Kept: A Masked Man Dark Romance

by Sammy Fyfe

Hannah

After graduating law school, I thought I could handle a few months back home in Brooklyn, helping with my dad’s Senate campaign. But one drunken night is enough to prove me wrong.

Now I’m trapped in my childhood home again, right back under my dad’s control, with my future hanging in the balance and a gun-for-hire assigned to babysit me.

All I’ve ever wanted is freedom. I just need to hold on a little longer until I get my bar results at the end of the summer. Then I can get my life back on track. My real life in Boston, the one I’ve worked so hard for in an attempt to escape from my dad’s oppressive clutches.

So why am I finding myself drawn to the second most dominant and controlling man I’ve ever met? Ghost.

The masked mercenary who refuses to show his face. The alphahole enforcing ridiculous rules meant to keep me “safe.” The hulking brute who watches my every move and haunts my every thought.

I don’t know what secrets he’s uncovered about my dad, but I know one thing for sure. This man is not saving me. He’s ruining me for anyone else. He was hired to protect me, but I might just risk everything I’ve worked for to follow him into the darkness.



Ghost

I thought this job would be an easy gig for the summer. Some down time from my missions, time close to home and my grandma, the last surviving member of my family.

What should have been a straightforward case of watching a spoiled brat turns into a second chance to take out one of the most pervasive criminal networks in my world, the same one threatening the politician's daughter I’ve been tasked with keeping safe.

To my surprise, Hannah Morgan isn’t the bimbo I pegged her for. Her jade green eyes, sharp tongue, and fierce tenacity threaten to shake the very core of who I’ve spent my entire career becoming. The man nobody knows. A ghost.

My world is changing with her in it, and I’d burn it to the ground in a second just for the chance to be close to her. Something I didn’t know I wanted. Something I didn’t know I needed, until her.

Despite his military accolades, her dad is no hero. He might be the biggest threat to her. And I promised myself I’d eradicate anything in this world that threatens her peace.

Whether she wants me or not, I’m going to protect her at all costs. And if that means giving up the life I know to make sure she’s safe and free in her future, then so be it.

I want to claim her, but I can’t let my darkness taint her. She might not belong to me yet. She might never be mine to keep. But I swear on everything I am, everything I’ve trained to be, she stays under my protection. Always.

337 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 13, 2026

Reviews

[Spicy Book Confessions · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Panty Meter: 💦💦💦💦
Emotional Damage : 💔💔💔.5

Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book had me hooked from the very first chapter.

We start by following Ghost (Logan), a former Special Forces soldier turned mercenary who now takes high-paying jobs protecting people and righting wrongs. When a powerful politician offers him $3 million to babysit his 25-year-old daughter during his campaign, Ghost immediately knows something doesn’t add up. The money is suspicious, but his instincts tell him there’s more going on beneath the surface, so he takes the job.

Ghost expects Hannah to be a spoiled, reckless party girl who’s become an embarrassment to her father’s campaign. Instead, he discovers she’s nothing like the media portrays her. Hannah has just finished law school and taken the bar exam. The “party girl” reputation came from a single night out when paparazzi caught her after she’d had far too much to drink and splashed those images everywhere. She and her father have a complicated history, and it’s clear from the beginning that there’s much more to their relationship than meets the eye.

Needless to say, Hannah isn’t thrilled about having a bodyguard following her everywhere, and Ghost isn’t exactly excited about playing babysitter. Their relationship starts off full of tension and frustration, but the attraction between them quickly becomes impossible to ignore. Watching that slow build from reluctant enemies to something much deeper was one of my favorite parts of the book.

One of my favorite additions to the story was Logan’s grandma, the spitfire woman who raised him. She was absolutely hilarious, but more importantly, she gave us a chance to see the softer side of Logan beneath the Ghost persona. Those moments helped bridge the gap between the man he truly is and the identity he’s built around himself, making his character feel even more layered and relatable.

Later, Ghost brings in two members of his team, Atlas and Rook, and they were such a fantastic addition. The story absolutely didn’t need them to be good, but they elevated it even more. Their banter, loyalty, and dynamic with both Ghost and Hannah added so much personality and made the entire cast feel stronger.

As the story unfolds, Ghost and his team begin uncovering the truth behind where Hannah’s father’s money is coming from, along with the very real threats against Hannah’s life that she doesn’t even know exist. The suspense, action, romance, and mystery all blended together really well.

The spice was fantastic, with several scenes that I absolutely loved, but what really stood out was the relationship development. It felt earned, believable, and emotionally satisfying. I also loved all the little pop culture Easter eggs sprinkled throughout the book—they made me smile and appreciate the author’s humor even more.

Overall, this was such an enjoyable read with great pacing, compelling characters, plenty of action, and a romance that kept me invested from beginning to end. I can’t wait to read more from Sammy Fyfe.

[Cortney McKay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book! Loved the spicy scenes as it went along with the booktok masked men craze! The storyline was great from the mystery to the falling in love and the hero winning in the end taking out all the bad guys! Loved grandma and hope I’m as cool as her in my later years 😜 Couldn’t put it down!!

[Lisa clarke · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review | Releasing 13th July

If you love dark bodyguard romances, possessive masked men, and a delicious blend of BookTok and MaskTok energy, this one absolutely delivers.

Ghost was everything I wanted from a morally grey protector hero—intense, obsessive, fiercely loyal, and utterly devoted once Hannah became his person. The masked mercenary vibe added so much mystery and tension, and his protective instincts bordered perfectly on that delicious "touch her and die" energy that dark romance readers crave.

Hannah was a strong heroine in her own right. Despite growing up under her father's control, she fought hard for her independence and future, making her easy to root for. I loved watching her challenge Ghost just as much as she was drawn to him, creating a dynamic filled with chemistry, tension, and plenty of emotional push and pull.

The political intrigue and criminal underworld elements added an extra layer to the story, giving the romance real stakes beyond the attraction between the characters. The mystery surrounding Hannah's father kept me invested, while Ghost's own darkness and internal conflict made him an incredibly compelling hero.

The romance itself is possessive, protective, and intensely addictive. Ghost isn't a man who does things halfway, and his unwavering determination to keep Hannah safe—whether she wants him to or not—creates some wonderfully swoon-worthy and spicy moments.

My only reason for not giving it a full five stars was that I would have loved a little more development in certain plot elements toward the end, but overall this was an incredibly enjoyable read that fans of dark bodyguard romances will devour.

A gripping, steamy, and addictive romance with a masked anti-hero you'll be thinking about long after the final page.

Thank you to the author for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Heathersreadingbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨✨✨✨ARC Review ✨✨✨✨
Thank you Sammy Fyfe , I am so happy to receive this as my first ARC.
I was hooked from the blurb so as soon as it dropped I started reading immediately
Kept is a masktok/booktok inspired dark romance
Hannah: law school graduate, home for the summer to help her fathers senate campaign is now stuck in her childhood home with a masked babysitter who is there to keep her safe
Ghost: a masked mercenary who is hired to protect a politician’s daughter
this should have been an easy summer gig watching a spoiled brat but now he has a second chance to take down one of the most pervasive criminal rings he has encountered
Why is a morally grey man so hot and why is it so much hotter when he is masked and obsessed with his girl
The tension between Hannah and Ghost was brilliant and when it breaks and the spice hits 🥵🥵🥵
This book is more than just spice the plot is addictive, I read this in one sitting, the side characters are amazing I love Grandma 🙂 and I’m now completely obsessed with a strong FMC who doesn’t want but most definitely needs a masked MMC to take care of her
If you love:🖤masked men
🖤Strong FMC’s
🖤Forced proximity
🖤He breaks all his rules for her
then add this to your TBR immediately
Please check the Content and Trigger Warnings before reading
Expect:🔥masked man🔥forced proximity 🔥spanking🔥explicit scenes🔥bodyguard romance🔥good girl🔥

[Wild Margins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. It struck a nice balance between emotional storytelling and spice, which isn’t always easy to find.

The standout for me was the characters. They felt well-developed, each carrying their own baggage and personality, and I found myself genuinely invested in watching them heal and grow together. Their chemistry was strong, but what I appreciated most was that the relationship wasn’t built on attraction alone. There was real emotional connection beneath all the steam.

The spice is definitely there and doesn’t disappoint, but it never completely takes over the story. There’s an actual plot with heart, humor, and some wonderful supporting characters that made the world feel lived in.

While I felt the pacing slowed a bit in places and some moments were a bit predictable, none of that took away from my overall enjoyment. If you’re looking for a romance that delivers both emotional depth and plenty of heat, this is absolutely worth picking up.

I’d happily read more from this author.

Category…………….Score
Characters ………..9.5/10
Plot ……………………8/10
Writing Style……….8.5/10
Pacing…………………7.5/10
Emotional Impact….8.5/10
Spice …………………..9/10
Ending/Satisfaction..8/10
Originality……………7.5/10
Promise vs. Delivery…9/10
Re-read Value……….8/10

Total: 83.5/100, which translates to about 4.2 out of 5 stars

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

wow. wow. wow. Where do I even start. This book was an emotional rollercoaster. From laughing, to crying, to anger, to fear. We got the whole package with this book.
It’s a masked man, bodyguard, forbidden romance and I can honestly say this is everything my heart has needed.

Throughout every chapter you get a feel for the characters, you laugh with them, you cry for them, you immerse yourself into the book. I never wanted this to end as it was such an amazing book, I recommend this to anyone that’s looking to get out of a book slump.

I absolutely love Sammy’s writing style and the sense of humour she includes throughout the book (some of those lines has me cracking up).
It was such an easy read and if I could read it over again for the first time I would. If anyone is looking for their next obsession, I highly recommend kept.

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book within a day. This one kept me hooked from beginning to end. It is about a bratty FMC who just needs to pass her bar exam to start a new life away from her father. Her father is running for Senate so she helping him with his campaign. When there is a threat to her life her father hires the MMC as a babysitter/ bodyguard. He is a dangerous man to the outside with always a mask on. To hide his Demons. While the story unfolds there is more depth to the main characters and you find out the real story why the FMC wants to start a new life without her father. I really enjoyed this book.

[Jamaica · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW (belated):

I LOVED Logan/Ghost & Hannah. I didn't like that I had to finish the book, but all stories have to come to an end somehow. Oh, I forgot to mention that his grandmother is a total icon? I loved her in this book, too. What a wise old woman. Atlas was a hoot, too. I really felt like I was in the story with them because of how deeply descriptive the scenes were, the emotions going on between Logan and Hannah. I would love to see the romance blossoming from Rook & Melissa. OH! And one with Atlas, too!

Beautifully written, crumbs were not spotted at all.

[FeralForFiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review - Out Monday 13 July

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this ARC of Kept, it was a nice easy to follow story that took me through a range of emotions and I didn't want to put it down.

The slow burn tension was spot on and had me giggling and kicking my feet in places. Then the next, I was on the edge of my seat.

I loved it so much that I'm now reading Sammy's other book and eagerly awaiting further books from her! 🖤

[Claire Bateson · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW


Sammy’s second book and I worried I wouldn’t love it as much as the first one but I was wrong 😂. The angst of Ghost and his obsession on Hannah safe knows no bounds 🌶️ and the chase scene 🥵

4 stars for me - mainly as I couldn’t say it was one of my top ever reads so I wouldn’t give it a 5 - but it was definitely worth the wait!

[Lainyb99 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing. Can’t wait for it to come out now.
The suspense 😮‍💨
The scenes 😮‍💨

Definitely adding to my pre-order 🖤🖤🖤