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The Order of the Fountain #1
Second Star to the Right
The prince of Norland is missing.
Orphaned twice over, Pan has spent his life under the control of the cunning and ruthless pirate captain, Lesard. Though desperate to both retain his morality and gain his freedom, he lives in constant fear of the consequences his choices could have on Smee, the only friend he has. When the enigmatic Hook joins Lesard’s crew and hatches a plot to help the captain break into the royal vault in Montaigne, Pan is offered his if he helps Lesard gain entry to the vault, he and Smee will be allowed to leave the pirate life behind. If he is discovered, however, he could face a life in prison and for Smee the consequences would be far worse.
Melanie Charmant, the princess of Montaigne, has followed the search for the missing prince of Norland--the Lost Boy--for as long as she can remember. With the aid of the Order of the Fountain, she discovers that not only does Lesard hold the key to the prince’s disappearance, the nefarious pirate is also plotting to get his hands on the secret of Neverland--a spring of water that, according to legends, can bestow healing and perhaps even eternal youth. All Pan wants to do is finish his mission and so he and Smee can start over. All Melanie wants is to see the prince safely home and Neverland untouched. As their paths cross, will they find a way to trust each other with their secrets and protect Neverland from Lesard? Or is the gap between a pirate and a princess too great?
*Author’s Note* This is an updated version and should be free of previous typos/errors.
Orphaned twice over, Pan has spent his life under the control of the cunning and ruthless pirate captain, Lesard. Though desperate to both retain his morality and gain his freedom, he lives in constant fear of the consequences his choices could have on Smee, the only friend he has. When the enigmatic Hook joins Lesard’s crew and hatches a plot to help the captain break into the royal vault in Montaigne, Pan is offered his if he helps Lesard gain entry to the vault, he and Smee will be allowed to leave the pirate life behind. If he is discovered, however, he could face a life in prison and for Smee the consequences would be far worse.
Melanie Charmant, the princess of Montaigne, has followed the search for the missing prince of Norland--the Lost Boy--for as long as she can remember. With the aid of the Order of the Fountain, she discovers that not only does Lesard hold the key to the prince’s disappearance, the nefarious pirate is also plotting to get his hands on the secret of Neverland--a spring of water that, according to legends, can bestow healing and perhaps even eternal youth. All Pan wants to do is finish his mission and so he and Smee can start over. All Melanie wants is to see the prince safely home and Neverland untouched. As their paths cross, will they find a way to trust each other with their secrets and protect Neverland from Lesard? Or is the gap between a pirate and a princess too great?
*Author’s Note* This is an updated version and should be free of previous typos/errors.
229 pages, Unknown Binding
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343 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Beran
31 books198 followersSarah lives in sunny southern California with her husband, two small children, and dog Pippin. An elementary music teacher by day, when she is not writing or devouring books she spends her free time running, making music, or playing make believe.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
May 11, 2025
3 stars ⭐️ Clean Fiction (with light faith content) - Fairytale Retelling
The first part of this book was so stinkin’ sad. After reading this book, I’ve had a realization that it must an a requirement for Peter Pan retellings to be sad as all the prior ones I’ve read fit that as well. That said, I did like that the pirates in this book were not good. Now, that may be obvious that “they’re pirates, they’re not supposed to be good, Lindsey.” And I fully agree. But you would be surprised by how many “good pirates” I’ve read and how the lifestyle is romanticized in other books. Not the case in this book and even though it was a bit much at times for me, I appreciated there wasn’t romanticization of the pirate lifestyle.
This one definitely not as cute as the other books I’ve read by this author, but I had been warned about that before reading this series!
We don’t meet our princess/FMC until 70+ pages in and since the book is just over 200 pages, I didn’t really feel the romance connection between the two of them. By the end, I liked them together, but I wouldn’t call them a new favorite couple (especially not by this author).
I do wish there would have been more explanation about the Guild as it felt a little throw in with little sharing about it all. Maybe like it was assumed you knew about it or like it was a later book in a series? (but it’s actually the first book, so that theory doesn’t make sense.)
There was a lot of references to and unique twists of the classic Peter Pan story. I particularly loved Tink! I was impressed with how the author weaved so many different parts in ways I hadn’t seen before and I look forward to reading the rest of the series soon!
Main Content-
God is called the Creator in this world; Prayers (including ones specifically said to the Creator); Some talks about the Creator; ‘H’s are not capital when referring to the Creator; A story is told about a woman finding a healer who was able to provide miracles, but being told that a soul has to be exchanged to heal another soul and sacrifices herself (because of her selflessness, the Creator allowed the woman to have a special place among the stars; While Pan is entertained by the story, he comments on it not matching the Creator’s book; Someone else says it’s not out of the Creator’s power to make sure a thing exist; Another comments of the Spring granting eternal youth).
Mentions of the Creator, prayers, & praising/thanking the Creator; Mentions of a Springs that is said to have healing water or water that grants eternal youth, which was given to royal families by the Creator (*Spoilers* ).
A mention of a chapel.
Lots of fighting, using weapons, being hit/punched, being attacked, being choked, being stabbed, being held at knife-point, being threatened, injuries, pain, blood/bleeding, & passing out (Pan doesn’t wish to kill anyone and avoids it at all cost; up to a handful of sentences each time); Throwing up; Grief (including grief from a child for the death of a parent (up to a few sentences)); Manipulation (being and doing); Seeing someone held at knife-point and others killed (up to a couple sentences).
