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Legends of Neverland #5
Seeking Revenge: A Villainous Goldilocks Retelling
Villains aren’t given second chances; they take them.
Jillian learned the hard way that gold talks and mercy gets you killed. Left behind when her family was sold into slavery, she survived the streets with nothing but quick fists and even quicker lies. Now a bounty hunter cloaked in deception, Jillian lives disguised as a teenage boy to infiltrate the criminal underworld that destroyed her life.
She doesn’t care who she has to catch, con, or kill—every coin earned is a step closer to revenge, and a step closer to tracking down the ones who tore her family apart.
Her newest job leads her straight to the den of the most notorious crime ring in Berkway. Headed by 3 ruthless bandits, the crime ring is brutal, untouchable, and sitting on more secrets than gold. Going undercover and extracting her target was supposed to be simple, but when one of the bandits discovers Jillian’s secret, her safety is threatened, lies become tangled, and Lochlan’s growing interest threatens to unravel everything she’s fought to keep hidden.
Jillian’s mission demands blood, but her heart is begging her to remember she still has one.
In a world where trust is a trap and vengeance is survival, love is a deadly weakness Jillian cannot afford.
Seeking Revenge is the fifth book in the Legends of Neverland series and it is recommended to read the other books in chronological order prior to this one. If you enjoy adventure, villains, and damsels who distress others, start Seeking Revenge today!
Jillian learned the hard way that gold talks and mercy gets you killed. Left behind when her family was sold into slavery, she survived the streets with nothing but quick fists and even quicker lies. Now a bounty hunter cloaked in deception, Jillian lives disguised as a teenage boy to infiltrate the criminal underworld that destroyed her life.
She doesn’t care who she has to catch, con, or kill—every coin earned is a step closer to revenge, and a step closer to tracking down the ones who tore her family apart.
Her newest job leads her straight to the den of the most notorious crime ring in Berkway. Headed by 3 ruthless bandits, the crime ring is brutal, untouchable, and sitting on more secrets than gold. Going undercover and extracting her target was supposed to be simple, but when one of the bandits discovers Jillian’s secret, her safety is threatened, lies become tangled, and Lochlan’s growing interest threatens to unravel everything she’s fought to keep hidden.
Jillian’s mission demands blood, but her heart is begging her to remember she still has one.
In a world where trust is a trap and vengeance is survival, love is a deadly weakness Jillian cannot afford.
Seeking Revenge is the fifth book in the Legends of Neverland series and it is recommended to read the other books in chronological order prior to this one. If you enjoy adventure, villains, and damsels who distress others, start Seeking Revenge today!
326 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 2, 2026
About the author
Mary Mecham
21 books973 followersMary Mecham writes high stakes, high swoon, no spice romantasy and fairy tale retellings packed full of adventure and romances. Her greatest joy is writing snarky banter and morally grey characters.
She is a born and raised Texan with a love of theater and books overshadowed only by her passion for disability advocacy. Her favorite food is chips and queso, her favorite holiday is April Fool's Day, and her favorite trope is enemies to lovers.
When she isn't writing, Mary enjoys spending time with her family and trying out new experiences, from fire breathing and axe throwing to trapeze flying and power paragliding.
She currently lives in Texas with her husband and three children.
You can get a FREE e-copy of her Rumpelstiltskin retelling, A Curse of Gold and Beauty, when you sign up for her newsletter at MaryMecham.com
She is a born and raised Texan with a love of theater and books overshadowed only by her passion for disability advocacy. Her favorite food is chips and queso, her favorite holiday is April Fool's Day, and her favorite trope is enemies to lovers.
When she isn't writing, Mary enjoys spending time with her family and trying out new experiences, from fire breathing and axe throwing to trapeze flying and power paragliding.
She currently lives in Texas with her husband and three children.
You can get a FREE e-copy of her Rumpelstiltskin retelling, A Curse of Gold and Beauty, when you sign up for her newsletter at MaryMecham.com
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 220 reviews
May 22, 2026
Ahhhhhh!!!! I’m SO HAPPY to have received an ARC copy for this book. Literally made my entire day and I knew I had to start reading immediately.
It was so good. Definitely one of my favorites from Legends of Neverland so far! Every time I pick a book up from this author I know I’m promised a good, no spice, swoony, epic, adventurous tale that will keep me enraptured and entertained the entire time!
The characters were good, I really liked them, especially Lachlan and Gil. They were pretty great. I did like the side characters though as well, and loved seeing how their arcs all unfolded!
The plot was a bit slow at first but it never bored me, there were too many interesting things happening. It felt cozy yet suspenseful at the same time!
There was just enough action and romance to keep me happily engaged and giggling.
I loveeeee the romance it was so innocent and sweet.
Content:
Mentions of drugs, blood, violence, no-spice kisses only and swoony romance, characters share a bed but there is nothing inappropriate that happens, mentions of slavery and slaves on page
It was so good. Definitely one of my favorites from Legends of Neverland so far! Every time I pick a book up from this author I know I’m promised a good, no spice, swoony, epic, adventurous tale that will keep me enraptured and entertained the entire time!
The characters were good, I really liked them, especially Lachlan and Gil. They were pretty great. I did like the side characters though as well, and loved seeing how their arcs all unfolded!
The plot was a bit slow at first but it never bored me, there were too many interesting things happening. It felt cozy yet suspenseful at the same time!
There was just enough action and romance to keep me happily engaged and giggling.
I loveeeee the romance it was so innocent and sweet.
Content:
Mentions of drugs, blood, violence, no-spice kisses only and swoony romance, characters share a bed but there is nothing inappropriate that happens, mentions of slavery and slaves on page
June 3, 2026
݁ ˖ﾟ.⋆⁺₊⋆ ݁ ˖ﾟ. ⁺₊⋆ ݁ ˖ﾟ.݁ ˖ﾟ.⋆⁺₊⋆ ݁ ˖ﾟ. ⁺₊⋆ ݁ ˖ﾟ.݁ ˖ﾟ.⋆⁺₊⋆ ݁
Now Playing ♡ Alessandra Mele - Queen of Kings
1:29 ──●── 3:59
Pre read: I can't wait! The cover 🥰 I have to wait like a year 😭 I'm so excited ahhhh!!!!!
I really enjoyed this but it had a lot of cliches that Mary Mecham’s other books didn't have so that was a little disappointing but I still loved it regardless. I'm so excited for the next book in this series to release!
She, queen of the kings, runnin' so fast, beatin' the wind. Nothin' in this world can stop the spread of her wings. She, queen of the kings, broken her cage, threw out the keys
The Characters
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jillian ~ I really liked her.
Lochlan ~ he was ok
Peter Pan ~ ok so I kinda loved him but he was also horrible at times so idk. Also he has the biggest crush on princess Tess and he's so protective of her!
Roderick Vane ~ I didn't like him.
Tinkerbell ~ I still loved her obviously.
James ~ same as Tinkerbell I still adored him.
Tess ~ she was still so sweet! On of my favorites
She, queen of the kings, runnin' so fast, beatin' the wind. Nothin' in this world can stop the spread of her wings. She, queen of the kings, broken her cage, threw out the keys
What To Expect
🧶Hidden Identity
🧶Wound Tending
🧶Stabby FMC
🧶MMC Who Knits
🧶 She Wears His Clothes
🧶One Bed (And It's Just Right!)
She will be the warrior of the North and Southern Seas
Quotes
~~~~~~~
“I’d let myself fantasize about romance, I’d always assumed there would be flowers and poetry and walks around lakes, and all of that seemed like a foreign world and not at all like myself. But skulking around in underground tunnels, dressed in boys’ clothing and hiding with a fellow outlaw as the Nightsworn searched for Syndicate members? That was a kiss perfect for me. Lochlan was perfect for me”
“May I kiss you?” Lochlan breathed. My heart was going to pound right out of my chest. He wanted to kiss me. He wanted to kiss me right now, and I wasn’t sure what to do. I had nothing to offer him. I wasn’t feminine, I had been masquerading as a boy for the past fifteen years, I had no idea how to kiss correctly… and yet I didn’t care about any of that. “Yes,” I whispered, terrified and thrilled at the same time.”
“Of course it had to be the one good-looking man I knew, who thought of me as an annoying little brother.”
“Just forget that I’m anything other than a young teenage boy.” He gave me a baleful look. “I can’t do that.” I skipped a breath. “You have to.” “Maybe I don’t want to.”
“Sorry, this is probably the least romantic bed in the world,” Lochlan mumbled. “I disagree,” I said, snuggling in closer to rest on Lochlan’s shoulder. He wrapped his other arm around me and I closed my eyes. “I think this bed is just right.”
Got raven hair, it's dark as night Icy eyes, outta sight, outta sight. Her heart, in spite, is warm and bright. Her smile awakes the Northern Light
Content
~~~~~~~
❤️🔥Romance| a couple kissing scenes with minimal details, blushing, touching (PG level),
🤬Language| none,
🗡️Violence| hitting, fighting, punching,
🏳️🌈LGBTQ| Peter dresses like a girl as a disguise,
✝️Religion/Spirituality| none
🍷Alcohol/Drugs| mentions of drugs, drugging people, multiple characters are drug dealers
⚠️Other| human trafficking (none graphic), slavery, pregnancy, robbery, forced vomiting (sticking fingers in the back of throat to gag yourself), medical treatment, wound tending, blood, death of parent, divorce,
Now Playing ♡ Alessandra Mele - Queen of Kings
1:29 ──●── 3:59
Pre read: I can't wait! The cover 🥰 I have to wait like a year 😭 I'm so excited ahhhh!!!!!
I really enjoyed this but it had a lot of cliches that Mary Mecham’s other books didn't have so that was a little disappointing but I still loved it regardless. I'm so excited for the next book in this series to release!
She, queen of the kings, runnin' so fast, beatin' the wind. Nothin' in this world can stop the spread of her wings. She, queen of the kings, broken her cage, threw out the keys
The Characters
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jillian ~ I really liked her.
Lochlan ~ he was ok
Peter Pan ~ ok so I kinda loved him but he was also horrible at times so idk. Also he has the biggest crush on princess Tess and he's so protective of her!
Roderick Vane ~ I didn't like him.
Tinkerbell ~ I still loved her obviously.
James ~ same as Tinkerbell I still adored him.
Tess ~ she was still so sweet! On of my favorites
She, queen of the kings, runnin' so fast, beatin' the wind. Nothin' in this world can stop the spread of her wings. She, queen of the kings, broken her cage, threw out the keys
What To Expect
🧶Hidden Identity
🧶Wound Tending
🧶Stabby FMC
🧶MMC Who Knits
🧶 She Wears His Clothes
🧶One Bed (And It's Just Right!)
