Thank you to Netgalley for an early copy of this book.

Heads up! This is the 2nd book in a series (duology? I don't know) so be warned that there will inherently be spoilers. Be warned!

General Description: Ross has been unhappy for the past 6 months. Forced to work with her enemy, for an organization she doesn't particularly like, hasn't been enjoyable. However, when someone is vying for the top spot in the agency against Count, Ross finds herself in the middle of it. Ross would rather support the devil she knows instead of the devil she does not, so Ross will be on Count's side while Ross's enemy, Devroe, will be on The Baron's side. The teams aren't necessarily expected, including one unexpected adult on each side. Who will come out on top? Will Ross finally get to be freed of the organization?

The goods:
- I love all the tasks in this new gambit style and I felt like the timing of each tasks made much more sense than the first book.
- I was not expecting the book to lead to a second gambit, but I liked it.
- The twists in this book, TO ME, were all unpredictable and I loved the ride.
- I really liked the team aspect and seeing how the dynamics of the team changed throughout the book.

The loss of a star:
- First half star off to me: I wish there was a bit more refresher information in the beginning to the 1st gambit. I was a bit confused, which is obviously a me problem.
- Second half star off to me: The ending felt like it lacked explanation, I feel like I could draw the dots together myself, but I wish the ending was a bit more fleshed out.

Overall, if you liked Thieve's Gambit, I think you'd enjoy Heist Royale!

While I loved Thieves' Gambit, the sequel fell a bit flat for me. There was not much new in this book...same on/off romance, same distrust, similar heist. I really enjoyed the story, but I read it very close to finishing the other so I suppose my review is somewhat biased.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC for my honest review :)

3.5 star read

Fast paced, easy to read, and a fun read. I do think that I would have enjoyed this book even more if I had read the 1st book in this series, however I still found it enjoyable.

This feels like a good late fall read so I am excited to see more and more reviews come in on this one!

Oh and don't let my reading dates deter you, I started this book in June but then had a bunch of ARCs to read that were coming out before this one :)

Heist Royale is the sequel to Thieves' Gambit, taking place around 6 months after the events of the first book. It has the same fast pace and nonstop thrills that kept it interesting and exciting. I was happy to see the return of several characters from the first book while still meeting some new characters too. I did find that I didn't love this book quite as much as the first one... I felt like a few parts of the book just didn't seem to piece together like I thought they should. Plus, some of the reveals were things that I saw coming, so it just didn't have the shock factor. By all means, Heist Royale was still a good read that I enjoyed, but maybe my expectations were a little too high going into this one.

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group, Nancy Paulsen Books, and NetGalley for the early review copy of Heist Royale! All opinions are completely my own.

Heist Royale is the exciting, can't-put-down sequel to the bestselling Thieves' Gambit. Six months after the events of Thieves' Gambit, Ross has yet to find a way out of her predicament, meaning she is still forced to work closely with Devroe, the boy who betrayed her and broke her heart. Just when Ross thought things couldn't get worse, she finds herself in the center of a power struggle within the Organization. Now, forced into a higher-pressured gambit, Ross finds herself fighting not only against her archnemesis but also against people she once thought were friends. Can Ross and her team win this high-stakes gambit? What is she willing to sacrifice to ensure a win?

Heist Royale brings back all of the amazing characters from the first book. I was so excited that Mylo, Kyung-soon, Noelia, and Taiyou were all included in the sequel. I was initially afraid that the book would only focus on Ross and Devroe. All of the scheming and trickery of Thieves' Gambit was quadrupled in Heist Royale. I absolutely loved the chapters set at the casino in Monte Carlo. In addition to all of the old favorites, several new and equally interesting characters are introduced. While I wish this was a trilogy and not a duology (totally want another book), it was a perfect and satisfying conclusion. I hope these books are turned into movies someday. Both books are easy five stars! I will definitely continue to recommend this series to anyone who loves a great heist tale!

Kayvion Lewis delivers in the second book of the Theives' Gambit series. I enjoyed the book just as much as the first, and thought it was well-written and superb storytelling. I loved the characters, and read this book in one sitting. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys the young adult genre.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for providing a copy to review.

*Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review*

Heist Royale is the thrilling conclusion to the Ocean’s 11-esque duology that was Thieves’ Gambit. I absolutely adored the first book of this series and I was so excited to start the second one. While I really enjoyed this book, I wasn’t as wowed as I was with the first one, before I get into that though, a quick recap of the first book…
Ross Quest is a master thief from a family of thieves. She is invited to join the Thieves’ Gambit, a dangerous and mysterious game that pits the best thieves in the world against each other, the winner receiving a single wish. Ross teams up with other thieves, including Devroe who later betrays her. With her life and the lives of her family hanging over her, Ross has spent the last six months unwillingly working with Devroe as thieves for the Organization. Okay, now that you’re all caught up let's get into the (mostly) spoiler-free review.
First, what I liked about the book…
Heist Royale was fast-paced, exciting, and brought back all of my fav characters from the first, including Mylo and Noelia. I really enjoyed the added information about the Organization in this book. While they are still super mysterious and creepy, I enjoyed the little bit that we did learn about them and how they work, it made the story more interesting. I also really enjoyed Ross’s growth throughout this book. I felt like she really grew into her own person, finally breaking that hold her mother had on her. Speaking of Momma Quest, her story was interesting but predictable in this one. I enjoyed the ending she was given, but totally saw it coming. Devroe was as charming as ever and his relationship with Ross is so cute. However, their relationship leads me into what I did not like about this book.
Devore is hardly in this book, like literally. A little ways into the beginning, Ross and Devroe are caught on opposite sides of something I am not going to say for spoiler reasons. After this they have like three interactions, kiss exactly two times and that is it. Like I was so invested in their relationship and this is what I got…disapointing. Another thing I did not love about this book was the heists. Don’t get me wrong, they were exciting to read, but there were just too many of them, they were too rushed, and a lot of them didn’t even matter.
I enjoyed this book, I really did, I just thought it could have been better. I loved the first one, and I just liked this one. It was good and I think it is important to finish the duology, but I was left a little disappointed.

So excited to be approved for the arc of book 2 in the Thieve's Gambit series! I really enjoyed the first one, and this was no different. I think that the characters showed a lot of growth and really started to become themselves throughout this book which was really fun to read. Of course, this wouldn't be Thieve's Gambit without a heist or two and they just became more exciting and wild. I'm hoping there will me more in the series because I really liked how this one ends and would love to see how it continues.

After devouring Thieves Gambit, I couldn’t request the ARC for Heist Royale quick enough!

I would say this one was almost as fun as the first, though I did enjoy the original a little bit more! I think one thing this author does especially well is setting a scene and picking really great locations for the various heists. In the first novel, I loved being transported to Egypt, and in the second I really enjoyed the sections that took place at Hart’s Casino (plus Ross’ interactions with Kiah) and the mountains of Cape Town.

Probably my only criticism is that this book felt much more rushed than the previous one. In Thieves Gambit I felt like there was a good slow build and a good amount of context in each section, but when reading Heist Royale, I noticed I was 80% down and would have assumed I was only about 50% of my way through the story. I thought the final heist, resolution with the groups leader, the discussion between Rhiannon and Dianne, and the gang back together seemed very quick and I would have loved to see more there. I assume there will likely be a third book though so maybe some things will be fleshed out further in the future.

Overall though I really enjoyed this and can’t wait for the next installment!

Thank you to Penguin Group, Nancy Paulsen Books, Kayvion Lewis, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my review!

Thank you NetGalley and Kayvion Lewis for the ARC of Heist Royale!! It was even better than Thieves’ Gambit!! Was a roller coaster of emotions and anticipation! If you want to read this book than I’d highly recommend picking up the first book, Thieves’ Gambit, you won’t be disappointed!!

I was so glad to receive this ARC! After the first book, I was chomping at the bit to get my hands on the next book in the series. I thought that this was another fun adventure that really took you along for the ride. I loved reading more about the characters, the missions and the relationships between them all. Can't wait for more! Thanks so much to Penguin Young Readers Group | Nancy Paulsen Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

DNF @ about 50%

I absolutely loved Thieve's Gambit and was so excited to start reading this one! However, the pacing and setup of this one didn't work for me. The beginning of the book felt slow and I didn't quite know what its goal was in that setup. I also didn't buy into the second gambit because it didn't feel quite as natural as the first one. I also didn't enjoy the dynamic of the new characters as compared to the relationships between the characters that were in the original gambit. In the first, we had so many questions about who is trustworthy or not as facts changed that it kept me on my toes. Now, the characters felt more stagnant. Ultimately, I wish the first book had been a standalone because for me this didn't have the same grab as the first.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted eARC!

Six months into their year of "employment", Ross is still seething over Devroe's back-stabbing to win the Gambit. With him trying to woe her, Ross makes it her mission to be cold as ice, but Devroe's not taking the hints. After a minor abduction in Rio, Ross learns that Count is being challenged by Baron for control of the Organization. To settle the challenge, a Gambit begins. Ross, her mother (who she's still mad at), Mylo, and Noelia against Devroe, his vicious, out-for-blood mother, and their remaining friends. Ross's team wins the first challenge for Count, but things aren't as easy as they seem when deals can be struck. Will Count remain head of the Organization, or will Baron's ruthlessness prove superior? Can Ross open herself up to forgiving her mother for the last Gambit, or will she let Diane get her revenge?

I absolutely LOVED Heist Royale. I enjoyed the character development along with each heist (I also found the focus on Baron's awful cooking a hoot). This novel reads like Ally Carter's <i>Heist Society</i> books (which I also highly recommend). I highly recommend this phenomenal follow-up (which I think is better than the first). I hope Lewis continues the tales of Ross, Devroe, and their thieving friends.

Thank you to NetGalley, Nancy Paulsen Books, and Penguin Young Readers Group for this advanced copy! You can pick up Heist Royale on November 12, 2024.

