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Keep Me

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I'm his captive. . . and I want him to keep me. I was only a child when everything changed. Too young to understand, too old to forget. Broken and damaged. I thought nothing good could ever happen to me, but ten years later, something did. I met a man. He swept me off my feet and swooned me into his bed. Cole's touch was perfect. His lips were made of velvet obsession, they helped me forget the memories that burned me from the inside out. For the first time in forever, I was happy. Then he locked me inside his home. He told me it was for my safety. And it was so easy to believe him. I was tired of looking over my shoulder, tired of the fear that someone was always watching me. Cole wanted to protect me. I was ready to let him. With him holding me close, all the evil in the world can't burn me. But what happens when our pasts collide, threatening to tear us apart? * Author's Keep Me is a full length, dark romance novel with no cliffhanger. This emotional and dark read may contain material that might make the reader uncomfortable.

408 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 26, 2017

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Leah Holt

42 books405 followers

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
Profile Image for Ꮗ€♫◗☿ ❤️ ilikebooksbest.com ❤️.
2,967 reviews2,686 followers
March 19, 2021
Captive romance with a Hero!



The following ratings are out of 5:
Audio/Narration: 🎧🎧🎧🎧
Romance: 💚💙💜🖤
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📘📗📕📙📘
World building: 🌏🌏🌍🌏
Character development: 😉😖🤨😤🥰

“Don't be nervous, this is what you want, this is what I want.” His lips worked up to my collarbone, biting down gently. “And when I'm done with you, all you'll want is more, you'll never want me to stop.” Kissing my jaw, he brought his lips to my ear. “You'll never want to leave.”


The Hero: Cole - Works with the police as a criminal profiler. He has secrets. He recognizes Locke and has been dreaming of her recently.

The heroine: Locke - Locke had a bad childhood and has changed her name and moved away. She wants to forget her past and live in the present. She has anxiety and is trying to overcome it and give people a chance.

The Love Story: The opening scene is a very steamy love scene. Not the usual way non smutty books open. The love story went downhill from there when Cole kidnaps Locke. She thinks he is crazy while he says he is doing it to protect her.

I liked the way the reader finds out their secrets a bit at a time. I enjoyed how Cole and Locke were linked together. I also liked how Cole just wanted to protect Locke and how she just wanted to be protected. Being a single mom since my kids were young, I know the feeling sometimes, how after years of having only yourself to rely on to do all the work, pay all the bills, and get yourself through all the stressful times, it would be so nice to have someone else shoulder the burden of things for a while. Someone to cherish and protect you.

The story about the past was suspenseful and interesting and the romance was steamy. It was just a good captive love story where the Hero really wanted to be a Hero. It would be a 5 star for me if it was a little longer with a bit more pulp. Though as is, I give it a solid four stars and I liked it quite a bit.

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Profile Image for Crystal.
2,512 reviews64 followers
February 19, 2021
This title was recommended as a Stalker/Stockholm Syndrome romance and was part of the Audible Plus program, so I grabbed it up. I have to say, I'm glad it was free to borrow, because I didn't particularly enjoy it. It wasn't bad writing or anything, I just wasn't that into it. It seemed obvious what was going on as far as the mystery was concerned. Anyway, an okay read, just not great to me.
Profile Image for Sara.
1,825 reviews14 followers
May 13, 2022
Started weird with a long drawn out sex scene
h was kidnapped and locked up by H
Mentions of child r*ped was mentioned and the
H’s turned out to be the good guy and was protecting the h from his demented brother ( all this happened in the second half)
H feels guilty because he didn’t do anything in the past to prevent the trauma
Lots of sex in between to the point of boredom
Demented brother makes an appearance
h became some sort of badass all of sudden confronting the demented brother when she should be hiding
Captain save a h*e brother showed up and saved the day
HEA
Profile Image for Michele.
1,540 reviews9 followers
November 28, 2017
This book is awesome. Love a dark romance. The characters and story pull you in and keep you there. Two individuals with pasts that rule their present. Cole is trying to protect Locke. Can he? Will she let him in? Does love over rule fear, pain,chaos? One click to find out! I am voluntarily leaving my review after reading an advance reader copy of the book.
Profile Image for Ryland.
76 reviews9 followers
March 20, 2021
many telling, little showing

that was really the only downside to me - that, and the entire beginning was so confusing. i kept backing up and re-reading pages because i felt like i'd missed something really important. the big "omg" moment near the middle of the book felt lackluster because the beginning was so confusing. it's clear the author was trying to keep it a secret from the reader until the mid-point because it was used as a plot device or a massive "oh shit" moment in cole's character development, but it didn't land.

the plot itself was good. characterization was pretty poor, and i didn't give one fuck about locke. she was forgettable, and that's probably most of why i only gave this book 2.5 stars. :(
74 reviews
August 23, 2023
Could have been a great story. Chemistry could have been built up. Everything happened too fast. It was all over the place. And no one had any backbone. Very weak characters.
1,708 reviews5 followers
November 29, 2017
This was a fantastic story! Locke and Cole were terrific together. Their story had twists and turns that kept me on edge and turning the pages. I was hooked from the beginning and couldn't put it down. I recommend giving this one a one-click!
*I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. This is my honest review.*
243 reviews19 followers
December 11, 2020
This is a solid "ok" for me. I liked it enough but it probably isn't going to stay with me.

It starts out really steamy and then after the love scene the H ties the h up and locks the door on the h. Yikes! The twist is he is a good guy and is trying to protect her.

The story then goes back and tells how things got to that point. Locke, our heroine, is running away from a tragic past and has a hard time trusting people. Cole comes into her life and seems too good to be true. She doesn't know he is a part of her past and knows who she is.

I get why Locke was so paranoid but I felt like she was always at an 11 which annoyed me sometimes. The story did hold my interest enough to make me want to know how Cole fit in her past and why he felt so compelled to go to extremes to protect her.

I've read quite a few kidnapping stories and this had a enough differences where I don't feel like I've read this exact story before.

This might be a good story for those who want their kidnapper H be more angsty and guilt ridden rather than void of a moral compass. An H that is a lighter shade of grey.

Trigger content: mentions of rape.
Profile Image for S.T. Rucker.
Author 5 books3 followers
December 19, 2017
Meh. Some of the story's direction and attitude was questionable for me, such as Locke wanting to be free then not wanting to be obviously because of the d-- I mean, love. Because of love for Cole, not his typically huge piece. The language is flowery in places and that can be annoying.
Profile Image for Night Runner.
1,551 reviews36 followers
September 9, 2021
2 Stars for me!

My rating range of this story... 2 - 3.25 Stars
If significant, why? Too much filler content that is meant to create tension.

Main Character Ratings...
H = 4/10
h = 5/10

Was cheating involved? No
Any major triggers to be aware of? Child rape (told about in minimal words)

Scenes with heat... Several
What point does it start? 1%
How much of the story? 20%
Anything beyond M/F? No
If yes, explained

Heat Rating... 7/10
Clean or Fade to Black - 1 or 2
Normal to Descriptive 3-5
Detailed Descriptive Sex - 6-7
Um, Wow, Beyond Descriptive Sex - 8 or above

Was there so much sex or unrealistic sex that you rolled your eyes and/or skipped forward? No

The back story... H finds h and locks her away in order to keep her safe without telling her why she is in danger or getting her permission.

The Romance... I did not see it but they do fall for each other.

The drama explosion... The bad guy is intent on completing his mission.

Did it feel real or contrived? Very contrived
Was it OTT? Ridiculously so
Separation involved? Minimal
Was it resolved properly or rushed? Rush and head scratching.

Final Notes... The ending was dragged out over an hour (audio book). The h goes full TSTL when the bad guy is talking and she gets mad and confronts him... instead of staying hidden.

The H is also beyond stupid as he is going to let the bad guy kill him instead of the h... but he has no way of knowing that he wouldn't rape and kill her after he kills him. REALLY? HE IS A COP... WHERE WAS HIS WEAPON AND HIS TRAINING? UGH!!!

The last thing that drove me nuts was how accepting the h was of everything. The author also loves to overly expound on everything. Had the story been 2 hours shorter, had a much more realistic ending and an h that wasn't a marionette, it could have been a 4-5 Star read for me.


HEA or HFN? HEA
Profile Image for Kristin.
318 reviews16 followers
November 30, 2017
Intrigued & Engrossed In Every Twist & Turn - 4 1/2 Stars

Keep Me is an intriguing story. The story of Locke and Cole takes place both in the past and present. You are able to see how their lives are linked / connected. Keep Me will have you so engrossed in every twisted and turn from the beginning to the end.

