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Second Star to the Right
"The magic of innocence and the romance of hope will charm the reader." Nora Roberts"I laughed, I cried and I felt like a kid again, experiencing the magic of an unforgettable love story. Mary Alice Monroe has won a fan for life with this spectacular book." New York Times bestselling author Teresa MedeirosSometimes fairy tales do come true...As a single mother of two, Faye O’Neill has no time for fairy tales. She’s not even certain she believes in luck. Practical, smart and desperate to escape a shadowy past, Faye takes a job at a top advertising firm in London where she hopes she and her children can find a fresh start. When she finds the beautiful two-story flat for rent in a stately old Victorian complete with a neglected but tumbling English garden, she can scarcely believe her good fortune. But it’s not long before Faye realizes everything in the old home may not be as peaceful as it seems. A strange light begins to appear in her children’s rooms at night, and then there’s the reclusive elderly tenant, Crazy Wendy, her landlady warned her to steer clear of, the woman who spends her evenings spying on Faye’s children from her garret-room window. The woman who believes she is Peter Pan's Wendy. To make matters worse, Faye, who has sworn off men, discovers her downstairs neighbor Jack is a disturbingly handsome professor with a talent for charming women and children alike. Before she knows it, Faye has embarked upon a whole new adventure into a world where anything might be possible, where broken hearts can be healed by a kiss, and where Neverland may not be a place of fables, but a forgotten land one can still find if they are only brave enough to follow the second star to the right. "Mary Alice Monroe breathes new life into the timeless legend of Peter Pan—and the result is nothing short of magical. Second Star to the Right will whisk you away at the whim of this masterful storyteller." Signe Pike, bestselling author of Faery Tale
422 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 1999
296 people are currently reading
2214 people want to read
About the author
Mary Alice Monroe
71 books5,691 followersMary Alice Monroe is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of 30 books, including her new novel, Where the Rivers Merge, the first book in a duology and her historical debut. The second book is titled The Rivers End. Release date has not been set yet.
Monroe has also published children’s books, which complement the environmental themes she is known for in her adult novels. Monroe’s middle grade series, written with Angela May, The Islanders, debuted #2 on the New York Times Best Sellers List in 2021. The second book in the series, Search for Treasure, debuted #3 on the New York Times Best Sellers List. And the third book in the series, Shipwrecked, is available everywhere books are sold.
Nearly eight million copies of her books have been published worldwide.
Mary Alice has earned numerous accolades and awards including induction into the South Carolina Academy of Authors’ Hall of Fame; South Carolina Center for the Book Award for Writing; the South Carolina Award for Literary Excellence; the SW Florida Author of Distinction Award; the RT Lifetime Achievement Award; the International Book Award for Green Fiction; the Henry Bergh Award for Children’s Fiction; and her novel A Lowcountry Christmas won the prestigious Southern Prize for Fiction.
Mary Alice is also the co-founder of the popular weekly web show and podcast Friends & Fiction.
The Beach House is a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, starring Andie McDowell. Several of her novels are optioned for film.
Mary Alice has championed the fragility of the earth’s wild habitat. The coastal southern landscape in particular is a strong and important focus of many of her novels. For her writing, Monroe immerses herself in academic research, works with wildlife experts, and does hands-on volunteering with animals. She then uses the knowledge and experiences to craft captivating stories that identify important parallels between nature and human nature. Sea turtles, bottlenose dolphins, monarch butterflies, shorebirds are among the species she has worked with and woven into her novels.
Mary Alice is also an active conservationist and serves on several boards including the South Carolina Aquarium board emeritus, the Pat Conroy Literary Center Honorary Board, and the Leatherback Trust, which she received the Leatherback Trust Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022. She is especially proud to be a state-certified volunteer with the Island Turtle Team for more than twenty years.
Mary Alice splits her time between her home on the South Carolina coast and her home in the North Carolina mountains. When she’s not writing a novel, she is with her family or busy working with wildlife somewhere in the world.
Monroe has also published children’s books, which complement the environmental themes she is known for in her adult novels. Monroe’s middle grade series, written with Angela May, The Islanders, debuted #2 on the New York Times Best Sellers List in 2021. The second book in the series, Search for Treasure, debuted #3 on the New York Times Best Sellers List. And the third book in the series, Shipwrecked, is available everywhere books are sold.
