This was really hot. Like HE GROVELS. He eats her out so much, you'd think it's a buffet. Nic probably thinks it is when it's with Lauren.

Truthfully, I've never read Lights Out before but this was still such a deliciously hot, emotionally deep, and incredibly paced book to start with.

Outside of the relationship, this book handles the reality of being in a mob and what happens when someone wants out, as well as the intricacies and humanity of a sex worker. And I respect and appreciate the way this book handles both. I also LOVE the way both characters grow, the side characters are also very very lovable and funny, they were super supportive!!! I was aching with how great they are. And the drama between the two characters?? Absolutely insane!!!

This was SOOO lovely in more ways than one and I cannot wait for our next couple, Tyler and Stella's story!!!

I've been reading Caught up by Navessa Allen, a dark romance novel.

This book is about Nico (Junior) Trocci who wants to make amends with Lauren Marchetti. She is a camgirl and partly owner of a play club.

I won't tell everything because it's for you to find out.

But if I may be honest, I loved the first book Lights out some more then this one, even it's sexy as hell. Lack of humor, more tension to build it all up..

But I still will be following Navessa and all her books who will come out in the future. But for me this is a solid 4-star read.

I got this book as an ARC, in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Netgalley, Navessa Allen and Quercus Books.

This book was everything I needed and so much more. I devoured it in one sitting, I carried my kindle to the toilet and everything.

The research put into this book in relation to the s*x work was heartwarming to read and has been tackled in a way that is truly respectful to those of us who are in that line of work. Thank you Navessa for giving us a voice and showing people the reality of most who do online work, There is no shame in s*x work, only power.

The protective stalking was *chefs kiss*, the way Nico wants to write his wrongs and BEGS had me hot under the collar.

Stunning. 10/10. perfection.

A book that will definitely not be for everyone and it doesn't matter if you liked the first part, this story is completely different! And I think most people will be “judging” it for the themes of the book🫣 but “oh well”, everything was fine with me, and the jokes were just as funny as first one!

Are you expecting bikers by the cover? Well, there were very few of those moments.😅

Triggers? Yes! Read it!!! DEFINITELY!!!

Spicy moments are so interesting😁 you won't find any traditional ones here😁

What's wrong? Well, maybe I missed that cool atmosphere that I got while reading “Lights out”. Although it's really cool that Ally and Josh (and the kittens) can still be meet a lot🫶

Will I read the physical book when I get it? Yes! Will I read the third part? Yes! (By the way, I think it's clear what the third one will be about😁)

After reading lights out I would of sold my soul for the arc of this book so was over the moon that I received it on Netgalley.
I don't know what to say !!
Honestly I went into this blind _ I didn't want to have any spoilers and I'm so pleased that I did.
I thought that it was going to be about Ally and Josh again ( don't know why) and was wondering what Navessa would write but I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was actually about her cousin Junior who you meet in lights out.
Junior is part of the mob and has been bought up in it all of his life. He is obsessed with Lauren who he hasn't seen in 10 years apart from watching her do sex videos.
This book is just as fast paced and chaotic as Lights Out and dare I say that I prefer it. Although this is dark romance there is also a fun aspect to it, family and friendships.
This book was everything and more that what I wanted from it.

Yes, yes, yes… I devoured this book! Just as good as the first book, although you can read it as a stand-alone and it would make sense. Characters from the first book reappeared which I loved how their story progressed in this book. Just as spicy as the first book. Not giving away any spoilers! Can’t wait for the third book! Thank you for accepting my request.

Not quite as good as book 1 but still a great book. I think Navessa Allen writes really well. There isn’t any unnecessary fluff which I appreciate.
I didn’t think this book had the humour of the first and I didn’t feel as invested in Junior and Lauren and I did with Aly and Josh, I’m so glad those two were in this book as well. It was great to see them again.

Lights Out ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Caught up ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an eArc. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

👻 standalone dark rom-com, book 2/3 ongoing in an interconnected series
🍑 open door spice
👻 dual POVs
🍑 second chance romance
👻 camgirl FMC x mafia member MMC
🍑 positive views on sex work & consensual kink exploration
👻 bisexual FMC
🍑 TWs: please check!

Firstly thank you so much @quercus books for this eARC! 😍

~My Thoughts~
There’s just something about the way @navessa writes that just makes me lose all concept of time and my surroundings. I devoured Lights Out and devoured Caught Up.

Nico and Lauren are absolutely brilliant MCs. Lauren is a true legend and role model for female empowerment in sexual spaces. We need more FMCs like her 👏

I didn’t know how to feel about MMC Nico at the start but truly warmed for him as the story went on. He’s very rough around the edges and has a lot to go through bless him but his character development was just awesome.

