Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
This new series kicks off with a sexy group of security men, each of whom have a nickname reminiscent of a suite of cards. In the first installment, King Security assigns Ace Sharpe to guard Colton Connolly. Hired by Colton’s father due to death threats Colton has received, neither Ace nor Colton are prepared for the sparks that fly when they get together. At first resistant to being guarded, Colton ultimately sees that Ace is only doing his job and he likes the sexy guy so what’s the harm in keeping him around?
Fearless, attractive, and assertive, Ace gets in Colton’s face when Colton disregards his personal safety. Gorgeous, handsome, and smart, Colton sees Ace as his opposite, but since opposites attract, that’s a perfect setup. Ms. Cochet builds the background of the various cast of characters involved with King Security mostly by depicting the men’s interactions. For example, when Red shows his concern for a young man who’s hurt, Ace explains that Red’s name comes from the red hearts in a card deck since he’s always the first to offer comfort to someone hurt. It’s very clever and added to the overall enjoyment of getting to know the men who will have recurring roles.
There were, however, a few areas where some behaviors struck me as overly dramatic for the setting. I felt as if I were transported back in time to the era when I read romance paperbacks featuring the fainting heroine and tough hero being faced down by her dastardly father—for example, the scene in which Colton’s father and Ace’s boss find out Colton and Ace have been involved with each other. Lots of shouting, blaming, and drama there. And then there’s the Laz confessing his sex faux pas in front of Red, who then offers Laz comfort as he cries in Red’s arms. Those few pages felt very sixties drama queen to me—and the Laz scene was pointless as it was totally unrelated to the balance of the story.
There were also a few oddities that pulled me out of the story—one occurred when Colton’s father stated something he couldn’t have known at the time. And another, where Colton is asking for forgiveness for someone but he and everyone else seem to have forgotten the critical point that he injured one of their team members. That fact wasn’t mentioned in that scene at all but should have affected any decision to forgive and forget. I know these points may seem vague, but I’m trying to state my issues without giving spoilers. Perhaps they’ll be considered minor by other readers but they disrupted my enjoyment of the book and affected my rating.
That all being said and despite my personal quirks, I think this book is a good start on what should be an interesting and action-packed series. I’m definitely going to read the next book because I’m looking forward to meeting more of the King Security team and I can’t wait to read their adventures.
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Cover by Reese Dante depicts a handsome, muscular, tattooed man, standing shirtless against a background of palm trees signifying the Florida setting. The man is wearing dog tags and has a gun in his right hand and a tiny ace tattoo is showing between his thumb and index finger. Bright and colorful, this cover perfectly depicts the description in the book of Ace Sharpe, one of the MCs.
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Book Details:
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 