Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  The Chanteuse and the Bodyguard

SERIES:  Campo Royale

AUTHOR:  V.L. Locey

PUBLISHER:  Self-published

LENGTH:  190 pages

RELEASE DATE:  July 12, 2023

BLURB:

It’s going to take all his skills to keep an innocent songbird safe.

Duri Yoo is struggling with life. Maybe the funk that’s hanging on his shoulders like a soggy sweater has to do with his thirtieth birthday, which is just around the corner. Maybe that blah feeling is due to everyone at the Campo having found their true heart’s desire except for him. Over the past few months, Duri has started questioning everything right down to if he needs to change his stage name from Jo-Jo Jewels to…well, he hasn’t a clue. All he knows is that he’s feeling down in the dumps. Heck, even his fellow queen has picked up a new secret admirer/super fan. He’d stamp a high heel in vexation, but the way things are going the darn heel would snap right off. When he’s sure life couldn’t get any worse, he’s proven wrong. And yet horribly right…

Keaton Black Bird’s job is straightforward. He’s hired to protect people. Generally, ridiculously rich business tycoons or heads of state. Being hired to keep a drag queen out of harm’s way is a new one for the former Secret Service agent. However, he’s being paid incredibly well to ensure that one of the Campo Royale’s performers isn’t harassed off-stage while the tiny queen’s hockey playing boyfriend is on the road. It’s while he’s protecting one drag queen he meets another, and the connection to Jo-Jo Jewels is undeniable. Keaton’s never been in such a unique situation before. All the men in his past were more or less like him: austere, professional, athletic. Jo-Jo is none of those things, but the owner of Black Bird Executive Protection is falling hard and fast for the delightful and quirky songbird. Unfortunately, emotions tend to cloud the mind, and Keaton and Duri soon find themselves in a situation that’s far more dangerous than either of them could have imagined.

The Chanteuse and the Bodyguard is a bodyguard romance with an anime-loving songstress, a rugged guardian, lots of BL adoration, a huge loving family, rainbow-toned wigs, unexpected danger, and a techno-colored happily-ever-after. (This book contains scenes of stalking/violence that some may find upsetting.)

REVIEW:

Note:  This is the fifth book in this series and contains spoilers for the previous stories.  Although it can be read as a standalone, I think it fits in nicely with the series and is best read in order.

Duri Yoo is a drag queen Jo-jo at the Campo Royale club in Wilmington, DE.  He’s a short Korean American with a love of all things anime.  His act is a combination of his wonderful costumes and his beautiful singing voice.  He and fellow queen Gigi (Eli) are the two queens who sing their own songs.  But there is trouble at the Campo. Someone is stalking Gigi and it’s getting out of hand.  So Nate (one of our MCs from The Financier and Sweetheart) asks one of his personal friends and former bodyguards to look into the situation personally.

Keaton Black Bird, head of Black Bird security is happy to get away from his current protectee who is a bit of an ass and homophobe.  He is happy to help out Nate.  When he arrives in Wilmington, it’s quite different to what he expected.  He’s never been around drag queens before.  He has to learn the lingo and the etiquette of this new world.  He’s most intrigued by Duri – who ticks every one of his boxes.  Gigi is the one he’s supposed to be protecting, but he needs to beef up security around the entire club.

When things escalate, Keaton and Yuri are headed out of town for a competition.  Keaton of course accompanies them.  While in Seattle, things heat up between Yuri and Keaton.  Keaton worries that he’s going to screw up being distracted.  But he and Yuri are perfect for each other – despite Yuri skepticism that a man like Keaton could really want a man like him.  Things are still happening with the stalker though.  And returning to Wilmington, it becomes clear that they got things very very wrong about the stalker.   Luckily Keaton is right on time and saves the day;)

I have enjoyed this series, some books more than others.  This one is a little higher on the angst as there is a stalker and lots of dead offerings to a drag queen.  But Keaton and Duri are a completely adorable opposites attract couple.  Duri has body/self-esteem issues and Keaton is determined to make Duri seem himself differently – as the beautiful, talented man that Keaton sees.  Keaton is haunted by an incident in his past and is reluctant to get involved with a friend of the primary protectee.  But he is so drawn to and connected to Duri.  He’s lived in Korea, speaks some Korean and is entranced by Duri’s big noisy nosy family.  It’s the complete opposite of his background and he revels in it.  While it is a bit insta-lovey, it’s just so perfectly written and believable.  Keaton has been on his own forever.  Duri is a sweetheart!  I loved seeing all of our former couples in cameos here.  Duri’s family is so lovely 🙂  I was a big lost on the anime/K-Pop/K-drama and character stuff, but it didn’t really matter.  The epilogue was soooo sweet 😀  This is a really happy ending and I think fans of this series will really love this addition to the stories of Campo Royale.

RATING: 

BUY LINK:

Amazon