Omg this book was an amazing I enjoyed the slow burn between Sylivie and Killian who happens to be a grumpy Scottish man who I think is like Jamie ( but not like Jamie). I love the name calling to falling In love. I love how Sara bring in mental illness cause some people would ignore their mental illness before it’s too late. I love this I can not wait for the next book for this series!!! It’s hot and funny.

Another fabulous book by Sara Cate and I absolutely cannot wait to read the rest of this series. I give this a solid 4.75 rounded up to 5 stars despite the couple of things I took issue with as they are more of a personal taste issue than a writing issue.

The main characters were well thought out and the perfect dose of angsty. The fake marriage trope was well done but there were aspects of their relationship I didn't enjoy (the awful names they called each other) I will say the rest of the book was fun, emotional, and to my level of spice.

I will admit that I love most of Sara Cate's books. This one had some things in it that I did not enjoy (name calling and a really weird thing that the MMC had for using his thumb to put something back where he thought it belonged...like every single time) but somehow Sara writes it in a way that I find myself forgiving even if I don't personally get it.

The characters were a little shallow in the beginning, but I felt like they needed to be in order to grow, which they absolutely did.

The fake marriage was a bit of a stretch and felt a bit rushed, but absolutely worth it in the end.

The setting was absolutely to die for. I mean, who wouldn't want to spend a year in a Scottish manor with the possibility of making millions if you can pull off your fake marriage with a sexy, brooding, grumpy Scottish man?

I found myself loving the characters (side and main) despite their many flaws, and I cannot wait to see what's next for this series.

Keep Me is the first book in a new series, Sinful Manor, by Sara Cate. This story follows Sylvie Devereaux and Killian Barclay, both major grumps turned lovers. They really brought a new meaning to enemies to lovers, as they hated each other so intensely at the beginning… but they do say there is a thin line between hate and passion.

Killian has lived in Barclay Manor since the death of his parents. His way of dealing with grief is a little… unconventional and when his family finds out, they want him to settle down or risk losing the manor. When Sylvie breaks into his house while on a trip with her boyfriend, he knows he’s found just the one to make him settle down.

Upon her return home with her boyfriend, Sylvie eventually finds out that he’s been sleeping with her best friend.. And when Killian’s sister approaches her with an offer for 10 million dollars if she can stay married to him for a year, it’s a little difficult to say no.

This is different than Sara’s previous work. I’ve never had two characters that hate each other so vehemently, to the point where I was honestly doubtful they’d ever fall for each other. They eventually do and that’s of course when everything starts to fall apart, because of course it does. In the end, my heart was absolutely broken for both of them, as they are truly just two broken people wanting to be loved.

There was a lot of trauma to unpack between the two of them, but just as much growth and I enjoyed seeing how their relationship developed as they did that together. Killian standing up for Sylvie when her parents were being awful to her and Sylvie talking Killian down from a panic attack while on their getaway are two big moments that just made me melt a little for them.

This was such an emotional rollercoaster! Overall the story was interesting, there’s a lot of trauma the two have faced and they definitely needed the right help. I’m glad the MMC did in the end.

I adore Sara Cate and I was/am really looking forward to this new series from her. Keep Me was a great start to the Sinful Manor series and I can't wait to see what the next occupants of the Barclay home will get up to.

I will keep this review real simple with 3 things I liked and 2 that I didn't:

I liked the setting, of course! I'm always up for going to Scotland for a romp. It's always such a wonderful place for romance.

I loved Killian and Sylvie. They were a great couple. The hate to love felt a tad over the top at first, however, it does make sense as we get to know their own personal trauma and what bothers them.

Finally, I really enjoyed their growing connection and how they found ways to support each other. Their selfish desires turned to trying to better each other's lives and that was beautiful to see.

A few things I didn't care for:

I feel like I missed the tipping point that drove Killian and Sylvie into love... Maybe some of it got cut? Like, I know we are covering a year of their lives in the manor, but I feel like we missed more that I needed to see.