The prologue starts with a mother and child being surrounded by wolves and the mother sacrificing herself to protect her son (her screams are mentioned; Later, it’s said that there was not much left of her and everyone assumed the boy to have been killed as well); A man’s hand is cut-off (off-page) and the hand is seen and used as a threat (up to a couple sentences); Pan has a sip of wine and a pint of ale & Side characters drink alcohol.
Nothing stronger than ‘shut up’, ‘stupid’, and ‘idiot’; A couple mentions of curses (said, not written); Some sarcasm & eye rolling; Some lying & eavesdropping.
All about & many, many mentions of pirates, their brutal ways, murders/killing, violence, stealing, fighting, & injuries (up to a few sentences).
Mentions of deaths, assumed deaths, & grief (up to a few sentences); Mentions of missing people (including children and young adults); Mentions of fires; Mentions of major injuries, pain, injuries, & blood/bleeding; Mentions of prisons/jails & criminals; Mentions of manipulation; Mentions of alcohol, drinking, & drunks; Mentions of a hunter, dressing a deer, & the carcass/blood (up to a few sentences); A few mentions of an abandoned and beaten dog; A few mentions of lies & lying; A few mentions of throwing up; A couple mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of a couple longing to have children but haven’t been able to; A mention of a possible war; A mention of a mother dying in childbirth; A mention of gambling.
1 forehead kiss,
1 nose kiss,
1 cheek kiss (& remembering it),
1 kissing lasting a sentence,
A married couple shares a kiss (on the forehead).
Touches, Embraces, Nearness, Warmth, Smelling, Noticing, & Staring (up to a couple sentences); Blushes; Some jealousy.
A few sexual suggestions (such as a woman keeping a key on her person and a man laughing about it because he assumes another man has seduced/“get in” with her; A man telling a woman enamored with him to wait upstairs for him (she flutters her eyes suggestively prior to this) and he watches her go “appreciatively”); A man pulls a woman on to his lap and kisses her; A contract has the guards who sign it to promise about refraining from debauchery.
Mentions of men wooing or trying to woo a princess; A couple mentions of a clandestine meeting between lovers.
The first part of this book was so stinkin’ sad. After reading this book, I’ve had a realization that it must an a requirement for Peter Pan retellings to be sad as all the prior ones I’ve read fit that as well. That said, I did like that the pirates in this book were not good. Now, that may be obvious that “they’re pirates, they’re not supposed to be good, Lindsey.” And I fully agree. But you would be surprised by how many “good pirates” I’ve read and how the lifestyle is romanticized in other books. Not the case in this book and even though it was a bit much at times for me, I appreciated there wasn’t romanticization of the pirate lifestyle.
This one definitely not as cute as the other books I’ve read by this author, but I had been warned about that before reading this series!
We don’t meet our princess/FMC until 70+ pages in and since the book is just over 200 pages, I didn’t really feel the romance connection between the two of them. By the end, I liked them together, but I wouldn’t call them a new favorite couple (especially not by this author).
I do wish there would have been more explanation about the Guild as it felt a little throw in with little sharing about it all. Maybe like it was assumed you knew about it or like it was a later book in a series? (but it’s actually the first book, so that theory doesn’t make sense.)
There was a lot of references to and unique twists of the classic Peter Pan story. I particularly loved Tink! I was impressed with how the author weaved so many different parts in ways I hadn’t seen before and I look forward to reading the rest of the series soon!
Main Content-
God is called the Creator in this world; Prayers (including ones specifically said to the Creator); Some talks about the Creator; ‘H’s are not capital when referring to the Creator; A story is told about a woman finding a healer who was able to provide miracles, but being told that a soul has to be exchanged to heal another soul and sacrifices herself (because of her selflessness, the Creator allowed the woman to have a special place among the stars; While Pan is entertained by the story, he comments on it not matching the Creator’s book; Someone else says it’s not out of the Creator’s power to make sure a thing exist; Another comments of the Spring granting eternal youth).
Mentions of the Creator, prayers, & praising/thanking the Creator; Mentions of a Springs that is said to have healing water or water that grants eternal youth, which was given to royal families by the Creator (*Spoilers* ).
A mention of a chapel.
Lots of fighting, using weapons, being hit/punched, being attacked, being choked, being stabbed, being held at knife-point, being threatened, injuries, pain, blood/bleeding, & passing out (Pan doesn’t wish to kill anyone and avoids it at all cost; up to a handful of sentences each time); Throwing up; Grief (including grief from a child for the death of a parent (up to a few sentences)); Manipulation (being and doing); Seeing someone held at knife-point and others killed (up to a couple sentences).
The prologue starts with a mother and child being surrounded by wolves and the mother sacrificing herself to protect her son (her screams are mentioned; Later, it’s said that there was not much left of her and everyone assumed the boy to have been killed as well); A man’s hand is cut-off (off-page) and the hand is seen and used as a threat (up to a couple sentences); Pan has a sip of wine and a pint of ale & Side characters drink alcohol.
Nothing stronger than ‘shut up’, ‘stupid’, and ‘idiot’; A couple mentions of curses (said, not written); Some sarcasm & eye rolling; Some lying & eavesdropping.
All about & many, many mentions of pirates, their brutal ways, murders/killing, violence, stealing, fighting, & injuries (up to a few sentences).
