DISCLAIMER: A copy of Second Star to the Left was sent to me for free in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to The Write Reads for having me on the tour.
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Blurb
Tinker Bell, banished from her homeland for doing the unthinkable, selling the hottest drug in Neverland—pixie dust—wants absolution.
Determined to find a way home, Tink doesn’t hesitate to follow the one lead she has, even if that means seducing a filthy pirate to steal precious gems out from under his…hook.
Captain Hook believes he’s found a real treasure in Tink. That is, until he recovers from her pixie dust laced kiss with a curse that turns the seas against him. With his ship and reputation at the mercy of raging storms, he tracks down the little minx and demands she remove the curse. Too bad she can’t.
However, the mermaid queen has a solution to both of their problems, if Tink and Hook will work together to retrieve a magical item for her.
As they venture to the mysterious Shrouded Isles to find the priceless treasure, their shared nemesis closes in. However, his wrath is nothing compared to the realization that achieving their goal may mean losing something they never expected to find—each other.
Review
A filthy pirate and a gorgeous pixie meet in a bar… What could possibly go wrong?
The original Tinkerbell was full of sass and often a diva, and while I feel ‘Tink’ in this book has continued to embody some of those traits, she’s certainly a more complex character. Of course, it is key to remember that this is an adult retelling so her character is more developed and continues to grow as the book progresses. Tink is smart and endearing. She’s selfless and will stop at nothing to protect those she loves, much like Hook with his crew.
Hook… swoon. I have to admit he did remind me of Once Upon A Time Captain Hook, but that’s not a bad thing. He’s always painted as the villian in other stories, but in this one, it’s the opposite. I love this version of him. Hook is portrayed as gentlemanly and tender which had me utterly hooked on him. If you want a new book boyfriend to add to your list, give Hook a try as I’m sure he won’t disappoint!
The relationship between Hook and Tink was fiery and sweet all at once. They both had a shared desire to make the lives of those they loved better. Plus, the use of enemies-to-lovers was perfect for these two characters. The only slight hiccup worth mentioning was that from Hook’s perspective, it didn’t feel like he truly felt that they were enemies. He was too invested in Tink from the beginning for him to have really felt any hatred for her. As it is an adult retelling, there are graphic spicy scenes between the two. Whilst I enjoyed them, if spicy scenes are not your thing then you might want to steer clear of this as there are several. However, in saying this, I felt they were appropriate for the development of their romance. The scenes were as steamy as they were romantic.
Truth be told, retellings aren’t always my first choice as it is difficult for them to be done well. But Second Star to the Left has pleasantly surprised me. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this one as it was fast-paced and action-packed. If you’re a fan of the enemies-to-lovers and found family tropes, then you likely will too!