Nearly eight million copies of her books have been published worldwide.
Mary Alice has earned numerous accolades and awards including induction into the South Carolina Academy of Authors’ Hall of Fame; South Carolina Center for the Book Award for Writing; the South Carolina Award for Literary Excellence; the SW Florida Author of Distinction Award; the RT Lifetime Achievement Award; the International Book Award for Green Fiction; the Henry Bergh Award for Children’s Fiction; and her novel A Lowcountry Christmas won the prestigious Southern Prize for Fiction.
Mary Alice is also the co-founder of the popular weekly web show and podcast Friends & Fiction.
The Beach House is a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, starring Andie McDowell. Several of her novels are optioned for film.
Mary Alice has championed the fragility of the earth’s wild habitat. The coastal southern landscape in particular is a strong and important focus of many of her novels. For her writing, Monroe immerses herself in academic research, works with wildlife experts, and does hands-on volunteering with animals. She then uses the knowledge and experiences to craft captivating stories that identify important parallels between nature and human nature. Sea turtles, bottlenose dolphins, monarch butterflies, shorebirds are among the species she has worked with and woven into her novels.
Mary Alice is also an active conservationist and serves on several boards including the South Carolina Aquarium board emeritus, the Pat Conroy Literary Center Honorary Board, and the Leatherback Trust, which she received the Leatherback Trust Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022. She is especially proud to be a state-certified volunteer with the Island Turtle Team for more than twenty years.
Mary Alice splits her time between her home on the South Carolina coast and her home in the North Carolina mountains. When she’s not writing a novel, she is with her family or busy working with wildlife somewhere in the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 302 reviews
July 7, 2014
4.5 Stars
Peter Pan lives if you believe; just look and wish upon the Second Star To The Right. Faye O'Neill and her two young children arrive in London. They are quite subdued. Faye's divorce has had quite the effect upon all three of them. She's not the same confident woman she was before marrying Rob O'Neill. Six year old Tom has not spoken a word in over a year after...
Maddie is precocious. She is bossy with a heart of Gold yearning to be safe and loved. She is very protective of her mum and younger brother. No. 14 just may be what the Doctor ordered. No. 14 is where Wendy Forrester lives up in the Nursery that looks amazingly like Wendy Darling's. And the old woman truly believes that she is THE Wendy. Her daughter sternly tells the O'Neill's that they are not to disturb the old lady. Do they listen? Nah! And that's the magic of the story, or at least part of it.
The other part of the story is in the 2nd flat. Jack Graham is a very handsome world renown scientist and loves the house and ol' "Crazy Wendy." He himself is a Lost Boy. (Peter Pan's Lost Boys? Maybe, maybe not.) When you believe, anything is possible! Can this old house with the overgrown garden that the children clean up with the smiling Peter Pan fountain heal two broken adults and two frighten and sad children? Believe, and wish upon the second star to the right and you'll too will begin to hear a flute and see a small ball of light flying throughout No.14 in London.
I just loved this novel! Mary Alice Monroe has brought Peter Pan's magic to the novel, but not in an overt way. I laughed and cried in various parts and when it ended, my heart was swollen with joy!
Peter Pan lives if you believe; just look and wish upon the Second Star To The Right. Faye O'Neill and her two young children arrive in London. They are quite subdued. Faye's divorce has had quite the effect upon all three of them. She's not the same confident woman she was before marrying Rob O'Neill. Six year old Tom has not spoken a word in over a year after...
Maddie is precocious. She is bossy with a heart of Gold yearning to be safe and loved. She is very protective of her mum and younger brother. No. 14 just may be what the Doctor ordered. No. 14 is where Wendy Forrester lives up in the Nursery that looks amazingly like Wendy Darling's. And the old woman truly believes that she is THE Wendy. Her daughter sternly tells the O'Neill's that they are not to disturb the old lady. Do they listen? Nah! And that's the magic of the story, or at least part of it.
The other part of the story is in the 2nd flat. Jack Graham is a very handsome world renown scientist and loves the house and ol' "Crazy Wendy." He himself is a Lost Boy. (Peter Pan's Lost Boys? Maybe, maybe not.) When you believe, anything is possible! Can this old house with the overgrown garden that the children clean up with the smiling Peter Pan fountain heal two broken adults and two frighten and sad children? Believe, and wish upon the second star to the right and you'll too will begin to hear a flute and see a small ball of light flying throughout No.14 in London.