Mentions of deaths, assumed deaths, & grief (up to a few sentences); Mentions of missing people (including children and young adults); Mentions of fires; Mentions of major injuries, pain, injuries, & blood/bleeding; Mentions of prisons/jails & criminals; Mentions of manipulation; Mentions of alcohol, drinking, & drunks; Mentions of a hunter, dressing a deer, & the carcass/blood (up to a few sentences); A few mentions of an abandoned and beaten dog; A few mentions of lies & lying; A few mentions of throwing up; A couple mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of a couple longing to have children but haven’t been able to; A mention of a possible war; A mention of a mother dying in childbirth; A mention of gambling.
1 forehead kiss,
1 nose kiss,
1 cheek kiss (& remembering it),
1 kissing lasting a sentence,
A married couple shares a kiss (on the forehead).
Touches, Embraces, Nearness, Warmth, Smelling, Noticing, & Staring (up to a couple sentences); Blushes; Some jealousy.
A few sexual suggestions (such as a woman keeping a key on her person and a man laughing about it because he assumes another man has seduced/“get in” with her; A man telling a woman enamored with him to wait upstairs for him (she flutters her eyes suggestively prior to this) and he watches her go “appreciatively”); A man pulls a woman on to his lap and kisses her; A contract has the guards who sign it to promise about refraining from debauchery.
Mentions of men wooing or trying to woo a princess; A couple mentions of a clandestine meeting between lovers.
February 17, 2025
Ugh, I don’t know what to say about this book. It’s not bad, it’s not great, it’s not as good as her newer books I’ve read, it’s kinda just here and the more I sit on it and try to muddle out how I feel about it the more “meh” it gets.
Don’t get me wrong, I liked the first half of the book and was on edge right with Pan in always waiting for the other shoe to drop, but after discovering who Melanie is and the Order as a whole that leads to the final confrontation I just…felt nothing? The end was just THERE and it really bugged me so that to this day I still can’t put my finger on exactly why I don’t like it. The romance was also just there and honestly didn’t need to be here which is shocking coming from me who, aside from a very small few books, likes romance in her fairy tale retellings but very much like the ending the relationship was just…there.
And on top of all that, the faith elements were nonexistent aside from a few rare remarks about the Creator (God) being good which I found weird for a Christian book as there are no faith journeys for either character. Also feel as if Pan’s trauma is just glossed over even though it’s addressed…kinda. It’s talked about between other people ABOUT him but not TO or WITH him which was an…odd choice.
I do like that the pirates are shown as evil scum and aren’t romanticized—I like Pirates of the Caribbean as much as the next girl but other then those movies I’ve never understood or seen the draw to pirates in fiction, unless they’re “pirates” under the guise of rescuing others or something of that good nature and just use the word to fool others—now THAT’S cool!
As you can probably tell I have VERY mixed feelings about this book and I’m still not fully sure why (if I figure it out maybe I’ll update this review, lol). Overall this author’s newer books (at least the two I’ve read aside from this one) are much better and clearly show she’s grown as an author. So while this one isn’t bad and I’ll still try the few others in this series that I own, it’s also not great.
‼️Content‼️
TRIGGER WARNING: a child is kidnapped; mental/emotional abuse
Violence: a woman is killed by wolves (not shown); fighting with weapons (not detailed); a man’s throat is slit (not detailed); injuries and blood (not detailed); several men are stabbed in the gut (not detailed)
Sexual: a couple kisses (not detailed); very mild suggestive hints/comments
Drugs/Alcohol: pirates drink rum; drunkenness; men drink beer
Other: death and grief; a child is kidnapped; pirates; magical water; mental/emotional abuse
Don’t get me wrong, I liked the first half of the book and was on edge right with Pan in always waiting for the other shoe to drop, but after discovering who Melanie is and the Order as a whole that leads to the final confrontation I just…felt nothing? The end was just THERE and it really bugged me so that to this day I still can’t put my finger on exactly why I don’t like it. The romance was also just there and honestly didn’t need to be here which is shocking coming from me who, aside from a very small few books, likes romance in her fairy tale retellings but very much like the ending the relationship was just…there.
And on top of all that, the faith elements were nonexistent aside from a few rare remarks about the Creator (God) being good which I found weird for a Christian book as there are no faith journeys for either character. Also feel as if Pan’s trauma is just glossed over even though it’s addressed…kinda. It’s talked about between other people ABOUT him but not TO or WITH him which was an…odd choice.
I do like that the pirates are shown as evil scum and aren’t romanticized—I like Pirates of the Caribbean as much as the next girl but other then those movies I’ve never understood or seen the draw to pirates in fiction, unless they’re “pirates” under the guise of rescuing others or something of that good nature and just use the word to fool others—now THAT’S cool!
As you can probably tell I have VERY mixed feelings about this book and I’m still not fully sure why (if I figure it out maybe I’ll update this review, lol). Overall this author’s newer books (at least the two I’ve read aside from this one) are much better and clearly show she’s grown as an author. So while this one isn’t bad and I’ll still try the few others in this series that I own, it’s also not great.
‼️Content‼️
TRIGGER WARNING: a child is kidnapped; mental/emotional abuse
Violence: a woman is killed by wolves (not shown); fighting with weapons (not detailed); a man’s throat is slit (not detailed); injuries and blood (not detailed); several men are stabbed in the gut (not detailed)
Sexual: a couple kisses (not detailed); very mild suggestive hints/comments
Drugs/Alcohol: pirates drink rum; drunkenness; men drink beer
Other: death and grief; a child is kidnapped; pirates; magical water; mental/emotional abuse
June 13, 2025
Content:
Language: None.
