King of Sloth Audiobook – Kings of Sin, Book 4

Some audiobooks are best savored in the quiet hours, when the world has slowed down and you’re left alone with your thoughts—King of Sloth by Ana Huang was one such experience for me. I found myself listening late into a rainy Portland night, curled up beneath a soft blanket, drawn into Xavier and Sloane’s emotionally tangled world with only the gentle sound of drizzle to keep them company. As someone who relishes stories about transformation and messy, complicated love, I was immediately hooked.

Ana Huang’s writing is both alluring and insightful; she paints the glittering world of billionaire heirs not as an unattainable fantasy but as a stage where real people wrestle with vulnerability and expectation. Xavier Castillo is at first glance exactly what his nickname suggests—a charming slacker trying to skate by on looks and wit while resisting the heavy legacy of his family empire. But underneath that easy smile lies something more fragile: grief from family estrangement, the burden of duty he never asked for, and an aching desire to define himself outside inherited privilege.

Sloane Kensington—his publicist—is perhaps my favorite kind of heroine: whip-smart, career-driven yet quietly wrestling her own fears about intimacy and fulfillment. As someone who has often tried to balance professional ambition with personal growth (not always successfully), I found Sloane deeply relatable. Her struggle to maintain her cool exterior while slowly thawing around Xavier felt authentic rather than contrived; it’s clear Huang takes care in portraying ambitious women as complex individuals rather than stereotypes.

The chemistry between these two is anything but slow-burn—even their verbal sparring carries an electric undercurrent that made me grin more than once during my listen. The forced proximity trope is used cleverly without feeling forced: from tense charity galas to unexpectedly vulnerable moments on vacation in Spain (the couples massage scene will linger!), each encounter peels back another layer between them. What really stood out was how much emphasis Huang placed on emotional connection—the steamy scenes are absolutely there (and oh so well done), but they serve as turning points for trust and self-discovery instead of just sizzle for its own sake.

I also appreciated how this book subverts some expected tropes within billionaire romance—Xavier isn’t just a playboy with hidden depth; he’s genuinely afraid of becoming someone he hates or losing himself altogether in family expectations. Watching him confront loss alongside Sloane brought an unexpected level of rawness to their story that hit close to home for anyone who’s navigated grief or familial pressure.

As for narration: Gregory Salinas delivers Xavier’s blend of flippant charm and suppressed anxiety beautifully, making his emotional arc ring true rather than melodramatic. Elena Wolfe brings both steeliness and softness to Sloane’s perspective; together they infuse banter, longing, heartbreak—and hope—with equal conviction.

There were moments when I wished the early pacing moved a little faster (it took time before I truly believed their attraction would last beyond lust), but overall King of Sloth feels like watching old wounds knit themselves together through unlikely companionship—a message that resonated long after the final chapter ended.

If you want an audiobook where glitz gives way to genuine growth—and where love means risking your most carefully constructed defenses—I can’t recommend King of Sloth enough. It stands tall on its own within Ana Huang’s Kings of Sin series but will delight fans looking for something more nuanced than standard billionaire fare.