I just loved this novel! Mary Alice Monroe has brought Peter Pan's magic to the novel, but not in an overt way. I laughed and cried in various parts and when it ended, my heart was swollen with joy!
July 6, 2020
Overall: a sweet and whimsical tale of magic and romance. Easy and quick read that is nice to get lost in though lacking in any major depth and quite predictable. Part fairy tale, part mystery, and part romance. 3.5/5
Summary: The story focuses on Faye, a recently divorced single mother of two who moves to London to begin a new job. She moves into a flat that has two other inhabitants, a research scientist named Jack and an eccentric and reclusive elderly woman named Mrs. Forrester. There is also an abandoned garden at the flat that the two children take na interest in and leads to all of these characters' lives coming together.
The Good: A very sweet and magical story. I almost stopped reading it in the beginning because I thought it was too "fluffy" but from about page 50 on, I was hooked and hard a difficult time putting it down. I loved the Peter Pan tie in! The biggest strength of this book for me was that though the story is set in reality, it makes you want to believe in magic and fairy tales. Quick and easy read, fast put, and a lovely story to get swept up in.
The Bad: For the most part, the characters are pretty weak and the plot predictable.
Favorite Quotes:
"What was this thing called faith, she wondered? Was it believing in magic or miracles? If so, then surely the sound of children's laughter and reedy pipe music in the night, fragrant tea and tiny sandwiches, luciferin lighting up a firefly's lamp, falling in love, surely these were magic. Faith was a kind of magic, wasn't it? A miracle that had the power to transform. She couldn't see faith, like she couldn't see Peter Pan or the fairy on her shoulder. Or a tiny atom. But she could imagine them. Perhaps faith was the ability to believe in the infinite possibilities of what could only be imagined."
"There are moments in life, rare and precious, when one is sure magic exists. For some, it is the sight of their baby's first smile, or a long-awaited letter from a loved one, or the remission of a terrible illness, or the look of love in the eyes of a beloved. When it happens, one's heart swoops up and out into the heavens in a gasp of joy, then returns again filled with awe and wonder that tingles as it spreads throughout the body."
Summary: The story focuses on Faye, a recently divorced single mother of two who moves to London to begin a new job. She moves into a flat that has two other inhabitants, a research scientist named Jack and an eccentric and reclusive elderly woman named Mrs. Forrester. There is also an abandoned garden at the flat that the two children take na interest in and leads to all of these characters' lives coming together.
The Good: A very sweet and magical story. I almost stopped reading it in the beginning because I thought it was too "fluffy" but from about page 50 on, I was hooked and hard a difficult time putting it down. I loved the Peter Pan tie in! The biggest strength of this book for me was that though the story is set in reality, it makes you want to believe in magic and fairy tales. Quick and easy read, fast put, and a lovely story to get swept up in.
The Bad: For the most part, the characters are pretty weak and the plot predictable.
Favorite Quotes:
"What was this thing called faith, she wondered? Was it believing in magic or miracles? If so, then surely the sound of children's laughter and reedy pipe music in the night, fragrant tea and tiny sandwiches, luciferin lighting up a firefly's lamp, falling in love, surely these were magic. Faith was a kind of magic, wasn't it? A miracle that had the power to transform. She couldn't see faith, like she couldn't see Peter Pan or the fairy on her shoulder. Or a tiny atom. But she could imagine them. Perhaps faith was the ability to believe in the infinite possibilities of what could only be imagined."
"There are moments in life, rare and precious, when one is sure magic exists. For some, it is the sight of their baby's first smile, or a long-awaited letter from a loved one, or the remission of a terrible illness, or the look of love in the eyes of a beloved. When it happens, one's heart swoops up and out into the heavens in a gasp of joy, then returns again filled with awe and wonder that tingles as it spreads throughout the body."
June 7, 2014
I had high hopes for this book. The description sounded sweet and whimsical, like something I would enjoy reading. I was sorely disappointed and despite getting halfway through, I stopped reading (something I rarely do). I found the story was way too predictable, the characters (except for Jack) were flat and uninteresting. There was very little chemistry between the two protagonists, Faye and Jack, and she struck me as whiny and bland.
The book just didn't engage me in any way.
