This book is titled correctly, it is first and foremost a love story. True, there is a literal love story occurring within these pages, however, that felt like more of a subplot with Hazel’s love for anatomy taking the role of the true love interest. How interesting to consider what it would have been like to sneak into an all-men’s course and try not to get caught, especially when you consider that Hazel didn’t make an effort to remain a wallflower throughout her studies.

It was predictable that Hazel would be thrown out of the lecture, even though the hope that it wouldn’t happen remained consistent throughout the story. What wasn’t predictable was the sudden drop of immortality into the mix. I didn’t need this as a plot point, but it did make for an interesting think exercise when Jack had to decide between taking the potion or being hung for murder.

I enjoyed this book enough to read the second, although if I’m being honest this is a great example of a time where I wish the book wasn’t YA and was longer. The pacing felt as though it would have benefited from additional pages, however, I think the true limiting factor was that I wanted more from themes that a YA audience may not be interested in more.

With this in mind, I grabbed the second book in hopes that I would have some questions answered only to find that I’m actually a little upset about the ending. Hazel’s love for Jack seemed to feel forced, it seemed she spent more time pining for him than actually getting to know and falling in love with him. So when he suddenly appears in uniform while in London, I was really hoping that she’d let him go in favor of being the wife of a doctor. Hazel actually got to know Simon, who respected her opinions and sought her aid as a physician in treating the king. Hazel could actually see a life with Simon, whereas it was unclear where her life with Jack would go – which perhaps is what was so appealing about it.

November’s book club will be Hooked by Emily McIntire because a dark fairy tale is almost always fun – although I think this is technically not a fantasy story. Full disclosure, this book seems very opposite of a YA novel that doesn’t want to dive deep into adult themes.

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.

Hooked is a dark contemporary romance and the first complete standalone in the Never After Series: A collection of fractured fairy tales where the villains get the happy ever after. It is not a literal retelling and not fantasy. Hooked features mature themes and content that may not be suitable for all audiences. Reader discretion is advised. For all content warnings, check the author’s website.