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THE WORLD ENDED. It just forgot to take me with it. Those of us still alive are the leftovers, the forgotten ones. We're grieving. Lost. Traumatized. Or some of us, anyway. There are others gathering guns, hoarding supplies, shaking people down, especially interested in children. And then there's me, responsible for a defenseless little boy who looks at me with gray-green eyes so full of trust, I have no choice. I'm his whole world. I'm the only thing that stands between him and the gun hoarders.
IF SOMEONE HAD ASKED ME to sit down and draw up a list of all my stellar post-apocalyptic skills, the things that would make me an asset to any group I hoped to join, my sheet would be empty. I've got nothing. I'm not strong. I'm not a fighter or a farmer or a chef. I can't rig up electrical lines or plumbing lines or engineer a better light bulb. I'm useless. I'm an artist. I can hardly fight off the growing army with my paintbrush and a hopeful heart.
SO WE SET OUT for the city, looking for people--decent people, willing to let us join them. And what do we find? Yorke, a man uniquely designed for this world. Tried and trained to survive. He's big and brave and strong, and he wants to train us to be brave and strong too. There's just one problem. He wants me. And I want him.
AND THAT CAN NEVER HAPPEN, because my heart is not my own. It's buried in a shallow grave on Capitol Hill beside a man named Jimmy, and it won't ever beat again. I won't let it. And Yorke, for all the hot and hard and handsome of him, he deserves more than a heartless rebound lay from a woman with one foot in the grave.
IF SOMEONE HAD ASKED ME to sit down and draw up a list of all my stellar post-apocalyptic skills, the things that would make me an asset to any group I hoped to join, my sheet would be empty. I've got nothing. I'm not strong. I'm not a fighter or a farmer or a chef. I can't rig up electrical lines or plumbing lines or engineer a better light bulb. I'm useless. I'm an artist. I can hardly fight off the growing army with my paintbrush and a hopeful heart.
SO WE SET OUT for the city, looking for people--decent people, willing to let us join them. And what do we find? Yorke, a man uniquely designed for this world. Tried and trained to survive. He's big and brave and strong, and he wants to train us to be brave and strong too. There's just one problem. He wants me. And I want him.
AND THAT CAN NEVER HAPPEN, because my heart is not my own. It's buried in a shallow grave on Capitol Hill beside a man named Jimmy, and it won't ever beat again. I won't let it. And Yorke, for all the hot and hard and handsome of him, he deserves more than a heartless rebound lay from a woman with one foot in the grave.
178 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 1, 2021
542 people are currently reading
399 people want to read
About the author
Imogen Keeper
19 books382 followersAn Amazon best-selling and award-winning author, Immy writes romantic apocalypse and dystopian stories. Her books are a shade too dark to be light, and a tinge too light to be dark. They'll make you cry and worry and wonder, but there's always a layer of hope and laughter and sexy times to brighten it all.
In addition to writing, Immy loves her children, her husband, books about steam and darkness, flowers (even if she accidentally shmurgles half of them), coffee, DIY projects, trying new things, learning new facts, sunshine, guacamole, and sticky toffee pudding.
KEEP UP WITH IMMY ON ALL PLATFORMS
Newsletter VIP room for a FREE BOOK ➜ https://www.imogenkeeper.com/
Facebook➜ https://www.facebook.com/ImogenKeeper
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Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
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READING ORDER
After the Plague Series
- Broken #1
- Lost #2
- Found #3
- Safe #4
- Home #5 (coming soon)
The City of a Thousand Lies Trilogy
- Outlaw
- Wanted (coming soon)
- Captive (coming soon)
Dirty Little Secret Series
- Talk Dirty to Me
- Fight Dirty with Me
- Draw Dirty for Me (available in installments on Vella)
In addition to writing, Immy loves her children, her husband, books about steam and darkness, flowers (even if she accidentally shmurgles half of them), coffee, DIY projects, trying new things, learning new facts, sunshine, guacamole, and sticky toffee pudding.
KEEP UP WITH IMMY ON ALL PLATFORMS
Newsletter VIP room for a FREE BOOK ➜ https://www.imogenkeeper.com/
Facebook➜ https://www.facebook.com/ImogenKeeper
Join her private readers' group ➜ https://www.facebook.com/groups/52366...
Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Instagram➜ https://www.instagram.com/imogenkeepe...
