Brutal Keeper

The Federation's Keepers #3

by Alexandra Norton

What big hands you have... The better to grab me with.

What black fangs you have... The better to bite me with.

What sharp claws you have... The better to scar me with.

PriyankaMy ruthless alien Keeper is dead, and his twin brother has been sent to take his place.

Exiled to an alien planet by my family as punishment, I've suffered unspeakable horrors at the claws of my Keeper and his tribe. When he dies and I'm left to starve, I'm ready to accept my fate and perish on the desert planet.

But when the spitting image of my dead Keeper appears before me, my plan is turned upside down. He looks just like my tormentor come to life, but the robotic arm where another set of savage claws should be forces me to believe that this is a different beast.

I never wanted to be here. And it turns out, neither does he.

The claws on his real arm look just like the ones that left me scarred, but his eyes look at me in ways his brother's never did. His species is cruel and barbaric, so I know it's only a matter of time before he follows in his brother's footsteps to continue my torment. How long do I have and, more importantly... How do I steel my heart and body against the unwelcome cravings stirring within me?

LathamThe last thing I wanted was being forced to return to my old tribe. Taking over my dead brother's duties as Keeper was not part of the plan. I had every intention of going back to my quiet life as an augmentation mechanic on the other side of the continent at the first opportunity. Hopefully without a useless human on my heels.

But it is clear that if I leave the female, she will not make it, and my dead brother's tribe refuses to let me take her with me. They may despise her, but she's their property. My options are stay with the tribe that hates me and take responsibility for my new Kept, or go home and let them do what they will with her.

She's small, weak, and seemingly objectively useless to me. But I sense an iron spirit in her that draws me in, and a vulnerability that awakens unwanted instincts. I will protect her. But for how long can I fight the urge to possess her?

Genres: Dark Romance

146 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 18, 2022

About the author

Alexandra Norton writes steamy, high-concept science fiction romance that leans dark.

Reviews

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brutal Keeper turned into a pretty good Sci-Fi Romance read after the initial darkness of the first couple of chapters. The lead of the story Priyanka has suffered greatly at the hands of her assigned Keeper Kithuin and with his sudden death still finds herself in a position of torment from his tribe.
Latham who is the twin of Kithuin is ordered back to the tribe to take over his deceased brother’s Keeper duties a prospect he is not looking forward to after having left the Toron tribe years earlier.
This third book in the series may start out a little on the dark side but once Latham returns and helps Priyanka in healing physically and mentally the story begins to open up and bloom.
Latham had no allusions to his brother’s nature and though he wanted to take Priyanka and leave for her safety he’s forced to stay with the tribe or leave without her. I found the narrative engaging and world building unique along with the interesting aspects of Latham’s species. The growing attraction between the two leads and the path they are forced into taking later on in the story generates some surprises as well as the passion they can no longer deny.

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

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. It’s a quick read and written well enough. But it’s not well flushed out. She gets over an entire year of being abused and raped without much looking back or any real acknowledgment from the MMC. And while I like that their relationship formed over several weeks/months, he still saw her as property until almost the very end. And even then it’s mostly just glossed over at the end rather than him truly seeming to realize how wrong that mindset was. He gives lip service to treating her better, but it felt pretty unresolved to me. All of the final conflict and resolution took place on a matter of pages instead of chapters. It was a pretty anticlimactic ending. With 10 min left in my kindle book, I really thought it was gonna be a cliffhanger with a second book, but nope! Wrapped up super quick with a few well placed words. Booooo.

Content warning for non con in the past, off page, before the book begins. Everything in the book is very consentual.

[Nina Diab · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Unique and great world building. Priyanka was treated abominably by her family and by the alien Keeper and his tribe that her family send her to as punishment for wanting to go to business school instead of marrying the suitor they chose for her. Beaten, raped, neglected, and starved, she vowed she would just let herself die. But her thirsty, starving body kept pushing her to live. Then one day, she learns that her Keeper had died. Latham was the Keeper's twin brother. He'd left the Toron tribe thirty years ago and never intended to return. He instead was taken in by the Roko tribe where they saw he was skilled, and his arm was replaced with a top-of-the-line augmented arm and could perform much more delicate operations on limbs and animals. Now he was called back to his old tribe to be the new Keeper. They didn't want him there any more than he wanted to be there. But they wouldn't let me leave with Priyanka. They assumed her barren and useless to them, but refused to let her go as she is their property. A really intriguing and original story. I couldn't put it down. 5 stars.

