Bookstore owner Kerry Emerson finally seems to be back in control of her life. Her failure of a marriage firmly in her rearview mirror and her recent business expansion a success, she is in charge of her own future. One that is looking better than ever. The sight of the tall man, with the familiar salt and pepper goatee pushing open the door of her store, sets her hair on end. He doesn’t exactly … exactly bring good memories.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Damian Gomez is just looking for a decent cup of coffee when he walks into the small store offering books and brew. The pretty, feisty woman behind the counter is an unexpected surprise. Not at all unpleasant, especially since her finger that used to hold a wedding ring is now bare.
Her wild hair, boho style and silvery grey eyes suddenly hold a lot of promise.
But when his office is pulled into an international investigation into the trafficking of rare books and manuscripts, the straight-laced SAC realizes he has to keep his distance from the woman who might well be involved.
Easier said than done, since fate seems determined to throw them together.
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This was an enjoyable read. I liked Damian for the most part but I didn’t care for Kerry at all. I found her character to be annoying, a really big pill. Her personality rubbed me the wrong way.
Great read with brilliant charactes and a strong story line. Damien and Kerry were both great individually and the attraction betwen them was not only hot but heart warming too. The suspense adds another dimension and the supporting characters leave you wanting more. Excited for more from this series.
This was my first Freya Barker book and it did not disappoint. I love the characters because they are flawed and real. That makes me enjoy a story so much more. I will definitely be reading more by this author.
Bookstore owner Kerry Emerson finally seems to be back in control of her life. Her failure of a marriage firmly in her rearview mirror and her recent business expansion a success, she is in charge of her own future. One that is looking better than ever.
The sight of the tall man, with the familiar salt and pepper goatee pushing open the door of her store, sets her hair on end. He doesn’t exactly bring good memories.
FBI Special Agent in Charge, Damian Gomez, is just looking for a decent cup of coffee when he walks into the small store offering books and brew. The pretty, feisty woman behind the counter is an unexpected surprise. Not at all unpleasant, especially since her finger that used to hold a wedding ring is now bare.
Her wild hair, boho style and silvery grey eyes suddenly hold a lot of promise. But when his office is pulled into an international investigation into the trafficking of rare books and manuscripts, the straight-laced SAC realizes he has to keep his distance from the woman who might well be involved.
Easier said than done, since fate seems determined to throw them together.
OMG!! I love this book. The characters are amazing! Love the chemistry between Kerry and Damian! Enjoyed see some of the characters from The Cedar Tree Series. Keeping 6 is a page turner. Keeps you guessing on what is going to happen. I couldn’t put this one down. Can’t wait to see what Freya has planned for book 2 in the Rock Point Series. I recommend this book to everyone.
I thought this was a pretty good read. I had no idea what to expect since I have never read anything else by Freya Barker. I didn’t know who the characters were but there was enough backstory that I figured things out.
I liked that the main characters were older and wiser and knew what they wanted (even if it took them a while to realize it).
It was a mystery romance and I am happy to report that Freya kept me guessing until the end. Great job, usually I can figure things out. There were some funny parts as well, so this book has it all. You will find mystery–of course, happiness, sadness, anger and of course humor.
You can’t go wrong with this book.
Wow. I have never read any of Freya Barkers books but what a topper I have chosen to start with.
Romance, suspense, danger it had it all in spades.
Kerry has had a bit of bad luck in the past. She met Damien when she had been in a bad marriage and had managed to find herself in the hands of a mad man. FBI agent Gomez rescued her and with a blunt dismissal she doesnt think she will ever see him again until he walks into her book store.
Damien Gomez can’t believe he is staring into the same stunning grey eyes from years ago. The sexy sassy woman intrigues him more and more.
The drama starts with a bang and keeps going from there. You think you have a bead on who is the “bad” guy then something else happens and you realise your guess was wrong.
Keeps you on your toes throughout. A great start to a series. Can’t wait for the rest as the secondary characters were just as engaging as the mains.
I received a copy of this book and this is my honest review….
This is the first book I’ve read by Freya Barker and though somewhat underwhelmed, it will not be the last. Damian and Kerry were well written, interesting characters, he was definitely an alpha FBI agent, while she was a bit of a contradiction. She’s written as a hippy, free spirit, but that seems more in her appearance than her character. The pace was kinda all over, moving along well, then bogging down and frankly repeating the same stuff. I liked the twist, the plot was interesting, and would like to read the secondary characters stories as they come out. Was I blown away…. no, but a good read, none the less.
Kerry and Damian have met in the past but it was fleeting. When they meet in the present it is a whole different story. The characters in these book were so passionate. Their feelings pop right off the page and draw you in. Damian and Kerry loved hard and fought hard. This story will keep you invested because it has so much angst, suspense, action and romance that you will always be wondering what twist or turn is coming next. Every time that one of the characters gets in a bad situation (I don’t want to give any spoilers) you will be biting your nails. Ms. Barker kept me guessing because every time I was suspicious of someone I was proven wrong. The story flowed well and the characters were well developed. I have to say I have some Freya Barker books on my TBR list and I will be going back to read them because her stories pulled me in.
