Sometimes the shadows whisper. Sometimes I whisper back.
When Wendy's parents made a bargain with a Fate to save her from a deathly illness as a child, they thought the terms were Marry her off before her twentieth birthday or else deliver her over to the Shadow Keeper.
But when a Mating Mark appears on Wendy's skin, finding a husband becomes a tad more complicated. After all, no one wants a wife mated to another man.
As Wendy's twentieth birthday approaches and she's yet to find a man who will take her, she and her parents throw a masquerade ball in a last ditch effort to free her from her curse.
But nothing is as it seems, and when disaster strikes, Wendy must choose between running from the shadows and embracing them.
Losing Wendy is a dark fantasy Peter Pan reimagining with fated mates, slow-burn enemies to lovers romance, winged fae, and a chilling mystery haunting Neverland.
Oh gosh, where to begin? I only made it 50 pages into the book and I was done. First, it has a very creepy and weird vibe. Second, she is kidnapped by a fae who she is supposed to fall in love with. He is disgusting and tells her parents to kill themselves in front of her and her brothers. And they do and that is just gross! Also, an older man was getting handsy with Wendy while dancing. 🤢 I couldn’t continue reading as I didn’t even care about the characters and this is nothing like a Peter Pan retellings should be written. And from other reviews that I’ve read this book only gets way worse. 😬
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This book was a real rollercoaster! I enjoyed it very much!
In this book we follow Wendy. Wendy's parents made a deal with a fate when Wendy was a baby and near death. If she is not married by her 20th birthday, she becomes the property of the shadow keeper. Finding a man is quite difficult when you have a mating mark on your face. No man wants a woman who actually belongs to someone else. As a last resort, her parents organize a masquerade ball in the hope of quickly finding a husband for Wendy. But that's when disaster strikes..
Wendy is a well thought out character and is just a little bit different from other fmc's. you have 3 different stress reactions. Fight, flight and freeze. Wendy's stress response is freeze. And that makes her so believable for me! I often felt connected to Wendy. She had character traits that I recognized in myself!
I hate him for making me like him, then shattering me.
The side characters all have their own story and personality. Some are more fun than others.
Soon the story comes to a point where a murder mystery must be solved. I suspected almost everyone 🤣 but my first idea turned out to be (partly) correct!
The book has a fast pacing and you really fly through it! The details have also been carefully taken care of, making it a real Peter Pan retelling.
There is no spice but there is tension between the main characters. And there are so many secrets. I can't wait for book 2 because I still have so many questions!
What can you expect: 🖤dark Peter Pan retelling 🖤no spice 🖤single pov 🖤a lot of secrets 🖤murder mystery 🖤tension 🖤realistic fmc 🖤autism rep (her little brother) 🖤fantasy 🖤deal with 'the devil' 🖤Fated mates 🖤 trauma
I just couldn’t anymore. The storyline is there. The mystery as well but this book is dragging FOR ME. 29 chapters in I don’t see the appeal of Peter and I was more interested in the mystery that is unfolding but I’m tired of waiting for more clues and character progression
This whole series had me in a complete chokehold the entire time. The twistiest plot twists and yeah, I cried for everyone! Read all four books in about three days.
Definitely a dark fairy tale- has some triggers for sensitive readers. No swearing or open door scenes.
Hot pirates, hot fairies, mates and a slow burn romance!! What more could you ask for? In no way, shape or form did I guess the ending. Fairytale retellings are not usually my thing - but I did like how this was done. There were nods to the original fairytale but this story was unique.
This book had excellent twists and turns. At no point was I bored reading this book. It seemed like poor Wendy just could not catch a break. I cannot wait to get my hands on the second book!
This book is a 10/10 and I will be anxiously awaiting the next book in this series! As someone who has loved the story of Peter Pan her entire life, this is a retelling that I never knew I needed and one I am so thankful T.A. Lawrence has created! This book (as I told a friend) made me “very happy in a weird and twisted sort of way” as it is dark, yet so well written and honestly captivating! I could NOT put this book down and found myself holding my breath throughout the whole thing!
From the cliffhangers, to the smack you in the face plot twists, this book is not at all what I was expecting but everything I could have asked for plus so so much more!
I will be recommending it to EVERYONE from now until forever!
Thank you, T.A. Lawrence for creating another world that keeps me on the edge of my seat constantly; though I am a little angry (not actually;))with yet another cliff hanger ending! Oh well, I will just have to turn on my notifications for a book two update!
