If you’re going in expecting the intensity, humor, or danger of Lights Out, this one might feel like it’s missing the mark. ~ Under the Covers

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If you’re wondering whether Caught Up by Navessa Allen lives up to the hype of Lights Out, you’re not alone. This second book in the Into Darkness Trilogy brings mafia romance, kink club settings, and found family, but it might surprise you with how light it really reads.

Prefer to watch? Check out my review on Youtube

Okay, let’s talk about Caught Up by Navessa Allen. This is book two in Navessa Allen’s Into Darkness trilogy, the sequel to the viral dark-ish romcom Lights Out. And listen, I went in expecting a to be blown away with a dark romance full of steam and humor. Something messy, a little unhinged, a little dangerous. What I got instead? A solid little palate cleanser. Which can be good, we all need that. But not what I was expecting.

What is Caught Up by Navessa Allen about?

So here’s the setup: Junior (Nico Trocci) is the mafia guy with a morally grey heart of gold who ghosted Lauren back in high school to “protect her.” Fast forward years later, she’s thriving, a sex worker, kink club co-owner, confident and independent. She’s pretty badass. He’s been stalking her online (not in a creepy, bad way), subscribes to her spicy content (without her knowing it’s him, of course), and now slowly starts inserting himself back into her life.

Now on paper, this has all the ingredients to be a messy, hot, emotionally charged stalker romance. But in practice? It never really goes there.

Tropes in Caught Up by Navessa Allen

Love your romance by trope? Here’s what Caught Up delivers:

✔ Second chance romance
✔ Mafia (light)
✔ Found family
✔ Kink club setting (but also light)
✔ Sex worker heroine
✔ Stalker (mild/obsessive MMC)
✔ OnlyFans (Me4U)
✔ Soft alpha male
✔ Grandparent steals the show
✔ Insta-lust

While Lights Out leaned darker, Caught Up uses the stalker trope lightly, more sweet obsession than genuine threat.

Did Caught Up by Navessa Allen live up to Lights Out?

The stalker angle is pretty tame, really non-existent for me. Junior’s obsessed, sure, but there’s never any actual threat, not from him and not from the outside world either. Unlike Lights Out, where there was danger slightly circling, Caught Up plays it super safe. There’s no tension, no real stakes, and even the mafia subplot is mostly vibes.

And the second chance thing? It’s fine. Not super angsty. Not super emotional. They just… click. Definitely was a bit insta-love and insta-lust. Which is nice, but doesn’t necessarily add weight to the romance. The highlight for me, though? The found family. Lauren’s roommates, her adorable dog, and especially her grandma, who absolutely steals the show when she’s on page.

Now let’s talk kink. The kink club setting had so much potential to be a fun, steamy playground. And while I appreciated how open-minded Junior was about exploring that world, it felt more like a tour than an immersive experience. Most of the scenes were performances, where I would’ve wanted to see more kink scenes. It flirted with the idea of going full spicy-funny, but never committed in my opinion. And honestly, I think leaning harder into kink and humor would’ve made this book stand out more.

Main Characters in Caught Up by Navessa Allen

Lauren “Lo” Marchetti
Five feet of confident sparkle. Lauren’s a former good girl turned unapologetic online sex worker and part-owner of Velvet, the kink club she runs with her roommates. She’s sharp, independent, and thriving, both on Me4U (think OnlyFans) and IRL. She’s an activist and advocate for better conditions for sex workers and a successful business owner. She’s living her best life. Her world is tight-knit, complete with found family, a Shiloh shepherd named Walter, and a grandma (Nonna Bianchi) who steals every scene.

Nico “Junior” Trocci
A mafia heir who wants out of the family business who has high cheekbones, green eyes, and a Me4U subscription to Lauren’s channel under the anonymous handle “NT95.” Both Lauren and Junior were raised strict Catholic in a mostly Italian neighborhood. Junior ghosted Lauren back in high school to “protect her,” but he never really left. He’s Aly’s cousin and Josh’s friend (from Lights Out), and now that he’s back, he’s trying to insert himself into Lauren’s world without completely unraveling it. He calls Lauren Lo. He might be a walking red flag, but, in Lauren’s words:

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

The Velvet Crew
Velvet is the kink club (or play club), both in name and vibe. Lauren co-owns it with her roommates:

• Taylor, lavender-haired and also on Me4U
• Ryan, a non-binary long-haired blonde (they/them) who also edits both Lauren and Taylor’s content

Together, they live in a three-story brownstone with their dog Walter and give the story its strongest found family core.

Familiar Faces and Future Setups
Fans of Lights Out will catch cameos from Josh and Aly, plus Tyler (Josh’s roommate), who gets just enough page time, and I won’t spoil his storyline, but it hints to what’s next. We also meet Junior’s brother Alec, adding texture to the mafia background without diving too deep into it. I’m definitely interested to hear more about Alec though.

Final Thoughts

Caught Up by Navessa Allen is cute, low-stakes, and easy to read in one sitting. But if you’re going in expecting the intensity, humor, or danger of Lights Out, this one might feel like it’s missing the mark. The vibes are there, but everything’s a little too dialed down. So if you’re in the mood for a second chance romance that is sex-positive, and mafia light but not dark romance or gritty, this’ll hit the spot.

Ready for the next one in the series? The third book in the Into Darkness series is up for pre-order. Game On by Navessa Allen is Tyler’s story and it comes out March 31, 2026. Also, can we talk about that cover?!?! I am in love. I mean, I’ve loved all the covers in this series so it’s hard to pick favorites. But green is definitely my color.

Have you read this one? What did you think? Or let me know if you are adding it to your TBR. Also, what would you recommend as the perfect starter book to dark romance? And don’t forget, you can check out even more dark romance books here on the blog.

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