Excellent thriller that asks the question how far will a mom go to protect her son. Stephanie is a single mother who is also an FBI agent, when her son becomes a target for an elaborate set up she must decide where her priorities lie. Fast paced political thriller that was impossible to put down.

Wow - as a parent, this story pulls you right in. Great character development, and a story that kept me guessing! Anyone who loves a good thriller will really enjoy this book!

Although the book jumped around with a lot of characters, I enjoyed reading it. However, I did not enjoy the ending. There were too many unanswered questions. What did Steph do? What did her son do? What happened with Vivian? I think the epilogue could have tied up some of those answers better. It's a little scary that something like this story could really happen in our world. We never know who is truly pulling the political strings. I don't expect all stories to have a happy ending where good always triumphs over evil. I do like loose ends tied up by the end of a novel. The book really had me enjoying the story until the end. If the ending hadn't left the characters hanging out in thin air, I would have enjoyed it more and given it a higher rating.

3 1/2 stars

Definitely not the intense page turner as her debut political thriller [book:Need to Know|40647345], but still an interesting read.
The ending—not sure if this is a lead in to a sequel or if the reader is to assume their own ending for the main protagonist. I’m leaning toward the first option but if not, that will cause me to bump this down in ratings.

ARC provided by NetGalley

A heart-pounding, fast-paced thriller about an FBI agent whose teenager son is being framed as a dark web terrorist. Steph Maddox doesn't know who she can trust as she frantically attempts to protect her son from seemingly invincible forces.

Steph Maddox is a brilliant member of the FBI. She's had a quiet life since she's moved to Washington, but as she prepares for her son to go away to college. His teenaged secrecy takers new heights, apparently Zach has figured out who his father is and no longer confides in her. When she suspects that the Russians are to blame for the murders of her coworkers and disappearance of others, she must fight her way out of this nightmare and oddly Zachary is mixed up in the middle of it all.

This was an action filled thiller. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the novel. It had many twists and kept me guessing until the very end.

I thoroughly enjoyed Karen Cleveland's previous book "Need to Know," and was very excited to be able to read this book. The story is similarly fast-paced and very easy to read. It grabbed my attention from the beginning and held it until the very end. However, the "bad guy" in this story just didn't work for me. I'm not sure that the author explained the villain's motives well enough to account for his actions. This was a fun read, but it just didn't quite work for me. Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read "Keep You Close."

Stephanie Maddox, who loves her job within the FBI, is a single mom trying to protect her 17-year-old son, Zachary. Zachary, it would seem, is deep within a plot to kill off some major players within the United States government. Is he? Or isn’t he?

Steph was alone in her thinking that Zachary was set up. She strongly suspected that one of the key men in the Bureau was working for the Russians, but she had no proof. There was no one else she could trust to turn to for help, not without putting their lives in jeopardy. Others had already been killed or hurt in this intrigue. There was a good bit of espionage and drama, some of it believable, some of it not.

I guess my biggest problem with this book was that she lived her life regretting her actions. More often than not, she would make a decision to do or not do something, all the while second guessing herself; she would do it – or not – in spite of thinking that she was wrong. This got a little tiring.

She repeatedly stressed how much she loved her son and would do whatever it took to keep her son safe. This, too, got a little tiring, since she mostly missed her son’s entire life, instead relying heavily on her mother and babysitters for child care; her job was her first priority. Her relationship with her son never really came across as loving or even mother/son. It fell flat.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ms. Cleveland for the opportunity to read and review Keep you Close.

FBI Official, Stephanie Maddox comes face-to-face with right and wrong when her son is accused of being involved with an extremist group that’s plotting against high ranking government officials.
Like any mother, she believes her son Zachary is innocent. She searches his closet and finds a loaded gun tucked away in a sack in his closet. When she questions him about the weapon, his response and body language convince her he’s clueless.
What does she do with the gun? Her actions and reasoning must remain above board and yet she if she turns the pistol into the authorities, her son could face charges. Stephanie finds herself in the middle of a dangerous situation, and people around her are murdered. She is more determined than ever to prove her son’s innocence.
This novel, written in the first person, was the first of its kind I’ve read and I was pleased with the author’s ability to pull it off. Even though Keep You Close wasn’t in the Christian market like I normally read, I found myself engrossed in the building suspense and wanting to help Stephanie find answers and protect her son.
The ending came as a surprise even though I was anticipating an unexpected turn-around.
I give this novel four stars.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I have so many mixed feelings about this book. I was definitely interested in the characters and often kept turning pages because I just had to know what happened next or how a particular event would turn out. However, there were also a couple of times that I had to resist rolling my eyes in a ‘yeah right’ way. There’s no doubt a couple of items- the bad guys, the ending- that may raise some eyebrows, cause a bit of controversy/ discussion.
Overall, I can’t really decide between three or four stars, but I’m glad a read it, and will be seeking out other books by this author- always a positive thing.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and had a hard time putting it down. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. I didn't realize this was a series when I requested to read this book for a review but I found it easy to get into and didn't feel extremely lost in the story. I do want to go back and read the first because I think I would get more out of this book reading the series in order. While the ending wasn't what I had expected I still thought it was a good ending. I would definitely recommend this series to friends of mine.

What would you do to protect your son?

Keep You Close by Karen Cleveland was honestly a thriller that I loved reading...up until the end. At that point I felt like I wasted my time reading this book. I am still giving it 4 stars though.

