Kept: A Kidnap Romance

Lovestruck #10

by Rosie Sloane

'“With you by my side, I’m more than just a monster.”

Ruth is happy living her best life making her money doing what she loves in the oldest profession known. Until one day she is brutally attacked, drugged, and taken.

Kept for his pleasure.

Can she escape her prison in paradise? Does she even want to?

Marcus is scarred, physically and mentally.

He can’t escape the demons that haunt him. The burn marks on his skin are daily reminders of what he's capable of and he has no regrets when he takes her because when she’s near, he only hears silence. The incessant voices in his head finally stop talking.

Can he make her fall in love with him or will he end up ending them both?

Genres: Dark Romance, Novella, Dark, Romance, Erotica, Contemporary

143 pages, ebook

Published May 30, 2024

About the author

Rosie Sloane writes twisted romantic fiction for readers who crave obsession, betrayal, and love stories that never leave you.
She’s the author of the Lovestruck and Valentine series—standalones and novellas where nothing is safe, especially your heart.
💌 www.rosiesloane.com/links
📸 Instagram: @rosie_sloane_author

Reviews

[Smut Cartel · Rating 4 out of 5]

“With you by my side, I’m more than just a monster.”
Kept for his pleasure.
Can she escape her prison in paradise? Does she even want to?

This was a short and fast paced read, filled with twisted beauty and the beast vibes and a morally grey MMC named Marcus who is one of Ruth's regulars and also her favourite client.

This one has quite a heavy trigger warning list, so please check that first before reading.

Tropes:
- Unhinged MMC
- K!dnapping/Stockholm Romance
- Working girl FMC

[Trista · Rating 4 out of 5]

“If it’s only her pride stopping her from living the life she wants and deserves, then it’s her pride I’ll have to break.”


Whew! Marcus and Ruth were the perfect ending to the Lovestruck series, even if I’m sad that it is! Bella’s epilogue was so cute and the spice was spicing 🌶️

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Sunny · Rating 3 out of 5]

We love a man who supports our reading addiction and buys our whole goodreads and amazon TBR 🤭

[Michelle Frater · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think both the characters in this story have mental issues, but what was interesting is that they balance each other and provide each other with what they both desperately need. It would be easy to label Marcus as a deeply disturbed psycho, but at his core everything he does is because of his love for Ruth and, twisted as that may be, he knows this is what she needs. And he may be right. Ruth considers herself unworthy of love, which is perhaps why she chose her profession, so she imagines everything Marcus does for her is part of a game, although she yearns for it to be real. There are so many sides to Ruth and Marcus fulfils them all. Yet, is her fantasy worth the price of her freedom? Sometimes, when Marcus almost went too far, I wasn’t so sure.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Alexandria Mckissack · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t know i just read but I finished it. Ruth was being a total airhead and was annoying me the whole time with her “This isn’t real.”, “I wish he’d stay.” Meanwhile he’s showing you went above and beyond top show you he’s keeping you. Another issue i had was there were no trigger warnings. The FMC wears a shock collar and actively gets shocked throughout the book. That is a possible trigger for someone. I picked this up because it was short and it really helped with my reading slump but the lack of trigger warnings really ruined the rating for me. I don’t have any major triggers but other people might.

[Crazydutchbooklady · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was is the first book I read from this series.
I think it can be read as standalone but I do feel there was some characters mentioned I could’ve known if I read previous books.

Reading the blurb and titel and triggers I expected the book to be dark. But it was actually kind of cute.
A romance with a somewhat disturbing approach but because both characters were into it made it somewhat acceptable. I also feel the mmc didn’t approach thing normal because of his mental health issues.

Overal an enjoyable read.

[Megan Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely check the TW because this book isn’t going to be for everyone, but I loved it. I wish there’d been a *little* more spice but that’s just because I love the way Rosie writes spicy scenes 😍

Ruth and Marcus’ story is my favourite so far and the Bella epilogue was so sweet ❤️❤️❤️ I’m sad the series is over, but her valentines series is on my TBR.



I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of this book so I could love it before the rest of you 💅🏻✨

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marcus wants the fantasy yo be real, and Ruth doesn't see how it can be.....

This book is short and spicy and has a few twists and turns that will make you need more.

This is a couple I wouldn't get bored of reading. This short book could have easily been 100 more pages, and I would have loved it all!!!

This is the final instalment of the Lovestruck series, and I'll be quickly moving into the Valentine series!!!

Rosie knows how to write and keep you wanting and needing more!!!

Marcus will always be remembered

[Carla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yeah. Unfortunately, I don't think this one was for me. This is the first book from this author and I thought it was going to be a romantic suspense/thriller book.

For me it lacked plot and seemed a bit repetitive and confusing in some aspects.

[delaney · Rating 1 out of 5]

nope. definitely never reading this again.

[Readingwithdesi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has trigger warnings you should check before reading! I loved this book I loved Ruth and Marcus together! I can’t believe this series is over but it’s a must read!!

[Amee]

DNF when MMC zapped FMC with the electric collar for disobeying him, I was out.

[kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was intrigued from the beginning! I do think both characters have a mental illness, however they balance each other out. She quiets the voices in his head and he just seems to know what she needs at all times! It was a good read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Stamatina Vatikioti · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intense read with a lot of kink and an unhinged male leadbthat is capable of been the sweetest and kindest soul if you let him and if you trust him….There are a lot of BDSM elements in the story, some extreme for some ppl and others not so. But all these lead to yummy smexy scenes between the characters.

Marcus is a wounded soul and a scared body and mind. He is OTTA, possessive as h3ll, unhinged, mentally unstable just a bit(!), protective, and so in love. He is in love with a call girl, but he doesn't mind, bc hebis there in her lifebto nake it better, happier, to make her fantasies and dreams come true. He pretends to play, but all he does is be serious. He panishes her as she likes, he keeps her as she asks, he commits to full powe exchange as she asked. She lives and breathes for her, for her happiness, for her to be with him forever.

Ruth is a little…..whiny, she can make up her mind, and she starts challenges she can't pull through. Although she feels deep about Markus since the very beginning, she continues to get away from him bc she can't believe this is real. Her life with him can't be really that good, she can't have that happiness, he has to give it to sooner else that deserves it! I mean…..giiiiiirl he reassures you through the whole story that this is real, this can be real if you accept it, he did all these for you, he built your dream house, with everything you told him at times that you wanted…..he keeps telling you these all are yours if YOU. JUST . ACCEPT IT….But nooooooooo, you can't accept it bc MAYBE one day he might get bored of you blah blah blah. Her indecision is hurting my brain and mental health!

The pase of the book is just at the right "speed" , the scenes are all intense, the poem that she writes heartbreaking, Marcus' inerdialogs and voices are to die for(you will laugh, you will get sad, you willn swoon). Friendships are strong and understanding, and supportive… and the smuty parts are sparce but extremely hot and intence. Overall is a great book


I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[A · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book honestly wasn’t for me. I wanted to love it based on the blurb I read, but it just wasn’t very good in my opinion. I didn’t really like any of the characters. I thought that Ruth’s decisions were silly. She didn’t like the collar and then all of a sudden, she’s begging him to put it on her. She basically gives him a green light and then she gets pissed when he won’t take it off even though he warned her he wouldn’t. I really didn’t feel any sympathy for either one of them.

I guess they were a match for each other because I feel they both were unstable in different ways. They complimented each other and knew exactly what the other person needed. But even with all of that I still couldn’t love their relationship. Now granted I didn’t read any of the stories before this one. This was actually my first book by this author, so maybe that is why I had a hard time reading this.

The story basically goes like this (spoilers below):

The main chick – Ruth – is a prostitute and Marcus is one of her clients. Her favorite client. Marcus was burned in a fire and so its hard for him to connect with anyone, however he connects with her and he’s been planning on taking her away. He’s built Ruth her dream house and plans to keep her there whether she likes it or not. Ruth on the other hand relies on herself, but still she sometimes imagines a life with Marcus. One night before Marcus goes to see her, Ruth is attacked by a client. She tries to cancel on Marcus, but instead he turns up and sees what happened to her. He then drugs her, puts a shock collar on her, kidnaps her and takes her back to the house he’s built for her. He intends to keep her there until she’s willing to stay there of her own free will.

While there she sees everything, he built for her, and she also sees their new dog who is a rescue that was abused and scarred too. Just like Marcus. The dog instantly takes to ruth and becomes her protector. Ruth, at first, just thinks that Marcus is renting the place and playing house, until she realizes that he is serious. She goes back and forth about staying. First playing pretend and then wondering if she should stay for real. At one point he took the collar off her but stupidly (IMO) she decided she wanted to “play” and had him put the collar back on her. After that he refused to take it off her. She continually tested the boundaries of the property and all the while they also used that time to grow closer to one another sharing more personal details about their lives. However, she still felt like none of what Marcus was offering was real and that she needed to get back to her real life. One of the days she decided to really test the limit of the collar and ran towards the lake. Once there she tripped and was shocked and almost drowned. Marcus rescued her and thought she tried to kill herself so he took the collar off her and told her she could go. He gave her deeds to properties he put I her name along with bank account information in her name that basically set her up for life. She took it all and drove away, but halfway down the road she realized she didn’t want to leave and turned around. In the meantime, Marcus realized he wasn’t going to let her go and chased after her. They met in the middle and made up. The story ends with her staying with him. We get an epilogue from the dogs POV and then both Ruth and Marcus where they share that Ruth created a s*x retreat.

[Whitney · Rating 2 out of 5]

I need to stay in my lane. While I love dark romance, I'm realizing the MM dark romance baddies and the MF dark romance girlies... we're not on the same page. Because a lot of what MM authors come up with would truly terrify the MF authors. And I'm not saying that those MF books don't exist but this definitely isn't one of them.

I'm not going to call this book sweet because that implies that I liked it but it was far from dark in my humble yet twisted opinion. Did we really need a long drawn out beginning of how these two met and how the guy (I don't remember their names and I'm not going back to check) fell for her and got in his head that is dating her? Because that went on for way too long. I'm not going to say how many chapters because clearly that word has no meaning here. Some chapters are less than a page, others are 15 plus. I understand build up but this was very anticlimactic because she was way too chill with being kidnapped. Yeah she kind of sort of fought back but not really. It was very superficial and she kept saying how she did want to stay with him forever. From the beginning! I understand it can be difficult to turn a romance into a dark romance but you could have just written something angsty and called it good.

The smell was fine I guess but she fell for him way too quickly in my opinion. I mean she was already half in love with him from the start so he could only go up. If this had more of a cat and mouse feel or there was some real pushback from her, maybe this would have worked but I still would have had some issues.

This next point is ultimately why I'm giving this book two stars because regardless of whether or not it's for me, how sex work is talked about and depicted in this book is quite frankly disgusting. You're wright smut for suburban housewives and soccer moms. Get off your high horse. I can't believe I have to say this in a romance book review but sex work is real work. You don't get to make it the job of your character and then demonize those who engage in it. Your bias is showing and it's not cute.

I also didn't understand why we constantly need to be told that her little side wasn't s*xual and have it explained to us. I understand it's not s*xual for a lot of people but If you distrust your audience that much just don't include the kink.

I guess this book was fine overall. It's definitely for someone, I'm just not her. But even with that thought, I still have a lot of issues with it and there are certain narratives that just need to be retired. But if you can handle that and you like your dark romances with the lights on you might enjoy this.

[addictedtodarkromance · Rating 4 out of 5]

(⚠️ This book has descriptive parts that may be extremely offensive or triggering to some - Please check the TW/CW before reading! 18+)

This is one of those books where I kept wondering what I'm reading but also can't seem to put the book down!

The story starts with Ruth who needs money so she gets paid for people to go to her house to have smex. Marcus is one of her regulars who is her favourite, she actually feels something towards him. At the start he is super sweet, always knowing just what she needs. He's been waiting until the right moment to kidnap her though and when someone attacks Ruth in her house he drugs her and takes her to "their house".

Marcus is doing this because he believes it is what she wants and he wants to take care of her. Ruth wants to be taken care of (as she's usually the one taking care of others) and loves the attention Marcus gives her. He knows what she needs even if she doesn't. Marcus has no plans to ever let her go.

I feel like there could be more spicy scenes but the ones that were in there were hot!! 🥵 Some of the kinks and things he does are very intense and won't be for everyone.