And I do feel like the kink was played a little safe... We were teased with some really sexy things and there were some... I just expect a bit more pizazz from Sara Cate I guess.

I have mixed feelings about this one! The first half was a bit rough for me. The characters are intentionally unlikeable but it got a little grating.

I love the concept and theme of marriage of convenience, inheritance, and betrayal. That was fun and added some depth.

Surprisingly it is probably the biggest slow burn of SCs books. It took way longer to heat up than SPC and the Goode series. The spicy scenes were of course decadent. It's not as kinky as her other books so adjust your expectations accordingly.

The enemies were ENEMYING good lord they hated each other and definitely vocalized it. Then it switches to sappy quite quickly. This may have been a pacing issue for me but the switch wasn't entirely relatable or believable.

Second half/last quarter of the book has the most in terms of character and plot development. Unfortunately by then I was somewhat checked out.

As for the audio- loved the Scottish MMC narration. Struggled with the FMC doing the Scottish male accent. Had to slow down during the MMC parts but that was fine. He was hot and gruff.

I will say it every single time, Sara Cate can do no wrong. I love everything this woman writes. I really enjoyed both characters in the story and getting to see both of their perspectives. I loved how they both fell hard and both were too scared to tell each other. I love the ending. That’s all I’m gonna say I don’t wanna ruin it, but I loved the ending. The book comes out today. I really think you should.
Killian is a brute who doesn’t want to change his ways. Sylvie break into his house and all of a sudden she’s offered a marriage proposal. Neither of them like each other and they both believe they’re going to get a house out of this situation. But they didn’t expect to fall as hard as they did. The tension between these two and when the spice hits, Lord grab a towel.

I don’t know how it’s possible but with every single new book that Sara Cate releases I become even more feral for her creations.

I was hooked from the start of Keep Me, I literally couldn’t focus on anything but Killian and Sylvie’s story. It was so easy to find pieces of both characters to connect too and love. Their pasts their stories in general pulled at my heart strings but the way they came together was so beautiful.

I loved how the progression of the time in the story was written, it didn’t feel rushed and you didn’t feel like you were missing pieces but the little jumps here and there.

I honestly think this might be a top contender for my favorite Sara Cate book yet…

I am so excited to see how this series progresses.

5/5⭐️
2/5🌶️

Keep Me by Sara Cate is a captivating marriage-of-convenience romance with all the right ingredients for a binge-worthy read. Killian Barclay, a broody Scottish highlander with a dark past, meets his match in Sylvie Devereaux, a tough New Yorker with a sharp tongue and a guarded heart. Their unlikely arrangement—marrying to fix his reputation—leads to hilarious clashes, undeniable chemistry, and eventually, heartfelt vulnerability.
The banter between Killian and Sylvie is fantastic, with their early encounters providing plenty of hilarious moments.
As the story unfolds, both characters reveal their softer sides, especially Killian, whose emotional depth makes him an unforgettable hero.
The steamy scenes are perfectly balanced with tender moments that make their growing connection feel real and raw.
With its engaging storyline and well-written characters, Keep Me is a must-read for fans of contemporary romance.
It’s funny, emotional, and irresistibly spicy.

Very grateful to the publisher for my copy through NetGalley , opinions are my own

“𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒂 𝒎𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒑𝒊𝒆𝒄𝒆, 𝑺𝒚𝒍𝒗𝒊𝒆,” 𝑰 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒊𝒓. “𝑰’𝒎 𝒂 𝒎𝒆𝒔𝒔.”
“𝑾𝒆’𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒂 𝒎𝒆𝒔𝒔, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒌 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒎𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒎𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒑𝒊𝒆𝒄𝒆.”

This is a highly tension filled enemies to lovers story that follows Sylvie Devereaux and Killian Barclay. And Sara did not hold back on how much these two loathed each other’s presence in the beginning. Their unexpected run-in sets the stage for a highly addictive marriage of convenience story that has you flipping the pages to see if these two will be able to coexist.

