I really enjoyed this book! Initially it’s a story about two close friends, Inga and Lily who meet two men, Matt and Alex on the same night. The novel charts their relationship with one another through the years, the highs and the lows, but particularly the childhood trauma that colours Lily’s life and her relationships with her friends, her lovers and herself. The characters were compelling and complex, and I enjoyed the fact there was dark edge in this story that balanced out some really light-hearted and touching moments. Kitty Johnston is a warm and generous storyteller who writes from the heart.

Don't let the cover fool you, this one is not light and fluffy. Instead, readers meet Lily, a young woman suffering from childhood trauma and a various gang of friends as they discover the depths of friendship, family, and themselves. Kitty Johnson does an excellent job developing a female main character suffering with complex trauma. I was so invested in Lily's character development. The best friend, Inga, wasn't always my favorite, but I did enjoy their friendship development.

Thank you to NetGalley for the early release digital arc. Keep an eye out for this one & add it to your TBR list. It is expected to release on May 6th, 2025!

The book's cover drew me in, and I needed to see what this story was all about. I'm so glad I read it. The writing was excellent, and it kept my attention from the start. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This book was about best friends Lily and Inga and then their loves. Their lives get complicated. I really enjoyed Lily's story and all the ups and downs. All the characters were well written too. I was really rooting for a happy ending and wanted to keep reading. I think this a great book about friendship, family and drama.

Closest Kept by K. Johnson, published by Lake Union had me intrigued just reading the blurb.
I already read this author and I loved previous books.
So why not give it a try?
Here it is. This book isn't for me. I found the story confusing, the characters boring and unable to connect with. I read the book hoping I could sometime, somewhere down the road connect with something, anything, but nope, no chance. This novel and I we don't click at all.
Blurb: Best friends Lily and Inga do everything together—they even meet their future loves at the same bar. After one serendipitous night, it seems like it’s going to be Lily and Alex and Inga and Matt forever.
But life gets more complicated. A job offer moves Inga and Matt from Norwich to London. Lily, who craves stability after a traumatic childhood, is already struggling with the change when Inga confides in her a secret that could tear the group apart for good. At the same time, Lily’s friendship with Matt deepens, and she wonders if she was always meant to be with him instead of Alex.
As the two couples try to hold on to their dreams and one another, Lily’s life is further upended by the reappearance of her long-lost sister—and all the terrible truths she brings home. Lily needs her chosen family more than ever, but in order to heal the rifts, she must find the courage to be honest with herself and reveal the secrets she’s kept hidden from her loved ones for too long.

Closest Kept by Kitty Johnson was a joy to read and kept me engaged throughout the book.

Best friends Lily and Inga meet Matt and Alex at a bar and even though she is more attracted to Matt, Inga calls him first, so Lily "defaults" to Alex and they pair off to happily ever-after lives...or do they?

When Lily's sister shows up, she's forced to confront things from her past that she doesn't want to, her relationship with Alex isn't the best, and neither is her friendship with Inga.

However, Lily's journey to her real happily ever after had me rooting for her mental health, her relationship health, and her friendships to survive.

This felt like reading about friends in the best possible way and I enjoyed it so much.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. I am off to find the author's other works.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

WOW!!! What a great book!! This one had me hooked from page 1! This was a first for me from this author and I will not be my last! This one was a win for me!

I first read Prickly Company by the author, and I loved it. It was so unique and fun, but touching as well. Her current title, Closest Kept, was granted to me, and as soon as I saw the author, I knew it was going to be a good read, and I wasn't disappointed.
Closest Kept follows two best friends, and their relationships through the years. They'd met their partners in a night out, and Inge, one of the friends, basically choose Matt, one of the men. Lily, by default, enters a relationship with Alex. They're both happy and love sharing their time together.
Lily has issues from her childhood that keep her from opening up entirely, and things take a turn when her sister, whom she hasn't seem in years, shows up.
We all wonder, what if we'd taken another path. Lily starts to wonder what if she'd ended up with Matt.
I loved the book, and it's on my highly recommended list.
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #LakeUnionPublishing #KittyJohnson #ClosestKept

I had no expectations going into this book as Kitty Johnson is a new author to me. I truly enjoyed the story that she wove about friends Lily & Inga and the paths their lives take after they meet Alex & Matt while out for drinks one evening.

Oh this book is just absolutley darling! I loved every word. It was so genuine and true. The main character just made mem melt. Such a wonderful biok. Highly suggest.

Great book. Interesting characters. The plot held my attention from start to finish. I would read another book by this author.