In addition, the book was filled with typos and printing errors. This shouldn't be the case with a published book, whether it's professionally published or self-published.
The book just didn't engage me in any way.
In addition, the book was filled with typos and printing errors. This shouldn't be the case with a published book, whether it's professionally published or self-published.
June 24, 2015
Dr. Jack Graham: sworn bachelor, loner and physicist. An American in London while on temporary assignment at the Institute. "The hired gun brought in to fix the problem." He currently lives in a garden-floor apartment in a three-story flat. On the top floor is the eccentric elderly mother of his landlady. Who believes she is Wendy from the story of Peter Pan . And now he has some new neighbors: single-mom Faye O'Neill and her children, Maddie and Tom. Newly arrived from America. Who don't believe in Peter Pan. Or Santa Claus. Or the Easter Bunny.
Faye O'Neill had left a very troubled marriage. She was not only looking for a new start but this family of three required a time for healing. The very few ups and many downs of their life had taken a toll.
She was hired by her old boss and given a chance to prove herself in the advertising field. Again. Except this time insecurities she thought were buried resurfaced. And she knew she had to not only prove to herself she could reenter the job market; she had to do it for her daughter and son. She is The Adult, the serious one, who has had little time for games and magic.
Over a period of weeks, Jack becomes friends with the children using, of all things, his telescope. They search the stars and planets. He got more of a rush from Maddie's inquisitive questions and Tom slowly opening up than teaching his grad students new theories. At the same time, he became aware he was attracted to Faye. "Like charges repel each other, unlike charges attract. He couldn't think of anyone more unlike himself than Faye O'Neill. Or anyone he found more drawn to."
“Wendy," Peter Pan continued in a voice that no woman has ever yet been able to resist, "Wendy, one girl is more use than twenty boys.”
― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
It should be mentioned that this story exemplifies women's fiction. "The Romance Writers of America organization defines women's fiction as a commercial novel about a woman on the brink of life change and personal growth. Her journey details emotional reflection and action that transforms her and her relationships with others, and includes a hopeful/upbeat ending with regard to her romantic relationship." In SSTTR, there is a love relationship but it is secondary to everything that is going on. And like other books I have been reading lately I had a problem with the last 50 or so pages. It wasn't as well-written as I expected but I still enjoyed the story.
Enchanting comes to mind to describe this upbeat adult fairy tale. It seemed that all of the characters had hardships that molded their lives. But planets collide, stars are discovered and happiness opens its doors to these wonderful people. If you are looking for a book that will have you smiling, try SECOND STAR TO THE RIGHT.
Faye O'Neill had left a very troubled marriage. She was not only looking for a new start but this family of three required a time for healing. The very few ups and many downs of their life had taken a toll.
She was hired by her old boss and given a chance to prove herself in the advertising field. Again. Except this time insecurities she thought were buried resurfaced. And she knew she had to not only prove to herself she could reenter the job market; she had to do it for her daughter and son. She is The Adult, the serious one, who has had little time for games and magic.
Over a period of weeks, Jack becomes friends with the children using, of all things, his telescope. They search the stars and planets. He got more of a rush from Maddie's inquisitive questions and Tom slowly opening up than teaching his grad students new theories. At the same time, he became aware he was attracted to Faye. "Like charges repel each other, unlike charges attract. He couldn't think of anyone more unlike himself than Faye O'Neill. Or anyone he found more drawn to."
“Wendy," Peter Pan continued in a voice that no woman has ever yet been able to resist, "Wendy, one girl is more use than twenty boys.”
― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
It should be mentioned that this story exemplifies women's fiction. "The Romance Writers of America organization defines women's fiction as a commercial novel about a woman on the brink of life change and personal growth. Her journey details emotional reflection and action that transforms her and her relationships with others, and includes a hopeful/upbeat ending with regard to her romantic relationship." In SSTTR, there is a love relationship but it is secondary to everything that is going on. And like other books I have been reading lately I had a problem with the last 50 or so pages. It wasn't as well-written as I expected but I still enjoyed the story.
Enchanting comes to mind to describe this upbeat adult fairy tale. It seemed that all of the characters had hardships that molded their lives. But planets collide, stars are discovered and happiness opens its doors to these wonderful people. If you are looking for a book that will have you smiling, try SECOND STAR TO THE RIGHT.
August 15, 2014
I believe! Thank you, Mary Alice Monroe.
November 30, 2013
I have just finished the last page of this story and though I was anxious to find out how the author was going to pull it all together, I hated to come to the end of the storyline. Mary Alice Monroe has taken a boy meets girl love story and woven threads of beloved tidbits of a childhood fantasy most of us are familiar with, at least the basics. The reader is gifted with not only the romance but the mysterious world of fantasy and the true believing that is so easy during our youth. And like a homecoming, the reader rests in the familiar aspects of that "other" story while taking in what is new! Kudos MAM for this delightful book!
December 13, 2020
Истинска неподражаема наслада ми достави тази книга .
Да бях си я поръчала, нямаше да бъде толкова по мой вкус.
Смесица от трудни житейски съдби, малко магия и приказка, любов и емпатия.
Как съм я пропуснала нямам идея. Може би ,защото предишната книга на авторката не беше убедителна на 100 %.
Едновременно нямах търпение да стигна до края , а от друга страна не исках да свършва.
"Птицата не знае дали я наричаме дрозд,
червеношийка или коприварче. Тя е просто птица. Не се съмнява, че
може да разпери криле и да полети. Питър веднъж ми каза:
Единствената причина птиците да могат да летят, а ние да не
можем, е, че те имат съвършена вяра. Защото да имаш вяра,
означава да имаш криле."
Да бях си я поръчала, нямаше да бъде толкова по мой вкус.
Смесица от трудни житейски съдби, малко магия и приказка, любов и емпатия.
Как съм я пропуснала нямам идея. Може би ,защото предишната книга на авторката не беше убедителна на 100 %.
Едновременно нямах търпение да стигна до края , а от друга страна не исках да свършва.
"Птицата не знае дали я наричаме дрозд,
червеношийка или коприварче. Тя е просто птица. Не се съмнява, че
може да разпери криле и да полети. Питър веднъж ми каза:
Единствената причина птиците да могат да летят, а ние да не
можем, е, че те имат съвършена вяра. Защото да имаш вяра,
означава да имаш криле."
March 6, 2016
What a lovely grown-up fairy tale!
Faye is a woman whose marriage has fallen apart. Her idea of family is to keep a tight reign on her young children, Maddie and Tom, and try not to let anything or anyone in. Enter her neighbors Jack and Wendy. Over the course of the book she begins to realize that not everything is black or white, not everything is explainable, and family is what you make it.
Faye is a woman whose marriage has fallen apart. Her idea of family is to keep a tight reign on her young children, Maddie and Tom, and try not to let anything or anyone in. Enter her neighbors Jack and Wendy. Over the course of the book she begins to realize that not everything is black or white, not everything is explainable, and family is what you make it.
January 5, 2016
I have never read the book Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie although I am familiar with the story. I was anxious to read Mary Alice Monroe's tale of what became of Peter Pan's Wendy. Mary Alice Monroe weaves the story filled with magic with the reality of grown up life. right from the start of the book I was living in Number 14 from the wonderful descriptions. Also, there is nothing that is predictable about the story, you have to stay with it to know what happens. There was truly magic in the house known as No. 14 in London. Wendy showed Faye, Maddie, Tom and Jack that all you had to do was believe and you would have nothing to fear.
November 13, 2015
Wendy is in her nineties now but she still sits at the window of 31 Kensington Park Gardens waiting for Peter to come back for her. Her daughter believes her to be beyond eccentric and cannot wait to be able to move her into a home. With only a nurse to take care of her, “Crazy Wendy’ really has nothing to do but sit at the window and paint her murals on the wall. But when Faye O’Neill moves into the main apartment of the converted Victorian things begin to change. Faye has no time for fanciful stories. She has moved to London with her two children to kick-start her career after leaving her abusive ex-husband. Her children however become totally enamored of Wendy and her stories. They also find a friend in handsome downstairs neighbor, Jack, a man with a few a few issues of his own and a lot of questions; one of them being why is there a picture of him as a little boy painted into Wendy’s mural?
The harder Faye tries to resist both Wendy and Jack, her children seem happiest when they are around the two unusual adults sharing the old home. Eventually, of course, she is drawn in to their magical world. But when her children disappear on a night when Wendy is watching them Faye cannot buy into the fantasy anymore … it is simply not possible that “Peter Pan” has abducted them. Is it?
“Second Star to the Right” is a fun, heartwarming read perfect for a Sunday afternoon in a comfy chair with a cup of tea … read the book and find out why it MUST be tea. It brings Mr. Barrie’s story back to life in a charming manner. All the expected characters make guest appearances that seem entirely plausible … even Nana. Of course there is a romance and even a little bit of a mystery to solve.
A charming and magical little read so why only three stars. As much as I admire Faye’s determination to make a successful life for herself and her children her willingness to foist her children off onto both Jack and Wendy left me feeling a little tepid about her character. She did redeem herself a little in the end so, maybe, three and a half stars then.
The harder Faye tries to resist both Wendy and Jack, her children seem happiest when they are around the two unusual adults sharing the old home. Eventually, of course, she is drawn in to their magical world. But when her children disappear on a night when Wendy is watching them Faye cannot buy into the fantasy anymore … it is simply not possible that “Peter Pan” has abducted them. Is it?
“Second Star to the Right” is a fun, heartwarming read perfect for a Sunday afternoon in a comfy chair with a cup of tea … read the book and find out why it MUST be tea. It brings Mr. Barrie’s story back to life in a charming manner. All the expected characters make guest appearances that seem entirely plausible … even Nana. Of course there is a romance and even a little bit of a mystery to solve.
A charming and magical little read so why only three stars. As much as I admire Faye’s determination to make a successful life for herself and her children her willingness to foist her children off onto both Jack and Wendy left me feeling a little tepid about her character. She did redeem herself a little in the end so, maybe, three and a half stars then.
August 4, 2015
It was a little slow but kept me interested enough to keep going. However, toward the end of the book the single mother recently divorced and the single scientist that lives in the flat below her decide to go on an over night trip. I can't stand books with extra marital affairs and this one was completely ridiculous! Fey is worried about her children and their father coming to take them away but she still decides to go for a weekend with a man that told her he had absolutely no intention of marrying her or staying in her life even though he made obvious relationships with the children and Fey...it was dumb! And then while she is gone the children are taken by Peter Pan to Neverland. The last part of the book was very anticlimactic and I am just glad I was listening to the book so I wasn't completely wasting my time!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 2, 2013
I thoroughly enjoyed Second Star To The Right .The story is charming.Wendy delightfully brings out the mischievousness in these darling children , that have had a rather abupt change in their lifestyle.
This story will make you realize, there are wonderful simple things to enjoy in our everyday lives..Life is too precious to pass us by, without love and friendship.
Again, this was a truly magical, lighthearted ,romantic book, that captured our inner child,wishing we all could go to Never Never land. Mary Alice Monroe has brought us as close to magic, as we will ever get.
This story will make you realize, there are wonderful simple things to enjoy in our everyday lives..Life is too precious to pass us by, without love and friendship.
Again, this was a truly magical, lighthearted ,romantic book, that captured our inner child,wishing we all could go to Never Never land. Mary Alice Monroe has brought us as close to magic, as we will ever get.
November 29, 2013
I love the books written by Mary Alice Monroe! She has a way of making you a living member of the characters and their lives. You can't put the book down if there is a crisis because you can't wait to be sure everyone is safe.
MAM took a favorite children's story of mine and made it into a current day story. As you read you find your self becoming a believer all over again!! I won't be a spoiler and telling more than that. I smiled all the while I was reading.
Thanks Mary Alice for bringing the child back to me through this book!
MAM took a favorite children's story of mine and made it into a current day story. As you read you find your self becoming a believer all over again!! I won't be a spoiler and telling more than that. I smiled all the while I was reading.
Thanks Mary Alice for bringing the child back to me through this book!
November 5, 2013
Captivates you from the very beginning. A page-turning story of a woman's fight to give her children a second chance at a good life, woven with the classic tale of the beloved story of Peter Pan. The author does an outstanding job making it fresh, believable, magical and memorable. I thought about the characters for days after reading it.
August 13, 2016
If you like romance novels with absolutely no surprises, this book is for you. As to the author, I would like her to know that people in England say more than "right, what?" To the editor: shame on you for letting this out of your hands without having a HS English student check through the flow and quotation marks.
A poorly imagined and turned out piece.
A poorly imagined and turned out piece.
December 2, 2013
This book is a gift from the heart of Mary Alice Monroe, which narrates a tender and heartwarming story that reveals insights about finding joy in our lives, even during our busiest moments.
Second Star to the Right was initially released years ago under her married name, Mary Alice Kreusi. And now many years later, it has been comprehensively revised and edited by the author.
In Second Star to the Right, Faye O’Neill, who is a single mother of two, desirous of bringing up her children under the best possible circumstances flees from her abusive husband and make a fresh beginning in London. Faye finds an appealing apartment for rent that seems almost too good to be true. She soon discovers that things are not as they seem to be at #14. The reclusive elderly tenant who is commonly known as “Crazy Wendy” spies on them from her garret-room window. Strange lights and sounds appear in the bedroom of her children, Tom and his sister Maddie. Faye also has a downstairs neighbor, Dr. Jack Graham, who happens to be a physics professor, and who she finds distractingly too handsome. And Jack is ready to take the challenge.
Second Star to the Right is a world where anything is possible, where broken hearts can be healed by one true kiss, and where “neverland” may not be a place of fables, but a forgotten land one can still find if they are only brave enough to follow the second star to the right. It is a book of happy endings and shooting stars, peopled by unforgettable characters.
Second Star to the Right is an exquisitely crafted story wherein you will experience the magic of an unforgettable love story, the healing of old wounds and the power of faith. It is a story written to move your heart!
Second Star to the Right was initially released years ago under her married name, Mary Alice Kreusi. And now many years later, it has been comprehensively revised and edited by the author.
In Second Star to the Right, Faye O’Neill, who is a single mother of two, desirous of bringing up her children under the best possible circumstances flees from her abusive husband and make a fresh beginning in London. Faye finds an appealing apartment for rent that seems almost too good to be true. She soon discovers that things are not as they seem to be at #14. The reclusive elderly tenant who is commonly known as “Crazy Wendy” spies on them from her garret-room window. Strange lights and sounds appear in the bedroom of her children, Tom and his sister Maddie. Faye also has a downstairs neighbor, Dr. Jack Graham, who happens to be a physics professor, and who she finds distractingly too handsome. And Jack is ready to take the challenge.
Second Star to the Right is a world where anything is possible, where broken hearts can be healed by one true kiss, and where “neverland” may not be a place of fables, but a forgotten land one can still find if they are only brave enough to follow the second star to the right. It is a book of happy endings and shooting stars, peopled by unforgettable characters.
Second Star to the Right is an exquisitely crafted story wherein you will experience the magic of an unforgettable love story, the healing of old wounds and the power of faith. It is a story written to move your heart!
January 20, 2016
I have seen this book on Overdrive for a few months now. The cover caught my attention, but after searching a description of the book and seeing some of the reviews I kept ignoring it. Peter Pan isn't really one of my favorite stories. However, after finishing my last book I needed something to read and this cover once again caught my eye and I thought I would give it a go. I'm so glad I did. I loved it!
What happened to Wendy Darling after The story Peter Pan? This story is about just that. Wendy is in her 90's and still believes in Peter and fairies. She's known as crazy Wendy. Even though the whole town calls her this, they also adore the old woman. A woman from the US come to live in her home that has been split into 3 separate flats. She lives on the bottom, a scientist from the states lives on the second floor and Wendy lives on the top floor, the nursery. The story is also about a woman escaping abuse and seeking to heal her children. They meet this old eccentric woman and form a little family.
Honestly, I just loved this book. I will probably end up reading it again. I love a bit of magic and mystery. I think all kids need a little magic in their lives. They're kids for such a short amount of time, might as well allow magic and fun.
What happened to Wendy Darling after The story Peter Pan? This story is about just that. Wendy is in her 90's and still believes in Peter and fairies. She's known as crazy Wendy. Even though the whole town calls her this, they also adore the old woman. A woman from the US come to live in her home that has been split into 3 separate flats. She lives on the bottom, a scientist from the states lives on the second floor and Wendy lives on the top floor, the nursery. The story is also about a woman escaping abuse and seeking to heal her children. They meet this old eccentric woman and form a little family.
Honestly, I just loved this book. I will probably end up reading it again. I love a bit of magic and mystery. I think all kids need a little magic in their lives. They're kids for such a short amount of time, might as well allow magic and fun.
November 15, 2013
Second Star to the Right by Mary Alice Monroe
Faye O'Neill and her two young children Maddie and Tom are in London as Faye has taken a new job with a top advertising agency.
The O'Neill family has gone through some rough times recently and Faye believes living as a tenant in the triplex at Number 14 will give them a fresh new start. They meet the other residents at Number 14 - visiting American professor Dr. Jack Graham, and the owner of the house Wendy Forrester, and their lives are never the same!
For those who loved the story of Peter Pan as a child, this brings back wonderful memories as well as creating new ones. I loved this and highly recommend it to anyone who wants to go back to the "Second Star to the Right" and the magic found there!
Faye O'Neill and her two young children Maddie and Tom are in London as Faye has taken a new job with a top advertising agency.
The O'Neill family has gone through some rough times recently and Faye believes living as a tenant in the triplex at Number 14 will give them a fresh new start. They meet the other residents at Number 14 - visiting American professor Dr. Jack Graham, and the owner of the house Wendy Forrester, and their lives are never the same!
For those who loved the story of Peter Pan as a child, this brings back wonderful memories as well as creating new ones. I loved this and highly recommend it to anyone who wants to go back to the "Second Star to the Right" and the magic found there!
November 6, 2017
I liked it. I enjoyed it. But this was clearly a refresher between books. I had just finished Interview with the Vampire so I did not want to read anything heavy. The story was cute, unique in it's way and had allot of potential for more action. But this is where my 3 star rating comes in: there was minimal to no action. I saw the story going easily into many different directions but it fell on a moot point. Boring. Dissapointed with the anticipation. So sure, enjoy the story but it can wait or be skipped...
January 15, 2014
I did not read this in paperback format or Kindle but as ebook.
This book is not what you normally expect from Mary Alice Monroe, but maybe we will in the future!! This is a book full of fantasy and dreams and I really liked this book, it made me want to read Peter Pan the novel which I always thought I had but no I must have only seen the movie and you know the saying "The Book Is Always Better". I can't imagine this but I must now read it!!!
This book is not what you normally expect from Mary Alice Monroe, but maybe we will in the future!! This is a book full of fantasy and dreams and I really liked this book, it made me want to read Peter Pan the novel which I always thought I had but no I must have only seen the movie and you know the saying "The Book Is Always Better". I can't imagine this but I must now read it!!!
September 6, 2014
I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. I don't normally do romances, but since this had a magical element, it was really appealing. The only trouble I had is with how perfect physically the main protagonists were. This seems typical of most romances. It was refreshing not to have all the usual steamy sex (not that I really mind this). It was about friendship, faith, and burgeoning love.
November 15, 2013
This book had me hooked from the start. I could close my eyes and picture the house and garden! I love having Peter Pan involved. It was a great mixture of reality and fantasy . As I got closer to the end, I didn't want the book to be over. I would highly recommend this book. Thank you Mary Alice for another great read!
November 25, 2013
This book opened my eyes to the miracle of having faith. To how fast our children grow and the smiles on their faces that warm our hearts! It also reminds us that we need to open our hearts and minds to things beyond our knowledge. It is a wonderful story of a acceptance, love and longing, that will warm your heart and soul! Just because we are grown up doesn't mean we can't believe!
November 26, 2013
So often we grow older and forget the magic of our childhood. Second Star to the Right made me reach deep and bring my inner-child back to life. What a wonderful story about love and hope. Mary Alice Monroe is a master storyteller and this heartwarming story will make you realize that you may have a fairy on your shoulder- you just have to believe.
November 18, 2013
Mary Alice Monroe combines fantasy with reality and does a wonderful job intertwining the two! I couldn't put this book down! Creativity abounds with this read. It is imaginative and very descriptive and makes the reader want to believe in fairytales! A must read as all if MAM's books are!
November 30, 2013
Threads of magic woven into the universal realities of life make for this wonderful read! Mary Alice Monroe once again creates characters we quickly grow to love. I happily recommend this book! It will spark your imagination and lead you on a quest for life's magic.
October 25, 2008
Is the old lady upstairs really Wendy Darling? Are there fireflies in the garden or are they fairies? Just enough hints of the Peter Pan stories grounded in modern day London.
December 1, 2013
Mary Alice Monroe once again takes us someplace where we want to go. A place filled with hope, happiness, and love, with a little bit of magic sprinkled on top.
December 13, 2013
A Hallmark movie channel like novel, in a good way.
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