Captive · 2017
Sweet CaptivitySpice level, tropes & is it dark romance?
by Julia Sykes
Spice 4/5 (Explicit) · Darkness 4/5 (Pitch) · 3 trigger warnings flagged
Sweet Captivity is book 1 of Captive by Julia Sykes. It came out in 2017. Expect mafia, captive, enemies to lovers and possessive heroes. Spice is explicit (4 of 5) and the darkness is pitch dark (4 of 5). We took the warnings from the Trigger Warning Database, a reader-run list. This note is ours. It is not a publisher blurb.
First published: 12 September 2017 (first publication, per Goodreads). Book 1 of Captive.
Sweet Captivity tropes
On this shelf, Sweet Captivity is filed under Mafia dark romance, Captive romance, Enemies to lovers and Possessive heroes. Each tag opens more books with that trope.
Sweet Captivity spice level
Is Sweet Captivity dark romance?
Yes, firmly. Sweet Captivity scores 4 of 5 on our darkness scale (Pitch).
Spice and darkness are separate scores. More pitch books. How we rate.
Sweet Captivity trigger warnings
Book-specific flags taken from the Trigger Warning Database, a reader-run list, grouped by us. Also on that list: drug or alcohol use. See the reader-submitted list.
Graphic (2) — open before you read
Open this before you read. These are the flags most likely to be a hard stop.
Minor (0)
Present, and usually not the reason someone puts the book down.
None flagged in this band.
Full Sweet Captivity trigger warnings
Captive reading order
Sweet Captivity is book 1 of 2 in Julia Sykes's Captive series. Start here.
- Book 1 Sweet Captivity (this book) · 2017
- Book 2 Stealing Beauty · 2019
Order checked against the Goodreads Captive series page on 13 October 2026. The Captive series in order.
Who it's for
Shelf note written for this site. We do not copy reviews or publisher blurbs. Outbound links are search pages, not quoted ratings. Kindle Unlimited and endings are only flagged when we were willing to mark them. How we rate.
Missing a book? Suggest it.
Books like Sweet Captivity
Matched on shared tropes, then the closest spice and darkness scores. Other books in the same series are listed above, not here.
- Heartless Beloved
Heartless Beloved
Lola King
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Mafia dark romance, Enemies to lovers
- Keeping Lily
Keeping Lily
Izzy Sweet
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Mafia dark romance, Enemies to lovers
- Sinners Consumed
Sinners Consumed
Somme Sketcher
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Mafia dark romance, Enemies to lovers
- The Dominator
The Dominator
D.D. Prince
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Mafia dark romance, Enemies to lovers
- A Little Bit Dirty
A Little Bit Dirty
Willow Winters
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Mafia dark romance, Captive romance
- A Single Glance
A Single Glance
Willow Winters
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Mafia dark romance, Captive romance
- Accidental Santa
Accidental Santa
Celia Aaron
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Captive romance, Mafia dark romance
- Bad Behavior
Bad Behavior
Celia Aaron
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Captive romance, Mafia dark romance
Books like Sweet Captivity, with a reason for each
Questions readers actually ask
What is the spice level of Sweet Captivity?
Sweet Captivity spice level is 4 of 5 (Explicit). On-page sex, clearly written. Darkness is a separate score: 4 of 5 (Pitch).
What are the Sweet Captivity trigger warnings?
Graphic: Torture, Trafficking. Moderate: Kidnapping. Minor: none flagged. These are book-specific flags reported by readers on the Trigger Warning Database, a reader-run list, grouped by us. The author's own note may list more. Read it before you start.
Is Sweet Captivity dark romance?
Yes, firmly. Sweet Captivity scores 4 of 5 on our darkness scale (Pitch). Bleak on purpose. Comfort is not the job.
What tropes are in Sweet Captivity?
On this shelf Sweet Captivity is filed under Mafia dark romance, Captive romance, Enemies to lovers and Possessive heroes.
Who is Sweet Captivity for?
For a reader who wants made men and a family business you do not walk away from. Spice is explicit. Darkness is pitch. Read the warnings on this page before you start.
What are some books like Sweet Captivity?
Matched on shared tropes and similar spice and darkness: Heartless Beloved by Lola King; Keeping Lily by Izzy Sweet; Sinners Consumed by Somme Sketcher; The Dominator by D.D. Prince; A Little Bit Dirty by Willow Winters; A Single Glance by Willow Winters. More read-alikes, each with a reason, are on zademasked.com/like/sweet-captivity.
Is Sweet Captivity a standalone?
No. Sweet Captivity is book 1 of 2 in the Captive series by Julia Sykes.
What order should I read the Captive series in?
1. Sweet Captivity; 2. Stealing Beauty.
How many books are in the Captive series?
The Captive series by Julia Sykes has 2 main books.
What is the Sweet Captivity age rating?
We'd say 18+. Spice sits at 4/5 (explicit) and darkness at 4/5 (pitch). That's our recommendation, not an official rating, so read the trigger warnings as well.
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