Locke has changed her name, moved around, and colored her hair. She has been looking over her shoulder and feeling like someone is following her for awhile. Locke keeps to herself and is lonely. She knows that she has to be very careful due to her tragic past. Will Locke ever be able to move beyond her past?

Cole is a criminal profiler. He also has secrets. He has been assigned to the recent killings of young women, who all have the same description. Cole has been searching for the girl that he feels that he needs to save. When he see Locke, Cole knows that she is the girl that he has been dreaming about. When Cole and Locke meet, Locke feels safe with him. Locke was to open up and trust him. Cole believes he must protect Locke at all costs, so he kidnaps her.

Keep Me is a dark romance. The story has an unique and well developed storyline with captivating characters. The writing was incredible, and it really help the story to flow. There is suspense, love and tragedy. I loved the chemistry between Locke and Cole. I appreciate that the author made Cole strong and confident with his own issues. I liked that Locke was a survivor and tried to be strong/tough in her own way. It made both characters more realistic in my eyes.

Overall Story - 4 1/2 Stars
Chemistry - 4 Stars
POV - Alternating POVs
Dark - Yes
Cliffhanger - No
Recommend to Others - Yes
I volunteered for the arc. This is my unbiased review. Also purchased a copy.
Profile Image for LaToya.
142 reviews2 followers
May 15, 2021
This one was not my favorite, which really disappointed me. I wanted to like it because the premise for a good story was really there. A decent hero, alpha male type, hot sex which I always love in a good adult romance. Even an interesting and mysterious back story; however the more it unfolded it just got more creepy, boring, and unsanitary. 🤨😒😔

Some was saying it was the narrators, but that wasn’t it cause I’ve heard those beautiful voices before and they were excellent. So I have to believe that the dull stalker personality of Cole, and the Oh my God did you just kidnap me, but your D is so good I’m going to let this slide mentality of Hannah/lock just turned me off……Especially, when a reviewer pointed out on Amazon that they had sex for like 3 days straight without the Hannah once showering. 😖😖😖 Talk about ruining a wet dream. I thought maybe we were just being sensitive until Cole asks her, “Why have you been wearing the same shirt?” The shirt he put her in the first night after they slept together. He had clearly left for work and came home at least twice, oh and went to her apartment and grabbed her cat Frito…..Hell at this point was he even showering.🤔🤔🤷🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️ It just was adding to the lack of realism in the book…..

I don’t like to spoil a story but in this case I will definitely say don’t do it! Especially, if there’s a charge, it was unrealistic, boring, and way too much inner monologue going on instead of character interaction. I can sit here and give you a brief synopsis of the book but that’s already been done. I’m telling you my opinion after listening to the audiobook and I barely made it through the whole thing, it took me a week. It never takes a week to listen to a book, but I kept jumping to better titles, Sorry L. Holt.
23 reviews
May 15, 2021
This one was not my favorite, which really disappointed me. I wanted to like it because the premise for a good story was really there. A decent hero, alpha male type, hot sex which I always love in a good adult romance. Even an interesting and mysterious back story; however the more it unfolded it just got more creepy, boring, and unsanitary. 🤨😒😔


Some was saying it was the narrators, but that wasn’t it cause I’ve heard those beautiful voices before and they were excellent. So I have to believe that the dull stalker personality of Cole, and the Oh my God did you just kidnap me, but your D is so good I’m going to let this slide mentality of Hannah/lock just turned me off……Especially, when a reviewer pointed out on Amazon that they had sex for like 3 days straight without the Hannah once showering. 😖😖😖 Talk about ruining a wet dream. I thought maybe we were just being sensitive until Cole asks her, “Why have you been wearing the same shirt?” The shirt he put her in the first night after they slept together. He had clearly left for work and came home at least twice, oh and went to her apartment and grabbed her cat Frito…..Hell at this point was he even showering.🤔🤔🤷🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️ It just was adding to the lack of realism in the book…..


I don’t like to spoil a story but in this case I will definitely say don’t do it! Especially, if there’s a charge, it was unrealistic, boring, and way too much inner monologue going on instead of character interaction. I can sit here and give you a brief synopsis of the book but that’s already been done. I’m telling you my opinion after listening to the audiobook and I barely made it through the whole thing, it took me a week. It never takes a week to listen to  a book, but I kept jumping to better titles, Sorry L. Holt.
Profile Image for Brandy Jo.
425 reviews14 followers
November 20, 2017
WOW!!! Where do I even start with this book. It was one of the most suspenseful, edge of your seat books I've ever read. I was nervously nail biting during most of the story. When I wasn't white knuckle gripping my tablet while reading, my heart would be breaking for Locke.
The back story was very emotional and I couldn't stand not knowing how everything would turn out.