Wow. This is an intense and dark retelling of Peter Pan. Wendy is the narrator in this novel. Due to a bargain made by her parents when she was young that saved her life, she was cursed to be taken by a “shadow maker” figure on her twentieth birthday. The only way out is to get married before then. However, a golden mark appears on her face that lets the world know that she is one of the few in the world who has a mate. No one wants to marry a woman who has a mate no matter how rare it is to be fulfilled. So she is in a bit of a pickle and is stuck facing a terrifying future.
This story moves along in such an unpredictable way. I could not tell you what was happening next as so much insanity kept happening. Wendy as the narrator was frustrating as she was clueless. She had limited information and was finding things out so slowly. Since she was an unreliable narrator you had to scramble along and try not to gasp too much. And yes, there were a lot of twists and turns that made me gasp. I’m still not sure how this series will go!
This book had pirates, fairy dust, Neverland, Peter Pan with wings?!?, psycho Tink?!?, and the Lost Boys. John and Micheal, Wendy’s brothers, are major characters. I loved how Micheal was neurodivergent and the only character I liked by the end.
Big trigger ⚠️ warning. There is mention of SA towards women and children. It’s not detailed or long but it’s there. I wish there was a warning in the front of the book to prepare readers. Take care of yourself when reading!
I did enjoy the book and gave it 5 stars because it was well written and enthralling. Buckle up and be thrown into an adventure!
Ovo je bilo veoma mračno, uz zanimljiv pristup i preokrete, mada su uočljivi ACOTAR vibes (fated mates, Wendy Darling = Feyre darling, Tamlin vs Rhysand = Peter vs Captain). Got me Hooked. 🔥
The fact this book took me just shy of a month to complete was astounding, I’m not here to hate on it but this gave me “first published book” vibes. I had high hopes in the first 100 pages but it was an absolute train wreck from there. If you want to read a story about a girl who’s parents forced her into prostitution at the age of 16 in hopes of marrying her off after making a deal with some fate to sell her away to Peter Pan aka male tinker bell (because of the fact he had wings in this adaptation) which actually turned out to be a vacation in the Bahamas compared to the hell her parents put her through until suddenly a new character showed up dead every other chapter and to make matters worse the lost boys where not in fact orphans but actually blood thirsty psychopaths who are far from likable just for the fact you just learned everyone’s names and then suddenly yep they’re dead or yep they just killed the last the character over a spit in the backyard. The amount of plot holes would take just about every spare inch of fabric in the world to patch up. I hated every character except for maybe the smallest brother he was alright. Wendy was a very pick me girl protagonist who constantly wondered why she always in danger and constantly complaining about it even tho she put herself into each said situation. The fact I have given it two stars is mercy the writing style was very unique and that’s what kept me going through most of the book. Would I recommend probably not but it was fun to pick apart at times. I have other books by this author and I hope they turn out better.
While this book might deserve a one-star rating, I generously added an extra star for its unrealized potential.
I slogged through 18 chapters before I threw in the towel. Wendy, our protagonist, is an insufferable martyr with all the charm of a stale Pringle.
The autism trope, intended to add depth, did nothing but detract from the storyline. It felt like the author was perched on a high horse, self-appointed as the ultimate educator on the intricacies of the autism spectrum.
Peter, on the other hand, is so immature and childish that it’s a mystery how any woman could find him attractive or desirable.
In a desperate bid to find something redeeming, I skipped to the last three chapters. Turns out, I didn’t need the other pesky 35 chapters after all—the ending neatly recaps and resolves the “whodunit.”
Needless to say, I won’t be picking up the sequel.
Starting out, I’m a sucker for a good Peter Pan retelling. The original Disney version got its claws into me as a child, and I’m now forever enamoured with retelling the story of the Darling kids and the incorrigible Peter Pan. This is by far the darkest retelling of the story I’ve ever read. (It’s dark fantasy, not dark romance—yes there is a difference & the author’s note explains that helpfully.) For those curious, there’s no spice and no language. BUT there is content (I’ll note it below) and it’s an ADULT read—I definitely wouldn’t recommend for under 18.
Now for the good stuff. I enjoyed the world building, the twists, the mystery (even if it made me sad), the Darling kids (bless precious little Michael). Lawrence sets the world up in such a compelling way, even if Neverland is unrecognisable as the cheery place we knew as kids. Michael’s struggles (autism presumably) are handled so well. And Wendy’s mental battle against the shadows feels real for anyone who’s battled mental illness.
Now for the other thoughts… from what I can gather Peter Pan and Captain Nolan are set up as potential love interests. As morally grey as these men are, they’re also red flags. This is a five book series, so I’m going to assume redemption is in the cards. But for now, no, my dudes. You did Wendy dirty.
As mentioned this is a dark fantasy, and yeah, it’s gruesome. Gore and violence aren’t commended, but it’s there, and murder plays a big part of the plot and we get some of those details (slitting throats, decaying bodies, stab victims, cutting off fingers, etc.) I mentioned earlier there’s no spice, and I stand by that. However, there is content of a sexual nature (passionate kissing, touching, SA in past, see the content section below for details). If you’re sensitive to this kinda stuff, this might not be the series for you.
Conclusion? I’m curious enough to read the second volume. Not gonna lie, I read most of the story before bed and that was horrible for my chronic nightmares. So ya know, not gonna do that again, haha. I’m interested to see how Lawerence can spin this struggle against the darkness into light and hope—particularly for Wendy and John.
TW/Content: *NOTE: may contain spoilers
Sexual Content •man gets handsy with Wendy while dancing; he insinuates he’s had 5 wives but never an heir so he knows it’s his infertility but he’s still looking forward to the pleasure of 6th wife •passionate kissing & roaming hands between Wendy & Peter (areas not described, but Wendy stops Peter from playing with the buttons on her pants/dress because she wants to wait till she’s married—Peter isn’t thrilled) •several mentions of desire •Peter’s master asks him how many times he’s “taken” Wendy & he confesses it’s not from lack of desire but wanting to woo her first •some innuendo •Wendy forced by her mother to proposition men into touching her and leave them “wanting more” to force their hand into asking her to marry them; now Wendy hates being vulnerable like that •Wendy let’s Peter take her to his bed, him thinking s*x, but she doesn’t let him do anything and instead drugs him with faerie dust to steal Lost Boys away •brief mention of a woman’s sensual curves •nondescript mentions of the Lost Boys being SA by male staff at the orphanage previously before they made it to Neverland
Violent/Gore •one of the Lost Boys like to torture rats •Wendy gets “high” on faerie dust •the Lost Boys are getting murdered one by one (stabbing, slit throat, etc.) •Tink attempts to drown Wendy •murderous rampage of a killer •Wendy kills a man trying to kill Peter •attempted accidental strangling after a nightmare
I have never read anything labeled as a dark fantasy before, so I was a little unsure if I was going to like this going in, but I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Peter Pan is one of my favorite fairytales, and I love reading unique takes on it, and this is a very unique retelling. I don't want to give away too many spoilers, so this review is gonna be pretty short and focused more on the characters than the plot.
Wendy is the FMC and the narrator in this book. Her whole life she has known that when she turns 20 if she is not married, the Shadow Keeper will come and steal her away. This is due to a life-saving bargain her parents made with a mysterious figure when she was a child. This should be no problem; just get married before she turns 20, easy-peasy, except for one little problem--she has a mating mark and no one wants to marry a woman who has been claimed by fate.
The two MMCs are Peter (the aforementioned Shadow Keeper) and Captain Nolan Astor. Both of these men make Wendy question everything she has ever known, but they also both have dark and dangerous secrets that Wendy is not sure she wants to discover.
Lastly, Wendy has two younger brothers, John and Michael. John is just a few years younger than Wendy and has tried to protect her his whole life. Michael is much younger than both of them and has trouble communicating with others, making Wendy and John almost like parents to him than siblings.
The one thing I do want to mention about the plot is that there are mentions of SA. Nothing is explicit; mostly the book deals with how the characters are affected by it, but the book did not include anything about this at the beginning, and I would have liked to know about it going in.
Last thoughts..I loved this book, the characters, the plot. It was engaging and had just the right amount of mystery and magic. The one thing that I would have liked more of was romance, but that's really just a me thing
I'm always a fan of an interesting take on the retelling of a classic story, and this did not disappoint. It is dark, I won't argue on that front, but for anyone who might be reading this: Watch your triggers, they do have a tendency to knock the wind out of you in this book because they come in plot twists or after happy moments. I'm pleasantly impressed by the twists this story took, I find with most fairy tale retellings you know where the story is going the majority of the time but this one kept me on my toes. The way dialogue is written in this, I enjoy, because it really adds to the plot instead of acting as filler to get free money scene to the next. Solid read, I'm into the next one now!
I have never been interested in reading fantasy before, but seeing the reviews on this book, I wanted to give it a try. I am glad I did! It's definitely a book full of twists and turns, and I had so many ideas and assumptions about how things would play out and end and let me just say, I was completely wrong. I love it when I can't guess the ending of a book. Will definitely be reading the next one in the series.