This a new author to me, the writing was great. The plot and characters were awesome. While it was a good read, some parts were drawn out for me and I felt like it could have had a little less written about it. But that would pass and it would become a page turner again. I would read more by this author.
Freya Barker….I love your books! Another Fantastic read in Keeping 6. We have met Damien and Kerry in previous books..and if you have not read previous books you will still love this story…but you will enjoy the characters from books past that keep popping up. Kerry has rebuilt her life settling peacefully building her bookstore business. Damien is investigating a theft of a multi million $ manuscript and he remembers meeting Kerry some time ago. Although he is a rules guy, he seems to want to break every one of them to protect Kerry. Kerry…well she takes a bit to grow on you. Their chemistry? Fantastic. Fans of KA will love this series/Author.
I loved the chemistry. The story kept me interested. I liked how tbey met and their relationship progresses. Really liked.
Keeping 6 was my first Freya Barker novel, and it was a doozy. This book was jam packed with action, alpha men, and strong independent women, and a huge dose of crazy. There were twists and turns everywhere. When I was almost at the end I found myself watching the page count going “HOW IS THIS GOING TO BE RESOLVED?!” (RELAX, there’s no cliff hangers here!) I was hooked.
Keeping 6 the story of FBI Agent Damien Gomez and book store owner Kerry Emerson. Damien and Kerry met each other a few years before, when Damien was involved in rescuing Kerry from a crazy kidnapping, but she was married at the time. When Damien stumbles into her new book store in Durango, sparks fly once again, except this time she’s no longer married (thank God, because in that prologue and from what Kerry talked about he sounded like a complete butt head.)
Damien, who is resigned to bachelorhood because of his career, tries to ignore the feelings Kerry evokes in him, which isn’t to hard because Kerry seems to dislike him and is completely rude to him when they see each other again. Kerry just got divorced from an overbearing dirtbag, so has no interest in dating or getting married again. She tries to ignore Damien and the feelings he seems to draw out of her.
These two were like cats and dogs at first. Over time, Damien came to terms with his feelings and became super alpha (hot) and Kerry tried to come to terms with Damien’s alpha macho-ness, but has some super hang ups. At the end, I was in love with these two. I thought Damien’s family was awesome, and he tried so hard to keep Kerry with him all the time, but when it came to his mom he threw her under the bus (typical male). Kerry was hard for me to like. I didn’t read the book where we meet Kerry and find out how she was kidnapped or anything, but reading her in the beginning, I wanted to shake her. She took awhile for me to warm up to. It seemed she was always snapping at people and then apologizing. Heck, she snapped at Damien and then he apologized. I felt sometimes she was in the wrong, and would admit she was, but would let Damien take the blame. I felt she still had to grow up. Her snipping at everyone in the beginning and refusing to allow an inch for ANYTHING, even with the people she loved like her friend Kim, was what really brought this book to 4 stars in my head. It was still a really amazing book, Kerry was just so hard on everyone and everything in the beginning, and even towards the end too.
This was also different for me because I tend to read romances featuring couples in their 20s, or with girls in their 20s. Damien and Kerry, from what I gathered because I don’t remember reading Kerry’s age, were in their 40s. Normally I avoid that, not on purpose, but because I feel like I connect more with characters closer to my age. But I really did love Damien and Kerry, and the story unfolding.
Great suspenseful love story!
“Perfection is boring, but near perfection? There isn’t a thing more intriguing, more tantalizing, more beautiful than that.”
I love reading books about older characters. Divorced and seemingly happy Kerry has her own bookstore/coffee shop. In walks Damian and she remembers him from years earlier when she was kidnapped and he was the officer on duty that rescued her. He would never forget her and can’t seem to get her off his mind. So he keeps returning to have coffee and then a huge turn events unravels a mystery that must be solved!
When Agent Damian Gomez steps into the little book store, he never expected to see Kerry Emerson. Having last seen her a few years ago, Kerry left a lasting impression on Damian, but knowing what she had just went through, added to that she had a husband, he left when he was done with his part of that case and never looked back. Now a few years later, Kerry is looking hot and even better, she is single. Too bad for Damian, as he is working and doesn’t really have time for anything. But when Kerry unknowingly becomes involved in the case that Damian is working, he will stop at nothing to keep her safe. As the two navigate through the danger, the feelings that they both have come to the forefront and make Damian’s job just that little bit harder. Can he keep her safe with all the directions he is being pulled? Will Damian blow this shot with Kerry?
So this was a good and entertaining read. With the danger, suspense, and some yummy romance this has all the makings of a good read. I give this 4 stars.
When Freya Barker announced that a new series was on its way , and that it would contain characters we’ve met before, straight away my interest was hooked. Keeping 6 is the first of what I hope becomes a long running series. All the Freya Barker hallmarks are here. A strong story line that first of all has you thinking one way, and then quickly sends you into a world that is so believable. Again ,our main characters are in a place in their lives where they are happy, on a path that they believe is the right one. Then suddenly it changes. Kerry and Damien at first meeting make very different impressions on each other and at a second meeting opinions don’t appear to have changed. But events that revolve around Kerry , her book/ coffee store, soon have Damien front and centre in her life.
