A review by kerosenelit
Off the Hook by Julie Olivia

4.0

I'm obsessed with the Peter Pan vibes threaded throughout this story! It’s not a direct retelling by any means, but from the large, close-knit family to the quaint, cozy seaside town of Never Harbor, and the subtle yet meaningful dialogue and interactions, the parallels were so fun to piece together in a contemporary setting! 

Never Harbor’s port captain, Jasper Davies, is a bit of a recluse, struggling and overwhelmed but doing his very best to care for the boy left in his care after a tragic accident. In a major childcare pinch for the summer, he reluctantly hires the lovely Wendy Darling as a nanny! 

And to make it even better, their slow-burn romance is all kinds of forbidden! Wendy just so happens to be a family friend AND the ex-fiancée of none other than Peter Davies, Jasper’s charismatic, overly free-spirited brother. THE TENSION. The dynamic between Peter, Wendy, and Jasper was so deeply layered and uniquely complicated. I am dying for a book about Peter! 

I absolutely loved how Wendy brought whimsy, sunshine, and adventure into Jasper's world, slowly bringing out the soft, deeply caring but understandably broken side of him. And in turn, Wendy experiences, perhaps for the first time, what it truly feels like to be wanted just as she is. It was so good, and I can't wait to continue in this series!

(heat level: 5 open-door scenes, explicit details)