t see that ending coming at all. I’m a bit disappointed, but I look forward to seeing what happens in the future.
Profile Image for Suzanne Irving.
2,742 reviews24 followers
March 19, 2021
MF book in series

Spoiler: Warning this book doesn’t end in the main couple being together although there is that possibility coming in another book. I like that this series has relationships with a lot of different permutations in sex, sexual identity and shifter type. This is a good book but I really like having some type of resolution and this book ends with the main couple not together but possibly more coming in another book. Other than that I really enjoyed it.
Profile Image for stardragon.
1,317 reviews7 followers
May 14, 2021
This is a very traumatic story. Layla is half mermaid and half siren; also very naive. Thomas is a very old dragon/dom. There are so many miscommunications between these two. Also there is a tiger shifter stalking Layla. Thomas agrees to train Layla as a submissive but things go awry. Layla has several unfortunate encounters with her stalker that leave her traumatized and injured in Thomas’s care but things just don’t work out.
1,925 reviews8 followers
February 28, 2021
Different but interesting

This story is about Layla and through the storyline was interesting and there was so much going on I was a little disappointed in the ending. I did enjoy the story it has so much going on and keeps you interested in what’s going to happen next. Good Read
Profile Image for Janet Hunt.
3,538 reviews46 followers
March 17, 2021
This is the second in the Carnal Pleasures series. We get Tomas and Layla’s story in this installment. Thomas seemed kind of cold and arrogant while Layla seemed young and naïve, somewhat immature. I loved that Tomas was a dragon!! There are dangerous twists and turns in the story line, I actually enjoyed it. I’m voluntarily reviewing from an advanced copy that I received.
Profile Image for Denise GremoryKohta.
4,270 reviews7 followers
March 18, 2021
My goodness!!

I have mixed feelings about this one. I love the world created and seeing more of Adam and Bane is a definite plus. Not going to lie though, the ending was a bit of a let down. Knowing we will see more of Thomas snd Layla later helps. Hopefully we will get some closure on a few other things as well.
Profile Image for Brandi.
48 reviews
January 28, 2020
Great character growth and development

Not your normal HEA, but more realistic and about the characters. Layla grows so much as does Thomas. This book kept me enthralled and left me wanting more. I cannot wait to see more from this series
Profile Image for SFBookReviewer.
632 reviews3 followers
March 1, 2021
This is the second book in the series and is M/F and can be read as a standalone. There are some supernatural elements but not used to full effect. This book is different from the first and the ending is full of twists and turns. Some of the scenes are hot and steamy.
6 reviews
May 26, 2021
It's another whirl wind of a book

I did enjoy reading it start to finish. I admit there were some scenes I did not like, but the ending made up for it. They did another good job when writing this book.
115 reviews
September 22, 2022
Not a fan. I like the first one in the series but this one did nothing for me. A bunch of angst and drama and very little steam. Then it ends on a cliffhanger - no thanks. Hopefully the next one will be better
Profile Image for Ciara Reynolds.
5 reviews
January 7, 2023
good book

I liked this book, I will say though it left open some unanswered questions but I am hoping the next book(s) will answer those. I did like seeing the other characters making an appearance and I hope this type of writing continues.
708 reviews
April 14, 2023
Different

