Caught Stealing: Leighton U, Book 2

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 🌶🌶🌶 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐟 𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞. I couldn't have been more excited to be back at Leighton U. This had everything you expect from CE Ricci... angst, epic banter, things that are not lube used as lube... you know the usual. The enemies to lovers vibe/banter was on par with Iced Out but everything else felt SO different. I loved seeing more sports than just hockey too 😍😍 As mentioned in the authors note, this is veryyy close to being a love triangle and it reads like one with the anxiety of getting caught/choosing one. So do with that what you will. It's not my favorite trope but she wrote it very well and it ultimately fit the story and made sense. 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐦. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤- 𝐮𝐩- 𝐡𝐢𝐬- @𝐬𝐬, 𝐟𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠- 𝐚𝐬- 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐮𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐨, 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐥𝐲, 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐞. Holden was FANTASTIC. Love me a reformed playboy/golden retriever/goof ball. And man if you thought it didn't get grumpier than Quinton, you were wronggg Pheonix is grumpy, glaring perfection. The animosity between them was palpable and turned into the most insane chemistry. I'm obsessed with the "I can't be within 5 feet if you without wanting to maul you" vibes and maul could either be inflict injury or f*ck you. It's a toss up. 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️ “𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐞 𝐟*𝐜𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐲, 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐜*𝐜𝐤.” For all the…

📖 Caught Stealing by CE Ricci Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐¼ (4.25/5) This enemies-to-lovers thrill ride had me hooked from page one! The chemistry between Phoenix and Holden is absolutely electric—like watching two magnets that can't decide whether to snap together or repel each other. Their prank war? Pure entertainment gold that had me laughing out loud on my couch. Let's talk about Holden—watching him transform from campus player to devoted partner gave me emotional whiplash in the best way. There's something so satisfying about a character who starts as a one-dimensional playboy and reveals genuine depth. His journey from "one-and-done king" to someone who can say "I'm yours, Nix. Always. You have to know that" made my heart do little flips. The setup is what sold me immediately. A forgotten one-night stand leading to an all-out prank war? Sign me up! And the sports romance angle feels fresh because they're playing different sports—it carves out its own unique space in a crowded genre. What really makes this book shine is how it balances emotional stakes with playful chaos. Phoenix's sharp edges against Holden's golden retriever energy creates this perfect tension that slowly unwinds into something genuinely tender. Their banter is natural and funny without trying too hard, and watching Phoenix struggle with maintaining his integrity when that intense chemistry challenges everything he thought he knew about relationships? That's the good stuff. Sure, there are moments where I…

Sometimes a book just hits you in all the right ways, and Caught Stealing by C.E. Ricci did exactly that. I loved this book and it is easily one of my favorites. Phoenix and Holden have insane chemistry. Their connection is messy, raw, and layered with misunderstandings and unresolved tension that keeps you hooked. Holden knows deep down that Phoenix is the one he truly wants, but since he is not fully aware of what happened, he tries to move forward with Kasen. Phoenix, however, knows everything, which is what fuels so much of the tension between them. The story is morally grey. You will feel for Kasen, no doubt, but this was never supposed to be his story. Feelings get hurt and betrayals happen, but every moment makes the story even more compelling. The pranks between Phoenix and Holden had me laughing out loud, and the mix of humor, heart, and steam made it impossible to put down. Every scene is full of intensity and fun.

It was cutie and ily Holden but phoenix kinda grated on my nerves a bit. I feel so bad for Kason :((( I can’t wait for his story next!!!

We’ve met all the characters in Book 1: Holden, the QB and college playboy, Phoenix, the badass baseball player, and his bestie Kason, the excellent TE also on the football team. A blackout drunk hookup, a one night stand, and a best friend looking to lose his V card equals a love triangle made in codependent hell. Really good book, but the best friend ‘break up’ is the hardest to deal with and process. It’s hilariously funny in some places and I swear I’ll never look at an aloe plant in the same way ever again. The author misuses the word ‘wreaking’ instead of ‘reeking’ as well as misusing the word “redress” instead of “dress”. We dress; not redress. She also misuses “and I” instead of “and me” on several occasions. The audiobook is excellent and I highly recommend it as a companion to Kindle. **NOTE: the Wide Receiver during the Super Bowl game that takes place during this book is Ciarán Grady from the “River of Rain Duet”series. I’d recommend reading those two books before the Leighton U series as Rain becomes a role model for Kason in his book, “Fair Catch” when he attends the Combine and and wants to go Pro.