Let me Keep You: a M/M Cosmic Horror Romance

by Kate Peters

Lionel, a lifelong horror movie fanatic, is perfectly content keeping to himself—just him, the monsters on screen, and the occasional repair job around the luxury apartment building where he works. As the maintenance man, he knows every hidden passage, creaky floorboard, and even where the cats like to hide in the walls.

But when real horrors break through and the building is overrun by nightmarish creatures, Lionel is forced into action. He finds himself protecting Mads—a blind resident with a sharp wit and an eerie calm that doesn’t waver, even as reality begins to twist.

Together, they navigate the shifting hallways and impossible horrors within the building, relying on Lionel’s obsessive knowledge of horror tropes to survive. As the danger closes in, an unexpected connection grows between them—quiet, intense, and undeniable.

But something inhuman is watching Lionel. And it doesn’t plan on letting him leave.

“Let Me Keep You” is a m/m cosmic horror romance that follows Lionel and Mads’ struggle for survival in a monster apocalypse while trying to keep a hold of each other.

Trigger and Content warnings that can be found in “Let Me Keep You”:
Explicit sex, hematolagnia, erotophonophilia, blood, gore, murder, death, descriptions of an unnamed eating disorder

Genres: Horror, Romance, LGBT, Adult, Romantic Suspense, M M Romance, Queer

350 pages, ebook

Published October 31, 2025

About the author

A queer author writing queer books

Reviews

[Megan [At The Cottage] · Rating 3 out of 5]

MM Horror Romance
Cosmic Horror
3 Stars ⭐️


Ok the first 60% of this book was an absolute slog and I fell asleep 3 times trying to get through it. I wanted to enjoy the creepiness of what I was reading but it never gripped me and I felt no connection towards our MC Lionel or anyone else so it was hard to stay focused reading it. At about 65% though this book went from a slow creepy journey to something creepy but smutty? The TWs for this book list a couple terms I had to look up.

Erotophonophilia-lust murderers. A connection between lust and desire to kill.
Hematolagnia-blood play

So the last 40% of this book involves the kink listed above that I requested the book for and I wish this had been explored more in the first 60% because it would have made the book a lot more interesting. Once the kink showed up on page I struggled to put this down and wanted to know wtf was going on. Obviously I can’t share what was going on because spoilers but if you can somehow get through the first 60%, the last 40% sure makes up for the slogfest hence the 3 star rating. Had this not been an arc or Halloween I most likely would have DNF’d it which would have been a shame, maybe.

So thank you netgalley for this arc. I had an unbelievably weird reading experience which is why I keep requesting arcs I’ve never heard of because every once in a while they are 5 star reads.

[Audi♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Monsters coming out of the walls killin everyone + Lionel with a fear/blood kink= him jacking off at the worst time 🤣 Add in a hot n mysterious blind guy… y'all I was hooked! 
Where did the monsters come from?
Why can't they leave the building?
What's going on with Mads?
Will Lionel ever get to have kinky sex?
(He does🤭)

The big reveal was a little underwhelming, and it dragged a bit, but I still had fun.

[Julia (bookish.jka) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"But now, with the man kneeling down beside him, so much closer, the thing he noticed first was his eyes. He was smiling at Lionel, such a gentle smile he didn’t think he really deserved, that rounded the bottom of his eyes— eyes that were a color Lionel couldn’t really place. They looked almost red or purple, and his pupils flicked back and forth, too fast."

Honestly, I am not a horror reader, I avoid the genre at all costs because I don't like being scared, but something about this one called me in!

Let me Keep You: a M/M Cosmic Horror Romance is a cosmic horror romance by new-to-me author Kate Peters and whilst there were definitely some dark themes, gorey scenes and super creepy moments, it wasn't 'keep me up at night' scary.

Lionel is the maintenance man in a luxury apartment block which is showing signs of wear and tear - and then some! Mads, one of the apartment tenants, is his romantic interest and their developing relationship through the most bizarre and heinous occurences is gorgeous.

What To Expect:

❤️MM romance
❤️Gore and violence
❤️Creepy scenes
❤️Dark themes
❤️First times
❤️Some spicy moments
❤️Forced proximity
❤️HEA (as much as you can in a horror romance)

Loved it!

