I really liked the idea of this book. The thought of Ally going to meet her father and then going missing sounded like a really good book. This story is not really believable in places and seems to ramble on a lot. Sorry, maybe it is just not my type of book.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

You know the feeling when someone stands behind you, gives you a push in the back and you can't help falling? Well, this is what the beginning of the book did to me. I was immediately immersed in the story.

My mind took me in a certain direction, but the author decided to take a turn and I loved it. He took me on a totally different path and what is a psychological thriller without that one brilliant crazy person? The author certainly created a gem of a twisted mind.

Normally at the end of a book, everything should be crystal clear, but because the author had us already fooled once, maybe it did it again? That is for me to know and for you to find out ...

A very good book that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Thank you, Erik Therme, Bookouture and Netgalley.

Ally is a typical eighteen-year-old. She is gregarious, hardworking and strives for independence, although she loves her divorced parents dearly. She has just moved in with her friend and work colleague and loves her new life. That is until one day she receives a letter from a man claiming to be her father who is making contact with her because he has terminal cancer and would like to meet her. She already knows her history – she was adopted at aged three by the couple that found her disorientated and alone with a note that said ‘Free to a good home’. Her parents are the couple that found her and started their hopes to adopt her as soon as she was safely placed in a foster home. They succeeded in their plans and she enjoyed a childhood filled with love and the knowledge she could always depend on her parents.
Ally’s first mistake is to keep her pending meeting with her Dad a secret from her parents. She is too excited and happy, filled with thoughts that at last she would have answers to her questions about her birth parents. She already knew her mother died the very day she was found, but her father can tell her all about her mother, she reasoned. Most of all she wants to know why her father didn’t keep her and then to find out about her early history. The meeting is arranged and Ally sets out full of hope.
She drives to the suggested meeting point at a remote diner just outside town. She is happy but nervous, especially when her Dad doesn’t turn up. She waits with growing anticipation and concern until at last a car pulls in to the car park. The woman who gets out of the car approaches Ally and explains that her Dad is too sick to travel. It’s one of his very bad days. She tells Ally that she is his sister and that Ally can follow behind and still meet her father as planned. She is so friendly and plausible. This is her second misjudgement and it proves to be costly. What happens next is that this fantastic psychological thriller gets even more pacey and exciting.
There are shocks and surprises galore. There are many twists and turns and even false leads and blind alleyways as the novel careers along at the gallop, like a runaway train, threatening to derail and cause havoc. The beautifully crafted characters drew me in straight away and I loved them all despite their flaws – even those that lied, teased and were violent- even those that were downright nasty. They all drew me into the story and kept me turning the pages. Never once did I correctly predict the ending and when it came it was absolutely packed with action and reaction. I loved it – it was dynamic and shocking, a thrill a minute. It’s a real heart-stopper.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from publisher Bookouture through my membership of NetGalley. These are my own honest opinions without any outside influences. I drank it in, open to anything and everything that happened and as the story drew to a close I felt I’d read an excellent and unique novel. I’ve thought a lot about my review and I’m glad to recommend this book as a really fantastic read. The ending totally capped it for me.

I enjoyed this book very much. Holly and Dan wanted a child. One day they found one in a parking garage (her mom had just killed herself). So they went through all the red tape and adopted her they named her Aly. Then the book jumps 15 years when Ally is 18 and living in her own going to school and working.When she gets a letter from her real dad. She calls Dan he tells her forget it But she has been trying to find her dad so she can't just forget it. He wants to meet her. Ally goes to meet him and disappear she's not answering her phone and no one has heard from her. Dan goes looking. This is when things get good. The boyfriend nobody knows about shows up. Allys roommate runs home to mom. I hate to say much more don't want to spoil it for you. Great book well worth the time to read. I want to thank netgalley for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion. I would recommend this book highly.

This book had a very intriguing premise, but it didn't quite work for me, unfortunately. It felt a little disjointed and there were a lot of characters to keep track of. Not a bad book, just a case of it not being for this particular reader.

I received a free e-copy of Keep Her Close by Erik Therme from Netgalley for my honest review.

Ally was abandoned in a parking lot at the age of three. She was adopted by the couple that had found her. Ally is an adult now and she receives a letter from her real father who wants to meet her. She goes to meet him but now she is missing. Worse yet, she never told anyone that she was going. This was an okay read, but unrealistic. I enjoyed the beginning of the book but struggled with connecting with the characters. This is a psychological thriller that has lots of twists.

Ally is an 18 year old in search of some answers about her past. When she was 3 years old Dan and Holly found her abandoned in a parking lot. With no clues to who she was or who her family were, Ally is adopted by Dan and Holly. Ally has a great relationship with her adopted parents but longs to find out where she came from.

One day, out of the blue, Ally receives a letter from her biological Dad asking to meet. What will she do ? Is the letter genuine ? Will Ally finally get the answers she has been longing for ?

The remainder of the book reveals what happened the day Ally went to meet the man claiming to be her biological father. It is an interesting storyline but for me it went just that little bit too far fetched. I really loved the way the story unfolded via different characters perspectives and the final reveal at the end of book.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

This book could have been good, but wasn’t. It was like it was written by a 13 year old. Just bad! It got 2 stars only bc its absurdity literally made me laugh out loud! Some books make you feel enlightened after reading them. This one destroyed some of my brain cells!

When Dan and Holly find an abandoned 3 year old girl on a parking lot with a sign saying “ Free to a good home” they end up adopting her and calling her Ally.

