Charlotte never thought she’d be staring down the barrel of a gun when she walked into her thankless bank job. Especially one that is held by her childhood neighbor and the boy who broke her young heart, Tucker. And the last thing she expected was to become his hostage. What ensues is a story of heartbreak, recovery, passion, and prevailing through it all to save the love that still burns between … between them.
“Aarons takes a typical boy next door romance and turns it on its head. No flowers and sweet, swoon-worthy late night stolen kisses here. There is grit and suspense and a struggle to move forward; and Aarons does it flawlessly.” -The Read Report
LOST
We knew each other a lifetime ago. And then…
We lost childhoods. We lost opportunities. We lost love.
Fate is giving us another chance. But a chance at what?
Because even though we’ve been brought back to each other under the worst of circumstances…
We are still. So. Damn. Lost.
FOUND
We found each other where no else could.
Found a purpose. Found ourselves. Found love.
Again.
But then life got in the way.
Three years later and the people that we once were are nowhere to be found.
Can our love survive everything we’ve put it through?
Can we find a way back to each other…
Again?
more
This is part one of a duet so it does end on a cliffhanger, that being said I absolutely loved this story. It was unique in so many ways and I loved that Tucker and Charlotte had a history that they shared and a love so deep when they were young but life, pressures from every direction, and insecurities had their timing to be together all off and Charlotte to be a little resentful of Tucker. Tucker finds himself spiraling and yes he put himself in that place but you can’t but help sympathize with him and want him to turn himself around. Charlotte has been the perfect daughter, citizen, everything because her mother has demanded it from her all her life but she finds herself in a peculiar situation with Tuck who she hasn’t seen or heard from in years, yet she finds that even if she is in this situation she doesn’t mind because she’s free to live her life and she’s with Tucker even if they have a lot of their past to sort out. I loved this and their ups and downs it was a fantastic read and not to give too much away but yes Tuck does kidnap Charlotte but it’s under certain circumstances that I found myself liking because it was a different take on this trope, yet they find their way back to each other and have to find a way out of their predicament.
Tuck and Char continue pulling on the heartstrings in the continuation of their story. In this book we have Tucker serving his sentence in prison for the things he has done in the first book, Charlotte being who she is stays by his side, goes to see him every visitation day, marries him, and helps him when he goes through some dark days while there. When Tuck gets out he struggles to find his place in the everyday world and it puts some tension on their marriage, he starts to distant himself from Charlotte and she is hurting not knowing how to help him. Throughout the book we see them struggle with all that has happened in the past, present, and their future together. I was so heartbroken in some places because you just know without a doubt these two need and love each other but it was hard to see them struggle until one day they finally open up to each other and start hashing things out. The ups and downs brought them together and finally Tuck gets his head on straight and realizes that they without a doubt belong together because their love is powerful and he needs Char even if he thinks his reputation will ruin her. Tuck just really thought he didn’t deserve her and struggled daily with accepting her love, but they get there and its so beautiful when they do.
This duet was quite different. first book is set around main characters in hiding in a campground.
They knew each other when youngers so a lot of flashbacks.
But current day he was robbing the bank she works at and he took her hostage, but she fell for him.
Second book continues after he is released from prison and they have to figure out if they can find their way
This is such a struggle. I love second chance romance and character redemption. But I completely struggled to accept this second chance as a true romance. The writing is beautiful as all of Carrie’s books are, but the subject matter really turned me off.
Lost starts with Char – a typical woman trying to live the life her family (insert mother) wanted her to live. In her boring in and out life she was kidnapped at her place of employment by a man she used to love. Maybe love…
Tucker had that strangled childhood that wasn’t for him, but for his father. Tucker says how much he hated the path his father created for him, yet was saddened when it was taken from him, which led to a life of drugs and crime.
Okay, so they have a past. They had a long past. I even tried to view the whole situation on the fact that they had this history (which had ended poorly), but I still couldn’t get over the fact that Tucker kidnapped Char, held a gun to her head, and continued to hold her against her will. And she still fell for him again. So much so that she agreed to stay with her captor.
As a woman who’d been in a PTSD type relationship, it tore me that Char was so weak that she stuck with this man.
*deep breath*
So, there is the second half. Found. (Spoilers for Lost will be reflected below.)
Here we are, years later. Everyone knows Tucker kidnapped Char. Everyone knows Char is sticking by her man. And maybe everyone thinks Char is a tad off her rocker to still be with him.
