Hooked: A Dark, Contemporary Romance (Never After Series)

James has had a hard childhood, and it’s turned him into a dark man. He is hooked (see what I did there) on revenge against the man who killed his family, and will stop at nothing to get his vengeance. When Wendy enters his bar he can’t believe his luck. Before he realised who she was he was drawn to her innocence, add in the fact that she’s the daughter of his nemesis and he’s almost giddy with glee. He knows she’s an innocent in it all but he will still use her to antagonise her father. Wendy is sick of being told what to do, of being neglected by her father, of all his lies. She starts to rebel, one tiny act at a time, and when she meets James she can immediately sense that he’s dangerous. Yet she’s not afraid of him, quite the opposite in fact. And so for once she pursues her feelings, her needs, her wants. But is her newfound “freedom” actually recklessness? I totally get the hype on this book! It’s so dark, enthralling and sexy - kind of like James himself. McIntyre is adamant that this is not a fairytale retelling and I can understand why. It’s not a fantasy, nothing about the original Peter Pan story is the same, except for some names and phrases, and it’s 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙣𝙤𝙩 for kids. It is reminiscent of some of Katy Regnery’s darker fairytale retellings. More inspired by the original tale than the story retold. James is not a good guy, nor does he reform to become a good guy. And I think that was a perfect decision because his character wouldn’t have felt as genuine. Wendy does change a little throughout the book but honestly it was more coaxing out thoughts and feelings she was already keeping under a lid, so her character still felt real to me. Plenty of spice and dark themes so if you have triggers then definitely read the warnings. The only reason I’m not giving it 5 stars is because there were some wording choices throughout the book that made me pause (because I’m annoying like that) to question if the sentence made sense to me. So it took away from a totally continuous flow of reading. But it was honestly so minimal, I’m just that person.

Retelling of Peter Pan with a great and dark twist 🌀 Villain gets the girl, yes please🥴🙌🏻🖤 I had to sit and dwindle on this one after I read it since I didn’t like it’s predictability, but I honestly loved it at the same time🏴‍☠️ I’d read this one all over again if I had to!!! Hook is my favorite🪝and Wendy was a bit too naive but that’s what makes her different; and let me tell you she grows some thick skin in the end🙌🏻 Dark Fairy Tale Romance is one of my favorite genres by far and to mix it in with a bit of Mafia…. I just can’t🤗 I read this in less than 24 hours & can’t wait to soon read the next 2 in this series🖤🖤🖤 Favorite Quotes: 🖤 “Just remember, that whenever things feel bleak, all situations are temporary. It’s not your circumstance that determines your worth, it’s how you rise from the ashes after everything burns.” 🖤 “And to think. It all started with a little bit of faith. Misplaced trust. Missing Pixie Dust. And a villain who just needed to steal a little bit of love.” 🖤 “Daring if I’m the dark, then you’re the stars.”

This book perfectly personifies Hook as a more realistic, devilish, snarky, charismatic, and villainous character than the typical cartoon character we’ve known growing up with. It captures the villain, the love interest, and the reader all in this circle that kept me wondering what was going to happen next. The suspense, the plot building, the story progression was all great and I loved the way McIntire reimagined a childhood classic!! I will say the ending was a bit fast once it came about, but I was NOT expecting the twist!! I kept guessing what was going to happen, and almost every time McIntire surprised me with a different path! This book is DEFINITELY worth the read, it completely satisfies the villain fantasies where the villain is the villain, but still gets their happy ending without having to become to good guy.

This book was recommended through goodreads, so I took a chance because who doesn't want the villain to have a happy every after? Intrigued, shocked, horrified, a little let down, and relatable. Let me explain. I do believe that there is a side story to the villain in every book, myth, fable- and we never get to hear it. The bad guy is just a bad guy. In this story, the lines of good and evil are twisted and blurred as the story of Peter and Hook is rewritten as a modern-day fantasy crime ring. You must judge for yourself which is the lesser evil between the two. But then there is Wendy. Perfect, obedient, quiet, and loveable Wendy who will do anything to protect her family and wants the fairy tale. But the world is not a fairy tale, and Emily McIntire hits it on the head. Sometimes the fairy tale is dirty. And the fantasy's that we have lurking in the back of our minds, it's okay to enjoy them- even if they are not your everyday, vanilla thoughts. Now just my own thoughts, because I did enjoy the book and even went on to purchase the next one- the plot could have been a little bit more. It was so fast that I was left confused a little. Wham, bam, thank you mam. New characters and bombs were being dropped before I could process the last heavy hitter. If you want a fast paced, readable book that is the perfect length for a cross county flight- here you go! But I wanted more. I wanted more details. I wanted the tea! Purchase the book with an open mind, willing to experience a new idea of fantasy, and be ready to root for the bad guy!

WTF? Please, someone tell me I read something wrong. I just finished that book, and I tell you, I wish I hadn't started it. "Hooked" is a dark Hook retelling with a morally black hero and a very dark romance. It's a story about Wendy, the daughter of Peter, and her journey to the broken James aka Hook. It has twists and turns and was quite a rollercoaster, which means we have a lot of things to unpack. I am gonna start with the general info. The writing style was great, and the plot was more than interesting (I finished it for 4 days during the exam session). So the writer certainly has a talent. However, the end left me highly frustrated, the plot twist was predictable, and there was quite a lot to improve for the characters. By the middle of the book, I was craving James to redeem himself to Wendy, and I usually like my men broken. This never happened... TBF, the end didn't feel like HEA at all. Yes, they got together, but at what cost? (longer rant on my Goodreads profile) Overall, 3.75. I enjoyed the book but the end deducted a whole star from it. If you like dark romance, then go ahead, and read it, but be prepared something dark is coming, and the light in the end is more dim, than bright.