Catch Me If You Can

If You Can #1

by Christina C. Jones

(Catch Me If You Can is a romantic suspense novel) Diligence. Focus. Agility. For Naomi Prescott, it’s not just a cute little saying. It’s a critical mantra, words to live by if she wants to retain her freedom, and more importantly, her life. Impeccable planning is the only way to ensure she sets off the small flutters that will trigger the big ripple she needs to pull off the score of a lifetime — no matter the stakes. FBI Agent Marcus Calloway is a straight-shooter… if you overlook his sometimes unconventional, law-skirting, expensive ways of solving a case. A big arrest would do wonders to restore his reputation, and he has one woman in Jolie Voleuse Unforeseen circumstances force them into a closer proximity than either — especially Naomi — would like to be. Sparks fly, and as surely as fire ignites,eventually their undeniable chemistry combusts into a passion that neither expected as they join forces in the dangerous pursuit of a common bounty. [PLEASE NOTE that Catch Me If You Can is the first title in a continuous series that will carry over three books. Book 2 will be released in February 2015]

Genres: Romance, Audiobook, Romantic Suspense, Suspense, Enemies To Lovers, African American Romance, Workplace Romance

230 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 7, 2014

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun spy romance. I loved how Naomi and Marcus met and immediately did not hit it off well. Then, they're forced to fake being a couple on vacation for a job and start catching feelings. Their jobs were a lot of fun and I enjoyed how they were all agents working together when they had such a hard time trusting each other. Things did get a bit confusing near the end with the secrets and lies and connections people had, but I'm excited to start the next book and see where things go!

[Bookishrealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the most beautiful things about Christina C. Jones is her versatility. I'm not sure that I've ever met an author that is capable of writing in so many different sub-genres. It is not an understatement when I say that Jones has a little bit of something for everyone. I first noticed the If You Can series on Hoopla and added it to the long list of books that I need to finish in order to complete her backlist. It's a spy/espionage series that focuses on Naomi and Marcus who are forced to fake date for a case that they're working on. Without fail, feelings ensue between the two characters. As with all of her books, the most captivating element about this book was the character development. For some reason I really connected with Naomi. The constant push and pull that she felt in regard to her feelings with Marcus is something that I've struggled with. To see a character that really had to contemplate about letting her wall down due to prior grievances was a specific element that I didn't know I needed to see in the framework of this story. The entire story was evenly paced with a good balance of espionage/crime elements and romance. The ending did get a little confusing as characters and certain plot lines were connected, but overall I really enjoyed my read and can't wait to dive into the next book.

[Annette Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn’t going to leave a review but, this book was so good, I had to do it. Catch Me If You Can is the second romantic suspense novel I’ve read by CCJ and it did not disappoint. I love the combination of mystery and romance. The storyline is filled with jewelry thieves with bad attitudes, sexy alpha male FBI agents, and quirky hackers. Naomi is jewelry thief who’s on a mission to avenge the death of her mama. Marcus is trying to restore his with reputation with his bosses by catching the infamous Black Swan (Naomi’s alias). Purely by happenstance, Marcus finds out Naomi’s real identity and he arrests her. But, she has friends at the FBI of all places and Marcus has to bury the case. When she’s let go, Naomi and Marcus are forced to work together to take down a common enemy. Then we have the villain Damien Wolfe. Everyone hates Damien (with good reason) and wants a piece of him real bad. Each character has their own personal reason for wanting to unalive him and, as the story unfolds, there’s a connection between Marcus and Damien that’s revealed. I love how much Damien is talked about but, other than a flashback, he doesn’t even make an appearance in the book. Considering how the book ended, I’m sure he’ll pop up in books two and three. Catch Me If You Can was a really good book. It had a great plot, suspenseful enough to keep you guessing, romance, and steamy sex. I'm so glad I waited for the entire series to be released on Audible before I started listening to it because, that cliffhanger would’ve been the death of me!

[Kameel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really good story filled with crime, spies, FBI agents and espionage...I really enjoyed the love hate relationship between Marcus & Naomi. I loved Naomi’s kick ass persona....This is a cliffhanger....I’m waiting on audiobook book 2 to release next month....Wesleigh was amazing as usual and to my surprise, Leon was actually good.

[Elizabeth]

DNF at 8%.

When I read romances, I don't want to hear about other partners! She's all hot and bothered over some other dude and it irritates me.

[LaShaun’s Literary Lounge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Absolutely loved it. I'm a huge fan of romantic suspense and Catch Me If You Can did not disappoint. I can't wait to listen to Renata and Quentin story.

[*Ebony I* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intrigued by love

3.5 stars

I am a bonafide CCJ fan, however this book was not my favorite. She has the versatility of writing all types of styles. This particular one was a romantic suspense. It's hard to articulate but for some reason it did not keep my attention. Despite the suspense being good and the romance being good, together it just didn't gel for me.