Now, had the events of Lost not happened and Tucker was trying to re-acclimate to life outside or prison for some other reason than kidnapping of his now wife, I could have felt this half of the story so much more. But since my viewpoint from Lost was “tainted” I could not grab in to how Char still let herself be so weak to a man who really wasn’t good for her. As he cleaned up his act he may have become deserving, but he’d still kidnapped her.
Where i struggled with the content of this duet of novels, it’s still a solid story with excellent writing.
The Captive Hearts Duet will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.
It follows Charlotte & Tucker.
Book #1 Lost Charlotte & Tucker have known each other since childhood, so when Tucker kidnaps Charlotte from the bank she works in, Charlotte isn’t as scared as she should be.
All the while they are in hiding their love for each other blossoms & grows stronger day by day. Sadly their idle is shattered when Charlotte is injured. Tucker takes her to the hospital where He is arrested.
Book #2 Found. Tucker is released from prison & has to get used to civilian life with Charlotte.
He works really hard to get back on his feet & Charlotte also has to work hard to get used to living with Tucker.
These are two great books & a lovely story.
This book was way different than I’m used to reading by the author and maybe that’s why I can say it’s my favourite by her . It’s much more than a simple love story, it’s full of angst and suspense and twists and of course romance and love.
This duet was filled with so many emotions! I wasn’t sure what to expect when going into it, unsure if I’d enjoy it as much as I’ve enjoyed some of Carrie Aarons other titles, but I was pleasantly surprised! Tucker is flawed and in spite of all of his wrongs, I still couldn’t help rooting for him and for the relationship between him and Char. Charlotte truly grows into her own throughout the book, and I loved that by the end of it she had found herself. So much heartbreak throughout this duet, but there is also plenty of swoon and steam too. Loved this duet and would recommend checking it out!
Captivating…angsty…unexpectedly beautiful story.
So I have to say that I wasn’t expecting to like this story as much as I did although I love Carrie Aarons’ books. But in fact I LOVED it!! This is not a typical love story and Tucker is certainly no longer the boy next door that broke Charlotte’s heart when they were in high school.
This story is at times gritty, raw, and not a typical HEA. But overall – it is a story of love, sacrifice, and shows the reality that if you are in it for the long haul – it’s going to be tough.
I loved these two so much and their time together was a true page turner. I wasn’t able to put it down towards the end! So much unique content and Charlotte’s unending devotion and Tucker’s growth – it was just magnificent!!
I voluntarily requested and read an advance reader copy.
Carrie Owens always continues to amaze me with her writing. She has now taken a different approach to romance and knocked it out of the park. The way he pairs the good girl in the wrong situation with a man who will do anything will make you love Carrie Aarons so much more. Her writing is flawless and flows like no other.
She combines suspense, romance, and tragedy all together for one amazing romance that all romance lovers will fall in love with.
Charlotte and Rucker meet in unfortunate circumstances. They are just trying to make it the best way they can and it is one hard path they have to go down. Their story takes you so many twists and turns, you won’t know what just happened. But, they have to face so many obstacles to get to the ending, that you will never predict.
Read this book for one thrilling ride you won’t regret going on!!
This is the complete Duet so no waiting for the next instalment or cliffhangers <3
4.5 captive stars
Carrie Aarons has done an phenomenal job with this duet.
Charlotte and Tucker are both scarred and damaged from their childhoods and they have found peace and solace with each other even when they have to keep their friendship a secret. They are complete opposites with Tucker being the popular, self absorbed kid at school. He puts this façade on so no-one can see the home life he hides. He is the typical main character that you really want to hate but just can't. Carrie has brought him to life and imbedded him in your heart.
Once I started this duet I was hooked so it was another late night for me. It is slightly darker then her usual romances but it is ssssoooooo good!
This couple have been through so much. Its not be an easy journey for them, but despite that you can feel and see the love that is there between them.
Carrie Aarons has poured her heart and emotions into this duet and it most definitely shows.
Solid 4.5 stars
Thank goodness it’s a duet because if I had had to wait with this cliff hanger? Carrie Aarons might have gotten some mean message about how upset the first book left me! This is definitely darker and more gritty that her other novels, but even in this setting, she brings her trademark angst, heartache, love, and chemistry.
I had a bit of a difficult time with Tucker in the first book. In this stage of his life, he was not self aware and still hiding in the vestiges of being a golden boy. He’s made a lot of mistakes in various aspects of his life, and now it’s coming time to be held accountable. While I could see and understand his reasoning for his downward spiral, it made it hard for me to like him. I was totally #TeamChar in book 1.