Overall: 4 out of 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice/Heat Intensity: 3 out of 5 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Main Characters: Marcus & Ruth
Darkness: 4.5 out of 5 🖤🖤🖤🖤.5
Type of book: MF, Fast Burn, Duel 1st Person POV
Reading Order: Standalone with Interconnected characters (does not impact this book if you haven't read the others)
Title: Lovestruck Series- Kept: Book 10
Epilogue: No
Ending Type: HEA


*OTT dominant, fiercely loyal and protective H
*Eyes only for her
*Working Girl
*Kidnapping/Captive
*Non and Dub Con
*Scarred MMC
*Mental Health
*Elements of BDSM/Dom-Sub
*Collar/Shocking
*No cheating
*Kind of Sharing (She's a call girl at the start of the book)

*I received an early copy of this book from the author via BookSiren and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

[S Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

OTT Kidnap, Stockholm Syndrome, Dark and Twisty Romance

Warning: This book is not for everyone. But if you are a little open minded and don’t overanalyze you might really enjoy it. Also, there are some Trigger warning worthy things so keep that in mind.

This is the story of Ruth and Marcus. Ruth is a sex worker and Marcus regularly obtains her services for the girlfriend experience. Both Ruth and Marcus have some disturbing pasts that keep them from having a real relationship. They also have a “interesting” dynamic even within the confines of their transactional relationship. After Ruth is attacked, Marcus decides he needs to take Ruth for her own good. He drugs and kidnaps her and takes her to a place she has built for her over the previous year based on her fantasy specifications. What happens when Ruth discovers she cannot leave and how does she feel when part of her wants to be kept.

Again, I will say this book is definitely not for everyone. At its core, it makes you feel like there is someone out there for everyone. Even when you don’t think you want or deserve to be happy. I will say this book was not at all what I expected but in the best possible way. You will finish it and think, what was that, but upon further reflection, this is a hopeful love story, just a very, very, very unconventional one. Open minded readers only. I have read several books in the back half of this series, they all are extremely unconventional romances. If you are a traditional romance reader only, this book is probably not for you, but if you want to try something a little “outside the box” this is worth the read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Rebecca Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kept is the tenth and final book in Sloane's Lovestruck series. This kidnap romance features Ruth and Marcus.

Marcus is one of Ruth's clients. He hires her regularly for "the boyfriend experience". Ruth's clientelle tends to be consistent but when she takes on a new client, she is brutally attacked. Marcus is her next appointment and she calls to cancel given her physical state, he still shows up. Marcus drugs her a whisks her away.

He's been planning this for awhile and has constructed a setup that he hopes will please her. He is certain she feels the same way about him as he does about her and now he just needs time to convince her.

"There's no way on earth she doesn't feel the same way about me. A love this strong can't be unrequited, and if it is, then life isn't worth living anyway."

"...she saved me from myself and I must do the same. The voices changed when I met her."

It is clear that there are mental health issues at play. Marcus is a military veteran who lives with both mental and physical scars. Ruth however sees past his scars and eases his suffering. She gives him what he needs, and likewise, he seems to be able to satisfy her needs.

"I've trusted no one with both ends of my extreme states of mind and fetishes except with him. With him, they don't make me feel odd, it all feels right."

This was certainly a captivating and spicy read. While the two are well suited, I struggled with the lack of freedom Ruth experienced. Ultimately the author delivers a sweet HEA ending for these two troubled characters.

[Sheila M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some parts of the story might be shocking if you do not understand BDSM, kinks and fetishes. If you do, you will see that this is a beautifully written story about a love between two broken souls that find what they need in each other. If you don’t, skip this book rather than give it a negative review because you do not understand it.

Sloane has crafted a riveting story that follows Ruth, a prostitute with a regular customer named Marcus, who is a military medic that had a psychotic break due to the job he was doing in the military. They do not have the typical prostitute and customer relationship where Ruth must concentrate on satisfying the customer’s needs. Rather, Marcus wants the boyfriend experience with Ruth. Marcus wants to make it real, but Ruth doesn't think he wants her that way in reality. Oh, but he does… and he makes it real when he kidnaps her and takes her to the world he built for her.

Kept is a dark and intensely emotional story that is definitely a page-turner. It is well written with a solid plot and great spice. It has compelling MCs and interesting supporting characters, especially Bella the rescue dog. There is actually a lot of symbolism with including a rescue dog. Who is really rescuing who in the story? Are Ruth, Marcus and Bella really rescuing each other? I have read numerous Rosie Sloane books, and this one is now my favorite. I definitely recommend this book to those readers that like kinky romance stories.