The story itself had intriguing elements, but it took me the entire week to read it. I just could not get into the story. I would recommend it for people looking for a suspenseful romance, where there are a lot of twists and turns.

Lastly this book is old from 2015 so I gave it a pass on the misspelled words. However, if the cover can be updated so can the misspelled words.

[Sha Sha · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Cher” in my Quentin’s voice….. this was good. Real good. Like felt like I was reading a movie. Yea 😏 Wesleigh did her thing as usual but Leon narrator was a little blah for me.

Let me read the next book because I need to know what happens after how this one left off.

[Love Belvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Diligence. Focus. Agility.

Naomi certainly displayed these attributes even when she was weakened and had to let love cover her. Marcus. These two were unique in their journey to love. Though of the same law enforcement/criminal world, the road leading them together was very much intriguing. This was fate at its best.

Naomi’s steely veneer was hugely refreshing. Her determination was empowering. She even had me examining myself, telling myself to man up…suck it up…be tough. She had me wanting to go harder, think longer, and be stronger. This was similar to experiencing Beyonce’s last self-titled album. The music and energy made me recall the power of my femininity.

“Catch Me If You Can” exposed another side of Christina C. Jones’ brain. How she was able to seamlessly blend suspense with contemporary romance was nothing short of pure artistry. I’m not a fan of suspense, preferring contemporary romance, exclusively. However, Jones never left me out there without the romantic connection between Naomi and Marcus. She never left a moment dull and without either a twist, discovery or delicious sensualism.

All throughout my read, I kept saying, “She’s making a statement with this project.” Christina C. Jones is saying she’s has more ammunition in her arsenal. There’s more to her gift. She’s here to stay.

#Salute

[Sheronda H · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ll give this a 3.5. This is very different from the other series I’ve loved by the author. There was crime, FBI and less romance than I’m used to. Of course I have to continue because of how the book ended.

[Rae | My Cousin’s Book Club · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Did this one on audio. The plot is what keeps you interested. Writing isn’t great but I really wanted to know what happened and then it ended on a cliff-hanger 😫

[Lilah Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I go through phases were I wanna just read urban romance ! This is such an adorable story ! I can’t wait to finish the other books !

[Keeping.Volumes.Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so glad I picked this up! It turned out to be even better than I expected. I loved how it blended romance, suspense, and crime into one exciting story. It kept me hooked the whole time, almost like I was piecing together a puzzle 🧩 in my mind, and I enjoyed every second of it. The cliffhanger ending really took me by surprise 🫢—I definitely didn’t see that coming!😲

[Tyanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chef's kiss!

So what we not going to do is act like CCJ didn't create magic here. This is the first crime romance I have read and whew it was good. I like that it wasn't tied up in a pretty bow at the end and can't wait to start the next one.

[Brittany J. (BNJreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one much more than I thought I would. When I think of CCJ I think of romance but the element of a crime novel takes her story telling to another level.

I highly recommend this one. It’s intense but still romantic and sexy.

[Lindaisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another masterpiece by CCJ. Her books are always a sure thing for me. At this point, I know going in to a Christina C Jones book, that I'm going to enjoy it. Her characters are always interesting and enjoyable, stories are engrossing and authentic, her writing feels effortless, she just always delivers the whole package.

But there is just something extra special about her mystery thriller novels. All of her books are great, top echelon of contemporary romance. However, these mystery thrillers? Whole other plane.

Reading Catch Me If You Can, felt like watching a movie. That extra sense of danger in the plot, the edginess in the characters just makes these books that much more entertaining. The stakes are higher and so the investment in the characters and what's going on in their lives feels that much more intense.

I really don't even want to go into the actual story because... Spoilers. But the characters In this book, the secrets they hold, the baggage they carry, the danger they face and the fear they must Overcome, make for a really fun, fast paced, intense and entertaining read.

Catch Me If You Can is part of a three book series and so things aren't quote wrapped up in this installment. The next book is about an different set of characters and usually that would piss me off. But Christina does a great job of making the reader, not only become invested in the main characters, but in the secondary and tertiary characters as well. So I'm not even worried about closure at this point because I know in the end everything will come to a head and be resolved. I'm just excited to see how it will all pan out.

[Ebony Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of CCJ's work, but prior to this I had only read her contemporary romances, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this romance suspense novel. But whew, it absolutely delivered. This enemies-to-lovers tale was jam packed with mystery, action and intrigue and was so well done. I love a good thriller, and I love a good romance, so this was perfect for me. I think Christina balanced the romantic plot and the suspense plot really well, and the way in which those storylines are intertwined in this book made it a really compelling and fun read. I am literally sprinting my way to the second book of the series because my god, what a cliffhanger. Ms. Jones can do NO wrong, and I am excited to continue making my way through her backlist. I am a forever fan, honestly.

[reneeNaDaCherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book one is the intro of Special Agents Naomi Prescott, Marcus Calloway, Renata Parker and Quentin LaForte as they work undercover for the FBI and CIA to try and catch a female international jewel thief. Plenty of action, twists, turns and suspense. I really liked this one and plan to read the next book in this trilogy.

[Carla Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wheeewww CCJ can do no wrong! 😮‍💨👏🏾👏🏾 This was such an action packed, drama filled, tense read. The angst, tension and connection between Marcus and Naomi was *chefs kiss* and the plot twists kept coming. All I can say is, after that cliffhanger ending, I’m jumping into Release Me If You Can IMMEDIATELY.

[Weekend Reader_ · Rating 3 out of 5]

🚓

This book started off really good but got a bit convoluted in the middle and then wraps up at warped speed. I'm sorry the non apology from Marcus offends me.

CN: gun violence, sexual assault, kidnapping, blackmail

[Merisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the chemistry between both main characters. I wasn’t a major fan of the MMC but I’m happy he took accountability for his actions in the end which made up for most of his behaviour throughout the book. That cliffhanger left me excited to read book 2.

[Stacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 Stars!

[Alantaye Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5

I liked that they were actually doing the jobs in the story and not just talking about them.

Naomi has been dealt a bad hand in life. Losing both her mother and father at the hands of her uncle was devastating especially since she actually witnessed the modern of her father. It led her down a dark path. I honestly felt like she should’ve told Marcus about her uncles role in his father‘s death. I 100% understood her logic behind not telling him, but it would’ve prevented a lot of issues down the line.

Marcus was very focused on his job. It seemed as if he didn’t really have time for anything else outside of work and his niece. I think Naomi was a distraction but she was the kind of distraction he needed. I do think he was being childish about Naomi not telling about his dad. Like Quentin said she was a kid who had witnessed something traumatic. There was no point in making her relive it just to get answers that wouldn’t change anything. And for him to accuse her of keeping secrets when he hasn’t even told her he was working for Victor is crazy.

I couldn’t get a read on Quentin. He and Naomi seemed to be really close friends but he was also chatting with someone unknown person on the side. It was hard to tell if he was actually on their side or not.

[Delanique Waller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christinaaaaaa you love to give me jaw dropping cliffhangers to keep me hooked and it works every single time 😩 on to the next book!
3.5 ⭐️

[J.L. Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was privileged to read Catch Me If You Can before publication and just finished reading it again yesterday. Let me just say, Christina C Jones is big on talent and imagination. I'm more than impressed with this, her first foray into the romantic suspense genre.

In Marcus and Christina, she has created realistic characters that I wanted to shake a time or two, especially Miss Naomi, who is single-minded and wrapped up in her mantra of 'Diligence. Focus. Agility.' to the exclusion of almost everything.

Marcus is running close to taking over from Roman in terms of my favourite male character written by Jones. He's brash and self-assured, but is also considerate and sensitive. I had some laugh-out-loud moments when he was trying to decide what to do with Miss All-Out-Badness who insisted on challenging him physically.

I like what Mrs. Jones has done with the plot twists in this novel. There are intricate threads that provide many 'aha!' moments in the story when they come together. Once you've finished this book, take my advice and pick up the next in the series, 'Release Me If You Can'.

While this is a series and I detest cliffhangers, I admire what the writer has done in terms of continuity. Although there's a kind of cliffhanger at the end of this story, the reader has the satisfaction of knowing what's happening with Marcus and Naomi before moving on to the next leg of the adventure.

Well done, Mrs. Jones. Five thumbs up!

[Nikka · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave it 3.5 stars. It’s definitely a page turner the storyline keeps you interested however I think the author could really benefit from a better editor. There were quite a few typos in this book. One huge mistake and inconsistency in the book was it stated that Damien Wolfe was in Brazil then suddenly it switched to Barbados and Brazil was never mentioned again. There were times when I feel like too much detail was given unnecessarily.

The author could also work on transitioning a little better. It seemed like one minute Naomi was at her house and then next minute she’s breaking into Lucas’s house. There was no transition at all. The same with where the characters were. We jumped from Paris back to.....I don’t even know where we were. They just kept referring to the 5 Star offices but at this point are they in the a states? Are they still in Paris? I was very confused.

The introduction of characters was also a little sloppy in my opinion. I guess she was gearing up for her next book but just throwing people like Kendall in all willy nilly didn’t really add to the story.

[Rashawnda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is different from what I’m used to getting from Christina C. Jones but I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the suspense of the story and the subtle romance throughout. There were so many unexpected twists and turns that kept me engaged until the very end. I’m looking forward to the next part.

[Kas-C M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Catch me if you can

This is definitely a must read. I read this book for like 4hrs straight I couldn't even put the book down. Naomi and Marcus' love journey was everything. Can't wait for the next book. February is to far away.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read. A little different from Christina's previous books but a real page turner. Full of romance a suspense. Now on to Part 2.

[Katie ratherbereadinggg · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars