The Devil's Keepsake

East Coast Devils #1

by Somme Sketcher

“Don’t become worthless to me, Miss Murphy. You won’t like the way I’ll discard you.”
Aged nine, I saw the Devil.
Those glowing amber eyes, they sliced through the darkness and filled my nightmares.

Aged fifteen, he staked his claim on me.
He held a fake funeral and told my father that I belonged to him now.

Aged nineteen, he made good on his promise.
Snatched me from the life I’d carved out for myself. Threw me in his private museum along with some of the rarest, most expensive artifacts in the world.

I’m his new, shiny obsession.
Nothing more than a keepsake.
But Lorcan Quinn doesn’t want to admire me from the other side of the glass, or even handle me delicately with white gloves.

He wants to break me. Ruin me. Then he wants to acquire the rarest thing of all.

My innocence.

***

SOMME’S

The Devil’s Keepsake is a deliciously dark, enemies to lovers mafia romance. It can be read as a standalone, but it’s best devoured with the rest of the trilogy.

You should know that I write dark romance, and my stories—including this one— aren’t for the faint of heart. They are deliciously dark and somewhat disturbing, so are not suitable for everyone.
You won’t find Prince Charming or a damsel in distress within these pages, so if that’s what floats your boat, I kindly encourage you to move along!

Genres: Dark Romance, Romance, Mafia Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Dark, Forced Proximity, Crime

301 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 5, 2021

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 China Doll Stars

Poppy and Lorcan's story... soo I actually liked this book but I had trouble regarding Lorcan's age... I know that it's just a number but still age-gap stories aren't my favorite ones and guessing if he is over 50 or not was bugging me the whole time...

[Halle Macpherson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Somme sketcher is an instant read for me, sinners series is one of my favourite ever and dark romance is a genre I love. I really wanted to love this book. However, this book crossed from dark romance to horror for me. The things that normally I don’t find triggering; age gap, mafia, punishment etc all just felt wrong here. For me, Lorcan is unlikable older control freak who shows no endearing character traits, and Poppy comes across as confused child who accepts the only affection she has been shown by someone much older than her. Locking her in an antique museum and referring to her as a china doll made my skin crawl. That being said, I read it in one day, and as always Somme’s story telling is ace, just couldn’t get behind this pair.

[ya.vl · Rating 2 out of 5]

2/5⭐️
Дуже розчарована, очікувала набагато більшого адже люблю Сомму 🥲
Головні герої взагалі ніякі🤷🏿‍♀️
Лоркан який алкоголік, як він міг доном стати взагалі не розумію, маленька дитина краще б керувала🤷🏿‍♀️
Поппі спочатку мені було її шкода а потім просто подивилась на її стокгольмський синдром і думаю яснооо🤝🏿
Шо тут говорити
Кінцівка взагалі ніяка, тут йдуть її рятувати на наступний розділ вона вже з ним, і так поверхово пояснили шо сталось🤦🏿‍♀️
Одним словом це ужас
Плюсом було те, що розділи були короткі тому читалось легко і на цьому все

[amelia · Rating 1 out of 5]

This set the feminist movement back to before the 19th amendment.

[Bookgasms Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first Somme Sketcher story I've read and I am obsessed! Poppy and Lorcan were fiery and so sexy. I love how this story is dark and yet had elements of vulnerability and strong emotions throughout. I can't wait for more from this author in this series! 4 stars! ~Ratula

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

kinda whack but also kinda slayed lol

[IlarIlarIlar · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so dissapointed :( I love Somme and her other books are delicious (s/o to the sinners anonymous series). This one just didn't hit the same. The male MC was literally abusive at points and the female MC developed stockholm syndrome (she also seemed stupid.. like girl make up your mind, do you like being capitve?) Also didn't have a good pulse check on how old he was... which I thought was really weird. The whole bit about her ex coming to save her and then admitting to cheating (+ cussing her out) was beyond random. Finally, I smelt the cousin's betrayal from a mile away. Seemed like a silly and predictable twist. They had good physical chemistry but I couldn't get over how ridiculous the start of their romance was (and what I felt was a lack of an emotional connection.) Will not be continuining this series.

[𐙚 Khareema 𐙚 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the plot and the characters but I felt somethings were missing.

