There were some fun spicy scenes and I loved how the main characters met, very Goldilocks. I thought the ending was perfect for these characters. I would definitely read more of Sara Cate's work in the future.

Kelli Tager and Will Watt did a good job narrating the story, Will's Scottish accent at times sounded more Nordic than Scottish, but it was still enjoyable.

🎧Song Pairing: Lights On - H.E.R.

💭What I thought would happen:

We can all collectively laugh at the fact that I thought this would be a YA THRILLER. Yup. I made a judgement error 😂

📖What actually happens:

😈Breaking and entering
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Grumpy Scotsman
👑Entitled rich woman
💍Marriage arrangement
🌶️Spicy (light BDSM)
🩷Real feelings happen

🗯Thoughts/sassy musings:

Well ladies I said 2025 would be the year I step out of my little reading comfort zone. So once some light was shed on the fact that this book was pure se❌❌ I was like oooo Nelly! Brace for impact! Kidding.

All in all it wasn’t even as hawt hawt as I thought it would be but it definitely had Jamie glancing over as I was performing a data analysis and listening at the same time. Raise your hand if you love to shock your husband with your books 🙋🏼‍♀️

Anyways, ending ended up being much more touching and sweet and the book did have some depth to it. Zero complaints (shocking right?!)

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

This is my 2nd Sara read. Again this was ok. I think the main problem is that I didn't see the connection between the main characters and how they became a marriage of convivence was to far fetched for me. Sylvie's parents were annoying but all of the side characters were nothing noteworthy about. The middle part dragged and I just the story felt a bit incomplete or even rushed and with some missing information especially with Killian's Aunt. I need more substance with this one.

Narrators Kelli Tager; Will Watt were perfect.

I received this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Keep Me
by Sara Cate
Narrated by Kelli Tager; Will Watt

Keep Me by Sara Cate was overall a 3.5/5 stars novel for me. The plot was decent, but quite predictable. That's not to say that it wasn't worth a listen. It was, it just didn't hold any real surprises for me. Sylvie first meets Killian when she's visiting Scotland with her boyfriend and breaks into Killian's manor to steal a typewriter. Not quite sure what the whole point of that was, but she gets caught. Fast forward to Sylvie being approached to marry Killian for a year to ultimately get him kicked out of his house, and for doing so, she is set to receive a nice chunk of change. It takes a bit, but Sylvie and Killian do get married and eventually, their attraction wins. There's a bit of kink and a bit of trauma, but overall it was an enjoyable listen. I didn't get the gut punch like I do sometimes when you really connect with characters and they then feel heartache, but with a bit more character development, that could have been possible.

The narration was well done and I felt that it definitely added to the listening of the story. I'd be interested to listen to book 2 to see what happens next with the two of them. Thanks so much to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and the author for the chance to listen to and review this ARC!

Sara Cate can do no wrong. This Beauty and the Beast type book set in a Scotland castle is just what my romance loving heart needed. And the audio? Absolutely delectable and so wonderful! Sara is the master of romance and this is an instant classic!

My feelings about this book are further proof why I just don’t think romance is my genre.

A lot of the plot devices and details that brought this story along were just nonsense. I’m expected to believe that two people are going to spend three weeks in Scotland to SEE a typewriter? I don’t know, it just felt like I didn’t believe a thing that happened in this book.

The characters were likable enough but the banter that made these characters enemies was overkill in my opinion.

The smut in this book was okay. I could take it or leave it.

Overall, this one was just not for me. I probably should have DNF.

There is something about a grumpy/grumpy dynamic that is just not done enough in romance, and I loveddddd how well this one did it!

💍 Marriage of Convenience
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Grumpy X Grumpy
💍 Kinky Vibes
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scottish Broody Billionaire
💍 Enemies to Lovers
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Forced Proximity

These two truly do get married against their wills, and yet even with all the grumpiness and hate towards each other, the tension is to not be ignored. And seeing their hatred morph in to love really was such a beautiful transition.

