First of all, I am a huge Sara Cate fan and have read almost all of her entire collection. I don’t know what it is about this one, but it just pulled on my heartstrings emotionally, it was so beautiful. Our FMC breaking into a castle owned by a burly, grumpy, tall Scotsman, stands up to him and then is visited by his sister when she gets back to America and offered to be paid a large sum of money to marry her grumpy brother. The trope is not grumpy x sunshine this time, it’s grumpy x grumpy. But as time goes on, you, see why Killian is the way he is, and his character development is such a beautiful journey to watch him go through. I have not cried reading a book and probably two years, but this one did it for me with these two beautiful characters and their journeys. Trust Sara because this one is a must-read!

It is so hard for me to rate this book because I absolutely adore Sara Cate. Her Salacious Players Club series is one of my favorite series of all time, and it means so much to me. This book was not it. I was excited about the Scottish setting and the kinky vibes, but those two factors didn't really play a huge role in the overall story.

Both of the main characters, Sylvie and Killian, were insufferable. I couldn't get past the fact that he repeatedly called her a 'fat, ugly cow'. If someone talked to me that way, they would be out of my life immediately. He continued to insult her, and they ignored each other for much of the book.

I enjoyed the last part of the book because they showed character growth, but the growth happened when they were apart from each other. I think that they worked on themselves before being able to be together, and I appreciated that part of their characters.

Most of the side characters were equally unlikeable. I didn't like the people who came to Killian's parties, and Sylvie's parents were also terrible.

Overall, this didn't feel like a Sara Cate book. It was really disappointing.

Thanks to Hambright PR and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.

Thank you to Netgalley & SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for approving me for Sara Cate’s newest book! Sara Cate is often on my radar and immediately had me interested with the idea of a grumpy Scottish billionaire.

Let me start off by saying I really enjoyed this book! I am pretty sure it is my favourite Sara Cate read thus far! I feel like the author was really able to show their ability to develop multifaceted, complex characters in this book through its two main characters. I really enjoyed it as I often found this isn’t done well, but Sara Cate did it really well and by the end you really felt like both characters had grown since the beginning.

This book is MESSY! Both main lead characters are interesting because they are both quite messy, rich & emotionally immature people! At the beginning I was waiting to see if I rooted for them and what their development would look like (if any) and I was pleasantly surprised! This book touched on some interesting themes and did it well. This is the second book I’ve read this year where the fmc has walked in on her best friend and boyfriend fucking, but I really appreciate the coffee being thrown at them. It was unexpected and I definitely gasped/laughed out loud.

One thing I wasn’t too fond of was the time jumps, sometimes it felt too early to time jump like I’d rather have the thoughts of an event that just happened rather then the character reflecting on it a month or a few weeks later. But this often happened. I also couldn’t completely get over the initial name calling in the beginning, sometimes it felt too harsh but that is also more a personal preference for me!

I enjoyed the spice in this one but I feel like the story was about more than the intimacy between the two main characters and I really enjoyed that. Overall I highly recommend this one for those wanting a nasty, complex Scottish billionaire in their life: Killian may be the one for you.

I loved Killian and Sylvie so much!! This was a grumpy sunshine book that really grabbed me. I LOVED their first meeting scene.

This book was so good!

I started reading it and I just could not put it down. I am a huge fan of this author and love everything she puts out, and I really enjoyed getting something outside of the world she has been in with her most recent books. The characters were intriguing and I loved the dynamic between the two of them.

Killian was the definition of a grumpy hero. The banter between Killian and Sylvie cracked me up throughout the book and I loved seeing how the relationship between the two of them developed and became what it was. I loved that even though when things started changing between them, that banter that I fell in love with was still there between them.

I rooted for both characters, wanting nothing but the best for them as I read. I found myself angry, laughing, crying—I just experienced every emotion one could have as they were reading a book.

If you haven't read this book or you're new to the author, I recommend this. It was definitely a favorite this year.

This is my first Sara Cate, but it won't be my last! I loved the set-up of the story and seeing Killian and Sylvie grow together. I appreciated how the characters approached their anxiety in final section of the book and that it wasn't a love solves all approach.

Tropes:
- Marriage of convenience
- Age gap
- Forced proximity
- Grumpy Scot
-Hate to love

How does one meet their own Killian?
Asking for a friend 👀
He falls first, helping Sylvie heal from her own relationship issues.
Miscommunication ➡️ third act break up.
But loved how Killian did what he had to do to better himself and Sylvie gave him the space he needed. 🧡 and the HEA ending 🥰 uhhh loved that for them!

4.5🌟

Sara never ceases to have me feeling all the emotions with a book. What an emotional roller coaster! Killian and Sylvies story was so so good! The growth they both went through and how they helped each other get there was so good! I loved the fiery banter they have with each other! And the spice was so so good! I could have read another couple hundred pages of them and been so happy! Highly recommend!

Killian is a Scottish billionaire who loves to enjoy his money, but in the comfort of his own home. He also has some taboo tastes that urge his family to try and get him under control, which leads to them hunting down the woman who broke into his house to take a picture. Yes. That was probably one of the funniest and tense meet-cutes that I have ever read.

Sylvie is a bit of a spoiled rich kid who has been cut off by her family. There is a lot more to her that we discover as we read the book, and I felt so much for her. My heart also broke for Killian when we see the reason why he hasn't left his home in years.

If there is one thing that Sara is good at, it is making characters that heal each other and help carry the other's pain. And not only that, but give each other the space that they need to try and be better. This book was no exception. I mean, you may or may not have happy tears at the end of this one, no joke.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing the ARC.

I really enjoyed this, just from the whole premise of the story. I really loved the idea that this was the coming together of two people who were hurting and recognizing that hurt in each other. It leads them to a place of empathy and understanding, which means that they can have a deeper, more meaningful relationship. Strong Beauty and the Beast vibes, and some really steamy scenes between the two main characters.

My only gripes are that there are some aspects of the story that get mentioned but never resolved and while there is dual POV, the fact that it is split into parts means the reader loses on out the inevitable falling that happens to Killian. You get to see it all from Sylvie's POV and when you switch back to Killian, he's already there. It just felt a bit disjointed.

Thoroughly enjoyed reading and I will likely seek out other Sara Cate books.

✩4.5

✦What to Expect✦
•Marriage of convenience
•He’s a grumpy Scotsman
•Enemies to lovers
•Forced proximity
 
✦Characters✦
•Sylvie Devereaux
•Killian Barclay
 
✦Fav Quotes✦
There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her.

Sylvie is fearlessly herself. And I love that about her.

“Do you promise to keep me?”
“I do.”

✦Thoughts✦
Omgggggg Sara has done it again!!!
This book is sinfully good and so hot!

Chapter 29 *omg squealinggggggg over it*

I immediately was sucked into the story and loved the dynamic between these two.
This was such a good enemies to lovers!

The grumpy Scotsman Killian…. Yasss please!

Truly had the best time reading this one! I literally was squealing non stop because Sara Cate is the queen of writing k!nky spice and she delivered!!!!

That ending!!!!! All the feels

Thank you so much to Sara Cate, Hambright PR, and Net Galley for this E- ARC! All thoughts and opinions are me own 💕🥰

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Find more on my IG @kayreads_romance

⚠️ !! Please be sure to check any TWs before diving in !! ⚠️

What to expect:
* Marriage of Convenience
* Grumpy x grumpy
* K!nky vibes
* Scottish broody billionaire
* Enemies to lovers
* Forced proximity

Thoughts:
Sara Cateeeeee! One of my absolute favorite authors! I really enjoyed this story I lovedddd the banter between Killian and Sylvie and I love how we got to see them grow together and individually!
The agoraphobia rep was so important and done so beautifully I think

Sara Cate is one of my auto-read authors, and I went into Keep Me thinking it would be as spicy as her Salacious Players' Club series. While it was spicy, it wasn’t quite as scorching as Salacious Players' Club, but it still delivered the heat, especially with the intense chemistry between Sylvie & Killian.
Killian is a damaged, grumpy hero who’s spent years hiding from the world in his Scottish manor, while Sylvie is struggling with the fallout of her past and trying to figure out who she is. Even though they hate each other they enter into a marriage of convenience (loveee this trope). The chemistry between Killian and Sylvie is electric, especially with their sharp banter and the slow-burn romance. One part I loved was watching them navigate their complicated feelings for each other—while healing from their respective traumas—was both heartwarming and heartbreaking.
Overall, Keep Me is a compelling read for fans of grumpy heroes, broken characters, and slow-burn romance. I loved seeing Sylvie and Killian grow together and fall in love, and I’m excited to see where this series goes next!

