Review: Keep Me Still

Scarred by loss, Layla leaves her hometown of Hope Springs, Georgia, hoping to put her painful past behind her and start over in college in California.

When she runs into Landen at freshmen orientation, she has a choice to make. Reinforce those steel walls she's built up around herself or give the only boy who can keep her still a second chance.

Landen’s more than ready to tear down those walls, but this time when they come crashing down, they might bury her.

Title: Keep Me Still
Author: Caisey Quinn | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Website
Publication Date: August 1 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Length: 278 Pages
Add it to your TBR Pile: Goodreads
Buy It: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Cover Love: Lovely.
Point of View: Alternating 1st person between both Layla and Landen

My Rating: 4 Stars

Firstly, I would like to point out that I read the version of Keep Me Still which came with the novella Let You Leave, which is a prequel to the time in which Keep Me Still takes place.  From what I can gather, this special edition version with the novella is only going to be available for a limited time.  Then, the novella will be removed and no longer available for separate purchase.  Why is this important information?  Because, I can honestly not see how somebody would be able to read Keep Me Still... without reading this novella first.  There is so much backstory that is given in Let You Leave.  You get some of the more important moments highlighted in the main novel, but it just wouldn't seem enough. 

“We both have secrets.  I wonder if they'll bind us together or tear us apart?”

It is my opinion that the author should actually combine the novella and novel, making it one larger book.  Rather than removing the novella all together.  It simply follows a natural progression as the story.  I really do not believe that if I had never read Let You Leave, that I would have connected to the characters, or enjoyed Keep Me Still as much as I did.

“This isn’t just my chance to start over like I thought- It’s our chance.”

The build-up of Layla and Landen's relationship fully takes place in that prequel novella.  By the time we get to the timeline of events in Keep Me Still, they have already met, fallen in love, and built their previous relationship.  Without being able to be a part of them meeting, that gradual build-up of trust and being able to watch their relationship grow... I would be afraid that a reader just would not connect to them as a couple. 

Which would be a travesty, because I adored Layla and Landen as a couple.  There are a lot of walls and barriers that they must crash through, but the issues they were facing were real and believable.  Landen is an absolute sweetheart.  You will undoubtably fall in love with him.

And even though this is a New Adult book, there are in fact some pretty steamy scenes.  You will never be able to look at a cherry in the same way after reading this book.  The chemistry between Layla and Landen is intense... a very good kind of intense.

“Not a minute has passed since the first time I laid eyes on you that I haven’t wanted you.  Needed you.  I will always want you.”

I am of course a huge fan of dual point of view books, and this is no exception.  I think this story needs the ability to have you in both Layla's and Landen's head.  There are a lot of secrets kept between the two, there would really be no way of following what was happening to each of them if this wasn't dual POV.

You are probably wondering if this is a standalone?  My answer to that would be no.  Even though it is not listed as a series, there is an epilogue that leaves you are a rather large cliffhanger.  It appears as though there will be a novella, Hold Us Close, which is at the time of this review set to be published in November 2013.  So if you stop reading at the end of Keep Me Still, then it could be classed as a standalone.  But if you keep reading through the epilogue, be ready for a bit of a cliffhanger until you can get your hands on the upcoming novella.

“Suddenly, I have no idea why we’ve been doing this to each other. It’s love. Plain and simple. You love someone, you show it. Every day, up until your last.”