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adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Murder
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
this gets so much shit for being different from Lights Out but that doesn't mean it's bad? chill, people
I found this super entertaining and bingeable and really enjoyed the sex positivity + character development. we love a mmc down bad
I found this super entertaining and bingeable and really enjoyed the sex positivity + character development. we love a mmc down bad
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, Murder, Toxic friendship
Minor: Addiction, Body horror, Gore, Gun violence, Vomit, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Second in the Into Darkness series, this highly anticipated book exceeded my expectations! While still a dark rom-com, the novel didn't have quite the same tone as Lights Out, mostly because of the difference in the character's personalities. As much as I loved Josh in the first book, I was relieved and appreciative that it didn't feel like a copy & pasted MMC and made for a good separation between the two books. This book was also a lot more explorative in the world of kinks, identities and orientations than its predecessor, creating a very sex positive message. The buildup of sexual tension between Lauren, by far the most confident FMC I've ever read, and Nico, previously sheltered by his rather misogynistic mafia upbringing, blossomed at the perfect rate.
I am very intrigued to see where the final installation of this trilogy goes, with the brief setup of Tyler & Stella’s introduction in the final pages.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Stalking
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Murder, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Child abuse
Sex work,
dark
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So I have been looking forward to Caught Up for months. I loved Lights Out & was excited to dive back into the dark rom-com world that was set up.
Junior Trocci exist in a world of violence and depravity. He stuck to the shadows and darkness his only light being Lauren - the first girl he ever loved back when they were kids. He kept away for ten years, to keep her safe. But now he wanted nothing more than to get out from under his father's thumb and have a shot with Lauren.
So, I loved Lights Out but honestly I forgot who Junior was at first, since it's been awhile since I read book one. But I was glad to be back in the into darkness world.
Junior was ruthless and dangerous. He was part of the mob and was a man who always got what he wanted and after stalking Lauren from a distance - he wanted to finally make her his.
Lauren's first love in school was Junior - but when he hurt her she becomes more closed off, not giving anyone else the chance to do so. Now she was working as a cam girl and at a members only club.
This two had baggage to get through. Between past hurts and current secrets these two were explosive in more ways than one. - They instantly had a connection that attended from when they were younger but only seemed more amplified now as adults. It was deeper than lust but neither was ready for more than something casual - at least not right off.
I loved the book, the dynamic between the characters and the world. I loved the friendships and found families too. But I didn't love it as much as book 1. The book was good & it made me laugh some. It had some steamy scenes and I couldn't wait to see how Junior and Lauren's relationship played out. But it wasn't as funny as the first. But with how it ended - I'm excited to see if there will be more in the future from other characters.
Overall it was a good steamy read.
4 ⭐ out of 5 ⭐
3 🌶️ out of 5 🌶️.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Stalking, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Bullying, Domestic abuse
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It was fun and dark and spicy, all the things you'd expect from Navessa. It just needed it to push the boundaries a little more to make it a five star.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse, Xenophobia, Abandonment
Check all kink content warnings at front of book.
dark
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder
Minor: Drug abuse
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Stalking, Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is darker than the first book (Lights out), but that shouldn't be a deterrent to reading it. Just be prepared for it if you've read the first book and are expecting the same book with a different font. you will not find that here.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Stalking
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Sexism, Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Vomit, Medical content, Cannibalism, Murder
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really liked the friendship dynamics in Caught Up—they were honestly my favorite part of the book. The way the characters showed up for each other, even when things got messy, added some needed warmth and humor to the story. It grounded the plot in a way that made the heavier and darker themes more balanced.
Overall, it was an entertaining read. I appreciated the shift into a more morally gray relationship, especially with how it handled sex work and the mob world. It gave the story some depth and edge, and I liked that the characters weren’t perfect or clean-cut.
That said, there were a few things that didn’t quite land for me. In the epilogue, when Stella is introduced, there’s a line that describes her voice as “lower than I expected, cultured.” That stood out in a weird way—especially since the author openly identified other characters as Italian or white throughout the book. It came off like the author was subtly trying to indicate that Stella might be a woman of color without actually saying it, which felt awkward and unnecessary. When white authors do this kind of racial coding without clarity, it often ends up feeling like they're trying to have it both ways,using aesthetic contrast without committing to meaningful representation.
The final intimate scene at Velvet also left me a bit conflicted. Nico binds and restrains Lauren completely during a public performance, and while I get that their relationship is meant to be morally gray, the scene felt more like a power play than a consensual expression of trust. Especially since Lauren is a cam model and exercises so much agency in her work, the public domination felt contradictory to Nico’s earlier claims that her job didn’t intimidate him. Instead, it felt like he was trying to reclaim control in a space where she usually calls the shots.
I also really wish the book had been longer, some parts (especially the ending) felt rushed. There was a lot of potential for deeper character development, especially for Lauren. She often felt reactive rather than fully developed, while Nico had much clearer motivations and felt the most fleshed out. Maybe that dynamic was intentional, but it made Lauren harder to connect with. A time jump (maybe five years down the line) could’ve helped round out the story. I wanted to see how their relationship actually holds up, especially considering the complexities of her career and the fact that Nico owns the building she lives and works in. What does their life look like after the dust settles? What other business moves is Nico making? We didn’t get that closure, and I missed it.
I also wish safe sex had been emphasized more consistently. It was a lot more present in the first book, and I think in smut-heavy books like this, it’s important that authors normalize those conversations and practices.
I also wish safe sex had been emphasized more consistently. It was a lot more present in the first book, and I think in smut-heavy books like this, it’s important that authors normalize those conversations and practices.
Also, just being real, the writing got corny at times. Not enough to take me out of the story completely, but enough to roll my eyes here and there.
Still, I’m curious if there’s going to be another book. There’s definitely room to expand this world and explore the characters more fully. I like the themes she explores, it’s interesting to read about.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Stalking