This book really had me in my feels. I saw the trauma in Sylvie from the jump. I was in tears off and on and full-on sobbed twice. This story spoke to me deep in the mother wound. That feeling of being emotionally abandoned by a parent is not something i would wish on anyone, but it's so deeply healing to feel seen on this level. Killian's trauma is also a kind that often exists unseen. It hides deep in the shadows of a person's heart, and that kind of anxiety is debilitating.

This story was emotionally rich while also being cute and funny. There were also a couple of nods to the SPC that I found particularly clever. It was obvious a choice was made, and I loved it.

The narrators for this book were fun and made this an enjoyable listen! Will Watt and Kelli Tager, you both did a wonderful job! Will, the transition of your accents is SUPER clean! Kelli, the emotion of Sylvie towards her mom, brought me to tears. 👏 👏

Thanks to Sara Cate for the opportunity to be on her ALC team! 🫶

This book had SO much heart!!

The audiobook performances by Kelli Tiger and Will Watt really brought these characters to life and as they went on their journey, they became so relatable and real. Initially, I wasn't finding either main character "likable." She seemed spoiled, entitled and immature and he was rude and came off like such a jerk. In true enemies to lovers fashion, I knew they had to hate each at first. But I NEVER expected to fall in love with them both like I did.

Sara Cate always has an amazing talent to humanize her characters. These two went on such a HARD journey, both together and separate, towards healing and growth, and their arcs were beautiful. I was in tears several times when I understood WHY they were the way they were. And I had such hope for them to grow from it. I also loved and appreciated the very pro-therapy approach with this story and wish we saw more of it in romance. Sometimes love isn't enough and the love of 1 person alone cannot fix you. We have to love ourselves enough to get the help we need before we can love others well and accept their love in return.

Highly recommend. Have some tissues ready.

Will I ever turn down the chance to spWill I ever turn down the chance to spend a few days with a rugged grumpy billionaire? Absolutely not. end a few days with a rugged grumpy billionaire? Absolutely not.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this ALC!

I absolutely devoured this book! It was a lot more emotional than I was expecting. I enjoyed seeing that it was the MMC that had the “weakness” (for lack of better word, trying not to spoil too much information), and the FMC is the one who helps him. Although at the end, my favorite part is that he does all the hard work himself. Absolutely loved that!

The only reason not a full 5 stars is because I felt the connection between the characters was a little weak. Beyond the spicy scenes and the “issues” she helped with, I didn’t feel a super strong build up before the I love you’s too place.

Otherwise, really good story! Highly recommend!

Keep Me (Sinful Manor #1) is a forced proximity, enemies to lovers romance.

Killian and Sylvie were both grumpy characters that I learned to love as the story progressed. You get insight into how their personalities came to be. I enjoyed as their connection grew, and their animosity toward each other fade into a pleasant ending.

Will Watt and Kelli Tager did an amazing job narrating both characters. They brought so much life to this story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media and Sara Cate for the early review audio copy of Keep Me!

Scottish billionaire and secluded grump, Killian Barclay is at risk of losing his house to his family. Enter New Yorker Sylvie Devereaux, the woman who snuck into his house to get a glimpse of a family heirloom, and maybe the only person tough enough to be his fake wife. With her neglectful parents cutting her off, she can't say no to the money they're offering her to stick it out for a year and play into Killian's family's scheme.

Keep Me is the first book in the Sinful Manor series by Sara Cate and narrated by Kelli Tager and Will Watt. The contract is absolutely wild but it made for a fun story. It was a little slow at the start while the story is set up and they were both so cranky and both of their families are completely messed up but they way they grow together was cute. I appreciated the way Killian gets time to deal with his past and work on his mental health for himself rather than for the FMC. I'm interested to see what happens in the rest of the series. I don't think this one was as spicy as I was expecting based on her SPC series but it was still good!

What you can expect:
- Forced Proximity
- Marriage of Convenience
- Scottish Countryside Setting
- Family Scheming

This was a fun addition to Sara Cates Catalog. I listened to the audiobook. Let me just say that really makes the story. With the backdrop of the story being mostly in Scotland having the Male narrator - Will Watt with the accent was just top notch. The Female Narrator - Kelli Tager also did an amazing performance. They brought the story to life for me!
I thought the house was a nice backdrop for the story. It being a main part of the storyline, had me paying extra attention and feeling attached to it as our characters made memories and bonded inside. I liked the discussion of agoraphobia as a theme throughout the novel. It allowed for some good character growth as our characters went through the story.
I liked the scenes where they were interacting with their various families. I wish there was a tiny bit more of that because it added a lot of depth to the characters. Seeing them stick up for each other were some of my favorite parts. There’s just something about complicated family dynamics that just really interest me!
The romance between our two MCs was very nice. I really enjoyed the spicy scenes. I felt like it was well balanced with the rest of the plot. I liked their chemistry their banter was stop notch. As the story went on you could really feel their care for each other.
As always, Sara Cate wrote another winner! I highly recommend!

Boy am I a sucker for a grumpy MMC, and Killian is no exception. This enemies to lovers, arranged marriage story was full of bickering, emotion and steam. As the story goes on you find out what has made Killian and Sylvie the way they are and you can't help but to have it pull at your heartstrings.
This book wasn't quite as spicy as some of the other books Sara Cate has written but make no mistake it's just as good!

For those of you that love The Highlands Series by Samantha Young, this new book of Sara's will be right up your alley. It's filled with all things Scottish, to a giant manor, a Scottish wedding, a meddling family & the grumpiest Scotsman you ever did meet whose obviously gorgeous with long hair & a kilt to boot!😉

Keep Me begins with a carefree American, Sylive Deveraux, who is visiting Scotland with with her boyfriend. After deciding to break into the Barclay Manor to retrieve a certain piece of paper, she's caught red handed by Killian himself. He's mean, gruff & mad as heck that she's interrupted his privacy. They are both the biggest grumps & their dislike for each other is palpable.

Circumstances find them both in situations that require some clever solutions so a mutually agreed upon marriage of convenience is made that will benefit both of them financially & help them out. 12 months married & then they can split ways.

The initial hate for one another is fierce & quite honestly mean but as they begin to spend more time with one another, they begin to peel back layers of themselves & we find out things about their pasts that have shaped them into who they are now. Some of of it tragic & toxic. The love/hate relationship is a bit overdone in the beginning, but it does make more sense as we get to know these characters more & as time goes on. They each have personal traumas & issues that have stuck with them for years & prevented them from truly opening up to another person to love.

I enjoyed the growing relationship they had. It felt a little rushed but you need to keep in mind that this story takes place over a year so in reality this helps make it feel more believable. They find ways to support each other & try to make life better for each other.

It's hard to find a better place for the setting of a book than Scotland & this is just infused with all the Scottish vibes, the Highlands, love, romance & beauty. This is one thing I really loved about the story.

As with most of Sara's characters, there is a huge amount of emotional depth to Sylvie & Killian. It's hard to see at first but as each layer is peeled back & we find two souls that are broken & we see them change & grow in the best of ways.

🎧Let's talk narration...Tager and Watt are seriously phenomenal voicing these characters. Both getting to show off their Scottish accents but it's the emotional performances that are a real stand out for me. Tager is a new narrator to me & I was blown away by how much I enjoyed her voice & talent. Watt was terrific as Killian with the deep booming voice you can just picture Killian having. His grumpy personality was perfect & his American accent blew me away. There's a lot of emotion to these MC's & these two narrators bring it all & their performances are fantastic!

I definitely recommend this one for lovers of Scottish romance and Sara brings the heat in her usual fashion leaving you blushing with a little kink & a whole lotta heart.🔥🖤

4 Stars Keep Me is the first book in Sara Cate's new Sinful Manor series and is an emotional marriage of convenience romance set in Scotland.

Tough as nails New Yorker Sylvie Devereaux has no problem facing off against brutish Scotsman Killian Barclay after he catchers her sneaking into Barclay Manor to get a glimpse at a famous heirloom. After Sophie fled, she never expected to see Killian again, until his sister finds her with a proposal: move to Scotland to marry Killian to improve his playboy reputation and walk away with $10 million after one year. Sylvie agrees to the plan, even knowing that the real plan is for Sylvie to win Barclay Manor in the ensuing divorce and give the Manor to Killian's scheming family. The marriage of convenience is anything but, with Sylvie and Killian butting heads at every turn. When the tension between them turns into a burning passion and the end of their year together grows closer, Sylvie will have to figure out how to keep Killian without breaking his heart.

Sara Cate is known for her spicy books that often explore kinks and BDSM. While Keep Me has some hints of BDSM, it is relatively tame compared to Sara Cate's other books. Keep Me was really entertaining and will definitely stir up some emotions; frustration during the early days of Killian and Sylvie's marriage, anticipation as their love grows, and heartbreak during the third act breakup. I definitely recommend listening this one because the narrators are excellent, especially Will Watt's Scottish burr.

Thank you Dreamscape Media for the ALC!

Really enjoyed the familiarity of Sara's writing and themes in this new setting and plot. I'm a big fan of marriage of convenience, especially when there's the dislike element added on both characters' end, so I'm glad Sara explored this while also still incorporating the sexy and kinky vibes we as an audience look forward to in her novels. I did struggle with the extent of their dislike though, because at times it felt too harsh, cruel, and immature, so by the time anything intimate brewed between them I wasn't as invested because I remembered he called her a cow 10 pages ago. Ultimately the MCs weren't my favorite to follow but I'm excited to see where the series goes!

Overall Thoughts: When I was provided this ALC, I went into it blindly, and after listening to it, I’m really glad I did. It meant I had now idea what to expect, except that it was by Sara Cate, so I knew it would be amazing, and I was right. The tumultuous relationship between the ultra broody, and reclusive Killian juxtaposed with the carefree, and tempestuous Sylvie make for an interesting pairing and that’s before you get to what brings them together in the first place. Kelli did an amazing job bringing Sylvie to life, and I can’t imagine anyone other than Will voicing Killian.

Narration: Dual narration, first-person present tense, multiple POV, few flashbacks.

Tropes: Enemies to friends to lovers, opposites, American girl, Scottish boy, recluse, BDSM (light), voyeurism/exhibitionism, cheating (not by main characters), neglectful parents, marriage of convenience, broody alphahole, impulsive FMC, mental health issues, “My wife”

Overall: 5

Spice: 3.5

Humor: 2.5

Drama: 3.5

Darkness: 2.5

Narration: 5

Sylvie is in a bind, needing money after her neglectful parents cut her off after she returns from a trip to Scotland where she broke into a manor to get a glimpse of a famous heirloom, and literally runs into the broody Scot who lives there. So, when she is approached by his family a few weeks later, with an offer she can’t refuse – marry Killian for one year to help improve his reputation and get 10 million dollars free and clear.

Killian has held himself up in his family home, refusing to deal with the emotional trauma of losing his parents when he was 18. Living a life of sin and debautchery, has lead to rumors that have reached his family. Concerned for him, they hatch a plan to help him clean up his image – enter Sylvie.

These two can’t stand each other, but the longer they live together, the more they grow to understand what makes the other tick, and enter into a friends with benefits relationship, but when real feelings develop, and truths are revealed, Sylvie must make a choice, uphold the deal she made with Killian’s family, or do something no one else has and put Killian first.

If there is one thing in this world that is true.. it’s that Sara Cate does not miss. This was phenomenal! I loved this and I didn’t want it to ever end 😩 Killian and Sylvie stole my whole heart and soul! I loved both of their growth from the beginning to the end of this book! Their “meet cute” was one of the best I have ever read!

I loved that we see this juxtaposition in Killian being such a big tough brute of a man but then he struggles so much with mental health and anxiety. It is so refreshing to see this type of representation! I felt for him and all he went through, he was an amazing MMC! Sylvie was so strong and was able to take on all that was thrown at her, her parents really were a doozy and thank goodness for Killian and his rug 😂

This was a wild ride of a story, the banter was so great, even more-so in Killians accent! These two could both give it as good as they take it! The spice was off the charts, the chemistry between the 2 was HOT! And this was also so emotional, I found myself crying during multiple parts of this book! Overall it was such a well written and well rounded story that will put you through a whole laundry list of emotions!

Kelli Tager brought Sylvie’s sass to life perfectly! She was just the perfect person for this role! Will Watt did the very best job ever on this! His accent was impeccable and it really pulled you right into this story. I listened at 2.5x speed due to the heavy accent and it was still so perfectly clear, and easy to follow!

I went into this story completely blind as I am a sucker for any Scottish romance and the storyline was engaging right from the start!! The very first meeting is an American girl, Sylvie, breaking into Killian’s home while she is in Scotland and the mutual disdain for each other begins!

Their dynamic has all the thick tension but as their forced relationship develops, walls come down and it turns into such a beautiful romance! I was even tearing up at parts due to the powerful performance of the narrators in the audio as Killian & Sylvie deal with things in the relationship.And of course those Scottish accents throughout the whole story were so smooth and delightful!!

This is a slow burn romance BUT when that steaming hot spice hits, it is scorching!! Plus that tension between them creates little moments of heat that just immerses you even more into their building romance! It is quite a rollercoaster journey and they aren’t even sitting in the same seat at times but they go on a genuine journey of growth!

📖Keep Me begins with Sylvie visiting Scotland and she breaks into Killian’s house for a picture. When Killian comes across her, a heated encounter ensues. Once Sylvie is back in the states, Killian’s sister makes her an offer to enter a marriage with her brother in exchange for 10 million dollars. But, she has to sign over his house to their aunt at the end. Sylvie can’t pass that up and heads to Scotland to marry the man who she says completely hates her.

Grumpy/Grumpy
Strangers to Hate To Lovers
Scottish MMC & Family
Forced Proximity
Marriage Of Convenience

🎧AUDIO REVIEW:
This book was absolutely PHENOMENAL on audio!!! Kelli Tager and Will Watt narrate this audio in a dual narration and transported me right into Scotland! Their performance gave Killian & Sylvie’s romance so much depth with all the intensity and passion in their voices which completely elevated the story!

Kelli Tager is a new to me narrator who was just incredible as Sylvie! She uses so many voices to help differentiate each character while also bringing out so much powerful emotion in her voice that makes you reply feel the pain that Sylvie is going through. Also, her Scottish accent for Killian and his family was fantastic!!! When I first heard her softer tone with the female Scottish accent, it felt so realistic that I actually looked if I missed a narrator!

Will Watt is also a new to me narrator and if he is not a true Scottish man, I will be shocked! His deep voice matched Killian’s grumpy brute personality so well with a scrumptious Scottish accent that sounded so authentic! And this man’s female voice?!? I was shocked when he talked as Sylvie and somehow just turns off that deep accent and has this soft female voice?! Incredible!!!!

Overall, I highly recommend listening to this one on audio as the performance was outstanding by both narrators!! They put on a show in their performance and will make you feel like you are watching these two on a screen while pulling out all the emotions!

THIS WAS SO GOOD OMG!! A perfect mix of sexy, romantic and emotional. Killian and Sylvie are a new top Sara cate couple for me now. Their dynamic was everything and it gave Scottish kinky beauty and the beast. LOVE!!!!

This book was absolutely freaking amazing! I was fascinated with the plot, it was intense and full of so much angst & emotion.
I absolutely loved the passion, chemistry and angst between Sylvie & Killian. Their relationship progressed so well. I love how hard they both fell, they both had their moments, (their aha moments).
This was a beautiful, messy, intense, heartbreaking story.
Sylvie & Killian both have so much amazing character growth. I love how Sylvie was there and supported Killian when he really needed it, even when it was hard.
The angst and spice together was absolute perfection.
I was hooked from the first moment.
I am excited to see how the rest of the Barclays fair.

4 ⭐ 3 🌶️ 4 🎧

This is my first Sara story since the disaster that was Highest Bidder and I'm really happy I finally jumped back in. This didn't sound like Sara's writing until I thought back to her earlier stuff and realized she's maybe gone back to her roots and I am absolutely here for it. This one was sweet, angsty, funny and spicy, I loved it.

I am obsessed with broken boys and Killian was so, so broken. I loved watching him grow and heal and I loved that Sylvie brought about this change, reluctantly at first and then with all her heart.

The audio was really good. I enjoyed both Kelly Tager and Will Watt in this production. It was really well done and I loved listening.

Trigger warning: Killian calls her cow in hate and then in jest, I was forwarned about this and learned it is a common Scottish insult so it didn't bother me as much. But as a fat American it made me cringe and I know that word can be harmful to a lot of people.

“Just because I can do it without you doesn’t mean I want to.” 🤍💍

If you know me at all, you know that Sara Cate is my favorite author and I simply do not know how to shut up about her and the worlds and characters she creates. Months ago when Keep Me was announced, I preordered without knowing anything about this book or the characters because if Sara writes it, I’ll read it. Little did I know it would exceed my expectations the way it did. I so easily fell in love with these characters, and the originality of their story.

Killian Barclay is a grumpy, recluse of a man. He quite literally just wants to be left alone with Sylvie breaks into manor and shakes both him and his life up. Sylvie Devereaux has hit a personal new low. She’s caught her boyfriend cheating on her with her best friend, she’s broke, and her parents overall aren’t anything special. Weeks later, Sylvie is approached by Killian’s family with an offer she simply cannot refuse. Marry and stay married to Killian for an entire year, make him change his playboy ways, and get ten million dollars. What could possibly go wrong? 🤍🫠

Keep Me has some of the best banter, spice, tension, and chemistry I’ve read in so long. The dynamic between Killian and Sylvie is so different, because they’re both grumpy, head strong, and stubborn to no end. We get enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience, and plenty of my personal favorite - “my wife.” Scottish men, billionaires, kilts, and castles? 😮‍💨 Count me in. Not to mention, Sylvie is so relatable. She loves nothing more than coffee, trashy reality television, and books. I literally love her and her attitude so much.

💍 marriage of convenience
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 grumpy x grumpy
💍 scottish broody billionaire
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 enemies to lovers
💍 forced proximity

Will Watt and Kelli Tager are phenomenal. The dual narration was done so flawlessly, and the voices matched the personas of Killian and Sylvie seamlessly.

Thank you so much Sara Cate and Netgalley for the advanced audio listening copy. I absolutely adore Sylvie and Killian, and their story. I cannot wait to pickup a physical copy of Keep Me for my shelves and spend all of my time daydreaming about them until the next Sara Cate release.

Keep Me by Sara Cate releases December 3, 2024 and is available now for preorder most places books are sold! 🤍

Sara Cate’s “Keep Me” was a delightful surprise! I couldn’t put it down and finished it in a day. The two main characters, Sylvie and Killian, instantly captured my heart. Their enemies-to-lovers story was so engaging, and I loved watching them grow together. Overall, this was an incredible audiobook and the narration was great, I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys romance novels!

I’ve lived this series so much! So grateful to be able to have a chance to be able to read this! Definitely will be reading more from this author