Kept

When the mistress of a powerful man decides she wants out of their arrangement, she finds herself and her unborn child in deadly danger after a confrontation with her lover’s wife. So Kate flees into the arms of Lamar, her ex-lover and an ex NFL linebacker with his own secrets and misgivings. Caught in a power struggle between two men, Kate must trust one while rejecting the other.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Tracey Lampley pens a thrilling novella about how far one would go to keep a secret in Kept. Kate is eight weeks pregnant and the father is a rich and powerful married man. When she asks Grant to leave his wife, he rejects Kate and she feels she must end their arrangement. But suddenly, Kate's being followed and she knows her life is at risk, especially after an attempted shooting. 

Kate is a character that readers could learn to like, but it would definitely depend on their personal views. On one hand, she's the mistress. On the other, she's a woman who wants what she wants. She is strong and stands up for herself and unborn child, but she's too quick to trust (which is what gets her in the life threatening situation) and allows herself to be victimized. Though she is tough, Kate is also naive. I think readers will connect with her based on her desire to raise the child and her wish for a better life, but I'm uncertain how strong that connection will be. 

It was hard for me to like Kate because she seems like the type of person who uses those around her for her own advantage. She uses Grant for pleasure and money and admits to not loving him. She uses Lamar, her ex, for a safe-haven and a future stand-in father. But her parents also seemed that way. Her father used her as a punching bag and her mother uses her as a bank. Her past will definitely create a connection to the reader, through sympathy and understanding. 

The plot of the novella is intriguing, but I wanted more from Lampley. It felt like she was holding back. I loved the entire premise of the novel. An evil and powerful member of the elite exacts revenge on the mistress-who-got-away carrying his unborn heir. Again, love it. But as soon as I wrapped my head around the current information, the plot shifted and I was swept away, struggling to keep up.  

I wanted more detail and more time to dwell. In suspense and thriller novels, guessing what will happen is half of the fun and I didn't have time to form a hypothesis before the novella was over. I wanted to meet and greet Kate's friends: Wendy and C.C. Besides how did Kate end up dating the Carrington Grant? Can we also dig deeper on Lamar and Kate's past? Lastly, I wanted a lot more on the police investigation side of things. It was truly a thrilling plot line and I was enjoying it immensely. And then it was over. I wasn't ready for the end and I felt let down as a reader. I'd definitely be on board for a full length novel from this aspiring suspense author.

Rating: 2.5/5 Cups