Thank you to the publisher for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately, I stopped reading this book at 40%. While the premise was intriguing, I did not find the writing or plot engaging. The pace was too slow for me and not holding my attention. I was intrigued by the characters and would have stuck it out had the prose captivated me more. Sadly this one was just not for me.

One need not be a chamber—to be Haunted—
One need not be a House—
The Brain—has Corridors surpassing
Material Place—
— Emily Dickinson

There is a quietness that exists in the space between this book and me now that I've finished it. I want to fill it with a cozy blanket and a cup of tea, or maybe a hug. With 'Keep', you may arrive out of curiosity about the plot of home stagers in an elderly woman's home, but you will stay for its three main characters, each precious and devastating in their own right.

This book is a slow burn, a dabble book. A chapter here and there. You don't burn through this book; in fact, somehow this book burns through you. Quiet and yet so very loud. 'Keep' feels like taking a dip in the pool via the stairs, slowly sinking in, not realizing your head is mostly underwater until your eyes are all watery and burning.

Your hosts are Eleanor, Jacob, and Harriet, the two former of whom are the home stagers, and the latter of whom suffers from dementia and owns the home being staged and sold. Haysom's greatest achievement here is in somehow making each of these characters lovable, if not always likable. I couldn't help but adore the friendships found within.

Eleanor, unfortunately, served as a mirror to my own life so many times that I may have to do a little soul searching.
We must protect Jacob at all costs.
Harriet, frankly, is the character I believe was the most let down by the narrative. Her battle with dementia was depicted poignantly, though I would have liked to see her receiving more compassion from start to finish.

"It was as if her mind were unhooked from her body, as if she were trapped on the wrong side of the mirror."

What a beautiful story of opposites. Mass-produced and limited edition. Lonely and connected. Beginnings and ends. Unlikely pairings. Sigh. I would definitely read another novel by Jenny Haysom.

Thank you, Netgalley and the team from House of Anansi Press Inc., for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

The cover drew me in, and I'm glad it did. It reminds me of the saying that we don't know the paths others walk, and that we're all fighting a battle.
Eleanor and Jacob work for a local realtor, who has them declutter and stage homes before they are shown. Harriet Baird, a well known poet, is being sent to a senior home by her son, and they are literally decluttering around her. Eleanor faces her own problems: too many bills for the money, her children, and her marriage. Jacob, is in a relationship that seems to be imploding, leaving him without knowing which direction he can go. The characters are so real, and one favorite I wouldn't have expected was a neighbor who initially seems like a grumpy know it all. Once you start feeling their lives and choices, you are looking into the lives of so many of us in different stages. I don't think I can tell you how much this book touched my heart. I'm still thinking about it and missing the characters two days later.
Thank you to House of Anansi Press and NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

An exploration of life’s transitions and the complexities of relationships. Eleanor and Jacob, professionals who clean out homes for the market, cross paths with Mrs. Harriet Baird, an elderly woman desperate to stay in the home where her last memories of her loved ones linger. Despite Harriet’s wishes, her son is determined to move her into a retirement home, setting the stage for a heart-wrenching tale. Eleanor is feeling unappreciated in her marriage, while Jacob faces heartbreak as his boyfriend leaves him for someone else. These characters find comfort in their friendship, regardless of the years between them. A reminder that change is inevitable and that friendships and memories should be cherished.