This book was different. It sort of ended with unresolved questions, but not quite a cliffhanger. It did say that Thomas and Layla’s story will continue at the end of this book. So, I guess there will be a continuation of some sort.
Profile Image for Theresa Derwin.
1,146 reviews44 followers
June 10, 2021
In Carnal Pleasures book 2 - dedicated to a BDSM Club for Supernatural creatures, Layla is meant to be on the clean up crew but an accident of fate sees her subbing for vampire Thomas and realising something is missing from her life.
Between stalkers and her unknown powers, Layla seeks to find her place in the world and the strength to be her own person.
It’s explicit, respectful to the BDSM community and there’s lots of friendships and fun amidst the serious stuff.
Profile Image for Atlanta Whitlock.
907 reviews12 followers
January 30, 2020
If you’ve read Bane then you’ll know that this series is completely different and a lot out there…. It’s a lot different other books in the romance genre, but whilst it can be classed as romance, it’s not fully…. If anything, it’s just got some romantic elements, but from reading this book alone you can see that was the aim both Claire Marta and Summer Stanton was trying to achieve… Not everything in life is all lovey dovey/ hearts and flowers, but you can bring some of those elements into every day life even if it’s something that’s not natural to you. When people read this book, you go in expecting one thing to happen, but in reality so much happens that by the time you’ve gotten to the end of the book it’s gone in such a different direction that what you originally thought. I know for a fact that when people get to the end of this book that it’s going to cause quite a big discussion due to the fact that the ending isn’t something that people expected to happen.. With most books you presume that it’s going to be a happy ending or that there’s elements there that lead into the next book and you have that niggling feeling that no matter what the happy ending is due. This isn’t the case with this book, instead you end up learning a valuable lesson and in all honesty, I’m actually glad that both Claire and Summer ended this book the way they did as not everything is going to be handed to you on a plate. Sometimes it takes time before you get to where you want to be, or you end up being with the one person you expect to spend the rest of your life with… Life has a way at handling things and sometimes you have to wait before you or the other person are in the right head space and both authors did an amazing job at getting that message across. I’m so intrigued to see how else things play out in this series as I know for a fact that there’s a lot more to come and just from both books in the series so far, you can tell that both Claire and Summer have a lot more up their sleeves, so it’s only a matter of time before they are throwing more surprises at us. I honestly can’t fault this story at all, don’t get me wrong it went in a completely different direction that I was expecting it to and whilst I would have loved for things to just have worked, after thinking about it all, I’m actually happy with how things turned out and I couldn’t have expected a better story. Both of these authors are extremely talented and it shines through their work. If you’ve not tried this series, I would go ahead and give it a try, but I wouldn’t go in with your guard up, as both Summer and Claire tend to throw the unexpected at you.

Layla is such a sweet girl, she’s working her ass off so that she can save up to achieve her dream of opening her own restaurant. She has no contact with her family, but they pretty much cast her aside once her mother passed away. So until she can get to where she wants to be, she’s taking classes, working at Carnal Pleasures in her spare time…. However there’s something missing from her life, she’s curious into what happens at the club between the Subs and the Dom’s but she’s too shy to even consider going ahead and fully becoming a Sub. She’s had offers from other Dom’s to try and tame her, but so far she’s passed off their advances/offers, that is until she ends up bumping into Thomas…. She’s so caught up in his looks that she just agrees to what he’s asking her without really paying attention….. Whether this was a good idea on her part she has no idea, but after a short while she realises that she needs to open her eyes and mouth more otherwise she’s going to get in trouble. What she doesn’t realise is that Thomas is the new Dom at the club, but she can’t help but feel like there’s something drawing her to him…. Will Thomas be the one to break her out of her skittish ways and get her to become a Sub or will she not be cut out for this life?
Profile Image for Amanda Dobson.
31 reviews
February 20, 2023
I was really looking forward to this book, too bad the ending was SO disappointing. I read these books for happy ending with great sex scenes and this only delivered on one of those.
Profile Image for Emma Luna.
Author 31 books1,523 followers
January 16, 2020
This story by Summer Stanton and Claire Marta is like nothing you have ever read before. It is hot, sexy and full of angst. But be warned, this ending may cause you to throw your kindle! Cliffhanger does not even cover it!

This story takes us back to the Carnel Pleasures BDSM club that we are introduced to in book one, Bane. Although they are standalones, I would recommend reading Bane as there are some crossovers. This story is paranormal and the characters involved are shifters, but I'm not going to go into any more detail about that because of spoilers!!

Thomas is new to the club, but he is a very experienced Dom. He is looking to prove himself at the club so sets up the perfect public demonstration to show off his skills. But when he gets the wrong Layla on stage that's when things really go wrong.

Layla is a shy, naive dreamer. She works in the back ground of the club but fantasises about what it would be like to submit and take part. So when Thomas mistakes her for a performer with the same name she cannot say no to the demanding Dom. This sets off a chain of events that change their lives. But it also puts Layla in the public eye and not all the attention she receives is good.

Thomas and Layla are so very different but that is what makes them work so well. He is stern, demanding and rough, where Layla is inexperienced and unsure. They enter into a dom/sub relationship in an attempt to give each other what they are searching for, but the road is a very rocky path.

I loved this book so much. Layla is such a great character and she has such a journey to go on. With Thomas's help she is beginning to learn a lot more about herself and he is giving her the confidence to be herself. But at the same time the pain from her past keeps pulling her back.

This book is so well written. The story and its twists and turns will have you gripped to each and every page, desperate for more. It is hot, sexy and just the right amount of kink. If you read Bane you will know that these authors do not shy away from writing a steamy sex scene and they do not disappoint in this story either. But for me it was the unusual ending that makes this book so completely memorable. I am desperately waiting for the next book and I cannot recommend, not just this book but Bane also, to you any more!
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