This was not what I was expecting from Tijan, but I did enjoy this one. I struggled with the FMC and her internal dialogue, she seems a lot younger than her age. This is a fast moving romance that brings the tension and I really enjoyed the morally grey MMC, Jake.

Kidnapped for her own protection?
Jake had a contract out on his life. Sawyer witnessed him kill some of the men who were trying to kill him. Now she's on that hit list too. Jake takes her away/kidnaps her and hides her away for her own protection. As you can guess, she isn't too happy about that.
This book just couldn't hold my attention. It was quick to the spice but slow to the story. It felt so drawn out. At times it was kinda unrealistic and combined too many mixed elements into one story.
I really didn't like Sawyer. Her character was all over the place. Hate him, love him, compliant but then crazy. She makes dumb irrational decisions that make no sense. She picks the worst times to be stupidly defiant and almost gets them killed - several times.
On my scale of "just okay" this is at the lower end of it.

3.5 Stars

This is the third book in the Kings of New York series and can be read as a standalone. I really enjoyed the previous books but found this story hard to get into. Sawyer came across much younger than her 36 years and I think this is partly why I had such a hard time connecting to the storyline at first. Jake is a man of many layers, it was interesting watching him reveal more of himself. The action picked up in the second half, I enjoyed all the twists, the danger and the darker elements. I wasn't completely sold on the relationship between Jake and Sawyer, however they grew on me. I am looking forward to reading more from these characters.

This was an interesting read. The main heroine’s inner thoughts simply did not make sense to me. I don’t understand her motives, the direction of her character arc, or even her basic personality. I fear this author’s writing style is simply not for me- too convoluted, lacking direction, and not interesting enough for the characters to carry the plot alone.

This was my first time reading a book by this author and it did not disappoint. This was definitely a standalone and it wasn’t necessary to read any previous books in the series to know what was going on but I still wish I would have. I love a completely backstory.

There was a lot of action, drama, and steam in this. I’m hoping Blake and Crieghton get their own book because I was very intrigued by their relationship!

Sawyer and Jake had a ton of chemistry. I loved Sawyer’s family; her aunts added a bit of comedy to the book. I could’ve done without some of the family plot, though, as it detracted a bit from the main story which I never felt I fully understood.

I haven’t read a mafia romance recently and this was a good one to get back into the genre.

If you love mafia romance with a slightly morally gray MMC, then Captive Situation is 100% for you. Jack and Sawyer fall into an intense, insta-love connection that’s wrapped in chaos, danger, and a surprising amount of heart. I was so here for it.

Sawyer is 36, newly single after finding out her fiancé cheated on her with her best friend and got her pregnant. So naturally, she takes off on a journey to find herself and to meet the cousin she never met. What she wasn’t prepared for was Jack, or the absolute wild ride he drags her into after a single fateful subway encounter and a trip to jail.

This book moves fast. We’re talking kidnappings, bounties, mob bosses, and one unforgettable, fiercely loyal (and totally unhinged) family who would do anything for the people they love. Honestly, Sawyer’s family might have been one of my favorite parts of the book. They jump headfirst into the madness without blinking, and it made the story feel both hilarious and heartfelt.

I won’t lie, the ending had me biting my nails. I was stressed, wondering how Tijan was going to wrap things up. That last quarter of the book had me on the edge of my seat in the best way. High tension, high stakes, and still completely satisfying.

While Captive Situation can technically be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading the previous books in the series first. Some characters and connections will make way more sense, and you’ll appreciate the story so much more with the full context.b

Every bride dreams of her wedding day.

Today was supposed to be that day for me, except it’s not me marrying my college sweetheart.

My best friend is doing that. Or, well, my ex–best friend.

Instead, I’m over a thousand miles away, riding the subway in a city where lost people come to dream.

Me—I’m just hoping to distract myself from my heartbreak.

That is, until I met Jake Worthing.

Grumpy.

Hot.

A total jerk.

Did I mention hot?

Also, extremely presumptuous.

Just because I look like I’m a thought away from a total meltdown does not mean I need an ambulance.

He had the audacity to ask if I needed medical treatment.

Well, good riddance to him.

I don’t ever have to see him again.

Except, well, I do when I’m taken to the police station for a total misunderstanding.

He walks in and…gah. He’s the same that I remember from our first meeting.

Brooding. Still gorgeous. (The universe is not fair sometimes.)

He’s stirring up emotions that I didn’t know were still inside of me.

Then someone tries to shoot him and I’m a witness, and…er, how is it that I’m the one being kidnapped?

And by Jake?

Now I’m heated for a whole different reason.

If I get myself out of this captive situation, I’m going to reign down my own destruction starting with Jake Worthing.

I just have to survive first and, also, not get my heart broken. Again.

Another hit from Tijan. Their books are amazing. From the action to the end and everything in between. Will recommend to others.

I volunteered to read and review through Net Galley a copy of A Captive Situation . This is a phenomenal suspense romance . Sawyer runs to New York after being betrayed by her boyfriend of twenty years and her best friend . Deciding she wants to meet her cousin and fix the rift between her family and bring them back together . She never thought she would find herself pulled into the mess she finds herself after meeting Jake the grumpy ex-cop . Jake has a dark past . He finds himself chosen to lead the family as in Mafia . Sawyer witnesses someone attempting to kill Jake . Jake kidnaps Sawyer to save her life . Their chemistry is smoking and they're both a bit crazy of course so is her family . This story has everything that makes a fantastic tale . It's action packed a bit humorous in a dark way at times . I absolutely loved reading it . I highly recommend taking the time to read .

Sawyer is absolutely fantastic. She is so quirky and fun. Her inner monologue is absolutely hysterical and sometimes she cannot hide her emotions from her face. It’s like she has no filter and whatever she thinks when she percolates it all shows on her face and anytime she’s around Jake it’s electrifying. It’s almost like they rub each other the wrong way in the most glorious way possible. She just pushes his buttons and he doesn’t know how to handle it and the same goes for her. It’s just delicious. All of their interactions are fantastic because she is so aggravated with him. Jake is a little bit of a wildcard as well. He is crazy good looking but is also crazy dangerous too. This book had lots of twist as turns, danger but just the right amount of humor. I’m glad they got their happy ending.

I wasn't sure what to expect at the beginning. The story started off a bit odd, Sawyer, the FMC was unhinged, stalking a cousin she'd never met and rambling in her head about anything and everything. But as the story progressed I actually came to realize this was a perfect portrayal of someone who is essentially going through a mid life crisis as her life as she knew it was completely upended by her ex and ex best friend. Her mental status was not... great, we'll just say that. Sawyer was a bit annoying overall, but honestly she had more grit then you'd expect as the story progressed. But Jake made up for it. LOVED Jake. Overall, it was a fun quick read.

This book is told in Sawyer and Jack's alternating POV. This was my first time reading Tijan, and while the setup promised suspense, danger, and a romance under pressure, it didn’t quite land for me.

The story seemed like it should have been fast-paced given the premise, but it moved more slowly than I expected. While Sawyer and Jack do get together, the chemistry between them didn’t feel as strong or natural as I’d hoped. There were moments that had potential to build tension and connection, but they didn’t quite deliver the spark that makes a romance really stand out.

Overall, it had an interesting concept and some good character moments, but it just didn’t fully pull me in.

This is not my favorite execution it was more of a confusing Stockholm syndrome situation. I kidnapped you because I like you not because I wanna hurt you… and it just didn’t work for me

A bit of a quirky book, especially the MFC, Sawyer. Her dialogue was off the charts in the beginning, and it was bit hard to follow where she was going. Jake was a more developed character and had a lot of layers to peel off. His "not friends" were really a great addition to the story. Sawyers family was definitely over the top and sometimes hard to follow. She also had more strength come through as you got deeper into the story. Overall an enjoyable book. "Looking at my future."

Tijan has done it again!

Sawyer is going through a tough time. Her fiance just informed her that he and her best friend have been sleeping together for sometime and are now expecting a baby together.
So here she is in New York to find a cousin she has never met when she gets kidnapped by Jake.

When a hit is put out on both their heads, Jake is just trying to save them both. Sawyer doesn't make that easy for him.

Their fast growing attraction seems to be closing in quicker than the enemy.

I don't know who was the craziest Sawyer, Jake or Sawyers family.

Her family sounds like my house on any good Friday!

"A good family brawl where everything came out was the best sort of stress-release. We were due."

Jake was growly, possessive and protective, especially with Sawyer. She and Jake were perfect for one another. She could give what she received and he loved it.

I loved this book.

I definitely recommend 👌

I'll start by saying I am not a fan of mafia because they all seem the same. But I actually enjoyed this one.

Thank you so much vpr for this ARC. I deducted half a star in my mind simply because it seemed a teensy bit shuffled in some parts. I still love the chaotic feel to it. Straight from the first page the author does a great job at catching my attention. It is not boring even 1% this story kept me ready for something to just pounce out at me. Sawyer is a likeable character to me. Im 34 turning 35 this year and im still a kid at heart! Her age seemed perfect for her. I seen a few reviews complaining of her behavior for her age.. which is weird to me. 30's is not Old. Lol thats grown woman status and we can do whatever we want!!!! Lol

Sawyer is new to New York and ready for a new beginning. She finds alot more than she knew she would ever want. Hehe. But she is definitely probably having a premature mid life crisis because girly is a hot mess on wheels. She seems a little bonkers.

Jake is a cop aka ex cop. Lol This is a detail that makes this mafia trope different from a basic mafia trope story. His history was interesting and I love how he was hooked by bonkers Sawyer and her frazzled , "Go off sis" rambling. She gave an earful and he heard it all.

Ofcourse incidents happen and the world brings them together again and again. Fated fates. Meant to be. I dont want to give away big spoilers but alot is unraveled and Jake is full of secrets. The plot has many aspects and I love every twist and turn! The story is fast and kept me reading until I was done. I felt excited through the whole thing!!!!! The end lands with a big pop and its not a huge cliffhanger by any means but still it has me wanting more to see what happens next!!!!!!

Im thankful for this copy and recommend this story for any mafia trope lover.!!!!!

TOTALLY ENJOYED IT! I'm still smiling!

This was a crazy, crazy ride!

Sawyer certainly is quirky! Wait until you read how she and Jake meet! LOL

Action packed!
Suspenseful!
Wonderful characters!

I have to go back and read the first two books from the Kings Of New York series!
I've definitely been missing out!

A Captive Situation is a dark romance, enemies-to-lovers. I was quickly drawn in after a few chapters because it gave John Wick vibes after they found out that Jake has a bounty on his head.

Sawyer travels to New York City with plans to move there after her engagement ended and she needed a new life. While on the subway, Sawyer first meets Jake, but nothing comes of it. After a couple of days they meet up again and that's where things start to go south.

Sawyer then gets kidnapped by Jake to keep her safe, but she doesn't understand that at the time. Shortly after realizing the severity of the situation, feelings begin to develop and we get to see how good Sawyer and Jake are together even from their different worlds.

I have some mixed feelings with this one. I loved Jake and sawyer and them together but parts of the book felt a little rushed.

After Sawyer’s life implodes she decides to head to NY to not only distance herself from the situation but also confront some family drama by meeting her cousin. The meeting didn’t go as planned when a misunderstanding results in her being held in police custody. The last person she expected to see was the sexy stranger who caught her attention earlier that day or that she would become a witness when he is attacked.

Jake’s life has taken a twist he never saw coming as he goes from being in law enforcement to leading his mafia family. When his life is threatened and Sawyer sees everything he knows the only way to keep her and himself safe is by keeping her under his control whether she likes it or not.

Both Sawyer and Jake are at a crossroads in their life as they try to determine what comes next. Chaos erupts both between them and from outside sources as they take us on suspense and emotional filled journey as they find love under the direst of circumstances.

I m so sorry for writting this. But this really wasn't my cup of tea. I was not into plot.

3 stars from me.