When the cards are stacked against you, the Kings will even the odds.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 … 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.
Leopold de Loughrey is a misunderstood genius whose anxiety and insecurities are sent into overdrive when he is forcefully recruited to work on a top-secret project. Terrified of what his role as “invaluable asset” means, Leo’s stress leads to disappearances, arguments, and blowups that threaten the project and Leo’s future. King’s arrival is a calm in the storm for Leo and his frenetic thoughts.
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.
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I absolutely love this series, and I’m so glad we finally got King’s story!
Packed full of the author’s trademark humor and steam, this was a book I whizzed through, eager for more!
Original review: https://myshelfbooks.wordpress.com/2019/09/21/diamond-in-the-rough-charlie-cochet/
Last book of the saga. Yes, there is another one; but that is just an extended epilogue (or so I think). Sadly, the covers are not getting any better. Quite the contrary. I didn’t like any of the previous ones (except for the cover of Ante up), but this one is just painful to the eye. Too much yellow. Too much processing through a computer. The result is mighty weird. If this were the cover of the first book, I doubt I would have picked the saga. And that would haven a damn shame, because it is great. Enough about the cover, though. Let’s get our hands all over the leader of Four Kings Security!
As we were hinted in the last book, King was approached by his former General to help him with a delicate matter. The stellar programming mind of his son has been forcefully requested by the Army to help them with a very secret and groundbreaking project. The problem is that the soldiers there are not prepared to take care of someone like Leo, so the General asks King for the favour of keeping an eye on him to make sure he is OK. Ward soon discovers that the General’s son is far from OK and taking care of him becomes a very personal matter. One thing leads to the other and, obviously, to the bad guys making a move against Leo…
The last book of this saga was frankly a disappointment. A waste of the wonderful characters called Lucky and Mason. So I was a bit afraid of this new story and also eager to wash that foul taste from my mouth. I must say that, after reading it, the purification process has been thorough and I am again completely in love with the saga. This book brings again to the table the dishes that made me stick to my chair: good characters, superb banter, cute romance and a side of suspense for a greater flavour. The only but I would put to this book is the fact that the main couple is not really the star of plenty of those meals. A big chunk of its greatness rest in the shoulders of the amazing cast of secondary characters, being Ace the one that carries more weight in a graceful manner. This is my weird way of saying the book is good thanks to the friends and family of King.
Is there something wrong about the main couple that makes me consider them less than the rest? Not really. Except that it is a bit weird. I do believe in their love, but I have a conflict with it. Most of the time, it is not a lovers love, it’s more like a big brother taking care of the younger one kind of love. A very special young man who looks at the world in a different way. King’s behaviour is really sweet and warming, but his exchanges with Leo are more like a kid meeting a superhero than two adults starting something serious. The only times when I could shake that feeeling were during the sex scenes. It was such a big contrast, that those intimate moments felt a bit… wrong. But I admit that maybe I’m reading too much into them and not really being fair with Leo.
As a possitive note, I will say again that the relationship is very sweet and it is reasonably well paced. Plenty of cute moments and weird speech outbursts that remind me strongly of those early days with Felicity and Oliver (yes, I’m talking about the TV show Arrow). Leo might be a bit awkward, but it seems that grants you the freedom of touching King’s muscles without consequences (bad ones, I mean… good ones there were plenty). The books of this saga are not only built over romance, they also have some mystery to unravel. This fourth one is no exception, so we have several scenes where the guys have to run for their lives and show their soldiering skills. And there is also a point that made me frown a little. We know that King knows plenty of ways to kill a person, but I bet he knows plenty more to incapacitate one. Why is he so fond of just showing methods from the first skillset? His choice of killing is weakly explained and I think there should have been more discussion about it.
