Sawyer is a 36-year-old woman (who is portrayed much younger than that) who is visiting New York City for the first time in search of her cousin she has never met when she gets caught up with Jake Worthing, former cop/now a leader in the mafia.

This started out well enough for me. The beginning chapter when they meet on the subway, but it quickly lost me from there. I enjoyed the first two books in this series, but this was a struggle for me to finish. It was chaotic with Jake's storyline and Sawyer's family and ex-fiancé issues. It was insta lust then love, which didn't seem real to me. It wasn't believable.

Thank you to Amazon Publishing/Montlake Romance and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Well damn, it’s been a while since I read a Tijan book but my goodness I just love them so much.

A Captive Situation is book three in the Kings of New York series but can be read as a standalone.

After reading the first two in the series I KNEW I just HAD to read Jake’s and boy was it captivating!

He’s big, he’s intimidating and he’s harsh. He’s hard as a brick and has a wall surrounding him to make sure nobody gets in. He’s dark and dangerous yet you can’t help but fall hard and fast for him.

Sawyer made me laugh. In a situation that would be terrifying to anyone else she had me laughing with her witty comebacks and catty remarks. She’s bold, she’s brave and a badass, especially after what her ex put her through.

These two together? Somebody call the fire brigade because it is absolute FIRE. The chemistry is off the charts hot, the connection between them is instant, they’re different but they go so so well together.

I just need to take a moment to praise those side characters because her family? They were a barrel of laughs. Honestly, I was giggling away at their antics. I loved them all.

Tijan did an amazing job brining Jake’s story to life. After loving the first two I was worried I wouldn’t like this one as much but I was wrong, so wrong. Sawyer and Jake’s book was everything I hoped it would be.

A Captive Situation is a dark and delicious read. It’s a book about Mafia and those toeing the line. It’s about love and what one would do to make sure the person they love is never harmed. It’s addictive and I couldn’t put it down until I had finished it.

If you love Mafia trope romance then this is the book for you. This is the third book in the Kings of New York series by Tijan. This book follows Sawyer and Jake. Sawyer is on a downward spiral and Jake just happens to get involved in it. Or maybe it’s the other way around. What starts as an innocent trip to escape circumstances at home, turns into Sawyer trying to escape from Jake and the mafia. Jake is the good guy/bad guy trying to keep them alive. He puts up with Sawyer’s antics and some hilarity ensues. There is sarcasm, endearing moments, romance and plenty of heat. We get to visit with previous characters and see what is going on with their lives. The end was surprising and I really hope another book is on the way. I highly recommend Tijan’s books and especially this series!

I loved the first book in this series and was super excited to get the opportunity to read this one early! One of my least favorite ways to start a book is to find out one of the main characters had been cheated on by a significant other but usually I can move past it because they're usually not a main focus going forward. I read 10% of the book and I felt like the only things I knew about our FMC were about her ex and I hadn't even been introduced to the MC yet. Overall this book just ended up not being for me. Thanks for allowing me to be an early reader. All thoughts are my own.

“A Captive Situation” has a lot of moments, some outright humorous, other that are sad and reflective and some that seem to be from a dark romance vibe, and while these three went hand in hand, sometimes my brain could not connect these moments.

Sawyer left her town after his ex-fiancé admitted he cheated on her and got her best friend pregnant. Looking for something new in her life, she travels to NY to find her estranged cousin and mend the relation with him, but that’s when she finds Jake. He’s a stranger, very cute, a police officer and her kidnaper?

Yup, because Sawyer finds herself in a bit of a dangerous situation, Jake, now an ex-cop, needs to take her in for her own safety. Except Sawyer is not in the right headspace and she really does not like being kidnapped.

My favourite moments were definitely when Jake and Sawyer bantered. Jake had a lot on his plate, and it was nice to see how Sawyer, despite being deemed boring, earned an almost insult-like nickname from him. But coming from Jake, it was endearing. She was not boring at all, she just needed the right person to be with. Even though that made her close to danger.

The aunts were wild. That part I think it was probably humorous, because I thought that they would all perish, eventually. They’d put themselves in danger like nothing was happening. Just another Tuesday, while dangerous people want our niece! Jake had the patient of a saint!

Still, there were a lot of good and intense moments and now I want a book with Blake’s story! Because she’s really badass and cool and I need more FMC with that energy!

Falling into Place

Sawyer is broken after having given her entire being to someone who would betray everything, she thought they shared. Losing her best friend in this ordeal shuts her off emotionally which places her right in the path of a handsome stranger whom she can't seem to shake off. These set of events encompass this entire story in a way that was a bit confusing yet intriguing. As conflicted as I was, I could not put it down and needed to know how it all ended. This was a story filled with character growth and complicated plot developments yet entices more thought-provoking moments from the reader.

I voluntarily leave this review.

Tijan throws in a bit of comedic flair to offset her signature angst for a crazy and unconventional road to love.

Dirty cop / reluctant mafia family head Jake Worthing had secrets and layers that made him a dangerous person to take on. His saving grace was his word when given and his loyalty to those he cared about. This guy was dynamic and scary and impossible to resist!

Thirty six year old Sawyer led a life of acceptance and mediocrity, expecting it to remain that way for the rest of her life. But when her world imploded resulting in essentially a psychotic break, Sawyer finds herself floundering and a magnet for trouble. Completely out of her element Sawyer finds the strength and independence she compartmentalized and packed away years ago.

There was no doubt Jake was trouble but Sawyer had an underlying edge that no one saw coming including Sawyer. This couple was their own worst enemies as they battled their inner demons and often each other. Their back and forth and at times over the top reactions made this story lively and like watching a train wreck. Their attraction and odd devotion to each other's well-being was intense and in the end endearing.

The band of misfits that consisted of Jake and Sawyer's inner circle spiced this story up with dark humor and moments of unfiltered and unexpected truths. The contributions of the secondary cast to this work gave it a dimension that helped explain and reinforce Jake and Sawyer's unorthodox takes on life as well as their relationship.

Tijan as always keeps true to her writer's voice delivering a unique and absorbing story. Her works' emotional chaos and sophisticated plotting always have a purpose and leave her readers with an abundance of memorable jaw dropping and ah ha moments. Tijan's A Captive Situation will hold her audience's attention until the last word for a riveting read!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author to review for Stephanie's Book Reports.

This is the third book in the Kings of New York Series. Each book can be read as a standalone. I have loved all of them. This is the story of Sawyer and Jake. Sawyer is going through a brutal break up. She was engaged to this guy and had been with him for two decades. It is so hurtful to invest that much time in someone and then them sleep with your best friend getting her pregnant. She has to get away to the big city. Yes she is a tourist there, but she also wants to reconnect with a cousin she lost touch with since they aren't an active part of her family anymore. When she sees a really hot guy on the subway, things could have been looking up. However, he quickly leaves the subway chasing after another man. Jake is a guy who got the head position in his mafia family. He is struggling. When he sees Sawyer on the subway his interest was peeked. When he runs into her again, it's because she saw something she never should have seen and now has a target on his back. He has not choice but to kidnap her for her own safety. The sparks are getting ready to fly all over the place and I can't tell you more about it. I really loved these characters. I don't mind a insta-love story once in a while and I loved the connection these two had and quickly built a long the way.

This is the third book in the Kings of New York series and can be read as a standalone, however I wouldn’t recommend it as there are interwoven storylines that won’t really make sense unless you’ve read the other books. I enjoyed the other books in this series, but this one for me was a little hard to get into. It didn’t flow as well as the other books in the series. Additionally, I think because it was a slow start, and the action didn’t really pick up until around halfway. Once the halfway point came through, I was more interested in the story, but it did take some time to get there.

Furthermore, Sawyer was kind of a hard character to relate to. At least in the beginning. She was quite the mess, and it was a lot. From the first chapter she came off as unhinged almost having a breakdown on the train which is where she sees Jake for the first time and then the next chapter, she’s stalking her cousin. Then having a breakdown on the side of the road so badly that a cop takes her to the precinct. Where she sees Jake again, and their journey really begins. She came off as younger than her 36 years which made the connection even harder. She did end up growing on me as the story progressed and she did grow a backbone eventually.

I liked Jake he is 100 percent alpha male, and I loved that. He’s all the things you’d expect from a man of the mafia. He’s cold and calculating. Intense and protective. And he fell for Sawyer from the jump. Jake is layered and it was motivating watching as he revealed more and more of himself as the pages turned.

I didn’t quite feel the emotional connection between them. But the carnal tension was there in spades. It took a bit for me to really see them as a couple I’m not sure why. It might be because Sawyer was working through some relationship trauma, so it took longer for their relationship to progress into something more than just tension. By the end I could see it more.
All in all, it was an entertaining read.

This is the third book in the Kings of New York series. Sawyer and Jake are a great couple with explosive chemistry! Their story is captivating, engaging, spicy and entertaining. There’s kidnapping, danger, action, heat, great characters, intriguing dialogue, betrayal and more. This is a fantastic mafia romance

This is the third book in this amazing series, and this is Jake and Sawyer’s story.
Sawyer is in New York to avoid the reality that her college sweetheart is marrying her former ex-best friend, while Jake is an ex-policeman, who is now an involuntary mafia boss, who is focused on avenging his brother’s death. A shooting has Jake taking Sawyer for her protection, which she does not take kindly too.
This is a well written easy to read, action-packed story, with family, friendships, emotions, angst, tension, grumpy / grumpy, forced proximity, danger, suspense, intrigue, enemies / lovers, touch her and die vibes, opposites attract, bad boy / good girl, misunderstandings, humor, witty banter, morally gray, palpable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining, and unpredictable, addictive page turner.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.

This book so was so funny. I loved the FMC and her inner monologue. The MMC was so good for her. I hadn't read the other books in the series, but did not feel lost. Tijan always gives us a good time with her stories.

I really enjoy Tijan's books.

This one did take some patience to get going, but once the plot building the suspense and building romance kept me going.

If you don't like slow building books, this one is probably not for you -- but if you don't might a slow burn, and like suspense with your spice, pick this book up! Tijan doesn't disappoint.

Bold, addictive, and absolutely unputdownable! Tijan serves up a mafia romance packed with emotional tension and sizzling chemistry. Sawyer flees heartbreak, only to get tangled up with the brooding (and very hot) Jake Worthing—and the mafia. Fast-paced, dark, and deliciously dramatic, this book kept me hooked from subway meet-cute to the explosive finale. If you love high-stakes romance with complex characters, this one’s for you!

ARC Review of A Captive Situation by Tijan
* * * * *
A mafia romance that is bound to kidnap your attention and steal you away. Wrong place, wrong time, right man.

Sawyer escaped to New York to avoid the reality of what had happened to her sucky love life, and focus on reuniting her family.
What wasn't on her bucket list was getting annoyed by a man on the train, have a mini break down, get arrested only then to be saved from the same annoying man from the subway, and just to add a bonus, get shot at by mysterious killers.
If that wasn't all, mystery man has decided to kidnap her for her own safety.
He says he was a cop.
Now he's the Don of a mafia.
Whoever he was, no matter how ridiculously attractive he is with eyes that make her burn and a natural aura that gets her hot and bothered, she eneds to get the hell away from him.
Sadly, Jake isn't going to let her go that easily.

Great read, as expected form Tijan.
You are not left bored or just waiting around for what is going to happen next. We are given gun fights, bad man torture scenes, frisky bantering, soft emotional moments, family drama and toxic exes.
Poor Sawyer, I can't tell which I feel sorry more about for her: her nasty ex who wasted nearly two decades of her life screwing her over, or being kidnapped MULTIPLE TIMES, or whenever things start to get spicy with Jake they get bloody interupted by second thoughts or bad guys. Let the woman have an orgasm!!
Jake's life ain't to swell either. He has a path he wishes to chose but is thrown into that bloody tank of sharks wanting his status and power. Betrayed and already suffering loss, he's driven to remove his enemies whilst removing both himself and Sawyer from danger.
5 stars of action packed drama.

Sawyer wanted an adventure and what she found was Jake, former cop and now head of the mafia. How she got involved in this situation was a whirlwind of events that now she needs to be with him to stay safe.

Third in the series of Kings of New York, I haven't read the others but this can be read as a stand alone.

Sawyer heads to NYC with a purpose but oh boy, she ends up striking off things that are not even in her list. She unknowingly ends up getting entangled with ex-cop / mafia man Jake.

To keep her safe, Jake ends up kidnapping Sawyer. But Sawyer is one feisty lady indeed and after going through some tough times, she has learnt to fight back. She is definitely not a princess waiting to be rescued.

As more and more secrets are revealed, the pacing becomes more exciting too. I totally loved Sawyer’s family and I can understand where she gets her feistiness from. While there is suspense and violence, the light-hearted moments help to balance the mood in the book.

Oh my gosh! This mafia story is intense, real, full of action, danger, and secrets. It’s emotionally charged at times, but it’s also funny and had me laughing out loud!

Get ready for a thrilling ride! This story is a wild mix of mafia, kidnapping, and romance. It’s about two lonely, broken-hearted strangers who keep bumping into each other by chance. Fate has a funny way of bringing people together, doesn’t it?


This is Jake Worthing and Sawyer’s journey and it is definitely interesting!

They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Well these two definitely have their work cut out for them after Jake finds out he, as well as Sawyer has a price on their head, simply because she was seen with him.

“ I was taking her whether she wanted to go or not. She was mine. It was that simple. My captive. My cross to bear. My woman. Mine.”

Although it took me awhile to get into the start of this story. I loved these two lunatics together. Sawyer’s outspoken personality and her in-your-face, family of strong older women were something else! Lol!

Couldn’t put this down!

This book was kind of all over the place for me. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the FMC nor was I head over heels over the MMC either. The chemistry was just lacking.

Homegirl just kept on getting captured. It was excessive.

But I did enjoy the villain, Creight and his fascination with Green. They played their roles really well in this book. He’s the psycho cousin and Green seems to be the only person who can tame him. I’m honestly pretty ecstatic for their story.

What To Expect:
• Romantic Suspense
• Mafia Romance
• Good Girl x Bad Boy
• Insta-Lust
• Grumpy x Sunshine
• Heroine in Danger

Thank you to the author, VPR, and NetGalley for an ARC of this title. All opinions are my own.

This is Book 3 in the Kings of New York Series by this author, and can be read as a standalone. It is a dark mafia romance between Sawyer and Jake. These flawed but likeable characters and the unique plot make for an intriguing read. It is a love story peppered with drama, danger, suspense, violence, action, steam, twists, and passion, plus appealing secondary characters to keep the reader interested. The main characters share an undeniable chemistry and connection. An emotional roller coaster.