Leona Filipe loves her job. As the head of housekeeping at the luxurious Indigo Royal Resort on St. Thomas, USVI, she has seen it all and has the wild stories to prove it. She works with her best friends, is close enough to see her family often, and has the perfect friends-with-benefits relationship. Life is pretty damn amazing. Except for the two weeks each year that Cullen Cruz stays at the … resort. He is the only man who can get under her skin. But that is all he’s getting under. She made that mistake years ago, and it will never happen again.
Fresh off the news of his “retirement” from football, Cullen Cruz cannot wait to get to the Indigo Royal for his annual retreat before returning to England to figure out what’s next. Only this year, it’s been turned into a “working vacation” by his agent, who volunteered Cullen to run a skills camp for local kids. While that wouldn’t normally sit well, extending the trip to teach some kids how to kick a ball does mean two more weeks getting to see the woman he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about since their first, and last, encounter ten years ago.
When fate forces these two to confront what happened between them that night all those years ago, they find that there is more to each other than they realized, and that maybe they don’t annoy each other as much as they thought…
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From the moment Leona was first introduced in Can’t Fight This Feeling, I was dying to know more about her and more about her history with Cullen Cruz. Caught Up In You was everything I wanted and so much more.
Leona is hardworking, she loves her family and her friends, she doesn’t love Cullen Cruz. The man who destroyed her ten years prior, now he is back on his annual visit to Indigo Royal and Leona is forced to see him again. Cullen’s career is changing, his agent is trying to push him in a different direction, but being back at the Indigo Royal Resort is causing Cullen to rethink his choices and his career path……
I LOVE Leona. She is full of sass, she is feisty and she is selfless and caring, especially for those that she loves. Cullen comes across as arrogant, but there are many layers to him and you get to know more about him and who is really is throughout the story. I loved the tension between Leona and Cullen, the banter, and the CHEMISTRY. Those two had some insane amounts of chemistry. Even though there is an eleven year age gap between them, it wasn’t noticeable. Leona is very mature for her age.
This story was a roller coaster of emotions for me. This wasn’t an easy ride for both Leona and Cullen, but it was well worth it. There may have been a moment where I wanted to through my kindle across the room, but that slight drama was quickly fixed.
I am already dying to return to the Indigo Royal Resort! Caught Up In You is a MUST READ that will captivate you from the start!
Caught Up In You (Indigo Royal Resort #2) by Claire Hastings is a contemporary, enemies to lovers, second chance, age gap romance told in third person. Although it can be read as a standalone, reading it after book one, Can’t Fight This Feeling, will bring maximum enjoyment as familiar characters reappear.
Cullen Cruz is a professional footballer on the cusp of retirement. Leona Filipe is head of housekeeping at the Indigo Royal Resort in St. Thomas. Every year, Cullen vacations at the resort and asks for Leona to personally handle cleaning his room and fulfilling all his requests. Every year, she dreads his visit, but this year is even worse because his trip has been extended so he can run a skills camp for the island kids.
Leona can’t stand doing Cullen’s bidding. She hasn’t forgotten the night they spent together ten years ago, and she hasn’t forgiven him for the way he treated her afterwards. Cullen is remorseful about his behavior. He successfully pushed Leona away and managed to keep her away for the past ten years. Now, with his career in transition, Cullen is ready to make some changes in his life. He and Leona are older, and he doesn’t want to keep her at arm’s length anymore.
Will Leona be able to forgive Cullen? Can she let go of the past so they can move forward together? What will happen when Cullen’s vacation ends? Can their relationship last beyond its expiration date? You’ll have to read the book to find out.
I loved Leona and Cullen’s story! Leona is a sassy spitfire with a feisty personality. She acts tough, but she has a soft heart and puts everybody else’s needs ahead of her own. Cullen comes across as a jerk at first, but as the story progresses, he shows a sweeter, gentler side. I loved how Leona refused to take any crap from Cullen, and I loved the way he treated her little brother. The chemistry between these two was off the charts. The story was sexy, sweet, and fun. I can’t wait to return to the resort for Dalton’s story in book three, What I Like About You. He’s been my favorite character since book one.
Leona and Cullen have an enemies to lovers relationship that has grown for the last 10 years. Now that they’ve reconnected, they’re learning more about each other and realize that they aren’t who the other thought they were. Can they make it work this time? Loved these characters and the setting was just as amazing.
What a great story!!
You guys … Cullen and Leona are #mypeople *heart eyes* Leona is a spitfire that matched Cullen’s alpha exterior perfectly. I say exterior because the guy puts up a good front but deep down … yeah, heart eyes. The chemistry between them was explosive and palpable. Any time they came near each other I thought my kindle would catch fire. I can’t say that their story was angsty, but they had drama! No shortage of it for sure! But the best kind of drama! It read so easily and so real that I was transfixed from the moment I started reading.
