Review: Review: 'Kept' by Elle Field
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 11, 2014
To the outside world, Arielle Lockley appears to lead a glamorous and comfortable life; an adoring banker boyfriend named Piers who pays everything for her, the most stylish designer outfits, numerous trips to the most luxurious locations, and she doesn’t even need to work. Yet, Arielle never expected she’d end up a kept woman, forgetting her dreams of becoming a fashion designer. When Piers unexpectedly kicks her out after an argument, Arielle is forced to go back to her parents and think about her life. This is her chance to no longer be a kept woman, but fight for her own dreams... But is it too late? And can Arielle really forget Piers?Elle Field’s debut novel is a really enjoyable read with a fascinating heroine at its centre. Arielle is incredibly spoiled and self-centred, which didn’t make me warm to her at the start of the novel. However, as a reader we are taken on a journey to experience how Arielle’s character changes and is forced to make some important decisions in her life. I think most of us will be able to relate to Arielle in a way, and I really enjoyed seeing how she dealt with everything in her life. We are introduced to Arielle’s life by a switch between the present time and a collection of flashbacks (some elements from her past even come back as the story progresses), which gives the reader the chance to understand why Arielle has made certain decisions and how she has found herself in this position. Elle Field managed to make me root for Arielle and I ended up loving her!The book has a lovely collection of supporting characters: I personally developed a small crush on Piers, Arielle’s banker boyfriend, who is a real gentleman, and Arielle’s best friend Obelix managed to make me laugh out loud multiple times (I’m just not too sure about the name, I constantly saw Obelix in my head, blue-and-white striped trousers and two braids and all!). The story is well-written and develops in a good pace; it made me want to keep on reading to find out what would eventually happen to Arielle and where she would end up. Overall, ‘Kept’ is an enjoyable and fast-paced chick lit read, and I look forward to reading more of Elle’s work in the future!