Reviewed by Larissa

TITLE: Four Kings Security Boxed Set

SERIES: Four Kings Security

AUTHOR: Charlie Cochet

NARRATOR:  Greg Boudreaux

PUBLISHER:  Coffee and Chaos Productions

LENGTH:  30 hours and 55 minutes

RELEASE DATE: August 23, 2023

BLURB:

“When the cards are stacked against you, the Kings will even the odds.

Binge listen the best-selling Four Kings Security series in one set!

Love in Spades

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 cyber intelligence to executive protection. Cocky, fearless, and brash, Ace isn’t afraid to take risks.

Sparks fly the moment Ace meets Colton Connolly, but getting involved with a client, even one as fiery and beautiful as Colton, is a line Ace is unwilling to cross. 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?

Be Still My Heart

Former Special Forces medical sergeant Russell “Red” McKinley knows a thing or two about wounds, like the fact some can take a lifetime to heal, if they heal at all. The scars Red carries run deep, and living with PTSD often means battling the memories of his past. Injuries he received while working an executive protection case with fellow Kings and co-owners of Four Kings Security, have once again forced past heartaches to the surface, but Red is determined not to let it derail his blossoming romance with sweet and beautiful fashion photographer Lazarus Galanos.

When an attempt is made on Laz’s life, Red is determined to keep him safe. Can Red and Laz find a way to help each other heal and take a chance on love, or will their fears and insecurities cost them more than their future together?

Join the Club

Eduardo “Lucky” Morales is a fighter, from his childhood days in Cuba to his time as a Special Forces Green Beret. Scarred by the wars of his past, Lucky has learned nothing lasts forever. Guarding his heart is second nature, and getting emotionally involved is not an option. As co-owner of Four Kings Security, Lucky works hard alongside his former brothers-in-arms and fellow Kings, but he also plays hard. Flirting with sexy Texas cowboy and detective, Mason Cooper, is too much fun to resist, until Mason turns the tables on him.

Determined to keep Mason at arms’ length, Lucky is surprised to find the man at Four Kings Security. The Florida nights might be getting cooler, but the heat between Lucky and Mason burns hotter with every passing moment. Working private security can be dangerous and unpredictable, but so can falling in love.

Diamond in the Rough

For Ward “King” Kingston the role of protector, forged by fire and tragedy, is one he takes seriously. When King is asked to safeguard the son of a four-star general and friend, he is pulled back into the world of government black ops on a mission that raises painful memories from his past. The moment King meets Leo, amid the chaos of a lockdown at a secret black site, it’s clear he’s never faced a challenge like this—one that will test his unwavering sense of control.

King and Leo couldn’t be more different, yet as they navigate the dangers of a secret multi-agency operation and face unknown threats, their differences could be what saves them. Neither man believes a happily ever after is in the cards, but their hearts might just prove them wrong…if they can survive a deadly betrayal.

FULL BOX-SET REVIEW:

Thirty-one hours of Greg Boudreaux’s voice?  Yes, please.  Thirty-one hours!!  And all in one title. I literally would have bought Charlie Cochet’s Four Kings Security boxed set just based on Boudreaux on the byline.  But when you take Boudreaux’s masterful storytelling and pair it with another skilled storyteller in Charlie Cochet, it’s a win/win.

Cochet’s Four Kings Security series audiobooks were individually recorded by Boudreaux when originally published several years ago (2018-2019).  But in September 2023, Cochet published the audiobook of a Four Kings Security novella, In the Cards, so having this audiobook box set follow closely on its heels is genius – it’s the perfect way to meet these guys for the first time or reacquaint yourself with them and their wild and crazy action/adventure romances.

Overarchingly, Boudreaux takes these four books –  Love in Spades, Be Still My Heart, Join the Club, and Diamond in the Rough – and creates an immersive experience with a group of charismatic, sexy men.  Cochet creates storylines that will hook you from the very first page and then fill them with witty dialogue, banter, plenty of humor, crazy action/adventure, and some plot twists too. But through it all, the backbone of the series are the people that inhabit it: the Kings – Ace, Red, Lucky, and King, and their friends Jack and Joker. Ex-Special Forces brothers in arms Anston “Ace” Sharpe – part owner of Four Kings Security, Russell “Red” McKinley, Eduardo “Lucky” Morales – also co-owner of Four Kings, and Ward “King” Kingston are fully realized, colorful characters that are each unique.  They all have scars, physical and emotional, and a shared history of traumatic events.  They created a security company for a reason, and each of the stories reveals more about their past and those reasons. We also see healing come to the four Kings unexpectedly through love, each in turn, but fundamentally through the found family camaraderie and unwavering support of the group.

The series should be read in order, and having the box set solves that issue for you. Packing the four stories into one set gives it the feeling of being one big story, and the fluidity of the storytelling and your investment in the events and characters increases tremendously because you never really leave them or their vivid, exciting fictional world. You won’t wonder if you missed something or read a book out of order.  Just keep flipping the pages – or listening to Boudreaux.  The latter is hardly a chore.  I’d listen to him read the phone book.

Boudreaux has just gotten better with time, which is saying something given how excellent he was five years ago. Boudreaux is simply masterful – it doesn’t matter the genre, tone or type of story.  He’s consistently, universally superb.  The biggest selling point for his vocal performances is that you hear the characters, not him.  He doesn’t read the lines; he acts.  A full-bodied, completely invested performance that focuses on each and every character with intention, and he executes with undeniable skill.  He’s a natural and he makes every story feel natural and authentic.

The Four Kings audiobook box set is at its core an overarching portrait of men who are each others’ ride or die. Each of the four books is about the couple featured in it as part of a larger storyline.  But no matter the couple, the found family that all of these men and their partners find together resonates.  Boudreaux sinks into these portrayals; he brings to life in technicolor a myriad cast of characters and makes them real.  This audio box set is a no-brainer addition to your collection.  Highly recommended.

RATING:

BUY LINKS: 

Audible 

Amazon