Funny. Hot. Spicy. But also sweet? Caring. And charming. I have looooved it. The kind of book who's dark but light enough to devour it so quickly.

Navessa Allen’s Caught Up is a second-chance romance that hits like a gut punch and soothes like a slow-burning fire. With razor-sharp dialogue, irresistible chemistry, and a deep emotional core, this novel is a standout in the genre—gritty, seductive, and unflinchingly real.

At its heart are Nico “Junior” Trocci and Lauren “Lo” Marchetti, two people who should have moved on from each other years ago but never really did. Junior is a textbook antihero—brooding, brutal, emotionally armored—but Allen never lets him fall into cliché. He’s complex, self-aware, and painfully human. And Lauren? She’s the perfect match: whip-smart, vulnerable without being naïve, and unwilling to let Junior (or anyone else) dictate her worth. Watching her step into her power while still navigating the messy terrain of old wounds is one of the most rewarding aspects of the book.

Their chemistry is magnetic—tension simmers in every glance, every near-miss, every sharp word. But Caught Up is more than just heat and angst. Allen writes with nuance about trauma, loyalty, family expectations, and the lies we tell ourselves to survive. Junior and Lauren’s relationship is a battlefield, but it’s also a place of reckoning, where both must choose whether love is worth the risk of exposure and vulnerability.

Allen’s writing is vivid and emotionally rich, effortlessly balancing grit with tenderness. The inner monologues are sharp and believable, the pacing never drags, and the supporting cast—especially the Marchetti family—is layered and memorable, adding both heart and weight to the story.

This isn’t a fluffy romance. Caught Up is messy and raw, exploring what it means to love someone who’s hurt you, and whether people truly change. But for readers who crave depth with their steam, and characters who bleed on the page, it delivers in every way.

Not sure what’s wrong with me, but I went into Caught Up expecting it to be a bit more unhinged than it actually was. That said, there were definitely parts I enjoyed.

I really loved the FMC. She was strong, knew exactly who she was, and had a brilliant sense of emotional intelligence. Nico was ok. He didn’t quite land for me but he wasn’t bad either.

It was an enjoyable read overall, I just found myself wanting a bit more from it. I really missed the banter that was such a highlight in Lights Out. That back and forth between the main characters made a big difference for me, and I was hoping for a bit of that spark here too.

I did appreciate that Caught Up wasn’t trying to be a replica of Lights Out. It had its own feel and direction, which I liked. Some of the side characters stood out and there were a few scenes that will definitely stick with me.

All in all, a solid three stars from me. Worth a read, but didn’t quite reach the level I was hoping for.

I finished this book in 2 days!

I went into this one expecting something similar to Lights Out - same rom-com energy, fast-paced and spicy, and while it had all of that, Caught Up felt a bit darker. It touched on some deeper, more serious themes that added weight to the story in a way I wasn’t expecting. I thought the dual perspective was executed perfectly, and there was the right mix of action and spice to keep things exciting.

While I liked Nico and Lauren, I was a lot more invested in Aly and Josh. That being said, I definitely recommend Caught Up if you like spicy mafia romances!

This was sooooo gooooood!! I love navessas writing! Nothing can beat the first book but this was pretty close. 😮‍💨 thank you for an arc of this.

All I can say is wow.

I loved the first book in the series and was so excited to read this one but it completely blew my expectations out of the water.

The characters have so much depth to them, and I loved reading their interactions with each other.

Also, this book has some of the most well written erotic scenes I have ever read. I finished this book days ago and I still keep replaying some of the scenes in my mind.

I can't wait to read more of this series!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Quercus for providing me with this arc

Navessa Allen is back & better than ever! I adored the premise of this book even more than 'Lights Out' and please tell me why there aren't more FMC sex workers in romance books - we need to see them more. Such a deliciously spicy read from page to page, I adored it.

Junior is hilarious! The scene when Lauren panics and asks what he's doing here and he replies with 'filing my taxes, you?' Genuinely made me giggle. Phenomenal brotherly banter with Alec and Junior, it was really funny to read and helped break up the seriousness so effortlessly. Also one of my favourite quotes in the entire book is when all the guys are in the van, a bad smell starts to circulate and one of the guys says 'Jesus, Vinny...did you eat gluten again?' That caught me off guard and cracked me up so much haha.

There was some 5 star wording in this ('moldy note in the air that spoke of neglect'; 'ravenous because it had barely gotten a taste ten years ago and had been starving ever since'). I also hate to be a hater, but the wording of 'hate sex, hate sex, hate sex' was possibly one of the most confusing things in the entire book - I genuinely couldn't tell if it was meant to be read as a type of sex or hate of sex. Also I really wasn't a fan of 'shoved so deep that I felt him hit the back of my teeth' - that felt icky and kind of confusing! I also don't know what a 'mob moll' is and maybe never will?

It also couldn't be a full review without me mentioning Lauren and Junior's chemistry. It is off the scale. Their banter and flirting is wonderful. When Lauren says 'my lips are sealed' and Junior looks at her lap and replies 'don't break my heart' it just felt so playful and fun and that was the vibe throughout despite the darker undertones and backstory. And I was forever a fan of Lauren's friends they are so funny, supportive and just amazing side characters to read. Also Ryan having they/them pronouns was such a wonderful touch - can we also see more gender fluidity and use of pronouns in the romance genre please?!

I'd say some of the issues I had with 'Lights out' regarding realness of the plot bleed into this book too. In both books, I've always been personally alarmed at how chill the FMC is when she finds out she's being stalked/watched by the MMC and I will never understand it. After finding out Junior has literally been tracking her, she panics for a literal second before returning to being into him and I just want to grab her and ask why?! He's stalking you girlie, at least be a bit more freaked out!

This point kind of follows on from the last, but Lauren casually compares her attraction to Junior and him generally to actual serial killers? It felt a bit gross and distasteful that Ted Bundy and Ken Doll Killer who are actual serial killers of horrendous crimes were being mentioned in a romance fiction novel. They do not belong in a fiction novel in any romantic capacity in my opinion.

An incredibly endearing but equally spicy read with remarkable depth and character depth. I couldn't fault the plot and pacing if I tried and I would never want to because this book brought me so much joy.

⭐ARC REVIEW⭐
Caught Up by Navessa Allen,
4.25⭐

First of all: get your fans ready. The tension is wild!
Navessa conquers once again with an unusual rom-com. The themes are new, fresh, arouse curiosity and give a certain vibe 🔥.
I confess that for the first 30 % of the book I thought I was going to be disappointed. It wasn't gripping me like Lights Out did. I had high expectations.
But Junior and Lauren delivered! And wow!
This dark romance features a morally grey MMC and plenty of comedy, and ladies..., lots of interesting situations that come from Lauren.
I especially liked this point: the FMC is the strong character.
It was Lauren who taught Junior a few things, which isn't usual in novels. She's a powerful character, with revolutionary ideas and strong convictions
There's romance, there's mystery, there's secrets, there's spice (and the good kind!).
Bring the third one on!

📌 “That’s me, a real gentleman. Grab her hand in the streets and her hair in the sheets.”
📌 “Your happiness means more to me than my freedom.”

Thanks to the NetGalley platform, the publisher and the author for providing this copy in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Caught Up” by Navessa Allen is an unhinged, heartfelt masterpiece that had me howling one moment and holding my breath the next.

This book hits hard in all the best ways. It celebrates sex work unapologetically and portrays it with the nuance, respect, and badassery it deserves. Lauren, Ryan and Taylor’s friendship? Ride-or-die perfection. They look out for each other, hype each other up, and face creepy subscribers and cannibal scares with pepper spray, sarcasm, and genuine care.

The way Navessa tackles consent, safety, and boundaries—especially in an industry that's so often misrepresented—is just... chef's kiss. Nothing felt fetishized or sugar-coated. It was honest, funny, fierce, and rooted in love and real emotional intelligence.

And Junior? Oh my God. Feral, devoted, filthy, and lowkey romantic in the most chaotic way possible. His obsession with Lauren is intense but never possessive, and the fact that he respects her boundaries even when his heart is screaming? Iconic.

Also, this book is hilarious, tears-running-down-my-face levels of chaotic humour.

I'm obsessed. I want to read it again already. Thank you, Navessa, for this gloriously messy, funny, powerful story.

Absolutely loved this book. Such a unique take on a second chance romance. Perfect balance of spice, plot and banter. Loving this series.

First, thanks NetGalley, Quercus and Navessa Allen for this arc!

After reading Lights Out last month, I was looking forward to read Caught Up and it did not disappoint!
The spice o’meter was through the roof!!! It was very hot😮‍💨🔥

I really liked the characters, their dynamic and how the story was told. They had issues from the past to fix and they managed to do it, not without difficulties. I was glad to see glimpses of Aly and Josh throughout the story!
And the ending with Tyler!!! I cannot wait for his book!

I really recommend it if you liked book 1!

I absolutely loved Lights Out so I’ve been looking forward to Caught Up since it was announced. I started and finished it over the weekend because I could not put it down and I can confidently say I wasn’t disappointed!

The humour was slightly less bonkers in this one but I loved the pining and the will-they-won’t-they tension. I also really enjoyed the cameos from Aly, Josh and Fred. I’m not sure what the author has planned but I can see who might be in the running to take centre stage of a subsequent book.

This book is pure chaos—in the best way. The characters are a total disaster (emotionally and otherwise), but they’re so fun to follow. There’s plenty of sharp humor, a good dose of darkness, and just enough romance to keep your heart in it. Sometimes it goes a little off the rails, but honestly, that’s part of the charm. If you’re into love stories with bite, this one’s a ride.

A second-chance romance that will pull your emotions through the ringer of an addicting read, I couldn’t put Caught Up down. The substance of tension and heat within this book is very-well written and the plot is excellent. A fabulous read for everyone in search of a slightly dark romance.

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.