4.25 stars 🌟

[Kate Peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote this but honestly this might be my favorite book I've written and I hope you all love this very fun zombie-apocalypse-esque ride. Also yes, their ship name is MadLion and yes I'm very jazzed about how cool that is

[Lou Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Review:
I am still currently reading, however with books like this, they tend to go how you think they will and I'm not saying its predictable, but it aligns very well with my before thoughts so I'm just going to mention some other things which I think are super important in regards to this book:

I have many disabilities, and I think the way Peters explores a variety of disabilities in this complex of apartments was brilliant, as well as the awareness amongst the characters of handling those disabilities, the struggles that come along with it, and of course the representation is some of the best I've ever read in a book. I rarely see any representation of actual disabilities in books, I think we all know about the acotar author mentioning that the mc had a disability: then never touched on the topic again which is weird, and annoying to someone like me who has disabilities. This story didn't do that. I liked how she explores a few different disabilities, incorperates them not just into the characters within the book but also the world. Not something you'd expect to see in a book like this, much less in a review, but as I mentioned: I have many disabilities, and I appreciate how the author hasn't just put disabilities in here for the sake of tokenism.

I am known for being very judgmental when it comes to female writers writing queer romance. I feel like in general, they are as bad at writing male romance as men are at writing women. HOWEVER. I felt represented by this. I felt like so far, she has represented a type of relationship within gay male romances well. I just know that my boyfriend would love the book.

I'm also going to write here that if you did enjoy Don't Let the Forest in, this should very well be on your radar. There is more spice in this than that book; Just be aware if it's not your thing, so far, I actually enjoyed the spice. I also really love how in terms of this world, the horror elements were explored how people would probably react in the real world to these sorts of events transpiring. That overall sold the story to me. Real stakes, real challenges and characters that felt real. Also again, noise for the art on the front because that is some gorgeous artwork right there.

Before thoughts
Okay this is super exciting. I just set up my Net Gallery account again, under my new email for my reading stuff, and this is the first book that's gotten approved. I've gone over the cover, which can we just give a little noise for, it is absolutely stunning. The reason I applied to be an arc reader is quite simply I really miss Wilder Girls and Don't Let the forest in, and this book seems like it will give the same, if not similar vibes. I have high hopes. Also seeing that the book is a self described m/m horror I am deeply hoping this will have a romance plot- but focus more so on the horror vibes kind of how Wilder Girls and Don't Let the forest in.

I don't know how approval works for the arc, but thank you to both Kate peters and Net Gallery. I'm very excited to read this book, and to also later review for Youtube. Much appreciated.

Books I've mentioned:
Don't Let the Forest In
Wilder Girls

[Astraeus · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of Let Me Keep You from NetGallery, and this is an honest review.
I was interested in trying out Let Me Keep You because I am a huge horror movie fan, but don't read a lot of horror, and felt this could be a fun way to try reading more horror while staying in the romance genre. That being said, I am not the biggest fan of cosmic horror in general, and I do think that impacted my enjoyment of this book to an extent.

I was drawn to Lionel because he was a horror movie buff who was dropped into a horror movie premise with a mysterious love interest. However, we hit the ground running, and I think that impacted the gravity of the situation. We don't meet any of the characters before people start dying, which took away the emotional impact for me because I didn't care that these characters were dying or disappearing; I don't know them. I wasn't really scared either, because I (nor the characters) understood the rules (if there were any) in place, so it just felt like anything goes and nothing really matters. Death, gore, and blood don't scare me, so I found myself mostly bored while reading. That being said, if you are someone who likes cosmic horror or finds death, gore, blood, and generally feeling lost or confused scary, then this might work better for you.

As for the romance, I also found it lacking. The characters didn't feel multilayered or compelling to me, and their romance was a slow burn that relied on finding each other attractive in a way that felt shallow to me.