Violence: Between high mild to low moderate. Pirates feature heavily here and they are without mercy. There is murder happening, lost limbs, and some blood. It's not graphic, just gives you an idea of what is happening without making you physically ill from intense descriptions. There is also a scene where a wolf kills someone, told very tactfully.
Sexual: Mild. There are some scenes where one character will make a comment about 'going upstairs to wait for me' or things like a pirate taking advantage of a female. Nothing is 'on screen' and it's tastefully told while not going into actual scenes to accurately show the kind of men the pirates are.
Content Warning: the Pan character in the story is in a very toxic environment and the manipulation trying to get him to abandon his morals is a big part of the book. He deals with abandonment and being used. But everything is gently touched upon and it isn't heart wrenching like some stories.
What a clever way to retell Peter Pan. One of the things I enjoyed most about this book was seeing the unique way the aspects and characters from the original play are woven into the story. I won't say what they are because it's more fun to discover for yourself, but as someone not particularly enamored of Peter Pan retellings, I truly enjoyed this rendition.
I think I knew when I was first recommended the series that it had Christian tones in it, but I forgot when I finally picked it up to read. I'm pleased to say that it balances well. It's not in-your-face Christian fantasy that can come across as high and mighty preachy-ness. It's written in such a way that the Characters are natural with their belief in the 'Creator' and it's as ordinary to them as Farming or Courting. Religion is hard to write in books and not come across as all consuming, even if a character has religion as their very core motivation and the heart of who they are. I appreciated the simplicity of it in this novel.
My favorite part of the book was seeing Pan and how he dealt with such an incredibly rotten hand and didn't lose his goodness. Honestly, the first few chapters had my jaw slack at the poor kid and the trauma he endures for over a decade. I did think that he opened up a little too quick, even if he was trusting his 'gut'. A person who grew up in that hostile of an environment would be so hypervigilant I don't think it is realistic for him to shed his ways in a few mere weeks. I still enjoyed it, and was easily able to overlook it because there were reasons explained why he chose the way he did, and they're feasible.
The romance was a bit instant to my mind and gets to that intense loyalty stage without much reason. But I found it adorable when Pan thinks to himself that Melanie's nose is adorable and then goes, "wait, what?" in his head. Made me cackle. I would've loved to have more of the two of them on screen showing how they come to know each other. A lot of their relationship happens in the exposition. Told not shown.
My only true gripe was the sheer amount of typos. The book was fine until about the halfway mark and then they were everywhere. I stopped counting at 8. Things like saying "Then" instead of "The", but there were a lot for a book that I think got edited more than once. I hope it doesn't end up in Amazon jail for typos.
AUDIOBOOK:
I was very happy to see this in audio, and hope that the rest of the series follows shortly. With a dual narration I did enjoy the male narrator, Jonathan Lee Taylor, more than the female narrator, Megan Dominy. But the overall narration was nice and I only had one or two moments where I wondered who missed certain editing moments where there weren't pauses between narrator switches and there was a chapter toward the end with the female narrator's audio sounding like there was some low static in the background.
It's going directly to my re-listen pile because I love the series (comfort re-read) and it was fun to hear John and Michael especially in their good natured sibling bickering. Lesard wasn't what I expected, but I look forward to future installments to see if he becomes more nuanced.
Language: None.
Violence: Between high mild to low moderate. Pirates feature heavily here and they are without mercy. There is murder happening, lost limbs, and some blood. It's not graphic, just gives you an idea of what is happening without making you physically ill from intense descriptions. There is also a scene where a wolf kills someone, told very tactfully.
Sexual: Mild. There are some scenes where one character will make a comment about 'going upstairs to wait for me' or things like a pirate taking advantage of a female. Nothing is 'on screen' and it's tastefully told while not going into actual scenes to accurately show the kind of men the pirates are.
Content Warning: the Pan character in the story is in a very toxic environment and the manipulation trying to get him to abandon his morals is a big part of the book. He deals with abandonment and being used. But everything is gently touched upon and it isn't heart wrenching like some stories.
What a clever way to retell Peter Pan. One of the things I enjoyed most about this book was seeing the unique way the aspects and characters from the original play are woven into the story. I won't say what they are because it's more fun to discover for yourself, but as someone not particularly enamored of Peter Pan retellings, I truly enjoyed this rendition.
I think I knew when I was first recommended the series that it had Christian tones in it, but I forgot when I finally picked it up to read. I'm pleased to say that it balances well. It's not in-your-face Christian fantasy that can come across as high and mighty preachy-ness. It's written in such a way that the Characters are natural with their belief in the 'Creator' and it's as ordinary to them as Farming or Courting. Religion is hard to write in books and not come across as all consuming, even if a character has religion as their very core motivation and the heart of who they are. I appreciated the simplicity of it in this novel.
My favorite part of the book was seeing Pan and how he dealt with such an incredibly rotten hand and didn't lose his goodness. Honestly, the first few chapters had my jaw slack at the poor kid and the trauma he endures for over a decade. I did think that he opened up a little too quick, even if he was trusting his 'gut'. A person who grew up in that hostile of an environment would be so hypervigilant I don't think it is realistic for him to shed his ways in a few mere weeks. I still enjoyed it, and was easily able to overlook it because there were reasons explained why he chose the way he did, and they're feasible.