Losing Wendy by T.A. Lawrence is marketed as a dark Peter Pan retelling, but it feels more like a gray Young Adult (YA) novel than the New Adult (NA) story it claims to be. While the premise is intriguing, the execution falls short of delivering the darker themes and mature tone I wanted from an NA retelling.
The characters, while not entirely lighthearted, lack the truly dark edge. Their motivations are semi-justified, which is not the amoral dark retelling I was looking for. There is also no spice in the book, which left me feeling underwhelmed.
The pacing is another issue. The story feels like an extended setup for a sequel, with little payoff in this installment. I kept waiting for the story to get to the good part, but it never quite delivered.
Wendy is particularly disappointing. Although she’s supposed to be 20 years old, and has been exposed to SA, her personality and behavior feel more coded to someone who is 15 or 16. While her sheltered background is meant to explain her naivety, it comes across as excessive and grating. A vapid protagonist with little depth makes it difficult to stay invested in the story.
Overall, Losing Wendy doesn't live up to its marketing as a dark, mature retelling which left me disappointed. However if you're looking for a morally grey YA this might hit it's stride here.
T.A. Lawrence is seriously one of the best writers. Her imagination is insane. I love darker books but it is so hard to find them without explicit content. The closed door books that claim to be dark are usually never that dark. Losing Wendy definitely earns its dark romance label and I am here for it. There were so many twists and turns in this book. Just when you think you know the answer, you’re thrown for a loop and proven to be wrong. Nothing is black and white. The characters are so complex and you don’t know who you’re supposed to be rooting for. No one is safe. This book is gut wrenchingly fantastic. I went through so many emotions reading this book. It’s going to stick with me for a long time. Great way to start the series and I cannot wait to find out what happens next.
*I was sent a complementary copy of the book with no expectations of a favorable review. All thoughts are my own.
MY HEART. 5/5 dark fantasy neverland, Peter Pan spin off, tugs at the heart strings constantly, lord of the flies meets dark fantasy world meets “who is the real villain will someone explain this to me 😭” meets who murdered who help what is happening.
I feel like I’ve now read 3 different Peter Pan retellings and they’ve all been different in their own ways! (Which, yay!) but then I had seen that she’s anticipating 6??? books in this series?! Ah! 🥲
Anyways, so many questions and confusion in all the best ways
Spice <1 and I had seen on IG that I think she’s planning to keep things closed door / minimal ! But where there isn’t spice there most certainly is violence so just keep that in mind if you’re sensitive in that capacity 😳
I am a sucker for all things fairytale retellings, not to mention an enemies to lovers, so when I saw Dark Fantasy No-spice Peter Pan Retelling with that trope being front and center, I was sold! This was one of those spur of the moment mood reads where I just decided to pick it up and give it a go, and I very quickly fell in love with this story, the world, and was sucked in!
I really enjoyed how it took the classic peter pan story and made it a little more grown up, a little darker and creepier. Peter pan is a shadow man who has been haunting the FMC since she was little. It's very fast-paced with lots of action right off the back. Of course we get introduced to the characters and learn a little bit about the situation but even that is in the middle of the big moments in the character's life. This is my favorite way for a story be done too, put me in the middle of the chaos and catch me up along the way, as long as it's not confusingly written or with loads of worldbuilding right off the bat. And this one delivered so well for me in that department, the atmosphere it gives is perfection, there is no info dumps but instead you gradually learn about the past, the world, histories, and what is really happening. There are so many secrets, mysteries, the plot twists were incredible and shocking.
I also like how bad things do actually happen, these characters suffer, life is not easy, they have to fight, outsmart enemies, discover the truth all while the world they knew crumbles around them. But it also has strong sibling bonds, some humor, and the cling to hope, desperately trying to find the light in the dark. The other thing is that the enemies to lovers part is complicated but perfect I promise, plus all the tension you could want!
So the way I thought this book was gonna go romantically wise was kind of disappointing because I don't love the love interest and to be honest I thought her and the villain had more chemistry lol but by the end I was definitely questioning the outcome because there is 3 more books after this.
Wendy the FMC, she is broken and hurt from her past, which she alludes to without actually giving info many times, until the end of the book, so that lent to the intrigue wonderfully. But she is also incredibly brave, and strong though her suffering takes its toll and she doesn't always deal with it in the best way. But she loves deeply, and will do anything for those she cares about. And all she really wants in life is to be loved back, and hence her relationship with Peter.
