Sleight of Hand (The Kings: Wild Cards #3) [Joker & Gio] by Charlie Cochet

This book is the perfect comfort read. It's sweet and endearing, with a bit of action and sass (mostly from a certain dog..). Joker and Gio have been circling around each other for a WHILE now so getting to see them finally find their HEA was fun. They know each other in a way and they sure know OF each other especially once Gio finally returns to Florida from his endless travels. Being Laz's older brother means he spends a lot of time with the Kings so it's impossible to really avoid each other, well, there's only one doing the avoiding - Joker - with Gio doing his best to lure him in.

Giovanni "Gio" Galanos knows what he wants. He wants Joker (or Sacha as he insists on calling him). There is simply something about him that appeals to Gio in a deeper level. His desire towards him has a few layers. There's the confident Gio seeing exactly the kind of guy he carves and the more vulnerable Gio looking for safe and comfort he believe he can only find in Sacha's arms. He might put up a front of the rich and capable guy, but underneath it, there is someone who is still struggling with what happened to him a year ago in a far away continent. 

Sacha “Joker” Wilder doesn't know how to keep away from Gio. Whenever he is around he just feels like he should be putting a distance though truthfully his feelings get VERY confusing when he starts to spend more time with the guy. It also doesn't help that Gio is Chip's favorite human. Chip being Joker's Belgian Malinios or not so silent partner at Four Kings Security. 

Raising the Ante (The Kings: Wild Cards #2) [Frank & Joshua] by Charlie Cochet

I would have given this book a 5 stars rating but I'm still a bit salty we only got a novella of Frank and Joshua. I've been waiting for their story for SO LONG I feel deprived seeing them get their HEA so fast. Well, in a way these two were circling each other for a few years now so it's no wonder they didn't need more than a little spark to ignited a beautiful (and sexy) relationship. 

As this one is rather short I won't say much about it.. Frank Ramirez is having issues in his exclusive club "Sapphire Sand" and it more than the accidental glitter bomb exploding (I laughed SO HARD on that one!) there is also someone trying to hurt him personally so he needs two things - First is sort out the Christmas party and second have the "Four Kings Security" find the threat and deal with it. So with Ace - and Colton - being involved it's no wonder they feel like playing match makers. 

Stacking the Deck (The Kings: Wild Cards #1) [Jack & Fitz] by Charlie Cochet

While I'm usually a huge fan of Charlie's writing, this one didn't grab me. I liked both MCs but there was just too much cheese (as a lover of cheese myself). I have a very eventful and stressful few weeks and though books are my usual go-to destresser I needed something to HAPPEN. These two WERE adorable together but everything went SO WELL for them (until the action started about 60% in). Once THAT started this book was impossible to put down and I enjoyed it SO MUCH, exactly like I expect to with Charlie's books.

While this is the first book in the "Wild Cards" series, and I guess it COULD be read as a stand alone I don't recommend you do. This is an unmistakable continuation of the "Four Kinds Security" series. Jacopo Lorenzo Constantino or as everyone calls him - Jack (as well as Joker) were a part of the original Marine team together with King, Ace, Lucky and Red and if you haven't met them and experienced their shenanigans I think it's either going to put you off or confuse the HELL out of you. They are all happily coupled now. My recommendation - Start from the beginning! If you're into romance - the sweet and endearing kind - and also enjoy action this is the right choice for you. 

So back to the book at hand, Jack and Fitz have been dancing around each other for two years now. They met in Red and Laz's book ("Be Still My Heart") as Laz is Fitz best friend but though they haven't really been in touch, the Kings have been trying to push these guys together for all this time. Though it's mostly done by sneaky Laz making sure both were up-to-date with what's going on in each guys' life. 

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.

Join the Club (Four Kings Security #3) [Lucky & Mason] by Charlie Cochet

Getting back with the kings! I was so excited about this book, and frankly after finishing and getting the little snippet of the next one, I'm even MORE excited (AND it's releasing next month). This series is a mix of romance, suspense and A LOT of family/brotherhood shenanigans. What more can anyone ask? We've already met both Mason and Lucky so it was all about seeing how these two can stop being stupid suborn bastards and start ACTING on what they want.

Eduardo "Lucky" Alejandro Morales is one of the "Kings", he is Ace's cousin and have been in his shadow ever since he came to the state in his teens. Living in Ace's shadow was never truly a problem though he always wished he would be taken more seriously and people SEE HIM for who he is, not just the hot headed one. Though he IS also that hehe. It was actually a surprise to Mason as well when he saw Lucky on a daily basis and saw how much more he actually is, and with sexual tension burning everything around them it easily became so much more.

Ante Up (Four Kings Security #2.5) [Seth & Kit] by Charlie Cochet

This was short and sweet :) It's light and sexy. Seth and Kit have been working at "Sapphire Sands" an exclusive gay club (owned by Frank whom we met in the 1st installment in the series). As per Frank's rules, workers aren't allowed to have relationships with each other so Seth working the bar watching Kit move his body seductively on the small stage in front of his eyes everyday isn't easy..

Be Still My Heart (Four Kings Security #2) [Red & Laz] by Charlie Cochet

As you can expect from both Charlie and the "King of Hearts" - our MC Red, this was sweet and endearing. we've already met both Red and Laz in the previous installment so their coming together wasn't a surprise, it was a matter of time, it was a matter of trust and as it seems it was also a matter of security with Laz finding himself shot at while filming a shoot on the beach.

Lazarus "Laz" Galanos is a photographer, he is still starting his way but he has big plans and he will work hard to get there even if his past - recent and far gone haven't been very positive. Most of his life it has been him, his father and bigger brother Gio. Ever since Gio met Colton in College he became family as well and now, it's mostly him he turns to with his father dead and Gio very far across the sea. Yet Colton can't save Laz from making mistakes, especially not his relationship with Bryan. It ends with a big BANG in the first installment "Love in Spades", I'll send you off to read it if you haven't already, it would really be a pity to miss out on it.

Love in Spades (Four Kings Security #1) [Ace & Colton] by Charlie Cochet

This one was such a treat! I LOVED it! I don't read many Romantic Suspense novels, maybe because generally speaking I don't usually drawn to mystery novels. Yet Charlie knows how to mix well the suspense/mystery with the romantic part. MOST of this book is about Ace and Colton falling in love, but the suspense isn't forgotten, it's just PACKED in the end with enough action and drama to keep me on my toes up to the very end.

This is a new series by Charlie. I ADORED her PNR/UF series "THIRDS" and though they don't have anything really in common, what they DO share is the action/mystery. After reading this series I knew I need to grab all of Charlie's books. Up until now I mostly read PNR and Historicals so getting this book as an ARC was such a wonderful surprise! Well, the series itself was a surprise for me! After reading this one I really can't wait for the others ones in the series!