In the Cards (Four Kings Security #4.5) [Ace & Colton] by Charlie Cochet

Though this one is a part of the "Four Kings Security" series (with Ace being our sole POV), it refers to Spencer Morgan and Julian “Quinn” Quintero getting married. Names ring a bell? these two were the MCs in "Beware of Geeks Bearing Gifts" a contemporary novella by Charlie. Ace and Quinn are cousins so naturally he, Lucky (also a cousin) and the rest of the "Kings" are invited as are we.

Diamond in the Rough (Four Kings Security #4) [King & Leo] by Charlie Cochet

Okay this was my absolute FAVORITE of the series. It also might me my favorite by Charlie but I'm not sure I'm ready for this kind of commitment hehe. I LOVED both King and Leo and mostly I LOVED LOVED LOVED them together. This book was sweet and tender even with the suspense in it. I don't know if I would have pictured King with someone like Leo OR vise versa but it simply WORKED and BEAUTIFULLY.

We've already met Ward "King" Kingston but I don't think we've KNOWN him through the previous books, well - we do and we don't really. He is very serious, responsible, loyal, protective of his close friends and family, has a care taker personality and naturally VERY capable as a former ex-special forces. Yet even though King is SURELY all of the above, he also have a tender heart which defines him in a better sense  because ALL of what I've already mentioned wouldn't have been the same without his big heart. He LOVES his family and would do anything and everything for every one of them, and even when he is hard on them he does it always for their OWN benefit and not (just) his own.

In the previous installment King with his team went to "take care" of the guy who hurt Laz (and many other guys). Right as he lands on US soil he is greeted by his former General - Leon de Loughrey who asks him for a personal favor - to looks after his son Leo who is working on a secret project for the government. While King has done his duty to his country and isn't planning on returning to any more missions, it's different with the General. When his unit returned home broken the General was the only one there for them and mostly for HIM. King kept his distance and yet he lived for the sense of normalcy he got from the phone calls they shared. While everything around King was falling apart the General kept telling him stories of his little son's shenanigans. That's the son the General wants him to guard now, so how could he possibly say no? While he has never actually MET Leo (and hasn't seen a photo of him for good security reasons) he feels like deep inside they do share some special bond even if it's one sided.

If I Ever (Hell or High Water #4) by SE Jakes

I've been waiting for this book for YEARS, literally. Re-reading (or rather listening) to the 3 previous installments right before starting this one was a must because there's A LOT of details to be remembered and too little of them re-explained. I remembered that from my initial read so I'm glad I gave myself this reminder - I recommend you do as well.

I started reading this one hyped up and VERY impatient. I wanted to be able to envision John DEAD. Nothing less than that, but first I had to endure Tom and Prophet struggling to deal with Prophet keeping secrets YET AGAIN and Tom's reaction, as usual, isn't very accepting. Prophet kept pushing Tom away but unlike his usual self he wasn't pushing him away physically. He needed him WITH him. He knows Tom can help with the John issue but it's not just that. Tom grounds him. He is essential to him. So while I WAS annoyed with him, I was also proud as well because in a way it was a maturer version of Prophet, one who is ready for a relationship to last or outlast John Morse.

Daylight Again (Hell or High Water #3) by SE Jakes

This is my last re-read (re-listen really) and I can't WAIT to start reading the last installment. The book ended with a big reveal, one that both men (though mostly Tom) have been circling around concerning the triggers to Prophet's flash backs. It's going to make things A WHOLE LOT complicated. 

In this book Prophet and Tom are a couple. For real. They are living together (since Tom got evicted at the end of the last installment) and though Prophet still won't come back to EE, Tom works there still. It took quite a lot but Prophet is opening up to Tom more and more, realizing Tom can handle it, can handle HIM. He even trusts him in his most valued secret - his eyesight situation (which is getting worse). It was truly heart breaking to listen to. They are quite domesticated now if you can believe it, I could even say they are becoming a sort of a family and there are starting to think about the future (well, Tom does at least..). 

I Do (Out of Uniform #2.5) [Apollo & Dylan] by Annabeth Albert

A short sweet novella of Apollo and Dylan getting married. It's been a few months since the last installment, Dylan and Apollo are happy together, planning their wedding and enjoying life together, only Apollo is worried and having a hard time dealing with his fear which has nothing to do with a life with Dylan and everything to do with his back pain and the meaning behind it.

At Attention (Out of Uniform #2) [Apollo & Dylan] by Annabeth Albert

~sigh~ This book was just PERFECT, even when I was the most frustrated about Apollo or when two kids took a bit more space than I'm used to in a romance novel I was just LOVING every second of it. Dylan is truly a DREAM of a guy, I think I generally don't think ANYONE could ask for more. He was sweet and gentle, he was fun and adventures yet he knew when to be serious. He gave his heart away and was still patient Apollo would eventually give him his in return. He was naive, he was brave. He was EVERYTHING. Apollo won the biggest lottery in life. I truly envy Apollo, even if he's a fictional character hehe

Apollo Floros believed a few years ago he is Blessed. He was married to Neal whom he loved dearly, they were happy, they had supportive families and friends and they even got two sweet little girls through a surrogate. Yet Apollo stopped feeling Blessed when Neal died, leaving him in a big house with two little girls and ENDLESS memories of what they USED to have. It's been two years, Chloe and Sophia are already 5 years old, but Apollo still wears his wedding ring and aches about everything he has lost.

Long Time Gone (Hell or High Water #2) by SE Jakes

I originally read (and reviewed) this one 5 years ago but I'm re-reading it (or rather, re-listening) to it now since the 4th and last installment was FINALLY released on the end of January. I gotta say that though I remembered quite a lot about the series I forgot a bunch too, so I was happy getting a reminder of Tom and Prophet and how they were at the beginning. For me, Tom was always the favorite of the two, maybe because even though he too can be a "wise ass" and be all macho macho guy, he was always the first to reach out to Prophet and try to smooth things out. To make a relationship out of their maybe friendship (with benefits..) - which is exactly how this book started. 

The last book finished with Tom choosing Cope as his partner.  It was quite a blow to Prophet though he himself wasn't willing to talk to Tom and smooth things out so they can turn the next page AS partners. Yet even when Tom and Prophet were far far away, Tom tried reaching out to him - writing him e-mails every day, mainly talking to him, trying to communicate even if after months he got NO reply. Yet Prophet DID get his messages but he couldn't read them, because he KNEW it would mean dropping everything he has been doing and he couldn't do that, not now. He wasn't ready. Yet before he dropped totally out of the grid in a way that would prevent him of ever (?) returning he did read them and getting to the very last one he realized he has to come back because Tom's aunt Della might be in danger of the hurricane planned to hit New Orleans (while Tom is in Eritrea and can't get away).  

Off Leash (Out of Uniform #1.6) [Zack & Pike] by Annabeth Albert

Wow this one was HOT!!!! While Zack and Pike are definitely more than comfortable together, spending a weekend - their honeymoon really - on Pride made all the difference, it gave them the time to talk but also experience things they haven't before.