I don't have much to say on Peter I feel like he is sometimes absent from this story, and true to the original he makes Wendy the "mother" to the lost boys so it mostly focuses on her time with them. But he is kind of like a little boy who likes adventure, fun, shiny new things, and adrenaline rushes. But he also has shadow powers and a dark past of his own so there is that 😂
Oh I can't forget the World Building!! This Neverland is nothing like I've seen before, it's spooky but also beautiful, it has shadows that are basically painful memories embodied, a mute vengeful Tinkerbell and while Captain Hook is trying to get revenge, he isn't supposed to be able to get in as this neverland is it's own realm and sealed off from the rest of the world. (I know that sounds like the original but I can't explain it well but once you read it you'll understand better) Just everything about this world is so fleshed out, multi-layered, and amazing, I wish I could explain better without giving spoilers but I don't think I can😭
There is also a lot of loveable side characters like Wendy's brothers and the lost boys. A couple of them are...interesting maybe even creepy but the more I read the more I learned about them and came to love them right alongside Wendy.
So much happens in this book I couldn't put it done, I promise it is so chalk full of suspense, intrigue, heart pounding moments it kept me up much to late! I also immediately jumped into the second book because this one ends on a pretty mean cliffhanger. And it's only book one!
Content Warnings: No-Spice/kisses only, No swearing, Innuendos, Past SA and abuse, Murder (When it comes to the death/murder it tells you what happens and it talks about the blood and wounds but doesn't linger too long ) Death of Loved ones, Violence, Addiction, Dark themes overall.
This book wasn’t what I thought it would be but in a good way. I loved that the author leaned into the faerie side of Peter Pan and that we got to see more characters within that world. I also appreciated that while this is a darker retelling of Peter Pan, it wasn’t so dark that it became too much.
I loved Wendy’s perspective of the book. I thought her character was really interesting and that her growth was done well. Peter’s character is very interesting to me and I’m very excited to learn more about him.
I feel like there is more to Captain Astor (aka Captain Hook) character and I’m hoping I will learn more about him in book two. The overall concept of Neverland was not what I was expecting and that was a fun little twist to read.
The ending was the perfect amount of tense and jaw dropping. I did not see that coming and am ready to dive into book two immediately. Overall this is a fun and very interesting book and I’m excited to continue with the series.
You’ll enjoy this book if you like: •Fairytale Retelling •Fae •Dark Fantasy •Fated Mates
WOW. Ok just wow. I’m a massive Peter Pan fan (specifically the 2003 movie version) and I didn’t even know I had a Peter Pan dark fantasy itch until this book!
It was so well done. The writing is SUPERB (albeit a tad wordy with some of the analogies) and I was transported every time I opened the book!
There are some really heavy topics that I wasn’t expecting (didn’t read the triggers at all haha) but that along with the twists the author did made for a very adult and fresh version of the original story. I also loved the murder mystery that happens too!?
Overall I didn’t have any expectations for this book and it completely took me by surprise in the best way. I’m immediately starting the second one, and I WILL find a way to get an ARC for the third bc I really can’t wait until April🥲
Now that I’ve finished book two, I want to come back and update this review!
Overall - I found this plot SO interesting. I read this book in one sitting because I was so invested in seeing how everything played out. I thought all of the moving parts came together in such a fascinating way!! But I’m feeling a little 🫠 after finishing book two, so it’s making me have some doubts about book one
So if you typically feel the way I do about books, I don’t think this series is for you. If you don’t feel the way I do, then this may be a fun read for you! I just don’t love how the second book ended, so I feel like that is clouding how I feel about both books now
p.s. please check trigger warnings because this one is a little more intense than what I usually review, so wanted to give that heads up
I feel like I’m going to go mad while waiting to read the next book—that was INSANITY. Plot twists and character arcs and themes that match if not rival SJM…I devOURed the last half in one day.
I feel like this was marching in faintest echoes with ACOTAR…I’m waiting to see how my suspicions pan out…
I am always a huge fan of creative retellings of classic tales, and this one did not disappoint. The plot of this book was very engaging, and I enjoyed the mind-twisting mystery associated with Neverland. I absolutely loved the characters and their tragic backstories. 10/10 would recommend
Ok at first I was like this is like eh BUT THEN IT TOOK ME ON A FREAKING ROLLER COASTER OF EMOTIONS HELLO?!?!! AND THEN ITS JUST GONNA FREAKING END LIKE THAT?!? Wellllllshiiiiiiiiit. Loved.
One of the better Peter Pan retelling. I will be diving into book 2!! I'm just hoping Wendy gets some fight in her and stops waiting to be saved by someone else