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Rake Forge Royals #1
The Lost Kings
I was always told people grew roots where they were planted.
But mine developed between the hearts of two brothers.
For as long as I could remember, they were my protectors, living on the opposite end of the manor.
It was when I turned eight that I realized the truth. The twins were never supposed to protect me. It was the other way around and I would grow up to be the one that kept our family safe.
As time went on, they were forced to watch while I was broken and reshaped into the weapon needed to break us free from the cage our family had been forced into.
I always assumed the twins understood.
But when I became old enough to accept my fate, they slapped it away and tried to show me a different choice.
Even with my heart in their hands, I tried to make them see that there was no other path for me to walk.
They left, abandoning the family and destroying those roots that had kept us together.
Without them, we were forced to align with a powerful enemy.
But when it’s discovered how close I became with our rival, the twins returned.
I assumed it was to reclaim my heart, but it was to declare war.
We stood on opposite sides, but somewhere in the middle was my broken heart, still held between two lost kings.
But mine developed between the hearts of two brothers.
For as long as I could remember, they were my protectors, living on the opposite end of the manor.
It was when I turned eight that I realized the truth. The twins were never supposed to protect me. It was the other way around and I would grow up to be the one that kept our family safe.
As time went on, they were forced to watch while I was broken and reshaped into the weapon needed to break us free from the cage our family had been forced into.
I always assumed the twins understood.
But when I became old enough to accept my fate, they slapped it away and tried to show me a different choice.
Even with my heart in their hands, I tried to make them see that there was no other path for me to walk.
They left, abandoning the family and destroying those roots that had kept us together.
Without them, we were forced to align with a powerful enemy.
But when it’s discovered how close I became with our rival, the twins returned.
I assumed it was to reclaim my heart, but it was to declare war.
We stood on opposite sides, but somewhere in the middle was my broken heart, still held between two lost kings.
340 pages, Paperback
First published September 26, 2025
235 people are currently reading
6198 people want to read
About the author
Ashley Munoz
31 books2,641 followersAshley resides in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and four children. She enjoys hiking, sneaking off to read, and of course, drinking copious amounts of coffee when she finally sits down to write.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 273 reviews
October 8, 2025
The Lost Kings is the first book in a new series. Rake Forge Royals is a spinoff, 2nd gen series from the author’s Rake Forge University series. The tropes: love triangle, MFM, mafia, obsessed twin brothers with found family, touch her and die, and always been you vibes!
While this is described as a standalone, I really think having read the first series would have helped more (I didn’t read that one first and think I missed out on connections to these families because of that). This is a MFM and the three characters we follow have been friends since childhood (well the two guys are twin brothers, she’s their friend).
I’ve read and loved this author’s Stone Riders MC series in the past, but this book just didn’t work for me overall and isn’t one I’d recommend even starting with if you’re trying them out. What didn’t work for me was the flashbacks, we constantly are thrown back to their days/years as children and their connection over the years. I get needing some flashback to set up their link, but the flashbacks constantly happen throughout the book and I just didn’t care about them as kids/their mindsets then. We spent way too much time with them as kids/teens and it just made them feel so young to me. This was just a miss for me overall, but maybe if you’ve read the previous series or like the tropes then this would work better for you.
I received an ARC, all thoughts in this review are my own.
While this is described as a standalone, I really think having read the first series would have helped more (I didn’t read that one first and think I missed out on connections to these families because of that). This is a MFM and the three characters we follow have been friends since childhood (well the two guys are twin brothers, she’s their friend).
I’ve read and loved this author’s Stone Riders MC series in the past, but this book just didn’t work for me overall and isn’t one I’d recommend even starting with if you’re trying them out. What didn’t work for me was the flashbacks, we constantly are thrown back to their days/years as children and their connection over the years. I get needing some flashback to set up their link, but the flashbacks constantly happen throughout the book and I just didn’t care about them as kids/their mindsets then. We spent way too much time with them as kids/teens and it just made them feel so young to me. This was just a miss for me overall, but maybe if you’ve read the previous series or like the tropes then this would work better for you.
I received an ARC, all thoughts in this review are my own.
October 29, 2025
Loved it
I love a story that has different time lines, getting peeks in the past while reading the present is always fascinating. It was full of friendship, emotions, bloody action, and family. The lost kings kept me engaged. I was simply hooked.
I can not wait to read the next book, i need their happy ending!!!
I love a story that has different time lines, getting peeks in the past while reading the present is always fascinating. It was full of friendship, emotions, bloody action, and family. The lost kings kept me engaged. I was simply hooked.
I can not wait to read the next book, i need their happy ending!!!
September 14, 2025
ARC Review
Releases 9/26
TROPES
Mafia
Found Family
Twin Brother’s Obsessed
Touch Her & Die
Love Triangle
MFM
Always Been You
"She was a star, the sun…the skies we spent our childhood searching."
✨️Thank you so much to Ashley for this ARC for my honest review.This is the 1st book in a 2nd gen duet. The 1st gen is the RFU series, but if you haven't read that series, you can definitely dive right in without being confused. I've been dying for this book and Ashley exceeded my expectations! I love how we get 3 POVs! We also get multiple timelines, and I'm not usually a fan of them, but it works so well for this book! The ANGST in this book was EVERYTHING! Without giving away too much, we are left on a bit of a cliffhanger but the next book will be out in November, so we won't have too long to wait! I 1000% recommend this to ALL of my friends! This was easily one of my favorite books of the year!
Releases 9/26
TROPES
Mafia
Found Family
Twin Brother’s Obsessed
Touch Her & Die
Love Triangle
MFM
Always Been You
"She was a star, the sun…the skies we spent our childhood searching."
✨️Thank you so much to Ashley for this ARC for my honest review.This is the 1st book in a 2nd gen duet. The 1st gen is the RFU series, but if you haven't read that series, you can definitely dive right in without being confused. I've been dying for this book and Ashley exceeded my expectations! I love how we get 3 POVs! We also get multiple timelines, and I'm not usually a fan of them, but it works so well for this book! The ANGST in this book was EVERYTHING! Without giving away too much, we are left on a bit of a cliffhanger but the next book will be out in November, so we won't have too long to wait! I 1000% recommend this to ALL of my friends! This was easily one of my favorite books of the year!
September 26, 2025
3.75 stars
This book interested me and also made me see red. I’ve never loved to hate two men in my entire life 🤣
The angst in this book keeps you turning the pages, the story line and the secrets makes you turn them faster. I felt the author did a good job at writing the story from a teens POV. She’s young, naive, and always thinks with her heart.
Watching her fall for the twins antics and lies made me so mad. If I didn’t get the POV from them I would’ve continued hating them the entire book.
I was definitely intrigued by the family dynamic throughout the book. How the kids were raised. It was so different. Not to mention I would be obsessed with their house!! 😍 What kept me from absolutely loving this book was my inability to connect with the characters. They were too young for me to really root for them in any capacity.
If you love taboo, forbidden love, angst, and possessive mmc’s, you’d like this book!! I intend to find out what happens next!!
Thank you to the author and Hambright PR for the ebook copy to read and review!!
This book interested me and also made me see red. I’ve never loved to hate two men in my entire life 🤣
The angst in this book keeps you turning the pages, the story line and the secrets makes you turn them faster. I felt the author did a good job at writing the story from a teens POV. She’s young, naive, and always thinks with her heart.
Watching her fall for the twins antics and lies made me so mad. If I didn’t get the POV from them I would’ve continued hating them the entire book.
I was definitely intrigued by the family dynamic throughout the book. How the kids were raised. It was so different. Not to mention I would be obsessed with their house!! 😍 What kept me from absolutely loving this book was my inability to connect with the characters. They were too young for me to really root for them in any capacity.
If you love taboo, forbidden love, angst, and possessive mmc’s, you’d like this book!! I intend to find out what happens next!!
Thank you to the author and Hambright PR for the ebook copy to read and review!!
September 25, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
THIS BOOK HAD ME FEELING LIKE I SAW AN ANKLE FOR THE FIRST TIME DURING THE VICTORIAN AGE 😩
i LOVED this story so much, it took a second for me to get used to the back and forth of the timelines but once i was in i was HOOKED 😮💨
im OBSESSED with the twins, holy fcckkkkk there were actual moments i started barking 😭
the different POVs had me feeling every emotion in such a short time, from gasping and feeling lied to, to giggling and blushing 🤭
never thought i’d be so sentimental over a jar of dirt tbh.
this solidified my need to go back and read the other books because HELLO THE JOKER?! IM DOWN BAD AND HES BARELY MENTIONED IN THIS BOOK
i need book 2 immediately after that ending but i’m also so scared of where it’ll pick up 😭
thank you hambright and ashley for the arc, all thoughts and opinions are my own!
THIS BOOK HAD ME FEELING LIKE I SAW AN ANKLE FOR THE FIRST TIME DURING THE VICTORIAN AGE 😩
i LOVED this story so much, it took a second for me to get used to the back and forth of the timelines but once i was in i was HOOKED 😮💨
im OBSESSED with the twins, holy fcckkkkk there were actual moments i started barking 😭
the different POVs had me feeling every emotion in such a short time, from gasping and feeling lied to, to giggling and blushing 🤭
never thought i’d be so sentimental over a jar of dirt tbh.
this solidified my need to go back and read the other books because HELLO THE JOKER?! IM DOWN BAD AND HES BARELY MENTIONED IN THIS BOOK
i need book 2 immediately after that ending but i’m also so scared of where it’ll pick up 😭
thank you hambright and ashley for the arc, all thoughts and opinions are my own!
September 26, 2025
Ashley Munoz once again proves her talent for writing an emotional, all-consuming story with Lost Kings. At its heart, this book follows Presley and the two brothers who shaped her life—Gio and Kingston.
Presley’s journey is both heartbreaking and powerful. Raised to be her family’s protector rather than the one protected, she’s reshaped by pain and forced into a role she never asked for. Gio and Kingston, the twins who once held her heart, become both her safe place and her greatest conflict. Their bond is intense, messy, and unforgettable.
The push and pull between love, loyalty, and survival had me hooked from beginning to end. Munoz does a masterful job of capturing the complexity of Presley’s heart, torn between two brothers and two very different futures. When Gio and Kingston return, declaring war instead of love, the story explodes with tension, passion, and devastating choices.
With lyrical writing and raw emotion, Lost Kings is a book that will stick with you long after you’ve finished. If you love angsty romance with impossible choices, high stakes, and characters you can’t help but ache for, this is one you can’t miss.
Presley’s journey is both heartbreaking and powerful. Raised to be her family’s protector rather than the one protected, she’s reshaped by pain and forced into a role she never asked for. Gio and Kingston, the twins who once held her heart, become both her safe place and her greatest conflict. Their bond is intense, messy, and unforgettable.
The push and pull between love, loyalty, and survival had me hooked from beginning to end. Munoz does a masterful job of capturing the complexity of Presley’s heart, torn between two brothers and two very different futures. When Gio and Kingston return, declaring war instead of love, the story explodes with tension, passion, and devastating choices.
With lyrical writing and raw emotion, Lost Kings is a book that will stick with you long after you’ve finished. If you love angsty romance with impossible choices, high stakes, and characters you can’t help but ache for, this is one you can’t miss.
September 25, 2025
Ratings:
3.5 Stars
1.5 Spice
Format: eARC
Expect:
MFM, Love Triangle, Twin Brothers, It's Always Been You, Touch Her & Die, Mafia, Found Family, First in a Duet
Thoughts:
This was one of my most anticipated releases as someone who absolutely LOVED The Joker and while this didn't necessarily live up to expectations, I think it set the groundwork for a hopefully even better conclusion to Presley, Giovanni, and Kingston's story.
When we saw the tropes being MFM and love triangle at first I was like how?!? But then it made sense and I do actually like how that was done. I think it helped bring a lot of tension in the present timeline and I'm so excited to see how that develops further in the next book.
I overall enjoyed our characters. Presley specifically has such an interesting upbringing, and she is capable of being such a badass. I hope we continue to see more of that! And the twins were great. I loved how they were obsessed with Pres and possessive over her. They truly all do have a deep bond and you could feel that throughout. Even their parents could never keep them apart. Which speaking of the parents, I adore seeing our faves Kylie and Rylie, and Juan and Taylor as parents!! I love them so much.
That being said, there were a few things that weren't my favorite. I really really struggled with the timeline and jumping around. We would be at 10 years old, then present day, then 7 years old, then 9, then present...etc. etc. AND, the twins were a year (?) older than Pres? So we had to keep that straight too. It got confusing and just didn't flow well for me. I'm hoping that in the next book we stay in the present.
Also, the twins were naturally very alike, but I honestly couldn't tell them apart too much aside from their specific hobbies you may call them. And then at times it felt like one was more emotionally connected with Pres, versus the other more physically connected. So I dunno how I feel about that yet...need to see more. There were also a couple other things I struggled with but SPOILERS so I'll keep those to myself haha.
I do think the ending was fun, and a few of my issues I'm hoping will be remedied in the next book now that we are in the present day. So I am still very excited to see where it goes and am hoping it ends on a high note cause I truly do love this world so so much.
ALSO: While the author does say this can be read as a standalone duet, I HIGHLY recommend reading Rake Forge University prior to this (or at least King of Hearts and The Joker). I think it will give you a better understanding of the world and also why we should care about these characters. Then after this, My Darling Mayhem would be a great read to prepare for the conclusion to this duet.
Thank you so so much to Ashley Munoz and team for the advanced copy!