Tropes:
Age gap
Grumpy hero
Marriage of convenience
Enemies to lovers
4/5 stars
2.5/5 spice

Thank you SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca and NetGalley for providing an arc for
an honest review

My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is my first read by this author. Looking forward to the Salacious Players Club series since I’ve heard a lot of raves.

Sylvie never thought that breaking into a Scottish manor and taking photos of an old typewriter would lead her to be propositioned into a marriage of convenience wherein the payout is 10 million dollars. But alas, now she must share the large manor home of Killian Barlcay, her husband, for one year in order to win that money. Can't be that hard, right?

Sara Cate does not mess around. All of her books are steamy and a delight. While I found this one a little light on the plot, overall, I enjoyed it. Sylvie was not my favorite lead character, actually she annoyed me through a lot of the book. Killian on the other hand felt fully formed and traumatic and full of good things.

THe pacing was moderate and the spice was high.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

“What the f*** did you just say to my wife?”

🩷Marriage of Convenience

🩷Grumpy x Grumpy

🩷Enemies to Lovers

🩷Forced Proximity

This is your typical Sara Cate book full of spice and emotion but with a Scottish twist!

Killian Barclay is a grumpy Scottish billionaire who lives in his family manor and never leaves. His family wants the manor back and here enters Sylvie, the girl who they want to use to trick him. There is much more to these characters though and they’ll learn a lot about each other sharing a marriage and a house.

The banter between them is perfection and their relationship may start fake, but we all know how that usually goes!

“His kiss feels like crawling back into my own bed after months away. It feels like finding the one other soul on this planet that matches mine. It feels like home.”

Eeeek. This was such an awesome enemies to lovers/marriage of convenience story.
I really loved Killian. He was so grumpy and really mean to our heroine. But don't be fooled. She gave as good as she got! The chemistry was off the charts, and I loved the character development so much!!!!
The third act break up was a bit cliché but I enjoyed it anyway.
I cannot wait for more from thus universe!

I was blesssedddd with an ARC of this book & OMG I ate this up!!!
Honestly read this so fast that I surprised myself.
I loveddddd this book. I loved the direction Sara took with the POVs. It kept me wanting more.
The chapters were all the perfect length & honestly the characters were just so intriguing.
Forced proximity is alwayssss chefs kiss but this was executed so nicely.
Of course, the spice was spicinggggg 😏
And the ending of the book had my heart strings being pulled. I was rooting for them so much.

Highly recommend reading Keep Me! Especially if you like Sara’s other books. They never ever disappoint!

Overall: 4.5 ⭐️
Spice: 3.5 🌶️

4⭐️ | 2.5🌶️
It’s a sure bet that if Sara Cate writes it that I’m going to read it! While I felt this series was quite different from Sara’s previous work (ie; The Salacious Players Club & The Goode Brothers) I found it to be more tame, but well rounded character development & devoured this book in 24 hours!

We are getting a brand new series based in Scotland & I just can’t wait to see where the rest of the series will take us!

Killian and Sylvie were the perfect enemies to lovers in a scheme of marriage of convenience but with a little forced proximity paired with hate to want you attraction takes over they find themselves falling for each other.

They slowly exit the enemies phase and uncover a very tender love and protectiveness for each other. It might have taken some time, but you can’t help but fall in love with their story.

I will say if you are a Sara Cate fan then you may be disappointed that the spice and kinks are much more tame for what Sara typically gives us, but overall I still found the story to be a very quick and enjoyable read!

Read if you enjoy:
Marriage of Convenience
Age Gap
Enemies to Lovers
Forced Proximity
grumpy x grumpy

Thank you Sara Cate, Sourcebooks Casablanca, NetGalley, & Hambright PR for the early copy in return for my honest review!

If Sara Cate has one fan, it’s ME 🥹 I 𝙙𝙚𝙫𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙙 this book in a single day and am actively forcing myself to not open it back up for an immediate reread! I adored the characters in this one. Sylvia and Killian were both so headstrong and stubborn, but their chemistry, even through their initial arguing and loathing, was off 📈 the 📈 charts 📈. I came for the enemies to lovers and stayed for the sweet and tender love that formed between these two grumps. Watching them both battle their demons and striving to overcome for the other was so sweet and had me tearing up more than once. Let's not forget the APPLAUSE for male mental health rep 🥹😭 Infinite stars for this one ⭐️♾️💕