The humour is more subtle this time than Lights Out, with moments of quiet giggles and snorts as opposed to flat out ‘wtf 🤣’. There’s still lots of unhinged moments and that perfect blend between dark romance and comedy.

Also I have to note that once again there is such a healthy exploration into sex and kinks as well as sex work and how it’s perceived and I truly adore the way ‘taboo’ topics are shown in such a positive light.

Overall, this was such a great sequel. If you loved Lights Out, I think you’ll really enjoy this one. For many reasons 🤭

I don’t know how we’re supposed to wait for book 3 because knowing who it’s going to be about has me SO intrigued 👀

This was a different sort of vibe compared to the first book but in a good way! The humour was there but it felt a bit more adult and serious which was a nice change of pace.
There's also plenty of explicit scenes within this book that are a variety! It was really good to see the characters interact but also the tension between them and how emotions shifted. And the scene at the end was pure perfection. No spoilers from me but it encapsulated how far they'd come so well.
Going in I knew basically nothing of the plot so it was wild to get caught up to speed with what was happening. That being said I feel like it was all explained well and the plot moved forwards at a fairly medium pace. At the end it did seem to speed up a fair bit and could potentially have had a few more scenes but that being said it was still a nice wrap up.
The characters were really fun to learn and I enjoyed more snippets of their personality being revealed along the way. The romance between them as well was perfect. The push/pull and then the final scene was absolutely stunning for them.
Bonus points that characters from the first book showed up as well! Really nice to read them again!
Overall, I really enjoyed reading, it felt different from the usual mafia romances and still had the same amusing undercurrent that ran through Lights Out but with a more serious overtone.
Favourite Quote - But two things can be true simultaneously. It can be both fucked-up and deeply romantic.
Favourite Character - Lauren

5 ✨

Holy moly how do I even write this review so I make this book justice? Without a doubt in the world and easily one of the best books I have read in the entirety of 2025. Lights Out was one of my favorite reads of last year, so when Caught Up got announced I was so ready. Caught Up made me feel all the same feels of excitement, joy and happiness like Lights Out did.

Dark romance is totally back in business with Junior and Lauren’s story. Gosh I loved this book from the very first page to finish and I just couldn’t seem to put it down. It’s definitely a page turner. Once you start you can’t stop, so if you’re planning to read it when it releases next week then prepare to spend all day with your head down this book.

Nico “Junior” Trocci is stuck in the mob by his father’s demands, but desperately want out. He’s tired of the criminal life and wants something legit. Lauren Marchetti lives a life not many people in her life know of. She’s a camgirl, running her own spicy page doing what she’s passionated about. She’s very politically active in the s!x worker world, and wants better rights for anyone working in that industry. Junior and Lauren had a brief fling years ago, which ended on terrible terms. When Junior decides it’s time to take contact to Lauren again, it’s with hesitation from her side. But Junior only has eyes for her and miiiiight have some stalker tendencies.

I am wholeheartedly so obsessed with how their story unfolded and how they grew both as individuals but also as a couple. There’s a lot of worry and hesitation from Lauren’s side because of how bad she’s been hurt before and fear from Junior’s side because of the life he lives. But boy he’s just so obsessed with her and can’t stay away from her. Lauren’s equally obsessed with him even if it took some convincing to admit. They’re the perfect pair and the cameos from Josh and Amy were PERFECT as well. And oh did I mention he’s a biker?

Thank you Navessa Allen & Quercus Books for the ARC!

First of all thank you for approving my request!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The authors writing style had me hooked throughout this book.

I didn't want it to end, a book I really couldn't put down.

Can we talk about the confessional booth?????????
This book was stunning and i loved it even more than the first book which is crazy!
Nic and Lauren are adorable and i love this couple so so much.
I dont want to spoil so im going to wrap this up but if you liked the first book then be prepared to love this one.

Thank you to NetGalley, Quercus Books, and Navessa Allen for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

ARC: Caught Up, Navessa Allen
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️,5
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review, and let me tell you the gasp I GUSPED several times reading this one!! I thought i knew what to expect after reading Lights Out, but no.. nothing could prepare me for what Ms Allen had in store for us this time🖤

Junior (the third deadly sin) Trocci 🫦, is a part of the Italian mob, which his father rules with an iron fist. This world entails lots of dangerous activities and requires him to always keep a low profile and work for his father to do… gruesome deeds, to put it lightly. Lauren Marchetti works as a cam girl and spends the majority of her time devoted to her subs online. She’s also part of a club called Velvet, where she and her two roommates Ryan and Taylor works at. Their two very different worlds collide one day as he lays his eyes on her at a church mass, but it isn’t their first encounter so to say... ❤️

This book incorporated everything I didn’t even know I needed in the story, and it had me laughing out loud as well as my jaw on the floor because HOLY mother of.. the smut in this one is REAL guys! The spicy world Lauren lives in took this book to the next level and I haven’t read anything like this before. All the k!nks mentioned (both funny & serious) had me laughing so hard! But my favorite character has to be Lo’s momma because holy cow🤣 “Learn from my mistakes girl, be a sl*t when you still can.”