[Brandy Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness this book had me reeling. I absolutely love the plot and dynamic between Poppy and Lorcan. Lorcan was certainly not the type of hero or antihero, that is, that I'm used to reading and that was one of the reasons I think I liked him so much. He's flawed and troubled. He's led by his emotions more than the usual, dark mafia romance main characters are and that makes his character feel so much more real to me. I think his unpredictability is what made him seem so threatening and dangerous. At first I didn't think I liked Poppy but that changed quickly. I soon really loved her character. She's smart and not easily a pushover. Lorcan and Poppy were absolutely perfect for each other and helped to heal what was broken within them both. The book was very well written and kept me on my toes till the last page, which by the way, was a perfect ending to their story. This was the first time reading anything from this author and I will certainly be on the lookout for more books from her.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Literary Child (Tania) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Найтупіший мафіозі з усіх, про яких я читала. Абсолютно несформований як на свої +/- 40 років. Бє

[°˖ ✧ m ✧˖ ° · Rating 2 out of 5]

ehhh

this book was pretty average, nothing really jumped out. it read like any other mafia romance, still enjoyed it though.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book does have the same type of mafia enemies to lovers plot points, but the weakness of our male lead seemed different. He’s a drunk and his drunkenness is acknowledged throughout the story. The dialogue was more abrasive which I really enjoyed. It was more realistic then what I’m used to in these novels. The heroine was also not
weak. She held her own against her captor while not being bratty. Overall I felt this story was refreshing and I loved how it ended.

18+ steaminess, no cheating, no cliffhanger and HEA

I was given this book for free and I am voluntarily leaving this honest review

[Annette · Rating 1 out of 5]

This disappointed me cause the Sinners Annonymous series was SO good. Bad plot, annoying characters, asshole main guy that i couldn’t get behind, age gap too big… only redeeming quality was the writing- 2/10

[Alli L · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m so so upset with myself that I finished this book in 2 days. It was so bad. Please don’t read it. And leave me to my shame.

[Yas · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Series now unpublished*
Decent read, but I lost interest towards the end.

I picked this up because the author announced that she would unpublish this series, and FOMO kicked in 😅

I like Captor/captive, and this served that trope, but I wished there would've been some kind of groveling/ regret showing from the MMC.

I'm glad I picked it up before it got pulled, and I might read the rest of the series someday. (But I'm also glad I wasn't blown away so I'm not as sad about it not being available anymore)

I'm also really excited about her Sinners Anonymous Series!

🗂Genre: Contemporary Mafia Romance
📕Type: (interconnected) Standalone

🏷Tropes:
- Mafia Boss
- Captor/Captive
- Age gap
- Revenge
- Hate to Love

⚠️Safety: kidnapping, large age gap, no cheating, no owd/omd, murder & torture, parental neglect, grief

📖Format: 1st person, dual POV

•••East Coast Devils Series (unpublished)•••
#1: The Devil's Keepsake - 3★
#2: The Devil's Deal - tbr
#3: The Devil's Obsession - tbr

[ies · Rating 4 out of 5]

my first Somme Sketcher... kalau dah biasa baca mafianya CR, bully nya SM ya akan berasa vanilla deh.. hero nya tergolong baek bener buahahahaa... apalagi pas in the end emang yg jahat selama ini ya bpk nya si heroine sih, jadi makin "ooohh.. baek amat ni masnya" kwkwkwkwkw

mungkin ntar baca yg laen.. nanti dulu tapi sih.. mau baca antihero dulu (mood gw lg anti hero) hahahahahaha

[Deepthi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would have given it a 4 star if not for the nickname “CHINA DOLL” who calls that.
there are certain things also I didn’t like totally from my point of view .
Lorcan is really a Devil.
Onto the next book in the series.

[Max_u · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book sucks everything about it was bad dnf

[Katy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have really mixed feelings about this one because the other books I’ve read by this author were honestly such a treat if you like dark romance. In this one, I could see the bones of where this author was headed with their writing, but I didn’t really like a lot of how this played out.

I found Lorcan thoroughly unlikeable; which I guess shouldn’t be too surprising in a book like this, but he was a very bitter, mean character, not helped along by the level of his drinking through the book. I did like Poppy and her resourcefulness, but I struggled with their relationship. He was nasty for a lot of it. Their chemistry was fine, but as a whole it didn’t work for me.

I also found the plot quite muddled, particularly the external drama. The stuff involving her father was clumsy, and I found the final denouement hard to follow and some of it didn’t make sense to me. But on the whole, the writing in this was strong, and it was quite engaging. I can’t deny I was entertained for a lot of the book; there’s certainly a lot of twists and turns. Hence why I have mixed feelings. I did enjoy aspects of it, but there were other things I really wasn’t keen on. It hasn’t put me off reading books by this author, but I don’t think I’ll be reading more in this particular series.

Content Notes: Hate-to-love, forced proximity, organised crime, age gap.

Warnings: Kidnap, imprisonment, murder, death, violence, suicide, torture, threat of rape / sexual violence, rape (side character), gun violence, alcoholism (MMC), death of a parent (in past), death of a sibling (in past), grief, drugs / drug use, organised crime.

Other: On-page sex, virgin FMC, unprotected sex No condoms use, no discussion of birth control, no discussion of STI status, rough sex, spanking, OM drama FMC’s ex shows up to rescue her but she isn’t interested in him anymore, infidelity / cheating (in past), dubious consent Many early sexual scenes between FMC and MMC are dubious even if FMC does ultimately enjoy them, age gap FMC is 19, MMC’s age isn’t specified as far as I’m aware but he’s definitely a lot older than her. .

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keeps you on the edge of your seat...

With plenty of action - twists & turns you don't see coming in this enemies to lovers romance....oh and there's steam galore between Lorcan and Poppy!

[Sam Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

A well crafted book that twists and turns. The darker side of romance and personal demons explored. A cracking read. My first book by Somme Sketcher and I am looking forward to more.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Alex Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic, riveting read. Deliciously dark and dangerous. Great characters, well written storyline. Would recommend, will read more from this author

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tabatha Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely a dark romance. It’s full of secrets and betrayal. Poppy is a pretty likable heroine. Feisty and smart. Lorcan is definitely an antihero. He was broody and an alphahole. Most of the time I love alphaholes but I didn’t particularly like Lorcan. There was a lot of chemistry between he and Poppy but Lorcan’s broodiness made him run hot and cold. If you like that sort of angst in your dark romances you’ll love this. I stick with dark romance to avoid that type of angst so Lorcan missed the mark for me, to each their own. It’s well written, interesting and paced well. A good read!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shanna D · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Devil’s Keepsake by Somme Sketcher. OMG! Lorcan and Poppy sucked me into this depraved and delicious tale of mafia vengeance, dark drama, heated and undeniable chemistry, steamy passion, and heartfelt characters that left me wanting to shake them silly and at the same time wrap my arms around them. I enjoyed this story and would recommend it to others looking for something full of steamy dark drama. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jackles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the idea of the story and the writing, but I feel as though it was missing a lot; specifically the jump from I hate him to I love him.

This is a complete stand-alone

[Mishty · Rating 1 out of 5]

If I could, I would tear this bull-headed man from limb to limb. Like who tf uses "china doll" as an endearment?!

[Just_Another_Book_Lover · Rating 2 out of 5]

Troupes:
1. Cavtive romance
2. Mafia romance
3. Age Gap(Almost 20 years)
4. Virgin FMC
5. HEA
6. No omd/owd or cheating


Good things: The confrontation part with Sam, the
twists in the end. Although I had guessed the villian from the beginning but the author cleverly cover the tracks. The last few chapters and the epilogue was perfect. The mcs of of the next two books looked promising enough

The story started with a very promising background. A fierce girl who fights for her freedom and A mafia who is not a prince charming. However, the characters lost their charm very soon.

Firstly Popy, where is her spark infront of Lorcan? Like it doesn't last even 2minutes. All goes back to s3x talk,no spite,no anger. And Lorcan , yeah he is doing the big bad mafia role great. All that crude & lusty talks and the big bad mafia role ends here. There is no leadership quality nor any brain to operate the so called big family. Dark story is not just crude s3x talk and some war between the families. The mafia organization in this story is all talks and no actions only keeping the regressive women idea intact(Example Quinn sisters).How can everyone consider their father loyal(just because he kept them in the out house and not in the main house🙄🙄) when he brought mistresses after the mother died of cancer,no mention of mourning only whoring😑😑. I don't like a ml who looks at other women after meeting the fl( When Lorcan was looking at a stripper).

Lorcan is just a glorified drunk, muscles with no brains. I don't find any depth in his struggles.Simply bland.He treats her like a mistresses and indulge her as much as her captive status allows. Got all the s3x scenes but why they fall in love is beyond my understanding. Because there is no talk or something that would make their relationship special. Lorcan's father is a good mafia as he took care even of his enemy.

The story had a lot of potential and the elements that the author wanted to show could have been more arranged ( cz there so many chapters albeit short). However, she has grown so much with her writings since her debut (Sinners Anonymous). Looking forward to read the rest of the series.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

“If I see it, I want it. And if I want it, I have to have it.
I see Poppy. I want Poppy. And I have to have Poppy.”

This perfectly sums up Lorcan’s personality, and Poppy’s big problem. They are the main characters in “The Devil’s Keepsake” by Somme Sketcher, which is book one in the ‘East Coast Devils’ series. It’s an age-gap, enemies-to-lovers story full of angsty drama, twists and turns, and some well-placed moments of dry humor.

Lorcan is a deeply flawed man, who also happens to be the reluctant head of a mafia family. It wasn’t something anybody ever expected to see happen, but then again, nobody ever expected the tragedy that precipitated it. Poppy is the only child of a man who works as a mafia errand boy. For good reason, she has no respect for him, and something that happens when she’s 15 years old permanently severs even the teeny bit of a connection she ever felt to him. When as a result of her father’s incompetence, Lorcan comes for her, a life she has managed to wrench into place completely shatters again.

“The cocktail of expensive cologne and pheromones drift up my nostrils and swirl around my beating heart.”

I don’t want to reveal more about the plot because this is one of those books that you really should enjoy having revealed to you in the way the author wrote it. It’s a longish book because it has a long story to tell, so I didn’t have a problem with that. It’s written in dual POV, which is great for helping us understand the thoughts and feelings of the characters. The powerful chemistry between the two of them simultaneously excites and confuses them both. Lorcan is dominated by emotion more than I’ve come to expect in a male lead in this genre, and it totally lends credence to some of the crazy things that happen. Poppy is significantly younger than he is, although I don’t remember ever learning his age. She’s also a very strong, resilient heroine. After the climactic scenes in this book I sort of felt like it was very quickly over. I liked the epilogue and the future it showed for Lorcan and Poppy.

There are several secondary characters I’d really like to know more about. Since I’m already intending to read the next book in the series, I’m hoping one or more will appear in that story. This was a book a very much enjoyed reading.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Charlene Gaskins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author is new to me so I was skeptical as to how this story would go. I was impressed with the captivating story line and the deeply broken characters in both Ms. Murphy and Mr. Quinn. It was a gripping novel from the first page to the last with Ms. Murphy and Mr. Quinn, both characters with a past/history that neither character really wanted. Poppy and Lorcan's characters were thrust into unwanted roles due to family circumstances and histories, with both battling to find their HEA.

Lorcan became Don overnight with the death of his father and brothers and Poppy was a victim of a devious father who was as heartless as the devil himself. Lorcan's character in the first half of the book was no boy scout, damaged due to family loss, addiction to alcohol and his hatred for Poppy's father. The reader doesn't completely understand why he is such as as...........hole toward Poppy until the storyline finally divulges the the reason he hates her. Once he finds out that she is neither loved by her monster father and that she has no contact with him, his opinion of her starts to change. It's a slow revelation that is fueled by his growing need for her. Lorcan has so much baggage that it's was hard for me to have any sympathy for him until the book reached a turning point whereas; Lorcan's hardened shell begins to crack because of his feelings for Poppy. He slowly becomes human and is able to step up to his role as Don. The story is full of suspense, angst, mixed loyalties and a love story that evolves from the ashes of prior misdeeds, and misunderstandings. It is a hard fought HEA right up to the end with doubts and traitors rearing their ugly heads right up to the last few chapters.

Poppy is a young heroine but is tougher than most. I loved how the author had her character do self-analysis of her actions both good and bad and how she was so talented and determined at such a young age. Yes, she fell in love with her kidnapper but this is a work of fiction and is a Enemies to
Lovers read.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The addition starts with the book cover….yeah…yeah…yeah don’t judge a book by its cover they say ….well we all do it and this one here it is the scratch to your itch or better yet the filling to your oreos! Within the first chapters you get the panoramic view of whom you’re dealing with! This is book is part of the East Coast Devils series why just read one when you can start at the beginning and keep reading through the series it won’t be a waste of time. This author is new to me so I was skeptical as to how this story would go. I was impressed with the captivating story line it grabbed you from the snippet of seeing him at nine years old. She was his before she knew what it was to be wanted by the devil. He waited until she was old enough and took her away from the life she knew. Lorcan is so cave man so to speak…. If I see it, I want it, if I want it, I will have it! He sees Poppy, He wants Poppy and He Takes Poppy without regards to her or what she wants! This perfectly sums up sexy as all get out Lorcan getting what/who he wants when he wants although there is so much more to him, but the one constant is you want to kill him oh and then bring him back 😊. He is an alcoholic, very controlling and an alpha through and through. Poppy is sweet, intelligent, has know something was off about her family for a while and as she gets older decides to walk away from it and working her way through college her second year when the devil shows up. She isn’t your average pushover, she will and often pushes back which kind of drives him the chemistry is there but with the way he is doing things he may just burn it out, where are these two headed and will Poppy get happiness or more headache and heartache?