She will be the warrior of the North and Southern Seas
Quotes
~~~~~~~
“I’d let myself fantasize about romance, I’d always assumed there would be flowers and poetry and walks around lakes, and all of that seemed like a foreign world and not at all like myself. But skulking around in underground tunnels, dressed in boys’ clothing and hiding with a fellow outlaw as the Nightsworn searched for Syndicate members? That was a kiss perfect for me. Lochlan was perfect for me”
“May I kiss you?” Lochlan breathed. My heart was going to pound right out of my chest. He wanted to kiss me. He wanted to kiss me right now, and I wasn’t sure what to do. I had nothing to offer him. I wasn’t feminine, I had been masquerading as a boy for the past fifteen years, I had no idea how to kiss correctly… and yet I didn’t care about any of that. “Yes,” I whispered, terrified and thrilled at the same time.”
“Of course it had to be the one good-looking man I knew, who thought of me as an annoying little brother.”
“Just forget that I’m anything other than a young teenage boy.” He gave me a baleful look. “I can’t do that.” I skipped a breath. “You have to.” “Maybe I don’t want to.”
“Sorry, this is probably the least romantic bed in the world,” Lochlan mumbled. “I disagree,” I said, snuggling in closer to rest on Lochlan’s shoulder. He wrapped his other arm around me and I closed my eyes. “I think this bed is just right.”
Got raven hair, it's dark as night Icy eyes, outta sight, outta sight. Her heart, in spite, is warm and bright. Her smile awakes the Northern Light
Content
~~~~~~~
❤️🔥Romance| a couple kissing scenes with minimal details, blushing, touching (PG level),
🤬Language| none,
🗡️Violence| hitting, fighting, punching,
🏳️🌈LGBTQ| Peter dresses like a girl as a disguise,
✝️Religion/Spirituality| none
🍷Alcohol/Drugs| mentions of drugs, drugging people, multiple characters are drug dealers
⚠️Other| human trafficking (none graphic), slavery, pregnancy, robbery, forced vomiting (sticking fingers in the back of throat to gag yourself), medical treatment, wound tending, blood, death of parent, divorce,
May 26, 2026
Overview:
Language 🤐: None
Romance ❤️🔥: Kissing only LV 2 (longer kiss lightly descriptive)
Violence ⚔️: Our FMC is a bounty hunter and gets some bounties. I’d say fantasy violence, PG-13 at the worst but honestly didn’t feel like any of the fighting was overly descriptive there is on page death light description of blood
⚠️Kidnapping, Slave, Human trafficking, Abuse, drugs, harassment honestly all of this pretty lightly descriptive in my opinion⚠️
Tropes/Micro tropes
- Single POV
- Hidden Identities
- Slow Burn
- Wound Tending
- Stabby FMC
- MMC can knit
- Wears His clothes
- One Bed
My Thoughts:
Oh man Mary does it again! I absolutely love this series like so so much and am already stoked for the next one especially with the blurb at the end for it! 🤩 Let me not get ahead of myself though!
Let’s talk about Gil (Jillian) I was so intrigued by her character in Escaping Pirates that I knew I’d love her coming into this book. She is such a clever and cunning character! She has been through so much and learned to never trust anyone. She is seeking to find her family who was taken from her and is willing to do whatever it takes to be able to free them and reunite with them. We learn of her tactics in the previous book but get to see even more how clever and cunning she is here.
You can definitely read this as a stand alone but I think you will miss the depth this story has to offer without the background of the others.
Lochlan is the perfect MMC for Jillian. There are so many interesting things that go on in this story that had me guessing what would come next! Mary always has a way of surprising me with the twist she puts in and how well it all works out in the end.
And only Mary can leave me feeling unsure if I should now be cheering Peter Pan on or not, I’m so interested in what comes next and the overarching story of this series!
I highly highly recommend this story and series! If you love fairytale retellings that are unique and have such a fun way of giving nods to the stories they are based off of Mary Mecham’s stories are ones you do not want to miss!
Thanks so much to the Author for the ARC ebook copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
Language 🤐: None
Romance ❤️🔥: Kissing only LV 2 (longer kiss lightly descriptive)
Violence ⚔️: Our FMC is a bounty hunter and gets some bounties. I’d say fantasy violence, PG-13 at the worst but honestly didn’t feel like any of the fighting was overly descriptive there is on page death light description of blood
⚠️Kidnapping, Slave, Human trafficking, Abuse, drugs, harassment honestly all of this pretty lightly descriptive in my opinion⚠️
Tropes/Micro tropes
- Single POV
- Hidden Identities
- Slow Burn
- Wound Tending
- Stabby FMC
- MMC can knit
- Wears His clothes
- One Bed
My Thoughts:
Oh man Mary does it again! I absolutely love this series like so so much and am already stoked for the next one especially with the blurb at the end for it! 🤩 Let me not get ahead of myself though!
Let’s talk about Gil (Jillian) I was so intrigued by her character in Escaping Pirates that I knew I’d love her coming into this book. She is such a clever and cunning character! She has been through so much and learned to never trust anyone. She is seeking to find her family who was taken from her and is willing to do whatever it takes to be able to free them and reunite with them. We learn of her tactics in the previous book but get to see even more how clever and cunning she is here.
You can definitely read this as a stand alone but I think you will miss the depth this story has to offer without the background of the others.
Lochlan is the perfect MMC for Jillian. There are so many interesting things that go on in this story that had me guessing what would come next! Mary always has a way of surprising me with the twist she puts in and how well it all works out in the end.
And only Mary can leave me feeling unsure if I should now be cheering Peter Pan on or not, I’m so interested in what comes next and the overarching story of this series!
I highly highly recommend this story and series! If you love fairytale retellings that are unique and have such a fun way of giving nods to the stories they are based off of Mary Mecham’s stories are ones you do not want to miss!
Thanks so much to the Author for the ARC ebook copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
June 7, 2026
15 years ago Jillian's parents and sister were sold as slaves. Jillian has survived on the streets by fighting, lying and swindling. Now she works as a bounty hunter, disguised as a teenage boy namned Gil, while looking for her family and who sold them. The trail leeds her to a notorious crime ring with three ruthless bandits. When one of them, Lochlan, discovers Jillian's secret, her life is in danger.
This is the first Goldilocks retelling I've read, but we get three bandits instead of three bears! One of them is Peter Pan, who we met in previous books in the series. Another is Lochlan, who's a color-blind, knitting healer - and handsome. Jillian doesn't quite know where to place him; he's working with Roderick Vane after all, the man responsible for the slave trade 15 years ago. As a reader you don't really know who to trust either, but personally I'm not easily surprised. 😉
I like Jillian's attitude, her toughness and bravery, but sometimes I think she's a bit naive considering she's been living on the streets since she was 6 years old. I'm also having some trouble seeing how she, a 21-year-old woman, can fool everybody into thinking she's a 14-year-old boy, but most people see what they expect to see, so I guess it's logical after all.
You can read this as a standalone, but I would recommend that you at least read Escaping Pirates (book 4) first. I've read books 1, 4 and now 5, and it's always fun to see characters from previous books. This has become a series I very much enjoy reading, even though it tends to be a bit too YA sometimes. I'm looking forward to reading the next installment, Training Shadows, a retelling of 12 Dancing Princesses - but make it a spy school!
* I received an ARC from the author and I'm giving my honest review. *
This is the first Goldilocks retelling I've read, but we get three bandits instead of three bears! One of them is Peter Pan, who we met in previous books in the series. Another is Lochlan, who's a color-blind, knitting healer - and handsome. Jillian doesn't quite know where to place him; he's working with Roderick Vane after all, the man responsible for the slave trade 15 years ago. As a reader you don't really know who to trust either, but personally I'm not easily surprised. 😉
I like Jillian's attitude, her toughness and bravery, but sometimes I think she's a bit naive considering she's been living on the streets since she was 6 years old. I'm also having some trouble seeing how she, a 21-year-old woman, can fool everybody into thinking she's a 14-year-old boy, but most people see what they expect to see, so I guess it's logical after all.
You can read this as a standalone, but I would recommend that you at least read Escaping Pirates (book 4) first. I've read books 1, 4 and now 5, and it's always fun to see characters from previous books. This has become a series I very much enjoy reading, even though it tends to be a bit too YA sometimes. I'm looking forward to reading the next installment, Training Shadows, a retelling of 12 Dancing Princesses - but make it a spy school!
* I received an ARC from the author and I'm giving my honest review. *
June 16, 2026
I so enjoy how Mary does her unique takes on fairytale retellings, with strong female MCs.
This story had lots of twists and turns- Some I saw coming and some I did not.
I loved having Peter more in this and am soooooooooo curious what Mary is going to do with him- I need to know!!
There were few slower paced bits but I was never bored!
Note: there were a few grammatical errors, including a wrong character's name used. Fairly minor errors.
***I received an ebook ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts. All opinions are my own.
This story had lots of twists and turns- Some I saw coming and some I did not.
I loved having Peter more in this and am soooooooooo curious what Mary is going to do with him- I need to know!!
There were few slower paced bits but I was never bored!
Note: there were a few grammatical errors, including a wrong character's name used. Fairly minor errors.
***I received an ebook ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts. All opinions are my own.
June 2, 2026
This is an incredible read. I’m a huge fan of several of the characters in here and cannot wait to read their happy ending. Mary has been building up Easter eggs for a certain character and I just know what will happen and I’m excited. The FMC was really fun and snarky while the MMC was a nifty knitter. I love seeing guys with crafts in books. It was a fun plot with twists I didn’t see coming. 10/10 vibes and I’d totally read it again
June 20, 2026
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️
Language: None
Drug/Alcohol Content: None
Other Content: the FMC dresses up as a boy for a disguise
This was an exciting novel. The characters were complex, and the plot twists involved characters I didn't expect. I definitely want to read more books from this series. Mecham's writing style is always easy to follow and allows for a more complete reading experience. This book was a Goldilocks and the 3 Bears retelling, and I loved the lines that were from the original tale!
*I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Spice: 🌶️
Language: None
Drug/Alcohol Content: None
Other Content: the FMC dresses up as a boy for a disguise
This was an exciting novel. The characters were complex, and the plot twists involved characters I didn't expect. I definitely want to read more books from this series. Mecham's writing style is always easy to follow and allows for a more complete reading experience. This book was a Goldilocks and the 3 Bears retelling, and I loved the lines that were from the original tale!
*I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 4, 2026
Another excellent story in the extended Neverland world! I was glad to read about Gil/Jillian after the events of Escaping Pirates. This girl is a feisty one and keeps everyone guessing about what she might do. She certainly could use a protector in her life that takes care of her - not because she can't take care of herself, but she needs love and care. Lochlan is great for that. He is tender and caring yet strong.
The romance in this book wasn't as strong as previous books by the author. It was sweet, though, and I was glad to read a very happy ending. The book was full of action and subterfuge that kept me reading more!
