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.
Leopold "Leo" de Loughrey has lived a VERY sheltered life. There are a few reasons for this fact. Firstly because he is a genius and his parents would rather no one got a hold on him for his special abilities specially his programming abilities.. But his peak IQ also means he has a hard time dealing with normal things on his daily life. I had a certain feeling like he might even be on the spectrum, though I'm not sure about it.. it could be just that he sees things totally different because he is crazy smart. The government DID manage to find out about him and now he is tasked with building a top secret program but it's not really working. Not for the government and not for Leo specifically who isn't able to work in this stressful environment. He is falling apart - unable to work barely managing his anxieties which makes his "boss" Bowers VERY unhappy with him.
When King and Leo meet for the first time they both don't know who the other is, but there is an instant connection. For King it's his "usual" protective mode one that is reserved to his close family and friends and accordingly, for Leo it's the absolute feeling of being SAFE. It something they are both surprised of. While he has heard of Leo for many years from his father, King hasn't actually MET him till this day and yet he feel fiercely about being there for him and protecting him. Leo on the other had feels TERRIFIED in his current situation being in an unfamiliar place with nothing but HOSTILE people around him, then King comes along and without knowing much about him, just looking at him, his stance and general appearance he feels he is protected. King keeps doing his best to make the environment around Leo as "acceptable" as possible but it doesn't take long until they decide it's best for him to work at home with "King Security" keeping him safe but also calm and able to actually work - as soon as he's finished they can all move on.
During the time they spend together they more than just start like each other. Leo makes King laugh all the time. When his brothers-in-arms sees him, and Leo's effect on him they are simply SHOCKED. This is the King he USED to be before their last mission but he hasn't been that person for so long.. Even Ace who is usually the "joker" is just thrilled for King and makes his best to help King navigate his confusing emotions as best as he can because he truly WANTS this for King. Leo might be smart - genius smart - but in social situations he is lost.. combining with his anxieties he can't see what someone like King can possible find in him. Yet King finds him ADORABLE (and me as well!) but also special, kind, sweet, funny but also sexy and beautiful. He can't have enough. They might have a big age difference - King being 41 to Leo's 25 - and yet they simply WORK together. It's easy seeing how they care about each other, appreciate one another and doesn't take each other's "disadvantages" as ones. They simply GET each other and accept one another which was BEAUTIFUL mostly because they are so different and yet they have the ability to appreciate one another's special "gifts". Like in a life and death situation, King might be the "go to", but when he is down, he trusts Leo to defuse the situation and keep them safe and he does just that.
I had many ROFL moments. These two together are something else! I probably scared the neighbors with how hard I was laughing. Yet with these two tenderness was something to truly cherish. I couldn't have asked for more for neither one of them. It was a beautiful, sensitive and endearing ride and I enjoyed every second of it.
The ending was well crafted. Firstly everyone who SHOULD have paid for this clusterfuck of an operation - did. Secondly it was so easy seeing these two finding a truly HEA. After managing months together in a not so tiny apartment with agents and King's fellow brothers - daily life will be a piece of cake! I enjoyed getting more of the team, also seeing their reaction to King finding his true love. Unlike other books they don't TEASE King they, well, in a sense baby him. They are so happy for him and so they try to help as best as they can. Leo got along great with the guys. They were open and friendly with him seeing how much he meant to King and it made the whole difference for him. I wasn't sure what's going to happen once the General finds out about them and this big secret being revealed. It was heart breaking but I believed in them as much as they believed in one another so naturally it worked at the end.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! and can't WAIT for the next books in the spin-off "The Kings: Wild Cards".
I kindly received this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
This book will is already OUT - Grab it through Amazon / KU
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Rating:
★★★★★ |
E-Book
Edition |
271
pages
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Read on:
16-17 February 2019
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ABOUT THIS SERIES
Four Kings Security is a Romantic Suspense MM Romance series by Charlie Cochet. The series focuses on 4 best friends, ex-Special Forces who formed together their own security company. They guys are nicknamed after the "card kings"
Each book in the series will be of one of the four finding their HEA, with "The Kings: Wild Cards" as "spin off" with characters we've met along the series including characters we've already met, like Jack and Joker who were a part of the original Kings team on their military days.
Four Kings Security:
1. Love in Spades [Anston "Ace" Sharpe & Colton Connolly] (Published 24 April 2018) ★★★★★
2. Be Still My Heart [Russell "Red" McKinley & Lazarus "Laz" Galanos] (Published 29 July 2018) ★★★★
2.5 Ante Up [Seth & Kit] (Published 28 august 2018) ★★★★
3. Join the Club [Eduardo "Lucky" Alejandro Morales & Mason Cooper] (Published 19 November 2018) ★★★★½
4. Diamond in the Rough [Ward "King" Kingston & Leopold "Leo" de Loughrey] (Published 15 February 2019) ★★★★★
4.5 In the Cards [Anston "Ace" Sharpe & Colton Connolly *] (Published 8 February 2019) ★★½
(* Including Spencer & Quinn the couple from "Beware of Geeks Bearing Gifts")
Anston "Ace" Sharpe - King of Spades
Russell "Red" McKinley - King of Hearts
Eduardo "Lucky" Alejandro Morales - King of Clubs
Ward "King" Kingston - King of Diamonds
Each book in the series will be of one of the four finding their HEA, with "The Kings: Wild Cards" as "spin off" with characters we've met along the series including characters we've already met, like Jack and Joker who were a part of the original Kings team on their military days.
Four Kings Security:
1. Love in Spades [Anston "Ace" Sharpe & Colton Connolly] (Published 24 April 2018) ★★★★★
2. Be Still My Heart [Russell "Red" McKinley & Lazarus "Laz" Galanos] (Published 29 July 2018) ★★★★
2.5 Ante Up [Seth & Kit] (Published 28 august 2018) ★★★★
3. Join the Club [Eduardo "Lucky" Alejandro Morales & Mason Cooper] (Published 19 November 2018) ★★★★½
4. Diamond in the Rough [Ward "King" Kingston & Leopold "Leo" de Loughrey] (Published 15 February 2019) ★★★★★
4.5 In the Cards [Anston "Ace" Sharpe & Colton Connolly *] (Published 8 February 2019) ★★½
(* Including Spencer & Quinn the couple from "Beware of Geeks Bearing Gifts")
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The Kings: Wild Cards:
1. Stacking the Deck [Jacopo "Jack" Lorenzo Constantino & Fitz Harlow] (Published 28 July 2020) ★★★★
2. Raising the Ante [Frank Ramirez & Joshua Sterling] (Published 10 January 2021) ★★★★½
3. Sleight of Hand [Sacha "Joker" Wilder & Giovanni "Gio" Galanos] (Published 6 July 2021) ★★★★½
4. Calling his Bluff [Jay & Ryden] (To Be Published ???)
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