The romance was a bit instant to my mind and gets to that intense loyalty stage without much reason. But I found it adorable when Pan thinks to himself that Melanie's nose is adorable and then goes, "wait, what?" in his head. Made me cackle. I would've loved to have more of the two of them on screen showing how they come to know each other. A lot of their relationship happens in the exposition. Told not shown.
My only true gripe was the sheer amount of typos. The book was fine until about the halfway mark and then they were everywhere. I stopped counting at 8. Things like saying "Then" instead of "The", but there were a lot for a book that I think got edited more than once. I hope it doesn't end up in Amazon jail for typos.
AUDIOBOOK:
I was very happy to see this in audio, and hope that the rest of the series follows shortly. With a dual narration I did enjoy the male narrator, Jonathan Lee Taylor, more than the female narrator, Megan Dominy. But the overall narration was nice and I only had one or two moments where I wondered who missed certain editing moments where there weren't pauses between narrator switches and there was a chapter toward the end with the female narrator's audio sounding like there was some low static in the background.
It's going directly to my re-listen pile because I love the series (comfort re-read) and it was fun to hear John and Michael especially in their good natured sibling bickering. Lesard wasn't what I expected, but I look forward to future installments to see if he becomes more nuanced.
November 11, 2022
This was a really fun adventure story that captured a lot of the Peter Pan vibes I remember from my childhood, having not seen the movie in quite some time! I enjoyed reading it, and I honestly think that it would make a great movie, because I could see some of the sequences being very cinematic and the plot working well on screen. I enjoyed the themes of friendship and love, and in many ways this story was quite wholesome!
Overall, I was a bit confused by the intended age range, which isn't something I think an author necessarily has to decide and pigeon hole themselves. However, I did think that in some ways the book read young, while also having some (not gratuitous) depictions of violence and romance that conflicted with my image the younger audience I had originally thought that this was for, but that could also just be a me thing!
I will also say that I really liked the physical binding of this book, and I have noticed that it was done similarly to some other indie books I've seen, and I think it's great quality and love the matte style covers!
Overall, I was a bit confused by the intended age range, which isn't something I think an author necessarily has to decide and pigeon hole themselves. However, I did think that in some ways the book read young, while also having some (not gratuitous) depictions of violence and romance that conflicted with my image the younger audience I had originally thought that this was for, but that could also just be a me thing!
I will also say that I really liked the physical binding of this book, and I have noticed that it was done similarly to some other indie books I've seen, and I think it's great quality and love the matte style covers!
July 14, 2025
I'd rate this SLIGHTLY lower than Snapdragon, the other book by Sarah that I've read, but both books are really good and definitely worth a reread. I love Sarah's writing style and world building; How she changes and mixes two different fairytales. While still leaving enough familiarity in there, for you to get the cozy nostalgia from the original fairytales. Her characters are amazing, and realistic, i don't go in much for High Fantasy, so I love when characters fit their settings, but still totally feel like people you could meet in our world. And the Christian worldview in this is also fun to see. Its done in such a way that it still feels like fantasy, rather than taking some from the real world into a fantasy world. If that makes sense. Sarah Beran is now one of my favorite authors, and i definitely plan on reading all of her works I can find. (also I love the formats of the hardcover books. 😁)
July 30, 2024
A great low-magic retelling.
I liked the good relationships Pan had with the other people once he went to the castle to really help contrast the life he came from. Smee being his one grounding force growing up was a great way to help explain why he'd been able to hold onto being good. Lesard is a proper villain that makes you hate him because he is evil but also because he is so good at fooling people on the outside *cough* narcissist *cough*.
I liked how the choices in this book are made and how the plot fell into place. The descriptions were well done and it was easy to feel like you were in the story. The dialogue flowed really naturally as well.
The romance was the only part I didn't like. It felt like the two characters spent very little time together. And the only reason they liked each other was because Melanie had a celebrity crush on him long before she even met him. Oh, the missing prince!! I love him and I haven't even met him! Several characters comment on the fact she was sweet on the idea of him at least before she even met him.
And Pan only likes her because she's the ONLY girl he meets for the entire book. Unless you count him maybe seeing her friend Gwen. He's spent his life with a bunch of male pirates and now is in soldier training with a bunch of guys. Then there's one girl who already thinks he's amazing before she meets him.
I liked the good relationships Pan had with the other people once he went to the castle to really help contrast the life he came from. Smee being his one grounding force growing up was a great way to help explain why he'd been able to hold onto being good. Lesard is a proper villain that makes you hate him because he is evil but also because he is so good at fooling people on the outside *cough* narcissist *cough*.
I liked how the choices in this book are made and how the plot fell into place. The descriptions were well done and it was easy to feel like you were in the story. The dialogue flowed really naturally as well.
The romance was the only part I didn't like. It felt like the two characters spent very little time together. And the only reason they liked each other was because Melanie had a celebrity crush on him long before she even met him. Oh, the missing prince!! I love him and I haven't even met him! Several characters comment on the fact she was sweet on the idea of him at least before she even met him.
And Pan only likes her because she's the ONLY girl he meets for the entire book. Unless you count him maybe seeing her friend Gwen. He's spent his life with a bunch of male pirates and now is in soldier training with a bunch of guys. Then there's one girl who already thinks he's amazing before she meets him.