I would definitely recommend reading the other Legends of Neverland books before this one as there are references to previous characters and events. While not absolutely necessary to enjoy this book, the background info helps with keeping characters and such straight.
Can't wait to read the next book!
I recieved an ARC of this book from the author. All opinions are my own.
The romance in this book wasn't as strong as previous books by the author. It was sweet, though, and I was glad to read a very happy ending. The book was full of action and subterfuge that kept me reading more!
I would definitely recommend reading the other Legends of Neverland books before this one as there are references to previous characters and events. While not absolutely necessary to enjoy this book, the background info helps with keeping characters and such straight.
Can't wait to read the next book!
I recieved an ARC of this book from the author. All opinions are my own.
June 2, 2026
You know a book is good when you can’t put it down and end up reading until 3am. And I’m never disappointed by the banter in one of Mary’s stories. I love the subtle references to the original fairytale, all while creating a new story. I also love the Tinkerbell and Hook cameo, with their own life updates. I also adore Jillian and Lochlan’s relationship. If you like bounty hunters, secret identities and protective MMCs, you should definitely check out this book!
My favorite quote from this book:
““I disagree,” Lochlan said, leaning back down. “If I wanted to play it safe, I’d never have asked to kiss you.” “Then I’m glad you didn’t play it safe.””
I received an ARC of this book from the Author. All opinions are my own.
My favorite quote from this book:
““I disagree,” Lochlan said, leaning back down. “If I wanted to play it safe, I’d never have asked to kiss you.” “Then I’m glad you didn’t play it safe.””
I received an ARC of this book from the Author. All opinions are my own.
Want to Read
July 26, 2025This book looks so good! I can’t wait for it to come out!
June 4, 2026
Can this be read as a stand alone? Yes, mostly. BUT it is a good idea to read the other books in the Legends of Neverland series to give you an idea of certain things going on.
I had not read Becoming Hook prior to reading Seeking Revenge and I wish I had.
Seeking Revenge holds some spoilers for Becoming Hook, but can be read as a standalone.
Gil is pulled into the world of truly wicked villains. She herself is far from innocent. As a bounty hunter she bends the times to get the job done.
Bear 1 is the definition of evil.
Bear 2 is there for a job.
Bear 3 ehh he falls somewhere in the middle of good and evil with very selfish tendencies.
Hidden identity. Secrets. Deceit.
No spice. No LGBT. Tender moments. Sweet kisses. Mulan moments (you have to read it 😉)
I would hand this series to my 12 year old and have zero qualms about the content.
You do not want to miss this next installment in Legends of Neverland!
I had not read Becoming Hook prior to reading Seeking Revenge and I wish I had.
Seeking Revenge holds some spoilers for Becoming Hook, but can be read as a standalone.
Gil is pulled into the world of truly wicked villains. She herself is far from innocent. As a bounty hunter she bends the times to get the job done.
Bear 1 is the definition of evil.
Bear 2 is there for a job.
Bear 3 ehh he falls somewhere in the middle of good and evil with very selfish tendencies.
Hidden identity. Secrets. Deceit.
No spice. No LGBT. Tender moments. Sweet kisses. Mulan moments (you have to read it 😉)
I would hand this series to my 12 year old and have zero qualms about the content.
You do not want to miss this next installment in Legends of Neverland!
May 28, 2026
☝️Never have I ever wanted to rate a book six stars this badly!!! Hold on a moment while I gather my jumbled thoughts to try and write the glowing review this book deserves…🌟
I’m not kidding when I say, every single Mary Mecham book I read is better than the last. I don’t know how she does it!!
Please go buy this book as soon as it comes out at the beginning of June!! It is worth every penny and if you enjoy this kind of book, you will not regret having it on your shelf to reread over and over again.
I will say that reading the previous books in this series will probably make the experience of SEEKING REVENGE even better, but it can be read as a standalone as I read it, it’s just not as much fun because things like Peter Pan leave you wishing you knew a little more.
Okay, first I’ll talk about the characters:
It’s very rare that I read a book with characters who don’t annoy me at some point in the story. Guess what? I was never annoyed by Gil or Lochlan. They were so cute together!! Jillian (Gil) was feisty and strong and Lochlan was so sweet and caring. 🥰
“Curse it all, I'd never stop falling for this bandit.”
Next, I’ll talk about the plot:
Wow. There were just the right amount of twists that I was never bored. I won’t spoil anything specific, but prepare for your expectations of people to be flipped upside down! 🙃
Now, THE ROMANCE:
The romance was absolutely clean and swoon-worthy without overtaking the high stakes plot. It was satisfying and everything it was promised to be. I literally loved the mmc and fmc SO MUCH!! 😍 it was perfect 👌 I love when spice isn’t the main focus of the romance because it makes it so much deeper and more meaningful. I was grinning when they even held hands because it actually meant something rather then spice being there just for shallow pleasure.
Lastly, I’M SO EXCITED FOR THE NEXT BOOK IN THIS SERIES!! You don’t understand how much I love the secret-spy-school setting in books. Especially with knowing the characters, it’s going to be spectacular; I know it 😁
I received an arc copy of this book from the author, Mary Mecham, in exchange for an honest review ✨📖 my oppinions are entirely my own.
I’m not kidding when I say, every single Mary Mecham book I read is better than the last. I don’t know how she does it!!
Please go buy this book as soon as it comes out at the beginning of June!! It is worth every penny and if you enjoy this kind of book, you will not regret having it on your shelf to reread over and over again.
I will say that reading the previous books in this series will probably make the experience of SEEKING REVENGE even better, but it can be read as a standalone as I read it, it’s just not as much fun because things like Peter Pan leave you wishing you knew a little more.
Okay, first I’ll talk about the characters:
It’s very rare that I read a book with characters who don’t annoy me at some point in the story. Guess what? I was never annoyed by Gil or Lochlan. They were so cute together!! Jillian (Gil) was feisty and strong and Lochlan was so sweet and caring. 🥰
“Curse it all, I'd never stop falling for this bandit.”
Next, I’ll talk about the plot:
Wow. There were just the right amount of twists that I was never bored. I won’t spoil anything specific, but prepare for your expectations of people to be flipped upside down! 🙃
Now, THE ROMANCE:
The romance was absolutely clean and swoon-worthy without overtaking the high stakes plot. It was satisfying and everything it was promised to be. I literally loved the mmc and fmc SO MUCH!! 😍 it was perfect 👌 I love when spice isn’t the main focus of the romance because it makes it so much deeper and more meaningful. I was grinning when they even held hands because it actually meant something rather then spice being there just for shallow pleasure.
Lastly, I’M SO EXCITED FOR THE NEXT BOOK IN THIS SERIES!! You don’t understand how much I love the secret-spy-school setting in books. Especially with knowing the characters, it’s going to be spectacular; I know it 😁
I received an arc copy of this book from the author, Mary Mecham, in exchange for an honest review ✨📖 my oppinions are entirely my own.
June 3, 2026
As always, Mary Mecham did amazing. This was a great continuation of the Legends of Neverland.
Jillian was funny but smart. Her ruse was very entertaining, especially because of how cunning she was. She was the perfect con-man, er, woman. Her motives were good, too, and I always appreciate when a character is driven by family rather than romance.
Lochlan was good, too. He had the right amount of confusing back-and-forth to keep me hooked, but not enough for me to be annoyed. His softness towards Jillian was sweet, especially considering the rest of his life XD
I REALLY HOPE WE GET TO WATCH PETER AND TESS PLAY OUT!!! ESPECIALLY AFTER THIS ONE!!
The first chapter alone had me unable to book the book down, and I sped through reading it. The prose matches her other books, so there is nothing new (nor any complaints) there.
Being a M.M. book, there was no spice, gore, or cursing. There is some kissing and violence as she has in her other books, but nothing that crosses the line.
I can't wait to see what happens next in the series!
**I received this book as an ARC from the wonderful author, and all of the opinions are my own**
Jillian was funny but smart. Her ruse was very entertaining, especially because of how cunning she was. She was the perfect con-man, er, woman. Her motives were good, too, and I always appreciate when a character is driven by family rather than romance.
Lochlan was good, too. He had the right amount of confusing back-and-forth to keep me hooked, but not enough for me to be annoyed. His softness towards Jillian was sweet, especially considering the rest of his life XD
I REALLY HOPE WE GET TO WATCH PETER AND TESS PLAY OUT!!! ESPECIALLY AFTER THIS ONE!!
The first chapter alone had me unable to book the book down, and I sped through reading it. The prose matches her other books, so there is nothing new (nor any complaints) there.
Being a M.M. book, there was no spice, gore, or cursing. There is some kissing and violence as she has in her other books, but nothing that crosses the line.
I can't wait to see what happens next in the series!
**I received this book as an ARC from the wonderful author, and all of the opinions are my own**
June 20, 2026
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.
I… wow. Everything happened. The end was wild. Everyone was everywhere and woah. I have questions and I need the next book! This is my third Mary Mecham book and my favorite by a lot!! I LOVED it!!! I really need to go back and read the first four. I didn’t mean to skip, and was actually worried about reading this without the others for context, but my worries were unfounded. It was… wonderfulllll!!! I was plot twisted like fifteen times and that is one of my favorite feelings in a book. The romance as a side plot was PERFECT. And I LOVE Peter Pan, sorry not sorry. This book pulled me out of a reading-slump and I reached for my phone to read it almost every time I got a minute to. (I read it as an ARC on Kindle!) I wish I could find more words to say specifically, but my goal is to keep this spoiler free.
Lochlan wasn’t my thing at first, but then I got to love him and then… yeah.. but then yeah again, and… yeah. Woah.
Gil is amazing as a FMC. Not annoying, actually really smart, her escape plan was insane. I’m pretty sure I laughed out loud at several points, not to mention what I think is my favorite kiss scene that I’ve ever read. Even without the context of the other books, I loved all the characters pretty dang quickly, and now I’m really excited to get and read the previous ones!
Again… Peter. Yes. I love him. He made me laugh and he scared me and he made me smile and I trusted and feared him and… yeah. He might be my favorite character, but I don’t even know because Gil and Lochlan. I’m really needing some explanation about his move at the end, but wow I loved that ending. I had to call someone and rant because it was so muchhhh!!! Love this and highly recommend it! (Maybe after reading the others, lol, but either way!)
Content Concerns:
This is a very clean book, as all of Mary Mecham’s are! There’s no real-world cursing. There nothing sexual aside from pretty innocent kisses and not very many of those either. Yes they make reference to her breasts and being worried about being unclothed with a man because she was pretending to be a boy and didn’t want them to find out, but it really wasn’t sexual. Trust me.