But as got into the second book, I found myself softening toward Tucker and appreciating the man he had become. And Charlotte had grown a backbone, becoming quite the woman herself. Overall, I felt like the characters became themselves as they grew up. I firmly became team #TuChar…or would it be #Charker?
There were times when I was distinctly uncomfortable with their choices and their situations, but Aarons couldn’t have made their realities or reactions more real. In short, she gave me the feels. I gobbled the duet up in about 3 hours. That’s pretty high endorsement and telling…add this to your TBR!
Lost – Charlotte is the good girl who has never broken any rules. She lives vicariously through the books she reads until the day that she goes to her secure yet boring job at the bank when a robbery turns her whole life upside down. It was not being the victim of a crime but rather the man who was committing the crime, her childhood friend and crush Tucker. Tucker finds himself in a downward spiral with no way out and he needs money so robbing the bank seemed like the solution, but abducting Charlotte was not part of the plan.
Found – Although Tucker may look like the same person inside he is beaten down and worn out by the turn his life has taken. He has always loved Charlotte so he did the only thing he could to protect her which was to leave but now fate has thrown them back together will this be their second chance and perhaps they can heal each other along the way?
Full of emotion this is a story about healing, love and second chances. They fell in love as teenagers and although they were separated physically when it came to their hearts they were never truly apart.
I absolutely love that this duet was released together. My biggest struggle with duets is wanting the ending RIGHT away after reading the first book, and especially with the way that Lost ends, you need to be Found right away! Carrie Aarons blows me away as a writer, but she totally outdid herself with this one!
Right away we are thrown right into the story from the very first chapter that is set at a great pace (which is super important to me) of moving fast but precise. We find out through LOST that Char and Tucker knew each other as kids and a lot went down but they are COMPLETELY different people than who they used to be. Can these two find themselves back to each other and if they do, can they keep it?
All in all, this duet is hauntingly beautiful and the struggles are so freaking real. I love how both of these characters continue to grow and become the best version of themselves. It is not freaking easy at all, there are multiple struggles, but it is a gorgeous journey to go on. If you are fan of Second Chance romances that have some POW in them and a unique story line, you will absolutely love this duet!!
I would like to thank Carrie for allowing me an advanced copy of the collection to read and review!
This duet was simply amazing. These two books aren’t typical of what Carrie Aaron’s usually writes, and I think that is what kept me on the edge of my seat. Don’t get me wrong, I seriously love every single one of Carrie’s books, they are beautifully written, and the romance is swoon worthy. This duet is grittier, there is more suspense, and some tragedy in these two books. This duet is a prime example of love winning in the end, but the journey to get to that point isn’t always the prettiest or smoothest.
Lost –
Charlotte is your typical good girl. She is a girl who loves a good book, and her life runs the same almost every day. Until one fateful day, when the boy she knew from childhood, comes charging into her life, and not in the good way. Tucker Lynch had it all, he was the golden boy, star football player, the world was his oyster, until one wrong step took it all away. Now he’s an addict who will stop at nothing to get his next fix. The plan he had gets thrown out of track when he runs into the one girl, he, while he never admitted it out loud, loved. From start to finish this story is one of betrayal, loss, and love, and the end will have you moving right along to the second book without a break!
Found –
Fast forward three years from the ending of ‘Lost’ and Charlotte and Tucker are trying to find their footing again. Their love hasn’t been easy, and it’s about to be put to an even bigger test. If you though you knew how book 2 in this duet was going to go, it gives me great pleasure to tell you, you were wrong! The obstacles that they face in this book will blow your mind, but also watching them grow not only as individuals but as a couple will make you so mind-blowingly happy. ‘Found’ is the epic conclusion in the -Captive Heart- duet, and Carrie Aaron’s handles it beautifully.
Great duet that will have you cheering for the guy down on his luck! I loved this one, make sure you grab it asap! Lost & Found will steal your heart! 5 stars, Carrie will give you all the feels in this one!
One thing I can say about this duet is that I devoured it in one sitting. I honestly could not put it down at all. The concept of this story blew me away. The heartbreak, the passion and finding yourself again. The connection that Charlotte and Tucker have is one of a kind. This story takes you for a loop right from the start and tumbles into an epic tale of romance that should not really happen but the fact you cannot help who you love regardless of the circumstances of getting there.
In Lost, you get the base of the story. What makes it all flow. It sets the bones of the story and how it will all play out. With the first book in this duet, you find out why both Charlotte and Tucker are the way they are now. But they also delve into the past and what hurt each of them. The emotions are raw between them but so is the chemistry still. Even though the situation is really wild and kinda Stockholmish, these two have a history with each other. And omg does it end with a bang!