December 29, 2023
After having had these books on my “To Be Read” list since I first discovered Sarah, it was wonderful to finally start this series. Well, it was wonderful after the first several chapters. I almost didn’t make it through the beginning- and not because of poor writing. This may have been her first published book, but I certainly found it well written and super interesting. The first four chapters are just hard emotionally and I had to really push through. But it ended oh, so well. Fear not! There is a HEA.
Reading-wise, I was able to have some self-control and listen the audio version until about half way. Then I picked up my trusty Kindle and polished this book off because I just had to know. This is one of those delightful books where I didn’t even have the urge to read the ending because I wanted to experience all of the emotions in getting there (I am a terrible spoiler and synopsis reader in general).
This book is chock full of lovely (and not so lovely) references to the Peter Pan story, as well as some additional gems. There is a story told of “the second star to the right.” It’s beautiful.
All in all, I don’t know what to say other than for you to read it so you can join me in enjoying this Peter Pan retelling. I think it might have just leapt to the top to be my favourite of the several I have read.
Romance: clean, clean, clean! (Oh, well, Lesard is slimy and we do hear him making arrangements to- willingly- take advantage of a young lady.)
Violence: fighting as one would expect in a book including pirates. This, though, is not the Disney version. There is death. Kidnapping. Emotional manipulation. Some parts are pretty deep and very sad but I did not think anything detracted from the story; it all was a part of it. I would definitely suggest mid teen at least for readership.
Reading-wise, I was able to have some self-control and listen the audio version until about half way. Then I picked up my trusty Kindle and polished this book off because I just had to know. This is one of those delightful books where I didn’t even have the urge to read the ending because I wanted to experience all of the emotions in getting there (I am a terrible spoiler and synopsis reader in general).
This book is chock full of lovely (and not so lovely) references to the Peter Pan story, as well as some additional gems. There is a story told of “the second star to the right.” It’s beautiful.
All in all, I don’t know what to say other than for you to read it so you can join me in enjoying this Peter Pan retelling. I think it might have just leapt to the top to be my favourite of the several I have read.
Romance: clean, clean, clean! (Oh, well, Lesard is slimy and we do hear him making arrangements to- willingly- take advantage of a young lady.)
Violence: fighting as one would expect in a book including pirates. This, though, is not the Disney version. There is death. Kidnapping. Emotional manipulation. Some parts are pretty deep and very sad but I did not think anything detracted from the story; it all was a part of it. I would definitely suggest mid teen at least for readership.
August 19, 2025
What an absolutely unexpected adventure!!!
Oh my gosh…this story has so much going on…where to begin????
Okay…so Pan has been an orphan living with Pirates for the last 15 years. But pirating isn’t the life for him. He would do almost anything to be free along with his friend Smee. But…there are secrets and whispers and the captain has plans that are definitely not honorable. And the only way for Pan to save Smee and himself is to play spy at the palace and help the captain break into a vault…for…reasons…
And Melanie, well she isn’t at all what you’d expect of a Princess. She is smart and fierce and determined to save Pan even if he has no idea what is actually going on.
Let the adventure begin!
So this is unlike any story I’ve ever read by Beran. I am a huge Sarah Beran fan and LOVE everything I’ve read by her! She is the queen of puns and cozy stories and humor and all around sweetness…and this story completely threw me for a loop from the prologue!
Not gonna lie my exacts thoughts were…”woooooooaaaahhhh…Beran is going Dark with this one!” And let me tell you…this story definitely had its darker moments! It’s emotional moments (yep…I did get a bit teary eyed)! And it’s absolutely sweet, swoony, make your heart unbelievably happy moments! And it was all written phenomenally!!!
I loved all the characters…except Lezard who was deliciously evil and his first mate who was just plain evil! I loved the code names which had Beran’s signature cheek and puns! I loved the sweet clean romance that had me swooning over and over! And I loved the depth of emotion and breath of adventure!
So yep…I very highly recommend this story! It is the perfect escape for anyone needing a shorter adventure that feels epic in story but isn’t 700 pages. Where there is deep friendship, lovely clean romance, lite humor, a dash of religion mixed in, and all the emotions!
Oh my gosh…this story has so much going on…where to begin????
Okay…so Pan has been an orphan living with Pirates for the last 15 years. But pirating isn’t the life for him. He would do almost anything to be free along with his friend Smee. But…there are secrets and whispers and the captain has plans that are definitely not honorable. And the only way for Pan to save Smee and himself is to play spy at the palace and help the captain break into a vault…for…reasons…
And Melanie, well she isn’t at all what you’d expect of a Princess. She is smart and fierce and determined to save Pan even if he has no idea what is actually going on.
Let the adventure begin!
So this is unlike any story I’ve ever read by Beran. I am a huge Sarah Beran fan and LOVE everything I’ve read by her! She is the queen of puns and cozy stories and humor and all around sweetness…and this story completely threw me for a loop from the prologue!
Not gonna lie my exacts thoughts were…”woooooooaaaahhhh…Beran is going Dark with this one!” And let me tell you…this story definitely had its darker moments! It’s emotional moments (yep…I did get a bit teary eyed)! And it’s absolutely sweet, swoony, make your heart unbelievably happy moments! And it was all written phenomenally!!!