The violence is there. It is. There’re stabbings and kidnappings and human trafficking. There’s murders. The main characters are not “good” guys are they aren’t shown as such. It was actually a really neat perspective to me, it’s a good thing to know ahead of time if that’s going to bother you! Despite the darker subjects, I’d say it’s certainly not a dark book. There’s lying and deceit, spying, espionage and betrayal and it was very well executed! Nothing gory in my opinion at all. I’d recommend this book to anyone old enough to handle more mature topics, but you wouldn’t have to be ok reading anything hard to swallow. It’s really done in a clean way. Other thing of note was an implied risk of rape as part of the reason the FMC pretended to be a boy.
There is magic, but it’s what I consider ‘fantasy’ magic. Not spells or witches or demons. Just pixie dust and pixie blood and the pixies themselves. There may have been other magic elements, but again, not major and not dark or real-world.
Overall, loved this book! I’m super excited to read the previous ones and the sequel! Very well done! I’m glad I accidentally ended up for the ARC for this! I had actually considered getting off the list because the time limits and such weren’t going well for me, but this convinced me to stay on! Thank you for the ability for read it, Mary!
I… wow. Everything happened. The end was wild. Everyone was everywhere and woah. I have questions and I need the next book! This is my third Mary Mecham book and my favorite by a lot!! I LOVED it!!! I really need to go back and read the first four. I didn’t mean to skip, and was actually worried about reading this without the others for context, but my worries were unfounded. It was… wonderfulllll!!! I was plot twisted like fifteen times and that is one of my favorite feelings in a book. The romance as a side plot was PERFECT. And I LOVE Peter Pan, sorry not sorry. This book pulled me out of a reading-slump and I reached for my phone to read it almost every time I got a minute to. (I read it as an ARC on Kindle!) I wish I could find more words to say specifically, but my goal is to keep this spoiler free.
Lochlan wasn’t my thing at first, but then I got to love him and then… yeah.. but then yeah again, and… yeah. Woah.
Gil is amazing as a FMC. Not annoying, actually really smart, her escape plan was insane. I’m pretty sure I laughed out loud at several points, not to mention what I think is my favorite kiss scene that I’ve ever read. Even without the context of the other books, I loved all the characters pretty dang quickly, and now I’m really excited to get and read the previous ones!
Again… Peter. Yes. I love him. He made me laugh and he scared me and he made me smile and I trusted and feared him and… yeah. He might be my favorite character, but I don’t even know because Gil and Lochlan. I’m really needing some explanation about his move at the end, but wow I loved that ending. I had to call someone and rant because it was so muchhhh!!! Love this and highly recommend it! (Maybe after reading the others, lol, but either way!)
Content Concerns:
This is a very clean book, as all of Mary Mecham’s are! There’s no real-world cursing. There nothing sexual aside from pretty innocent kisses and not very many of those either. Yes they make reference to her breasts and being worried about being unclothed with a man because she was pretending to be a boy and didn’t want them to find out, but it really wasn’t sexual. Trust me.
The violence is there. It is. There’re stabbings and kidnappings and human trafficking. There’s murders. The main characters are not “good” guys are they aren’t shown as such. It was actually a really neat perspective to me, it’s a good thing to know ahead of time if that’s going to bother you! Despite the darker subjects, I’d say it’s certainly not a dark book. There’s lying and deceit, spying, espionage and betrayal and it was very well executed! Nothing gory in my opinion at all. I’d recommend this book to anyone old enough to handle more mature topics, but you wouldn’t have to be ok reading anything hard to swallow. It’s really done in a clean way. Other thing of note was an implied risk of rape as part of the reason the FMC pretended to be a boy.
There is magic, but it’s what I consider ‘fantasy’ magic. Not spells or witches or demons. Just pixie dust and pixie blood and the pixies themselves. There may have been other magic elements, but again, not major and not dark or real-world.
Overall, loved this book! I’m super excited to read the previous ones and the sequel! Very well done! I’m glad I accidentally ended up for the ARC for this! I had actually considered getting off the list because the time limits and such weren’t going well for me, but this convinced me to stay on! Thank you for the ability for read it, Mary!
June 4, 2026
fun book, lots of risk and espionage!
i greatly enjoyed this book. i rarely get to read both fantasy AND governmental conspiracy in one book, so this was a fun change.
a few points that confused me: i have no idea how this was supposed to be goldilocks. at one point she says “it’s just right”, and she does live with three men, but the treacherous Peter Pan is in no way a Mama bear. Also, i had no idea who she was going to end up with until i skipped ahead and saw (spoiler alert but not really!) lochlans name. i hadn’t even considered he was in the running. in hindsight, there were vague hints, but nothing beyond “handsome smiles” and “gentle words”. In general, the romance side of the story felt a little forced.
*WARNING: THIS ONE REALLY IS A SPOILER ALERT!* i also felt the resolution to the finding-her-family plotline was unsatisfactory and a little ridiculous. while stories like this rarely end up so pessimistic, in real life there’s no way her sister wouldn’t have died in a brothel. however, some people enjoy the escape from our own weary timeline so i can see why the esteemed author made that choice. i also found it unrealistic that the death of jillian’s mother wouldn’t have come up at all if it was so very crushing to hear.
over all: this book was fun and fast paced! a few plot holes (all of which have been listed above in EXCRUCIATING detail, the rest of the book is really good i promise) but i will definitely read again.
i greatly enjoyed this book. i rarely get to read both fantasy AND governmental conspiracy in one book, so this was a fun change.
a few points that confused me: i have no idea how this was supposed to be goldilocks. at one point she says “it’s just right”, and she does live with three men, but the treacherous Peter Pan is in no way a Mama bear. Also, i had no idea who she was going to end up with until i skipped ahead and saw (spoiler alert but not really!) lochlans name. i hadn’t even considered he was in the running. in hindsight, there were vague hints, but nothing beyond “handsome smiles” and “gentle words”. In general, the romance side of the story felt a little forced.
*WARNING: THIS ONE REALLY IS A SPOILER ALERT!* i also felt the resolution to the finding-her-family plotline was unsatisfactory and a little ridiculous. while stories like this rarely end up so pessimistic, in real life there’s no way her sister wouldn’t have died in a brothel. however, some people enjoy the escape from our own weary timeline so i can see why the esteemed author made that choice. i also found it unrealistic that the death of jillian’s mother wouldn’t have come up at all if it was so very crushing to hear.
over all: this book was fun and fast paced! a few plot holes (all of which have been listed above in EXCRUCIATING detail, the rest of the book is really good i promise) but i will definitely read again.
June 21, 2026
I received an ARC of this book, and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Mary Mecham has done it again! Her fairytale retellings are always incredible, and I've really enjoyed each book in the Legends of Neverland series so far.
Seeking Revenge, book 5 in the LoN series, is a Goldilocks retelling. I wasn't sure how that would play into Jillian's story, but I was not disappointed! The action and adventure kept the plot moving quickly, and the twists and turns kept me intrigued.
The romance was so cute! These two were perfect for each other. The story had some dark elements to it, so some of the light-hearted and sweet scenes with these two really brought me joy!
As with the other books in this series, it always makes me happy when previous characters appear! Though I am still very unsure of how to feel about Peter Pan... I am looking forward to seeing what Mary does with his character.
If you enjoy fairytale retellings and no-spice reads, definitely check this book out (and the rest of the series!)
I'm excited for book 6!
Mary Mecham has done it again! Her fairytale retellings are always incredible, and I've really enjoyed each book in the Legends of Neverland series so far.
Seeking Revenge, book 5 in the LoN series, is a Goldilocks retelling. I wasn't sure how that would play into Jillian's story, but I was not disappointed! The action and adventure kept the plot moving quickly, and the twists and turns kept me intrigued.
The romance was so cute! These two were perfect for each other. The story had some dark elements to it, so some of the light-hearted and sweet scenes with these two really brought me joy!
As with the other books in this series, it always makes me happy when previous characters appear! Though I am still very unsure of how to feel about Peter Pan... I am looking forward to seeing what Mary does with his character.
If you enjoy fairytale retellings and no-spice reads, definitely check this book out (and the rest of the series!)
I'm excited for book 6!
June 17, 2026
One of my favorite things about Mary Mecham books is that I’m still thinking about the story when I’m not reading it.
After her family is sold into slavery, Jillian disguises herself as a boy and works as a bounty hunter in hopes of reuniting with them. When Jillian finds herself among a group of dangerous bandits, she takes a chance trusting one in hopes he won’t expose her secrets.
Alright, Mary Mecham books are my favorite! If you have never tried fairy tale retellings or think fairy tale retelling may not be for you, please give this book a try! It is a roller coaster of action and adventure with a side of swoony love story. This book had me invested in Jillian’s story from the first few pages and it gave me that “I can’t put this book down” feeling. Highly recommend!!
After her family is sold into slavery, Jillian disguises herself as a boy and works as a bounty hunter in hopes of reuniting with them. When Jillian finds herself among a group of dangerous bandits, she takes a chance trusting one in hopes he won’t expose her secrets.
Alright, Mary Mecham books are my favorite! If you have never tried fairy tale retellings or think fairy tale retelling may not be for you, please give this book a try! It is a roller coaster of action and adventure with a side of swoony love story. This book had me invested in Jillian’s story from the first few pages and it gave me that “I can’t put this book down” feeling. Highly recommend!!
July 7, 2026
Not so much my cup of tea. I have a harder time getting into villain vs villain stories. Despite that, it was fun in its own way. How often is knitting involved in an adventure story? And I’m a sucker for the woman disguised as a boy trope.
I am very much looking forward to the next book. Peter Pan’s goals remain as mysterious as ever. But he’s shown that he cares, at least in part, for someone besides himself, and I want to see his heart broken. 😈
I would rate this for ages 21 and up for romance and slave trade.
I am very much looking forward to the next book. Peter Pan’s goals remain as mysterious as ever. But he’s shown that he cares, at least in part, for someone besides himself, and I want to see his heart broken. 😈
I would rate this for ages 21 and up for romance and slave trade.
June 15, 2026
Thank you to the author for my gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
I have yet to read a Mary Mecham book that I have not thoroughly enjoyed! Each book goes places that I can't predict in the best way possible. Seeking Revenge is the 5th book in the Legends of Neverland series. I personally recommend reading this series in order which is not what I did. I read book 4 first, then this book, and then went back to book 1. That being said, the book was a fantastic read. I love the depth of Mecham's characters. Things are not always as they appear. This book was incredibly engaging. If I had been able to binge read it, I would have! I highly recommend this book and series!!
I have yet to read a Mary Mecham book that I have not thoroughly enjoyed! Each book goes places that I can't predict in the best way possible. Seeking Revenge is the 5th book in the Legends of Neverland series. I personally recommend reading this series in order which is not what I did. I read book 4 first, then this book, and then went back to book 1. That being said, the book was a fantastic read. I love the depth of Mecham's characters. Things are not always as they appear. This book was incredibly engaging. If I had been able to binge read it, I would have! I highly recommend this book and series!!
