When you’re drawn to dark psychology and the hidden recesses of the human mind, you know that a book that begins with a warning is bound to be a dark yet fascinating descent into the consciousness of morally gray characters.

“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.”

Emily McIntire’s Hooked is a Peter Pan retelling like nothing you’ve ever read before. It’s dark, violent, and not for the faint of heart. If you’re looking for romance and chivalry, you won’t find them here—because our protagonist, James Barrie, is no Prince Charming. He’s a man shattered by life, his soul corrupted and torn apart by the cruelty of fate. It wasn’t choice but circumstance that created the monster he became, molded by Peter Michaels—our twisted Peter Pan.

So when Wendy Michaels unexpectedly walks through the doors of the Jolly Roger, James sees the perfect opportunity. A chance to use her to exact revenge on Peter, to corrupt her, to take from his mortal enemy what he cherishes most—his daughter. But will it really be that simple?

A Captivating Beginning.

I want to start this review by highlighting the prologue. First lines are crucial in capturing a reader’s attention, but what McIntire does with her opening isn’t just captivating—it’s all-consuming. From the very first pages, she scatters subtle details that cleverly reframe Peter Pan in a chillingly realistic way. Those two pages alone skyrocketed my expectations, and the book didn’t disappoint. Throughout the story, these nods to the original tale appear seamlessly, not as forced references but as puzzle pieces that, once assembled, deliver immense satisfaction.

A Razor-Sharp Narrative.

The writing? It’s good. Really good. McIntire has a way of painting vivid imagery without overwhelming the reader. Her descriptions, especially in the more explicit moments, are sharp and unflinching. She doesn’t waste words on unnecessary details, avoiding the common pitfall of overly descriptive prose that serves no real purpose. In Hooked, every detail matters. Every scene cuts straight to the point—bold, unapologetic, and utterly gripping.

Another strong point is the pacing. The tension remains consistent, the intensity never falters, and the mystery keeps you hooked (pun intended). The ending? The cherry on top. What seems predictable at first turns out to be anything but—especially if you pay close attention to the seemingly “insignificant” breadcrumbs McIntire drops along the way.

The Psychology of Obsession.

For me, the most compelling aspect of this story is James’s obsessive psyche. He’s a complex character, ruled by his impulses, refusing advice, and completely consumed by his unhealed trauma. He is the perfect example of how life—and other people—can awaken the darkest monsters within us. Because in James’s case, his fate could have been entirely different had it not been for the greed and cruelty of others with equally twisted minds.

So, are psychopaths born or made? The answer lies in a delicate interplay between predisposition and external circumstances. Psychology is never simple—just like the human mind—and this is where the novel’s brilliance shines.

“But we’re all a little twisted, and there’s no such thing as good and evil. There are only perspectives, and perceptions change depending on the angle.”

Wendy: A Voice To Be Heard.

Wendy, too, is an intriguing character. Raised in a bubble of protection by her father, she has never wanted for anything—except autonomy. She doesn’t know who she truly is, having spent her life as a voiceless girl. That changes the moment “the right man” lays hands on her, igniting a deep internal conflict.

But through this conflict—through her own descent into darkness—Wendy is finally given the chance to make her own choices, to explore her hidden desires, and to discover who she really is. The line between right and wrong, she realizes, is often razor-thin. What benefits some inevitably dooms others.

Final Thoughts.

Hooked awakens something primal, something darkly addictive in its readers. It forces you to question morality, blurring the lines between good and evil—revealing them for what they truly are: social constructs designed to impose order, yet malleable depending on who holds the power.

As a fan of psychology, this book was an intriguing discovery, and I can’t wait to devour the rest of McIntire’s Never After series.

With love,
A.