Killian is our reclusive, brooding Scotsman, burdened by heartbreak, who seeks comfort and solace in indulgence. He pushes everyone away and has no desires for any connections outside his home. Until our fierce and independent Sylvie enters just trying to figure out how to survive the next year with this brute of a man and walk away $10 million richer.

Sara masterfully creates a relationship balancing between our character's fiery disdain to delving further into those tender moments within the walls of Barclay Manor. While they each had to battle their own inner demons that led to an emotional third act breakup, the healing within their journey keeps the reader invested awaiting the final outcome.

This is not the typical writing Sara may be known for, but it was without a doubt a beautiful story that needed to be told. And I’m hoping there will be more to come in this series!

This was such a different book from Sara’s usual as it takes place in Scotland and there are no spicy clubs in sight. Instead, we get the story of two broken humans who find themselves conveniently married and both on different journeys to find themselves. While there is still spice and kink, I’d advise readers of Sara’s to go in with an open mind that it is different from her usual. The spice is still there, it is just different from what you are used to (in an equally good way).

After breaking into a manor home in Scotland to find the typewriter of her (now ex) boyfriend’s grandfather, Sylvie Devereaux can’t stop thinking about the handsome, albeit terrifying, rogue who caught her - Killian Barclay. When his sister shows up with a proposition for marriage in exchange for a large sum of money, Sylvie jumps at the chance. Her life in NYC is a disaster, so a year in Scotland sounds grand, even if the plan is deceptive towards her soon to be husband. But over the course of the year, Sylvie finds there is more to this brutish man than meets the eye and she starts to regret her role in his family’s plan to deceive him.

This book truly was addicting to read in the best way. At the beginning of the book, both characters were a hot mess. Sylvie was an entitled brat who I would happily throw into a loch and Killian was equally mean and garish. This book really is such a dislike to lovers book, with them insulting each other and barely putting up with each other’s presence. They both had so much growth that needed to happen, and like all great Sara Cate novels, they did. Killian is dealing with trauma from his parent’s death and has developed agoraphobia. Sylvie is dealing with some terrible parents and everything that comes with that. I enjoyed seeing them both grow and become better people in this book! And while the spice isn’t quite sex club kinky, it was still soooooo good.

I also was able to listen to part of the book on audio and the narrators are phenomenal! Will Watt has such a good Scottish brogue, so I’d highly suggest listening to it if you can as well! Makes for a whole different experience!

I'm always excited with the thought of a new Sara Cate book. The idea that Keep Me would be set, at least partially, in Scotland raised that excitement tenfold.

As the first novel in the Sinful Manor series, the story of Killian and Sylvie is thoroughly enjoyable and not nearly as spicy as I would expect a Sara Cate book to be, but top notch nonetheless.

I really enjoyed the research done to make the Scottishness of this book stand up to the beady eyes of a fiercely patriotic Scottish lass.

There are so many swoon worthy moments during the telling of this tale where Killian has Sylvie's back and melts my heart each and every time.

I can't wait to see who and what is next from the Sinful Manor.

𝑲𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝑴𝒆 was a really good read and I loved Killian and Sylvie relationship. They're both grumpy and the bickering as foreplay was so much fun to read !

There's more layers to them and I loved both how their relationship evolved as they got to know each other, and their own characters development.
I absolutely loved Killian, he stole the show for me !

The marriage of convenience/enemies-to-lovers vibe was everything !! The chemistry between them was amazing and the spice was, as always with Sara Cate, SO good 🤤

I wasn't expecting the book to be organized in parts (I think there's 4), each part being Killian's or Sylvie's pov, and I have to say it was not my favorite... They were some moments I really wanted the pov to switch so I could know what the other was thinking.
But still the book was very good and in a way having the book separated in part helps creating the tension between Killian and Sylvie, which is good !