Read
May 24, 2026This is my favorite book by this author! It has enough moving pieces to stay interesting, with just enough mystery to keep you guessing. Gil/Jillian is, in my opinion, the most intriguing main character this author has written; in part because we already saw her a bit in the last book, and in part because she is well fleshed out. Peter Pan was as intriguing as always, and remains one of my favorite side characters, I’m curious to see where his storyline will go.
June 16, 2026
3.5⭐️ ARC Review: Are you just as surprised as I am that I rated a Mary Mecham book less than 4 stars? Because it’s absolutely crazy that I did, and it makes me sad.
This book just didn’t have the Mary Mecham flair that I have come to know and enjoy. We got the unexpected twists and turns, but that’s about it.
Mary has a quirky sense of humor that works for me and this one didn’t have it! I was so surprised to find that I didn’t think anything was funny. I didn’t even particularly like the story or characters either so it was just a recipe for disaster for me.
Seeing Gil have her own story was something I was looking forward to, so I guess I just don’t even know how to explain why this book didn’t work for me. It just lacked. I expected more and was left a bit disappointed.
I am seriously looking forward to the next book and can’t even wait to see if Peter gets his story and hope that’s going to happen. But I think Mary is setting him up for happiness, and I am here for it.
Read if you enjoy:
- Legends of Neverland series
- Goldilocks retelling with a villainous twist
- Single POV
- Annoyed to friends to lovers
- He takes care of her
Content 💋:
- Kisses only
- No language
This book just didn’t have the Mary Mecham flair that I have come to know and enjoy. We got the unexpected twists and turns, but that’s about it.
Mary has a quirky sense of humor that works for me and this one didn’t have it! I was so surprised to find that I didn’t think anything was funny. I didn’t even particularly like the story or characters either so it was just a recipe for disaster for me.
Seeing Gil have her own story was something I was looking forward to, so I guess I just don’t even know how to explain why this book didn’t work for me. It just lacked. I expected more and was left a bit disappointed.
I am seriously looking forward to the next book and can’t even wait to see if Peter gets his story and hope that’s going to happen. But I think Mary is setting him up for happiness, and I am here for it.
Read if you enjoy:
- Legends of Neverland series
- Goldilocks retelling with a villainous twist
- Single POV
- Annoyed to friends to lovers
- He takes care of her
Content 💋:
- Kisses only
- No language
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.5 stars!
It seems that I enjoy each book in the Legends of Neverland series more and more as it continues.
After reading Seeking Revenge, I have come to the conclusion that Mary Mecham is one of those authors whose writing just gets better and better with every book she writes. This was masterful, and I loved every second of it! (Except for that one twist where I was briefly furious at a certain character.) As soon as I started getting comfortable in the story, BOOM! An emotionally devastating twist would hit, and I would be left completely reeling. This book put me through an absolute emotional roller coaster, and I was surprised at every turn.
Lochlan was such a sweetheart, and also turned out to be surprisingly cunning at the same time. Considering how he grew up, I’m a bit shocked he has the moral compass that he does. (Y’all will have to read the book for that detail because it’s a bit of a spoiler.) His tenderness and kindness toward Jillian, even before he knew she was a girl, was totally swoon-worthy. Also, as someone who is obsessed with crochet, I loved the fact that he enjoyed knitting. Honestly, he is now my favorite male lead in this series! He and Jillian were so stinkin’ sweet together, and as someone who loves a protective male lead, I was very satisfied.
Jillian… I don’t even know where to start with her. Her childhood was tragic, but she managed to survive it and is now searching for her family through some very *sheepish cough* unconventional methods. She's devious, but not in a mischievous way. It’s more that she’s willing to do whatever she has to in order to find her family, no matter the cost. Also, I totally sympathized with her claustrophobia.
These two were, in my opinion, the definition of well written morally grey characters. Even when they were making questionable decisions, I was still rooting for them the entire time.
(On more of a side note that is purely personal opinion, the romance, and especially the way the kisses were written, kind of reminded me of an Annette K. Larsen book. Not necessarily because of the amount of romance, but more because of the style and feel of the kiss scenes.)
Last note, I promise! It is major spoiler, so please don't read unless you've read the book, but I just thought this was genius and had to fangirl a little!
_______________________
Brief overview of the romance content...
- Jillian's shirt accidentally is ripped by Lochlan when he tries to treat a wound on her side and she is exposed as being a girl. (Nothing inappropriate happens)
- She thinks that she likes the feeling of his touch when he treats her side. This happens twice, and she is also very embarrassed.
- Jillian has a crush on Lochlan and thinks several times that he's attractive.
- Wanting to touch
- Some noticing
- Jillian wants Lochlan to notice her as a woman, not as a younger sibling figure.
- 3 paragraph lead up to a kiss
- A kiss lasting about 5-6 ish paragraphs. (More emotional than detailed, but it could be a bit too much for younger then 13 in my opinion)
- A kiss lasting 3 sentences
- Remembering a kiss felt like. (Not detailed)
- Jillian has to change in the same room as him twice. No peeking or thoughts of peeking of course!
- A kiss lasting 2 sentences
- They fall asleep together on a bed and there is some cuddling.
- An almost kiss
- A kiss lasting 1 sentence
Brief overview of other content...
Please note that this is a villainous retelling (as it says on the cover). So expect some violence, fighting, and some hard topics going in.
- Jillian has a panic attack while being lowered into a drainage pipe to save a young girl because of her claustrophobia. Also several instances of her feeling claustrophobic in certain situations.
- Pain and blood from a wound on her side, and she passes out from it.
- A big part of the plot has to do with slaves and slavery.
- Drugging. Done either by Jillian or others in different situations.
- Jillian can make herself throw up and does so a few times.
-
- Lochlan's father hits him twice.
- Jillian has to fight off two leering men who try to accost her. (We aren't told their intentions but you can infer from subtle hints that they meant to sexually hurt her. However, this could possibly go over a younger readers head. )
-
__________________________
Overall, because of the content in this book, I would personally feel comfortable recommending it for ages late 15 to 16 years and up. Thank you to Mary Mecham for the arc copy! I really, really enjoyed this book and am waiting on the edge of my seat for the next one to release!
It seems that I enjoy each book in the Legends of Neverland series more and more as it continues.
After reading Seeking Revenge, I have come to the conclusion that Mary Mecham is one of those authors whose writing just gets better and better with every book she writes. This was masterful, and I loved every second of it! (Except for that one twist where I was briefly furious at a certain character.) As soon as I started getting comfortable in the story, BOOM! An emotionally devastating twist would hit, and I would be left completely reeling. This book put me through an absolute emotional roller coaster, and I was surprised at every turn.
Lochlan was such a sweetheart, and also turned out to be surprisingly cunning at the same time. Considering how he grew up, I’m a bit shocked he has the moral compass that he does. (Y’all will have to read the book for that detail because it’s a bit of a spoiler.) His tenderness and kindness toward Jillian, even before he knew she was a girl, was totally swoon-worthy. Also, as someone who is obsessed with crochet, I loved the fact that he enjoyed knitting. Honestly, he is now my favorite male lead in this series! He and Jillian were so stinkin’ sweet together, and as someone who loves a protective male lead, I was very satisfied.
Jillian… I don’t even know where to start with her. Her childhood was tragic, but she managed to survive it and is now searching for her family through some very *sheepish cough* unconventional methods. She's devious, but not in a mischievous way. It’s more that she’s willing to do whatever she has to in order to find her family, no matter the cost. Also, I totally sympathized with her claustrophobia.
These two were, in my opinion, the definition of well written morally grey characters. Even when they were making questionable decisions, I was still rooting for them the entire time.
(On more of a side note that is purely personal opinion, the romance, and especially the way the kisses were written, kind of reminded me of an Annette K. Larsen book. Not necessarily because of the amount of romance, but more because of the style and feel of the kiss scenes.)
Last note, I promise! It is major spoiler, so please don't read unless you've read the book, but I just thought this was genius and had to fangirl a little!
_______________________
Brief overview of the romance content...
- Jillian's shirt accidentally is ripped by Lochlan when he tries to treat a wound on her side and she is exposed as being a girl. (Nothing inappropriate happens)
- She thinks that she likes the feeling of his touch when he treats her side. This happens twice, and she is also very embarrassed.
- Jillian has a crush on Lochlan and thinks several times that he's attractive.
- Wanting to touch
- Some noticing
- Jillian wants Lochlan to notice her as a woman, not as a younger sibling figure.
- 3 paragraph lead up to a kiss
- A kiss lasting about 5-6 ish paragraphs. (More emotional than detailed, but it could be a bit too much for younger then 13 in my opinion)
- A kiss lasting 3 sentences
- Remembering a kiss felt like. (Not detailed)
- Jillian has to change in the same room as him twice. No peeking or thoughts of peeking of course!
- A kiss lasting 2 sentences
- They fall asleep together on a bed and there is some cuddling.
- An almost kiss
- A kiss lasting 1 sentence
Brief overview of other content...
Please note that this is a villainous retelling (as it says on the cover). So expect some violence, fighting, and some hard topics going in.
- Jillian has a panic attack while being lowered into a drainage pipe to save a young girl because of her claustrophobia. Also several instances of her feeling claustrophobic in certain situations.
- Pain and blood from a wound on her side, and she passes out from it.
- A big part of the plot has to do with slaves and slavery.
- Drugging. Done either by Jillian or others in different situations.
- Jillian can make herself throw up and does so a few times.
-
- Lochlan's father hits him twice.
- Jillian has to fight off two leering men who try to accost her. (We aren't told their intentions but you can infer from subtle hints that they meant to sexually hurt her. However, this could possibly go over a younger readers head. )
-
__________________________
Overall, because of the content in this book, I would personally feel comfortable recommending it for ages late 15 to 16 years and up. Thank you to Mary Mecham for the arc copy! I really, really enjoyed this book and am waiting on the edge of my seat for the next one to release!
June 13, 2026
Seeking Revenge isn't the first retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears I've encountered that paints Goldilocks as a miscreant or criminal. Yet it is the first that gave Goldilocks real character development and a real arc. After loving the rest of the Legends of Neverland series, I was completely on board, and I enjoyed the journey.
First off, I was as surprised as anyone to learn who Gil really was--not just Jillian, but how Jillian came to be Gil, why she held onto that identity, how it served her or didn't, why trust and kindness were so hard for her. Those character beats in themselves may not be unique. I've read other books where young women disguise themselves as boys, where they're tough and hardscrabble, where they're "not like other girls." But for Gil, AKA Jillian, these beats and developments felt organic to her. They felt like a natural outgrowth of her life and experience, not just a necessary mask or convenient ways to cloak pain. This heroine is *both* Gil and Jillian, and both are deepening, growing, maturing identities that need nurturing.
Lochlan provides a lot of that nurturing, in a masculine and gritty way, of course. He's as protective and attentive as you'd expect a hero to be, especially in a fairytale retelling. But he's also just sanguine enough, with just enough unconventional interests (e.g., knitting) to set him apart and give he and Jillian fertile ground for some great banter, sarcasm, and conflict. I loved how Lochlan could be a romantic partner and compatriot for Jillian one minute, and almost like a "big brother" the next, without letting either of those detract from their plot arcs and chemistry.
And this lead couple does have chemistry, though like Lochlan's knitting, it's unconventional. I want to applaud Mary for creating romantic, heroic characters I could root for, but who stayed morally gray throughout the book, without crossing into "morally gray" stereotypes like too much sarcasm, too much cynicism, or a willingness to treat other humans as completely disposable. I usually see that with one morally gray hero (ine) or the other, but most authors won't do it with both halves of a couple.
Of course, this couple wouldn't have much room to impress me without a solid adventure. And despite my notes on the overall plot (see below), Lochlan and Jillian definitely gave me one. In many ways, they have a classic spy or smuggler story, with some unique and sometimes funny or touching twists. I don't want to spoil the twists, particularly because there's a big one near the end. But for example, the scene in the hospital cemented my inclination to root for this couple and their mission. Jillian attending a wedding "in disguise" touched me because of Lochlan's reaction, and because he went beyond, "Wow, she's really not a boy; I'm blown away that she can wear a dress." No--he has always seen Jillian for who she really is, and the dress is just icing on the cake.
The plot itself feels a bit thin at times, especially where the pixies are concerned. That is, Jillian's drive to find her family, her realizations and moral conflict about pixies and their abilities, Lochlan's standing in Roderick's crew and his moral conflict--those are all there and they're followed through well. But sometimes I caught myself saying, "Okay, but is there more to this scene? Should Lochlan and Jillian be more directly involved in the rescue of the pixies? What's the real role of Peter Pan here--is he a changed character or not?" These questions could jar me out of the story.
Additionally, I appreciated seeing familiar secondary characters again, but a lot of the new secondary characters seemed to exist, simply to fill roles or molds. Elvin was a surprise in a way, as was Ambrose, but they often seemed just this side of stereotypical. Roderick had this problem too, and arguably more so because he's an antagonist (I don't know if I'd call any of Seeking Revenge's adversaries actual villains).
These notes aside, Seeking Revenge is still a strong book. I wouldn't read it without catching up on the rest of Legends of Neverland first, because you will get lost otherwise. And as noted, this installment leans a little more toward the "young" side of "young adult." But for the target audience, it gets my recommendation, and even for me, who is not a target audience member, it was a lot of fun. I can't wait to rejoin Mary and her characters for Training Shadows, especially to see how Jillian is doing!
First off, I was as surprised as anyone to learn who Gil really was--not just Jillian, but how Jillian came to be Gil, why she held onto that identity, how it served her or didn't, why trust and kindness were so hard for her. Those character beats in themselves may not be unique. I've read other books where young women disguise themselves as boys, where they're tough and hardscrabble, where they're "not like other girls." But for Gil, AKA Jillian, these beats and developments felt organic to her. They felt like a natural outgrowth of her life and experience, not just a necessary mask or convenient ways to cloak pain. This heroine is *both* Gil and Jillian, and both are deepening, growing, maturing identities that need nurturing.
Lochlan provides a lot of that nurturing, in a masculine and gritty way, of course. He's as protective and attentive as you'd expect a hero to be, especially in a fairytale retelling. But he's also just sanguine enough, with just enough unconventional interests (e.g., knitting) to set him apart and give he and Jillian fertile ground for some great banter, sarcasm, and conflict. I loved how Lochlan could be a romantic partner and compatriot for Jillian one minute, and almost like a "big brother" the next, without letting either of those detract from their plot arcs and chemistry.
And this lead couple does have chemistry, though like Lochlan's knitting, it's unconventional. I want to applaud Mary for creating romantic, heroic characters I could root for, but who stayed morally gray throughout the book, without crossing into "morally gray" stereotypes like too much sarcasm, too much cynicism, or a willingness to treat other humans as completely disposable. I usually see that with one morally gray hero (ine) or the other, but most authors won't do it with both halves of a couple.
Of course, this couple wouldn't have much room to impress me without a solid adventure. And despite my notes on the overall plot (see below), Lochlan and Jillian definitely gave me one. In many ways, they have a classic spy or smuggler story, with some unique and sometimes funny or touching twists. I don't want to spoil the twists, particularly because there's a big one near the end. But for example, the scene in the hospital cemented my inclination to root for this couple and their mission. Jillian attending a wedding "in disguise" touched me because of Lochlan's reaction, and because he went beyond, "Wow, she's really not a boy; I'm blown away that she can wear a dress." No--he has always seen Jillian for who she really is, and the dress is just icing on the cake.
The plot itself feels a bit thin at times, especially where the pixies are concerned. That is, Jillian's drive to find her family, her realizations and moral conflict about pixies and their abilities, Lochlan's standing in Roderick's crew and his moral conflict--those are all there and they're followed through well. But sometimes I caught myself saying, "Okay, but is there more to this scene? Should Lochlan and Jillian be more directly involved in the rescue of the pixies? What's the real role of Peter Pan here--is he a changed character or not?" These questions could jar me out of the story.
Additionally, I appreciated seeing familiar secondary characters again, but a lot of the new secondary characters seemed to exist, simply to fill roles or molds. Elvin was a surprise in a way, as was Ambrose, but they often seemed just this side of stereotypical. Roderick had this problem too, and arguably more so because he's an antagonist (I don't know if I'd call any of Seeking Revenge's adversaries actual villains).
These notes aside, Seeking Revenge is still a strong book. I wouldn't read it without catching up on the rest of Legends of Neverland first, because you will get lost otherwise. And as noted, this installment leans a little more toward the "young" side of "young adult." But for the target audience, it gets my recommendation, and even for me, who is not a target audience member, it was a lot of fun. I can't wait to rejoin Mary and her characters for Training Shadows, especially to see how Jillian is doing!
June 6, 2026
3.75 ⭐
ENG:
At times, I found it difficult to connect with the protagonist, but I slowly found a bridge between us. Often, we're so blinded by our goals or a bad memory that we forget what's right in front of us. We can get lost in the process.
Fortunately for Gil, she found herself again before it was too late. I liked the Easter eggs referencing the original fairy tale, as I didn't know how it would connect to the story of a bounty hunter. The same goes for the references to other stories in the saga within the canon.
However, there are three things that left me disappointed. First, the slow pace at the beginning of the plot. It only really picked up speed in the last few chapters. Second, it's the first time I didn't feel the villain was a real adversary for the protagonist and the secondary characters beyond what he did before the story began. Third, the romance was just okay. It didn't feel forced, but the chemistry wasn't really there. Finally, all the mentions of vomiting made me uncomfortable.
Spoiler section for each detail I liked:
In short, the book has solid writing. It opened up new possibilities in the world-building of Neverland without losing its meaning or becoming incoherent. I'm looking forward to the next installment because I love any retelling related to the 12 dancing princesses. That's why I'm always happy to see Peter Pan , because he adds spice to every story with his unpredictability and chaos. Thanks for the Arc!
🐻🐻🐻
ESP:
Me fue a ratos difícil conectar con la protagonista, pero lentamente encontré un puente entre ella y yo. Muchas veces estamos tan cegados con nuestras metas o un mal recuerdo que olvidamos que tenemos al frente. Nos podemos perder en el proceso.
Para fortuna de Gil, se reencontró antes de que fuera muy tarde. Me gustaron los easter eggs sobre el cuento de hadas original, ya que no sabía cómo se vincularía con la historia de una cazarrecompensas. Lo mismo va para las referencias hacía las otras historias de la saga dentro del canon.
Solo que hay tres cosas que me dejaron sin sabor. Primero, el paso a desnivel al inicio de la trama. Recién agarró ritmo en los últimos capítulos. Segundo, es la primera vez que no sentí al villano como un oponente real para la protagonista y los personajes secundarios más allá de lo que hizo previo a la historia. Tercero, el romance estuvo meh. No lo sentí forzado, mas la química no estuvo realmente allí. Por último, tantas menciones de vómito me incomodaron.
Sección spoilers de cada detalle que me gustó:
En fin, el libro tiene una escritura sólida. Abrió nuevas posibilidades en la construcción de mundos de Neverland sin perder el sentido o ser incoherente. Espero la siguiente parte porque amo cualquier retelling que esté relacionado a las 12 princesas bailarinas. De allí, siempre contenta de ver a Peter Pan porque le pone sazón a cada historia con lo impredecible y caótico que es. ¡Gracias por el Arc!
ENG:
At times, I found it difficult to connect with the protagonist, but I slowly found a bridge between us. Often, we're so blinded by our goals or a bad memory that we forget what's right in front of us. We can get lost in the process.
Fortunately for Gil, she found herself again before it was too late. I liked the Easter eggs referencing the original fairy tale, as I didn't know how it would connect to the story of a bounty hunter. The same goes for the references to other stories in the saga within the canon.
However, there are three things that left me disappointed. First, the slow pace at the beginning of the plot. It only really picked up speed in the last few chapters. Second, it's the first time I didn't feel the villain was a real adversary for the protagonist and the secondary characters beyond what he did before the story began. Third, the romance was just okay. It didn't feel forced, but the chemistry wasn't really there. Finally, all the mentions of vomiting made me uncomfortable.
Spoiler section for each detail I liked:
In short, the book has solid writing. It opened up new possibilities in the world-building of Neverland without losing its meaning or becoming incoherent. I'm looking forward to the next installment because I love any retelling related to the 12 dancing princesses. That's why I'm always happy to see Peter Pan , because he adds spice to every story with his unpredictability and chaos. Thanks for the Arc!
🐻🐻🐻
ESP:
Me fue a ratos difícil conectar con la protagonista, pero lentamente encontré un puente entre ella y yo. Muchas veces estamos tan cegados con nuestras metas o un mal recuerdo que olvidamos que tenemos al frente. Nos podemos perder en el proceso.
Para fortuna de Gil, se reencontró antes de que fuera muy tarde. Me gustaron los easter eggs sobre el cuento de hadas original, ya que no sabía cómo se vincularía con la historia de una cazarrecompensas. Lo mismo va para las referencias hacía las otras historias de la saga dentro del canon.