Locke experienced quite a traumatic event when she was young and because of that has blocked out some memories. She holds her secrets within and has tried to move on with her life, only to be unsuccessful at that.

Cole keeps many secrets to himself. Secrets that he would rather be able to forget or at least take back and change.
When Locke and Cole's lives collide they find themselves keeping it difficult to hide their secrets and even more difficult to keep their hands off one another as their attraction takes hold.

I loved every bit of this story. It's suspense, darkness, and lust filled steaminess made it such a good story. And that ENDING!!!! I actually teared up. It was perfect!

I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.
Profile Image for AbbieCadabbie.
867 reviews6 followers
January 31, 2023
Well. This story is definitely twisted. Some parts are quite graphic, too, so if you have any triggers for violence, assault, r@pe, abduction, etc then I’d advise against reading this book.

Minor spoilers ahead:
The story was definitely very suspenseful, especially towards the end. I do wish there were more details about Lock’s & Cole’s time together. I also REALLY wish that there was some kind of discussion pertaining to STI & pregnancy prevention. There was also no mention of her eating/drinking, showering, being able to use the bathroom, etc. Crucial details? Meh. Probably not. But they might have made the story feel a little more complete. I’m also a little confused about what role the mother had as far as the trauma she suffered &/or witnessed. There were a few parts of the story that I felt were unclear, actually, though I think that’s because I thought the whole family was abducted when I started reading the story, and I guess that wasn’t the case.
Profile Image for Samantha Love HEA Romance Book Blog.
826 reviews44 followers
November 20, 2017
Keep Me - by Leah Holt Author
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 - 5 Stars

Holy WOW!!! This book is amazing! Edge of your seat reading! It had me hooked from the start and I could not put it down.

Locke is a young lady just trying to live her life the best she can following such a tragic past. Cole is a guy who carries the guilt of the past on his shoulders. He sweeps Locke off her feet and locks her away in his home so he can protect her and keep her safe. What lurks out in the world that Locke needs protecting from?

This book seriously had me on the edge of my seat. The twists and turns, I did not see coming. The characters were well written and full of emotion. Their connection to each other was felt. I absolutely loved the epilogue at the end. This book needs to be on your TBR list! Do not miss reading this! I was lucky enough to be gifted an ARC for an honest review.

#IloveHEAromance
Profile Image for Lozzie.
659 reviews10 followers
November 28, 2017
I just loved this book. It's a dark book, and you could feel that throughout the entire book. The tone never changed. The book does contain some sensitive scenes that may cause triggers.

It's a very steamy book. The steam factor in this book was on a scale of 100. With the dark undertones, it turned up the heat.

The characters just they made it for me. They were brilliant!

I heart Cole, so much! He's a complete alpha, a protector with a secret weighing him down.

I loved Locke's character: A young vulnerable woman affected by the tragedies of her past, a strong woman who fights for herself in order to protect herself from the dangers of the world. Her strength is pretty admirable.

I felt that the story was played out well, and took its time. It kept me intrigued and interested.

This book is not for the faint hearted, but for those that love danger & darkness, it's a perfect read.
Profile Image for Melissa J (Book Addicts Reviews).
1,207 reviews98 followers
December 2, 2017
3.5 Stars!!

This is the story of one girls horrid past and another man’s link to it....

First off I love the dark angle of this book and the sexy times were off the chart. Along with the change of POV that gave you the different views. This book flowed well and gave you just enough info to keep going. My downside with the book was it just didn’t feel real. I felt as though something was missing and I just couldn’t get myself into it. I think Cole is who threw me off because I love Locke’s character. I think she is one hell of a woman. This is not for the romantics out there, this is definitely a dark and twisted read.

**I received this book as an ARC and in return gave my honest review**
Profile Image for Erika.
55 reviews4 followers
July 16, 2021
I hated the FMC in this book!! Her "reasoning skills" and actions made no sense!! Yes, I know that Stockholm syndrome is a real thing, but before she gets a chance to fall in love she's cool with not eating, leaving the one room she's held in, not showering, not going to work (could care less that she'll likely be fired) just so she can spend hours and days f*cking her captor?! Makes no sense! It also seems that she spends most of her time naked and I kept waiting for commentary (especially towards the end) regarding the fact that she's butt-ass naked. But no one seems to think it's important.