The 3rd act breakup was something that truly was necessary here, and she did make it lasttttt - but when you see how it pays off, it is all worth it!

Killian and Silvie meet under very unusual circumstances. When fate throws them another curve ball they come back together as they both need something only marrying the other will get them. I loved how supportive and possessive Killian is while Silvie is suck a free spirit who ends up just really wanting what is best for them both no matter the cost. Kelli and Will really bring their all to these characters in the audiobook giving Sara Cate another amazing audio for everyone to rave about!!

What makes this story stand out is its emotional depth. Both protagonists have been scarred by their pasts, and watching them navigate trust, love, and their own insecurities adds layers to what could have been a straightforward romance. The supporting cast, especially Killian’s meddling family, brings humor and warmth, balancing the story’s heavier themes.

The slow burn between Sylvie and Killian builds delicious tension, and the payoff is worth every twist and turn. Their chemistry is electric, with plenty of banter, passion, and heartfelt moments to keep you hooked.

If you’re a fan of steamy, character-driven romances with a touch of high-stakes drama, [Insert Title] will sweep you off your feet. This isn’t just a love story—it’s a tale of healing, second chances, and the power of vulnerability. Highly recommended!

3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 2 🌶️🌶️ 🎧

I wanted so badly to love this as an avid Sara Cate fan but it really fell flat in comparison to writing we are used to from Sara in my opinion.
I really liked the premise of the marriage of convenience and the original set up of the story line however as the story progressed I felt we lost so much of the character development behind curses and redirection.
We also have a MMC who it keeps being talked about is into ‘Dom’ yet we had 1 scene in chapter 32 that included this in the whole book.
The ‘swinging’ parties is all but a bit of spin the bottle and snogging and some suggestive comments which felt like it could have been left out in all honesty.
My final point would be that I listened to this on audio and the female narrators Scottish accent was so jarring it brought me out of the story on numerous occasions. If this hadn’t been dual narration I wouldn’t have been able to continue with listening.

Killian Barclay. This grumpy Scottish brute has turned his family manor into an adult playground and refuses to leave!! His family is trying to take the manor from him. Sylive Devereaux is impulsive and just wants to be loved for who she is. She is essentially creating chaos with her life. She blew through her inheritance in four months that should have lasted 18 months.

The characters in this story were so complex and interesting to me- my heart just feels for them. They were in so many aspects such similar type personalities. I love a grumpy x grumpy trope add in hate to love but instant attraction these two are just unstoppable. There was so much tension and chemistry between these two your turning the pages as fast as you can to just wait for them to finally give in.

"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."

The audiobook was perfect with the scottish accents! Narrated by Kelli Tager and Will Watt. Will was absolute perfect for the voice for Killian.

Let's chat about this book… First things first, I liked it! It definitely has that guilty pleasure vibe, and I respect that.

Both of the lead characters have pretty rough starts and don't come across as particularly likable at first. However, they definitely grew on me as the story progressed.

Overall, I really enjoyed this read. I loved the combination of a convenient/reluctant marriage and the extreme enemies-to-lovers dynamic. And honestly, anything set in Scotland is a win in my book.

That said, my one big drawback: I received the audiobook ARC, and while the male narrator did an excellent job, the female narrator (who was great in her main role) had to perform a male Scottish accent... and it was, well, *something*. Honestly, it was hard to listen to, and it made the chapters from Sylvie’s perspective a bit less enjoyable.

Still, if you can get past that, this is a fun, classic-feeling romance novel.

A quick note: This book is heavy on the spice and touches on some sensitive topics that might be uncomfortable for some readers, so keep that in mind!

