Review: Keep Me by Sara Cate
Sara Cate’s first full traditional publishing release, Keep Me, brings a fresh take on the marriage of convenience trope, blending elements of forced proximity, dislike-to-lovers, and emotional growth. While I’m a huge fan of her Salacious Players Club series, known for its bold, sexy storytelling and respectful depiction of kink, this book felt notably tamer and, in some ways, a bit messy by comparison.
The story follows Killian and Sylvie, two characters who are abrasive and rude to each other at the outset. Their marriage is purely transactional, with both benefiting financially, but their relationship evolves as they’re forced to live together in Killian’s sprawling manor. What starts as a volatile connection full of yelling and insults slowly softens into a more tender, supportive dynamic. The exploration of their pasts adds depth and made me empathize with Killian, even when he was an alpha-hole who crossed the line into rude AF territory. That said, if overbearing MMCs aren’t your thing, this might not be the book for you.
Sylvie, on the other hand, had an inconsistent arc. She started off as a brash and unbearable character, but her personality shift midway through the book felt abrupt, almost as if she wasn’t the same person we’d initially met. While she retained her fiery nature, the sudden transformation into someone more likable left me feeling disconnected from her character development.
The spice in Keep Me was enjoyable, but far less prominent than I expected from Sara Cate. The kinks felt more like an afterthought than integral to the story, lacking the thoughtful exploration I’ve come to expect from her writing. Additionally, the pacing felt uneven, with some sections dragging while others seemed rushed—particularly Killian’s backstory, which needed more depth.
Despite its flaws, Keep Me does have its highlights. The tender moments between Killian and Sylvie were genuinely heartwarming, and their emotional connection was a welcome counterbalance to their fiery beginnings.
While Keep Me didn’t quite meet the high bar set by Sara Cate’s previous works, it was still a fun read. For fans of marriage-of-convenience stories and alpha-hole MMCs, this might hit the mark, but for me, it fell a bit short of the layered, smutty excellence I’ve come to love from her. That said, I’m excited to see what she writes next as she continues to grow in this new traditional publishing space.