But, without any doubt, what makes this book great is the hilarious banter among the Four King guys. And when I say that, I’m saying that this book is mostly great thanks to Ace. Yes, I will never miss a chance to talk about MY book boyfriend so I can remind you all that he is off-limits and I’m in the process of getting rid of Colton (I´ll stop know before making a fool of myself… too late?). I could spend plenty of lines describing how great he is, but I guess you just need to look at the reviews of the previous books. I will just point out that magnificent epilogue where my man is compared to no other than the superhero Hawkeye! Thanks Charlie for comparing him with my favourite superhero! I was already hooked, but now I’m totally his.
Oh my. I wrote all that, didn’t I? But I’m very loyal to the characters I like to the point of being a bit crazy (or a lot if you prefer something closer to the truth). But the saga is almost over and that means I’m going to have to say goodbye to Ace sooner rather than later, so allow me a bit of lunacy. I can’t promise it won’t happen again, though.
Diamond in the Rough by Charlie Cochet is the fourth book in The Four Kings Security. It is the story of Leo and King. And I am so in love.
Leo is an adorably awkward man and King is so incredibly sweet with him. But that man can be protective and both sides together is the perfect recipe for sexy.
The story has a good dose of danger and suspense, comedy and sweet romance. It was a well plotted and well told tale that fit well with the rest of the series. I cant wait to see what the author has for us next
Ward Kingston laughs! He laughs… After all the years since the mission disaster as a Special Forces soldier, he finds delight and a special love all his own. Charlie Cochet paired the king of diamond with a real gem-the general’s son-a socially awkward genius named Leopold de Loughrey. This addition to the four kings security series was particularly disturbing as we find that Leo was practically conscripted and his father practically punished for shielding him for so many years. The work that the government wants him to do is questionable and Leo is mistreated until Ward Kingston steps in! It was such a pleasure to ‘see’ Ward Kingston fall and fall hard. The audio incarnation of the book was brilliantly narrated by the simply incredible Greg Boudreaux.
4.5 stars
Easily my favorite of the series. I adored both King and Leo. King is so gruff on the outside, even with his own men, but he can’t pull that off with Leo. While Leo brings out every protective impulse King has, he also brings out other needs that King has ignored for too long. Leo sees through King from the start and while he knows King would do anything had to in order to keep him safe, he never sees King as that big, scary, cold, badass and that throws King so hard.
There was a bit of wondering what good either could be for the other and how anything could possibly last, but they each managed to work through it without it becoming a major issue. This is another “forced proximity” story, so the two are together almost all the time with the help of the rest of King’s team. What could have become boring, was quite entertaining. Leo is bright and witty and it was great to see a different side of King. They had great chemistry and I enjoyed watching Leo keep King and the rest of the guys on their toes, while Leo learned to believe in himself outside of his computer skills.
I’m glad that the main series ended on a high note and I’ll be looking forward to the spin-off stories for Jack and Joker.
All. The. Things. I think I’m either legit blind to anything wrong with this story or there really is nothing to be found. My favorite trope is the ugly duckling trope and while this doesn’t fit it perfectly, it’s got everything I love about it. From the nerdy, geeky, super genius that no one else seems to get or appreciate and the super desirable object of their admiration/affection seeing only them in return and loving everything that makes them unique (beauty in the eye of the beholder), the transformative power of their love becoming the freedom to accept themselves and let their awesomeness shine to the point that everyone sees them for who they really are, that the core of the story is really about their struggle to accept themselves and to be accepted, to the truth that bullying is bad and should be intolerable.
The camaraderie between the Kings and their whole family is phenomenal. I wasn’t lucky enough to start from book one but you can be damn sure I’m going to now. Banter, teasing, joking, support, advice, open hearts, kindness, true love, empathy, devotion, loyalty…just…everything. I’m so floored by what was achieved with this group that I don’t know why I didn’t have this series on my radar before. Sometimes the dynamic between the mains and the supports in a story can overshadow the main relationship but while the interaction here was stellar and attention-grabbing for all the right reasons, it still remained a support to the MC’s and their story. There was an amazing balance that was achieved.