[Lindsaye Dombrowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Never fall for the Jons… that's the rule that Ruth must constantly remind herself of, because Marcus makes her feel things that she knows she can't feel. No matter how much she wants their game to be real, it just can't be; or can it? Because Marcus has plans of his own and those plans include making Ruth his and keeping her in the house he had built just for her. Naturally when she refuses to come willingly, Marcus takes matters into his own hands.

Will Ruth ever love him and want to stay? Will Marcus change his mind and decide he doesn't want to play this game anymore?

I loved the idea of this story. A man falling for a woman and doing anything he can for her, to protect her and to keep her safe and happy. My only problem was with Ruth… and I understand being kidnapped you will have mixed feelings about your captor. But she had serious feelings for Marcus before all this transpires. And I understand feelings change but she wants to leave and she wants to stay, afraid Marcus will get tired of her. She wants to run away and in the very next breath she wants to stay forever. By the end (before the epilogue), I had simply become very annoyed with Ruth and the whiny complaints. But the love that Marcus has for her makes my heart melt. The epilogue from Bella is a nice touch, too.

[Amber Hoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first read in this series or by Rosie Sloane. From the title alone I knew to check the trigger warnings, and this is not a book for the faint of heart. I am a reader that believes the darker the better, and read the trigger warnings like a shopping list. Because of all this, I went into this book super excited and with some pretty high expectations for darkness and depravity. Unfortunately, in my opinion, it fell short of these high expectations. Several times I felt like I was reading the outline of what was going to be a fabulous book, and not the book itself. Everything from the characters to the story line felt under developed. I wanted more details to the scenarios the author painted for us, I wanted more explanation and depth to the characters and their relationship. I did finish the book, actually never once considering not finishing it, but that is mostly due to hopefulness for break through moment in the writing.

Overall, I found this to be a quick and ok read. I was mildly entertained, I can't say I disliked the book, but I am unsure of what I did like about it.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

We end of this awesome series with a bang.
As with every installment in the series, check the TW.

Marcus, Marcus, Marcus.

He is in love with Ruth. But, instead of a listening to that little voice, well one of many really, in his head that was telling him to just TALK to her and tell her how he feels. NOPE, he decided to take her against her will and keep her indefinitely.

Ruth, she knows she shouldn’t have the feelings she does for a john. But Marcus is different. He wants the girlfriend experience. That’s too easy. She WANTS to be his girlfriend and it’s a beautiful distraction when they have their time together.

They both want the same end result, but are so stuck in their own heads and not willing to talk to the other to find out that, yes, they can be end game.

While some of the treatment of Ruth can be hard to read, Marcus is doing it out of his version of love. And he only wants her away from her *customer service* job because he knows she capable of so much more.

I loved that they do end up with their version of a happy ending. Marcus and Ruth are perfect together.

[Margo · Rating 1 out of 5]

What the fuck did I just read?

This book was disturbing, redundant, and didn't give a singular descriptor of what the main characters look like besides him having a burn until 60% of the way through the book.

Also the thing with the shock collar made me want to hurl.

There was one part where the clit was being described as being inside the vagina and that's not how it works.

And don't get me started on the fact that she can't used the bathroom without permission... that's... I don’t have words.

This book should have had trigger warnings on page not on a website. No one ever goes to those and although I was fine there are some people who wouldn't be and not giving them the trigger warnings in the book itself is robbing them of the ability to save themselves.

Edit: there are no trigger warnings for this book on her website despite the claim they are on there

Don’t get me wrong I have no regrets and have recommended this book to several friends, but this was reminiscent of watching reality tv in the way I screamed at my phone as I read it.

[Book Lover · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read by this author, and I received it as an advance copy through BookSirens. This is an honest review, and I am leaving it voluntarily.
I had high expectations going into this book, thinking it would be much darker. As a captive romance, I was looking for more intense and toxic themes. While there are dark aspects, the book turned out to be sweeter than I anticipated.
That being said, this is purely a matter of personal preference. The book is well-written and has its own charm. The characters are engaging, and the plot is intriguing, just not in the way I had hoped. For readers who enjoy a romance with darker undertones but still prefer a softer, more tender approach, this book could be a perfect fit.
Even though “Kept” did not entirely meet my expectations, it is still a good book. I would encourage other readers to give it a chance, as their experience might differ significantly from mine. Everyone's taste in romance varies, and you might find this book to be exactly what you're looking for.

[SJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"She will crave me.
Want me.
Need me.
Love me."

A fast-paced steamy Stockholm syndrome dark romance! Rosie Sloane, you know how to "kidnap" your audience with your stories and characters.
What a way to end the series with a bang! This one was top notch on the hot scale and the dark theme. I was hooked, line, and sinker held captive by this book. I will say this is one of my favorite dark romance tropes so I was already a goner.
Contains:
Kidnapping
Morally gray MMC
Kinks (of course)
Dual POV
And more...

Check TW

Marcus is the best kind of unhinged psycho. As morally gray as his actions are I don't have it in me to dislike him in any way. I mean he makes all her dreams come true and takes her away from an awful life, what is there to hate again?
Ruth is perfect for Marcus. They heal each other and I just love the many layers of their relationship.

Last book in the series. It's bittersweet. I have enjoyed this wild, steamy ride.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Tishana Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could NOT have been more excited to see Ruth and Marcus get their story told.

I’ve really been loving this series by Rosie, and she really did leave the best couple for last! 👏🏽
Marcus was possessive, absolutely unhinged, but also madly in love and protective of Ruth. Some of his actions though were a little over the top, but it made sense with the nature of his and Ruth’s relationship. She wanted more than being a prostitute and Marcus TRULY gave her the entire world and then some. The storyline was fast paced and a quick read, but really felt like a full-length novel and not a novella. Rosie put in so much plot and storyline in this book. I loved the character growth with Marcus and Rosie from beginning to end. Their love and own personal growth was beautiful to see, and seeing them be their own family with Bella was PERFECT.

“It may have been me who took you and kept you, but I have, and will always be kept by you”. I CAN NOT.

[Whitney Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm so sad that the Lovestruck series is over, but Rosie Sloane went out with a bang with this Stockholm Syndrome Dark Romance. I was excited to read Ruth and Marcus's story after reading about them in Cast, and this didn't disappoint.

Ruth is a working girl who has vowed to never fall for a Jon, and Marcus is a veteran with scars, both physical and mental after several tours in the Middle East. Marcus decides to take her and show her how she could be loved. Ruth is not even that horrified as Marcus is still fulfilling some of her deepest fantasies. She figures that all good things must come to an end and that the day will come when he wakes up and realizes he can do better than her

If you want a really short but spicy book with a touch of Stockholm syndrome, I for sure recommend this. I'm so sad that the series is over, however, I am so glad that this world will live on through the Valentine's series.

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
🌶️🌶️.5/5

🔥Dark Romance
🔥Kïdn@ppïng/Stockholm Romance
🔥Working Girl
🔥BDSM
🔥Morally Grey MMC

[Danniimood · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book by Rosie Sloane and I was left impressed. I now how to read the rest of the books in this series.

We follow Ruth and Marcus. Two people with two pasts that mess them up. Ruth works in the smex field, having her clients come to her house.

Marcus is one of Ruth's clients. He is always the last client to come over. Marcus is Ruth's favorite client. She doesn't find him selfish like her other clients and finds it sweet that Marcus always makes sure that Ruth gets hers.

Ruth worries that someday Marcus will find a woman that he wants to settle with and will stop coming to see her. What Ruth doesn't know is that Marcus has been taking his time with getting 'their house' ready for her. The house that looks eerily similar to the painting Ruth has.

This book has TRIGGER WARNINGS that should be looked at before reading this book.

[Katie Gilroy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok I loved this book. But I think it’s important to note that you need to read book 9 first. These are interconnected standalones but Ruth makes her appearance as a secondary character in Cast. So does Marcus. Not only that but some of her feelings toward Marcus are discussed with her roommate in that book. I think it’s really necessary to read that first!

Now onto Kept… I love Marcus. He’s a little psycho and misguided but he has a good heart. What he creates for Ruth is amazing!! Ruth understandably has conflicting feelings on the situation but deep down knows her emotions and what she wants.

I really liked the story and the spice was nice! I read all of the Lovestruck series and they just kept getting better and better. If you enjoy kidnapping romance you will definitely like this one. Very well done!!