I’ll Happily Be Kept
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.5/5)  
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (4/5) 
Audio Rating: 🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️(4.5/5)
~
“…find someone who thinks your mess is a masterpiece.”
~
Vibes:   
What an into to Sara Cate. Broody Scottish marriage of convenience to a spoiled yet love-deprived American. Killian and Sylvie’s chemistry is off the charts. Throwing insults becomes foreplay, and the forced proximity creates the perfect storm for the heat to reach a boiling point. The spice was explosive… check your triggers before diving in (no “cheating” of MCs but some exhibitionism & bdsm). The backstories are gut wrenching - I was not prepared for the tears. And of course my heart broke during the 3rd act… but the HEA was worth it.
~
Tropes:
Marriage of Convenience
Grumpy x Grumpy
Enemies to Lovers
Forced Proximity
K¡nky Vibes
Brooding Hero
Age Gap (25-38)
~
Audio Notes:
I’m so impressed by the accents and character voices! The tense and spicy moments were perfectly performed. There was only a handful of emotional moments, when I was pulled out of the story. I would still 100% recommend this audiobook! It brought all the Scottish elements to life.
~
Recommended to...  
Romance readers who like the extra spicy of a grumpy Scot with an FMC who gives as good as she gets.

Keep Me is a brand new, standalone romance set (mostly) in the Scottish Highlands, written by the one and only Sara Cate. An author whom I've been wanting to read for THE longest time, finally having the opportunity to do so thanks to this audiobook that came my way last month.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Sinful Manor series.

At the moment, Keep Me is listed as book one of one in the series, which gives me hope that this is not our only jaunt to Scotland and to 'Sinful Manor' as a series. Books when mean to be standalones for the most part don't usually have a series name attached to them, so this is a good sign and hopefully one we can all manifest into becoming an actual series with multiple books within it. Standalone or connected. This reader isn't picky. I'll take whatever I can get.

Which is why I didn't spend a moment's hesitation in grabbing this advanced audiobook copy when I saw it. Having been unsuccessful in grabbing an advanced reader copy, I knew this was my chance to pop my Sara Cate cherry. Having heard numerous readers speak about Sara and how brilliant she is at writing and crafting steamy, lip-biting, erotic as hell stories, you bet I put her on my radar to hop on that train as/when I was meant to step on it. It also helps that this was a story set (mostly) in Scotland with a grumpy, growly Scottish MC, which my reader friends know I have a penchant for, especially. Simply put, it was kismet that this was the story to finally immerse me into the world of Sara Cate.

--'Their marriage of convenience is anything but…'--

Killian Barclay is a man that wants one thing, and that's to embrace his solitude and be left the hell alone. He is a man who has racked up more than his fair share of heartbreak and heartache to last a lifetime, so he has no plans in any future--near or far--to dip his toes back into the pool of love. As a result, this life choice has earned him--and rightly so--the notoriety of being a broody Scot. One that turn his grand, ancestral home into something no one could have possible seen coming. A den of iniquity.

Before long, word spread through his town that the parties that he holds at said den of iniquity reaches others within his family who also have their eyes on the self-same home that they are held in. Not pleased to say the least, they begin to hatch a plan amongst each other to not only stop these parties, but firmly shake and remove Killian from the stale, stagnant routine he's put himself into for far too many years.

Part of that plan? New Yorker Sylvie Devereaux.

Sylvie Devereaux, being from New York, is as tough as nails. She had to be. As the daughter of famous parents in their field of work, they neglected her in favour of their chosen careers. For all the years that she raised herself, she grew a hard shell and keeps everyone around her at a safe arm's length.

That is, until during a trip to Scotland with her boyfriend, she sneaks into Barclay Manor to get a glimpse of a famous heirloom that she had heard a lot about from said boyfriend. Sneaking into the Manor, she only planned to get in, have a glimpse of the heirloom and get out as if the devil were chasing her, nipping at her heels. Imagine her surprise when she comes across an actual devil in the form of a brutish, maddening Scottish highlander who hates both friends and foe alike. This chance meeting wasn't on her agenda, so she definitely doesn't plan on ever crossing paths with him again.

