Captured Heart

by Jacqueline Francis

Just one last job, he said.
It will be easy money, he said.
You don’t even have to do the dirty work.

I worked for Victor Salazar for years. He’s an exceptional liar and a master manipulator, so I should have known that every word that came out of his mouth was horse crap. After I spent four years in prison because of a job I did for him, I swore to myself that I would never get involved with him again.
But then he offers me a deal so sweet I can’t refuse. He’ll clear my debt, pay me enough to start over, and all I have to do is get close to a girl, get some information, and get out. Sounds simple, right?

Wrong!

Katelyn Akiyama isn’t just some girl. She’s sharp, kind, and way too good for someone like me. The closer I get, the harder it is to remind myself this is just a job. But Victor doesn’t forgive mistakes, and he doesn’t take no for an answer.
Now, I’m trapped between the only girl I’ve ever cared about and the man who can ruin my life. One wrong move and I could lose everything.

When I made a deal with the devil, I had no idea the price would be so high.

Contains a splash of dub-con.

Genres: Dark Romance, Dark

332 pages, ebook

Published February 5, 2025

Reviews

[Jacqueline Francis · Rating 5 out of 5]

OoooooH! I am so excited for this one! This book was a different challenge for me and I loved every second of writing it.

If you interested in a little action/ adventure with a stoic MMC, a quirky FMC, and a ruthless mob boss, give this one a try.

Amazon link



Hope you enjoy it!

[Denein McClain · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars!

I’m feeling pretty lucky right now because I didn’t think I’d see another Jacqueline Francis book for a long time, possibly ever. I was sad about that possibility, but because Who’s Your Daddy was so good (trust me, the title doesn’t provide the vibe of how deep that story goes), and I thought maybe JF had peaked, and if she was going to be done writing, at least she quit at a pinnacle. I was pretty excited when I saw the release of a new book with Ms Francis as the author, I actually googled it to see if maybe there was another Jacqueline Francis out there writing novels….and the answer was no. So I immediately downloaded the kindle unlimited version, but I was nervous to read it. What if it wasn’t as good as her Second Chances series?

I shouldn’t have worried. I’m about to go return the kindle unlimited version and purchase a copy to keep forever…just like I did with the Second Chances series.

Jacqueline Francis isn’t getting the recognition she deserves.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Lauren Pleace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listen! Darker romances are usually not for me. Usually the authors push things too far that has me wondering how our characters can fall in love but… I’ve finally found a dark romance that I loved! This book was the perfect mix of dark and thrilling, yet somehow also goofy and fluffy (which is much needed in dark romances imo)! I wasn’t sure what to expect going in, but I was hooked from the first chapter. The pacing was spot-on—never a dull moment, and matched the events going on in the book.

The main characters absolutely captured my heart (see what I did there). Their chemistry was palpable, their banter had me grinning, and their emotional moments felt so real. Our FMC felt very relatable, and she is my favourite FMC that the author has ever written. I love that our MMC was morally grey and yet I couldn’t help but root for him.

This book is a must-read! I’ll definitely be thinking about these characters for a long time.

[Mappy BookGirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a sucker for good banter, and this book had it in spades. I had never read anything from this author before, but when I came across this book I figured I'd give it a read because it sounded interesting. I was not disappointed and quickly became obsessed. I could not put this book down, the book was fast paced and I loved every second. I very highly recommend this book, especially if you are testing the waters in the dark romance genre, but aren't ready for pitch black dark romance yet.

[shivani]

I was not expecting francis to drop a book😭😭😭 I'll be getting into this one as soon as my exams get finished.

[Lauren Melania · Rating 4 out of 5]

"𝙎𝙝𝙚'𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙨𝙖𝙡𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣."

Alex didn't want to be a criminal, but when the medical bills begin to pile up, and minimum wage just doesn't cut it anymore, he finds himself deep into criminal activity. Katelyn was only supposed to be a job, the last job, but she's broken down his walls like no other, and it doesn't feel like a job anymore. He finds himself at a crossroads; does he follow his heart or take the money and run?

I would say this book was on the lighter end of the dark romance genre. There were some aspects that were a bit darker, but overall it was on the lighter side of it. Alex is a morally grey character, but he does have a moral compass that leads him in the right direction. He's extremely protective of Katelyn, even if that sometimes means protecting her from himself. I really enjoyed their banter and Katie's sense of humor was corny, but hilarious. The smut was done very well and I definitely found myself gasping at a few of the parts. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and would read more by this author in the future!

Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion about this book!

[ReneeReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

With this being a new to me author, I didn't want to set my expectations too high but when I read the synopsis for this book I immediately wanted to read it. I am thrilled to say I adored this one! I loved how the relationship between Katelyn and Alex grew and I think their banter was great. I think the way that Katelyn's knowledge with biochemistry was used in the story was so cool and the fact that Alex believed in her 100% was the cherry on top. There is a bit of questionable consent in here but I think it's handled well and I loved every second of it. This is labeled as dark romance but to me this was light-dark. So, if you wanted to step your toe into dark romance this would be a great place to begin. Overall I think this book had a solid plot and just enough spice to keep it fun. 4.5 stars!

