5/5 stars

This was exactly what I needed right now! It was spicy good time and I actually read it in 24 hour period. It was well written and I can imagine it took a lot of time to research everything needed for this book. I liked how it gave more depth to the characters from the first book and introduced more characters I'd love to read more of.

Junior and Lauren were truly their own characters, and I love the chemistry between them. I adored Josh for his humor, but Junior had his own charm. And I adored Lauren for being unapologetically herself and not let anyone change her.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC.

This was such a wonderful sequel to a beloved book! Caught Up is a fabulous edition to the LIGHTS OUT world and I fell in love with the characters and their romance. I am obsessed with this series and I can't wait to read what Navessa Allen writes next!

The difficult second album.

This one didn’t make me laugh nearly as much as Lights Out, there should have been a much longer grovel, and the mafia bits were meh compared to the club stuff.

But damnit if it’s not hot as hellllll.

If you go into this with low plot expectations and high spice expectations you’ll be quite happy I reckon.

Another great dark romance from Navessa Allen. In the same world as lights out but can be read as a standalone.

Mafia romance x cam girl
Second chance
Oodles of fun kinks

Dark romance but with a very different style to lights out, darker and without as much humour. Although there were definitely moments but would anyhing ever top the blind balaclava moment.

I really enjoyed the dynamic between Junior and Lo, whilst the chemistry was sizzling from the get go. There was still a lot of drama between the two and Junior had to work for his forgiveness.

Caught Up is the perfect sequel to Lights Out.

Lights Out was one of my top reads this year and I was so excited to get the chance to read Caught up early! Let me tell you, it doesn’t disappoint.

I would highly recommend reading the trigger warnings for this. I appreciate Navessa’s respectful approach to all themes presented in her works, I find her to be an amazing author who truly does well in laying out heavy themes and topics but also doing so in a way that is incredibly respectful, eye opening and a pleasure to read about!

This book has everything, kinks, mafia, broody men, banter, hot steamy scenes that will have your blood pumping, tension and of course the beautifully messed up but makes you kick your feet romance.

Lauren is a sex worker, specifically a cam girl who is doing everything she can to heal her past trauma and let the world know that her job isn’t something to be ashamed of. She’s head strong and confident and knows what she wants. She’s realistic and catty. I loved her story and how it was developed and explored. I loved the exploration of sex work and sex clubs.

Junior is broody, sexy, riddled with his dark past and what his future will hold. He’s a morally grey mafia man trying to change his life for the girl he wants. I loved Juniors development and exploration of himself, his kinks and who he wants to be. I loved watching him grow throughout the story.

I loved seeing all our characters interact and get together. I had so much fun reading and will absolutely be excitedly waiting for the next story!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the E-arc!

I feel like this book had a lot to live up to after how amazing Lights Out was and it did not disappoint but in such a different way! Lights Out is a very humorous and light hearted dark romance whereas Caught Up is more serious and reserved with so much tension! But don’t worry you still get the humour just not in the same way. You also get cameos of Josh and Aly through the book which I loved!🥰 I also loved seeing the friendship that Junior and Josh have!

Speaking of friendships! Lauren’s friendship with Ryan and Taylor was fab and the three of them just worked so well and they have that sort of friendship that everyone strives for!🙌🏻

It’s so common in books for the mmc to be kinky and he introduces her to the lifestyle so I absolutely adore how in this book it’s the other way around and she introduces him! & the spice in this book?! Well let’s just say that Navessa Allen knows how to write a spicy scene🥵👌🏻

Moment of appreciation for Walter! Because a giant, loveable dog? Yes please!😍

Thank you to Navessa Allen, Quercus Books and Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Navessa Allen does it again! The right mix of darkness and comedy, all rolled into one pretty package. This was one of my most anticipated releases for this year and I cannot believe I got my hands on the ARC for it!
Perfection. No notes.

Rated 4.5/5 stars!

I don’t even know what to tell you beyond Navessa Allen lines these pages with drugs, I swear 😂

How can a book feel wholesome and so entirely un-wholesome at once? The relationships in this book just made me feel feral, not only on the romance side of things but friendships too. Sure it’s a dark romance, but there’s so much light and joy in the pages too, from its raging sex positivity to the lighthearted relatable moments between pet-parents or roommates.

It’s spicy, it’s chaotic in the best way, and it’s everything I hoped for after loving Lights Out. I’m obsessed.

Well holy mother of all. I need to go confess in that specific confession booth they used please. This was 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ I will also say the found family in this book takes found family to a whole new level of intimacy.. phew!
(I think my only “negative” is that I was expecting more bike content maybe considering the cover but still pleased either way!)

📚✨Caught Up by Navessa Allen ✨📚
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you @NetGalley, @QuercusBooks, and of course the queen herself Navessa Allen for my ARC of Caught Up 🖤

Let’s just say… Junior is a walking red flag and yes, I ran toward it like it was a sale at Sephora. 🏃‍♀️🚩🔥

This book? Way kinkier than Lights Out (and I thought that one was spicy… silly me). While Caught Up didn’t quite dethrone Lights Out as my personal fave, it still delivered with a fast-paced, steamy plot, a morally grey anti-hero you’ll hate yourself for loving, and banter that had me cackling—Lauren and her roomies are an absolute vibe 💁‍♀️💬

Lauren is smart, bold, and totally owns her sexuality, and I adored seeing her match Junior's brooding, obsessive energy with her own fire. The chemistry? Off the charts. The tension? You could cut it with a knife. The club scenes? 😳 Say less.

Dark, dirty, and totally addictive, Caught Up is a must-read if you like your romance a little unhinged and a lot hot.
Content warnings definitely apply—check those before diving in!

Ready for more from Lauren’s girl gang ASAP. Manifesting roommate spin-offs 🙏📖✨

This was my first book by Navessa Allen and I flew through it, it was addictive, intense, and never boring! The pacing was solid, and I loved the blend of heat, tension, vulnerability, and character growth. The inclusivity and the dog (with real page time!) were highlights for me

The tropes? Top tier: dark rom-com, second chance, mafia, obsessive and cinnamon roll MMC, stalker rom-com, voyeurism, and more. Dual POVs added depth, and the portrayal of sex work was thoughtful and refreshing

The spice was chef’s kiss, and the emotional layers hit hard in all the right ways. Junior was everything, and Nic? Total swoon. I’d happily read more about the side characters too, so much potential for spin-offs!

If you like dark, spicy romance with high stakes and heart, don’t miss this one!

I'd heard so much about this author after Lights Out, which is on my TBR. I knew this would be a case of same universe but you can read independently so I read this first. I did enjoy it, but after reading Lights Out straight after this, i think i definitely preferred that. This is good, but I found some of the behaviours a bit too much, and it didn't feel as organic as Lights Out did. I still liked it and I look forward to anything else this author writes

🏍️ Caught Up 🏍️ @navessa.allen ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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

This is an arc review and this book releases June 10th.

This is a second chance, dark mafia romance and the second book in the Into Darkness series. The story follows Nico Junior, who has always gotten what he wants but has spent years keeping his distance from Lauren, believing she is too good for his world of violence and depravity. However, when he does look her up online, he discovers that the shy, bookish girl he once knew has transformed and his curiosity soon turns into obsession. Lauren is intrigued by the mystery man and their flirty online exchanges spark a deeper connection.

I was obsessed with Lights Out, the dark stalker romance that was book one in this series so was thrilled to receive an arc for this. This was so fast paced, so gripping, a tiny bit twisted and featured a morally grey MMC and all the spice and unhinged fun I loved from the first book in the series. I loved Lauren, she was feisty, passionate and strong and fought for the rights of those more vulnerable than her and I instantly clicked with her character, her healing from a traumatic Catholic guilt filled family and her amazing housemate found family dynamic. Junior is Aly’s cousin who we met in book one so I enjoyed the interconnected element and dual POV. Some of the kinks were not for me but they were clearly labelled in TWs and it didn’t take away from the read, was just a matter of personal preference that it didnt hit quite as much as book one for me.

4 ⭐ Thanks Quercus Books, NetGalley & Navessa Allen for the eARC! This was a fun read and definitely spicyyy🌶️

Our MMC Nico (Junior), Aly’s cousin from Lights Out has mafia ties that he wants to escape from and hopes to go legit all in the pursuit of his first love Lauren. (Aw)

Their relationship was intense and heavy on the chemistry and the spice was next level compared to the first book I think…when you get to THE scene, you’ll know….🫣🌶️ also the experienced FMC vs the inexperienced MMC was a refreshing change and the openness towards Lauren’s career?! Just yes. Some things were definitely explored in this book🫢

Lauren’s dynamic with her two friends made me laugh at lot in this: ‘we ride at dawn’🤣 and omg Josh’s entire demeanour and presence in this still, what a hero!

Overall, I definitely enjoyed this sequel and absolutely sped through it! Add this to your tbr for a fun time!

4.75/5 Stars

Minor spoilers ahead!

I thought Caught Up was even better than Lights Out! Navessa Allen picks up the pace in the second book of the Into Darkness trilogy with a story that’s just as addictive—if not more so—than the first.

This time, the spotlight shifts from Aly and Josh to Aly’s cousin, Lauren ("Lo"), and Nico "Junior" Trocci. That said, it was so satisfying to see Aly and Josh return as side characters—it made the world feel even more connected and alive.

Junior had some serious character growth in this one. He starts off as the classic morally grey, red-flag-waving antihero, but as the story unfolds, we see deeper layers of vulnerability, longing, and even redemption. His obsession with Lauren walks a fine line, but it works in that dark romance way that makes you feel like you shouldn’t root for him... yet you absolutely do.

As for Lauren—what a fantastic lead. She's smart, strong, and doesn’t let Junior walk all over her, even though the chemistry between them is off the charts. Their dynamic had me turning pages way past my bedtime.

There were moments I wanted to put the book down, just to take a breath—but I couldn’t. It’s that addictive. The tension, the angst, the heat... it’s all dialed up in the best way.

Caught Up perfectly balances a fast-paced, emotionally charged plot with complex characters and delicious tension. If you loved Lights Out, this is a must-read continuation that raises the stakes and digs even deeper.

Thank you to Navessa Allen and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

4.5⭐️
3.5🌶️

Navessa Allen SMASHED it with this sequel, in my opinion it was even better than Lights Out!

A dark mafia romcom following Nico Junior (Aly's cousin)and Lauren who is a camgirl fighting for Sex Workers rights.

After a hot fling when they were teenagers that caused devastation, Lauren tries her best to keep Nico out of her mind. Meanwhile, Nico has spend the last 10 years STALKING the only woman he truly wants.

Stumbling back into her life, Junior makes his want for Lauren known. He follows her to the sex club that she partly owns (Velvet) and let's just say he discovers kinks he wasn't expecting..

This book was so HOT 🥵 sex and body positive while also being funny and engaging.

I love that we got to see Aly and Josh in this book as well as a couple other characters from Lights Out👀

Lauren's Nonna was HILARIOUS 😂

I honeslty couldn't put this book down and it brought me out of a book slump. I am HIGHLY anticipating the audiobook release as I think it will make this book even funnier.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus books for the opportunity to ARC read this book.

Navessa Allen has done it again 👏🏼 I absolutely love the realness of the world she's created - the way she incorporates real feeling friendships, relationships, family drama and HUMOUR into dark romance is unlike anything I've ever read outside of her work. I was absolutely giddy over the cameos we got, and yes, it was super hot 🙏🏼

(massive thanks to quercus books for the e-arc via netgalley! 🫶🏼)

I loved Lights Out, so I was nervous the sequel wouldn’t live up to it but Caught Up completely delivered. It’s darker, sexier, and somehow even more addictive. I couldn’t put it down.

Junior and Lauren were such a fun pair. Their chemistry felt natural, the banter was sharp, and the emotional moments really hit. When he called her Lo, I was done for. Total soft spot.

What I really loved was how the story overlaps with Lights Out, but from a fresh perspective. It added so much depth and made me appreciate the world even more.

Also, let’s be honest Josh was hot, but Nico? Nico is dangerously hot. That protective energy? Yes, please.

Navessa Allen’s writing just keeps getting better. Great pacing, memorable characters, and enough steam to fog up your Kindle. I’m already counting down the days to book three.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

ARC REVIEW - Caught Up (Book 2 - Into Darkness) by Navessa Allen

Just finished my ARC and I am shook. Absolute 5-star, top-tier read!

Not as dark as Lights Out which I preferred. It was just the right amount of darkness without being too triggering. The Spice?? NEXT. LEVEL. If you’re into mafia/mob romance with a heavy dose of stalking, obsession, and danger, this is going to be your next favorite.

I can’t wait for everyone to read this so we can discuss the Church scene! 🥵🥵🥵🥵

One of the things I loved most? The world is interconnected—you’ll spot threads from Josh & Aly —but this isn’t their sequel.
It stands strong on its own while still giving fans those satisfying connections. So good. I’m so glad the humour was there also, I laughed out Loud a number of times!

I would’ve devoured this in one sitting if it weren’t 2am and I had work the next day—yes, it’s that addictive.

I was so excited to read this book and it didn't disappoint, I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting, Nico is no Josh but he is a pretty close second