3.5 Stars
1.5 Spice
Format: eARC
Expect:
MFM, Love Triangle, Twin Brothers, It's Always Been You, Touch Her & Die, Mafia, Found Family, First in a Duet
Thoughts:
This was one of my most anticipated releases as someone who absolutely LOVED The Joker and while this didn't necessarily live up to expectations, I think it set the groundwork for a hopefully even better conclusion to Presley, Giovanni, and Kingston's story.
When we saw the tropes being MFM and love triangle at first I was like how?!? But then it made sense and I do actually like how that was done. I think it helped bring a lot of tension in the present timeline and I'm so excited to see how that develops further in the next book.
I overall enjoyed our characters. Presley specifically has such an interesting upbringing, and she is capable of being such a badass. I hope we continue to see more of that! And the twins were great. I loved how they were obsessed with Pres and possessive over her. They truly all do have a deep bond and you could feel that throughout. Even their parents could never keep them apart. Which speaking of the parents, I adore seeing our faves Kylie and Rylie, and Juan and Taylor as parents!! I love them so much.
That being said, there were a few things that weren't my favorite. I really really struggled with the timeline and jumping around. We would be at 10 years old, then present day, then 7 years old, then 9, then present...etc. etc. AND, the twins were a year (?) older than Pres? So we had to keep that straight too. It got confusing and just didn't flow well for me. I'm hoping that in the next book we stay in the present.
Also, the twins were naturally very alike, but I honestly couldn't tell them apart too much aside from their specific hobbies you may call them. And then at times it felt like one was more emotionally connected with Pres, versus the other more physically connected. So I dunno how I feel about that yet...need to see more. There were also a couple other things I struggled with but SPOILERS so I'll keep those to myself haha.
I do think the ending was fun, and a few of my issues I'm hoping will be remedied in the next book now that we are in the present day. So I am still very excited to see where it goes and am hoping it ends on a high note cause I truly do love this world so so much.
ALSO: While the author does say this can be read as a standalone duet, I HIGHLY recommend reading Rake Forge University prior to this (or at least King of Hearts and The Joker). I think it will give you a better understanding of the world and also why we should care about these characters. Then after this, My Darling Mayhem would be a great read to prepare for the conclusion to this duet.
Thank you so so much to Ashley Munoz and team for the advanced copy!
September 22, 2025
Alright, Ms Muñoz. I see you. You just brought the heat, the angst, the history, the danger, the grit, the loyalty and the forbidden to an all new duet and I'm here for it.
The Lost Kings is the first of 2 books about 3 characters (Presley, Gio, and Kingston) who've grown up together in a manor with their parents, away from the general public. They have a history because of who their parents are, but through it all, they've always had each other.
Told in a past/present timeline and 3 + POVs, we follow these characters from when they were children all the way to young adults. There is a lot of jumping back and forth in time, but it's all for the history of the characters and seeing their love and loyalty to one another grow and become a little messy. Until something tears them apart, yet they still all have ties to a darker world that they've been raised to be a part of, even from afar.
I don't know what kind of magic Muñoz put in this story, but I devoured this book. Right from the start, we feel the underlying danger that has to do with the relationship between the twins (Kingston and Gio) and Presley, even when they are children. It's beautiful, yet intense.
'Deep down I knew this bond between them would keep my daughter alive. Just as long as nothing happened to make them ever feel anything more than sibling affection toward one another, then we'd be safe, and this entire plan would work.'
As the characters age, we get to see a bit of the world they come from and the brutality of it all. Two protectors and 1 weapon with emotions that were bound to happen when their whole worlds are each other. It all borders on obsessive, but with the tension, it was only a matter of time until everything exploded. I loved the push and pull between the 3 MCs and how that led us to a deeper connection that ended up being hot AF.
I have some deep love for Presley, Gio and Kingston as individuals, but especially when they are together as a unit and know this forbidden romance is going to get more messy and I can't wait. These 3 would burn the world down for each other, but how many hearts will get broken along the way?
I would break, so they wouldn't be torn apart.
I would break, so they would remain whole.
I would break, simply because it was about time I learned how.'
If you like:
Forbidden romance with twins and their BFF (MFM), set in a mafia world with violence and all the sexual tension with touch her and die vibes...then you're going to want to dive into this first book in this duet. But don't worry. The cliffy isn't bad and the second book is coming soon.
The Lost Kings is the first of 2 books about 3 characters (Presley, Gio, and Kingston) who've grown up together in a manor with their parents, away from the general public. They have a history because of who their parents are, but through it all, they've always had each other.
Told in a past/present timeline and 3 + POVs, we follow these characters from when they were children all the way to young adults. There is a lot of jumping back and forth in time, but it's all for the history of the characters and seeing their love and loyalty to one another grow and become a little messy. Until something tears them apart, yet they still all have ties to a darker world that they've been raised to be a part of, even from afar.
I don't know what kind of magic Muñoz put in this story, but I devoured this book. Right from the start, we feel the underlying danger that has to do with the relationship between the twins (Kingston and Gio) and Presley, even when they are children. It's beautiful, yet intense.
'Deep down I knew this bond between them would keep my daughter alive. Just as long as nothing happened to make them ever feel anything more than sibling affection toward one another, then we'd be safe, and this entire plan would work.'
As the characters age, we get to see a bit of the world they come from and the brutality of it all. Two protectors and 1 weapon with emotions that were bound to happen when their whole worlds are each other. It all borders on obsessive, but with the tension, it was only a matter of time until everything exploded. I loved the push and pull between the 3 MCs and how that led us to a deeper connection that ended up being hot AF.
I have some deep love for Presley, Gio and Kingston as individuals, but especially when they are together as a unit and know this forbidden romance is going to get more messy and I can't wait. These 3 would burn the world down for each other, but how many hearts will get broken along the way?
I would break, so they wouldn't be torn apart.
I would break, so they would remain whole.
I would break, simply because it was about time I learned how.'
If you like:
Forbidden romance with twins and their BFF (MFM), set in a mafia world with violence and all the sexual tension with touch her and die vibes...then you're going to want to dive into this first book in this duet. But don't worry. The cliffy isn't bad and the second book is coming soon.
September 25, 2025
What an emotional angsty roller coaster that has me gnawing at the bits so the second book in this duet.
Ashley's writing is always so beautifully written and so poetic. The things happen through her books always pull at my heart strings.
During this book you'll see past and present timelines, and Ashley intertwined these perfectly. Every single past chapter was there for a reason and truly made the present chapters and emotions hit that much harder.
Because this is only book 1 in the duet, I obviously do not want to give anything away so I won't be going into detail about what occurs. I will say that Presley is such a badass FMC and Gio & Kingston are so down bad for her
I do HIGHLY recommend reading the Rake Forge University series before diving into this book because this is a second gen story and things that happened in that series is HEAVILY intertwined. I also loved seeing those characters as parents.
Anything Ashley writes, I will always read and devour! Thank you so much Ashley for the eARC!
Ashley's writing is always so beautifully written and so poetic. The things happen through her books always pull at my heart strings.
During this book you'll see past and present timelines, and Ashley intertwined these perfectly. Every single past chapter was there for a reason and truly made the present chapters and emotions hit that much harder.