I read the first book in this series back in May of this year, but it was during a time where I was buried in reading just to survive the anxiety of the real world and never formally reviewed the book, but I remember the author making an impression on me with the book and she continues to do so now with Caught Up In You. The development of not only the romance, but also the growth of both Cullen and Leona was done impeccably. Cullen especially has the most eye-opening growth within the story. Like I mentioned before, he comes off as alpha arrogant but once you break thru his exterior, or rather he allows you to see inside of him, it’s a whole new world. GAH, I really enjoyed every aspect of this story and I just can’t wait for more from Claire Hastings!!
What a wonderful follow up! It may be a second book, but I liked it better than the first. Full review here:
readingstewardess.wordpress.com/2020/08/24/caught-up-in-you-book-review/
This is the 2nd book in this wonderful series and is Cullen and Leona’s story. Leona loves her job as the head housekeeper at the resort, and the only man that gets under her skin is Cullen, who destroyed her 10-years ago. Cullen has recently retired from football and is coming to the resort for his 2-week retreat, before deciding his future. His agent has changed things around this year and has volunteered Cullen to run a skills camp for the local children. This is a beautifully written tale which is filled with witty banter, sizzling chemistry, and is a poignant love story. I was hooked throughout this addictive page turner, and I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I recommend for all readers.
Leona Filipe- Island native. Daughter and sister. Strong connection to her family. She is a hard worker who has been working at the Resort since she was 15 to help her family make ends meet. She is now the Manager of House Keeping at the Indigo Royal Resort. A mature 27 year old
Cullen Cruz- Famous English Football Player. Forced into retirement, unsure of his future. Son of Immigrants. Yearly visitor to the Indigo Royal Resort
A love story ten years in the making. Cullen and Leona have fought an attraction to each other since a fateful night 10 years before. Cullen was all in with Leona until her learned she was only 17. Since that time, he has done everything in his power to alienate her and push her away, all the while demanding she be the one to clean and care for his bungalow while visiting the resort.
Leona loves big! She is a caretaker. She would do anything for the people she loves. Their needs seem to always come before hers. You can tell in her young life she has lived 3 lifetimes. Leona tends to be closed off and hard to get to know. Once she opens her heart you, she is all in. The Night she lost her virginity to Cullen she was infatuated, however he quickly turned that in to loathing with his actions towards her.
At the beginning of the book I kept shaking my head thinking Cullen is an ass. Dude really needs a reality check. But as the story develops and we get to know Cullen he is a pretty good guy. He does care. The life of fame has not been easy for him. He very much is attracted to Leona but has always felt he need to fight it because of their age. Once he opens himself up to her you see he has a very caring heart.
I really enjoyed this story. Claire Hastings is a newer author on the scene, but her stories are very well done. Caught Up in You is book 2 of the Indigo Royal Resort but can be read as a standalone. But you should read Can’t Fight this Feeling! The love affair with 80’s music in these stories makes me so happy. I am a child of the 80’s and love the music.
This was a 5/5 read for me. It is a Slow Burn Romance with an age gap. Even though you only see Leona and Cullen’s interaction over the 3 weeks they are on vacation, there are plenty of flashbacks and dialogue that show you how long these two have been fighting against their attraction for each other.
I loved this book! Leona and Cullen are as passionate in their animosity for each other as they are in their love for each other. This passion has built over 10 years! Hastings does a great job of building the tension between them – Leona is such a fiery, sassy, and strong women, while Cullen is a sexy, dirty-talking footballer (I’m not talking American football, real football!). Yet there is so much more to them – they have similar backgrounds, and they bring out the best in each other. Along with Leona and Cullen, Hastings incorporates a varied cast of supporting characters, many you will know from the first book and some new intriguing characters – giving us glimpses of what may come in future books. Once again, St. Thomas and the Indigo Royal Resort is the back drop for this sexy love story. I got caught up in the beauty of the resort and imagined, or should I say wished, I was there in person! This is a well written, enjoyable read. Advanced copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Leona has grown up at the Indigo Royal Resort since her best friend’s uncles own it. She started working there at 15 and has worked her way up to Housekeeping Manager. She loves her job except for that once a year visit from Cullen Cruz. She has hated him since his first visit. Cullen knows he treated Leona badly after they got together his first visit to the Indigo Royal years ago. He makes her life hell every year when he visits but just can’t stop himself. Can they let go of the past in order to see a future together?
This is the second book in the Indigo Royal Resort series and such a fun read. The snarky banter between Leona and Cullen will make you laugh. We get to know Leona so much deeper in this book than book 1. The Uncles are all involved and I love them. Cullen is so much more than a famous playboy and the author does a great job of making him real for me. I love that the characters from book 1 are prominent in the story too. Book 2 is sweet, sassy and plenty steamy. Looking forward to book 3.
It’s nice to let someone else do the heavy lifting for a change. With a little salt and vinegar, Hastings puts a bit of spring in your step and spice in your heart. The temptation is addictive and the emotion is real. Yet somehow behind the brewing storm, a rainbow is waiting to be found. Leona and Cruz turn unpredictable heartache into irresistibly heartwarming. How can any heart not love that?