Solo que hay tres cosas que me dejaron sin sabor. Primero, el paso a desnivel al inicio de la trama. Recién agarró ritmo en los últimos capítulos. Segundo, es la primera vez que no sentí al villano como un oponente real para la protagonista y los personajes secundarios más allá de lo que hizo previo a la historia. Tercero, el romance estuvo meh. No lo sentí forzado, mas la química no estuvo realmente allí. Por último, tantas menciones de vómito me incomodaron.
Sección spoilers de cada detalle que me gustó:
En fin, el libro tiene una escritura sólida. Abrió nuevas posibilidades en la construcción de mundos de Neverland sin perder el sentido o ser incoherente. Espero la siguiente parte porque amo cualquier retelling que esté relacionado a las 12 princesas bailarinas. De allí, siempre contenta de ver a Peter Pan porque le pone sazón a cada historia con lo impredecible y caótico que es. ¡Gracias por el Arc!
June 23, 2026
Seeking Revenge has been my favorite of this series so far! I was only partway through Becoming Hook (& had peeked at the ending) when I received this as an ARC reviewer, but was able to read it as a standalone despite the advice that it’s better to read the series in order. You’ll miss some of the depth and cameos from other characters in the series, but it won’t hinder your reading here to a huge extent. I went back and filled myself in with the other 4 books after I read this one (and this is still my favorite!).
While the characters vary from morally grey to downright villainous, this is really a case of nothing being what it seems. Starting with the FMC- Jillian is pretending to be a boy, Gil as a survival strategy for a girl left abandoned as a 5 year old. If you read Escaping Pirates, you already know that. If not, the author lets you in on that secret pretty quickly. The part I liked was that here you see her motivation for her dubious morality and why she appears to be so cold and tough. Her life hasn’t been easy. I would love to have seen more about how she managed to move from abandoned little girl whose family was sold into slavery to a tough, merciless bounty hunter with serious fighting skills, though it probably would have slowed the plot down. Maybe in bonus material? 😁
Lochlan, the MMC, was yet another puzzle, and seemed to waffle between the kind, gentle healer and knitter and a hard hearted member of a three-man crime ring. Without spoilers, there’s no way to describe his motivations, but there are lots of twists in his character arc!
The other characters are also delightful. Feom Auntie Mabel, a sweet old woman, to the actually villainous Roderick, they all feel very real and add color to the plot. One character is recurring across the series, and seems to be changing, but his ultimate outcome is still ambiguous at the end of the story despite some very intriguing twists for him. 😉
While billed as a Goldilocks retelling, Goldilocks is merely a jumping off point for a really original story. There are Goldilocks Easter eggs that are fun to run across: a bear-like man, 3 bowls of grits (& a shipment of porridge), a borrowed bed & comments about the bed being too hard, etc). It didn’t bother me at all that this isn’t a strict retelling. I was thrilled with what Mary Mecham could “knit” from a yarn you wouldn’t expect to wind up a high stakes fantasy with romance!
Sensitive topics: human trafficking/ slavery, criminal activity & bounty hunting, domestic violence, death of a parent (off page), assault w/ hinted potential rape, some PG-PG13 level mild violence, characters drugged against their will. For all of that, this story is still surprisingly light and fun to read.
Seeking Revenge has so many twists and turns, even the cleverest reader should find some surprises by the end. Absolutely everyone has secrets in this one! The romance is swoony but clean, and doesn’t overtake the high stakes plot. The resolution at the end was amazing and surprising, even for a reader (me) who frequently peeks at endings. There’s also a set-up for the next book in the series, which will bring Jillian back,at least as a minor character. Overall, a spectacular story!
-Thank you to the author for providing me an ARC copy of this book for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
While the characters vary from morally grey to downright villainous, this is really a case of nothing being what it seems. Starting with the FMC- Jillian is pretending to be a boy, Gil as a survival strategy for a girl left abandoned as a 5 year old. If you read Escaping Pirates, you already know that. If not, the author lets you in on that secret pretty quickly. The part I liked was that here you see her motivation for her dubious morality and why she appears to be so cold and tough. Her life hasn’t been easy. I would love to have seen more about how she managed to move from abandoned little girl whose family was sold into slavery to a tough, merciless bounty hunter with serious fighting skills, though it probably would have slowed the plot down. Maybe in bonus material? 😁
Lochlan, the MMC, was yet another puzzle, and seemed to waffle between the kind, gentle healer and knitter and a hard hearted member of a three-man crime ring. Without spoilers, there’s no way to describe his motivations, but there are lots of twists in his character arc!
The other characters are also delightful. Feom Auntie Mabel, a sweet old woman, to the actually villainous Roderick, they all feel very real and add color to the plot. One character is recurring across the series, and seems to be changing, but his ultimate outcome is still ambiguous at the end of the story despite some very intriguing twists for him. 😉
While billed as a Goldilocks retelling, Goldilocks is merely a jumping off point for a really original story. There are Goldilocks Easter eggs that are fun to run across: a bear-like man, 3 bowls of grits (& a shipment of porridge), a borrowed bed & comments about the bed being too hard, etc). It didn’t bother me at all that this isn’t a strict retelling. I was thrilled with what Mary Mecham could “knit” from a yarn you wouldn’t expect to wind up a high stakes fantasy with romance!
Sensitive topics: human trafficking/ slavery, criminal activity & bounty hunting, domestic violence, death of a parent (off page), assault w/ hinted potential rape, some PG-PG13 level mild violence, characters drugged against their will. For all of that, this story is still surprisingly light and fun to read.
Seeking Revenge has so many twists and turns, even the cleverest reader should find some surprises by the end. Absolutely everyone has secrets in this one! The romance is swoony but clean, and doesn’t overtake the high stakes plot. The resolution at the end was amazing and surprising, even for a reader (me) who frequently peeks at endings. There’s also a set-up for the next book in the series, which will bring Jillian back,at least as a minor character. Overall, a spectacular story!
-Thank you to the author for providing me an ARC copy of this book for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
June 23, 2026
What an amazing twist on Goldilocks! I've never liked that story (what a rude little girl Goldie was to sit on a chair and break it without apologising, sleep in someone else's bed after messing up the first two and eat everyone's porridge only to run away to escape the consequences!) How that fairytale ever became a fan favourite is beyond me! (eyeroll) So when one of my favourite authors decided to give that classic but annoying tale a Maryvamp (revamp Mary style) I was all for it! Seeking Revenge had all the usual Mary Mecham trademarks: snarky banter, violence (but not too bad - your teen can still read it in safety), twists that you won't see coming, evil villains, cool good guys and a bad guy who is suddenly displaying good traits (okay that last one is unique to this book.) It also brought back quite a few characters from previous books in the series and oh was my little reader heart ever so happy when I saw Peter Pan basking in the spotlight where he's belonged since the beginning! He played a major part in this story and it was everything any Peter fan could have asked for (especially as he displays certain characteristics you wouldn't expect in this "drop-dead-evil, completely unredeemable" character. I can't wait for Training Shadows when we'll see him again and discover what happens after this story ends, because woof it ended on a banger! I adored Lochlan and Gill was awesome! Plus that kiss! (What spoiler? Since when does a Mary book not have a kiss?! lol) but that kiss was PERFECT for the two of them - just PERFECT!! (Read it and you will see what I mean.) I loved having Gill be a boy for most of the book and having to hide her true physicality and personality. It was very realistically written and made me glad I've never had to perform such a masquerade cause talk about risky! I loved that Gill was a bounty hunter, and the beginning of the book is like lighting a stick of dynamite and then dealing with the aftermath of the explosion for the rest of it, except the flames never die down - this book is INTENSE!! It's not the first hidden identity book Mary's written, but it's definitely my favourite! The way the author weaved the original Goldilocks story into her own by using Porridge as a code word and the incident with the chair etc. was very clever indeed, and I truly believe the story of Gill's escapades deserves an award! Is there an Oscar for books? Cause this one had it ALL! Captivity, violence, a little bit of kidnapping, hidden identity, bad evil characters, conflicted characters, surprisingly romantic characters, super clever ways of sending hidden messages, black market smuggling and SO much more! But there's no need to write a book about a book when really you should just go read the book I'm talking about so we can rave about it together! Mary penned another winner with Seeking Revenge and Training Shadows can't drop fast enough!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received a ARC copy of this book from the author and though a review wasn’t required, I wanted to offer my honest, voluntary impression of the book.
I have enjoyed Mary’s imaginative retelling of Peter Pan and Neverland through the initial introduction and through related books referencing Pan and Hook and characters they meet after leaving Neverland.
This book was hard at times to read because the depiction of human trafficking is still a reality which exists in this country and throughout the world! It’s sickening to read of how depraved people who were once human can descend to be lower than slime!
Other than that the journey a young girl takes to try and find her family who were captured by slavers but hid her before taken away will capture your attention and your heart!
A young six year old was hidden when her parents and older sister were captured and sold. She has survived on her own and eventually goes to work as a bounty hunter trying to find, take down those who captured her family and others while disguising herself as a young boy.
Her mission has proven successful and now she meets the one who was responsible and works to gain his trust before capturing him. She runs into complications because one of his companions is a boy she’s met before and the other is one who she finds an attraction to which she hasn’t allowed herself to ever feel before dressed and acting like a boy. Things get even more complicated when that boy turns out to be the son of this man who sold her family to slavers!
Trust, betrayal, crushing defeat, hope- all these feelings and emotions you will feel as Jillian struggles to try and understand feelings she’s never allowed herself to have and when this boy finds out her secret, her new feelings and desires to try and act and behave as a woman after pretending to be a boy since she was six!
Fragile trust, then betrayals and having devastating news about one of her family members makes her spiral but two other members are still out there and she is determined to find them no matter what!
Follow this exciting journey of discoveries as relationships she never knew are exposed as she continues on her journey to find those taken from her when she was so young!
I really enjoyed this heartwarming and heart wrenching tale of discovery culminating in revelations you don’t see coming!
I wholeheartedly and enthusiastically recommend this book and this series to everyone who loves fairytales and especially those who loved Peter Pan and Neverland! I think you’ll enjoy these books as one villain does seem to want to change his life because of someone he meets!
I look forward to the next book Training Shadows where Peter and the girl he’s attracted to meet again but not under the conditions you’d think!
I have enjoyed Mary’s imaginative retelling of Peter Pan and Neverland through the initial introduction and through related books referencing Pan and Hook and characters they meet after leaving Neverland.
This book was hard at times to read because the depiction of human trafficking is still a reality which exists in this country and throughout the world! It’s sickening to read of how depraved people who were once human can descend to be lower than slime!
Other than that the journey a young girl takes to try and find her family who were captured by slavers but hid her before taken away will capture your attention and your heart!
A young six year old was hidden when her parents and older sister were captured and sold. She has survived on her own and eventually goes to work as a bounty hunter trying to find, take down those who captured her family and others while disguising herself as a young boy.