Because this is only book 1 in the duet, I obviously do not want to give anything away so I won't be going into detail about what occurs. I will say that Presley is such a badass FMC and Gio & Kingston are so down bad for her
I do HIGHLY recommend reading the Rake Forge University series before diving into this book because this is a second gen story and things that happened in that series is HEAVILY intertwined. I also loved seeing those characters as parents.
Anything Ashley writes, I will always read and devour! Thank you so much Ashley for the eARC!
September 27, 2025
The way I’ve been waiting for this one!! I loved the Rake Forge University series, especially Juan and Kyle’s dynamic. Then seeing the twins in My Darling Mayhem? I’ve been SO ready for Gio, King, & Presley!! Seeing how close the three of them were as kids? Oh my heart. They’ve always had a connection, and I was living for Gio and King’s protectiveness over Presley. Presley’s a badass and I want to be like her. I couldn’t put this one down, and I cannot wait for what’s next!!
[ARC review]
[ARC review]
September 26, 2025
Wow this book was angsty!! I had a hard time at first with the time jumps in the beginning. I struggled connecting because of that but its not a terrible book. The writing was good and the author did really good with the character development. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to read it through Hambright PR! I saw the tropes, especially MFM, and couldn't sign up fast enough. I hope to read some of her earlier books! That cliffhanger!! ugh
September 28, 2025
“𝓨𝓸𝓾’𝓻𝓮 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾. 𝓨𝓸𝓾’𝓻𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓾𝓷𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝔀𝓪𝓻𝓶𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓽𝓱. 𝓨𝓸𝓾’𝓻𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓫𝓻𝓮𝓮𝔃𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓽𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓬𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓯𝓵𝓸𝔀𝓮𝓻𝓼. 𝓨𝓸𝓾’𝓻𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓼 𝓲𝓷 𝓖𝓲𝓸’𝓼 𝓼𝓴𝔂. 𝓨𝓸𝓾’𝓻𝓮 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓰𝓸𝓸𝓭 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓵𝓭, 𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓵𝓮𝔂.“
This has to be my new favorite book by Ashley!
I loved Presley. I loved that she was such a strong woman, however, she still had a sensitive side. She had to endure a lot at the hands of her uncle Scotty in order to learn how to protect herself and her family. She became a weapon and I felt bad the she had so much pressure put on her. I loved how fiercely she loved her family and the twins, Giovanni and Kingston. She’d do anything to protect them.
I loved Giovanni and Kingston, but man did these guys give me whiplash with how hot and cold they could be towards Presley. I loved how they wanted to protect her and I loved how much they cared for her. I really enjoyed the fact that they each had their own personality. They changed so much throughout this book and I am so excited to see how they grow in the next book.
Okay, I’m not going to lie, I did not expect this book to go the way it did with the love triangle, but I was here for it! I loved having the POV for all three characters and I could feel the angst and tension as I was reading. This book also has different timelines for each character and I really enjoyed getting the background information to help us understand where everything started from.
Overall, this book had me laughing, crying, getting angry and just feeling all the feels. I loved it and I cannot wait for the second book in this duet to be released because I know I am going to drop everything just to read it! I would recommend this book especially if you love a mafia, mfm, love triangle, forbidden, found family romance.
Thank you so much to Ashley Munoz for the ARC for an honest review!
This has to be my new favorite book by Ashley!
I loved Presley. I loved that she was such a strong woman, however, she still had a sensitive side. She had to endure a lot at the hands of her uncle Scotty in order to learn how to protect herself and her family. She became a weapon and I felt bad the she had so much pressure put on her. I loved how fiercely she loved her family and the twins, Giovanni and Kingston. She’d do anything to protect them.
I loved Giovanni and Kingston, but man did these guys give me whiplash with how hot and cold they could be towards Presley. I loved how they wanted to protect her and I loved how much they cared for her. I really enjoyed the fact that they each had their own personality. They changed so much throughout this book and I am so excited to see how they grow in the next book.
Okay, I’m not going to lie, I did not expect this book to go the way it did with the love triangle, but I was here for it! I loved having the POV for all three characters and I could feel the angst and tension as I was reading. This book also has different timelines for each character and I really enjoyed getting the background information to help us understand where everything started from.
Overall, this book had me laughing, crying, getting angry and just feeling all the feels. I loved it and I cannot wait for the second book in this duet to be released because I know I am going to drop everything just to read it! I would recommend this book especially if you love a mafia, mfm, love triangle, forbidden, found family romance.
Thank you so much to Ashley Munoz for the ARC for an honest review!
September 29, 2025
This story is one of those that you can enjoy whether you’ve read the first gen (Rake Forge U) or not. Ashley does a wonderful job offering backstory for our 3 MCs that sets up this incredible tale perfectly.
That said, I won’t include plot lines here so as not to spoil things. Just know that this story is grounded in the push and pull dynamic that exists with love, loyalty, and survival — i was hooked from beginning to end and gobbled this story right up. Told in a past/present timeline and 3 + POVs, the story follows Presley, King and Gio form childhood to young adulthood. And while the timeline is not linear, with lots of jumps back and forth, it all makes perfect sense.
Ashley’s writing talent has really been honed over her career so far — and this book is not only almost poetic in the way it’s written, it’s wildly cinematic. You can almost see the movie playing out in your head with the way she writes.
And it’s a story FULL of raw emotion, Lost Kings is a book that will stick with you long after you’ve read it. It’s angsty, full of moments that will tear at your heart, high stakes and raw.
I just loved it.
Expect:
MFM, Love Triangle, Twin Brothers, It's Always Been You, Touch Her & Die, Mafia, Found Family, First in a Duet
Thanks to Ashley for the chance to read this one in advance!
That said, I won’t include plot lines here so as not to spoil things. Just know that this story is grounded in the push and pull dynamic that exists with love, loyalty, and survival — i was hooked from beginning to end and gobbled this story right up. Told in a past/present timeline and 3 + POVs, the story follows Presley, King and Gio form childhood to young adulthood. And while the timeline is not linear, with lots of jumps back and forth, it all makes perfect sense.
Ashley’s writing talent has really been honed over her career so far — and this book is not only almost poetic in the way it’s written, it’s wildly cinematic. You can almost see the movie playing out in your head with the way she writes.
And it’s a story FULL of raw emotion, Lost Kings is a book that will stick with you long after you’ve read it. It’s angsty, full of moments that will tear at your heart, high stakes and raw.
I just loved it.
Expect:
MFM, Love Triangle, Twin Brothers, It's Always Been You, Touch Her & Die, Mafia, Found Family, First in a Duet
Thanks to Ashley for the chance to read this one in advance!
October 19, 2025
omg the twins !!!!
I inhaled this book when I found out who it was about and I am obsessed!!!! I love how Ashley has tied in some of my favorite characters from previous books ! When I finished My Darling Mayhem I was hoping we would get a peek into the twins story and I’m loving it! This was so exciting to read it brought all the angst the danger the forbidden and after that epic cliffhanger ending I’m so anxious to see what happens in the next book!
