King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby
Publisher: Flatiron
Pub Date: 6/10/2025

Thank you Flatiron & Macmillan Audio for the free advanced copies.  

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When Roman Carruthers returns home after his father’s suspicious car accident, he finds his family drowning in debt and danger from violent criminals. As his sister Neveah fights to hold the family together, Roman uses his sharp financial skills, a ruthless side the gangsters didn’t expect, to protect the people he loves at any cost.

S.A. Cosby is an auto-read author for me and I can always count on his books to pull me out of a slump. I was especially excited to hear that Adam Lazarre-White would be narrating this one because I love his performances in Cosby’s other books. King of Ashes is another hit! Cosby has a way of creating characters you genuinely empathize with. They make tough choices and suddenly you’re wrapped up in their complexity and moral grayness. Roman was such a layered character and he’s truly put through the wringer. The book raises hard questions about how far you would go to protect your family while also exploring strained family dynamics and complicated ties within a close-knit community. Cosby’s story is gritty and includes some graphic elements, but it feels purposeful and drive both the plot and character growth. I loved the slow burn, the high stakes for every character, and that epic ending! I was driving while listening to the last part and literally had to pull over just to relisten. Overall, I highly recommend picking this one up on audio!