All the drama moved in a predictable direction in regards to the betrayal, but I didn’t mind that one bit. There were a couple surprises along the way, which kept it interesting, and the biggest surprise was Leo’s reaction to the threats at the end. His actions were incredible, both brave and scary, and I didn’t see that coming at all. It was one of the high-points of the story’s action for me. King is a total badass and I really had no complaints about him in those regards. As for the emotional drama, a lot of it came from Leo’s insecurities, but the secret from King’s past was dramatic and yet it wasn’t made into a tertiary struggle for the relationship. Instead, it was a heartfelt reveal that was resolved by honesty and heartfelt acceptance that felt right.
As for King and Leo as a couple, they were everything sappy, heartfelt, sexy, and tender that I look for. I had high hopes after reading the synopsis and I had a gut feeling that I wouldn’t be disappointed. I was not only not disappointed, I was blown away by the story I read. Books by this author in the past have been either meh or more hit and miss so I didn’t jump into this one right away and I’m kind of sorry I did. At the same time, it wouldn’t have mattered when I read it, it would have always been perfect to me. So not only will I be actively seeking out this series in its entirety, I’ll be bumping up their other series’ on my TBR list as well. If this is the kind of story they can produce, consider my mind changed.
Confession time: I cried by the time I had reached the end of this book. Another confession: several points in the story had me weepy. I honestly thought nothing could come close to my adoration of this author’s THIRDS series, but Charlie Cochet has created this series that has men who are willing and able to put their lives on the line first for the country and then later for the protection of their clients. The men of Four Kings Security are undoubtedly brave and confident and physically incomparable to the vast majority, but Cochet’s given each of them a far more vulnerable side, making them human and flawed and needing love and redemption just like anyone else. With King and Leo, Cochet ensured that the series would end on the highest of highs but also leave readers with a sense of hope going forward since there are other supporting characters who still need to get their stories told. With pulse-pounding suspense and action and heart-thrumming romance, Diamond in the Rough was everything I hoped it would be. Five-plus stars.
I have read and loved every single book in this series and I was so excited about finally getting King’s story. Even though each book focusses on a different couple, I would advise reading them in order, starting with the first book Love in Spades. These men are so close…they are a self-made family, So they all have their own important part to each of the stories.
King’s story was absolutely amazing and so was his love-interest Leo. Sweet, shy and quirky genius Leo. I loved the awesome nerd!!! It is one of my favorite tropes…the nerd and the tough guy. Works for me every single time.
King was every bit as protective as I expected him to be. The UST between the two of them was delicious and also a bit nerve-wracking, I just wanted them to get with the program already!
When they finally gave in it was perfect… They were a wonderful couple, so sweet, caring and hot together. They made each other so happy like they both deserved to be. King finally found a reason to let go of the past and Leo found his safe haven… It was perfection.
The background story also had my full interest and I was glued to the edge of my seat, the entire time I was reading. I just knew the shit was gonna hit the fan at some point…It is hard topping Lucky and Mason’s book, who have been my favorites so far. King and Leo come in at a close second…maybe it’s even a tie. I guess I will have to do some re-reads to be sure.
Oh and also… I am a huge fan of Spideypool… I ship them so freaking hard!!!
I am really looking forward to the spin-off series “The Kings: Wild Cards“, and Jack and Fitz’ story “Stacking the Deck“. Jack has me really intrigued at the moment. He is a big nerd as well, and I fell in love with him a bit more while reading this book. Also…some extra kudos for Chip (and Joker)…who is awesome!!!
I highly recommend this series!!
I’ve loved every single book in this series. I have been waiting for King’s book from the beginning and this book is all I hoped for and more.
Leo is my absolute favourite character(sorry Lucky). He is just perfect for King. Leo is like a whirlwind and King never knew what just hit him. Leo is genius and there is a lot of moments I’m stunned by his brain. He is nerdy and awkward and quirky and absolutely adorable.
I loved the whole family. We meet all the Kings and their significant others. I can’t wait to read Jack and Fitz’s book(Stacking the deck)
Also I’m a huge fan of Spideypool!!I love them so much!Go Avengers!
This series is highly recommended.
One of my favorite in this series!
This was such a cute (and fairly action-packed) read! Charlie Cochet is such a fantastic writer, she always manages to mix romance and humour and action so well.
I haven’t always been the biggest King fan, so I was bit reluctant to start this (especially after the amazing ride that was Mason and Lucky’s story) but he surprised me here and I must admit, he and Leo were quite adorable together.
I loved Leo: he was such an interesting character, endearing and shy and smart and a bit of goofball; his anxiety and insecurities really resonated with me. I also loved how the author didn’t shy away from showing that there’s nothing wrong with a relationship where one of the two needs a bit more attention and care and to be protected and shielded: most of the romances I read tend to have MCs that balance themselves out with their “I must protect you at all costs” behaviour, and I love that, but here I also loved that yes, Leo needs a boyfriend, but also a protector and someone who’d shelter him too and make him feel safe.
I’m not the biggest fan of a huge age difference between the MCs, so I was a bit worried I’d hate their 16-years age gap, but King’s playful side and Leo’s sense of responsibility made up for it.
I also loved that we saw a tiny bit more of Jack and Joker, and I literally cannot wait to go ahead and read the spin-off. I’m so ready for more of Charlie Cochet’s magical brand of found family.
I Highly Recommend this Awesome Book & Series
Diamond in the Rough
Four Kings Security, Book 4
By: Charlie Cochet
Narrated by: Greg Boudreaux
I have been loving this amazing series, the characters and storylines are entertaining and enjoyable from start to end. Each book in the series featured a different member of the Four Kings Security, four co-owners who are former special ops and green berets. They served together and after a devastating last mission they retired together and stayed together forming a successful and well sought after security company. This book brings us to Ward “King” Kingston’s story, he lead the team while serving and wound up being the unofficial leader of their company. The team is family and King is protective of his family, which includes extended family which he showed while on his self imposed mission at the start of this book. When his former General asked him to safeguard his son, Leopold de Laughrey aka Leo, who is sequestered by the Government while he works on a classified assignment. Leo is a socially awkward nerdy tech guru, he has his quirks and wants what he wants so some deem him as high maintenance. I thought he was absolutely adorable with a brilliant mind. King turns out to be his saving grace, the patient man understand Leo and his mind from the moment they met and he became his fiercest protector. I thought these two were perfect together and for each other. It was great to learn more about King and his past, it was also great to see him get past his inner demons. I loved how everything played out in this book, like the other books the story is cleverly plotted and there is never a dull moment. There is plenty of drama, some angst, humor, twists and turns, thrilling and suspenseful moments, heartfelt and emotional moments and some hot romance. Charlie Cochet that you for this wonderful series, I love this world you created and am looking forward to checking out more of your work.
And for the fabulous narration, Greg Boudreaux is a star in my eyes, well actually in my ears but you know what I mean. He is a fabulously talented narrator and an entertaining voice performer. I love how he takes each role and makes it his own. His portrayal of all the characters is spot on, he understand each characters persona and plays the role with perfection. Greg Boudreaux’s performance enhances an already awesome story to another level of awesomeness and I can not give him or Charlie Cochet enough praise or recommend this series enough. Thank you for another amazing listen, it is always a pleasure to listen to your work.
Diamond in the Rough is the fourth book in the Four Kings Security series. It could be read as a standalone, but it would be better if the first three books are read first.
First, none of the Four Kings Security books are realistic although they seem to be set in a contemporary version of our world. Instead, they feel more like sci-fi action books, without the futuristic sci-fi setting, due to all the rules and laws that are ignored. The author seems to have done enough research to know key military and law enforcement jargon, but has thrown out all the rules and regulations that govern military and law enforcement. The best way to enjoy the plot and action is just to assume that the books are not based on any real reality and just go with the flow. The action scenes are big on being over the top and sometimes a bit cliched, but Charlie Cochet is a really good writer and makes even the most cliched scene interesting. Cochet’s biggest strength is in her characters and the witty, sarcastic banter they have with each other. Also, the romance between King and Leo is so sweet and hot that I melted into a puddle of goo. Overall, I found this book, and the series, enjoyable and entertaining.