Twitter➜ https://twitter.com/Imogen_Keeper
READING ORDER
After the Plague Series
- Broken #1
- Lost #2
- Found #3
- Safe #4
- Home #5 (coming soon)
The City of a Thousand Lies Trilogy
- Outlaw
- Wanted (coming soon)
- Captive (coming soon)
Dirty Little Secret Series
- Talk Dirty to Me
- Fight Dirty with Me
- Draw Dirty for Me (available in installments on Vella)
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
November 12, 2021
I hate the dead ex trope but the way it's handled in here is so damn beautiful. Yorke is an absolute sweetheart😍 This series is killing me (In a good way of course). I'm gonna go read the third one now!!
November 13, 2021
You know how there are some books that you feel like sharing with the world because they just are that good, while you simultaneously never want to speak a word about them and just keep them all to yourself? This series is part of that category for me.
I wrote a long review with all the quotes and scenes that spoke to me, the emotions that this book evoked in me and everything that worked or didn't work for me. And then I realized that me telling what the book did for me would somehow undervalue how I feel about it. Or that I wouldn't be able to justify it in words. So I'm leaving this review here and moving on to book 3.
PS: Auden, Beast, Frankie and Yorke are my favourite family😇
I wrote a long review with all the quotes and scenes that spoke to me, the emotions that this book evoked in me and everything that worked or didn't work for me. And then I realized that me telling what the book did for me would somehow undervalue how I feel about it. Or that I wouldn't be able to justify it in words. So I'm leaving this review here and moving on to book 3.
PS: Auden, Beast, Frankie and Yorke are my favourite family😇
July 17, 2023
“I can’t replace a dead man. I can’t erase him either. And I can’t rebuild the world into something safe or sensible. But if she’d let me, I could be there for her.”
Oh my gawwwwwd! These characters and the world in this book are amazing.
This is being better and better!
It’s worth the reading.
Oh my gawwwwwd! These characters and the world in this book are amazing.
This is being better and better!
It’s worth the reading.
August 27, 2022
Fucking brilliant.
January 12, 2021
Excellent continuation from book 1
Luckily, book 2 was already available when I had finished book 1. This was just as good as the first, keeping me on the hook and wanting more.
Can’t wait for book 3!
Luckily, book 2 was already available when I had finished book 1. This was just as good as the first, keeping me on the hook and wanting more.
Can’t wait for book 3!
February 6, 2021
First thing - go read book one if you haven't! It's the perfect setup for book two, and if you don't read it first, it will be like walking into a room where strangers are deep in a conversation. Okay, read one? Good...
The romance plot has begun, and it's beautiful bittersweetness!
The way Yorke blazes into the scene was heroic and I may have yelled, "Hell yes," as I punched air and confused my family. He's the ultimate sweetpea badass and utter book boyfriend material. Frankie is his North Star, and I can't even stop aww-ing with these two. And Auden is this little man who's innocence keeps everyone on track to survive this terrible event. Because...
They're in a pandemic. Life kinda sucks. Frankie has had a terrible, tear-jerking loss and you feel her battle between grieving and attempting normalcy down to your bones. She's making a family though, and this was a key book for that setup. I'm dabbing at tears and grinning like a loon.
If you like rough road romance, teddy bear badasses, and humor among a dark setting, read this right now! Well, after book 1.
The romance plot has begun, and it's beautiful bittersweetness!
The way Yorke blazes into the scene was heroic and I may have yelled, "Hell yes," as I punched air and confused my family. He's the ultimate sweetpea badass and utter book boyfriend material. Frankie is his North Star, and I can't even stop aww-ing with these two. And Auden is this little man who's innocence keeps everyone on track to survive this terrible event. Because...
They're in a pandemic. Life kinda sucks. Frankie has had a terrible, tear-jerking loss and you feel her battle between grieving and attempting normalcy down to your bones. She's making a family though, and this was a key book for that setup. I'm dabbing at tears and grinning like a loon.
If you like rough road romance, teddy bear badasses, and humor among a dark setting, read this right now! Well, after book 1.
July 1, 2024
I'm honestly getting kind of obsessed over this serialized apocalyptic suspense romance. Frankie and Yorke meet in this one and its....ugh. I just love them. on to the next episode!
October 18, 2024
Series Review:
I found the first book extremely compelling and heart wrenching, making an apocalyptic plague seem realistic, not to mention showing us a FL that was already married and had a life with a man she loved. I found this set up extremely unique and brave of the writer to start the series with a FL that is fully in love and invested on someone other than our ML.
The problem is that the writer was not able or unwilling to move away from that initial relationship at all. I was FOUR books in and the FL is still unable to start a new relationship because of her feelings for her dead husband. Which is fair in real life, but not what we are looking for when we are reading a romance.
Which leads me to my main complaint. For me, this series has been categorized by one phrase: "I get it, but..."
