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dark
emotional
funny
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
I loved this more than the last book. It was freakier than the last book, and it was more intense. I liked the mafia and Italian ties, and it was nice to see parents in therapy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Stalking
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Murder
Minor: Bullying, Vomit, Cannibalism
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
This was sooo fun!! Such a great read! I really enjoyed junior and Lauren and seeing them and their relationship loved the spice it was frequent and really good. This wasn’t as funny as book 1 and I enjoyed that book overall more this was still really good can’t wait to read more from this author!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Abandonment
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Stalking
Minor: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Vomit, Cannibalism, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
dark
fast-paced
80% smut with a very loose story.. if that's your thing then go for it!
Why/how did she break into his apartment to tazer him?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Stalking
Minor: Cannibalism, Murder, Alcohol
dark
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Sexual content, Blood, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cannibalism
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Caught Up (Into Darkness Book 2)
Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
She was my match, my queen, and I would spend the rest of my life worshipping her like one if she let me.”
---------------------------------------
Tropes:
✨ Second Chance romance
✨ Forbidden Love
✨ Mafia Dark Romance
✨ HE’S OBSESSED
✨ Touch Her and Die
✨ Camgirl fmc x Mafia Biker mmc
I'm finding putting my feelings about this book into words difficult. I knew not to expect the same of this book as we got from Lights Out. However, I did expect to have more banter, humor, likable characters/ character connection, and plot twists than we received from this book.
Did I hate this book? No. Did I absolutely love it like Lights Out? No. This story had so much potential, and I could see Navessa's vision for this book, which I do respect. It just missed the mark for me, and I am so sad that it wasn't the same calibur for me as Lights Out.
I did enjoy Nico! I loved his character and his devotion to Lauren. He was definitely a man obsessed, and he exhibited true "touch her and die vibes." I feel like he was as expected, and I really enjoyed the few bits of humor he delivered. He can honestly stalk me anytime 🤣. I also enjoyed his mob/mafia storyline and wish we got more of it!
I have to be honest, much of my downfall with this book is Lauren, our fmc. And as some may assume, it was not actually not about her profession, but her overall personality. She was very self-centered. Very "me, me me" and how things benefited her, how they affected her, how they harmed her. I found her to not be considerate or understanding of Nico at all, even after she "forgave" him of his mistakes in their past. Also, the back and forth of her inner dialogue was too much. P.S. I did not enjoy her friends either, especially Taylor.
I did really enjoy the glimpses we got of Josh and Aly! It was nice to have them so included in this book! Also, I do look forward to book 3 and seeing if it can deliver some of the elements missed in this book.
Also, of course, I loved Teddy Hamilton in the narration. He can do no wrong. Jason June and Kasi Hollowell did a good job as well.
---------------------------------------
“Run, Lauren,” I said, unable to stop myself. “Make it good for both of us.”
⚠️Warning⚠️
Language, high spice, adult content, and MANY more (see full list of triggers on her page or under the book listing).
Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
She was my match, my queen, and I would spend the rest of my life worshipping her like one if she let me.”
---------------------------------------
Tropes:
✨ Second Chance romance
✨ Forbidden Love
✨ Mafia Dark Romance
✨ HE’S OBSESSED
✨ Touch Her and Die
✨ Camgirl fmc x Mafia Biker mmc
I'm finding putting my feelings about this book into words difficult. I knew not to expect the same of this book as we got from Lights Out. However, I did expect to have more banter, humor, likable characters/ character connection, and plot twists than we received from this book.
Did I hate this book? No. Did I absolutely love it like Lights Out? No. This story had so much potential, and I could see Navessa's vision for this book, which I do respect. It just missed the mark for me, and I am so sad that it wasn't the same calibur for me as Lights Out.
I did enjoy Nico! I loved his character and his devotion to Lauren. He was definitely a man obsessed, and he exhibited true "touch her and die vibes." I feel like he was as expected, and I really enjoyed the few bits of humor he delivered. He can honestly stalk me anytime 🤣. I also enjoyed his mob/mafia storyline and wish we got more of it!
I have to be honest, much of my downfall with this book is Lauren, our fmc. And as some may assume, it was not actually not about her profession, but her overall personality. She was very self-centered. Very "me, me me" and how things benefited her, how they affected her, how they harmed her. I found her to not be considerate or understanding of Nico at all, even after she "forgave" him of his mistakes in their past. Also, the back and forth of her inner dialogue was too much. P.S. I did not enjoy her friends either, especially Taylor.
I did really enjoy the glimpses we got of Josh and Aly! It was nice to have them so included in this book! Also, I do look forward to book 3 and seeing if it can deliver some of the elements missed in this book.
Also, of course, I loved Teddy Hamilton in the narration. He can do no wrong. Jason June and Kasi Hollowell did a good job as well.
---------------------------------------
“Run, Lauren,” I said, unable to stop myself. “Make it good for both of us.”
⚠️Warning⚠️
Language, high spice, adult content, and MANY more (see full list of triggers on her page or under the book listing).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing, Stalking
adventurous
dark
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:
N/A
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexual content, Blood, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cannibalism
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
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
I freaking love you Navessa! This was just as good as Lights Out, but in a different way. More spicy, mafia plot, sex club. SIGN ME UP! Are we getting Tyler’s story next? I’m down for a redemption arc!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Stalking
Minor: Death, Violence, Death of parent
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-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
Perhaps I judged lights out too harshly (actually no, that book needs help). Caught up was much better. I don’t care so much for erotica so I did skip around quite a bit but I really liked the story telling on this one and the very slight cliffhanger/hint to another book at the end.
Navessa is good at creating interesting characters and propelling a story line at the length an ADHD reader would appreciate. I wish she would stop leaning so heavily on existing pop culture, internet colloquialism, and boomer humor. Some scenes that were supposed to show lightheartedness felt like they were missing a 80s laugh track, ick. There’s also a character that uses “they” pronouns which I actually liked but unfortunately they were just tossed in there to further the plot without having any real substance. And again, animal sidekicks that have the intent of showing the males gentle alpha side — lazy lazy lazy writing.
Ton of repeat kinks, phrases, and themes. But, I do like Nick’s story better than Josh’s cause it’s not filled with self-deprecating humor.
I also found it tough to think about how 2 books of hers in a row show mutual secret pining spanning over years, receptive attention to Italian features, and cannabalism warnings (much more detailed and disturbing this time). You okay girl? Do better
Navessa is good at creating interesting characters and propelling a story line at the length an ADHD reader would appreciate. I wish she would stop leaning so heavily on existing pop culture, internet colloquialism, and boomer humor. Some scenes that were supposed to show lightheartedness felt like they were missing a 80s laugh track, ick. There’s also a character that uses “they” pronouns which I actually liked but unfortunately they were just tossed in there to further the plot without having any real substance. And again, animal sidekicks that have the intent of showing the males gentle alpha side — lazy lazy lazy writing.
Ton of repeat kinks, phrases, and themes. But, I do like Nick’s story better than Josh’s cause it’s not filled with self-deprecating humor.
I also found it tough to think about how 2 books of hers in a row show mutual secret pining spanning over years, receptive attention to Italian features, and cannabalism warnings (much more detailed and disturbing this time). You okay girl? Do better
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Stalking, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Murder