I loved all the characters…except Lezard who was deliciously evil and his first mate who was just plain evil! I loved the code names which had Beran’s signature cheek and puns! I loved the sweet clean romance that had me swooning over and over! And I loved the depth of emotion and breath of adventure!
So yep…I very highly recommend this story! It is the perfect escape for anyone needing a shorter adventure that feels epic in story but isn’t 700 pages. Where there is deep friendship, lovely clean romance, lite humor, a dash of religion mixed in, and all the emotions!
September 11, 2024
Oh my word!!! If you LOVE Peter Pan, you NEED to read Second Star To The Right by Sarah Beran.
I was first introduced to her work when I read Callie & the Pumpkin Seed, which I LOVED!! (A retelling of the Cinderella story)
Then, I decided to read this one to make sure it was going to be ok for my kids to read. It was PHENOMENAL!!!!!
I do want to say that this might not be good for sensitive kiddos. There are some scary parts and some killing by pirates. I'm sure my 10 year old son would be ok with it, and I know my 15 year old daughter will love it. The book is clean, even in the romantic feelings that happen between two of the characters. There is no bad language at all.
It was such an incredible story that feels like it might be a retelling of Peter Pan, with characters like Pan, Smee, Hook, and even Tinkerbell, but it was NOTHING like I thought it would be....it was BETTER!!
I love how Beran weaves the Creator (God) into the story, and how she shares that Smee has bits and pieces of the word of God tucked into other books to hide them from Captain Lesard, the evil pirate captain, and how Smee teaches those truths to Pan.
This is a story of a little boy who lost his mother; a story of greed, of rampant evil, a secret map, a good king and his family, a little boy who never grew up, a secret Order, and even Neverland. It's a beautiful story of God taking a "lost boy" who feels broken because he's only ever known mostly bad things or people who have done bad things an used him for who he was, and healing him with His love and the love of others who are on the side of good.
This is an un-put-downable book!!! And imagine my joy when I found out that it's just the first in a series! Go get this book on Kindle Unlimited and read it!!
I was first introduced to her work when I read Callie & the Pumpkin Seed, which I LOVED!! (A retelling of the Cinderella story)
Then, I decided to read this one to make sure it was going to be ok for my kids to read. It was PHENOMENAL!!!!!
I do want to say that this might not be good for sensitive kiddos. There are some scary parts and some killing by pirates. I'm sure my 10 year old son would be ok with it, and I know my 15 year old daughter will love it. The book is clean, even in the romantic feelings that happen between two of the characters. There is no bad language at all.
It was such an incredible story that feels like it might be a retelling of Peter Pan, with characters like Pan, Smee, Hook, and even Tinkerbell, but it was NOTHING like I thought it would be....it was BETTER!!
I love how Beran weaves the Creator (God) into the story, and how she shares that Smee has bits and pieces of the word of God tucked into other books to hide them from Captain Lesard, the evil pirate captain, and how Smee teaches those truths to Pan.
This is a story of a little boy who lost his mother; a story of greed, of rampant evil, a secret map, a good king and his family, a little boy who never grew up, a secret Order, and even Neverland. It's a beautiful story of God taking a "lost boy" who feels broken because he's only ever known mostly bad things or people who have done bad things an used him for who he was, and healing him with His love and the love of others who are on the side of good.
This is an un-put-downable book!!! And imagine my joy when I found out that it's just the first in a series! Go get this book on Kindle Unlimited and read it!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2025
So this is a Peter Pan retelling of sorts. It follows the story of Pan, a boy who is kidnapped by pirates as a child and forced to stay in the employ of pirate captain Lesard.
So, Pan. He is such a sympathetic character, and I can't blame him for distrusting everyone. But I do admit some of the misunderstandings did get rather painful for me at times (like that fact that Darling was JUST HER CODE NAME).
The Princess was likable and the Children were humerous. And dear Smee. That man deserved all the happily ever afters.
But LESARD. . . I desperately wished for him to find a cliff somewhere and walk off it. Seriously, he's just disgusting and evil and I wanted to strangle him.
The only sensitive content was some violence (nothing too gory), one or two barely mentioned kisses, and a suggestive comment or two by the villian.
It was well-written and a good story. It was, and I did like it. I'm only giving it 4 stars though cause I was really hoping to fall in love with it and I just didn't connect with the characters quite as much I would have liked. But it was still an enjoyable and adventurous read.
So, Pan. He is such a sympathetic character, and I can't blame him for distrusting everyone. But I do admit some of the misunderstandings did get rather painful for me at times (like that fact that Darling was JUST HER CODE NAME).
The Princess was likable and the Children were humerous. And dear Smee. That man deserved all the happily ever afters.
But LESARD. . . I desperately wished for him to find a cliff somewhere and walk off it. Seriously, he's just disgusting and evil and I wanted to strangle him.
The only sensitive content was some violence (nothing too gory), one or two barely mentioned kisses, and a suggestive comment or two by the villian.
It was well-written and a good story. It was, and I did like it. I'm only giving it 4 stars though cause I was really hoping to fall in love with it and I just didn't connect with the characters quite as much I would have liked. But it was still an enjoyable and adventurous read.
August 1, 2023
A very interesting reimagining of Peter Pan and a promising start to the series. I like the premise of a secret order and the fun with the code names.
I noticed quite a few characters that must surely have their own books coming up, so those little bits of foreshadowing were fun.
