Saturday, December 31, 2022

Keep Me (Phoenix, #2) by Stacey Kennedy Review


This is a spoiler-free review! You can read my review of Watch Me on my blog, here.

We pick right up from where we left off in Watch Me, now following Archer and Elise as they continue to instigate one another like their lives depend on it -- I can hear the wedding bells already. Almost immediately, Elise and Archer are basically going at it without actually going it at it, as Elise works on a job for Archer investigating a new member at the club after some suspicious activity went done a few days prior.

The smut definitely hits different in this book compared to Watch Me, and I can't tell if it's because we did get that mild build up of tension between Elise and Archer in the first book, or if just my love for the teasing-each-other-because-they-like-each-other trope. The way they are both so similar to one another yet constantly butt heads makes me love the pair even more, and their banter is just so entertaining to read.

Kennedy did a good job balancing plot and smut, as well as spending a decent amount of time developing the backgrounds of Elise and Archer. We get details of both of their past traumas that heavily influence why they do the jobs that they do, and get to see how they open up to one another about how they are still affected by their pasts.

Zoey, Hazel, and Elise's friendship really stood out throughout the book, and readers are able to witness how interconnected their lives are, especially with their involvement with the boys and their lives as well. It was great to read about the friend group that had a solid foundation, but that also did not have them so dependent on one another that they could not function without each other.

Another whirlwind romance to follow Zoey and Rhys -- but on the bright side, they knew each other for longer than Zoey and Rhys knew each other before they got engaged. I definitely think Elise and Archer, while still having a fast romance, did have that foundation between them that allowed their story to still be as raw as Zoey and Rhys, but have that extra cushioning that let you go into the book with justified expectations.

We are able to see both characters grow into themselves before they give in to one another, and the plot was just as fun to read as were Elise and Archer's more intimate scenes together. I was certainly in the mood to read something a little more spicy, but wanted to have at least the backbone of a plot, and I was not disappointed. Kennedy sets up the next book at the very end of the epilogue, much like Watch Me, and I plan on seeing this series through until the end.

Another quick read in the Phoenix series that leaves the reader wanting me but satisfied at the same time. I love a good interconnected standalone series that keeps the other characters involved but not so much that you feel like you're reading part two of another couple's story.


You can add Watch MeKeep Me, and the rest of the series on Goodreads now. You can also follow the author to stay up to date on publications and releases.


You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter, and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

No comments:

Post a Comment