Kings of the Castle /King of Chatham 1 & 2 Naleighna Kai and London St. Charles – reviews

KINGS OF THE CASTLE
(Kings of the Castle #1)
by Naleighna Kai and S.L. Jennings
Release Date:November 19, 2019
Genre: adult, contemporary, romantic suspense

ebook only 99¢ Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 19, 2019

Fate made them brothers. Protecting the Castle, each other, and the women they love will make them Kings.

When their mentor and founder of The Castle ends up on the business end of an assassination attempt, Grant, Alejandro, Shaz, Mariano, Vikkas, Jai, Daron, Kaleb, and Dwayne are snatched from their daily lives and successful businesses in order to right old wrongs and track down the men responsible for the attempt on his life.

However, The Castle, which was built on humanitarian purposes and has amassed a substantial amount of wealth, is now overrun with dirty politicians, the Russian mafia, American crime lords, and businessmen with their own sordid agendas. They have every intention of keeping the current state of things intact. Even if they have to increase Chicago’s body count to do so.

Calling in his former students and two outsiders is the beginning of a series of dangerous challenges that will alter the path of their lives forever. Not to mention, it will also draw the ire and deadly intent of current Castle members who wield major influence across the globe. Powerful men unexpectedly brought together by their pasts and current circumstances will become a force to be reckoned with.

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REVIEW: KINGS OF THE CASTLE is the first instalment in the multi-authored / multi-cultural KINGS OF THE CASTLE erotic, romantic suspense series focusing on nine ‘brothers’ (Vikkas, Reno, Shaz, Jai, Daron, Kaleb, Grant, Dro and Dwayne) mentored and taught by the mysterious Khalil Germaine at the exclusive Macro International Magnet School in Chicago.

Told from several third person perspectives KINGS OF THE CASTLE follows in the aftermath of an attempted assassination of Khalil Germaine, founder of The Castle, a restrictive and exclusionary institution, an institution currently on a downward spiral of crime, immoral and unethical practices in the absence of its leader and owner. The attempt on his father’s life finds Vikkas Germaine contacting his father’s former students as he and his father endeavor to persuade the nine to take over, and remake The Castle into what is was always meant to be…but each new member of The Castle is facing an uphill battle in both their personal and professional lives, a battle that began on the cusp of their mentor’s assassination.

KINGS OF THE CASTLE introduces the players and Kings of the Castle, once boys, plucked from the streets of Chicago who have developed into strong and learned young men: Head master and mentor Khalil Germaine: Reno (King of Chatham) is responsible for rescuing the trafficking victims filtered through The Castle: Grant (King of Lincoln Park) is responsible for untangling The Castle’s properties from illegal deals; Jai (King of Devon) is responsible for the health and well being of The Castle and its Kings: Daron (King of Morgan Park) responsible for vetting members, contractors and the security of The Castle; Dro (King of Hyde Park) responsible for special assignments; Shaz (King of Evanston) responsible for all legal documents and systems for The Castle;Vikkas (King of Wilmette) responsible for the international holding of The Castle;Kaleb (King of South Shore) responsible for development projects in the underprivileged neighborhoods in Chicago; Dwayne (King of Lawndale) responsible for the IT specialities. Each member of the nine has a story to tell; a woman to love; and the responsibility to remain strong in the face of threats by a number of The Castle members who struggle with the emergence of a new family of leaders. The premise is complex with a large amount of exposition and information that reveals just enough clues to keep the reader in suspense; the characters are numerous, energetic, strong and capable.

Own a copy

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KING OF CHATHAM
(Kings of the Castle #2)
by London St. Charles
Release Date: November 26, 2019
Genre: adult, contemporary, romantic suspense

ebook only 99¢ Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 26, 2019

Mariano “Reno” DeLuca uses his skills and resources to create safe havens for women who find themselves in dangerous situations. Unfortunately, a surge in criminal activity in the Chatham area threatens the women’s anonymity and security, including the mysterious beauty who landed on the doorstep of The Second Chance at Life Women’s Shelter right before an all hands on deck call that summons him to The Castle.

When Zuri Okusanya, an exotic Tanzanian Princess, arrives seeking refuge from an arranged marriage and its deadly consequences, Mariano is now forced to relocate the women in the shelter to an even more secluded place. He is striving hard not to lose his heart to the forbidden goddess, all while fighting an enemy who’s supposed to be an ally and fending off immoral attempts by men who covet his seat on The Castle’s board.

Will Mariano have the power to defeat his adversaries before they destroy him and the woman he loves?

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REVIEW: KING OF CHATHAM by London St. Charles is the second instalment in the multi-authored / multi-cultural contemporary, adult KINGS OF THE CASTLE erotic, romantic suspense series focusing on nine ‘brothers’ from the streets of Chicago (Vikkas, Reno, Shaz, Jai, Daron, Kaleb, Grant, Dro and Dwayne) mentored and taught by the mysterious Khalil Germaine at the exclusive Macro International Magnet School in Chicago. This is King of Chatham, Mariano ‘Reno’ DeLuca, and Tanzanian Princess Zuri Okusanya’s story line. KING OF CHATHAM can be read as a stand alone but I recommend reading the series in order for back story and cohesion. Some of the events in King of Chatham run parallel to and cross over with the events of book one Kings of the Castle.

SOME BACKGROUND: Nine men, all ‘brother’s in arms from the mean streets of Chicago, have been called together by their former mentor Khalil Germaine in an effort to re-make and reclaim the restrictive and exclusionary THE CASTLE, an institution now involved with illegal activities including drug trafficking, human sexual slavery and more.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Reno and Zuri) KING OF CHATHAM focuses on the safety of Tanzanian Princess Zuri Okusayna. Several years earlier, Zuri’s mother and the women of Zuri’s tribe helped rescue our heroine by sending her to the USA to avoid female genital mutilation, and the forced marriage to a man as brutal as her father. Zuri’s father Godfrey had sold his daughter to an older man, for money and prestige, money with which Godfrey wasn’t willing to part. But the death of her mother found Zuri back in her homeland facing down her father and the man who claimed Zuri as his own. Once again, Zuri would need the help of the women in the community in an effort to remain free of the absolute rule and abuse of the men of her tribe in Tanzania. Enter King of Chatham, Mariano ‘Reno’ DeLuca, and the man with whom Zuri would fall in love. What ensues is the building relationship between Zuir and Reno, and the potential fall-out as all attempts to protect Zuri fail when her father, and the older members of The Castle, battle to prove they are still in control.

King of Chatham, Mariano ‘Reno’ DeLuca, is a wealthy Italian American who knows racism and prejudices first hand having witnessed his father’s attacks against anyone he deems unworthy including men and women of color. Mariano DeLuca runs a private clinic for abused and battered woman, and will find his happily ever after in the guise of Tanzanian Princess Zuri Okusayna, a client with whom he has no business getting involved.

Meanwhile the Kings of the Castle begin to unravel some of the horrendous crimes of their predecessors including human trafficking when a series of young, Russian girls are brought into Reno’s sister’s medical clinic.

The relationship between Reno and Zuri is one of immediate attraction but forbidden by the rules and ethical issues of Reno’s position as owner of the women’s centre where Zuri has been placed. Zuri knows Reno is the man that calls to her heart but her past is determined to reclaim what is not his to own. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually explicit language and text.

All of the Kings of the Castle play secondary and supporting roles including the quick reappearance of their mentor Khalil Germaine. We are introduced to Zuri’s mother Suby and father Godfrey; Reno’s sister Sofia, and their parents Giacomo and Emma DeLuca; women’s shelter receptionist and Reno’s assistant Skyler Pierson ; Mama Winnie; Djimon, the man to whom Zuri was sold; Detective Carter and Detective Xavier Sharpe; several women living and working at the shelter including Olga Smirnov and her son Yvengy; and Frank Maddox, a man deep into the trafficking and demoralization of women and girls.

KING OF CHATHAM is a story of family and betrayal; sacrifice and love. The fast paced premise is engaging and captivating; the characters are numerous, energetic and dynamic; the romance is seductive and tender.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy