Heist Royale

After surviving and almost winning the entire Thieves Gambit game, where she competed against other teenage mastermind criminals, Rosalyn can’t seem to escape this life. As a result of her loss, Rosalyn had to give up a year of her life to save the lives of her entire family. She has been forced to work with her ex-lover turned enemy, Devroe Kenzie, whom she hates, after he blindsided and betrayed her during the previous Gambit game. For six months, they have been traveling the world, completing mission after mission for the organization that runs the elite game.  

When the current leader of the organization faces doubt about Rosalyn’s capability to run it, a new Gambit game erupts. Two teams are formed, one in alliance with the current leader, Count, and the opposition team eager for fresh leadership. Rosalyn is dragged back into competing, only this time with a much higher personal stake. Whoever wins two out of three missions gets to decide who will be the future leader of the organization, and thus, if Rosalyn’s family will be protected from execution. However, she is also competing against the one person who despises her family more than anything: Diane Kenzie, Devroe’s mother.  

Diane proves to be a ruthless adversary, not only sabotaging Rosalyn’s team’s success but also directly threatening Rosalyn’s safety by targeting her personally. Can Rosalyn beat Diane’s team and protect her family’s lives?  

Heist Royale is the sequel to Thieves’ Gambit and continues Rosalyn’s story after her experience competing in the Gambit. Rosalyn’s character continues to evolve as she develops new friendships and learns how to navigate them. New tensions also form between her and her mother, and her connection with Devroe becomes more complicated as the story unfolds. Her struggles with these changing relationships can be relatable to any reader facing similar situations, especially those learning how to practice loyalty and awareness in friendships.  

Diane Kenzie is a relentless woman who will stop at nothing to destroy the Quest family. Her hatred began after Rhiannon Quest not only beat her during the Thieves Gambit game but also betrayed her. Years later, when Devroe and Rosalyn competed against each other in the Gambit, they seemed to form a connection. Despite his relationship with Rosalyn, Diane uses Devroe to hurt the Quest family, proving just how manipulative she is. Furthermore, her calculated plotting against Rosalyn throughout the missions displays her lingering grudge and pain.  

For those interested in an action-packed and fast-paced story, the Thieves’ Gambit Series is the perfect book for you. The author maintains the suspense and thrill that can be seen throughout the first book, Thieves’ Gambit. In this story, the author includes romance between two different couples, their love stories consisting of high tensions and many arcs. In addition, common themes of trust, betrayal, and personal growth are prevalent throughout. Thus far, there are only two books published in the Thieves Gambit series, but there is word that Lewis is working on a third book.  

Sexual Content   

• Taiyo and Mylo, members of Rosalyn’s team, must make a scene to escape getting caught during one of their missions. They pretend to have a fight and to really sell it, “Taiyo closed the distance between them, pressing his lips to Mylo’s.” 
• Rosalyn and Devroe share a passionate moment in a private room in the casino. Rosalyn describes, “Before I could stop myself, I slipped into his lap. He jumped, sitting up as I fully straddled him. . . his hands settled on my hips. . . His lips crashed into mine. . . He devoured me, and I devoured him, drinking every drop I could get. He tasted like champagne and mint and everything I remembered from our airport kiss all those months ago. . . His hands on my hips pulled me even closer, like he was having the same thought as me, a perfect synchronicity.”  
• Rosalyn and Devroe are relaxing on a beach after all of their missions have been completed, and they sit together on a lounge chair. “I shifted around. Devroe’s arm stayed snug around me. I drew him in for a soft kiss and slid a pair of Ray-Bans I’d stolen for him over his eyes.” 

Violence     

• A mysterious group chases Rosalyn on the streets of Brazil, and she has to fight them off. “I grabbed [the woman who was following me by her] scarf and yanked hard, pulling her totally off-balance. She crashed to the ground. . . Fast steps crunched over the sidewalk. . . The link of my meteor ball unraveled. The weighted ball at the end cracked right into [another man’s] nose, drawing a splatter of blood. With him distracted, I sent an aggressive kick into his knee. He screamed. A bone cracked, and he dropped to a broken knee. I sent another kick into his chin, keeling him over.” 
• Diane, Devroe’s mother, has a heated exchange with Rosalyn in New Orleans, as Rosalyn is trying to steal the very object that Diane has been hired to protect. Rosalyn explains, “I tried to shove [Diane] back. She grabbed my hand and twisted. I winced. My breath caught as she grabbed me by the braids and tugged so hard, she might have ripped some out.” Although no one is injured, Rosalyn realizes that Diane had chained her to the fireplace so that Diane could have a head start.   
• Rosalyn and Diane have another tense confrontation. “[Diane] twisted my arm behind my shoulders and pulled me away. . . Diane parried my fist away, then executed a well-placed kick behind my knee. I doubled over, and she yanked me back into the curtained space.” While no one is injured, both Rosalyn and Diane are determined to complete their mission.  
• Rosalyn and her team, including one member named Kyung-soon, seemingly win the game when Diane appears out of nowhere and grabs hold of Rosalyn. “My head snapped around as something cut Kyung-soon off. A hand covered her mouth and a snap sounded before a stick was pushed under Kyung-soon’s nose. Quicker than I could push the assaulting hand way, Kyung-soon was knocked out cold. On instinct, I dropped to catch her, but an arm snaked around my neck, pulling me in tight. Yelling, I clawed my nails in the arm. Until the all-too-familiar feeling of a chilly barrel [of a gun] dug into my side.” Diane had Rosalyn in a chokehold, threatening to hurt her. She does not hurt her but uses Rosalyn’s life as a bargaining chip. 

Drugs and Alcohol     

• Rosalyn stumbles into Baron, one of her opponents, at the casino. “Baron [was] sipping a fruity margarita, legs crossed on a suede bench.” 

Language     

• Profanity is used occasionally. Words such as bitch, asshole, bastard, pissed, and prick are used.  
• Noelia, one of Rosalyn’s friends and teammates, explains her brother’s anger towards her, saying, “he’s still calling me Witch Bitch.” 
• Deep in the mountains, Rosalyn is on her next mission. “I was unreasonably pissed at whatever asshole architect dropped this lab at the edge of the water.” 
• Kiah, the casino owner, suspects Rosalyn of cheating and thus challenges her to a game. “Instead of [using] the glass elevators, he opted for the curving glass staircase, much to the woe of my feet, dying inside these heeled boots. The bastard probably did so on purpose.” 
• As Noelia’s dad scolds her over FaceTime, Rosalyn inserts herself into the conversation and stands up for Noelia. Afterwards, Rosalyn says, “Sorry. I should have asked before butting in, but your dad was being a prick, and I’ve really had it up to here.” 

Supernatural 

• None 

Spiritual Content  

• None 

by Leela Kowalski