Her mission has proven successful and now she meets the one who was responsible and works to gain his trust before capturing him. She runs into complications because one of his companions is a boy she’s met before and the other is one who she finds an attraction to which she hasn’t allowed herself to ever feel before dressed and acting like a boy. Things get even more complicated when that boy turns out to be the son of this man who sold her family to slavers!
Trust, betrayal, crushing defeat, hope- all these feelings and emotions you will feel as Jillian struggles to try and understand feelings she’s never allowed herself to have and when this boy finds out her secret, her new feelings and desires to try and act and behave as a woman after pretending to be a boy since she was six!
Fragile trust, then betrayals and having devastating news about one of her family members makes her spiral but two other members are still out there and she is determined to find them no matter what!
Follow this exciting journey of discoveries as relationships she never knew are exposed as she continues on her journey to find those taken from her when she was so young!
I really enjoyed this heartwarming and heart wrenching tale of discovery culminating in revelations you don’t see coming!
I wholeheartedly and enthusiastically recommend this book and this series to everyone who loves fairytales and especially those who loved Peter Pan and Neverland! I think you’ll enjoy these books as one villain does seem to want to change his life because of someone he meets!
I look forward to the next book Training Shadows where Peter and the girl he’s attracted to meet again but not under the conditions you’d think!
Review of advance copy
This is an amazing no spice romantasy book where the FMC is a fierce mysterious baddie and the MMC is a lovely walking contradiction!
I really enjoyed curling up with this book and a bowl of rice and binge-ing the while thing in a few hours!! I was waiting for the tension to come to a head in the satisfying way Mrs. Mecham always does it, and it did NOT disappoint. I was exclaiming out loud every now and then and dropping my phone onto the table in disbelief to the puzzlement of the other inhabitants of my house 😂
The plot twists had ME in a twist trying to figure out how I was so thoroughly duped. Of course, the romance side of it was a lovely reprieve from the tenser sides of the book, and the enemies-to-friends-to-lovers with a side of there was only one bed is really fun. I LOVE a good clean only one bed trope.
While you don't need to read the other books in the Legends of Neverland series, I do think it would be helpful to do so in order to have some context for what happens in the background of the story, particularly for analytical readers who are always trying to figure out the ending before the ending. Fair warning: you won't.
While I personally would have found Lochlan's chivalry stifling, it fits his complicated character really well and is honestly probably the best for showing Gil what it is to be cared about. In regards to their romance, the conclusion left me a bit unsettled, but that just means I have to stay on my toes for the sequel! I am also a sucker for groveling, and Lochlan doesn't do so NEARLY enough 🥲 But perhaps that is just a personal mean streak and Gil is more forgiving than I am.
I do think that there isn't enough of Goldilock's tale to warrant her a place in the book title, as there isn't much reference to the story besides a couple of blink and you miss it references in the scene where she finds a little cottage. (No info for you, spoilers!)
All in all, I really liked this book. It had me stressed and my head spinning, but in a good way!! Definitely would recommend, but I seriously recommend the rest of the series as well!!
Edited to add I am an ARC reader, happily enough! My opinions are my very own. Also, no AI EVER in my reviews 🤢
I really enjoyed curling up with this book and a bowl of rice and binge-ing the while thing in a few hours!! I was waiting for the tension to come to a head in the satisfying way Mrs. Mecham always does it, and it did NOT disappoint. I was exclaiming out loud every now and then and dropping my phone onto the table in disbelief to the puzzlement of the other inhabitants of my house 😂
The plot twists had ME in a twist trying to figure out how I was so thoroughly duped. Of course, the romance side of it was a lovely reprieve from the tenser sides of the book, and the enemies-to-friends-to-lovers with a side of there was only one bed is really fun. I LOVE a good clean only one bed trope.
While you don't need to read the other books in the Legends of Neverland series, I do think it would be helpful to do so in order to have some context for what happens in the background of the story, particularly for analytical readers who are always trying to figure out the ending before the ending. Fair warning: you won't.
While I personally would have found Lochlan's chivalry stifling, it fits his complicated character really well and is honestly probably the best for showing Gil what it is to be cared about. In regards to their romance, the conclusion left me a bit unsettled, but that just means I have to stay on my toes for the sequel! I am also a sucker for groveling, and Lochlan doesn't do so NEARLY enough 🥲 But perhaps that is just a personal mean streak and Gil is more forgiving than I am.
I do think that there isn't enough of Goldilock's tale to warrant her a place in the book title, as there isn't much reference to the story besides a couple of blink and you miss it references in the scene where she finds a little cottage. (No info for you, spoilers!)
All in all, I really liked this book. It had me stressed and my head spinning, but in a good way!! Definitely would recommend, but I seriously recommend the rest of the series as well!!
Edited to add I am an ARC reader, happily enough! My opinions are my very own. Also, no AI EVER in my reviews 🤢
June 12, 2026
Oh my goodness! A Villainous Goldilocks with cameos of Captain Hook, Tinkerbelle, Peter Pan and other characters from previous Legends of Neverland books?!? Seriously, the creativity to create whole worlds with reverse role villains/heroes and a consistency of plots twisting in and out of different books and within the same book (you will not guess ALL the twists and turns), all while throwing in little 'it was just right' to fit the original storyline, amazing.
I don't usually read the Villain swapped, I like having my characters be black and white...but, honestly that's not often how situations work in the real world, why would it work that way in a fantasy world? The main character faces a deep fear to save a child, it is written in a completely believable way and makes you stop and think...would I face my deep fear, at risk of my life, to save a child I don't even know. Obviously, we want the answer to be yes, but through books that put those situations in front of us, of teens too, it strengthens our thoughts, our reactions, so that if and when we're faced with the uncomfortable, the scary, the dangerous to help someone, we know what we're going to do. When asked if they were sure they could go into the tight space..."No, I wasn't sure, but I nodded anyway. I wouldn't let another child sit in the dark and believe she'd been abandoned, even if it meant reliving my most terrifying memory and facing my worst fear. I might be alone in the world, but this girl still had a family, and she deserved to be reunited with them."
I highly recommend reading the whole series (confession, I still haven't read #1 or #2, but #3,4 &5 are sooo worth the time and I can hardly wait for #6!). Honestly, it would make a good book club book...discuss the whys behind character's actions and the imagined course you would take in those situations. Both boys and girls would enjoy these books, they are not as light and fluffy as some retellings, so I would say mature 13/14+ or down to 12ish with parental reading too (not because of inappropriateness, but themes of loss and survival that should be talked through).
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
I don't usually read the Villain swapped, I like having my characters be black and white...but, honestly that's not often how situations work in the real world, why would it work that way in a fantasy world? The main character faces a deep fear to save a child, it is written in a completely believable way and makes you stop and think...would I face my deep fear, at risk of my life, to save a child I don't even know. Obviously, we want the answer to be yes, but through books that put those situations in front of us, of teens too, it strengthens our thoughts, our reactions, so that if and when we're faced with the uncomfortable, the scary, the dangerous to help someone, we know what we're going to do. When asked if they were sure they could go into the tight space..."No, I wasn't sure, but I nodded anyway. I wouldn't let another child sit in the dark and believe she'd been abandoned, even if it meant reliving my most terrifying memory and facing my worst fear. I might be alone in the world, but this girl still had a family, and she deserved to be reunited with them."
I highly recommend reading the whole series (confession, I still haven't read #1 or #2, but #3,4 &5 are sooo worth the time and I can hardly wait for #6!). Honestly, it would make a good book club book...discuss the whys behind character's actions and the imagined course you would take in those situations. Both boys and girls would enjoy these books, they are not as light and fluffy as some retellings, so I would say mature 13/14+ or down to 12ish with parental reading too (not because of inappropriateness, but themes of loss and survival that should be talked through).
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received this advanced copy without the expectation of a review, and these are my honest thoughts.
Oh my goodness! Though it doesn't surprise me, Mary Mecham has done it again!
First of all, the FMC was so refreshing and unique. If you've never read a book by this author before, a lot of her FMCs (though certainly not all!) tend to be snarky and tough in their own ways, which I love. However, though these things are true of Jillian, she stands out because she spends the majority of the book pretending to be a boy to get away with things most people don't. It adds an interesting new layer, and if you loved Mulan, you will most likely LOVE this story!
I love the MMC as well. He's so interesting and has nontraditional hobbies and quirks that really help him stand out. The romance is cute, and it stays at the author's typical level of swoon (some kissing, no innuendo or spice). I can't say too much about him though because everything feels like a spoiler.
That being said... some twists I had a feeling were coming, but even the ones I thought I understood were all executed differently and at different points than I expected them to be. The book was one roller coaster after another, with incredibly high stakes. There were times that darker subject matters were addressed, such as seeing conditions of slaves in this fictional world, but there were lighter moments as well that helped prevent the whole book from feeling too gritty or heavy. (And the ending is fantastic, by the way.)
It's also fun to see Easter eggs/references to previous books and (I'm assuming) future books. There are clever little nods here and there, specific details that certainly leave me wondering about a few potential books later on in this series... and I am so unbelievably excited.
In summation... I need book six now, pronto, and now I have to wait, but this book is still completely worth it! If you like high stakes YA fairytale retellings without spice (and are okay with very loose retellings, which, in my opinion, is in some ways more fun), then you should absolutely check this whole series out!
Oh my goodness! Though it doesn't surprise me, Mary Mecham has done it again!
First of all, the FMC was so refreshing and unique. If you've never read a book by this author before, a lot of her FMCs (though certainly not all!) tend to be snarky and tough in their own ways, which I love. However, though these things are true of Jillian, she stands out because she spends the majority of the book pretending to be a boy to get away with things most people don't. It adds an interesting new layer, and if you loved Mulan, you will most likely LOVE this story!
I love the MMC as well. He's so interesting and has nontraditional hobbies and quirks that really help him stand out. The romance is cute, and it stays at the author's typical level of swoon (some kissing, no innuendo or spice). I can't say too much about him though because everything feels like a spoiler.
That being said... some twists I had a feeling were coming, but even the ones I thought I understood were all executed differently and at different points than I expected them to be. The book was one roller coaster after another, with incredibly high stakes. There were times that darker subject matters were addressed, such as seeing conditions of slaves in this fictional world, but there were lighter moments as well that helped prevent the whole book from feeling too gritty or heavy. (And the ending is fantastic, by the way.)
It's also fun to see Easter eggs/references to previous books and (I'm assuming) future books. There are clever little nods here and there, specific details that certainly leave me wondering about a few potential books later on in this series... and I am so unbelievably excited.
In summation... I need book six now, pronto, and now I have to wait, but this book is still completely worth it! If you like high stakes YA fairytale retellings without spice (and are okay with very loose retellings, which, in my opinion, is in some ways more fun), then you should absolutely check this whole series out!
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