Reviews with content warning for Child death - Hooked

Before my thoughts; if you're going to read this book PLEASE KNOW there are descriptions of pedophilia, child rape, and multiple mutilations of a child. It is not just a sexy dark book. These themes are brought up multiple times in the book.

I liked it in the beginning. Low-key wish about 3/4 of the way through that it turned into Wendy's villain arc. Towards the end it just got messy. None of the "misunderstandings" were ever addressed by the characters. They just make assumptions and then don't talk or at least you're never shown them resolving that so they can continue their fuckery. Which is something that is indeed done in dark romances, four horsemen for example, addresses when they do fucked shit to her and it's outside of the messed up confines of what the fmc expects. The issue gets addressed. In this book... She just magically doesn't think about the messed up thing he does, that is outside of the confined of the messed up stuff she consented to and made excuses for.

I don't mind me a dark romance I also just didn't think the erotic scenes were that well written the writing was repetitive and towards the end the plotwists just felt messy.

There was a good sense of foreboding for a while but eventually it just left tme thinking "If you're really this ode to control and big boss of this crime world surely,,, surely you'd go about this in a more organized fashion. That's the whole point of organized crime." I know it's just meant to be a dark trashy fun sexy book but it just felt a bit lack on a lot of fronts.

And too she says in the beginning she hopes her readers go in blind but ma'am I really wouldn't recommend surprising people with certain trigger warnings;

Minor Spoiler:

Main mans uncle was a pedo who raped and mutilated him and there are descriptions of the trauma being enacted and the traumas effect on the mmc. I do not think people should be surprised by that kind of situation and a trigger warning for at least that is owed to the reader. It's brought up several times throughout the book. Trigger warnings for that should be on the front page!

Content Warnings

bookswithbethx's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

mushroomfrog's review against another edition

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dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Content Warnings

pippamillerxoxo_'s review against another edition

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dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

stitchof's review against another edition

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dark mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

Content Warnings

abcdefgerda's review against another edition

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challenging dark slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Idk James just seems like he's too emotional and messy to be THAT... good at his job. I mean he loses his temper really easily and is really messy. Idk it just seems like his employees or whatever would see his weakness or there'd be a shit ton of evidence everywhere especially on him.

I've read quite a few (M/M) kind of BDSM(ish) books. I thought about this even as I read them but I can't figure it out. For some reason I find it... easier to read and enjoy when it's 2 guys. I don't know what it is, maybe that I'm a woman myself? I'm honestly not sure. With this book also it doesn't seem like a relationship of equals (atm I'm 45ish% in the story, it might still change, we'll see) (at 100% finished, it got a little better but there was barely any relationship building so I didn't really feel anything for them so..)

And where is the protection? Y'all just gonna bone without a rubber? And no TALK even? Y'all, not cool

<spolier> I feel like the scene of when James is threatening Wendy would have such a bigger impact if they'd had just a bit more between them. Like as in trust and relationship and feelings. It would've just been beautiful and heartbreaking instead of just... awkward?

Her time being held captive it's very tell don't show about the torture and pain of being alone in the dark and I didn't really feel anything

Moira reminds me a lot of Maria
This ⬆️ is an actual quote in the book. Maria and Moira. Two women, both of who were bitches to Whatshername because they wanted to hook up with Hook and had barely any other personality even though

Moira was literally a traitor, STILL wanting into Hook's pants was her main personality trait?

Content Warnings

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