I inhaled this book when I found out who it was about and I am obsessed!!!! I love how Ashley has tied in some of my favorite characters from previous books ! When I finished My Darling Mayhem I was hoping we would get a peek into the twins story and I’m loving it! This was so exciting to read it brought all the angst the danger the forbidden and after that epic cliffhanger ending I’m so anxious to see what happens in the next book!
September 26, 2025
Phew, this one was 🔥
I don’t read much mafia romance, but for some time now I’ve been wanting to dive into it. When I saw this Arc up for grabs, I pounced on it.
First we get all of the mafia side to the story between these families (which is already interesting), but then you throw in this INTENSE love triangle between life-long friends (who happen to be twins?!) who are insanely protective??? Please, my heart. This was such a wild ride. And that ending?! I need book two immediately 🙏🏻
A big thank you to the author Ashley Muñoz and Hambright PR for this eARC 💕
I don’t read much mafia romance, but for some time now I’ve been wanting to dive into it. When I saw this Arc up for grabs, I pounced on it.
First we get all of the mafia side to the story between these families (which is already interesting), but then you throw in this INTENSE love triangle between life-long friends (who happen to be twins?!) who are insanely protective??? Please, my heart. This was such a wild ride. And that ending?! I need book two immediately 🙏🏻
A big thank you to the author Ashley Muñoz and Hambright PR for this eARC 💕
September 29, 2025
This was my first book with this author and while I enjoyed some parts overall this book just wasn’t for me. I wanted to see more of the mafia side of things and less of the love triangle, even though I understand that was clearly a big premise! I have heard good things about her other books will definitely try and read other series by this author.
September 30, 2025
3.25 ⭐️ Ashley Munoz never shies away from writing fantastic angst. This book also has forbidden romance between twin brothers and their best friend. 😏
I will say, the back-and-forth between timelines made me lose interest—it would completely take my focus away from what was happening. It doesn't help that the switch in timeline would happen in almost every other chapter, as well as changing POV's.
"We aren't going to entrust you to some idiot high schooler. You want your first kiss, you'll give it to one of us."
Overall, I can’t wait to see how the romance and the mafia plot develops in the next book! Fingers crossed there are no more timeline jumps.
🖤 mafia romance
🤫 forbidden romance
💘 obsessed twin brothers
🫂 found family
🔪 touch her and 💀
💗 love triangle
🥹 always been you
I received an eARC for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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I will say, the back-and-forth between timelines made me lose interest—it would completely take my focus away from what was happening. It doesn't help that the switch in timeline would happen in almost every other chapter, as well as changing POV's.
"We aren't going to entrust you to some idiot high schooler. You want your first kiss, you'll give it to one of us."
Overall, I can’t wait to see how the romance and the mafia plot develops in the next book! Fingers crossed there are no more timeline jumps.
🖤 mafia romance
🤫 forbidden romance
💘 obsessed twin brothers
🫂 found family
🔪 touch her and 💀
💗 love triangle
🥹 always been you
I received an eARC for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
FOLLOW ME
Instagram • Pagebound • Cozy Chapters Book Club • Newsletter • Fable • StoryGraph • Romantasy Romantics Book Club
November 14, 2025
Overall I enjoyed this mfm romance! The multiple timelines and povs kept me on my toes and were such a thrill to read! Presley and the twins were such a fiery and passionate trio and I absolutely was blown away by their chemistry! The cliff hanger has me on the edge of my seat, can’t wait to jump into the next book!
September 25, 2025
3.75⭐️
𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙣… 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙠𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙚 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜.
This is book one of the Rake Forge Royals duet and while Ashley says that you don’t have to read the first gen series to understand this one, I would personally highly suggest it! You’ll learn a lot of the background information and meet all of the characters in the original Rake Forge series and to me, that helps to be able to really dive deeper into this book.
•mafia
•found family
•love triangle
•MFM
•twin brothers
I love Presley’s personality and the fact that she is loyal to a fault. She was forced to grow up quick at such a young age, with all that she has seen and endured. I’m very much hoping that more of her true strength will shine in the next book, as it was kind of hidden in this one! Gio seemed to be the more sensitive one, while King came off a little more hardened; each of them giving her something different, in terms of emotions. 𝘎𝘪𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘻𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘵. 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘴 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘧.
While I did absolutely adore the glimpses of their childhood and their blossoming relationship, the bouncing around timeline did hinder the enjoyment a bit for me. I found it a tad hard to follow at times and had to keep reminding myself where we were and who was speaking.
I did still enjoy this story and have loved these characters since reading the first gen series. Seeing all of my favorite original characters again had me so happy. I still adore the crap out of Kyle, Rylie, Juan and Taylor and loved seeing them with their families that they fought so hard for. The last few chapters and the ending really have me excited for book two. “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘌𝘭 𝘗𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘳𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴, 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘸. 𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘯.”
Thank you Ashley and team for the early copy! 💕
𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙣… 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙠𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙚 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜.
This is book one of the Rake Forge Royals duet and while Ashley says that you don’t have to read the first gen series to understand this one, I would personally highly suggest it! You’ll learn a lot of the background information and meet all of the characters in the original Rake Forge series and to me, that helps to be able to really dive deeper into this book.
•mafia
•found family
•love triangle
•MFM
•twin brothers
I love Presley’s personality and the fact that she is loyal to a fault. She was forced to grow up quick at such a young age, with all that she has seen and endured. I’m very much hoping that more of her true strength will shine in the next book, as it was kind of hidden in this one! Gio seemed to be the more sensitive one, while King came off a little more hardened; each of them giving her something different, in terms of emotions. 𝘎𝘪𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘻𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘵. 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘴 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘧.
While I did absolutely adore the glimpses of their childhood and their blossoming relationship, the bouncing around timeline did hinder the enjoyment a bit for me. I found it a tad hard to follow at times and had to keep reminding myself where we were and who was speaking.
I did still enjoy this story and have loved these characters since reading the first gen series. Seeing all of my favorite original characters again had me so happy. I still adore the crap out of Kyle, Rylie, Juan and Taylor and loved seeing them with their families that they fought so hard for. The last few chapters and the ending really have me excited for book two. “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘌𝘭 𝘗𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘳𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴, 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘸. 𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘯.”
Thank you Ashley and team for the early copy! 💕
September 27, 2025
✨𝒜𝑅𝒞 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌✨
📖: The Lost Kings
This second generation story is based on characters from The Rake Forge University series. These children of crime families grew up together. Given both their parents’ dark pasts, safety and secrecy were paramount. Presley was always isolated and then honed into a weapon. Kingston and Gio always felt protective of her but everything changes as their duties to their families tear them apart.
Tropes:
🕴️ Mafia
👨👩👧 Found Family
👥 Twin Brothers Obsessed
⚔️ Touch Her & 💀
💔 Love Triangle
🔥 MFM
💌 Always Been You
So… I may have devoured this book in one sitting!