I cannot wait to read more from this author in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and the author for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Roisin Gleeson · Rating 4 out of 5]

With piling medical bills cause Alex to go back to criminal activity, he find himself in what he promises himself is his last job. Katelyn was only supposed to be a job, the last job, but she's broken down his walls like no other, and it doesn't feel like a job anymore. He finds himself at a crossroads; does he follow his heart or take the money and run?

This book was received as an ARC from netgalley. This is a romance with darker aspects in it. Alex is morally grey (the best kind of MMC in my opinion) which leads him to question his own moral compass. Their banter is one of my favourite elements of this book. Smut was 9/10, well written (if that's all you are looking for then look no further ;) ).

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so good! I loved every second of Alex's and Katie's story. This is a definite he falls first, enemies to lovers, touch her and die. I love the transformation we see in Alex from the beginning to the end, it really make sure you fall in love with him along with the FMC. The spice in this read was top notch! The plot of the story was great, with a lot of reads that has a lot going on in it, I tend to get lost and the plot fails, but this was the perfect pace, allowing the story to seamlessly flow from start to finish. I would highly recommend this!!

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, listen up! If you think Captured Heart is just another bad-boy-falls-for-the-wrong-girl romance, THINK AGAIN. This book is packed with high-risk, high-reward tension, and let me tell you—I was stressing. 💀 Our guy? Caught between a dangerous crime boss and the one girl he definitely shouldn’t be falling for. The angst? Off the charts. The chemistry? Whew. 🔥 The "oh no, what have I done?" moments? PERFECTION. If you love romance with danger, drama, and a heart-stopping, “HOW is he gonna get out of this?!” kinda plot, grab this book ASAP. 🚨💘

[Abigail L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captured Heart is a gripping blend of romance and danger, where love and loyalty are at constant war. The story follows a man trying to escape his past, only to be pulled back into the criminal world for one last job—which, of course, turns out to be anything but simple. What I loved most was the tension between him and Katelyn; their chemistry is electric, but the stakes are deadly. The story kept me hooked with its mix of high-stakes drama and emotional depth, and I couldn't put it down. If you love romance with a side of danger and impossible choices, this one's for you.

[Laura Parkhill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a new author to me, so didn’t know what to expect. For me it started slow, but picked up with the interaction between the MMC and MFC. The dynamic between the two is great. The banter and connection between them is so good. Great world building by the author. The MFC is a nerd and the MMC is a ex-con. I don’t see this as a dark romance but it tops its toes in the waters of dark romance.

[Katrina Handy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story hooked me from the very beginning! It started with action and drama, I was on the edge of my seat. The hot and cold and push and pull between Katie and Alex had me wanting to pull my hairrrr! Alex was so damn stubborn it was driving me nuts!! But man did it take a turn! Sooo good I didn’t know what to expect for the ending but it did not disappoint! My first read by this author but definitely will be adding more of her work to my tbr very soon! ❤️

[Boundlessly Bookish || Narcassia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The plot is masterfully crafted and perfectly paced, seamlessly flowing from start to finish without a single dull moment. Unlike other books that can get lost in unnecessary details, this one keeps you hooked from beginning to end. I found myself completely engrossed in the story, unable to put it down.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a mixture of thriller, romance, and mystery with a little bit of smut mixed in. Kate and Alex meet under unfortunate circumstances, but their electric chemistry is undeniable.

If you're looking for an easy read that holds your attention, then this book is definitely for you.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion/review.

[Ashleigh Reigel · Rating 4 out of 5]

New book boyfriend alert! This love story had me gripping the sides of my kindle needing more! The characters really grew with the book and their passion was no short of SPICE-TACULAR! I would definitely recommend this book! Thank you to Net Galley and Jaqueline Francis for giving me access to an ARC of this book!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bad boy ex con is in a bind with needing to pay his mom's medical bills and his old boss gives him a deal. All he has to do is get some files and he will be rewarded with $600,00o. The only thing in his way, Kate. He quickly befriends Kate but soon realizes there might be more important things to care about.

[L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! It had romance, humour, girl falling for the bad guy and still Jacqueline was able to create complex characters that had different sides to them. The story drew you in and it didn’t take the route you thought it was going too! Loved Katie and Alex and their story!

[Dale · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was such a ride to read. I loved how it pulled me in to its vortex of words and story. I ended up binge reading this book and hid from my kids to finish it(lol). This book has everything a romance reader will love.

[Alanna Fowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes! It’s lightly dark romance but the chemistry is perfect and the plot is actually a plot! I enjoyed reading this book from start to finish and it made me feel warm and fuzzy! Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.

[Symone · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️ *ARC READ* i loved this book. I was hooked from the beginning. I love the whole "hardened man meets goofy nerd who softens him up" trope 🥰 it was too cute! And the spicy scenes 🥵

[Saami · Rating 3 out of 5]

boring

[patrick Lorelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dark romance that has a good girl fall for a bad guy. The story worked and the characters each had their personality that worked against each other yet pulled them towards each other. The writing is what made the book and this is very much worth the read, an excellent book.