Keep Her Safe

When I read K.A. Tucker’s He Will be My Ruin, I was impressed and over the moon that she gave us such an amazing romantic suspense to think about and ponder over for days. But when I dove into Keep Her Safe, I was left speechless and utterly blown away. I already love the way she writes and presents her stories, but this... this is her own brand of mystery and suspense. It’s written with a flair of her sweet, heart-melting side, with a touch of humor, impeccably blended with twists and turns and a whole lot of secrets and deception. It was quite an adrenaline rush—Noah and Gracie’s journey had me constantly on edge, my emotions in a jumbled mess and my head about to explode from everything going on. If that wasn’t a gripping, overly intriguing and captivating first chapter, I don’t know what is. Right when I passed those pages, I knew I’d be wrapped up in this story, eating up every crumb that’s left to be able to connect the dots and conjure up my own theories. It’s definitely a breath of fresh air—one that has a different pace and feel compared to the other reads I’ve had lately. I think that’s another thing that truly captured my interest with this book—I knew it will be different. It made my heart race for so many reasons, but I’m definitely all for the mind-numbing ride this book dragged me into. Keep Her Safe is one of those books that will take you on a mystery-filled journey that you won’t be able to get enough of until you reach that very last page. It will keep you intrigued and engrossed in what you’re reading the farther you get into the story, and the more things unravel. Brilliantly concocted and flawlessly written, K.A. Tucker will surely take you on a thrilling and nail-biting rollercoaster ride with her newest romantic suspense.

This intense, emotional story is filled with suspense and intrigue and it held me spellbound from start to finish. It is a gut wrenching story about good versus evil; about doing what is right no matter what the cost. This is a wonderfully written dark story with unforgettable characters and intricate plot weaving. I’ll admit, I was hoping for more romance but the story is so engrossing, I didn’t care. Noah and Grace are brought together through circumstances beyond their control. Noah’s mother makes a request for him to get in touch with Grace and it changes the course of both of their lives. Noah is trying to unravel the confusing mystery of Grace’s father's death and his mother's. Noah has had an insulated life and has been protected from all the bad things taking place. Once his mother dies, Noah has to make some tough decisions. He must decide to do what is right or what is easy. Noah is a good guy. He is charming, endearing, protective, tough and he also has a sweet and naive side. Grace has had nothing but bad breaks in her life and she has learned she can’t trust anyone. Life hasn’t been fair or kind to Grace and she has learned not expect much. Yet through it all, Grace has become a tough and strong woman and she hasn’t let life bring her down. There are a lot of secrets and lies and it is dangerous as Noah and Grace try to learn the truth. Although Grace is attracted to Noah she is afraid to let him in. I liked Noah and Grace. They are likable and realistic and have a lot of chemistry. Thanks to the author for providing a copy of this book vIa Cocktails and Books and Netgalley. The opinions expressed are my own.

★★ 4.5 stars! ★★ Keep Her Safe combines all of the elements I have loved in KA Tucker's previous books—the who-dunnit murder mystery from He Will Be My Ruin, a kickass and prickly heroine like Ivy in Surviving Ice, and a strong and sweet hero like River from Chasing River. Throw in some slow-burning chemistry, a buried family secret or two, and a mangy mutt, and you have yourself a winner! Noah comes from a family of lawyers and law enforcement. Growing up, he was loved dearly by his mother and had a surrogate father in her police partner, Abe. That all changes the night Abe is killed by a drug dealer and it’s revealed that Abe wasn’t the honorable man everyone thought he was. Turns out, neither was Noah's mother. Life also changed in an instant for Gracie. Not only was her father taken from her at a young age, she grew up with an absentee mother who uprooted them shortly after her father’s death. Gracie didn’t have an ideal upbringing, but she’s learned how to look out for herself and her mother. When Noah shows up on her doorstep bearing a gift from his late mother, he dredges up old memories and partial truths and takes them on a life-altering adventure into the past. Gracie and Noah make a great team and I loved seeing them grow close while learning to trust and open up to one another. Noah is sweet and polite, while Gracie is stubborn and hot-headed, so they really complemented each other well. They’re survivors who didn’t let the tragedies of their past hold them down. I truly love KA Tucker’s style of mystery and suspense. She delivers a unique and heart-pounding tale of lies and deception while tempering it with moments of young love and humor. There are twists and turns that I didn’t expect, and I love it when a book can keep me on my toes. If you’re in the mood for a story that you can’t put down until the very last secret is revealed, be sure to give this one a go!

I’ve been a fan of K.A. Tucker for a while now, but after reading Keep Her Safe, it’s brought my fangirling to an entirely new level. It is so unlike anything I have come across from her, but everything I adore about a fantastic read. This standalone novel was heavy on the suspense mixed with the perfect amount of romance, resulting in my favorite read of the year thus far. With superb writing, interesting characters, and a plotline that left me guessing at every turn, I could not put the book down and am honestly still left with my jaw on the floor. “But she’s got a haunted gaze in her eyes, the kind you get when life has disappointed you over and over again, when you’ve seen and suffered.” Keep Her Safe is one of those books that is ridiculously difficult to review. Each reader needs to experience it for him/herself in order to get the full effect and appreciate it to the fullest extent. There are so many twists and turns that even when I thought I knew what to expect, it was never quite what it seemed. My only complaint about the novel was due to the pacing in the very beginning; it was a little bit slow given how quickly the rest read. However, once things picked up, house chores be damned because I could not put it down. I appreciated that it read almost like a puzzle, with most of the chapters being written in the present day point of view, but with glimpses of the past as well. Readers were given bits and pieces of information, never knowing where it would truly lead. Furthermore, Tucker infused the perfect amount of romance between Grace and Noah. It was such a natural, slow development that almost enhanced the suspense piece. While it felt important, it never overshadowed their own individual journeys. Tucker did such a fantastic job weaving all the elements together to result in such an amazing piece of art. “I kiss her like I want her to pine over me. I kiss her like I want her to remember this moment in case we never have another chance.” I honestly feel like this novel came at the perfect time. I had been aching for something different and unique to read, and Keep Her Safe fit the bill perfectly. It grabbed my attention and held fast until long after I turned that last page. The characters were so real, with genuine emotions and reactions to the things they were going through. The plot kept me guessing, even in the final five minutes of the book – which is not easy to accomplish. K.A. Tucker wrote the trifecta of everything I have come to love in books and definitely pulled me from my reading slump. I absolutely can’t wait to see what she comes up with next, but I hope there’s some more romantic suspense in her future!