Focusing on Tinkerbell and Captain Hook, this imaginative retelling of Peter Pan was the absolute perfect read for February, it’s got Pixies, Pirate, Mermaids, Witches and a super satisfying romance that takes the only one bed trope to the high seas (and some other rather creative locations too) Along with the romance, there’s a healthy dose of adventure, humor, and suspense as Hook and Tink are forced to work together to right some of the wrongs from each of their pasts. This book left me on the edge of my seat, wondering what would happen next. It truly draws you in completely! this was such a cute retelling of Peter Pan. i loved this version of Tinker Bell and Captain Hook. because of this book i'll never not see Hook and Tink as endgame. boom. a ship has been born. I would happily read a follow up, especially wanting to know what happened to the boat full of people at the end that vanished. I mean, I know what it's setting up but I just want more. Lol One Christmas Eve a parcel falls from Santa's sleigh and lands in a small shed. From this moment the lives of Archie, Babs and Duke are changed forever. Three pets whose normal, but boring lives are disrupted by discovering this missing parcel, embark on an exciting new adventure when they decide to return the parcel by morning. Through their adventures, each character learns that however small and insignificant we think we are, we can make a difference.

Second Star to the Left is fast read. The banter is fun and immersive. The plot keeps moving and does not stagnate in one spot. I felt that it spent the right amount of time on each of the characters and having the two perspectives of Cook and Tinker helped add dimension to both characters and keep things interesting. I enjoyed Captain Hook’s crew and their adventures (or mishaps) on the sea. I also wished for a more 3D portrayal of Hook as an amputee. More of his daily challenges, how he adapts. Routine stump & prosthesis care. Atrophy/skin breakdown considerations. Prosthesis design details & suspension method. What his recovery would have entailed. There was a bedroom scene when his stump ‘disappears’ partway through, something akin to “white-room syndrome,” which I don’t think was intentional at all, but it was something I noticed. If his stump was something Hook was self-conscious about and continuing to hide, I would have liked for Tink to have noticed and to have continued trying to reassure him/build up his confidence. I also loved that they are a couple that rescues each other (several times over), and anytime Tink’s wings glow, because she is happy 🥺😭😍 There’s also sassy banter. A good ol’ caveman carry. Naked adventure time *waggles eyebrows.* But a lot of tender moments, too, made all the sweeter because of how things begin between them. This is a before-Wendy story that exposes connections and relationships between Neverland's most famous faces that nobody's ever known about before. It provides a lot of insight, for those who can read between the lines and look ahead to the timeline of the classic tale, as to why Peter and Tink have such a volatile relationship and why Tink even wants to hang around. It provides an interesting connection between Peter and Hook, as well, and definitely does an excellent job at making Hook a lot more human. He's still a pirate captain, he's still not on the right side of the law (if such a thing exists in a place like Neverland) and he's still motivated by greed and revenge, but we get to see him as a sympathetic, flawed man who has redeeming qualities.There’s something interesting that I’ve noticed while reading the last few romantic fantasy novels that I’ve come across, including Second Star to the Left. When the tension is high and our MCs are in a dangerous spot, my mind unwittingly starts warning me that someone is going to die; this is fantasy and there has to be repercussions to make the stakes feel high, right? Not so with my last two reads, which openly guaranteed happily ever afters for their characters. It’s funny, before reading these last two books, The Isle of a Thousand Worlds and Second Star to the Left, I would have thought that a guaranteed HEA would destroy the tension being built by the story. Instead, what I have found is that it actually enhances my experience because I know that nothing terrible is going to happen to these characters I have fallen in love with over the course of the book. Now, I’m not opposed to some good old-fashioned suffering, but this has proven to be a welcome reprieve from the standard doom and gloom that fantasy can sometimes dip into. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc of this book. My opinions are my own!

Overall, I really loved Second Star to the Left and I cannot wait for the next book in the Reimagined Fairy Tales series! The subtle ways in which the author changed the core characters to meet the narrative were the perfect choices to tell the story she wanted to tell. A beautifully written love story is at the core of this novel, but surrounding it is grand adventure, found family, and pirate ship battles. Can you think of a greater pairing? So my dynamic with this story already had a bit of a running start. I’ve been a huge fan of Megan’s stories since we first met years ago. She has this incredible way of weaving sexual tension and fiery passion into a fantasy world that takes my breath away–and kinda makes me press my thighs together. Romance readers know what I’m talking about!In Peter Pan stories that I have read, Tinker Bell is portrayed as a small pixie companion to Peter Pan. I actually can’t recall the role she plays in the stories, I just know she is a character. Second Star to the Left takes place years before the events of Peter Pan and fleshes out Tinker Bell in a memorable manner. I got to see her powers as a pixie, her love for tinkering and inventing as well as the mental strength that she has. It's hard to describe much about the book without giving away too much. When we meet Tink, she is on a mission retrieving a valuable jewel for the mermaid queen. She is the only one capable of providing the means for Tink to return to her homeland, where she was cast out. Let's just say this jewel might just be in possession of a certain handsome pirate, who's missing a hand...

There have been several behind-the-scenes references to the Peter Pan stories in relation to Star Trek.

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The romantic tension and slow burn build up was ✨chef’s kiss✨ absolute perfection, I also really enjoyed their flirty interactions with one another that were both extremely entertaining and funny at times. First, I just have to say that I absolutely LOVED the writing which is fast paced, full of humour, plot twists and a deliciously satisfying romance that I didn’t want to end. It also has just the right level of spice and some really compelling characters that I found thoroughly entertaining, particularly Smee who soo very different (and sexier) than the original and definitely needs his own book. Second Star to the Left falls somewhere between being an alternate timeline retelling and an origin story prequel to the classic Peter Pan story, but this time the male lead and sympathetic "hero" is Captain Hook (James) and the POV character is Tinkerbell herself. His lover. Yup, you read that right!

Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for a review. This kindness does not affect my opinions of this book, which are wholly my own.

Brought together by feud, curses and an unexpected mutual treasure hunt style quest, these two must work together to obtain their common goal. Putting aside their differences and opinions of each other seems out of the question - until an undeniable passion and some new understandings begin to change everything. 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. The same quote had also been used in a few other Star Trek works. In Star Trek: The Motion Picture - Handbook of Production Information, the goal of making Star Trek: The Motion Picture was said to be " to dazzle the senses, to make visions soar. To make possible that journey to the second star to the right, straight on until morning." In the penultimate scene from the script for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Kirk told Saavik, " Lieutenant, new course: 'Second star to the right and straight on till morning.'" [1] Although the line didn't make the final cut of that film, it appears in the novelization of Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, written by Vonda N. McIntyre.