Hooked

"I'll be seeing you, Wendy, darling."

Good evening Readers and welcome to the modern Neverland! Have you ever wondered what Neverland would look like in the contemporary world? How the characters would play their roles in a modern society rather than on a mystical island? Good news for you, all of your faith, trust and pixie dust manifested Emily McIntire's Hooked. The saucy villains and eloquent darlings of a childhood world step into the twenty-first century. This retelling was EVERYTHING!! A cute love story and a mafia romance rolled into one book! I usually don't like to mix genres like this because it can become confusing but Emily somehow, created a relationship that withstood the dark and light themes. Mind Blown (you can't see it but imagine the emoji)!

Continue on if you want to read about James 'Hook' Barrie, devious boss of the the street of New York, and Wendy the eloquent heiress who revels in the dark side James offers. Dive in and remember to pace your breathing in public ;)!

Goodreads' Blurb

He wants revenge, but he wants her more.

Once Upon A Time, there was a little boy. His belly full of laughter, his life full of joy. Until one day, something changed; stripped his innocence away. The hole inside making space for the devil to come and play. His dreams gone forever, he grew up way too fast. An endless night of crocodiles, and watches made of glass.

He grew into a villain, the taste of vengeance on his tongue. Craving to make his enemies pay for the misdeeds they had done. Instead he found a darling girl, and refused to let her go. For what better way to make the man pay, than to steal his little shadow.

To catch you up on the story line, wendy is a eloquent heiress who falls for a pixie selling rake named Hook. Their romance was sweet and fulfilling but it wasn't long after her heart was given that disaster stuck. Hook's beloved mentor was brutally killed and major contributions to his death point to his darling. Betrayal reshapes their relationship, once on a yatch with flowers and moonlight and now in dungeon with chains and hatred. It's true secrets never stay in the dark for long, for Wendy has finally met Hook.

The sweetness of Wendy and James's relationship has ended and made a one-eighty. The story quickly changes into a traditional mafia romance with the battle of the wills between captor and the detained. Love dulls but passion flys as the two combate their post-betrayal feelings for one another. His darling took the only family he had in this world and her James has lied, manipulated, and used her in every aspect of their relationship.

While attending a gala as Hook's date (or prisoner),they run it to Wendy's father, Peter Micheals. As conversation flows and arguments starts it becomes very apparent of Wendy's ignorance to her fathers less than public business ventures. Regret shines through as Hook confirms that Wendy has never betrayed him and the suffering that she endured was not meant for her. He found his darling, then through her away, what's a Hook to do now?

Will she forgive him, will she not? I personally would have dumped the asshole and found myself a new criminal but this is Wendy, and he is James, her favorite dessert.

Book Review

Emily McIntire brought my inner-child out with her dark contemporary romance, Hooked. Although the plot was entertaining and the charcters engrossing. My favorite part about the book was how Emily incorporated the tradmarks of the original story and transformed them into modern themes. Hook is a drug dealer, boss of his pub, the Jolly roger, who lives on a boat called the Tiger Lilly. Lest we forget Smee the red beanie wear right hand mate of Hook's vessel. Wendy's last name isn't darling but is an endearing term for her from James. She is the daughter of Peter Micheals 'Pan', the business man that makes planes, even in contemporary, Peter can fly, he can fly, he can fly! Wendy is nicknamed his little shadow and James had an uncle tagged the 'Croc' who tortured him and scarred him from clocks that go tick tock, for god's sakes, this author is brilliant! The amount of detail that went into creating a twenty-first century Neverland astounded me. There is a lot of childhood hints within Hooked but this is by far not a P.G. book. The sexual interactions between James and Wendy are fan worthy but the intercourses between Wendy and Hook, let's just say you may want to read that section in private.

Wendy and James relationship was a 'yes' and a 'no' for me. I loved how they were together and how they were after Wendy forgave him for his 'misdeeds', but I felt as if they're realtionship needed a bit more substance. Especially for the amount of love that is required to do what Wendy did in the end of the story. Also woman to reader, if a lover ever did what Hook did to Wendy to me, their would be no level of charm that would release him from my rage. I loved the book and the characters but when wendy forgave Hook, without a proper apology and I don't know doing some kind of redemption! It annoyed my never loving soul! Besides that their love was enthralling, I thoroughly enjoyed watching their love florish.

Like always, I'm not going to tell you the ending, so I'm going to leave you with a little hint.

"You want to watch the world burn?"

"Let me guess, you'll set it on fire?" I ask

He chuckles, the sound vibrating through me settling into my bones.

"No, darling. I'll hand you the match, and stand at your back, watching you become queen of the ashes."

--Hook and Wendy

Thank your for reading, relish in Neverland!