Who is the captive?!

Sawyer Matsen never thought that she would be visiting New York City and checking things off her bucket list instead of getting married in Montana to her fiancé Beck because he was getting married to her former best friend Manda. Sawyer almost gets arrested because someone thought she was a having problems. Now she was a witness to someone shooting at Jake Worthing and being kidnapped by Jake while he was trying to figure out who was trying to kill him.

If you think you have a clue as what will happen in A Captive Situation, you need to throw out the expectations because you need to remember that it was written by Tijan and it will be a wild ride because you need to find who exactly who is the captive!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the author and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

First off, I love me some Tijan. She has a vast collection of novels ranging from sports romances to mafia and those in between, and I eat em up.

The story about Jake and Sawyer is unique in that they meet randomly, while Sawyer is in the midst of a near mental-breakdown, and Jake is ending his career as a cop, only to head up one of the mafia families. After their chance encounter, things go awry and both end up with bounties on their heads - and chaos ensues.

This one was good, but not my favorite of the series. Still, I found myself enjoying it overall, with the exception of a few things. I had a hard time connecting with Sawyer, the FMC. She felt immature for her 36 years of age; However, Tijan writes a lot of quirky FMCs, and to some readers that can be off-putting. Usually not the case for me, I just didn’t connect with this one like I have others. Aside from that, the spicy scenes were spicy, the found family was hilarious, and the way the story ended I thought pulled it together well.

DNFed this book at 38%.

I felt that the writing style was not for me. It was all over the place and had me confused and not knowing what was going on. I also didn't like the insta love aspect between the two main characters. I just had a really hard time connecting with the book and characters.

Thank you @valentine_pr and @netgalley for the #gifted copy.

4.5 Stars!!!

In typical Tijan fashion this book took me on a ride that kept me guessing what would happen next, I read this in one sitting because once the story hit about 25-30% it truly took off in the best way!

Jake’s book was exactly what I wanted it to be. I wanted to see behind the cop façade, and boy did we. I will say Sawyer took some getting used to, but she started to really show a stronger side of herself, and I loved that. I knew I would love Jake and watching his internal battle between right and wrong was fascinating. And watching him do what had to be done and take charge…holy swoon.

I do hope we get maybe one more book in this series to explore just a little bit more!

What a wild ride! Sawyer is far from home trying to get away from her cheating fiancé and her traitorous pregnant best friend when she runs into Jake. A few bullets later, she's being kidnapped and her life that was already in shambles gets even more crazy - which she didn't think was possible! Throw in some crazy aunts, dangerous supposed friends, and the mafia and you've got quite the captive situation!

This is book 3 in the Kings of New York series but can be read as a standalone. This follows Saylor who comes to New York in search of her cousin after her breakup from her cheating ex who was sleeping with her best friend behind her back and got her pregnant. Saylor sees Jake on the train and is instantly attracted to him but loses him after he gets off the train. then later again at the police station where his cousin was detained along with Saylor and she adopts her. Turns out Jake has a contract out on him and so does Saylor so in order to save her he needs to kidnap her. Saylor doesn't realize the implications of her trying to run from Jake and reaches out to her family who shows up to take her home.

Chaos ensues as they are on the run from bounty hunters trying to kill them. The aunts and Saylor's mom are hilarious it just adds an air of humor to the somewhat dark theme of this book. Also, some of the other characters from the previous books make an appearance in this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for my review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
🌶️.5/5
🗓️ Release Day: 06.03.2025
📚 Book #3 in the “Kings of New York” series; interconnected standalone

This book is hard for me to wrap my head around. I didnt hate it obviously, but the writing takes a little to get into. Tijan is a new to me author, so that could be the issue...the writing style is perhaps unique to the author and has a learning curve [for lack of a better term].

We meet Sawyer when shes in NY and mentally has gone astray due to her boyfriend/fiance of 18 years cheating on her and marrying her best friend at what was supposed to be her wedding...and having his baby. So like yea, shes allowed to have taken a break from reality for a spell. Problem is, is that it gets her in deep with Jake Worthing who's life has shit the bed and he's not bringing any calm to the chaos that is already Sawyer's life.

Jake, oh so domineering Jake...We never quite find out wtf is wrong with Jake mentally, but I have some theories that I will keep to myself as to why he handles some of the situations they get themselves into the way that he does. He does show that he cares for Sawyer [rather quickly] despite some of his actions, so he's redeemable at times.

There are twists and turns, this isnt a murder mystery though. We are well aware of who's doing all the killing, but I didnt necessarily see all the turns that were coming. There are also some things that are left hanging, and im unsure if thats just due to the choas that is this book, or if they are left that way for other books that are coming. Time will tell I guess!

I did like this book, but I would perhaps recommend to start at the beginning and read the first two books to start, not only to adjust to the authors writing style but too also get some additional background knowledge.

ARC

Jake and Sawyer

I enjoyed this mafia story. Jake is a retired detective with Mafia ties. Sawyer runs away to New York, finds herself in the middle of trouble. There is always something happening. I could not put it down. Its Go! Go! Go!

A Captive Situation, book 3 of the Kings of New York series by Tijan @. I've loved every book I’ve read by Tijan!

What a great book about Sawyer & Jake! Tropes: Contemporary, MF, Cop Turned Into A Mafia Heir, MMC & FMC In Their Mid-Thirties, MMC Kidnapped The FMC (Oops!), FMC Getting Over A Recent Break Up, Single Dad & HEA!

I was so looking forward to read this book, as I had read the others in the Kings of New York series, and this one did not disappoint! Sawyer was definitely a quirky woman, but after finding out that you fiancé and best friend had, not only an affair, but also were pregnant, after stringing her along for 18 odd years, I would be a bit quirky too!
I do enjoy an instalust situation and then, when they were thrown together again, it all just seemed to be fate! I enjoyed the over the top interference of her family and the way they were there to support her, and by extension Blake.
Plus loved that Jake was not at all fazed by Sawyer's quirks or her ott family.

DNF at 60%. I don't think this book is it for me. I think the FMC is very annoying and is very immature as a 36 year old. I know her world has turned upside down drastically but she's a bit childish. The writing is simple and does not go in depth very much.

At the beginning, I wasn’t sure I would enjoy this book. It started a little slow and I didn’t connect with Sawyer right away. Her situation felt hard to believe sometimes. But once the story picked up, I really started to get into it. Jake was definitely a highlight. His character was intense but also protective in a way that made you want to keep reading. I liked the chemistry between him and Sawyer. She surprised me with how much strength she had later on. One of my favorite parts was Sawyer’s family. The suspense, action, and romance all got better as it went on. Overall, it took a while to click with the story, but once it did, I enjoyed it a lot. Can’t wait for what’s next, especially if Blake is involved. Thank you so much to the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book early. I’m sharing my thoughts voluntarily and with genuine appreciation

Sawyer and Jake, whew! And a dash from Walden and West. It's crazy world we live in and even stranger when you go to a new city while your life is in turmoil with the hopes of connecting with a cousin you've never met but Sawyer is doing it.. well kind of, not really, but she will.
An encounter on the Subway catches Jakes eye but it's two strangers passing in the night. Another one at the station and the chaos starts.
I don't want to give too much away but Sawyer is so funny and fed up with situations all at the same time. Jake's past is coming back to bit him in the rear or with a shot. Solutions need to be made some how to keep everyone safe but it comes with a cost too. a semi- big cost.

Tijan is amazing, this book is full of sass, shenanigans, pain, and happiness and it still leaves you wanting more. I can't wait to see if there is more and how, if it does, involves characters from the first few books. SO good!!

A Captive Situation is the third book in the Kings of New York series. I read this as a standalone, but Im going to have to read the first and second book in the series. As someone who has read and enjoyed Tijan’s books before I was excited to have an opportunity to read this as an ARC, and I wasn’t disappointed. A Captive Situation follows Sawyer and Jake. Sawyer escapes to New York CIty from Montana after she discovers her ex-fiancé cheating on her with her ex best friends. On this trip, she doesn’t expect to met Jake Worthing, a hot grumpy ex cop turned mafia boss on the subway And there second meeting lead to her being kidnapped by Jake after being witness to an attempted hit on Jake. As an avid mafia romance reader, this contained everything that I love about mafia romances: spice, enemies to lovers, suspense, and an morally grey mmc who I want as a book boyfriend, but there was something about this book that differentiated it from all the other mafia romance books that I have read in the past. Reading this book was a fun rollercoaster of emotions. One of the things that I loved in this book was the fact that Sawyer was in her 30s, and I loved her quirky personality. Her family, especially her aunts added lightness and humor in this book, they had me laughing out loud a couple of times. The chemistry between Sawyer and Jake was spicy, and I loved their banter. I will say that it did take me a bit to get into the book, but once I did I was hooked and had to finish it. Im excited to read the next book in the series. Thanks Valentine PR and NetGalley for giving the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion

I started this and wasn't sure what to expect. This is a mafia story, but mildly mafia I would say. I really liked Sawyer but at times she came across a little immature. Loved Jake, my heart broke for him a few times. I thought the minivan screeching into the standoff was a bit over the top, maybe unrealistic, but we don't always read books for the realism. I would've liked some interaaction between Sawyer and Beck with the letter to evict him from her house but nothing seemed to come of that, I also would've liked to have seen Manda come into the picture at some point when Sawyer returned to Montana.

All in all, I really enjoyed this.

I give it about 2.5 stars! It was an okay read. The writing wasn't terrible and the plot was decent. However some of the scene just didnt hit the mark exactly and there were a few plot wholes that baffled me. Although i can see the potential between the main characters.

Unfortunately this book didn’t work for me. The premise had potential: a woman who, after being betrayed by her fiancé and best friend, ends up involved with a man connected to the criminal world. The way the main characters meet is amusing, but also quite far-fetched.

What really made me put the book down was the female lead. Although she’s supposed to be almost 40, many of her actions felt immature and illogical, especially considering everything she’s been through. I just couldn’t connect with her.

The plot also moves too quickly, and I felt it lacked proper development both in the relationship between the main characters and in the emotional depth of the protagonist.

Sadly, this one wasn’t for me.

The plot has potential but there was something missing for me in the execution. The writing and transitions felt choppy. The output was potentially missing context that may have come from previous books in the series because I really didn’t understand what was going on in the beginning. I got the overall sense that this was rushed.

Complementary copy received and voluntarily reviewed.

I really wanted to love this book but it just wasn't for me. There were moments and characters I loved like the banter and the humor through the story. It just took me a bit to get into it since the beginning felt a bit all over the place, but once I did the plot picked up and I started to get into the story. Sawyer's family was hilarious and I am always a fan of insta love stories.

A mafia story about Jake, Sawyer, and her family. There’s a bit too much going on: instant attraction, murders, kidnapping, and loads of family drama. Sawyer’s behavior felt unstable—one minute she’s with him, the next she’s running. Just too much packed into a short book, without much coherence.
I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for NetGalley.