I really enjoyed this sequel and conclusion to Thieves' Gambit! Was it a bit silly for them to throw a completely new Gambit? Sure. But I could suspend disbelief and just enjoy the second round of shenanigans and antics that our thieving lady Rosalyn Quest got up to. I do wish we'd had a bit more relationship development from Ross and Devroe, since it seemed like their moments together were a bit rushed. But I also appreciated how the stakes were higher in this book and the trials more deadly.

Look no further for your next completed heist found family duology!

Heist Royal is the sequel to Thieves' Gambit, and I had a fantastic time reading it! Some of the characters are now at odds, the challenges get even harder and by the end the stakes are sky-high!

This is a high octane series for anyone who loves heists, fast action, high stakes, casinos, and an emotional love story 💜

Incredibly predictable sequel to <i>Thieves Gambit<i> that doesn't add anything that we didn't read in that book. Having said that, there are a few nice sequences (particularly in New Orleans) and fans of the first book will enjoy this one.

eARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.

Sometimes there's this curse where a sequel falls flat to such a kick butt first book in a duology or series. In the case of Heist Royale, somehow it beat the curse and, in my opinion, was even better. A high stakes second gambit with which we get to see Rhiannon Quest team up with her daughter and Diane Abara team with Devroe? Be still my heart. This was fun and Heart pounding with the action and plans and betrayls keeping the pages turning until that final one. *chefs kiss*

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Heist Royale by Kayvion Lewis is a first person-POV YA contemporary sequel to Thieves’ Gambit. After losing the Thieves’ Gambit, Ross hasn’t completely cut ties with everyone she met in the competition. Devroe has been making efforts to woo Ross, including celebrating her birthday, while Noelia is one of Ross’ best friends. But when Ross’ mother and Devroe’s mother both come back and Count needs Ross and her friends to do a heist, their relationships become even more complicated.

What I really liked was the friendship arc between Ross and Kyung-soon, Ross and Noelia, and the romances between Devroe and Ross and Mylo and Taiyou. Heist Royale feels a lot more relationship-driven to me than plot or character-driven because the individual relationships Devroe has from the previous book define a lot of what happens next, though not everything. I liked Taiyou a lot from the first book so to see him come back and maybe start something with Mylo made me very pleased. Devroe is a hopeless romantic when it comes to Ross and even arranges for her to have pineapple upside down cake on her birthday, which is a tradition in Ross’ family.

Early on, Ross and Kyung-soon have a kind of falling out, culminating in Ross lying about learning Korean to hurt Kyung-soon. Kyung-soon chooses to work for Count’s rival during the heist and it almost feels like Kyung-soon is only going to come back at the very end when all the other stuff is taken care of, but we get a surprise when she does return. I’m a big fan of female friendships being given center stage so between this and Ross’s relationships with her mother, Noelia, Devroe’s mother, there was a variety of female relationships on the page.

The heist plot was really fun and made callbacks to films like Ocean’s Eleven and 21, particularly in terms of scamming casinos. There’s always something exciting about a heist going wrong and the anticipation as the leads try to figure their way out of the mess they got into even if you know the protagonists will succeed in the end. Ross gets caught by the nephew of the owner of the casino, Kiah Hart, and he takes great delight in figuring out the schemes of potential thieves, making it a battle of wits as he very openly says he’s onto her.

I would recommend this to fans of Ross and Devroe’s romance from the first book, readers of fiction about casino heists, and those who wanted more of the friendships in Thieves’ Gambit

After reading the first book, I couldn't wait to get my hands on the second in this exciting duo! Once again, we have another Gambit and Ross won't stop at anything to succeed. This book picks up 6 months from where the last book ended and if you loved the first book, you will love this one just as much, if not more!! This was a great end to this series! Thank you for NetGalley and the publisher for an advance review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

4 stars. I really enjoyed Thieves' Gambit last year. I think it was an interesting take on the competition style plot, which has become so popular (especially in YA series). My major critique with those types of plots is that book 2 always feels like a let down, since the competition is invariably over. Thankfully, that was not the case with Heist Royale. I didn't know how Lewis would top the Thieves' Gambit in the first book, but boy did she ever! You do need to read book 1 in order to appreciate book 2. And if it's been a while, you may want a refresh about what happened in book 1. Because book 2 basically picks up right where Thieves' Gambit left off... only 6 months later. One of the things I really enjoyed about the first book (apart from the twists, surprises, and betrayals), were the friendships that Ross was making. And one of the best parts of Heist Royale is that the gang is back in action! And Ross gets to reconnect with all of her friends from the first book. Truly, the found family vibes in this duology are strong. If you thought the tasks/ challenges in book one were impressive, prepare to be gobsmacked for what Lewis has in store with book 2! All in all, Heist Royale was just as fun of a ride as Thieves' Gambit. And I think if you enjoyed book 1, then you will absolutely enjoy book 2.

Thank you so much to Penguin Teen, netgalley, and Lewis for hooking me up with the eARC and a physical copy in exchange for my honest review!