🖤I’m absolutely gushing over Junior’s obsessive side when it comes to Lauren, and how DADDY he is? Their chemistry is enthralling and I just wanted more, I needed more! “Run, Lauren. Make it fun for the both of us.” 🧎🏼‍♀️
Lauren is such a powerhouse and she truly knows when to put down her foot to protect her own peace - YOU GO GIRL! I do love how he can tear down her walls and that she let him in, they are perfect for each other!
“You bought the building.
I’d buy the whole goddamn block if you asked me to.” 🖤


Lastly I want to thank Navessa & NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC. Caught Up is the second book and it comes out June 10th! If I were you I wouldn’t wanna miss it for the world!🖤

#CaughtUpNavessaAllen #NetGalley

This lacked the comedic humour of book one, but had more of an emotional plot related to s*x workers and family manipulation. In this book our main characters know each other so it took away the element of them getting to know one another, but they had immediate “I hate you but secretly I’m obsessed with you” chemistry. I enjoyed this book, but Lights Out is still my fave.

Love the cameos of Aly and Josh, and can't wait for book 3 Tyler and Stella!

4⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was very different to what I usually read but I wanted to give it a shot and I’m so happy I did. This was so wild lol a lot of moments my jaw was on the floor. This was very spicy but also so funny I burst out laughing so much. It was easy to fly through and a great palette cleanser!

I really enjoyed this one! The spice felt a bit more adventurous than the previous book, it was a bit more ‘out there’ (for me, at least).
The tension between the main characters was so good and I liked the build up within the mystery element of who Lauren’s top subscriber was.
The friendships and banter were also top notch, I really liked how each character involved had quite a lot of depth to them, even if their role in the book wasn’t particularly significant.
The book has a fair few trigger warnings so make sure to check them out if you’re thinking of reading it! Parts of the book were quite empowering too, and openly discussed the topic of S work, which is a taboo both in this fictional world and in our current society.
I’d definitely recommend this one, it was a 4.5 star for me!

Oh wow! I absolutely loved this book. I LOVED lights out and Caught up was just as good!

LOVED Lauren! She was such an amazing female main character. I loved everything she stood for and her personality was the best, absolutely loved reading about her.

If you love

MMC obsessed with the FMC ❤️‍🔥
Second chance trope
Mafia romance
Dark romance with humour
And lots of spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️

You will absolutely love this book💕💕💕

Dare I say, I liked this more than lights out?!
Yes, I did. A solid 4.5 stars for me! I don’t know how such a spicy book can also feel so wholesome like make it make sense!

I loved the characters, the romance, spice and the friendships were something special in this book.
Without spoiling anything, I can honestly say this book lives up to the hype of book 1 and well worth the read ! Need to listen to the audio book now!

Congrats to Navessa Allen on writing another great book!!

Really enjoyed this and so happy I got to read the arc early!

Nico “Junior” Trocci always saw Lauren Marchetti as off-limits. When he finds her online, transformed from sweet and shy to bold and provocative, his curiosity becomes obsession. He’s pulled into her seductive world and determined to make her his. As their flirty messages grow intense, Lauren begins to fear her feelings for Junior may be all too real.

This second-chance dark romance is so steamy but also dives into deeper stuff like kink, sex work, and identity. It’s got all the heat, but also humour and a real emotional punch. (I do think Lights Out was a bit funnier... maybe it was the narration!)

Lauren is a total badass. She's funny, confident, and in control. Their connection feels real, and the side characters (especially Walter, the big cutie) add so much charm. I loved seeing Josh and Aly again.

It’s a little more serious than Lights Out, but just as addictive.

Thank you to Quercus Books for an e-arc! All opinions are my own.

A spicier sequel with a broody MMC. I love the found family aspect and the romance swept me along for the ride. There's a different type of humour but still very enjoyable and opened my eyes and taught me a lot about camgirls and gave me a new respect for them. Due to FMCs work there is a lot more talk of spice and this will stick with me.