Today’s book review is for Hooked, (Never After, Book 1) by Emily McIntire, an adult dark romance novel about revenge and a reimaged tale of Peter Pan.
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Book Synopsis
He wants revenge, but he wants her more…
James has always had one agenda: destroy his enemy, Peter Michaels. When Peter’s twenty-year-old daughter Wendy shows up in James’s bar, he sees his way in. Seduce the girl and use her for his revenge. It’s the perfect plan, until things in James’s organization begin to crumble. Suddenly, he has to find the traitor in his midst, and his plan for revenge gets murkier as James starts to see Wendy as more than just a pawn in his game.
Wendy has been cloistered away most of her life by her wealthy cold father, but a spontaneous night out with friends turns into an intense and addictive love affair with the dark and brooding James. As much as she knows James is dangerous, Wendy can’t seem to shake her desire for him. But as their relationship grows more heated and she learns more about the world he moves in, she finds herself unsure if she’s falling for the man known as James or the monster known as Hook. From Goodreads.
“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.”
The Basics
- Category: Dark Romance
- Tags: Romance, fantasy, Dark, Retelling, Fairy Tale, Adult
- Author: Emily McIntire
- Publisher: Bloom Books
- Where to Find: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart
- Overall Rating: ⭐⭐
- Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️
**Spoilers Ahead**
Hooked is a standalone book that is part of the Never After series by Emily McIntire. The book is loosely based on characters from Peter Pan. It is a retelling of the fairytale where the “villain” (Hook) gets a happy ending.
After seeing many TikTok users recommend this book and series I decided to give it a go. Users said it was a spicy, contemporary romance. I was intrigued, but ended up severely let down.
“Maybe people never change and it’s only our perceptions that alter the view.”
So Let’s Get Into it…
The book follows the perspectives of Wendy (Peter Michael’s daughter) and James Barrie (Hook). The book starts off with Wendy going to a bar,The Jolly Roger, where she meets the owner – James. Wendy’s portrayal is so overtly innocent it reaches the point of being unbelievable. Wendy and James have an instant “spark” when they meet.
And now on to James’ perspective. James has spent his life trying to exact his revenge on Peter, whom he blames for a plane explosion that killed his parents and everyone on board except him. Wendy walking into his bar was a coincidence, but once he realizes she was his sworn enemy’s daughter he purposely runs into her. . He starts plotting the ultimate revenge: he will use Wendy as a pawn to take everything from Peter, just as everything was taken from him – and then kill him.
Of course, James starts having actual feelings for Wendy, and Wendy returns those feelings.
“No, darling. I’ll hand you the match, and stand at your back, watching you become queen of the ashes.”
Now for the spice (or lack of). I really couldn’t get behind the whole “Wendy is innocent” vibe. Wendy has never been touched by another man. The only way she has been able to get herself off is through asphyxiation. So, you’re telling me that an innocent girl knows what erotic asphyxiation is?? I’m not buying it. Also, airplay freaks me out, and I don’t think it’s spicy at all. If you’re into erotic asphyxiation, you will probably like the spice in this book a lot more than I did. There are some major Stockholm syndrome vibes going on for some parts of the book as well.
I won’t go any further into the plot because there really isn’t much left. Wendy is a forgettable character. Her loyalty to her brother is admirable, but the way I read it she was overbearing to the point of being a creepy older sibling. I have a younger brother, and Wendy’s loving sister act was very over the top. Wendy is tired of being told what to do but does nothing to really stand up for herself. The details and descriptions throughout the book are either nonexistent or way too intricate (I do not need to know the feeling of cutting through muscles and tendons). The plot takes place over the course of maybe a month at most, but James are Wendy are already SOOOO in love with each other *eyeroll*. James is 100% a psychopath, but that is never addressed. He genuinely likes inflicting pain on others and feels no remorse for murdering people.
“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 love.”
So… Bookmark or Bin it?
Conclusion: Bin it
ThoughI am not willing to totally write off the Never After Series, I would pass on this entry. The idea of a villain getting their happy ending makes it a tempting read, but this book did nothing for me.
Fun Extra Tidbit
According to Goodreads there are 250 books that are retellings of J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan!
Thanks so much for reading my book review for Hooked, (Never After, Book 1) by Emily McIntire! Now it’s your turn! Have you read this novel or any others by Emily and if so, what are your thoughts? Please feel free to share in the comments below!
Happy reading 😊
1 Comment
I appreciate your honest and detailed review of “Hooked” by Emily McIntire! It’s helpful to hear your perspective on the hype surrounding the book and how it ultimately fell short for you. You clearly articulated what didn’t work for you, from the unbelievable innocence of Wendy to the lack of spice. I love that you’re transparent about your own preferences and how they influenced your reading experience. It’s also fascinating that there are so many Peter Pan retellings! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and helping readers make informed choices.