When Ally is 18 she receives a letter from her real Dad saying he has Cancer and wants to meet up. She goes to meet him then consequently goes missing.


I really liked the storyline but at times it became farcical with lots of side plots that meandered off on their own. It wasn’t totally realistic but then fiction is meant to be an escape from reality!!! And this certainly does that.

I would best describe Dan’s character as being like a bull in a china shop, rushing off to find his adopted daughter, who was naive enough to believe everything that she is told. He was a bit far fetched but then no one can say how they would react to their daughter going missing and he had been known to have a temper!!

Still a very good book that’s easy to read and intriguing.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

This book started off so well but unfortunately did not keep going for me. I found it totally unbelievable and far fetched.. to the point where it made me laugh. I wanted to love this book but maybe my standards are too high after reading so many brilliant books this year.

Ally was abandoned in a parking lot at the age of 3... now aged 18 she has a new family and life. She receives a letter from her biological father and she is desperate to know where she really came from. Against her families better judgement she goes to meet him - without telling anybody. And now her family and friends can't find her.

It started of really well and I was engrossed in the story but then it just went way off tangent and brought in some completely unrealistic characters and it lost it for me. It was a good story, but could have been better.

Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in now way biased.

What a Brilliant first chapter Keep her Close by Erik Therme and I was gripped.
However, then the book sadly went down hill fast. Too many unnecessary characters and I found the book just rambled on.........It was too far fetched.

Big thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC but am sorry to say that it wasn’t for me

A young girl three years old is found abandoned in a parking lot, she is holding a piece of cardboard and on it is written FREE TO A GOOD HOME.
Reading these lines well I was hooked.
Ally the young girl is now nineteen years old and has always wondered who her real father is. One day she receives a letter saying I am your father and I am dying of cancer and an email address. Ally is about to embark on the road trip from hell.
This was a quick read, some parts were confusing but otherwise a good read.
I would like to thank the author Eric Therme, Bookouture and Net.galley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for giving an honest review.

Keep Her Close is the latest story by Erik Therme. The main story in Keep Her Close takes place in one day with the "main character" actually being a lie. I'm calling the lie a main character as the entire story begins because of of the lie. Some edge of the seat moments. I was given an early copy to review.

Just finished Keep Her Close by Eric Therme and I am sorry to say that it did not live up to the hype that the cover advertised. The book starts out well enough and keeps you going for a while and then everything falls to pieces.

There are too many clueless people claiming to be who they are not and it mostly reminded me of a slapstick comedy. I kept reading til the end hoping that it would get better but it turned out that the author had decided to end with a cliffhanger so in reality there was no ending.

I won’t recommend this book and give it 2 stars.

Trust no one. Anxiety for miles in this book. Where is the girl? Who is lying? It's more like who is telling the truth. The answer is totally left field. I was so confident I figured it out right off, then maybe at the middle. Nope, rug pulled totally from under me. The very end frustrated me, but it was a solid story. I feel like it needs to be somehow updated. This poor family, broken in many ways, with love for an abandoned girl keeping them in each other's orbits. And the people they meet because she is missing, need a follow up. Her love for her adopted family, I personally think is the truest take away from this. She sacrifices for them, albeit naively at times. I'll just be keeping an extra parinoid parent eye on my kiddo after this one. 4/5 stars

Quick, twisty read. Interesting premise with fairly fleshed out characters. Definitely wanted to keep reading even though some of the situations left me credulous and confused. Although good, not exactly what I was expecting based on the blurb.

Discovered by Dan and Holly in a parking garage, 3year old Ally was looking lost and all alone and had but one thing with her- a worn piece of cardboard on which these shocking words were written FREE TO A GOOD HOME !!!!
Who is she and where are her parents ??

An excellent first chapter had me wanting to find out more But somehow after that it simply lost its way. Unusually for me I couldn't connect with the characters and with so much going on and so many characters it just fell a little flat for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for my copy for an honest review.

I really liked this book! I liked it a lot. I can't say it's the best book I ever read, but
it is a good book! It sure gets your heart rate up! I think it could make a great movie
with just the right actor, for Judy especially.
I am interested in reading the writers other books as well. This one did keep my
attention throughout the book. It is a quick read. Enjoy~

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Keep Her Close by Erik Therme is a book about Ally and her parentage. Ally was abandoned in a parking lot at the age of 3 and adopted by the couple who found her. Now grown up, her 'real' father has contacted her and she heads out to meet up with him and goes missing.

I love a good psychological thriller but I kept finding myself getting lost in this one. I would have liked to be able to follow the characters better but it kept zipping from this to that with so many characters and red herrings. I wasn't able to invest myself in this book completely.

This isn't to say it wasn't a good read, I just didn't find it as tense as I would have liked. A little to fantastical for my liking.

I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Keep Her Close’ by Erik Therme in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

When Holly and Dan stop at a parking garage they find an abandoned three-year-old girl wearing a yellow sundress and standing on a piece of cardboard on which is written “Free to good home”. They then discover the body of her mother who’s jumped to her death from the third floor. They adopt the little girl and name her Ally but when Ally, now aged eighteen, receives an email saying her real birth father wants to meet her Ally goes without telling her parents.

‘Keep Her Close’ has a promising start but then plummets into fantasy with strange characters who are completely unbelievable and an unconvincing plot which seems more like comedy than serious thriller. As I continued reading I kept hoping it would improve but was relieved when it finally came to an end. I don’t think I’ll be reading anything else by Erik Therme.