Love is a Battlefield
There’s a battlefield all right. But it’s not love Leona Filipe is feeling for Cullen Cruz. Since the morning after she gave him her virginity, she’s hated him and his demands for his annual stay at the Indigo Royal.
Cullen Cruz is a glutton for punishment. While he tries to stay away from the woman eleven years his junior, he can’t help himself, demanding she be the one to see to his whims during his vacations for the last ten years.
When the two finally allow themselves to connect, the chemistry is off the charts! Stories that tug on your heart and steam that makes you melt welcome you back to Paradise. Claire Hastings delivers with this second book in the Indigo Royal Resort series with new looks at our favorite BFF as she finds her HEA and glimpses of our favorite resort occupants. Get caught up in Lee and Cullen’s love story that shows that paradise is just like heaven.
For probably the first third of this book I wondered what on earth Leona is doing being hung up on such an entitled, arrogant prick as Cullen. Honestly, it’s no wonder the guy was single, nobody could love him as much as he does himself. (Probably guessed I wasn’t a fan, huh?) Then, I kept reading and Cullen won me over. Actually, neither Cullen or Leona were my favourite couple, but I honestly ended up loving this story. It’s only the second from this author that I’ve read, but I found it fun, touching, sad and human in places. I loved the interaction between these two and having just watched Ted Lasso, enjoyed this story very much.
This was amazing. I loved Cullen and Leona. It’s not just about their chemistry, which they have in spades, but the growth they both go through during their time together; especially Cullen. It’s sweet, sexy, and just what I needed.
“Caught Up in You” is the second book in the Indigo Royal Resort series by Claire Hastings, and I thought it was even better than the first. In this enemies-to-lovers story. Head Housekeeper Leona and star athlete Cullen clean up all the messy details of the serious, not at all funny ‘game’ they’ve been engaged in for a decade,
Leona is a hard-working woman who takes life and her responsibilities very seriously. She’s been working for the Resort since she was just 15. When she met Cullen 10 years ago during his first vacation there, something happened between them and she’s loathed him ever since. I don’t want to spoil it so I’m not going to describe what happened, but it was bad! Each year he comes back anyway, and the tension keeps building. Cullen is at a crossroads in his career and in his life. On his extended escape to the Resort this time, everything changes.
This book is steamy, angsty, funny and so entertaining. The secondary characters are excellent, especially Leona’s mother and younger brother. A lot of the supporting characters will be familiar if you’ve already enjoyed the first book in the series. Note: Be aware that you needn’t have done so in order to enjoy this one. I thought the ending of this book was very well done, as was the dialogue and banter throughout the whole story.
I enjoyed Leona and Cullen’s story. There is plenty of tension, sparks and intense emotion as their story unfolds. These two generate boatloads of drama and angst as they struggle with their past and their feelings. I have to be honest though and say that I often found myself wanting to give these two a hard shake because sometimes their shenanigans just frustrated me. Overall though, I thought this was a very good book. I’m electing to post a objective review.
There were so many moments in this book, that I couldn’t believe that Cullen was as old as he is. Leona is mature far beyond her years, while Cullen acts like a spoiled teenager so much of the time. This enemies to lovers gives us a glimpse into just how closed minded someone can be. Cullen and Leona hooked up once when he first started visiting the resort, and it did not end well. Fast forward 10 years, and Cullen has been punishing Leona on his visits each and every year. Being the professional that she is, Leona deals with it. She doesn’t do it quietly, but she deals. There is no doubt that she is a strong woman who knows her worth, and refuses to accept anything less. Cullen is a little bit lost, and has strong feelings for Leona, and takes it out on her each and every time. He doesn’t think before he speaks a lot, and ends up making things worse. When he gets his mind straight, these two have amazing chemistry. The cast of supporting characters is superb, and Hastings give us a great look into how supportive of each other this group truly is. Cullen is pulled into the fold seamlessly, and while they work through a lot, they get their HEA. If you hadn’t visited the Indigo Royal yet, you should.
Are you looking for a fabulous end of summer read?
Set in in the Virgin Islands, Claire Hastings’ Caught Up In You is the perfect Labor Day weekend read. This second chance story has all the feels- a lush tropical setting, an engaging, relatable couple and a sensuous romance.
At first I wasn’t too sure how the pairing of housekeeper Leona Filipe and soccer star Cullen Cruz would work out. Claire Hasting’s descriptive voice and spot on storytelling brought these characters to life for me. Cullen and Leona are multifaceted characters. The author dug deep to provide the readers with a glimpse of Cullen’s past and contrasted with his playboy, soccer star image. Leona loves her job at the Indigo Royale and its perks but, her family and friends mean everything to her. The chemistry between the couple is sizzling hot and I loved their heartfelt, humorous and sexy conversations!
Caught Up In You is fast-paced and well written. Cullen and Leona’s story captivated me from the first page. I enjoyed this trip to the Indigo Royale and enjoyed catching up with Drea, Kyle, Dawson, Maeve and the uncles. Locking forward to reading the next book in the series.