Again, and again, and again, there are situations where you can potentially understand why things are happening, but it does not make it the most reasonable choice or the most enjoyable to a reader. You have to pause and try to explain why they are doing the things they are, which knocks you out of the story.
For example:
- Yorke (ML) is noticing Shasta's (a side character) attention not because he’s interested in her necessarily, but because the one he is interested in (FL) is not ready for a relationship yet and cries every time they make any progress. Which makes perfect sense, but not necessarily what I want to read when reading a romance novel.
- Frankie (FL) waiting two months before she goes searching for Colleen (news anchor and leader of a survivors group). It could potentially make sense if we think of it from the angle of she was giving herself and Auden (child she has adopted) some time to adapt and grieve. But at the same time it really makes no sense to wait that long and expect this group of people to still be there.
- Or staying in a dangerous city that is getting more and more dangerous by the day, to look for Colleen and her group when they don’t know each other at all (they were together a few hours), and there is really no benefit for them to do so. It doesn’t make sense, but you could also try and explain it as they are being super, super, duper nice and wanting to help this other group of people.
And then going back into the very dangerous city they just escaped from to try and find this group of people that for all we know have already left, been captured, or are dead. It’s just stupidity that we need to try and explain away again.
This is why so far the situations are: "I get it, but..."
Which is the reason I stopped reading on book 4. I couldn't bring myself to read some more about this lady mourning for her dead husband and not starting a relationship with a man that loves her and treats her and her adopted child extremely well. Now the writer introduced someone that looked just like the dead husband, but is an ass, and the FL is loosing her mind over it.
In other words, the writer doesn't want this healthy relationship to progress and keeps waving the dead husband flag as a plot device to keep the leads separate until the end of the series. But it has gotten contrived and extremely painful to read, so I stopped on the 4th book.
Book 1: Broken 4 stars
Book 2: Lost 3 stars
Book 3: Found 3 stars
Book 4: Safe 2 stars (where I dropped off this series)
Overall I give the series (first 4 books) 3 stars.
I found the first book extremely compelling and heart wrenching, making an apocalyptic plague seem realistic, not to mention showing us a FL that was already married and had a life with a man she loved. I found this set up extremely unique and brave of the writer to start the series with a FL that is fully in love and invested on someone other than our ML.
The problem is that the writer was not able or unwilling to move away from that initial relationship at all. I was FOUR books in and the FL is still unable to start a new relationship because of her feelings for her dead husband. Which is fair in real life, but not what we are looking for when we are reading a romance.
Which leads me to my main complaint. For me, this series has been categorized by one phrase: "I get it, but..."
Again, and again, and again, there are situations where you can potentially understand why things are happening, but it does not make it the most reasonable choice or the most enjoyable to a reader. You have to pause and try to explain why they are doing the things they are, which knocks you out of the story.
For example:
- Yorke (ML) is noticing Shasta's (a side character) attention not because he’s interested in her necessarily, but because the one he is interested in (FL) is not ready for a relationship yet and cries every time they make any progress. Which makes perfect sense, but not necessarily what I want to read when reading a romance novel.
- Frankie (FL) waiting two months before she goes searching for Colleen (news anchor and leader of a survivors group). It could potentially make sense if we think of it from the angle of she was giving herself and Auden (child she has adopted) some time to adapt and grieve. But at the same time it really makes no sense to wait that long and expect this group of people to still be there.
- Or staying in a dangerous city that is getting more and more dangerous by the day, to look for Colleen and her group when they don’t know each other at all (they were together a few hours), and there is really no benefit for them to do so. It doesn’t make sense, but you could also try and explain it as they are being super, super, duper nice and wanting to help this other group of people.
And then going back into the very dangerous city they just escaped from to try and find this group of people that for all we know have already left, been captured, or are dead. It’s just stupidity that we need to try and explain away again.
This is why so far the situations are: "I get it, but..."
Which is the reason I stopped reading on book 4. I couldn't bring myself to read some more about this lady mourning for her dead husband and not starting a relationship with a man that loves her and treats her and her adopted child extremely well. Now the writer introduced someone that looked just like the dead husband, but is an ass, and the FL is loosing her mind over it.
In other words, the writer doesn't want this healthy relationship to progress and keeps waving the dead husband flag as a plot device to keep the leads separate until the end of the series. But it has gotten contrived and extremely painful to read, so I stopped on the 4th book.
Book 1: Broken 4 stars
Book 2: Lost 3 stars
Book 3: Found 3 stars
Book 4: Safe 2 stars (where I dropped off this series)
Overall I give the series (first 4 books) 3 stars.
February 24, 2025
I am on my knees and thanking this author for writing a book that gives me -sinces ages- all those wild emotions. Tears of joy, of sadness, loss and grief, anger, desperation. Giggles, sighs and silent tears. I don't want them to end!!!
July 28, 2025
ok...wow
August 1, 2020
Post apocalypse
Great story very well written. Very contemporary - feels like we are in covid era romance. I like the slow burn relationship ; the well written child and the dog!
Great story very well written. Very contemporary - feels like we are in covid era romance. I like the slow burn relationship ; the well written child and the dog!
November 9, 2021
Just as good as the first book, and still I want more!
January 5, 2024
3 stars
Good, but still pretty short. Hopefully it gets better though. I like the hero but not a huge fan of them as a couple yet.
Good, but still pretty short. Hopefully it gets better though. I like the hero but not a huge fan of them as a couple yet.
November 22, 2021
“Home used to smell like Jimmy. Now it smells like Auden. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for him.” -Frankie
“Maybe in the solar system of us, we’re the planets, Auden, me, and Beast, and we all revolve around Frankie. Maybe she’s our sub.” -Yorke
This book mending my heart, broke it, then put it back together again! I enjoyed the first volume, but this second volume made me love these characters!
In Lost you continue following Frankie, Auden, and Yorke as they try and navigate life after the apocalypse. Frankie and Auden meet Yorke in this book and they all become a sort of unit together.
I loved how this story grew the feelings Yorke and Frankie had for each other while also still respecting Jimmy. It made it seem more realistic that Frankie was still in love and grieving her husband but still cared for Yorke.
This to me is a very character driven story. Yes there is a great plot, but I love this story for the characters. They are just so amazing developed and you really just fall in love with them all in this volume!
There is so much more I could say about this but I don’t want to include spoilers.
“Maybe in the solar system of us, we’re the planets, Auden, me, and Beast, and we all revolve around Frankie. Maybe she’s our sub.” -Yorke
This book mending my heart, broke it, then put it back together again! I enjoyed the first volume, but this second volume made me love these characters!
In Lost you continue following Frankie, Auden, and Yorke as they try and navigate life after the apocalypse. Frankie and Auden meet Yorke in this book and they all become a sort of unit together.
I loved how this story grew the feelings Yorke and Frankie had for each other while also still respecting Jimmy. It made it seem more realistic that Frankie was still in love and grieving her husband but still cared for Yorke.
This to me is a very character driven story. Yes there is a great plot, but I love this story for the characters. They are just so amazing developed and you really just fall in love with them all in this volume!
There is so much more I could say about this but I don’t want to include spoilers.
February 4, 2021
Lost but found
Ok book 2 is where our FMC meets other people but still needs to take care to watch her back bc they are strangers after all and she's got a little boy to watch after.
I couldn't wait for Frankie and Yorke to meet up. You can just feel the sparks building between them. And we get to experience those intimate moments that Imogen is so talented at writing. Her scenes are always written at the right time and with the right pace making them realistic and enjoyable.
This is also the book where Frankie comes into some real danger. Read the book and see how she deals.
Ok book 2 is where our FMC meets other people but still needs to take care to watch her back bc they are strangers after all and she's got a little boy to watch after.
I couldn't wait for Frankie and Yorke to meet up. You can just feel the sparks building between them. And we get to experience those intimate moments that Imogen is so talented at writing. Her scenes are always written at the right time and with the right pace making them realistic and enjoyable.
This is also the book where Frankie comes into some real danger. Read the book and see how she deals.
March 29, 2021
Oof. This book is so good, things keep getting crazier. The fine balance Frankie walks between missing Jimmy and wanting things to progress with Yorke, without making her feel so guilty it ruins the whole thing, is very well done. The tub scene and the aftermath were excellently emotional. Yorke shows admirable restraint, he takes comfort in knowing it's almost inevitable, but still waiting is tough. And just when the story gets to the part where...just maybe...nope! Something terrible happens and boy it made me sick. Thank goodness the author isn't cruel enough to leave it hanging that way!
Now of course I want to read book three right away!
Now of course I want to read book three right away!
June 16, 2025
"I can't replace a dead man. I can't erase him either. And I can't rebuild the world into something safe or sensible. But if she'd let me, I could be there for her."
I’m not normally a fan of Insta love - but the fact that this is instant attraction with a slow burn and tension…. So much better!
Being another novella makes it difficult to rate (and book 1 and 2 would have made a great book combined) but overall I really enjoyed the second book.
This one is much more action packed and those last few chapters were pretty intense.
I am so excited to see where the journey goes from here. I wasn’t 100% sold on Yorke in the first book but he is such a sweetheart and I might be a little bit in love now.
I’m not normally a fan of Insta love - but the fact that this is instant attraction with a slow burn and tension…. So much better!
Being another novella makes it difficult to rate (and book 1 and 2 would have made a great book combined) but overall I really enjoyed the second book.
This one is much more action packed and those last few chapters were pretty intense.
I am so excited to see where the journey goes from here. I wasn’t 100% sold on Yorke in the first book but he is such a sweetheart and I might be a little bit in love now.
March 26, 2022
This second installment from the After the Plague series continued to entertain me. The first book really set up the fall of society and the heartbreaking loss of Frankie's husband. This one focuses on what happens months later as society is regrouping. It's a tough book. It's action packed and lots of hard stuff happens to Frankie and Yorke. A high point of the book was them meeting and developing their friendship/relationship. These books are quick reads that keep you on the edge of your seat! 3.5 rounded up.
Thank you to NetGalley for this digital book in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you to NetGalley for this digital book in exchange for an honest review!
June 12, 2025
"Yesterday, I was completely alone. Today … they named toast after me. A grumpy man, a happy dog, a cute kid … and the woman."
Idk how to feel. i still lowkey, am not a fan of yorke and if he didnt do what I hope he did IM GOING TO JUMP THRU THIS BOOOK I swear
Also, my heart is absolutely broken for Auden and Frankie that was so scary
Idk how to feel. i still lowkey, am not a fan of yorke and if he didnt do what I hope he did IM GOING TO JUMP THRU THIS BOOOK I swear
Also, my heart is absolutely broken for Auden and Frankie that was so scary
October 7, 2022
Mild spice, grieving widow and the start of a new love.
This story leans into the 'found family' trope. I liked the story. Not my favorite post-apocalyptica story. Its driving me nuts that they spend so much time waiting for people...like go make homestead somewhere! Still interesting story.
This story leans into the 'found family' trope. I liked the story. Not my favorite post-apocalyptica story. Its driving me nuts that they spend so much time waiting for people...like go make homestead somewhere! Still interesting story.
January 21, 2023
Aunque es un libro corto, es más largo que el anterior, pero el ritmo es frenético y no he podido soltarlo.
El final ha sido angustiante, necesito leer el pov de Yorke de la última escena. Así que me empiezo el tercero ahora mismo 🤓
El final ha sido angustiante, necesito leer el pov de Yorke de la última escena. Así que me empiezo el tercero ahora mismo 🤓
August 30, 2024
Probably one of the more realistic depictions of the fall of society. Yorke is really what makes this book for me. He could take this situation in so many directions yet he chooses the higher road. Great read.
September 14, 2024
Amazing. Gimme 14 of them right now.
I loved Jimmy's character and I love Yorke's character even more. Fictional men are it.
I loved Jimmy's character and I love Yorke's character even more. Fictional men are it.
July 17, 2025
i’m invested 🙂↕️
August 4, 2025
…
Still no complaints… but I’m definitely ready for them to get out of the city & see what the rest of the world has to offer
Still no complaints… but I’m definitely ready for them to get out of the city & see what the rest of the world has to offer
September 11, 2023
Frankie and Yorke and Auden and Beast are together. Yorke is pretty perfect. These books are on the shorter side so I breezed right through this one. On to book 3.
July 2, 2024
a bit short but really good
Worth it! I t was a bit short but totally worth it!! I highly recommend this series! Book 1 was well worth it, bc book 2 is all about Yorke and Franke and Ayden and of course Beast! Don't worry he gets lost but then found shortly after. If the dog does die, I will not continue. That is the worst. That's a hard NO for me!
Worth it! I t was a bit short but totally worth it!! I highly recommend this series! Book 1 was well worth it, bc book 2 is all about Yorke and Franke and Ayden and of course Beast! Don't worry he gets lost but then found shortly after. If the dog does die, I will not continue. That is the worst. That's a hard NO for me!
January 27, 2021
So good!
Great characters, exhilarating plot, very descriptive, and more than anything it'll keep you turning the pages!!!
I'm new to this author and look forward to more!
Ive already pre-ordered book 3! Can't wait!
Great characters, exhilarating plot, very descriptive, and more than anything it'll keep you turning the pages!!!
I'm new to this author and look forward to more!
Ive already pre-ordered book 3! Can't wait!
December 10, 2021
This series is totally addicting!! I love the characters so much!! Trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world changes people.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews