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Caught in Chaos #2
Taken With Trouble
Serena Cruz
Being taken hostage by a criminal was not on my agenda for the week. The plan was to catch the billionaire con artist, Liam Hawthorne so I can finally prove myself and gain the attention of my boss.
Liam caught me instead.
Forget the bounty, I’m killing him. Unfortunately, it’s proving a rather difficult task–especially when he convinces me to help> him.
He's trying to con me, but I won’t be falling for it.
But ignoring his flirtations and kindness is mission impossible. The conman is…more than he seems.
Falling for him would be stupid, especially with bullets flying and lives in danger. So why do I melt every time he touches me?
Only one of us will emerge from this problem as a free person, and it’s going to be me.
Liam Hawthorne
I’ve stolen many priceless and beautiful things in my lifetime, but none of them compare to FBI Agent Serena Cruz. I rather enjoy the company of the feisty woman intent on killing me…clearly I’ve been on the run for too long. Or has pulling guns on someone always been this seductive?
I digress. I took her to save her, though she doesn’t believe that. I can’t say I blame her when there’s someone trying to kill us at every turn.
It’s all my fault. I tried to be better, but instead, I dragged her into this mess and now our lives are both in danger.
I was fine when it was only my life on the line.
But now there’s more at stake than the reputation I’ve been trying to improve. The woman I love is in danger and I fear that no matter what I do, she’ll never be safe.
Being taken hostage by a criminal was not on my agenda for the week. The plan was to catch the billionaire con artist, Liam Hawthorne so I can finally prove myself and gain the attention of my boss.
Liam caught me instead.
Forget the bounty, I’m killing him. Unfortunately, it’s proving a rather difficult task–especially when he convinces me to help> him.
He's trying to con me, but I won’t be falling for it.
But ignoring his flirtations and kindness is mission impossible. The conman is…more than he seems.
Falling for him would be stupid, especially with bullets flying and lives in danger. So why do I melt every time he touches me?
Only one of us will emerge from this problem as a free person, and it’s going to be me.
Liam Hawthorne
I’ve stolen many priceless and beautiful things in my lifetime, but none of them compare to FBI Agent Serena Cruz. I rather enjoy the company of the feisty woman intent on killing me…clearly I’ve been on the run for too long. Or has pulling guns on someone always been this seductive?
I digress. I took her to save her, though she doesn’t believe that. I can’t say I blame her when there’s someone trying to kill us at every turn.
It’s all my fault. I tried to be better, but instead, I dragged her into this mess and now our lives are both in danger.
I was fine when it was only my life on the line.
But now there’s more at stake than the reputation I’ve been trying to improve. The woman I love is in danger and I fear that no matter what I do, she’ll never be safe.
263 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 10, 2024
119 people are currently reading
842 people want to read
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November 21, 2024
4.5⭐️
•𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰•
{𝐂𝐀𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐈𝐍 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐎𝐒: Book 2}
🗼Release date: December 10, 2024🗼
.
.
.
I’ve loved Serena Cruz from the moment I first met her character in Date With Danger and I was ecstatic to find out she was getting her own story! THIS BOOK Y’ALL!!! 🤭 It was PHENOMENAL! It was pure addiction is what it was 😁 The banter, the endless flirting, the tension, the chemistry 🤌🏻✨ It had me positively hooked from the prologue and I couldn’t get enough of it! All of the plot twists had me SHOOK! Trust me, this is a book you NEED, and you need it ASAP!
Jenessa Fayeth knows how to write the most positively yummy MMCs (iykyk 😏) Liam Hawthorne was absolute perfection wrapped up in the most handsome and devilishly charming package (Think Neal Caffrey). His flirting skills were positively next level and had me in a near constant state of swoon 🫠 Poor Serena didn’t even stand a chance when pitted against the wiles of Liam Hawthorne. As she so bluntly put it 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚎𝚍𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙸 𝚊𝚖…𝚌𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚢 𝚍𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜.
I absolutely adore a strong FMC and Special Agent Serena Cruz is that and so much more! (Totally giving off Ilona Maher vibes) Even Liam couldn’t help but admire her muscles every now and then 😏 His blatant admiration of Serena and all that she entailed had even me blushing at times 🫠 But even with all of her great beauty and brawn (or maybe because of it), he despaired that she was going to be the death of him yet.
I found it positively hilarious how Liam knew every move Serena was going to make, always one step ahead of her 😂 Their chemistry was off the charts, which made every interaction AMAZING! I absolutely adored the way Liam’s protective nature came out around Serena 🫠 This adventurous and suspenseful romcom was so good y’all!
Top moments:
🔫 That PROLOGUE!! 🔥
🔫 The coffin scene
🔫 ALL the banter
🔫 Frisking each other
🔫 Car chase and bridge moment
🔫 TATTOOS
🔫 Drugging each other
🔫 Dress shopping
🔫 The drawing
🔫 Dancing lessons
🔫 😱 PLOT TWIST!!
🔫 ANOTHER PLOT TWIST!!!!
🔫 AND ANOTHER!!!! (Should I even still be surprised at this point 😂)
Favorite quotes:
𝚂𝚑𝚎’𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚋𝚓𝚎𝚌𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚖𝚢 𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚛𝚎. 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚙𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚝 𝚑𝚎𝚛, 𝚝𝚘 𝚒𝚖𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚣𝚎 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛. 𝚂𝚑𝚎’𝚜 𝚝𝚘𝚘 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚞𝚕 𝚝𝚘 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚘𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚗.
𝙽𝚘 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚖𝚒𝚎𝚜. 𝙼𝚊𝚢𝚋𝚎, 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚢𝚋𝚎 𝚠𝚎 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎.
𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝’𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚞𝚗𝚗𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚝𝚎, 𝚒𝚝’𝚜 𝚠𝚛𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚍 𝚞𝚙 𝚒𝚗 𝚜𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚙𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚒𝚝’𝚜 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚕𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚊𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛.
𝙷𝚎𝚛 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚏𝚎𝚌𝚝 𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚔𝚒𝚍𝚗𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚍 𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚎.
.
.
.
I cannot begin to thank Jenessa enough for the incredible opportunity to read an arc of her new book 💜
•𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰•
{𝐂𝐀𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐈𝐍 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐎𝐒: Book 2}
🗼Release date: December 10, 2024🗼
.
.
.
I’ve loved Serena Cruz from the moment I first met her character in Date With Danger and I was ecstatic to find out she was getting her own story! THIS BOOK Y’ALL!!! 🤭 It was PHENOMENAL! It was pure addiction is what it was 😁 The banter, the endless flirting, the tension, the chemistry 🤌🏻✨ It had me positively hooked from the prologue and I couldn’t get enough of it! All of the plot twists had me SHOOK! Trust me, this is a book you NEED, and you need it ASAP!
Jenessa Fayeth knows how to write the most positively yummy MMCs (iykyk 😏) Liam Hawthorne was absolute perfection wrapped up in the most handsome and devilishly charming package (Think Neal Caffrey). His flirting skills were positively next level and had me in a near constant state of swoon 🫠 Poor Serena didn’t even stand a chance when pitted against the wiles of Liam Hawthorne. As she so bluntly put it 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚎𝚍𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙸 𝚊𝚖…𝚌𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚢 𝚍𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜.
I absolutely adore a strong FMC and Special Agent Serena Cruz is that and so much more! (Totally giving off Ilona Maher vibes) Even Liam couldn’t help but admire her muscles every now and then 😏 His blatant admiration of Serena and all that she entailed had even me blushing at times 🫠 But even with all of her great beauty and brawn (or maybe because of it), he despaired that she was going to be the death of him yet.
I found it positively hilarious how Liam knew every move Serena was going to make, always one step ahead of her 😂 Their chemistry was off the charts, which made every interaction AMAZING! I absolutely adored the way Liam’s protective nature came out around Serena 🫠 This adventurous and suspenseful romcom was so good y’all!
Top moments:
🔫 That PROLOGUE!! 🔥
🔫 The coffin scene
🔫 ALL the banter
🔫 Frisking each other
🔫 Car chase and bridge moment
🔫 TATTOOS
🔫 Drugging each other
🔫 Dress shopping
🔫 The drawing
🔫 Dancing lessons
🔫 😱 PLOT TWIST!!
🔫 ANOTHER PLOT TWIST!!!!
🔫 AND ANOTHER!!!! (Should I even still be surprised at this point 😂)
Favorite quotes:
𝚂𝚑𝚎’𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚋𝚓𝚎𝚌𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚖𝚢 𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚛𝚎. 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚙𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚝 𝚑𝚎𝚛, 𝚝𝚘 𝚒𝚖𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚣𝚎 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛. 𝚂𝚑𝚎’𝚜 𝚝𝚘𝚘 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚞𝚕 𝚝𝚘 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚘𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚗.
𝙽𝚘 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚖𝚒𝚎𝚜. 𝙼𝚊𝚢𝚋𝚎, 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚢𝚋𝚎 𝚠𝚎 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎.
𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝’𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚞𝚗𝚗𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚝𝚎, 𝚒𝚝’𝚜 𝚠𝚛𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚍 𝚞𝚙 𝚒𝚗 𝚜𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚙𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚒𝚝’𝚜 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚕𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚊𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛.
𝙷𝚎𝚛 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚏𝚎𝚌𝚝 𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚔𝚒𝚍𝚗𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚍 𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚎.
.
.
.
I cannot begin to thank Jenessa enough for the incredible opportunity to read an arc of her new book 💜
December 2, 2024
5⭐️ ARC Review: I LOVED THIS! Exactly the type of book I eat up in every single way.
November 18, 2024
Taken With Trouble is the second book in the Caught in Chaos collection. While characters from the first book make appearances, this could definitely be enjoyed as a standalone as well.
Oh my goodness, the obsession I have with this book! I absolutely adored Date With Danger (the first book) and thought there was absolutely no way that Jenessa Fayeth could top it--- and yet, I stand corrected. This book had everything I loved about that first book-- the action, the adventure, the humor-- and then just seemed to take it to the next level. Right from the very beginning, Liam and Serena absolutely won me over taking us right into the action (and the kissing!). Their banter was absolute perfection... and the chemistry!? Oh my! I could read about these two forever! This book surprised me in so many ways (like some twists I did not see coming) and I was absolutely here for all of it. This book had me laughing and at the edge of my seat and I absolutely could not have loved it more! It was the perfect blend of romance, comedy and adventure that I didn't know I needed!
Taken With Trouble is a closed-door romance with kisses only.
**ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own.
Oh my goodness, the obsession I have with this book! I absolutely adored Date With Danger (the first book) and thought there was absolutely no way that Jenessa Fayeth could top it--- and yet, I stand corrected. This book had everything I loved about that first book-- the action, the adventure, the humor-- and then just seemed to take it to the next level. Right from the very beginning, Liam and Serena absolutely won me over taking us right into the action (and the kissing!). Their banter was absolute perfection... and the chemistry!? Oh my! I could read about these two forever! This book surprised me in so many ways (like some twists I did not see coming) and I was absolutely here for all of it. This book had me laughing and at the edge of my seat and I absolutely could not have loved it more! It was the perfect blend of romance, comedy and adventure that I didn't know I needed!
Taken With Trouble is a closed-door romance with kisses only.
**ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own.
May 29, 2025
6⭐ Such a fantastic series! I love the rom-com style and the action and intrigue. I loved the couple in the sequel and how the story wrapped up. Probably one of my favorite enemies to more love stories.
December 10, 2024
Adventure romcoms are so much fun! I loved the first book in this series, and I was really hoping a certain character would get the next book, so I was thrilled when Taken With Trouble was announced. It was everything I hoped it would be!
Serena and Liam are fantastic together! Their banter and the tension of their relationship is so well written, and I could not stop thinking about them whenever I had to put the book down. The plot twists are great, and I was on the edge of my seat often during the adventurous parts of the story! This book is paced so well; the action is expertly woven throughout the story, and there are plenty of slower moments for character development and for the romance to bloom.
I’m super picky with the tv shows that I watch; I only like a handful of shows, and the ones I love I LOVE and obsess over. This book reminded me of White Collar and Leverage, which are two of my absolute favorite tv shows, which made me so happy!
I loved this book, and I am looking forward to rereading it in the future!
Content:
Mild swearing, with several interrupted swear words
Mild innuendo
Descriptive kissing
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Serena and Liam are fantastic together! Their banter and the tension of their relationship is so well written, and I could not stop thinking about them whenever I had to put the book down. The plot twists are great, and I was on the edge of my seat often during the adventurous parts of the story! This book is paced so well; the action is expertly woven throughout the story, and there are plenty of slower moments for character development and for the romance to bloom.
I’m super picky with the tv shows that I watch; I only like a handful of shows, and the ones I love I LOVE and obsess over. This book reminded me of White Collar and Leverage, which are two of my absolute favorite tv shows, which made me so happy!
I loved this book, and I am looking forward to rereading it in the future!
Content:
Mild swearing, with several interrupted swear words
Mild innuendo
Descriptive kissing
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 9, 2026
5+ Stars!
Why do these books NOT come with warnings?! There seriously needs to be like flashing signs, neon lights kind of warnings. Maybe something like...
*WARNING* Do not start this book until the night before your day off. It may cause you to come down with a bibliophile bellyache and have you calling into work sick. No this didn't happen to me, but it could've been a real possibility had it not been for my long weekend. 😉
*WARNING* This book may cause you to stay up WAAAAY past your bedtime. Caffeine is highly recommended to get you through the next day.
*WARNING* This book may contain more shocking revelations than a daytime soap opera.
Y'all. I don't even know where to begin. I thought I knew what I was getting into when I started reading, but this book blew me out of the water. I was not prepared to feel all that I am feeling. There are so many things I want to say, but I honestly don't want to ruin it for anyone. I know myself, once I let loose, I'm telling you everything! You guys need to experience this emotional rollercoaster for yourselves. It'll be one of the best ones of your lives... I promise!
I am completely in love with all things Serena and Liam! They are the absolute best! I thought for sure that Amelia and Caleb would be my favorites in this series, but boy I was wrong. Y'all. I could not get enough of these two! Their journey was so fun, so swoony, so unexpected, so emotional. It had me asking on several occasions, what just happened?!
And y'all. Don't even get me started on their chemistry. YOWZERS! Sparks were flying like there's no tomorrow. They had me turning into a big ol' pile of ooey gooey deliciousness. *dreamy sigh* I loved every single minute I spent with these two!
Ms. Fayeth has officially added herself to my favorite and auto-buy lists. Any author who can get me to devour two of their books in such a short period of time, definitely deserves to be on them. I've already grabbed the other books in this series and I can't wait to dive in! I definitely need more of Serena and Caleb!
And of course I need a casting, right? *dreamy sigh* I'm definitely in love with these two! What do you think?
Why do these books NOT come with warnings?! There seriously needs to be like flashing signs, neon lights kind of warnings. Maybe something like...
*WARNING* Do not start this book until the night before your day off. It may cause you to come down with a bibliophile bellyache and have you calling into work sick. No this didn't happen to me, but it could've been a real possibility had it not been for my long weekend. 😉
*WARNING* This book may cause you to stay up WAAAAY past your bedtime. Caffeine is highly recommended to get you through the next day.
*WARNING* This book may contain more shocking revelations than a daytime soap opera.
Y'all. I don't even know where to begin. I thought I knew what I was getting into when I started reading, but this book blew me out of the water. I was not prepared to feel all that I am feeling. There are so many things I want to say, but I honestly don't want to ruin it for anyone. I know myself, once I let loose, I'm telling you everything! You guys need to experience this emotional rollercoaster for yourselves. It'll be one of the best ones of your lives... I promise!
I am completely in love with all things Serena and Liam! They are the absolute best! I thought for sure that Amelia and Caleb would be my favorites in this series, but boy I was wrong. Y'all. I could not get enough of these two! Their journey was so fun, so swoony, so unexpected, so emotional. It had me asking on several occasions, what just happened?!
And y'all. Don't even get me started on their chemistry. YOWZERS! Sparks were flying like there's no tomorrow. They had me turning into a big ol' pile of ooey gooey deliciousness. *dreamy sigh* I loved every single minute I spent with these two!
