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

I was very skeptical due to the trigger warnings. HOWEVER, I was so pleasantly surprised! I have never read anything like this before and the plot was amazing, and I LOVED how I could picture Hook as the actor from Once Upon a Time. Very good read!

I’m slowly making it a personal mission to try and get through some of my TBR and this one had been in my Kindle library for far too long. I enjoyed the dark and twisty fairytale thing more than I thought I would. The twist on Peter Pan with Wendy being Peter’s daughter was interesting but getting Hook as our MMC was my favorite part. I love getting a dark and brooding male lead so it fit perfectly for what I was looking for. Although I enjoyed the overall concept I still felt like something had been missing. I do like dark romances but I want to feel connected to characters and their love which I didn’t quite get until about halfway through. Overall, I was entertained enough to finish and might find myself diving into more twisty fairytales at some point!

This book took me by surprise! I expected to like it, but I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did! It was the perfect mix of plot and smut. I often find that smutty books lack a good plot but this book was not one of them!

Lovey dovey touchy feely smut

🔥 Spice Level: 5/5 daggers – High heat, intense smut scenes from the start 🎯 Who It’s For: Readers who love dark, twisted mafia romances with steamy revenge plots Fans of morally gray villains, reimagined fairy tales, and intense possessive love interests Smut-forward readers who don’t mind plot taking a back seat 🚫 Who It’s Not For: Anyone hoping for a well-developed emotional arc or nuanced romance Readers looking for strong, layered heroines or depth in character growth People sensitive to graphic violence, abuse, or glamorized toxicity 🌀 Quick Spoiler-Free Plot Review Hooked is a modern, dark, and adult reimagining of Peter Pan through the eyes of James “Hook” Barrie, a crime boss bent on revenge against the man who destroyed his family. When Wendy Darling walks into his world, she becomes both pawn and obsession in a dangerous game of manipulation and retribution. What begins as a seduction quickly spirals into obsession, violence, and secrets—blurring the lines between villain and lover. This isn’t the Peter Pan of your childhood. It's bloodstained, sultry, and twisted. 🎬 Book vs. Film (if relevant) There is currently no film adaptation, but if there ever is—a Netflix limited series with a Cruel Intentions x You x John Wick x 365 Days vibe would capture the chaos perfectly. Still not for mem 🌟 Why I Gave It 3 Stars The first impression was strong—the premise promised something edgy, seductive, and dripping with tension. However, as the book progressed, it leaned so heavily into the smut and sex that the actual plot felt thin and rushed. By 30%, I found myself craving a tighter revenge narrative or at least some emotional complexity. Instead, it became clear the book prioritized vibes over substance. Had I read this as a 16-year-old (and been more innocent and impressionable), I would have absolutely devoured it. But with a more seasoned perspective, I found myself disconnected from the romance and underwhelmed by the storyline. ✅ What the Book Gets Right 🔥 Intensity: The pacing and steamy scenes waste no time, diving headfirst into the dark, toxic dynamic. 🖤 Villain-as-Lover trope: Hook is a compelling antihero with a tortured past and a dangerous edge. 🎭 Reimagining Peter Pan: While the references were light, the creative framework was intriguing and had real potential. 💉 Graphic brutality: Surprisingly, the gory scenes were the most engaging, Hook’s vengeance and violent streak felt more emotionally grounded than the romance did. ❌ What the Book Gets Wrong 😬 Romantic development: Wendy’s character lacked depth and autonomy. The relationship felt more like trauma-bonding than genuine love. 📉 Plot vs. Smut ratio: At times, it felt like the plot was just there to connect the next spicy scene. 🥀 Emotional stakes: For a story full of pain, death, and revenge, the emotional resonance just didn’t land. 🧩 The "Peter Pan" angle: While it served as a hook (pun intended), it didn’t truly transform the fairy tale beyond names and light references. 💭 Final Thoughts Hooked is not a love story, it’s a lust story wrapped in mafia noir aesthetics and Peter Pan window dressing. If you go into it expecting pure vibes and high heat, you’ll probably enjoy it more than I did. But if you're craving character depth, compelling plot twists, or actual romance? You might walk away a bit cold. The writing is strong with a good voice, but the plot wasn't thick enough. This book had the bones of something brilliant (a revenge thriller with a fairy tale twist) but chose to spotlight the spice instead. And that’s fine! For many readers, that's exactly the draw. It just wasn’t what I was hoping for. Would I continue the series? Personally, no. But I do appreciate what Hooked attempted to do and respect its success in the dark romance space.