The author had me intrigued from the first chapter until the ending, but I felt it was ruined with the epilogue. The story was told from one point, and then to end with a different view point threw the whole storyline off. It just didn’t sit well.

I still don’t know what happened to the main characters...maybe a sequel is in the authors mind?

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Keep You Close by Karen Cleveland is a thriller that tackles the question of just how far one would go for someone they love. Stephanie Maddox is an special agent with FBI and has spent years and years working to get where she is in her career but would she throw it all away for the love of her life, her son Zachary?

Stephanie is a single mother and has done her best keeping her relationship with her son a priority despite her high pressure job. Even though Zachary has hit his sullen and angsty teenage years Stephanie still tries to keep communication open between them but one day while cleaning she finds a gun in her son’s room.

Stephanie believes there has to be an explanation for what she’s found but before a blink of an eye she finds her son being accused of so much more. Trying to stay one step ahead of the investigation Stephanie is determined to find out what is going on and prove her son is innocent

Keep You Close is really written to be a page turning action packed thriller that only gains intensity along the way. However, as much as I love a fast pace and plenty of action in this instance I felt it was all a tad off. Perhaps I just needed to know the characters a little better or perhaps it was due to it feeling a bit over the top but this one ended up a little flat for me.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

What an intense page turner! I have never read this author before but I will read her books again. This book keeps you guessing even once you’re sure you know the answer. Great job Karen!

This book was harder to follow with all the twists and turns and multiple characters. This is a battle between right and wrong. Steph has a complex relationship with her teenage son when she finds out he has been e-mailing a domestic terrorist group. She decides to investigate and sets out on a journey that has her questioning.

Stephanie (Steph) Maddox, age 37, is Chief of the Internal Investigations Section for the FBI in Washington, D.C. She is a single mother to her son, Zachary, 17, who is waiting to hear back from colleges he has applied to. He had signed up for some extra-curricular school activities before sending out his applications, but Steph learns that he has dropped out of some of them. She is shocked saying that it’s dishonest and if he is found out, he might not be accepted.

Later, she heads upstairs to gather some trash around Zachary’s room while he’s showering. She then sees a strange bag in his closet, and inside there’s a loaded gun. She knows she should call the police, but can’t bring herself to do it.

A close co-worker named Scott approaches Steph the next day saying that Zachary’s name has been discovered as part of a group called the Freedom Solidarity Movement. It’s a group of people who believe they’re not subject to our laws. Once considered an anarchist group, they are on the edge of being considered to be a terrorist group.

After Steph is assured by Zachary that he knows nothing of this or of the gun, she realizes that her son is being set up by someone. Is someone out for revenge for her? If so, who and why?

The story continues with people from Steph’s past who want revenge on her. It gets somewhat confusing who these people are and why she is their target. It would have been a better book if there had not been so many covert operations to figure out.

Copy provided by NetGalley and Goodreads in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Based on the description I really thought that I would enjoy this one but it felt flat to me. The characters were not likable or relatable. The story dragged on for me and I had to skip ahead quite a bit to get through it.

This complicated action thriller from Karen Cleveland held my attention and was quite entertaining. I must admit that I had to do some backtracking every now and again to unravel the storyline and redirect my brain. I really appreciated the amount of action this novel contains, its definitely fast paced and keeps you compelled to read. The premise is great and Ms Cleveland keeps the promise of the premise. There are times when the dialogue gets a little repetitive, which, when combined with the complexity of the plot, makes the pacing uneven. Keep You Close is a strong, engaging read and I enjoyed it thoroughly.
I received my copy through NetGalley under no obligation.

You never know who you can trust, especially when working for the FBI. Agent Steph Maddox has had an interesting life and a career choice that grew from it. She is a loyal and conscientious agent who believes in the greater good. Although I didn’t agree with all of her choices, I definitely respect her.
The plot is timely, with Russians possibly infiltrating the government and Steph’s quest to bring them to justice while also protecting what she holds dearest. Once it all unfolds, you will be left shaking your head, as there are twists right up through the end in this labyrinth of political agendas.

How far will a mother go to protect her child? What happens if her child is guilty? This fast-paced crime fiction novel centers around Stephanie Maddox and her son Zachary. Stephanie is the head of the internal investigations division of the FBI, so she’s no stranger to tough decisions. But when it comes to her son, the line between right and wrong becomes a bit blurry.

When Stephanie finds a gun in her son’s closet, and an FBI agent from the domestic terrorism unit shows up at her door and utters the words “It’s about Zachary…”, she must decide if she should protect her son, but risk the safety of the greater good, or try and protect the greater good, but at what expense to her son?

One of the types of thriller sub-genres is crime fiction. I love anything that centers around the police/FBI/CIA world. I’ve grown to love them because they feel more in depth than some of the normal psychological thrillers that involve domestic disputes. Keep You Close is no different. Cleveland weaves current events into her novel, that make the reader question whether or not there is any truth to the story. The entire book is told from Stephanie’s point of view, with the occasional flashback of the early days of her career. There isn’t a ton of character development (this can be good or bad, depending on the read), but has a ton of dialog and short chapters that help make it a quick, easy read.

I read Karen Cleveland’s first novel, Need to Know last year and loved it, so I knew I had to read her sophomore novel when I saw it being released. I love her current events spin on her novels so I look forward to reading more from this author! 4/5