Ms. Fayeth has officially added herself to my favorite and auto-buy lists. Any author who can get me to devour two of their books in such a short period of time, definitely deserves to be on them. I've already grabbed the other books in this series and I can't wait to dive in! I definitely need more of Serena and Caleb!
And of course I need a casting, right? *dreamy sigh* I'm definitely in love with these two! What do you think?
January 4, 2025
WHAT. A. BLAST. This book was quite literally the definition of an adventure. An adventure full of banter, outrageous flirting, mystery, conning, and double crossing. So many things surprised me, all in the best of ways. White Collar fans, defintely check this one out!
January 9, 2025
I LOVED this book! Such a fun read and the banter was 🙌🏻. Highly recommend!
January 3, 2026
Super cute and fun escape! I listened to this book and the narrators were great!
April 14, 2025
4.25 stars
OKAY THIS WAS GREAT.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM || TIKTOK
My first book by this author but certainly not my last. This really grew on me and by the end I was glued to my screen because I had been utterly charmed.
I WILL NOTE NOW, please read the first book in this series before this. My original understanding was that these were standalones. But the whole time I was reading Taken I thought I was missing some information and lo and behold, that shows up in book one.
Liam is such a golden retriever puppy. And I adored his energy. Apparently I really love this dynamic. The flirting and protectiveness and the history?? Stop it right now. The banter was great and I appreciated the fast paced that kept things moving. I want more spy rom-coms like this now. Fun and sweet with some hold your breath moments. Looking forward to more!
Overall audience notes:
- Spy Rom-Com
- Language: none
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: mild
- Content warnings: physical violence, weapons violence, kidnapping, attempted murder
OKAY THIS WAS GREAT.
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My first book by this author but certainly not my last. This really grew on me and by the end I was glued to my screen because I had been utterly charmed.
I WILL NOTE NOW, please read the first book in this series before this. My original understanding was that these were standalones. But the whole time I was reading Taken I thought I was missing some information and lo and behold, that shows up in book one.
Liam is such a golden retriever puppy. And I adored his energy. Apparently I really love this dynamic. The flirting and protectiveness and the history?? Stop it right now. The banter was great and I appreciated the fast paced that kept things moving. I want more spy rom-coms like this now. Fun and sweet with some hold your breath moments. Looking forward to more!
Overall audience notes:
- Spy Rom-Com
- Language: none
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: mild
- Content warnings: physical violence, weapons violence, kidnapping, attempted murder
December 12, 2024
3.5⭐ rounded down
I'm honestly really sad that I didn't like this more than I did🥺 the first book, Date With Danger, was a top read for me this year, and I was insanely excited to hear that we were going to get Agent Cruz's story next! I jumped on the opportunity to read this.
What I didn't expect was for there to be so much confusion on my end about what the storyline was and where it was going. I don't know, it had to have been just me, but I honestly had such a hard time following everything. There were so many plot twists, and I usually love plot twists but none of them made any sense to me. The relationship between Cruz and Hawthorne seemed so forced to me too, and it had so many tropes jumbled together. Almost as if the story was a bunch of puzzle pieces that weren't meant to fit together.
I feel so bad that I didn't like this book because I love this author! There were several quotes that I really loved, and the book had Jenessa's token humor woven throughout, but other than that this book just wasn't for me unfortunately. It wouldn't stop me from continuing the series though; I really love the characters so much.
You'll like this if you like:
📖 dual POV
📖 forced proximity
📖 second chance
📖 mental health rep
📖 closed door romance
✨TW: this book contains topics of kidnapping, panic attacks, PTSD, violence, and absent/neglectful parents.
I'm honestly really sad that I didn't like this more than I did🥺 the first book, Date With Danger, was a top read for me this year, and I was insanely excited to hear that we were going to get Agent Cruz's story next! I jumped on the opportunity to read this.
What I didn't expect was for there to be so much confusion on my end about what the storyline was and where it was going. I don't know, it had to have been just me, but I honestly had such a hard time following everything. There were so many plot twists, and I usually love plot twists but none of them made any sense to me. The relationship between Cruz and Hawthorne seemed so forced to me too, and it had so many tropes jumbled together. Almost as if the story was a bunch of puzzle pieces that weren't meant to fit together.
I feel so bad that I didn't like this book because I love this author! There were several quotes that I really loved, and the book had Jenessa's token humor woven throughout, but other than that this book just wasn't for me unfortunately. It wouldn't stop me from continuing the series though; I really love the characters so much.
You'll like this if you like:
📖 dual POV
📖 forced proximity
📖 second chance
📖 mental health rep
📖 closed door romance
✨TW: this book contains topics of kidnapping, panic attacks, PTSD, violence, and absent/neglectful parents.
November 22, 2024
This book is hilarious, adorable, and swoony.
Liam and Serena have the BEST banter. The mystery they're solving keeps you on the edge of your seat, and oh my the SWOON.
Liam is charming and has the best one liners. Serena is sassy and their grumpy sunshine dynamic had me cackling from the get go.
I do love the thawing through this books and how as their relationship sparks start sparking they both learn and grow together.
Once again, fabulously well done. Did not expect many of the things but also the foreshadowing was so good.
Highly highly recommend 😍
💋Descriptive Makeouts
⚠️Stalker dudes, danger, weapons, high stakes but swoony
Liam and Serena have the BEST banter. The mystery they're solving keeps you on the edge of your seat, and oh my the SWOON.
Liam is charming and has the best one liners. Serena is sassy and their grumpy sunshine dynamic had me cackling from the get go.
I do love the thawing through this books and how as their relationship sparks start sparking they both learn and grow together.
Once again, fabulously well done. Did not expect many of the things but also the foreshadowing was so good.
Highly highly recommend 😍
💋Descriptive Makeouts
⚠️Stalker dudes, danger, weapons, high stakes but swoony
Read
March 30, 2025C+
December 10, 2024
*ARC REVIEW*
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Her heart has planned the perfect heist and kidnapped mine” —
my FAVORITE quote😭 and believe me, it’s hard to choose because I have 115 highlights on my kindle!
YEP, you heard me. This book has officially been welcomed into my 6 STAR read collection (which is NOT many btw!)
Oh my goodness, when I tell you that I literally thoroughly enjoyed this book SO MUCH!!! I knew this story sounded right up my alley but I was not expecting it to become one of my TOP 10 favorite reads of 2024!
Agent Serena Cruz is on the hunt and ready to take down billionaire conman, Liam Hawthorne, when he catches her by surprise taking her hostage first! 🤭
Serena is bound and determined to take Liam into custody while a bounty is hanging on his head. Yet, it’s not as simple as that when Liam tries to convince her to help him.
This read was absolute perfection. From the very beginning, I was laughing my head off with these two! It started off including a very unexpected hiding spot that had me losing it! 😂 the banter and dialogue was exceptional and I was so impressed with the writing and plot!!!
I loved every single page and was so excited to pick it back up and read more! Filled with laugh out loud moments, banter that makes a splash, flirtatious teasing from our lovable MMC Liam Hawthorne (new book boyfriend unlocked 😉🥵) and plot twists that I didn’t see coming!
I am so beyond happy I got to experience this story and I absolutely loved having a British MMC as London is my dream vacay! There were quotes so good that they left me speechless, moments that had tears welling in my eyes and heart racing scenes that will have you feeling everything! I did not want this story to end and I can’t wait to read the extended epilogue!!!
If you want a thrilling, compelling, entertaining read that is closed door but still bringing all the HEAT, this is the book for you!
Thank you so much to the author for trusting me with your work and allowing me to read this story! I truly enjoyed this so much and will always name Liam and Serena as a favorite book couple of mine! 🩷 will definitely be purchasing a physical copy of this book as I will for sure be doing multiple re-reads in the future!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Her heart has planned the perfect heist and kidnapped mine” —
my FAVORITE quote😭 and believe me, it’s hard to choose because I have 115 highlights on my kindle!
YEP, you heard me. This book has officially been welcomed into my 6 STAR read collection (which is NOT many btw!)
Oh my goodness, when I tell you that I literally thoroughly enjoyed this book SO MUCH!!! I knew this story sounded right up my alley but I was not expecting it to become one of my TOP 10 favorite reads of 2024!
Agent Serena Cruz is on the hunt and ready to take down billionaire conman, Liam Hawthorne, when he catches her by surprise taking her hostage first! 🤭
Serena is bound and determined to take Liam into custody while a bounty is hanging on his head. Yet, it’s not as simple as that when Liam tries to convince her to help him.
This read was absolute perfection. From the very beginning, I was laughing my head off with these two! It started off including a very unexpected hiding spot that had me losing it! 😂 the banter and dialogue was exceptional and I was so impressed with the writing and plot!!!
I loved every single page and was so excited to pick it back up and read more! Filled with laugh out loud moments, banter that makes a splash, flirtatious teasing from our lovable MMC Liam Hawthorne (new book boyfriend unlocked 😉🥵) and plot twists that I didn’t see coming!
I am so beyond happy I got to experience this story and I absolutely loved having a British MMC as London is my dream vacay! There were quotes so good that they left me speechless, moments that had tears welling in my eyes and heart racing scenes that will have you feeling everything! I did not want this story to end and I can’t wait to read the extended epilogue!!!
If you want a thrilling, compelling, entertaining read that is closed door but still bringing all the HEAT, this is the book for you!
Thank you so much to the author for trusting me with your work and allowing me to read this story! I truly enjoyed this so much and will always name Liam and Serena as a favorite book couple of mine! 🩷 will definitely be purchasing a physical copy of this book as I will for sure be doing multiple re-reads in the future!
December 7, 2024
#Review: *Taken with Trouble* - Jenessa Fayeth - ARC
5/5✨
0/5🌶️
[Super fun! No age restriction]
I adooored Jenessa's first book from this series, 'Date with Danger', and I was super excited to read this one too! Thank you Jenessa so, so much for the opportunity to get an advanced copy🤗.
In the front row of this story we have Serena, who was an FBI agent. She was part of an investigation which included a thief named Liam. In this part appeared the male main character from the previous book, Caleb, who is Serena's work partener. Of course, Amelia made a short appearance too, which I liked sooo much!
While working on this case, Serena will end up being kidnapped by Liam and, from there on, things will only become messier and funnier🤭. The banter between them was sooo good, making fun of each other with every chance they got.
Some big secrets will be undercovered and some mind-blowing plot twists will definitely surprise you. I liked the relationship between Serena and Liam, their bickering making this story so much fun and easy to follow. Even though Serena's last wish was to work closely with Liam, she will be forced to do so, in order to win against the bad guys.
I just loved how Liam's character was built! He was portraited as a bad guy, but he was really inteligent and knew very well his business. That even impressed Serena, who will see herself in some tough situations because of the case she was working on and Liam will do everything in his power to rescue her. I liked how powerful her character was and how independent she wanted to be, but sometimes a bit of help is very much needed.
This book was perfect for me and exactly the kind of story I needed to enlighten my mood. It was a fun and a very interesting romantic suspense, which I totally won me over and which I truly recommend!🤗
✨Tropes
#EnemiesToLovers
#OneBed
#RomanticSuspense
#SizzlingBanter
#FBIAgent
#Kidnapped
#FlirtyMMC
#Adventure
5/5✨
0/5🌶️
[Super fun! No age restriction]
I adooored Jenessa's first book from this series, 'Date with Danger', and I was super excited to read this one too! Thank you Jenessa so, so much for the opportunity to get an advanced copy🤗.
In the front row of this story we have Serena, who was an FBI agent. She was part of an investigation which included a thief named Liam. In this part appeared the male main character from the previous book, Caleb, who is Serena's work partener. Of course, Amelia made a short appearance too, which I liked sooo much!
While working on this case, Serena will end up being kidnapped by Liam and, from there on, things will only become messier and funnier🤭. The banter between them was sooo good, making fun of each other with every chance they got.
Some big secrets will be undercovered and some mind-blowing plot twists will definitely surprise you. I liked the relationship between Serena and Liam, their bickering making this story so much fun and easy to follow. Even though Serena's last wish was to work closely with Liam, she will be forced to do so, in order to win against the bad guys.
I just loved how Liam's character was built! He was portraited as a bad guy, but he was really inteligent and knew very well his business. That even impressed Serena, who will see herself in some tough situations because of the case she was working on and Liam will do everything in his power to rescue her. I liked how powerful her character was and how independent she wanted to be, but sometimes a bit of help is very much needed.
This book was perfect for me and exactly the kind of story I needed to enlighten my mood. It was a fun and a very interesting romantic suspense, which I totally won me over and which I truly recommend!🤗
✨Tropes
#EnemiesToLovers
#OneBed
#RomanticSuspense
#SizzlingBanter
#FBIAgent
#Kidnapped
#FlirtyMMC
#Adventure
December 6, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Liam Hawthorne & Serena Cruz
- Enemies to more
- Dual POV
- Reverse sunshine & grump
- Secret agent FMC
- International thief MMC
- Handcuffs 😉
- So much flirty, witty banter
- One bed trope
- Lots of adventure & suspense
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book 2 in the Caught in Chaos Series -
She is beauty, grace and fully reminds me of Sandra Bullock in Miss Congeniality. I absolutely love it. Special Agent Serena Cruz is prickly in the best way. She has so much under the surface that was MIND BLOWING to read. Liam also has a lot of depth in his character under all the flirty lines. They push each other and you absolutely never know what will happen next with these two.
The plot twists had me fully invested in the story and there are so many I didn’t see coming. The story is fun, exciting, and kept me on my toes. I could not put this book down once I started. This romantic suspense was action packed, with high stakes, but also a lot of laughs and loads of chemistry between the MCs. I cannot recommend both books in the Caught In Chaos Series.
P.s. I loved the cameos from the other characters in the first book.
This is a romantic suspense book that is clean and closed door. There is some passionate kissing and light innuendo.
**Thank you so much to Jenessa for letting me read this ARC. All thoughts/opinions are my own.**
Songs:
“I did something bad” by Taylor Swift
“Trustfall” by Ashley Kutcher
“Consequences” by Camilla Cabello
“Lonesome” by Sabrina Carpenter
“I knew you were trouble” by Taylor Swift
“So it goes” by Taylor Swift
“Shameless” by Camilla Cabello
“She” by Jake Scott
“Call it what you want” by Taylor Swift
“Dress” by Taylor Swift
“It’s always been you” by Caleb Hearn
“Trouble” by Camylio
“Please please please”by Sabrina Carpenter
“Morally grey” by April Jai
“That’s so true” by Gracie Abrams
Liam Hawthorne & Serena Cruz
- Enemies to more
- Dual POV
- Reverse sunshine & grump
- Secret agent FMC
- International thief MMC
- Handcuffs 😉
- So much flirty, witty banter
- One bed trope
- Lots of adventure & suspense
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book 2 in the Caught in Chaos Series -
She is beauty, grace and fully reminds me of Sandra Bullock in Miss Congeniality. I absolutely love it. Special Agent Serena Cruz is prickly in the best way. She has so much under the surface that was MIND BLOWING to read. Liam also has a lot of depth in his character under all the flirty lines. They push each other and you absolutely never know what will happen next with these two.
The plot twists had me fully invested in the story and there are so many I didn’t see coming. The story is fun, exciting, and kept me on my toes. I could not put this book down once I started. This romantic suspense was action packed, with high stakes, but also a lot of laughs and loads of chemistry between the MCs. I cannot recommend both books in the Caught In Chaos Series.
P.s. I loved the cameos from the other characters in the first book.
This is a romantic suspense book that is clean and closed door. There is some passionate kissing and light innuendo.
**Thank you so much to Jenessa for letting me read this ARC. All thoughts/opinions are my own.**
Songs:
“I did something bad” by Taylor Swift
“Trustfall” by Ashley Kutcher
“Consequences” by Camilla Cabello
“Lonesome” by Sabrina Carpenter
“I knew you were trouble” by Taylor Swift
“So it goes” by Taylor Swift
“Shameless” by Camilla Cabello
“She” by Jake Scott
“Call it what you want” by Taylor Swift
“Dress” by Taylor Swift
“It’s always been you” by Caleb Hearn
“Trouble” by Camylio
“Please please please”by Sabrina Carpenter
“Morally grey” by April Jai
“That’s so true” by Gracie Abrams
December 27, 2024
Ok. OK! Yes, I finished this book way too quickly. I might have enjoyed it! The enemies to lovers, the banter, the heists, the massive plot twist at the end...HELLO! Did Janessa write this book just for me? I came for a fun romcom, but I ended up stressed for these two. Let me summarise the plot real quick. Liam is a sweetheart. End of story! Serena is an absolute QUEEN and Liam knows this. That man was absolutley smitten with her and I am here for it! She needs to arrest him, but it I think the tables have been flipped...again. Or is that double-again?
Content guide:
Language - what in the h..., heck, son of a..., B.S.
- p*ssed, bl**dy x3, freaking x3
- multiple mentions of crotch and groin (used as a body description, ex. kicked in the crotch)
Sexual content - a few detailed kisses, including one on a bed, but it goes no further
- mentions of a man and woman noticing each other, lightly detailed
- a man and a woman frisk each other for weapons, lightly detailed
- lightly detailed touching and flirting
-several barely detailed kisses
- a man and woman sleep in the same bed with a pillow barrier down the middle, nothing further happens
Content guide:
Language - what in the h..., heck, son of a..., B.S.
- p*ssed, bl**dy x3, freaking x3
- multiple mentions of crotch and groin (used as a body description, ex. kicked in the crotch)
Sexual content - a few detailed kisses, including one on a bed, but it goes no further
- mentions of a man and woman noticing each other, lightly detailed
- a man and a woman frisk each other for weapons, lightly detailed
- lightly detailed touching and flirting
-several barely detailed kisses
- a man and woman sleep in the same bed with a pillow barrier down the middle, nothing further happens
January 1, 2025
FMC: an FBI special agent X MMC: a suspect of thievery/ forgery/ con artistry and possibly murder.
We meet both Serena and Liam in the previous book "Date With Danger" about another couple: What we know about Serena is that she's too serious/ devoted to her job/ has a crush on her superior (so I thought he's gonna be her love interest).
And Liam is a handsome British flirt. He's a dangerous man but doesn't have a serious bone in his body. When he has a gun to your head he'd probably tell you so much jokes till your stomach hurts from laughing and you'll beg him to just kill you.
The only thing that was terribly wrong to me is the great amount of Bollywood effect: you know how in Indian movies the hero and heroine can be have 100 bullets to the chest and still they survive: In this novel no matter the danger the MCs face: they just live!!!! :o
Starting my Bingo Challenge of 2025 with a book about one of "MC being an officer of law and the other one a suspect" : Great start Y'all!
25 ┃37┃87┃13┃68┃40┃32┃59┃76┃44
10┃86┃4 ┃45┃47┃98┃50┃14┃85┃75
88┃51┃ 9┃2┃42┃29┃ 24┃92┃ 82┃1
100┃34┃17┃96┃43┃49┃64┃70┃15┃38
84┃31┃ 62┃7┃21┃73┃28┃46┃90┃77
3┃12⭕┃80┃ 69┃52┃ 65┃54┃ 91┃23┃ 72
18┃95┃ 22┃99┃93┃74┃41┃8┃35┃ 58
57┃94┃ 16┃56┃ 5┃60┃78┃ 26┃81┃ 61
97┃48┃ 79┃67┃ 53┃30┃ 6┃36┃89┃ 33
71┃19┃ 39┃66┃ 55┃27┃ 20┃63┃ 11┃83
We meet both Serena and Liam in the previous book "Date With Danger" about another couple: What we know about Serena is that she's too serious/ devoted to her job/ has a crush on her superior (so I thought he's gonna be her love interest).
And Liam is a handsome British flirt. He's a dangerous man but doesn't have a serious bone in his body. When he has a gun to your head he'd probably tell you so much jokes till your stomach hurts from laughing and you'll beg him to just kill you.
The only thing that was terribly wrong to me is the great amount of Bollywood effect: you know how in Indian movies the hero and heroine can be have 100 bullets to the chest and still they survive: In this novel no matter the danger the MCs face: they just live!!!! :o
Starting my Bingo Challenge of 2025 with a book about one of "MC being an officer of law and the other one a suspect" : Great start Y'all!
25 ┃37┃87┃13┃68┃40┃32┃59┃76┃44
10┃86┃4 ┃45┃47┃98┃50┃14┃85┃75
88┃51┃ 9┃2┃42┃29┃ 24┃92┃ 82┃1
100┃34┃17┃96┃43┃49┃64┃70┃15┃38
84┃31┃ 62┃7┃21┃73┃28┃46┃90┃77
3┃12⭕┃80┃ 69┃52┃ 65┃54┃ 91┃23┃ 72
18┃95┃ 22┃99┃93┃74┃41┃8┃35┃ 58
57┃94┃ 16┃56┃ 5┃60┃78┃ 26┃81┃ 61
97┃48┃ 79┃67┃ 53┃30┃ 6┃36┃89┃ 33
71┃19┃ 39┃66┃ 55┃27┃ 20┃63┃ 11┃83
March 1, 2025
STOP I’m obsessed. This series gave White Collar vibes but ESPECIALLY this book - Liam was totally Neal Caffery vibes and I was here for it. He’s got the charm and the bad-boy act but the heart of gold inside is amazing.
The chemistry was there building and growing but then THE PLOT TWIST!!! I couldn’t believe it! That’s when things got reeeeeaaaallly good. I loved Serena & Liam. But I’m also eagerly awaiting that epilogue!
Also I loved Amelia being in this too! She really is one of my favorite characters in this series, she’s so quirky and fun!
Top moments:
🖼️ Liam’s love 🥹
🖌️ Liam’s character and the good beneath it
🎨 The red dress
🖼️ The sleep drugs
🖌️ THE PLOT TWIST
🎨 THE OTHER PLOT TWIST
The chemistry was there building and growing but then THE PLOT TWIST!!! I couldn’t believe it! That’s when things got reeeeeaaaallly good. I loved Serena & Liam. But I’m also eagerly awaiting that epilogue!
Also I loved Amelia being in this too! She really is one of my favorite characters in this series, she’s so quirky and fun!
Top moments:
🖼️ Liam’s love 🥹
🖌️ Liam’s character and the good beneath it
🎨 The red dress
🖼️ The sleep drugs
🖌️ THE PLOT TWIST
🎨 THE OTHER PLOT TWIST
Read
May 16, 2025I love a twist I don't see coming!!
The forced proximity between spy Serena and con artist Liam Hawthorne was so good.
Enemies to lovers banter, high stakes, unexpected twists, but still expected enough to not give you anxiety
Is my favorite trope when they constantly outmaneuver each other?
This book was recently made into an audiobook and I loved consuming it that way. It is duet narration which means the female and male narrators say the dialogue for their respective characters. Liam also has a British accent, so that was extra fun!
There is no spice or language in this book. It's available on Kindle Unlimited and I listened on Spotify.
Add this one to your TBR, but first listen to Taken with Trouble. I loved that one even more!
The forced proximity between spy Serena and con artist Liam Hawthorne was so good.
Enemies to lovers banter, high stakes, unexpected twists, but still expected enough to not give you anxiety
Is my favorite trope when they constantly outmaneuver each other?
This book was recently made into an audiobook and I loved consuming it that way. It is duet narration which means the female and male narrators say the dialogue for their respective characters. Liam also has a British accent, so that was extra fun!
There is no spice or language in this book. It's available on Kindle Unlimited and I listened on Spotify.
Add this one to your TBR, but first listen to Taken with Trouble. I loved that one even more!
November 18, 2024
The BEST follow up to Date with Danger!! This is a crazy rollercoaster of twists and turns, all the best adventure and mystery elements, and just when I thought I had the plot figured out there was a major twist I did not see coming but was SO GOOD! I loved Serena and Liam together, their banter was on another level, and the way they were constantly trying to one up each other was hysterical! If you like your romcoms with a heavy dose of mystery then you’ll love this one!
January 23, 2025
Umm, this was SO GOOD ?? I didn't expect to love this book as much !
It's definitely going to be making it to my list of 2025 favorite books. I already know it.
This is a true ennemies to lovers ! It was deliciously entertaining and funny and just perfection. Their banter, flirtation, Serena's threats, Liam's responses to them, their fights, their laughs, their arguments, their bonding, their adventures, everything was absolutely perfect. I wouldn't change anything to this book !
It's definitely going to be making it to my list of 2025 favorite books. I already know it.
This is a true ennemies to lovers ! It was deliciously entertaining and funny and just perfection. Their banter, flirtation, Serena's threats, Liam's responses to them, their fights, their laughs, their arguments, their bonding, their adventures, everything was absolutely perfect. I wouldn't change anything to this book !
December 10, 2024
When I tell you I loved this book, I absolutely mean it. It was cute, fun, hilarious & spicy in the best & minimalist kind of way. There were so many great twists & the whole thing had me smiling from ear to ear. Pleaseeeeee pick this title up & let yourself enjoy the cutest book!!✨🦋
December 3, 2024
100000% the best book I've read all year!
December 13, 2024
Super fun page turner! Loved the chemistry between Liam and Serena. Action packed and banter-filled. Swooning all the way!
January 3, 2025
I so didn't see that...
I loved this novel. Twists and turns and so many I-didn't-see-that-coming moments my head spun. Didn't want it to end.
I loved this novel. Twists and turns and so many I-didn't-see-that-coming moments my head spun. Didn't want it to end.
January 8, 2025
Wow. That was awesome. So much humor and action and swoony romance. This is my new top favorite book.
January 4, 2026
This book was very good! Though again kisses were a little steamy and I don’t condone stealing of any kind despite the Robin Hood aspect but at least he stopped stealing for fun. Overall I very much enjoyed this and only took off a star for the before mentioned drawbacks! Should I create a bookstagram??
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2025
3.8/5 Sad because was not nearly as funny or enthralling as the first book. It wasn’t BAD, it just wasn’t as good so I was disappointed.
December 7, 2024
Where do I start? Jenessa did it again! This book has it all: romance, witty banter, and suspense. Liam and Serena's chemistry is fire! I love them together!
The author keeps who hooked from page 1. This book has twists and turns; I didn't see them coming!
This is the perfect sequel to Date with Danger. I loved all the nods to book 1.
I HIGHLY recommend this book!
Content Warning:
-Descriptive Makeouts
-Kidnapping
-Violence
-Anxiety Attack
-No language
I received a complimentary copy from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The author keeps who hooked from page 1. This book has twists and turns; I didn't see them coming!
This is the perfect sequel to Date with Danger. I loved all the nods to book 1.
I HIGHLY recommend this book!
Content Warning:
-Descriptive Makeouts
-Kidnapping
-Violence
-Anxiety Attack
-No language
I received a complimentary copy from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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