A strong storyline , a beautiful location and characters that you can believe in are things that Freya Barker does so well & for me, make her books an automatic purchase.
Another 5 star read for what I know will be another outstanding series
It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Freya Barker’s and have been since her very first book…. Her writing, characters, storylines, attention to detail and descriptions of the story locations all combine to give excellent reads with relatable leads.
Keeping 6 is the first book in the new Rock Point series (which I’ve been looking forward to since Ms B mentioned it!!) and for me was a thoroughly enjoyable read.
I love that the MCs are that little bit older, that they are flawed and, in the leading man’s case, possessive and protective from the get go. We had met Damian in previous books in another series and, while I wasn’t sure I was gonna be a fan of him from what we’d seen before, he definitely won me over in his own story!
I enjoy the strength, character, snark and sass of Freya’s ladies but for some reason it took me just a little to warm to Kerry – admittedly it wasn’t for long and I did get there (I still can’t quite put my finger on why it happened this time around), but it was an unusual feeling to say the least!!
Loads of action, heat, attraction, great supporting characters who I hope we meet again in the future, Keeping 6 was a great start to this new series and I’m looking forward to more from Ms B!!
If you haven’t already experienced the joy of reading a book by Freya, this is a good place to start though I’d recommend that you go back to the start and begin with the Cedar Tree series to fully appreciate the characters we meet and the setting of the story in Keeping 6.
A rock solid 4.5* read for me!
Freaking fabulous! Freya Barker just blows me away with everything she writes. She inspires you with hope and the promise of a second chance. Keeping 6 (Rock Piont #1) is absolutely brilliant. It had been so long since I read her other series, which is where we meet the two main characters of this book, I had no idea what to expect. Boy was I thrilled to find out about Kerry and Damian.
The more I read the more I wanted. I remembered how much I thought Damian was a royal pain. He made it into my heart with each page I turned. His strength and loyalty just put him right to the top. I loved the humor that comes out with his family and Kerry. Great characters. Kerry is so wonderful. She survived. She has courage and I want to be her. Together they made me cry, laugh and sigh with longing.
You will not be disappointed with this new series. Freya Barker, you rock! One of the best!
Once again Freya has brought us a story that keeps you on your toes trying to sort out the mystery while falling in love with her characters. Real characters with flaws and but outstanding strength at the same time. Witty banter, deep emotions and a strong family atmosphere bring in just the right mix of romance and suspense. Strong secondary characters and the possibilities of other stories underlying have you itching for more Rock Point. This book is a great start to what will be another great series.
Kerry is finally living her dream. Long since gone is her over controlling ex-husband and she has found her independence and spark. She is a beautiful sassy woman that doesn’t take well to being told what to do. When circumstances force her to step back and let other take charge temporarily she doesn’t give in easily.
Damian is all about rules and procedures as a FBI Special Agent, it is to be expected. As the case enfolds and leads him to Kerry’s Korner to investigate, he finds a welcome surprise. A woman from his professional past that peaked his interest then but was clearly unavailable. Suddenly his protective side is out in full force and has him second guessing his prided perceptions.
The chemistry is strong from the very beginning with Kerry and Damian, but it is a precision dance as we watch the relationship grow.
On my own blog, I gave Keeping 6 a 3.5 (chose 4 since BookBub doesn’t allow half stars and I round up).
I found myself enjoying Keeping 6 and it’s the first Freya Barker book I have read. Damian Gomez hits all my buttons for a dominant alpha male which makes me just want to eat him up. Kerry started off kind of weak but years later has seemed to find her backbone (which I love seeing a character evolve and grow stronger).
One point of frustration that I had in reading the book was Kerry’s strength leaving her and her running off. I kept wanting to urge Kerry to quit running scared and give into her attraction to Damian. He came off as a good guy from the beginning and definitely way better than her first husband.
While I was reading, I wrote down who I thought the villains were in the book. Usually, those suspicions tend to change but I maintained my “suspects” then entire read. Freya did a good job hiding the identity of the mastermind. I think being married to a private investigator though may have led me to see other clues in the story that lead to the right culprits early on.
Keeping 6 focused more on the plotline and twist, as well as the romance between Damian and Kerry. Intimate scenes were brief and few which leaves the book on the sweet side of the romance scale.
Overall, the book was a good read and I found that the world was credible. Kudos to Freya!
I received an advanced reader copy in exchange for my review. All thoughts are my own and all that jazz.
This is the first book by Freya Barker’s that I have read. I will be going back to read the series that this is a spin off from. I did feel like I was missing out on some of Kerry’s story because I didn’t read Kim’s book first.
It was explained to us what happened, and how she originally met Damien. But I wanted more and that’s on me for not reading the others first. They are now added to my list.
I really liked that the characters are older (my age) in this book. It’s hard to find a book with older characters that I can get in to and stay hooked. This one kept me hooked.
Damien is great. I absolutely loved his whole family.
Kerry is great too. She is independent and successful, no thanks to her ex husband, or her parents.
I want more of Damien’s sister, Bella.