Weaving between past and present and multi POVs, the author crafts an addictive tale of young love, angst, and devotion.
Presley is determined and dutiful but can’t imagine her life without the twins, her best friends. Kingston and Gio grapple with their mutual love for Presley. Their love was inevitable, deeply rooted in a shared childhood and built on a foundation of understanding and trust. Now, they must decide where their loyalties lie while navigating power plays and alliances. Broken hearts, broken trust, and even greater stakes await.
The Lost Kings beautifully captures the first love you never get over and a love worth fighting for. I cannot wait to see how their story concludes!
So grateful to the author and Hambright PR, for the review copy. This is my honest and voluntary review.
📖: The Lost Kings
This second generation story is based on characters from The Rake Forge University series. These children of crime families grew up together. Given both their parents’ dark pasts, safety and secrecy were paramount. Presley was always isolated and then honed into a weapon. Kingston and Gio always felt protective of her but everything changes as their duties to their families tear them apart.
Tropes:
🕴️ Mafia
👨👩👧 Found Family
👥 Twin Brothers Obsessed
⚔️ Touch Her & 💀
💔 Love Triangle
🔥 MFM
💌 Always Been You
So… I may have devoured this book in one sitting!
Weaving between past and present and multi POVs, the author crafts an addictive tale of young love, angst, and devotion.
Presley is determined and dutiful but can’t imagine her life without the twins, her best friends. Kingston and Gio grapple with their mutual love for Presley. Their love was inevitable, deeply rooted in a shared childhood and built on a foundation of understanding and trust. Now, they must decide where their loyalties lie while navigating power plays and alliances. Broken hearts, broken trust, and even greater stakes await.
The Lost Kings beautifully captures the first love you never get over and a love worth fighting for. I cannot wait to see how their story concludes!
So grateful to the author and Hambright PR, for the review copy. This is my honest and voluntary review.
October 7, 2025
Childhood friends to lovers, mafia, forbidden love, touch her and ☠️, MFM….
Woahhhh this was a wild ride! I’ll be honest, the first half was a little slow for me and I do wish I would have read the Rake Forge University series prior, given that this is second generation. However, the second half had me HOOKED! Although these characters are young, they have been raised in a completely different world. Presley is our FMC and since the time she was 8 she has been training to be a weapon to protect her family. Her family’s motto is that they ruin empires. And they are allies with a retired cartel leader. These two families live in this massive manor with separate wings. Because of this secured living environment and unconventional life, she grows up with only two friends, the twin boys across the manor who she loves equally. Gio and Kingston grow up to be just as in love with Presley and because she loves them both, they decide if the only way they can have her is to share her, they will make it work. Family dynamics get in the way of their relationship which tears them apart for some time. However, a potential marriage alliance for Presley has the boys running home to go to war to get her back.
The angst, love, ANGER, and yearning!?! And we get all 3 POVs!? Wow, I cannot wait to see what happens in book two next month!
4⭐️
3🌶️
Thank you to Ashley for the ARC 🖤
Woahhhh this was a wild ride! I’ll be honest, the first half was a little slow for me and I do wish I would have read the Rake Forge University series prior, given that this is second generation. However, the second half had me HOOKED! Although these characters are young, they have been raised in a completely different world. Presley is our FMC and since the time she was 8 she has been training to be a weapon to protect her family. Her family’s motto is that they ruin empires. And they are allies with a retired cartel leader. These two families live in this massive manor with separate wings. Because of this secured living environment and unconventional life, she grows up with only two friends, the twin boys across the manor who she loves equally. Gio and Kingston grow up to be just as in love with Presley and because she loves them both, they decide if the only way they can have her is to share her, they will make it work. Family dynamics get in the way of their relationship which tears them apart for some time. However, a potential marriage alliance for Presley has the boys running home to go to war to get her back.
The angst, love, ANGER, and yearning!?! And we get all 3 POVs!? Wow, I cannot wait to see what happens in book two next month!
4⭐️
3🌶️
Thank you to Ashley for the ARC 🖤
November 9, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
This is a second generation book, so you need to read the MC's parents' books The Rake Forge series to make more sense of the plot line through out. I really enjoyed these books. I would then read Darling Mayhem before the second part of this duet which again was a decent easy read.
I was really looking forward to this book; however, there are too many time jumps, and I'm not sure twin brother MFM works long term for me, I’m a little disappointed so far.
STEP BROTHER MFM ✅
BLOOD RELATED BROTHERS MFM ❌
Although the brothers are not getting it on together 🤣 there is DP (more or less as soon as they all lose their virginities 🤣) sooo errrmmm it’s close not sure if it works well I’m details person and sex along side blood relatives even in fiction is not for me again it’s preference. Pretty much all their sexual encounters are all together. I love me a taboo book but this didn’t quite hit. I thought this was going to be a love triangle between the brothers and the FMC, but it’s not, it’s more all of them and another potential love interest that, quite frankly, I would at least sample, so hopefully the FMC does in the next book 😁🤣. Hopefully the second book picks up more. I’ve really enjoyed the authors other books so we shall see.
Of course I’m still gonna be reading the next book need to see how this all plays out and see if they end up a brotherly throuple 🤣🤣👀👀
This is a second generation book, so you need to read the MC's parents' books The Rake Forge series to make more sense of the plot line through out. I really enjoyed these books. I would then read Darling Mayhem before the second part of this duet which again was a decent easy read.
I was really looking forward to this book; however, there are too many time jumps, and I'm not sure twin brother MFM works long term for me, I’m a little disappointed so far.
STEP BROTHER MFM ✅
BLOOD RELATED BROTHERS MFM ❌
Although the brothers are not getting it on together 🤣 there is DP (more or less as soon as they all lose their virginities 🤣) sooo errrmmm it’s close not sure if it works well I’m details person and sex along side blood relatives even in fiction is not for me again it’s preference. Pretty much all their sexual encounters are all together. I love me a taboo book but this didn’t quite hit. I thought this was going to be a love triangle between the brothers and the FMC, but it’s not, it’s more all of them and another potential love interest that, quite frankly, I would at least sample, so hopefully the FMC does in the next book 😁🤣. Hopefully the second book picks up more. I’ve really enjoyed the authors other books so we shall see.
Of course I’m still gonna be reading the next book need to see how this all plays out and see if they end up a brotherly throuple 🤣🤣👀👀
September 26, 2025
The Lost Kings is book one in The Royals of Rake Forge series. It is a dark, contemporary, MFM, found family, mafia romance with obsessed twin brothers and touch her and
d!e vibes. The story is told in first person, multi POV and with dual timelines.
Presley and the twins, Kingston and Gio, have been together their entire lives. They belong to each other, but circumstances, and their family, are determined to pull them apart.
I absolutely loved this book! I loved how strong Presley is. I loved the connection between her and the twins. I also loved the chemistry and angst that developed between them as they aged. I loved what the boys secrets bring to the story and how protective and possessive the guys are toward Presley. I loved how they would do absolutely anything to have her with them.