In Found, you get the aftermath of Lost. How things played out after that fateful day. Charlotte stands behind Tucker regardless of how much it would destroy her. But they battle through. There are some crazy ups and downs as these two find their footing. There is a lot of heartbreak but also discovering who you are again, finding your passion, finding hope and the light again. It has some really emotional moments that will break your heart but I love the fight in both Charlotte and Tucker. These two are so made for each other no matter what anyone says, especially with their history.
As a whole, this duet is something so brilliant that it is unputdownable. Aarons delves into really tough topics that she writes with such passion and delicateness. She writes this duet with so much raw emotions. It is about rediscovering yourself and who you are with someone that you are meant to be with, self discovery not just for Tucker but for Charlotte as well. Healing not just physically but also mentally with everything that happened to these two. It is a beautiful duet that really tugs on your heartstrings. I cannot recommend this enough because of its uniqueness and the concept of the story!
Wow I have no words!!! This story is so different from any other story I have read from Carrie before. Honestly hands my favourite story by her so far. I mean this story was based on such an unique situation but Carrie made it so believable and had me on the edge of my seat. Can’t believe that this duet over now but can I safely say these two stories were simply Carrie Aaron’s beat work to date. I hands down loved this duet.
Wow…just wow! I loved The Captive Heart Duet by Carrie Aarons! Definitely, not your typical romance story; the Captive Heart Duet takes you on a wild ride full of suspense, angst and drama, throw in love and romance and you have one heck of an amazing story! I went into this series blind and was completely drawn in from the very beginning! I love how unique this storyline is and all of the twists and turns that came along with it!
Carrie Aaron definitely never disappoints and always leaves her readers wanting more!
OMG! WOW!
I admit this in no my usual type of read, but I adore Carrie Aaron’s work so I gave it a go.
Boy am I glad I did. Lost and Found are unique, captivating, and kept me turning the pages.
**ARC provided for an honest review.**
I absolutely loved this duet!
I couldn’t put this story down! I found every possible moment in my day to be able to fit in as much reading as I could. This story is a bit darker than the other books I’ve read by this author and I couldn’t get enough! Read this duet!
-LOST-
Holy cow! The first half of this duet was so dang good. It stole my attention from the very get go! I’m so in love with Charlotte and Tucker! Their pasts are anything but easy and their present is down right terrible but watching them try to navigate the mess Tucker got them in is so captivating!
I am in love with Charlotte and Tucker’s love! After seeing how much they’ve been through, the cliffhanger left my heart broken. I’m so happy I get to dive right into the second half! I don’t know what I’d do if I had to wait!
-FOUND-
This second half picks up 3 years after the first half ends. There are some major adjustments for both of them. They have to re-learn to navigate through a lot of pain and turmoil they suffered alone, and together. It was a very heavy read but it made it so real, and emotional. The writing was done so well that it felt as if I was right there with Charlotte and Tucker and feeling everything they felt.
Epilogues, like for a lot of people, are everything to me and this one was perfect! I can’t say how much I enjoyed this duet!
Grateful to have received a complimentary ARC copy to honestly review.
This recovered duet is a bit more gritty than Aarons usual stories.
Lost
Tucker and Charlotte are neighbors with different but equally crap parents forcing warped expectations that cause more harm than good. As kids they are secret friends and more, much to Char’s dismay as they age. A series of unfortunate events brings them back together when neither of them have much of a life, but choices, need and rekindled attraction keep them together while they are in hiding. It’s told in the present with flashbacks to illustrate how important these two are in each other’s lives.
I liked the transformation Tucker makes throughout the book. Char has had it bad for him most of her life, so keeping her distance is a challenge even when he’s a total mess. A twist at the end destroys their hiding and ends the book with a cliffie, lucky for us part two is ready and waiting on the next page.
Found
Found picks up three years after Lost ends and there have been hard choices and severe consequences from Tucker’s past. They’ve stayed together through his time away but there are big adjustments to be made by the pair as they live together in the real world for the first time. Having garnered public notoriety in the past they find it near impossible to blend in and be anonymous adding another layer of pressure. Tucker is a different kind of mess this time, but troubled just the same. I enjoyed the various people who provide counsel to them along the way. They have created a loving family of friends to replace their blood relations who could never love them the right way. Charlotte and Tucker have changed quite a bit from the first book and continued to become better versions of themselves through hard work.
I think read separately as the books were originally released the amount of intimacy was just right, read consecutively it felt like a lot. That might just be me? I enjoyed reading their story. I got my HEA!