Overall, I feel disappointed. I would have liked to get to know the characters a bit more before everything goes down to build more tension and suspense. I would have liked to have seen more depth in the characters so that I found them compelling and wanted to root for them (even if they're morally grey). I think if you aren't necessarily going in for the romance, like I mentioned above, and find certain things scary, then it might not be so bad. This just clearly wasn't for me and that's okay.

[Catarina Águas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted to thank Netgalley and the author for the free copy of this book

This was so good, so much better than what I was expecting.
Lionel was a little twisted but so sweet. He was just surviving through life and then Mads and the whole thing happened and it changed everything for him.
Mads, I had my suspicions about him and I was right. Even still, he was just wanted Lionel, and he was willing to let him go if that made him trully happy

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy five stars. What a wild ride that was. Please read the trigger warnings. I didn't, and the first page caught me off guard (which I really enjoyed). Each time I picked this up I had a hard time putting it back down and was nearly late to work cause I had to finish it. I loved the two main characters, Lionel and Mads. I found Lionel to be relatable, with his self doubt. Mads was his perfect counter part, always calm and encouraging. The horror in this was so creepy and well done. And the claustrophobic feeling of being trapped loomed over the whole book. The dread didn't let up. I loved this from start to finish, nothing felt like filler, the pacing was perfect. My only criticism was there were some continuity issues. But that didn't take away any enjoyment. I wish this had been longer, I enjoyed it so much. Highly recommend.

**Thank you Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for providing this ebook. All opinions are my own.**

[Circus-Shrimp · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick and fun read.

The main plot was intriguing and I enjoyed the gradual reveal of what was going on. I thought Lionel was an interesting and unique main character that had lots of potential - although I feel that the plot got in the way of his personality being able to fully shine through.

The book is at its strongest in the last 40% when the main plot, the characters and the romance get a more equal amount of focus.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

📚Let Me Keep You
✍🏻Kate Peters
Blurb:
Lionel, a lifelong horror movie fanatic, is perfectly content keeping to himself—just him, the monsters on screen, and the occasional repair job around the luxury apartment building where he works. As the maintenance man, he knows every hidden passage, creaky floorboard, and even where the cats like to hide in the walls.

But when real horrors break through and the building is overrun by nightmarish creatures, Lionel is forced into action. He finds himself protecting Mads—a blind resident with a sharp wit and an eerie calm that doesn’t waver, even as reality begins to twist.

Together, they navigate the shifting hallways and impossible horrors within the building, relying on Lionel’s obsessive knowledge of horror tropes to survive. As the danger closes in, an unexpected connection grows between them—quiet, intense, and undeniable.

But something inhuman is watching Lionel. And it doesn’t plan on letting him leave.

“Let Me Keep You” is a m/m cosmic horror romance that follows Lionel and Mads’ struggle for survival in a monster apocalypse while trying to keep a hold of each other.
My Thoughts:
The setting- and the subsequent gore- was nicely done. The main plot was intriguing and I enjoyed the gradual reveal of what was going on. I thought Lionel was an interesting and unique main character that had lots of potential - although I feel that the plot got in the way of his personality being able to fully shine through. this perfectly captured those feelings. The survival-horror that the "zombies" added, the weirdness of the rooms and hallways, plus the cute little romance bubbling between Lionel and Mads. I don't think I could've asked for something more attuned to my niche than this. This was brilliantly done, absolutely horrific, and yet somehow sweet? And touching? And the ending was the perfect conclusion, literally no notes. Even with those minor rough edges, but it’s definitely an interesting read and keeps you very engaged. It is fast paced, action packed, messy, emotional, and very atmospheric. It's one of those reads that’s less about being scared and more about being unsettled. Add this to you TBR list.
Thanks NetGalley and Author Kate Peters for the advanced copy of "Let me Keep You" I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#KatePeters
#LetmeKeepYou
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

⚠️Trigger Warning Content warnings that can be found in “Let Me Keep You”:
Explicit sex, hematolagnia, erotophonophilia, blood, gore, murder, death, descriptions of an unnamed eating disorder

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED this one. Basically, once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down! The pacing was excellent, and the storytelling felt intense! There was always something happening that moved the story forward, which was great. The horror scenes and descriptions were very well done. I loved the two main characters and the dynamic between them. Their actions and words felt consistent and real (especially Lionel). I never found myself thinking that one of them suddenly did something uncharacteristic just for the sake of the plot. Which is something I really appreciate. Something else I really enjoy about the writing is that everything in the story is relevant to the story. I am so thankful that I was not left with a bunch of questions at the end. As far as the plot goes, I really enjoyed it! The story itself is exciting, and it moves very quickly, so at no point will you feel like "okay, here's a good place for me to stop and take a break" lol.