This might be my favourite one of the series. Loved it from start to finish. Leo was the perfect foil for King.
A fast-paced and sexy conclusion to the Four Kings series. I think you can read in any order but it would give maximum effect by reading in order.
King is battling some demons and feels he is unworthy of love and no man will ever be able to love him and all his baggage. He is content to have his family and an occasional hookup. But as each of is brothers find someone, deep down he longs for a man of his own. Then he meets young Leo, a quirky genius, a science nerd.
Leo has been taken in by the government to create a code that is a secret weapon. Leo is unsure about creating such code and drags his feet. His dad, the general gets worried about his son’s safety and hires King to protect him.
The characters are amazing. I love how quirky Leo is. I laughed so many times especially during the action at the end when Leo comes through and saves the day. I was on pins and needles with worry and then bam I never figured humor could work in such a point of the story, but it did.
I loved this series and am looking forward to Wild Cards to get Joker and Jack’s stories. I would also like to see Ryden and Frank.
If you like action, security men, age gap, ex-military, bodyguards, some hot-man-love and all-over good suspense this is for you.
This is by far one of the best books I have read in a long time. The characters were so well put together the beginning of the book was like being in the heads of two people you just met but by the end, you knew them so well you felt like you had known them forever. And the characters themselves were so wonderful.
Leo was quirky, interesting, and so very real. Even being nothing like him I could easily relate to him by the end of the second chapter. King was awesome. A real look at PTSD and previous military men and the things they go through both while in the military and after retiring.
On top of that, it was funny. From their first meeting till the very end, I was laughing at the awkward and hilarious situations and conversations they had. Leo’s blubbering when nervous was endearing and King’s vulnerability made him more relatable, especially while hiding it.
The plot was a wonderful mix of action, humor, and geek. You seriously couldn’t ask for more from a book, especially a romance. This had so many elements that balanced so perfectly I sat down and read it all in one sitting unable to put it down until the end…which was at 2 am and I had to get up at 5am…so worth it! I borrowed this on KU but I am so going to be buying it as soon as I can.
5 stars
Heat Level: 4
Narration: 5
O.M.G. King and Leo are FANTASTIC!!
I can’t praise this book enough!!! We finally get to learn all about King and get to know all that is under that gruff exterior! Now Leo…My new favorite book character ever!!! Leo is wicked smart, unknowingly sassy, adorkably sweet and just plain loveable. I love his brain, it that weird LOL. His quirks, sass, and smarts make for an incredible and hilarious read. I will admit to laughing out loud, in public!
King’s surprising connection to Leo is so heartwarming (and somewhat deeper and more unique than originally thought) and we are able to learn more about what all the Kings went through and even a little of why. This is a fantastic ‘conclusion’ to the quartet. Charlie definitely saved the best for last!
This book is the funniest of the lot and has all your favorite characters and couples I just loved the way everyone accepted Leo into the family. He is just so wonderful and I loved that he was never scared of King and really kept King on his toes. The story includes the same awesome action and thrill you come to expect of Ms. Cochet and I loved King’s fierce protectiveness out there on full display.
If you haven’t read this series YOU NEED TOO. I can’t recommend them all enough but King and Leo are definitely my new favs!!!
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This is my review of the audiobook:
King is the tough and haunted leader of Four Kings Security, the man others rush to follow, who keeps fighting through horrible odds, who would do anything for his friends, and who never laughs. When he does a favor for the general he trusts and respects, he meets the general’s son Leo, and King’s world changes forever.
I love King, and his reactions to nerdy, brilliant, adorable Leo are priceless. Leo doesn’t see the man who never laughs, because with Leo, King can’t help but laugh. He also can’t help but fall in love.
This book is full of action, humor, heartache, and so much love. All the men from Four Kings and their partners are here, and the way they bring Leo into their fold is wonderful. Great narration only enhances the story. This is the pairing of an author and narrator I love, and I recommend this book (and the series) with no reservations.