Weeks after her not-so-moral break-in, Sylvie on a random day is surprised by a member of Killian's family at her home in New York. She is offered an opportunity in the form of a proposal--literally--to uproot her life, move to Scotland and marry Killian. Why? To improve his infamous playboy reputation and if she manages to stay married to him for one whole year, she walks away with ten million dollars and no catch.

After a little consideration, she accepts.

The plan, albeit simple, isn't all as it seems. It is deceptive to the unwilling groom-to-be, which she is well aware of. Growing closer to Killian as the days, weeks and months go on and the end of their year together approaches, Sylvie must come to a solid decision. Does she keep the love of a good man with a dark soul, or does she willingly break his heart that has slowly but surely become hers?

Reading--or rather, listening to--an author's work whom I've wanted to dive into for the longest time, did not disappoint once the time finally came to do so. Her writing was clean, clear, fluid and very easy to settle down with as a first-timer who is not yet as familiar with her style and voice as a seasoned reader would be. In fact, I would go so far as to say that it felt more like coming back to something familiar, rather than foreign-to-me. I wasn't dragging myself from page to page, wading through uncertain waters, but was happily turning each one and swimming through the story with ease.

My biggest takeaway from this book had to be our MMC, Killian. Aside from being a grumpy, growly Scot which I adore, it's his Alphahole nature that really impressed me. As a reader who is not unfamiliar with either the grumpy, the growly or the Scottish, I have read my fair share of them and have yet to come across someone so Alpha-holey (yes, I'm using that as an official term) as Killian. Alphaholes come in many shapes and forms in many genres and tropes, but none have knocked my socks off quite like this man. I'm thoroughly convinced that his grumpy, growly and Scot nature all play a part in contributing towards his Alphahole personality, but its like Sara has literally born the fictionally-perfect on-the-page creation of the definition of said Alphahole term. If you looked up the meaning, you would literally see a photo of Killian right there next to the meaning of the word. Props to Will Watt in his portrayal of Killian's character. He was THE perfect choice for this less-than-perfect fictional man.

Now, let's talk steam and spice. Both were promised as par the course for a Sara Cate novel. Were they here? Yes. However, I felt there was more angst than spice. Both happened brilliantly as/when the occasion called for it (ahem, the stair scene. Iykyk), but it paled slightly compared to what I felt we were promised in the promo leading up to reading and/or listening to the story. I expected it to be an almost constant thing, or very explicit in terms of BDSM/erotica, especially with the tidbits of information about Killian's kinks and what goes down at the house. That said, this was not a negative of either the story as a whole or of Sara and her writing. It was misleading, sure, but not something to mark down or deduce a star rating.

It was light on the BDSM/erotica but as previously stated, isn't something to be critiqued. Maybe to seasoned readers of Sara who are used to steamier/spicier reads of hers, but this was a new read in a new series and with any first book introducing us to something new, its all about finding footing and this book was a definite step in the right direction in doing so.

There are three things that would have bumped this book up to the full five stars for me, and I'm going to do my best to describe them without spoiling anything. One, their (other) wedding. I would have loved to have seen it play out on the page, rather than in recap of time that has passed. Two, where they ended up. What happened in Scotland for my own taste, should have stayed there. Three, the home and what became of it. In my opinion, it should have remained someone's home. If those three things would have happened--again, for my own reading tastes--it would have made this book five-star material.

(As after all, spice and steam are NOT the only determining factors that make a read a five-star one).

Ultimately, the kudos also for the impact of the book has to go to Will Watt & Kelli Tager for their portrayals as Killian and Sylvie. Outstanding doesn't even begin to cover it. Will was made for Killian as much as I feel the character of Killian was made for him. They walked in the same shoes and delivered my favourite performance of his to date. A round of applause--and another polite request to see a kilted booth photo--for him. Kelli, well, what an introduction this was to another female narrator! Such a pleasant voice that I could listen to for hours--and in fact, did--, who like Will, was made for the character she narrated. I felt rather than heard her delivered performance, and will definitely be looking at listening to more of her next year.

All in all, Keep Me kept me entertained, intrigued and definitely requesting another return to this world and preferably to Scotland with another grumpy, growly alphahole MMC at the help. After all once you go Scot, you can not stop!

4.75 stars!

Did I like it? Yes. Did I love it? We have a fiery marriage of convenience between a guy who is really kind of a dick and a pretty selfish woman who's in it for the money. Their chemistry is great, I just wish they were nicer to each other.

While I was hoping for more character development—especially for Sylvie—the story still delivered plenty of angst and heat. There was plenty of spice (maybe a bit less than SPC), and it was definitely a fun, emotional read, but something felt a little off.

I had the pleasure of listening to this one and the narrators were fantastic. Will Watt is a personal favorite and was amazing as always.

5 ⭐ ⁣
4 🌶️⁣
⁣
I listened to the audiobook and read it at the same time because I needed that Scottish accent. Lol The tension, the drama, the banter!!! I DEVOURED it. ⁣
⁣
Sylvie got cut off from her parents and her ex-boyfriend cheated on her. When she got proposed to marry a grumpy Scottish man, she immediately agreed for 10 million. She just has to marry him for 1 year and they can divorce. But Sylvie and Killian do not get along at all. Always pushing each other's buttons. But the more time they spent together the more they start to understand each other. ⁣
⁣
I'll be honest, I wasn't sure I was going to like Sylvie, but as I keep on reading, I feel so bad for her. And Killian!!! Oh man. I love when a playboy changes for a female. 😏 They're so kinky and I love it!!

This was not my favorite Sara Cate book for a variety of vague reasons that I'm having trouble putting into words. It just made me feel a little put off and I didn't really feel genuine emotion from or for these characters. From a writing style standpoint it works and flows, but the storyline just felt ridiculous to me and I didn't feel invested in the outcome. The audiobook narration also felt over the top with the accents so that may have also lessened my overall enjoyment.

This is an intense and emotional marriage-of-convenience romance brought to life by the outstanding narration of Kelli Tager and Will Watt. Sylvie and Killian's explosive chemistry and sharp banter evolve into a deeply moving connection as they confront their flaws and emotional scars. Cate’s portrayal of Killian’s anxiety adds depth, making his journey of vulnerability and healing especially impactful. The story’s transformation from enemies to lovers is beautifully crafted, with moments of heartbreak and hope that kept me hooked. Both narrators capture these complex characters' fiery passion and raw emotions, enhancing every twist and tender moment—a must-listen for fans of angsty, heartfelt romance.

Keep Me by Sara Cate is a deliciously spicy marriage of convenience romance between an American woman & the reclusive Scottish man she marries. The chemistry between the pair is an electric entity that cannot be tamed. I loved the fierceness & feistiness that occurred whenever they were in the same room together.

This is book #1 in the Sinful Manor series & what a fascinating start it is!

Keep Me is great for those looking to read…
🖤 Marriage of Convenience
🖤 Scottish Billionaire
🖤 Grumpy x Grumpy
🖤 Enemies to Lovers
🖤 Broody Hero
🖤 Forced Proximity

This is my first Sara Cate book but it won’t be my last! I did not expect to feel so many emotions. I love the surprisingly deep emotional connection & the intriguing personal histories their lives entailed. The spice was blush worthy & I loved reading their story.

I listened to the audiobook & it was such a fun listen. I enjoyed the Scottish accent moments the best. I listened at 2.5x speed & it was great for my ADHD brain.

If you are looking for a fascinating, fan your face spicy & wickedly fun marriage of convenience romance, I highly recommend Keep Me!

Massive thanks to NetGalley, Hambright PR,, Dreamscape Media, Libro FM & Sourcebooks Casa for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.