Good sequel to Lights Out. Ladies if he wanted to he would. Junior did whatever he needed to do to be with Lauren. I enjoyed seeing their dynamic change throughout the book and watch their relationship grow. It really wouldn’t be dark romance if the MMC wasn’t obsessed with the FMC. It was nice that Josh and Aly’s story continued into this book

I was introduced to the wonderful Navessa Allen last year when I was randomly selected to receive an arc for Lights Out and I absolutely loved it. So imagine my surprise when Zando reached out to me again to offer me an arc for Caught Up *𝘤𝘶𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭 𝘴𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘢𝘭*!

“𝘏𝘦’𝘴 𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴; 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘨. 𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘳.”

𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥
✦ Caught Up hits different than Lights Out! Less romcom, more emotion, more tension, and way more plot/character driven. I was hooked.
✦ Nico “Junior” and Lauren’s chemistry? Off the charts. Their second chance romance had all the angst, trust issues, and healing I love.
✦ Navessa nailed that mix of dark and tender! She balanced heavy themes with just enough lightness and hope to keep me fully invested.
✦ Give me an MMC obsessed with the FMC any day! Junior is SO gone for Lauren. Plus, the friendships? Iconic. That “we ride at dawn” scene had me cackling.
✦ This was the perfect follow-up to Lights Out. Still spicy, but deeper, messier, and totally unforgettable. Might’ve loved it even more than book one 👀🔥
✦ And let’s not forget that stairwell scene 🥵🫠

Lights Out is one of my favorite books of all time so of course Caught Up was going to be one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it had big shoes to fill and let me tell it 1000% did!!! This book is so damn good!!!!

The story, the spice, the plot and these characters ate! Navessa killed it with this and her amazing ability to write a story that completely draws you in from the first page and keeps you hooked the entire time. Junior and Lauren are perfection. I have absolutely no notes!!!

I loved Lights Out and had such high hopes for Caught Up.

And Navessa DELIVERED. I love this book more than I thought I would!!! The spice was balanced perfectly with the plot and I loved Lauren sm. I loved everything. Ugh.

Thank you so much to Navessa Allen, Zando Projects/Slowburn and NetGalley for an early copy!

When I say the spice is SPICING in this book… I mean it. I read Caught Up right after finishing Lights Out. While I really enjoyed the plot in Lights Out, the spice wasn’t quite my preferred flavor. So I went into Caught Up a little hesitant—but wow, this one delivered! Where Lights Out leans darker with the spice, Caught Up is more adventurous, bold, and there’s a lot more of it. It was giving heat and heart.

Now let’s talk about Junior who is the MMC in this book. He’s Aly’s cousin from Lights Out—yes the cousin from the mafia family. Now I wasn’t sure he’d work as a romantic lead, but I was so surprised at how much I actually liked him in this book. He’s layered, complex, and actually a really great MMC.

So for the romance we’ve got a second chance romance—Junior reconnects with an old high school fling Lauren, who’s now a confident, independent camgirl. She’s bold, knows what she wants, and doesn’t take any of Junior’s nonsense. Their chemistry is off the charts.

Beyond the spice, the plot kept me hooked. I genuinely cared about what happened next, and the quality writing had me flying through the chapters.

If you’re into extra spicy reads that also deliver on strong characters and a solid storyline, I definitely recommend giving Caught Up a read.

A huge thank you to Zando and NetGalley for the gifted ARC!

I’m completely hooked - I read this within 24 hours and the urge to read this again is real (also kinda bummed I can’t experience it for the first time again). This book reminded me exactly why she’s one of my favorite dark rom-com authors—honestly? She might’ve just claimed the #1 spot.

If you’re craving a spicy (and I do mean SPICYYY 🌶️) second chance romance with a pinch of mafia drama, a morally gray biker MMC, found family feels, and electric chemistry—this is your next favorite read.

For fans of Lights Out, Caught Up hits different. It keeps the playful banter and all the heat (yes, somehow spicier 😳), but also digs deeper—offering a powerful, tension-filled love story rooted in vulnerability and redemption.

Let’s talk Nic and Lauren. Their chemistry? Off. The. Charts. The confessional scene lives in my mind rent free 🥵 - forgive me Father cause I have sinned. Their reunion is so iconic and I still laugh just thinking about it. I loved watching them rebuild trust and grow together—while Nic may be a brooding biker, he turns into a total golden retriever around Lauren. And his unwavering support for her Onlyfans type of work and sexual preferences? We love emotionally mature kings 👑 Lauren, on the other hand, was made for him. She doesn’t just complete Nic—she inspires him. There’s something so beautiful about a love that makes someone want to be better simply by existing next to them.

And yes. It’s dark. There’s stalking, murder, manipulation… but hey—we love the color red❤️‍🔥

Tropes I lived for:
🖤 Dark Romance (Mafia)
🖤 Biker x Camgirl
🖤 Second Chance Romance
🖤 Childhood Friends to Lovers
🖤 Found Family
🖤 Kink Exploration

Huge thanks to @slowburn.reads for the ARC!

Overall this fell flat for me versus Lights Out. I had a hard time connecting with the characters, I thought it wasn't quite as funny as Lights Out and majority of the plot fell flat for me as well. I loved the first book! I wish there was more mafia vibes and I was expecting more from the plot with that aspect. With a second chance I would expect more chemistry between the characters as well and I just didn't feel any chemistry between the two. Overall this one just wasn't for me unfortunately :( Will continue to read the rest of the series and love Navessa Allen! Just fell flat for me.

Loved this one! I really enjoyed the relationship between Nico (Junior) & Lauren and more about Nico’s family. The twist was definitely something I didn’t see coming. And the spice was A YES FROM ME. I cannot wait for the 3rd! A huge thank you to Navessa Allen and the publisher for this e-arc!

*Thank you to Zando/Slowburn and NetGalley for access to the advanced reader copy for this book!

This book completely sucked me in! I really enjoyed Lights Out and even though I did, I was not expecting to like Caught Up so much! This book is a wild, fun, slightly disturbing, and steamy ride - All in the best ways possible!
I think what makes this book work so well is the talent that Navessa Allen brings when developing complex characters. Both our female and male main characters have challenging backstories, aspects of which are intertwined, and through her writing, Allen makes us care deeply for these characters through exploration of their pasts, while also diving into their current fears and concerns. While these characters are harboring much trauma, the openness of our male main character and the development of our female main character to meet his honesty is done stunningly and really adds to the heart of this story.
I'm thoroughly impressed that Allen was somehow able to maintain tension between our two main characters for more than half of this story despite there being multiple steamy scenes throughout. And those steamy scenes.. Wow!
It was really fun to spend some time with characters from Lights Out and feel a family unit form between all of our favorite characters from this universe. I'm actually sad that this is a trilogy because there are so many more characters that I find intriguing and who's story I'm interested in exploring!
I thought this book was so much fun and definitely recommend it if you're looking for a bit of a darker romance!

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

I’m struggling with what to rate this. It just wasn’t for me at all. I loved book one so much and now I’m wondering if it was the audiobook that made me love it as much as I did.

I didn’t connect with the characters or what little storyline there was.

The spice was spicey and not bad.

I love the authors writing I just didn’t vibe with this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Nic and Lauren have me feral.

This second chance romance was everything. Nico Jr. brought the pining, the groveling, the loverboy energy. Ten years apart and still completely gone for her.

Lauren was a riot. Smart, loyal, unhinged in the best way. That taser? Iconic. Their banter had me grinning the entire time.

Loved the flipped dynamic. She had the experience. He had the heart. No ego, no judgment, just two people showing up for each other.

The emotional payoff hit hard and the ending tied everything together in the best way. I’ll be thinking about these two for a while.

Thank you Zando & NetGalley for the ARC! I love this series!

Thank you to Zando for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Nico 'Junior' Trocci has been protecting Lauren Marchetti for a decade, starting by breaking her heart back in high school. With her father finally out of the way, Junior is ready to make his intentions known. Lauren doesn't know that Junior was the first subscriber to her paid camgirl channel or that he's been working behind the scenes to make things easier for her over the years. So when he tries to get back into her life, her mind is uninterested, but her body certainly has the opposite reaction. And when Junior shows up at her play club, resisting him proves more difficult than ever. But Lauren isn't sure she can forgive Junior, especially as new secrets come to light. And Junior is still struggling to escape his father's influence, which proves more difficult than imagined. Can these two make it for the long haul, or are they just caught up in an infatuation?

This was a great follow-up to Lights Out! Josh still has my heart, but Junior certainly wedged his way in, too! As the rumors say, this book is spicier than Lights Out! Yes, really! Make sure you read with the air conditioner on because the room will start getting HOT. It is great fun to read, and the sex-positive attitude is fantastic. It is also SUPER refreshing to read a dark romance where the MMC is completely supportive of the FMC and even tells her, "I'd never clip your wings." Plus, he apologizes right away when he makes a mistake. Amazing! I loved the little cameos from Aly and Josh. I was also a big fan of the side characters, especially Lauren's roommates. They were so funny and had the most beautiful friendship. I am SO EXCITED for the third book (you will know who it's about by the end). Reading this book before everyone was an honor, but it's also been hard because I want to talk about it! I can't wait for this one to hit the shelves!

Follow me on Instagram @smorebooksplease for more bookish fun!

Caught Up had an impossible task: following Lights Out, which I absolutely adored. I went in with high expectations, but around the 60 percent mark, I realized it is not fair to compare the two. Josh and Aly were lightning in a bottle, a totally unique pairing both in this world and in dark romance as a whole. Junior and Lauren are entirely different. They’re more serious and more reserved and the story they are in reflects that.

This is a different book entirely. It does not have the same humor or emotional lightness as Lights Out, instead leaning into heat, tension, and intensity. It burns sometimes so intensely that the attempts to build in conflict felt a bit forced, and character motivations occasionally drifted off course.

That said, I really enjoyed this. I love Navessa’s writing and the way she explores themes of freedom, being seen, and what it means to choose your own path. Did I love it the way I loved Lights Out? No. But I still found a lot to appreciate here, and I know fans of Lights Out and dark romance in general are going to have a great time with it.

Thank you to Navessa and Zando for an eARC!

I could not put this book down. Caught Up had me locked in from the first chapter and fully obsessed with the characters, the tension, and the seriously addictive dynamic between them.
Navessa Allen knows how to write chemistry that crackles. The banter, the back-and-forth, the intensity — I was eating it up. It’s dark, a little dangerous, and totally unputdownable. Every scene had me flipping pages like I was on a mission.
If you love a dark romance with heat, grit, and characters you shouldn’t root for but totally do, you need to read this. I’m already stalking this author’s backlist.
Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

"So tell me what you do want.”
“I want you to grovel.”

I loved this book! The chemistry between Nico and Lauren is everything. I really liked how the story revolved a lot with the sex club that Nico and Lauren go to. I loved that the place connected the two of them a lot. It also made for some amazingly spicy scenes. Nico comes from an Italian mafia family and years ago, that tore Nico and Lauren apart. Now, Nico finally sees his chance with Lauren. One of the best things about this book was how Nico was Lauren’s first subscriber and that helped him knew exactly what Lauren wanted. Seriously, those two were so hot together!
I cannot wait to see what’s in store for the next book!

Read if you like:
Dual POVs
Mafia romance
Sex club
Open door romance
Hero falls first
Biker hero
Voyeurism
Second chance
Online to IRL
Morally gray hero

3.5 stars for me!

I was obsessed with Lights Out. Absolutely obsessed. It became my personality for the better half of 2024. I think maybe that’s why my expectations for book two were so high. I have to say I absolutely LOVE Junior and Lauren. The characters themselves were actually so dynamic and so well-written. I LOVED seeing SW painted in a positive light and I loved the way Navessa tackled some very poignant issues. I will always, always be a fan of her work and her writing style, she’s an auto-buy for me. I just wish there was a little more meat to this story and that the plot lived up to the quality of the characters, because they were amazing. I did enjoy seeing a few of our old friends as well, and if book three is about who I think it is I’m honestly really stoked for it!!!

Caught Up by Navessa Allen
Book 2 of the Into Darkness Series
⭐⭐⭐/5


Red flags? Baby, I’m colorblind when he's that fine.
Navessa Allen said “chaos,” and I said “yes, please.”

This book is messy in the best way — a wild, reckless ride with a mafia MMC who could ruin my life, and I’d say thank you... twice. And our FMC? She’s a firecracker with an “OnlyFans” grind and a take-no-prisoners vibe. Queen energy.

If you loved Lights Out, you’ll eat Caught Up for breakfast. It’s got drama, danger, desire… and did I mention the spice?
Like, slap-a-warning-label-on-it spicy.

And hey, @BikerTok?
Put me in, coach. I’m ready for the leather, the danger, the daddy issues.

Red flags everywhere? Good thing red is my favorite color.


#qotd What’s your favorite kind of MMC—mafia bad boy, tattooed biker, or morally gray CEO with commitment issues?

#CaughtUp #NavessaAllen #IntoDarknessSeries #ARCReview #SpicyReads #Bookstagram #MafiaRomance #SmutTok #OnlyFansFMC #BookBabe #ReadWithMe #BikerBook #RedFlagRomance #BookishBadBoy #SpicyBookRecs

OH MY GOD!! I absolutely loved Light Out and was so excited for Caught Up and it held up!! This book has a different vibe than Lights out but in a good way. It kept the humor of light out but had a deeper emotional impact because of the second chance romance aspect. The dynamic between Lauren and Junior was so beautiful to see because they had so much love for each other but so much trauma. Seeing them be able to work through that together was amazing

Navessa Allen has done it again. Brining us a dark romance more on the comedic side that leaves us wanting more in the series… and I’m happy to tell you by the end of this book you’ll know if there is more or not!
This is a second chance romance. Nico aka “Junior” is a character we met in the first book. He is a cousin to Aly. And now he is our MMC. He is the eldest in the family and all he wants is a way out.
Lauren was the girl that basically you could say got away… now she’s a camgirl.
I love these kind of stories. I love it when our FMC is confident and feels good with themselves. And not only that stands up for themselves. I also love that this also the play club aspect to it. Bring both of those together and the book was just perfect for me.
I will say that the third act conflict between them played out really fast for me and frustrated me a bit but it didn’t deter me from loving it any less.
I loved that Nic was the type of character that will do anything for her.

I’m very curious about what the future holds…

And don’t worry, you get to see Maud, Fred, aly and Josh again!!!

Okayyyyy 🤭😮‍💨

This one was Fun!!! If you loved lights out (the first book of the series) you’re gonna LOVE Caught up .

I think I loved it even more than lights out! 🙊

I laughted out loud many times while reading it but also the spice 😮‍💨❤️‍🔥 this one was hottt

One thing I love in romance books is when the mmc is Obsessed with the fmc and Junior is OBSESSED with Lauren🤭

I also loved the relationship between Lauren & her friends. The “we ride at dawn” scene was so funny 🤣

I’m already super excited for the next one !!!
Thank you so much Zando for the arc 🥹❤️🫶🏼

Read this if you love

Dark rom-com
Second chance romance
Mafia romance
Man obsessed
Spicyyyy 🌶️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
🌶️🌶️.5