“King’s Stalemate” continues the ongoing storyline between MCs King and Rory that began in “King’s Gambit,” and quite literally picks up where the first book ends. This story is much more steamy than the first, with King and Rory reveling in their new relationship, but there’s also more angst and threats to their happiness.

Whereas King’s past was the focus of Book 1, here, we get Rory’s tumultuous backstory as it presents present-day dangers. Protecting Rory, the club and their found family puts strains on the couple, and they’re in a sort of “one step forward, two steps back” dance for much of this story, which does become a bit tiresome. Still, I’m looking forward to seeing how their HFN plays out into an HEA as the series continues.

This audio book features a different narrator than Book 1, and while I’m not usually a fan of that amid ongoing storylines (especially when they gave a solid performance), it was a decent enough adjustment here. I received this free review copy audio book by request and have left this honest review voluntarily.