Far From Neverland Author Rylee Hale
Book Review
5 out of 5 stars!
"I don't miss the sun--Neverland's star. It left when Pan left, like it simply died out." - Hook
Hook's over the moon about the fact that Pan is no longer in Neverland! He no longer has to deal with the "games" of the annoying brats that plagued the island like fleas. Things have changed drastically and to his liking, aside from the shadow that seems to be eating away at Neverland. . . Okay, maybe that's actually a problem he should be concerned about! But the solution is something he would rather cut his other hand off and feed to the crocodile than actually do. . .
James Hook needs to get Peter Pan back to Neverland to save it! Begrudgingly he crosses the veil to find Pan only to find the boy who tormented his days is now a man! Hook soon realizes that this mission is going to be a lot harder than he had intended for. Is he attracted to Pan? No, he shouldn't be they are sworn enemies for life, right?!
"Muscle memory. You've always been incredibly skilled with a sword." - Hook
This is a dark retelling of Peter Pan and Hook, and I absolutely LOVED this book! Wanted to quote the entire read but for obvious reasons I cannot. I was always the one who preferred the villains to the heroes and as I grew older, and villains got more depth to their characters causing me to fall even harder. I love retellings of the classics and when the villain gets the girl or guy and a happy ending!
Hook has changed since Pan has left, fourteen years without your nemesis tends to do that. I loved the struggle Hook had when he realized the only hope to save his home was the one person whom he would've been more than happy to never see again. The irony of it all and how it relates to real life and the universe having a big sense of humor.
Peter has adjusted to living in our world as he tries to figure out what his future looks like. He has grown into a young man with no memories of Neverland! Only making Hook's job even harder as he struggles to get Pan to remember. Just the dynamic between the two was fantastic and hysterical along with the constant question of "am I attracted to this?" or "why am I attracted to this?!".
I loved that Rylee included little tidbits paying homage to the classic Disney movie! There were also little subtle hints and easter eggs thrown in that had me grinning ear to ear. Peter may not remember but his subconscious seems to. . . Hook picks up on things as well because he's a very intelligent man. I really loved the twists in this book and just how it flowed! Being able to predict some things and awed by insights characters had of one another.
This is a dark romance because Hook's still a bit of a villain and I really enjoy and appreciate that he doesn't do this miraculous one-eighty-degree-personality-change. I love my villains and they can change a little bit because naturally we all change, but don't just completely factory reboot them! Hook even warns Peter on several occasions that he isn't a good person. There's some stalking in this book and dark romance cliches that we all love! Touch him and you die vibes because what else would you expect from Hook? Pirates are possessive of their treasure.
We do get to see Wendy and some of the Lost Boys! I really wanted to see a certain Lost Boy again, but I was fine with little slivers. I enjoyed reading how things turned out with the cast, also made a lot of sense about things revolving around characters. Even a career choice that one of the characters pursued.
This read does contain feelings of grief and having to deal with past trauma. Truths coming about, facing pasts, angst, and so much more! The read is fast paced but the romance is a slow burn that will leave you frustrated multiple times. Language is present in the book, some violence and mention of blood, and sword fights that brought back memories of the childhood movie! Loved the duo POVs so you could really understand what's going on behind the MCs' masks.
The tension built up between Peter and Hook was just incredible! I held my breath with multiple scenes without realizing it as I was completely submerged in. The MM action in the book is perfect and I loved this one intimate moment with comfort. The spice is very yummy, and I would reread a certain scene over again. . . You will not be disappointed and honestly Peter being gay makes a lot of sense if you stop and really think about things. "Good boy" and "Look at me" are phrases in this read!
Just I could go ON about this retelling so much, but I don't want to spoil anything. If this book becomes an audiobook, I want to be the first one in line to snatch it up! Just this book made my heart so happy, and I needed this read! There's a happy ending for everyone and I admired how things were wrapped up! I will be needing a physical copy of this book because it was just so good!
Enjoy the feels, laughter, tension, dark romance, and maybe just a little pixie dust. Go devour this read like I did and don't forget to give the author some stars!
Far From Neverland - Kindle edition by Hale, Rylee. Romance Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
Far From Neverland — Rylee Hale
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