I was hooked from the very beginning. They truly could not stand each other and I loved it. Their little nicknames for each other were so funny and I love them. They slowly got to know each other and understand who the other person is. They just needed someone to show them love. I am obsessed with Killian telling off Sylvie's parents, someone needed to do it. The break they had was necessary but hard to read. They just loved each other so much.

I received an arc through netgalley.

I love the banter between these two. The way how they met to how their story became to be. The growth of the characters to the growth of their relationship. I’m here for it

Absolutely loved and devoured this book! Sara Cate can do no wrong in my eyes.

I loved the characters, their romance and of course the Scotland setting. I love reading marriage of convenience stories and Cate does the trope justice. Killian and Sylvie were a delight to read about. If you want a romantic story with grumpy x grumpy, enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience and age gap, this book is definitely for you! Plus there are so many swoon worthy quotes, I highlighted so much!

The spice delivered, but that's no surprise I mean this is a Sara Cate book after all lol. The spice was hot and intimate. I really liked how it was incorporated into the story. It never felt like it was there just to have spice ya know?

A wonderful romance story! This is the first in a series so I cannot wait to see what else this series has in store. A fantastic beginning! Highly recommend!!!

This book was fantastic! Sylvie and Killian were wonderfully grumpy and unique characters. The marriage of convenience trope was given a nice, fresh twist. I especially appreciated how well the author captured Killian's struggles. While I wasn't initially sold on the third-act breakup, it ultimately made sense for the story's resolution. This is some of the author's best writing, and I can't wait to see what's next in the series.

(4.5 stars) "If I let Killian get hurt, I will never forgive myself."

I am seriously torn about this book. It felt like the author created a smokescreen for 70% of the book before getting to the heart of the relationship. So I was frustrated early on but by the end, I couldn't imagine it working any other way. And the resolution was beautiful and worth getting to.

Killian and Sylvie are cut from the same cloth - the personality of nepo babies on the edge of being cut off by their families. It would be easy to write them off as unlikable, as the people in their lives do. But stick around and you'll see the two tear at each other's defenses enough to see what's inside. They're both incredibly hurt and and find a way to be each other's champion. For anyone who feels like the black sheep in their circle, this will feel very rewarding.

I think fans of Sara Cate enjoy her bold exploration of untraditional spaces. The scandalous story here is that Killian used to throw raging swinger parties! He has to navigate the awkward situation of introducing his new fake-wife to his old friend group. Sylvie pokes at the dynamic, unpacking what is consensual sharing and what is cheating. It's a small piece of the story but something new to explore for Cate fans.

My favorite element was definitely Killian's agoraphobia. He tries to hide his anxiety and panic attacks but he hasn't really left his property in 10 years. His triggers are nuanced and creates this delicate opportunity for Sylvie to help. I love when romantic partners help each other get unstuck. You can feel the care and mindfulness that went into this and it was a very fulfilling storyline.

I really enjoyed the book however SPC has given me such high standards😅 i was expecting a bit more spice. Nevertheless I think it’s still a great book. The characters are amazing and there is a great plot.

This book follows Killian, aw broody Scottish man. And Sylvie who is in financial problems and has hit rock bottom.

It was supposed to be an easy arrangement for Sylvie to make a lot of money. But it turned out a bit differently when they got feelings for each other.


💙 enemies to lovers
♥️ forced proximity
💙 grumpy / sunshine
♥️ marriage of convenience
💙 he falls first

IM OBSESSED
Now as a spoiler- I’m a HUGE Sara cate fan. And this was no exception.
It read a little differently than some of her other books- but in the best way possible.
It felt like all the comforts of a hallmark movie but with the Sara twist.
Killian and Sylvie are amazing. They really matched each others crazy.
I wasn’t prepared to get attached so quickly, and also for my heart to get ripped out so violently. But I also think I cried harder after that happened because it was the sweetest thing I may have ever read.