This book is incredibly written with fantastic characters, plot, flow, and pace. The character growth and development as well as the relationship development throughout the book is amazing. The storyline, storytelling, and world building are also terrific. I could not get enough of these characters and their story and cannot wait to see what happens next.
d!e vibes. The story is told in first person, multi POV and with dual timelines.
Presley and the twins, Kingston and Gio, have been together their entire lives. They belong to each other, but circumstances, and their family, are determined to pull them apart.
I absolutely loved this book! I loved how strong Presley is. I loved the connection between her and the twins. I also loved the chemistry and angst that developed between them as they aged. I loved what the boys secrets bring to the story and how protective and possessive the guys are toward Presley. I loved how they would do absolutely anything to have her with them.
This book is incredibly written with fantastic characters, plot, flow, and pace. The character growth and development as well as the relationship development throughout the book is amazing. The storyline, storytelling, and world building are also terrific. I could not get enough of these characters and their story and cannot wait to see what happens next.
September 26, 2025
OBSESSED
This is the kick off to the second generation and while going back to read their parents stories isn’t necessary, it really ramps up your experience. I was able to audio binge the past series and I honestly couldn’t wait for this story.
Presley has so much responsibility put on her shoulders at such a young age. Isolated from majority of the world due to their family hiding from the mafia and spending majority of her time with Giovanni and Kingston, twins that are apart of the other family they live with in the Manor.
With the past and present timeline, we get a front row sit to the connection she has with the twins. We get to see how they innocently laid the foundation of their friendship as children and how it blossoms into more as they get older. The twins were never suppose to get involved in the world Presley must associate with but they can’t help but want to protect her if they can.
This book had my heart aching in the way that I CRAVE. Just as tensions were hitting a peak and some major truths were revealed, we were left with a cliffhanger that had me needing more. Thankfully book 2 isn’t too far behind.
This is the kick off to the second generation and while going back to read their parents stories isn’t necessary, it really ramps up your experience. I was able to audio binge the past series and I honestly couldn’t wait for this story.
Presley has so much responsibility put on her shoulders at such a young age. Isolated from majority of the world due to their family hiding from the mafia and spending majority of her time with Giovanni and Kingston, twins that are apart of the other family they live with in the Manor.
With the past and present timeline, we get a front row sit to the connection she has with the twins. We get to see how they innocently laid the foundation of their friendship as children and how it blossoms into more as they get older. The twins were never suppose to get involved in the world Presley must associate with but they can’t help but want to protect her if they can.
This book had my heart aching in the way that I CRAVE. Just as tensions were hitting a peak and some major truths were revealed, we were left with a cliffhanger that had me needing more. Thankfully book 2 isn’t too far behind.
September 27, 2025
I was so excited to dive into *The Lost Kings*, and Ashley Munoz did not disappoint.
She has such a talent for weaving her stories together—bringing in threads from past books while still keeping the focus tightly on the main characters. I was thrilled that Presley, Gio, and Kingston finally had their story told, especially after their appearance in My Darling Mayhem.
Presley is so strong, resilient, and willing to sacrifice everything, yet her heart is still filled with so much care and compassion. Gio and Kingston, on the other hand, are ruthless when they need to be, but their protectiveness and devotion to Presley is so evident. Their connection felt undeniable, even in the flashbacks to their younger years.
I loved the multiple timelines and the multiple POVs. They gave me so much more perspective on their characters and the story. The character growth was incredible to watch—each of them constantly tested by challenges but evolving in ways that made me root for them even harder.
The storytelling was powerful, emotional, and gripping from start to finish. And that ending? It left me desperate for the next book—I can’t wait to see what Ashley has in store next.
She has such a talent for weaving her stories together—bringing in threads from past books while still keeping the focus tightly on the main characters. I was thrilled that Presley, Gio, and Kingston finally had their story told, especially after their appearance in My Darling Mayhem.
Presley is so strong, resilient, and willing to sacrifice everything, yet her heart is still filled with so much care and compassion. Gio and Kingston, on the other hand, are ruthless when they need to be, but their protectiveness and devotion to Presley is so evident. Their connection felt undeniable, even in the flashbacks to their younger years.
I loved the multiple timelines and the multiple POVs. They gave me so much more perspective on their characters and the story. The character growth was incredible to watch—each of them constantly tested by challenges but evolving in ways that made me root for them even harder.
The storytelling was powerful, emotional, and gripping from start to finish. And that ending? It left me desperate for the next book—I can’t wait to see what Ashley has in store next.
October 18, 2025
Ok, WOW! We already wish this story was more than a duet. This book completely pulled us in, and our excitement for the next one is very real. (Thank you, Ashley, for not making us wait too long!)
Although it’s marketed as a standalone, we highly recommend reading the Rake Forge University series first. There are character dynamics that make much more sense with that background, and it’ll deepen your investment in this mafia world.
The twins and Presley are such a captivating trio — it’s hard to describe them until you experience them yourself. If you don’t love them by the end, then… we don’t know what to tell you! Somehow, Ashley made us root for all three, and honestly, our hearts are not okay. The idea of all of them walking into the sunset together? Yes, please.
The triple POV and frequent flashbacks can feel a bit heavy at times — it’s not the easiest to pick back up mid-read — but the story itself is so enticing that you won’t want to put it down anyway. Don’t forget all of our reviews reflect the combined thoughts of two readers (and we don’t always align on every detail!)
Although it’s marketed as a standalone, we highly recommend reading the Rake Forge University series first. There are character dynamics that make much more sense with that background, and it’ll deepen your investment in this mafia world.
The twins and Presley are such a captivating trio — it’s hard to describe them until you experience them yourself. If you don’t love them by the end, then… we don’t know what to tell you! Somehow, Ashley made us root for all three, and honestly, our hearts are not okay. The idea of all of them walking into the sunset together? Yes, please.
The triple POV and frequent flashbacks can feel a bit heavy at times — it’s not the easiest to pick back up mid-read — but the story itself is so enticing that you won’t want to put it down anyway. Don’t forget all of our reviews reflect the combined thoughts of two readers (and we don’t always align on every detail!)
October 24, 2025
I honestly give this book 4.5 stars but good reads won’t let me do a half star. This book had me screaming cause I have never disliked 2 twin men in my life. My heart felt for Presley completely and broke with her by their childish games they played with her. I know they loved her but she was also hurting and breaking from not knowing how they truly felt and yes it may not have been their fault it still made me hurt with her. I felt for Presley and all she went thru in her young life. The whole family dynamic was insane, the visual of their manor made me want to have a house like that and just drooling over the details of their home.
The angst in this book I felt was something like no other. The multiple points of view had me jumping all over but not in a way that you would think I honestly liked it cause then it gave some deeper context. And it blended so seamlessly together with the story.
The heat in this book when it came like ok Ashley Munoz I see you. Definitely painted a vivid picture and I loved it.
If you love a man or I should say twin men that would burn the world down for one girl this book is for you.
The angst in this book I felt was something like no other. The multiple points of view had me jumping all over but not in a way that you would think I honestly liked it cause then it gave some deeper context. And it blended so seamlessly together with the story.
The heat in this book when it came like ok Ashley Munoz I see you. Definitely painted a vivid picture and I loved it.
If you love a man or I should say twin men that would burn the world down for one girl this book is for you.
September 21, 2025
ARC Review: The Lost Kings
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
The Lost Kings by Ashley Munoz is an addictive, emotional rollercoaster that delivers everything I love in a dark, high-stakes romance. Presley’s journey with Kingston and Gio is filled with palpable tension, raw heartbreak, and just the right amount of spice to keep the pages flying.
The mafia backdrop provides the perfect setting—dangerous, gritty, and unforgiving—yet what really shines are the complex ties of love, loyalty, and betrayal woven between the three characters. Presley’s resilience and the twins’ conflicting paths make this story as devastating as it is beautiful.
It’s a wild ride from start to finish, and I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommend for anyone who craves angst, spice, and a love story wrapped in danger and loyalty.
✨Releases 9/26!!
Thank you to @hambright_pr and @ashley_munozauthor for sending me an ARC to review!
#HPRTheLostKings
#AshleyMunoz
#HambrightPR
#booksta
#bookstagrammer
#bookinfluencer
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
The Lost Kings by Ashley Munoz is an addictive, emotional rollercoaster that delivers everything I love in a dark, high-stakes romance. Presley’s journey with Kingston and Gio is filled with palpable tension, raw heartbreak, and just the right amount of spice to keep the pages flying.
The mafia backdrop provides the perfect setting—dangerous, gritty, and unforgiving—yet what really shines are the complex ties of love, loyalty, and betrayal woven between the three characters. Presley’s resilience and the twins’ conflicting paths make this story as devastating as it is beautiful.
It’s a wild ride from start to finish, and I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommend for anyone who craves angst, spice, and a love story wrapped in danger and loyalty.
✨Releases 9/26!!
Thank you to @hambright_pr and @ashley_munozauthor for sending me an ARC to review!
#HPRTheLostKings
#AshleyMunoz
#HambrightPR
#booksta
#bookstagrammer
#bookinfluencer
October 2, 2025
So many emotions and another 5 star read from Ashley!
This beautiful, poetic, angsty, emotional book was incredible. I adore Ashley's writing style, and this one just hit it out of the park for me. From the way to FMC and MMCs talked about their pasts and how they've always cared for one another, to how they professed their love - every sentiment, every line, had me in my feels.
The angst was POWERFUL in this one. So buckle up, because this is a must read.
Our FMC Presley has grown up always on the move, never staying in one place because of who her family is. The one constant she has in her life are the twins, Gio and Kingston James. They're her best friends, the people who know her best, and the two she shares every secret with. The three are inseparable, until a turn of events leads to the twins disappearing from Presley's life for nearly two years...
Y'all, I'm not going to say much because I don't like spoilers, and you just need to dive in. This story will have you turning those pages so quickly and begging for Ashley to release the next book in this duet (don't worry, it'll be here soon!)
I also HIGHLY recommend reading the first gen, the Rake Forge series, and while you do NOT have to, I truly believe it makes the story all the more powerful.
Ashley, I'll forever be a fan of your writing. Your stories are incredible and have me captivated from start to finish. I cannot wait to see where book two takes us with Presley, Gio and Kingston!
Thank you so much to Ashley for my eARC!
Highly recommend TLK for lovers of:
- MFM romance
- mafia
- touch her and die
- secrets
- love triangle
- it's always been you
This beautiful, poetic, angsty, emotional book was incredible. I adore Ashley's writing style, and this one just hit it out of the park for me. From the way to FMC and MMCs talked about their pasts and how they've always cared for one another, to how they professed their love - every sentiment, every line, had me in my feels.
The angst was POWERFUL in this one. So buckle up, because this is a must read.
Our FMC Presley has grown up always on the move, never staying in one place because of who her family is. The one constant she has in her life are the twins, Gio and Kingston James. They're her best friends, the people who know her best, and the two she shares every secret with. The three are inseparable, until a turn of events leads to the twins disappearing from Presley's life for nearly two years...
Y'all, I'm not going to say much because I don't like spoilers, and you just need to dive in. This story will have you turning those pages so quickly and begging for Ashley to release the next book in this duet (don't worry, it'll be here soon!)
I also HIGHLY recommend reading the first gen, the Rake Forge series, and while you do NOT have to, I truly believe it makes the story all the more powerful.
Ashley, I'll forever be a fan of your writing. Your stories are incredible and have me captivated from start to finish. I cannot wait to see where book two takes us with Presley, Gio and Kingston!
Thank you so much to Ashley for my eARC!
Highly recommend TLK for lovers of:
- MFM romance
- mafia
- touch her and die
- secrets
- love triangle
- it's always been you
September 28, 2025
4.5⭐️’s- I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of this book! Thank you to @ashley_munozauthor for giving me the opportunity to read this amazing book! Happy release day!
“𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑬𝒍 𝑷𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒓𝒐 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔, 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒘𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒘. 𝑱𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒘𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒏 𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒆𝒏.“
This book is the first of the Rake Forge Royals series. Our story follows twin brothers Kingston and Gio, and Presley, their childhood best friend who turned into their lover. This book was soooo good. Full of angst, love, betrayal and much more. I cannot waiiiiit for the next book!
“𝑭𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒆, 𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒂 𝒇𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆. 𝑻𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒎𝒚 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒔. 𝑻𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒆’𝒍𝒍 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓 𝒈𝒂𝒛𝒆 𝒂𝒕 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒆𝒍𝒅, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒆’𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓, 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔. 𝑾𝒆’𝒍𝒍 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒆’𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒃𝒓𝒖𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅. 𝑾𝒆’𝒍𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅-𝒔𝒐𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒖𝒔 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒆’𝒍𝒍 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓. 𝑻𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆’𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆.”
“𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑬𝒍 𝑷𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒓𝒐 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔, 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒘𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒘. 𝑱𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒘𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒏 𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒆𝒏.“
This book is the first of the Rake Forge Royals series. Our story follows twin brothers Kingston and Gio, and Presley, their childhood best friend who turned into their lover. This book was soooo good. Full of angst, love, betrayal and much more. I cannot waiiiiit for the next book!
“𝑭𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒆, 𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒂 𝒇𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆. 𝑻𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒎𝒚 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒔. 𝑻𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒆’𝒍𝒍 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓 𝒈𝒂𝒛𝒆 𝒂𝒕 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒆𝒍𝒅, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒆’𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓, 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔. 𝑾𝒆’𝒍𝒍 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒆’𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒃𝒓𝒖𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅. 𝑾𝒆’𝒍𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅-𝒔𝒐𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒖𝒔 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒆’𝒍𝒍 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓. 𝑻𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆’𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆.”
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