Now for some spoiler-ish things below:

The constant changes to the building were a lot of fun, and the fact that each change was different was great. I am glad it wasn't just the same thing over and over. I found myself wondering how the building would react the next time they left the room they were in. I also really appreciated how you could see the creatures gradually becoming more intelligent through the story, rather than one minute they're fumbling around and the next minute they've learned to talk. It takes chapters for these things to happen, so that is nice. If you've read a lot, you could probably pick up on the twist at the end through subtle clues. However, the twist itself is still satisfying to read, and the scene in which it is revealed is written very well. You can definitely feel the anxiety in that scene. The only part that I wasn't 100% satisfied with was the ending, but truthfully, there are very few stories out there in which I am completely satisfied with the endings. All in all, it's a great book and I had a lot of fun reading it!

[Mae Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up

#MadLion!!!

Imagine you wake up one day you’re living your life and you’re a handyman so you get woken up at 6 AM in the morning to fix some sort of problem with your neighbors cat because the dumb cat is always getting lost in the walls. so you go help the sweet old lady to get her cat as you’re reaching into the wall so try to figure out where the heck this cat is something absolutely dreadful and vicious that does not belong in this world is staring back at you. Everything goes to sh*t and there are strange beings, running around the building that you maintain casually eating people. Well Yup! You guessed it, that’s what happens to Lionel( our MMC) right at the start of this book. As Lionel and other tenants (Fellow Survivors), try to make it through the disaster that seems to only be happening in his building; he meets Mads with his freakishly pale skin and ridiculously light hair, there seems to be more to Mads than meets the eye.

As the days grow longer, the building itself seems to be against Lionel and the group of survivors that are warped. Friendships are betrayed and trust is put to the test.

The book started off really strong for me like I could not put it down but it too late in the night but it’s not around the middle around the 58% mark and I know this because I was recording for a book video, The book really started to drag, and I had to really push myself just to make it to the end and not DNF other than that. This book would be a four star for me, but I took a one star off just for the drop in pacing.

Let me keep you by Kate Pierce is a thrilling somewhat horrifying adventure riddled with suspense spice, and a couple you just can’t help rooting for.

[♥ Jade ♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate enough to get to beta read this novel! And let me tell you, what a novel it is! Kate doesn't hold back on the horror elements, so *please* read her trigger warnings/tags! And, if you read the first couple pages and are put off, just put the book down! Don't say she didn't warn you because Lionel sure is in that first chapter! We will not be leaving bad reviews because we didn't read TW's! Okay??

That being said, this book is a delight. Is it spooky? Yes. Is it a little creepy? Yep! Are Lionel and Mads a messed up, toxic yaoi ship? Oh hell yes. But they're both broken in ways where their sharp edges fit together perfectly. (They're not toxic so much to each other but RIP others who may come into contact with them lmao) If you're a fan of messy relationships and not just they met and were in love and it was sunshine and rainbows and butterflies and nothing complicated things, then I can't in good faith recommend this to you. BUT!! If you're a fan of more nuanced, complex relationships? This will hit so hard! I read this book in a total reading time of 7.5 hours according to my Kobo (I eat books) and I swear it felt like 7.5 seconds because of how fast it went by!

Also, for a horror book I feel both characters are very endearing. If you're the sort to root for the villain or wonder why the bad guy has to have a bad end, you really really ought to read this! I'm keeping this review vague because I don't want to dish spoilers (It's got so many fun surprises you'll enjoy more for coming across organically!) but this would be a great great read for MLM lovers during spooky season! (And all other seasons hehe)

[Madeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an eARC for my honest review.

I loved this. I'm getting much more into horror, but have never really touched cosmic before, and I'm so glad I decided to pick this up.
Mads as a character was amazing and I could tell there was a mystery about him pretty much right away, and while I did end up guessing what it was, I felt it was done well and the hints leading up to it made sense. Loved the scenes where he was merciless, blood covering him and contrasting with his image. Ugh so good.

The setting- and the subsequent gore- was nicely done, but as usual I find myself asking for more lmao.

This was 100% an open ending, leaving me with a few more questions then I came in with but I thought it was so interesting. Not the type of open ending in which it leaves the possibility for a sequel though so do not expect that. I think it's best to let the readers be kept in the dark in this case.

Why, however, did I give this four stars instead of five if all I'm doing is raving about it? Well, mainly because of Lionel. At times he felt kind of like a nothing sandwich. It was fun to see him struggle with desire and disgust, unsure in his own morality. Though- ironically- he paled in comparison to Mads in my opinion. Was he friends with come of the people in the complex? Only acquaintances? Cared- or not? Ignoring his sadism he could have been rando #4, swapped out with another character and it might not have affected the story. He was pleasant enough to be in the mind of, but standing next to his boo he just felt kind of. Eh.

[Aldi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was all right - decent horror vibes delivered with a light hand, meaning at no point will you feel compelled to care about the dozens of people being gorily murdered, lol. I enjoyed the premise of the apartment building turning into a monster-riddled, time-warping, cosmic horror trap, but the pacing was a bit of a mess. The characters spend way too long traipsing up and down corridors, running away, huddling in apartments, killing some monsters, and running away some more. Oh yeah, and falling in love with the otherworldly dude who obviously has something to do with the flesh-eating apartment building from the moment we meet him. This is where it fell a bit flat for me, because for a self-avowed horror buff, it sure took Lionel an absolute Lovecraftian eon to cotton on. The suspense kept me going because I wanted those answers, but it felt like a bit of a slog to get there. I feel like more could have been made of the relationship as well; it all felt somewhat underbaked.

I had noticed the content warnings belatedly and been a bit worried since two of them are actual squicks for me. What ended up on page was actually pretty mild though, imo.

Not sure what's up with the author calling out beta readers who'd let her down in the acknowledgements? Seemed like an odd/sour thing to include.

Overall, this was fun in how it managed to be lighthearted and entertaining despite the huge body count and gore galore, but it was all a bit shallow.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Courtney Vickers · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

Despite not being a horror reader, something about Let Me Keep You tugged at me. The book is a mm horror romance where the world Lionel lives in is twisted and deformed, sprouting monstrous creatures, sinister voices, and a building that feasts on its inhabitants.

Yet in the centre of all this upheaval, fear, and violence is Mads, a blind resident who’s strangely calm and the anchor that keeps Lionel steady.

But really, who is calm in a nightmare come to life except for someone suspicious, right?

I enjoyed reading Let Me Keep You. I was kept entertained throughout with the different horrors that presented themselves; however, I didn’t feel scared or thrilled or stuck to the edge of my seat, which is what I would have expected from a horror. I was intrigued, but what drew me in more was the relationship that developed between Mads and Lionel, and the suspicions surrounding Mads.

Overall, if you’re looking to dive into a book filled wth the unknown, packed with creepy creatures and lots of horror, but also has a sweet romance and an intriguing ending, pick up Let Me Keep You, it’s definitely bringing the October vibes.

What to expect:
Cosmic Horror
💕 MM Romance
Haunted Building
Blood, Gore & Violence 🔪
Creepy Creatures
Passing Hint of Cannibalism
The Shining Vibe 🏨
🌶️ Spice
Suspicious Love Interest

[Aleksander · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️½
Genre: MM Romance, Horror
Tropes: Forced Proximity, Haunted Setting, Suspicious Love Interest
CW: violence, blood, monsters, stalker-vibes, hematolagnia, erotophonophilia
Steam: open-door, frequent

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Let Me Keep You is a dark and unsettling mix of horror and MM romance. The world the author builds feels warped and claustrophobic, with a constant sense that something isn’t quite right. Lionel’s and Mads make for an intriguing romantic pairing. Their connection is strange but compelling, blurring the line between comfort and danger in a way that kinda fits the story’s mood.

I’m not usually a straight up horror reader, but this one kept me curious. It’s more eerie than outright scary, and while some parts dragged or felt a bit inconsistent, I still wanted to see how everything would come together. I do think it could’ve used another round of edits (there are a few continuity hiccups) but the overall vibe carried it through.

Even with those minor rough edges, but it’s definitely an interesting read and keeps you very engaged. It is fast paced, action packed, messy, emotional, and very atmospheric. It's one of those reads that’s less about being scared and more about being unsettled. Worth picking up!

[Viggo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for letting me read an ARC of this book :)

First off, the cover is beautiful- It really sets the tone for the book, and the art is gorgeous.
Thankfully, the writing inside is just as brilliant.
Its concept gripped me from the start, the contained setting of the apartment building adding to a spooky sense of claustrophobia.

This book legitimately got me out of a reading slump; I couldn’t put it down, and every moment I wasn’t reading it I was thinking about it! I breezed through it, the writing style isn’t too flowery but still describes the horror in suitably grotesque and spine-chilling ways.

There was an offputting aspect to Lionel’s personality that I was very unsure about to begin with- but it turned out to be a great exploration of his character, and my worries were unfounded.
I also adored the ending; not a lot of books would have the courage (or skill) to pull something off like that, but this nailed it.

I’ll definitely be reading this again, as its twists and turns would add so much to a re-read.
A perfect read for Halloween.
5/5

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read the e-ARC of Let Me Keep You! :)

This is my first official book review and I'm so glad I can say I found myself enjoying this book more than I thought I would. This story is dark, fast-paced, and incredibly hard to put down. Almost immediately, I had that feeling of dread and anticipation, waiting for something to go wrong. The main characters, Lionel and Mads, were well contructed and easy to picture in such a dangerous apocalyptic situation. The pair are trapped in a block of apartments, sealed away from the outside world, and left to fend for themselves against numerous cosmic horrors/monsters. I'm so glad their relationship had time to develop, with the pair focusing primarily on their dire need to survive rather than *ahem* other needs. With that said, there are still a few steamy scenes (please make sure to read the trigger warnings)! There are a number of twists and turns throughout the book that caught me pleasantly off guard, leaving me wanting to know more.

In essence, it's a perfect read for Halloween and I look forward to reading more from this author!

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars.

Cosmic horror? Yeah! QUEER cosmic horror?? HELL YEAH.

Let Me Keep You started at a hard 10, dipped into slightly calmer territory for all of a few pages, then turned things up to eleven with a hard dive right into true horror. It’s been a while since I read a horror book that got me right in the goods. I agree with a few other reviews that this was possibly heavier on the gore than the psychological, but some scenes felt Stephen King-esque with the gross, unseemly factor. The author really knows what they’re doing with the horror.

The only issues I had were some awkward grammatical bits, and I wish we got more depth in both the characters and relationship overall. To echo some of the other reviews, the last 40% of the book is where the story really came together, and we got to really see where the characters were coming from, their humanity and emotional drives.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick read that kept me engaged throughout, and I’m eager to see what the writer has in store for us next.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

[Shymsal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oookaay... This was a lot ...more... than I was expecting.

This is inventive, interesting, while also being downright off the wall weird at some times and absolutely, horrifically blood-drenched at others.

Trust the author when she tells you this is cosmic horror because just because you can handle zombies does not mean you can handle this book. A good litmus test may very well be seeing if you can make it past the very first scene. If you can handle that, and you like a sweet-in-its-own-way m/m romance, and also like apocalyptic horror where humanity can be likened to shrimp for both tastiness and inconsequence - you have found the book for you.

As for me... It was an experience and is something I am unlikely to forget. It is very possible I will, when I am in the right mood, try other offerings from Ms. Peters.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Alex (Bri's Book Nook) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lionel literally wakes up in my worst nightmare. He is trapped in his apartment building, all doors and windows are locked, phones & internet don’t work, and the world is acting like nothing is wrong. Oh, and the building is full of monsters that attack the residents. He and Mads, a blind resident whom Lionel is definitely not attracted to, team up in order to try to survive.

This book reminds me so much of the Webtoon Sweet Home! Every floor of this building is full of new horrors. Time no longer works the same. The only person that Lionel can rely on is Mads, because everyone else could change on a dime, or not even be human to begin with.

The book starts with a bang, then slows down a bit, but picks right back up all the way through the end. Would recommend to anyone looking for a new horror/romance read.

[Ashley Struck · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a horror novice I was a little unsure whether I would be the right audience for this book, or if I would enjoy it as much as someone who was really into horror. I did not have anything to worry about. This book would be great for horror and romance readers.
The pacing is well done and the story keeps you hooked the whole way through. The characters are engaging and the romance element is steamy. Mads is by far my favorite character. The horror element is well done but still accessible for readers who don't traditionally read it. Not traditional zombies are always a good time.
If you are looking for a romance that will make you question what you would be capable of doing in the name of, not only survival but love, this is the book for you.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an e-ARC and am giving my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this opportunity!

This was incredible. I'm a massive cosmic/eldritch/"something is Wrong" horror fan, and this perfectly captured those feelings. The survival-horror that the "zombies" added, the weirdness of the rooms and hallways, plus the cute little romance bubbling between Lionel and Mads. I don't think I could've asked for something more attuned to my niche than this. This was brilliantly done, absolutely horrific, and yet somehow sweet? And touching? And the ending was the perfect conclusion, literally no notes. I just LOVED this!!

Perfect for fans of The Magnus Archives the Spiral and the Stranger, with hints of the Hunt

[C. A. Hayward · Rating 3 out of 5]

This M/M cosmic horror was dark, gruesome, and full of twisting emotions. The inter-temporal and inter dimensional aspects were so fun and added great twists and turns (literally) to the plot. Even Lionel’s slasher film kink added a fun element to a story that is surrounding him with people getting brutally murdered and him getting bricked up in response.
The plot did drag at times when they are just moving from room to room over and over again, and the ending was both expected and unexpected which brought my review rating down a little. Overall, it’s still an entertaining and fun read that is a little silly at times.

[Rachel Stj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me Keep You is my first time reading Cosmic Horror and I think I might have found a new genre that I like! I absolutely devoured this book and could not put it down once I started!

The mystery was interesting, the horror/creepiness well done with great pacing. Very atmospheric! Did I see some things coming? Yes. Did I still enjoyed the reveals? Absolutely!

I really loved Lionel and Mads, they complimented each other well! I would have loved to see more of their romance!

Overall, highly recommend and, as always, read trigger warnings!

(Thanks to NetGalley for providing this EArc)

[Stas · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was so fucking scary 😭😭 highly recommend for fans of eldritch/supernatural horror. had big Cabin In The Woods vibes and The Quiet Place + Bird Box energy. plus it was gay. I really did not know where things were going for most of this book. the action kicks off right away and keeps you on your toes until the last page. I tore through the last 50% just wondering what would happen next which was completely unintentional because now its bed time and im SCARED!!

thanks netgalley for ARC access!

[ash ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

i've been trying to try out more queer horror lately, and this was def a wild ride. read the content warnings cause there was some freaky stuff in here. overall, i found the book more gross horror than scary horror, and the romance was pretty light and didn't start until around 60%. i didn't find the twist at the end to be surprising at all, but that was okay. a decent read for queer horror fans :)

[Ryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review

Wow!

Ok first off, Lionel is a bit of a freak. Like I feel like he isn't supposed to be likeable. The kinda creepy maintenance guy vibes. But like not actually a stalker. Just ... Naturally a creep.

Mads? 10/10, no notes, freaky tall man

Lionel was not good at not doing dumb things it also come on, it's a self contained apocalypse. I would probably do stupid shit to...

Overall my brain is liquified and I am talking to the walls. Do recommend.

[Brittany P · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Read this as an ARC*
A perfect Halloween book!!
This book was like a living nightmare!! All of my worst dreams come to “life”.

If you like Phantasma, you may also like this thriller of a book.

The end was a smidge predictable but in no way did that take anything away from the rest of the book.