Ex-Special Forces soldier Anston “Ace” Sharpe is fighting a different battle these days—one involving the world of private security across the state of Florida. As part owner of Four Kings Security, Ace and his fellow Kings tackle everything from armed transport and investigations to cyber intelligence and executive protection. Cocky, fearless, and brash, Ace isn’t afraid to take risks.
After years of working alongside his father, Colton Connolly is ready to take the helm at Connolly Maritime, but his father’s retirement is put on hold when Colton begins receiving death threats. If that isn’t bad enough, his father signs a contract with Four Kings Security to provide Colton with round-the-clock protection, despite his adamant refusal. Colton’s life has been turned upside down, the last thing he needs is a shadow, especially in the form of infuriating, sexy-as-sin Ace Sharpe, who seems to be on a mission to drive Colton mad.
Sparks fly the moment Colton and Ace meet on a sultry night club dance floor. But getting involved with a client, even one as fiery and beautiful as Colton Connolly, is a line Ace is unwilling to cross. Colton might be attracted to Ace, but he’d been burned before. He might be willing to put his life in Ace’s hands, but not his heart.
As the Florida nights heat up, so does their passion, and Ace and Colton are faced with a difficult choice—take the plunge and risk it all, or play it safe and walk away?
If Ace can keep a deadly threat from robbing Colton of a future….
Love in Spades: Four Kings Security, Book 1
Author: Charlie Cochet
AUDIO RELEASE: 06.20.18
COVER DESIGN: REESE DANTE
NARRATOR: Greg Boudreaux
https://www.facebook.com/GTremblayVoice/
Listening Length: 7 hours and 53 minutes
Audible
Amazon ebook
iTunes
“Do I get a gun?” Colton asked.
“Have you ever fired a gun?”
“No. I’m not really a fan.”
“It’s amazing how many clients believe we’re going to arm them. Even if you were an expert marksman, you wouldn’t get a gun. You get a pen.”
Wait…. “A pen?”
“Yep. Titanium.” Ace handed Colton a silver pen, and Colton hesitantly took it from him. He held it up in front of him and peered at it.
“I’m supposed to fend off an attacker with a pen?” Was it a Bond pen? If he clicked the end or twisted it, would it release a toxic gas or set off an explosive? He clicked the end, and the ink nib popped out. Nope. It was just a pen.
“It’s a tactical weapon,” Ace assured him. “With the right amount of force in the right place, it can cause some serious damage.”
Colton eyed him skeptically. “You’re messing with me.”
“No.”
“What if they have a gun?”
“That’s a different lesson.”
Colton sighed. “Okay, show me.”
“Not if you’re going to give me attitude.”
“I’m not giving you attitude.”
Ace held his hand out. “Give me the pen.”
“No. It’s my pen.” Colton clutched it to his chest. “You gave it to me.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes. This is the only defense I have. You’re not taking it from me.”
“Colton, you do realize I could take it from you without you even realizing.”
“Oh yeah, Mr. Hot-Shot-Green-Beret? Then do it.”
“Colton,” Ace warned.
“Come on. I want to see your super-secret moves.”
“I don’t even know what to say to you right now, other than you’re being ridiculous. And I have your pen.” Ace held up a silver pen.
“What the hell?” Colton gaped at his empty hands before his head shot up. “How’d you do that?”
“With years of practice. Now, are you going to pay attention?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
“Can I have my pen back?”
Ace pressed his lips together like he was trying to keep from laughing. The guy was so fucking sexy. Colton wanted to climb him and do terrible things to his body. Instead he took the pen Ace handed him.
“Thank you.”
“Okay, put that in your pocket. First I’m going to demonstrate the moves.” Ace pulled his own pen from his pocket.”
“Ooh, yours is black. It looks very serious.”
“It’s the same as yours, but black.”
“It camouflages with your clothes.”
“Yes.”
“Does it come in different colors?”
“You should know that I’m two seconds away from putting you in a sleeper hold.”
There are few things that make a book that you’ve already read and loved better than having a good narrator do the Audible. If you are going to choose to listen to the audiobook, after having read the ebook, for me, you need to have an amazing narrator, to give the reader/listener that much more than they took from the first read. Fortunately, Charlie Cochet only ever has the best narrate her books. With this new self-published series, Four Kings Security, choosing Greg Boudreaux was fantastic. He is one of my top three narrators…if you want to know the other two, that’s a story for another day. 😉 Greg’s voice just resonates so well with me for any book he narrates. He moderates well, can change voices, and is able to carry a more steady pace when there isn’t character dialogue.
This book is sexy, with characters who are smart a**es, has action, and a family that won’t quit on each other. That is one of the things that I have always loved about Charlie’s books. Her books ALWAYS have family as integral part of them, and that family is so often a family of the character’s choosing, rather than (or in addition to) the bloodline they are born into. Family is about the people you keep close to you, through thick and thin, not necessarily the ones who raised you. The Four Kings? They are their own family, with some blood family thrown in there as well, and they have been with each other through the hardest moments of their lives, and will be there for the best times, as well.
With Ace, his family is what has gotten him through, and yet he can be the one who pisses off their boss, and laughs through it, knowing that their “King” will murder him if he gets dead. Colton has a family that adores him, and has never cared about his sexuality, and continues to extend love to everyone he meets. These two together create a dynamic that will carry through the entire series, I think, as they show the other Kings, the ones who have been burned by those that they loved, that love is possible for each of them.
Greg does a fantastic job of creating the character’s distinct voices (loved hearing him speak Spanish for Lucky!), and giving them all the personality he saw for them in the words. When there was sassyness by Ace or Colton…or really many of the characters…he portrayed that so well, with his voice. Creating urgency, as well as showing those tender moments, all are points that can be lost with some narrators, but never with Greg. He allows his characters’ to shine through, without making it about any “acting” voice, but simply the voice of what he sees for the characters. That fine line is never crossed with him (hence one of my top 3 narrators!). This is one of the many things I love about listening to his narration. He portrayed Ace and Colton with very distinct and separate characteristics.
Story: 4.5 pieces of eye candy
Narration: Also 4.5 pieces of eye candy
Charlie Cochet is an author by day and artist by night. Always quick to succumb to the whispers of her wayward muse, no star is out of reach when following her passion. From adventurous agents and sexy shifters, to society gentlemen and hardboiled detectives, there’s bound to be plenty of mischief for her heroes to find themselves in, and plenty of romance, too!
Currently residing in Central Florida, Charlie is at the beck and call of a rascally Doxiepoo bent on world domination. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found reading, drawing, or watching movies. She runs on coffee, thrives on music, and loves to hear from readers.
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