Shop Stitch
Kindle Unlimited
Unlimited reading. Over 4 million titles. Learn more
OR
$4.99 with 71 percent savings
Print List Price: $16.99

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Closest Kept: A Novel Kindle Edition

4.4 out of 5 stars 94 ratings

Breaking free from the past is one woman’s greatest challenge in an emotional novel about love, friendship, and the courage to overcome the worst of times by the author of Prickly Company.

Best friends Lily and Inga do everything together—they even meet their future loves at the same bar. After one serendipitous night, it seems like it’s going to be Lily and Alex and Inga and Matt forever.

But life gets more complicated. A job offer moves Inga and Matt from Norwich to London. Lily, who craves stability after a traumatic childhood, is already struggling with the change when Inga confides in her a secret that could tear the group apart for good. At the same time, Lily’s friendship with Matt deepens, and she wonders if she was always meant to be with him instead of Alex.

As the two couples try to hold on to their dreams and one another, Lily’s life is further upended by the reappearance of her long-lost sister—and all the terrible truths she brings home. Lily needs her chosen family more than ever, but in order to heal the rifts, she must find the courage to be honest with herself and reveal the secrets she’s kept hidden from her loved ones for too long.

Unwell Hydration from Alex Cooper
Hydrate & focus with every sip Shop now

From the Publisher

Is this a new beginning? She can only hope.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“I read this book with my heart in my throat! Filled with secrets that ripple like stones tossed in water, Closest Kept is a stunning novel about truth, trust, and the bravery it takes to love honestly and with your whole heart.” —Jennifer Gold, author of Halfway to You

About the Author

Kitty Johnson is the author of Prickly Company and Five Winters. She has an MA in creative writing from the University of East Anglia and teaches occasional creative writing classes. A nature lover and artist, Kitty enjoys walking in woodland and on the coast with her dog and makes collages and paintings from the landscape. She loves a challenge and once performed stand-up comedy as research for a book—an experience she found very scary but hugely empowering. Kitty lives in Norwich, Norfolk, in the UK with her partner and teenage son. For more information, visit www.kittyjohnsonbooks.com.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DCCBSK62
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Lake Union Publishing
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 6, 2025
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 5.6 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 328 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1662518096
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 94 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Kitty Johnson
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Kitty Johnson writes novels that make you laugh and cry. She lives in Norwich, Norfolk in the UK, with her partner and teenage son. Her novel Five Winters was recently awarded the Star Award 2024 by the Women’s Fiction Writers Association.

A nature lover, Kitty enjoys walking in the local woods and by the sea in Norfolk with her dog. Also an artist, she paints and makes collages in her studio when she has time. Kitty enjoys a challenge and once performed stand-up comedy as research for a book - an experience she found very scary but hugely empowering. Kitty has an MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia and has also published as Margaret K Johnson.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
94 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
An Emotional and Heartfelt Story
5 out of 5 stars
An Emotional and Heartfelt Story
Kitty Johnson, the Author of “Closet Kept” has written an emotional, heartfelt, and captivating novel. The genres for this book are Women’s Fiction, Friendship Fiction, Sibling Fiction, Family Fiction, and Fiction. There also is a dash or Romance and Suspense. The themes surrounding this story are keeping secrets, the importance of family, friends, honesty, courage, forgiveness, second chances, self-growth, love and hope. In this well developed and well written story, the author vividly captures the scenery and discusses the dramatic and dark characters. The characters are complex, and complicated. There are betrayals, manipulative characters, some toxic characters, and the quest for the truth. Lily and Inga are the closest friends, and meet their boyfriends in the same bar. The four are as close as can be. Lily is the protector of secrets from her family, and her friends, and has had a tragic upbringing. Lily loves to paint, and as she deals with her pain, her paintings become more vivid. As life gets more complicated, Inga shares secrets with Lily. The relationships between Lily, Inga, and their boyfriends becomes strained. Lily’s estranged sister Viola re-enters her life, and creates many problems. Lily and Viola share many secrets as well. There are twists and turns, and the authors creates an edgy feel to the story. I enjoyed this thought-provoking novel and I highly recommend it.
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2025
    Kitty Johnson, the Author of “Closet Kept” has written an emotional, heartfelt, and captivating novel. The genres for this book are Women’s Fiction, Friendship Fiction, Sibling Fiction, Family Fiction, and Fiction. There also is a dash or Romance and Suspense. The themes surrounding this story are keeping secrets, the importance of family, friends, honesty, courage, forgiveness, second chances, self-growth, love and hope. In this well developed and well written story, the author vividly captures the scenery and discusses the dramatic and dark characters. The characters are complex, and complicated. There are betrayals, manipulative characters, some toxic characters, and the quest for the truth.

    Lily and Inga are the closest friends, and meet their boyfriends in the same bar. The four are as close as can be. Lily is the protector of secrets from her family, and her friends, and has had a tragic upbringing. Lily loves to paint, and as she deals with her pain, her paintings become more vivid. As life gets more complicated, Inga shares secrets with Lily. The relationships between Lily, Inga, and their boyfriends becomes strained.

    Lily’s estranged sister Viola re-enters her life, and creates many problems. Lily and Viola share many secrets as well. There are twists and turns, and the authors creates an edgy feel to the story. I enjoyed this thought-provoking novel and I highly recommend it.
    Customer image
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    An Emotional and Heartfelt Story

    Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2025
    Kitty Johnson, the Author of “Closet Kept” has written an emotional, heartfelt, and captivating novel. The genres for this book are Women’s Fiction, Friendship Fiction, Sibling Fiction, Family Fiction, and Fiction. There also is a dash or Romance and Suspense. The themes surrounding this story are keeping secrets, the importance of family, friends, honesty, courage, forgiveness, second chances, self-growth, love and hope. In this well developed and well written story, the author vividly captures the scenery and discusses the dramatic and dark characters. The characters are complex, and complicated. There are betrayals, manipulative characters, some toxic characters, and the quest for the truth.

    Lily and Inga are the closest friends, and meet their boyfriends in the same bar. The four are as close as can be. Lily is the protector of secrets from her family, and her friends, and has had a tragic upbringing. Lily loves to paint, and as she deals with her pain, her paintings become more vivid. As life gets more complicated, Inga shares secrets with Lily. The relationships between Lily, Inga, and their boyfriends becomes strained.

    Lily’s estranged sister Viola re-enters her life, and creates many problems. Lily and Viola share many secrets as well. There are twists and turns, and the authors creates an edgy feel to the story. I enjoyed this thought-provoking novel and I highly recommend it.
    Images in this review
    Customer image
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2025
    Lily and Inga are inseparable since they became friends, so when they meet two guys who quickly become part of their every day lives, it seems too good to be true. Two girlfriends, meeting two guy friends and neither set were really looking for love but it seemed to find them. Inga had her eye on Matt and they seemed to fit well together and Lily then got together with Alex and love did come the more time they spent together. Things seemed to be well, and everyone was anticipating wedding bells in the future for them all. But relationships often cannot last when there are secrets being kept. Lily isn't sure she is ready for marriage but Alex and his mother keep pushing the topic as well as having children. Matt has done anything and everything he could for Inga, but she just doesn't seem happy. She hates their house, she can't seem to hold down a job and doesn't want anything to do with Matt lately. As the relationships fall apart, Lily and Inga realize how different they've become and the shocking secrets that they were keeping from each other. Lily can hardly believe how fast Alex moved on from her, and the things Inga was keeping from Matt. As relationships continue to strain Lily realizes she is sick of keeping everyone's secret, sick of hiding her past and sick of other dictating her life. As the truth of her past unravels, it reveals why Lily is who she is and why she has made the choices she has. But she finally has found that one person who she can open up to, explain it all and isn't afraid to fall for. I could not wait to see how this all ended up. I was rooting for them the whole time! Thank you to the author for the complementary novel and to Suzy Approved Book Tours for the invite. This review is of my own opinion and accord.
    Customer image
    4.0 out of 5 stars
    Great read about friendships and relationships as we grow.

    Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2025
    Lily and Inga are inseparable since they became friends, so when they meet two guys who quickly become part of their every day lives, it seems too good to be true. Two girlfriends, meeting two guy friends and neither set were really looking for love but it seemed to find them. Inga had her eye on Matt and they seemed to fit well together and Lily then got together with Alex and love did come the more time they spent together. Things seemed to be well, and everyone was anticipating wedding bells in the future for them all. But relationships often cannot last when there are secrets being kept. Lily isn't sure she is ready for marriage but Alex and his mother keep pushing the topic as well as having children. Matt has done anything and everything he could for Inga, but she just doesn't seem happy. She hates their house, she can't seem to hold down a job and doesn't want anything to do with Matt lately. As the relationships fall apart, Lily and Inga realize how different they've become and the shocking secrets that they were keeping from each other. Lily can hardly believe how fast Alex moved on from her, and the things Inga was keeping from Matt. As relationships continue to strain Lily realizes she is sick of keeping everyone's secret, sick of hiding her past and sick of other dictating her life. As the truth of her past unravels, it reveals why Lily is who she is and why she has made the choices she has. But she finally has found that one person who she can open up to, explain it all and isn't afraid to fall for. I could not wait to see how this all ended up. I was rooting for them the whole time! Thank you to the author for the complementary novel and to Suzy Approved Book Tours for the invite. This review is of my own opinion and accord.
    Images in this review
    Customer image
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2025
    This deeply touching novel tugged at my heartstrings in all the best ways! Kitty Johnson is a master of writing complex characters that leap right off the page. Protagonist Lily shoulders the burden of a painful past. Even as it haunt her, the loss she’s experienced also propels her to do right by those she loves. But keeping the truth of her upbringing hidden comes with a heavy cost, and if she wants to hold onto her people, she’ll have to let go of her secrets. A story of friendship and sisterhood, loyalty and forgiveness, Closet Kept will have you feeling all the feels, and rooting for Lily every step of the way.
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2025
    Lily has always put others before herself: her sister, her best friend Inga and when she meets Alex, she quickly falls into the same pattern. In Closest Kept, we follow her journey to happiness, true friendship and success. I picked up this books thinking it was a lighthearted rom-rom but it’s not. It is a gripping story about living with and overcoming childhood trauma. The book deals with - trigger warning - serious topics such as alcoholism, drug use, abortion, pregnancy, child abandonment, cancer and death. Yet it is so beautifully and tastefully written that it isn’t pulling you down but makes it feel like ‘real life’.
    The story is told from Lily’s POV and most of the time I had a love-hate relationship with her. Early on we learn how childhood trauma followed her all the way into adulthood and affects all facets of her life. She’s kept most of it a secret rather than dealing with it and has built a net of lies around her and her relationships. When she is finally forced to face reality, she realizes that she has to trust others to find herself and true relationships. I loved how the author developed the individual characters each of them growing into the persons they are meant to be. Matt was, of course, my absolute favorite. This was a great read with a lot of food for thought. I was rooting for Lily the whole time and wish her all the best. I can’t wait to read more from this author.
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2025
    Closest Kept is a poignant and satisfying tale of secrets, betrayals, and finally breaking free from the past. It's the story of a friendship pushed to its limit and a sisterhood on the verge of splintering, ultimately asking the question: how far should you go to protect the people you love? Like in Kitty Johnson's previous two novels, I found myself swept up by the honest, relatable characters and kept thinking about them long after the final page.

Report an issue


Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?