[Kristine L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Priyanka has not only suffered from her parents hands but also the hands of her assigned Keeper Kithuin. After being punished for not choosing to marry the suitor her family picked for her she was given to the alien Keeper who beat, raped, starved, neglected, and abused. She couldn't figure out when she was still alive as she was treated just as badly by the Keepers tribe. They end up sending his twin brother, Latham, to become her new Keeper. The tribe was just as upset with his return as Latham was on being sent back to the Toron tribe. Latham is so different than his brother and he and Priyanka start a slow build toward their relationship and their chemistry becomes physical and hot. There is so much going on with drama, suspense, danger, villains, and steam. I couldn't put the book down.

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

[Liza Irvine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Highly recommended 👍👍
The world building by this author is phenomenal.
This doesn’t feel like another version of earth. It feels like a different world. These people don’t care about our morals. They have their own. And the author doesn’t assume that humans know better or are better. Some aliens are cruel but others are trying their best in a cruel world. Just like us.
And the smut is good too 😉💕

[Lora Knudsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book and highly recommend you read it. It kept my attention from beginning to end. It is full of action, adventure, and steamy romance. It is great! I am definitely going to read the other books in this series now. I am hooked!

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

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third book in the Federation's Keepers series. Human Priyanka has suffered so much at the hands of her ruthless alien Keeper now that he is dead his twin brother Latham has come to get her. There is suspense, drama, danger, villains, and love.The story is well written and kept me turning pages. I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Julie Sherman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked

I liked this story, it is just a little different from other stories that keeps you intrested. I did read this book first so ill go back and read others

[Anij · Rating 4 out of 5]

“He simply could not feel for me the way I did for him.”

I sooo loved this book while I was reading it. I literally couldn’t put it down. The characters grabbed me from the beginning (I was a little confused about the world building at first but then caught on.) Priyanka broke my heart from the start and I already knew I’d love Latham early on. Every turn of the page had me captivated as I followed along in their love story. My heart stopped when they stumbled and raced when they grew closer. There was even a little twist at the end I didn’t expect. It was wonderful.

So why didn’t I give it five stars? I’ll tell you why. I loved it all the way until I turned to the last page and realized it ended before the story actually ended! We knew all along she would have to go back for the Judgement, she tells the minder she’s going back, and then the book ends abruptly. So we never find out what happened at the Judgement. The book isn’t a cliffhanger. It’s like the author either forgot to include the last part or she doesn’t consider it important. I mean, seriously? Now I’m left worrying what happened when Priyanka had to appear before the Federation and her parents. Alexandra, please! I HAVE to know!

Despite my frustration at the end this book is great and I have added Alexandra to my read again authors list. I also found out when I got ready to write this review this is actually book three in a series. I’m going to read books one and two but since they take place on other planets I doubt it matters I didn’t read them first. Also, it’s listed as dark but except for her treatment at the beginning it isn’t in any way. Latham is an alpha and he’s not weak or coddling in any way but he is in no way a brutal or dark hero. Also, the sex is steamy but not near as explicit or hot as I usually see in something labeled dark sci-fi romance. I definitely recommend this very enjoyable alien romance to anyone who enjoys the genre.

[kymagirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the title indicates this definitely has a pretty brutal Keeper as the novel begins. Priyanka (h) has been cruelly treated by her parents; her Keeper, Kithuin; and her Keeper's tribe, the Rog. When her Keeper dies, his lookalike brother, Latham (H), becomes her new Keeper - unfortunately Latham seems only slightly less brutal than his brother. Latham doesn't want Priyanka or his former tribe, and can't wait to leave both behind and return to his life with the Roko tribe. Their relationship slowly builds and eventually becomes physical in nature. But eventually, Latham will have to make a choice - Priyanka or the Roko. The story ends with an HFN - there's not a clearly defined outcome with the Federation. Bonus chapter can be downloaded from author to provide a little more of Priyanka & Latham's story.