The main MC is also dumb. "I'll sacrifice my life in a way that wouldn't likely save the woman I love?"

Though the reviews were mixed, I did enjoy listening to the actors.
Profile Image for Jennifer McGurk Finn.
2,101 reviews53 followers
November 23, 2017
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this delightful book from Leah Holt. It was highly entertaining and had me on the edge of my seat with so many emotions. Locke has quite a traumatic past some of which she has blocked out so she can cope. But the reality is she hasn't really been living life she's just going through the motions. That is until Cole comes into her life and sweeps her off her feet. She probably shouldn't trust him so easily but for some reason she does. Cole carries around the guilt of his past unable to let it go. Both of them have secrets but are they willing to share them with each other ?
Profile Image for Misty Schott.
4,225 reviews35 followers
December 26, 2017
Keep Me is five intriguing, intense and sexy stars!!!

Locke used to be Hanna a long time ago. She has an awful past and some scary secrets. She has been feeling like someone is watching her and she is not sure what's real and what's her imagination. Cole is a criminal profiler and has dreamed of someone coming after Locke. He wants to keep Locke safe, but he also has a terrible secret. Grab this exciting book today so you don't miss out on one he!! of an awesome story. Loved every minute of this emotionally charged rollercoaster ride and you'll be hanging on to the very end.
Profile Image for Samantha.
1,139 reviews6 followers
November 26, 2017
A Really. Really great book. I’m not usually one for darker books but Cole actually brought so much lightness and love I didn’t mind. The story was sad and Emotional but also had lots of steam and good connection between the characters. I loved Cole. I wasn’t super sure about his intentions but everything he did it came from a place of love and affection. There was definitely enough going on in this story to keep your interested and wanting to read. Overall a great read and a happy ending! Loved the cover as well.
Profile Image for Michele McMullen .
2,511 reviews84 followers
November 28, 2017
Cole and Locke ...get ready for an amazing ride filled with heartbreak, mystery , love and secrets.
Locke has been struggling to live a normal life since her tragic past . She is constantly looking over her shoulder and it appears her luck has finally changed the day she meets Cole.
Cole is a strong, confident man that feels that he can protect Locke. She begins to believe him until the day she finally becomes his captive in her own home.
When their pasts collide and secrets resurface can Cole keep her safe and will she ever forgive him!
~~Loved it ~~
~~Michele McMullen ~~
Profile Image for Karen.
429 reviews
November 28, 2017
Intriguing storyline that kept me on my toes from the beginning until the end. Each chapter delves into the plot line and gives the reader more and more background detail as this story twists and turns.

Cole is the reluctant male protagonist, with more layers than an onion. Guilt and desire motivates his actions. Locke is a survivor, she is courageous and independent. Their attraction is sizzling and undeniable.

Would definitely recommend this book.

*ARC provided by author- opinions are my own.
696 reviews2 followers
December 26, 2023
This was a freebie on Audible Plus, and I thought I'd grab it before it comes off. To be honest, at first, I was really not feeling it. The story seemed confusing and disjointed, however, as the story progressed things became clearer and the story grew and had more merit. This is clearly a Stockholm Syndrome story but the back story is very strong and well written. Very tragic from most aspects, I grew to like the drip feeding of the incidents that occurred in the past, it made the story intriguing. A good read 👍
Profile Image for Monica.
112 reviews2 followers
November 29, 2017
The books starts off running and doesn't let up. It was gripping and suspenseful and kept me hooked. The characters are so interwoven. I did have a hard time at first following the story line but then after the first flash back I was like... Oh my what?!?! Loved the way the story played out and how strong their love was. It was heartbreaking to see what Locke had been through yet super sweet the way Vole he loved her and protected her. Would definitely reccommend it!!!
Profile Image for Audrey Pott.
680 reviews1 follower
November 30, 2017
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book for my honest opinion of which I'm under no obligation to do so. Your past eventually catches up with you no matter how hard you try to run, grippingly suspenseful I loved the fact the plot kept me on edge, kept me guessing and so intense. Locke and Cole were awesome together, Leah wrote this story with extraordinary depth, complexity and intricacy and I can honestly say I recommend this book.
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