I was fascinated and a little surprised by who was named Hook and the nickname for Lesard, I think particularly as I'm only a couple of chapters away from finishing a reread of Peter Pan. I'm wondering what might unfold with these in the future, particularly with Lesard.
I do wish the characters were rounded out a little more, and that the romance was more thoroughly developed. As it was it just sort of happened a bit too easily, but i also think that how is Pan is; he's not going to easily cooperate with an author trying to make drama. His internal struggles were, I felt, authentic, even if the intensity could have been dialled up a bit. And Melanie is going to do what she's going to do! Another tricky character to wrangle, I think!
All in all, an enjoyable read, and a promising start of a series.
I noticed quite a few characters that must surely have their own books coming up, so those little bits of foreshadowing were fun.
I was fascinated and a little surprised by who was named Hook and the nickname for Lesard, I think particularly as I'm only a couple of chapters away from finishing a reread of Peter Pan. I'm wondering what might unfold with these in the future, particularly with Lesard.
I do wish the characters were rounded out a little more, and that the romance was more thoroughly developed. As it was it just sort of happened a bit too easily, but i also think that how is Pan is; he's not going to easily cooperate with an author trying to make drama. His internal struggles were, I felt, authentic, even if the intensity could have been dialled up a bit. And Melanie is going to do what she's going to do! Another tricky character to wrangle, I think!
All in all, an enjoyable read, and a promising start of a series.
January 2, 2024
Second Star to the Right is a heartfelt and thrilling read. It juggles a lot of characters and the relationships that bind them together. There are secret identities, non-gory sword fights, clean romance, epic friendships, engaging plots, and more. I don't normally like the story of Peter Pan, but I loved this retelling of it. The characters are complex and loveable and the world-building is quick yet detailed enough to easily imagine and enjoy. There were subtle but fantastic elements of faith and deep reflections on what it looks like to build trust with people. This would be a great book for readers who enjoy reading about fairy tale retellings, strong main characters, stories told from multiple points of view, mystery, undercover work, clean romance, non-gory fight scenes, lots of humor, and deep friendships.
June 28, 2022
This book is a hidden gem! I'll start by saying this book had me hooked from the beginning. The author did a great job weaving emotion and plot together from page one such that in a few short pages I was attached to Henry (aka Pan) and highly invested in his story. Although I'm not a fan of Peter Pan or Neverland, this retelling was unique enough that I actually thoroughly enjoyed it. Beran takes the elements of the tale but mixes them up such that the familiar things are different. Pan is a complex character who we learn has become a pirate (not by lack of choice) and is trying to figure out how to survive. Smee is takes on the father-figure role for Pan. A pirate by the name "Hook" appears. The crocodile and Tinker Bell too.
This book is completely clean in language and content; I highly recommend it. I can't wait to continue this series! I can't believe it took me this long to learn about it, and it is vastly underrated. Anyone who enjoys fairy tales and fairy tale retellings will enjoy this book. And, even if you don't like fairy tale retellings, it's still a worthwhile read due to the journey Pan goes on, and at its core Second Star to the Right is a pirate story too!
This book is completely clean in language and content; I highly recommend it. I can't wait to continue this series! I can't believe it took me this long to learn about it, and it is vastly underrated. Anyone who enjoys fairy tales and fairy tale retellings will enjoy this book. And, even if you don't like fairy tale retellings, it's still a worthwhile read due to the journey Pan goes on, and at its core Second Star to the Right is a pirate story too!
December 6, 2022
A wonderful Pan retelling.
This is the first book by this author that I have read.
The world building was interesting and were entertaining. Pan, a boy who lost everything including his true identity, grown into a man that has little to trust and love. Melanie a princess with a secret and a hope to help not only her country but the continent.
Sweet clean romance with mild violence and no language.
Well written and will be reading the next book in the series.
This is the first book by this author that I have read.
The world building was interesting and were entertaining. Pan, a boy who lost everything including his true identity, grown into a man that has little to trust and love. Melanie a princess with a secret and a hope to help not only her country but the continent.
Sweet clean romance with mild violence and no language.
Well written and will be reading the next book in the series.
dnf
January 21, 2026This book is well written but that's kind of the problem for me. Infertility emotions are quickly front and center, though from side characters. I almost tried to finish reading the book just to see if things ended okay for them, but I'm really glad I skimmed and Kindle searched instead because clearly the infertility was just an emotional hook (as usual).
Probably a great book for most people. I think I'm going to go eat some chocolate and recover from the parts I did read now...
Probably a great book for most people. I think I'm going to go eat some chocolate and recover from the parts I did read now...
July 1, 2022
Awesome Peter Pan Retelling!
This Peter Pan retelling was unlike any I had ever read before! I loved the characters- Smee being my all time favorite! I loved the Crocodile twist, and the character development Pan had to go through. Very well done, and excellent entry into the second book! I can’t wait to read it!
This Peter Pan retelling was unlike any I had ever read before! I loved the characters- Smee being my all time favorite! I loved the Crocodile twist, and the character development Pan had to go through. Very well done, and excellent entry into the second book! I can’t wait to read it!
October 12, 2022
A darling of a read!
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started the story and found myself delighted and intrigued by this retelling of Peter Pan! I love the mechanism used for naming and the hints of other tales are little breadcrumbs in this tale. A clean sweet retelling with realistic faults and mistakes the characters make. I couldn't put it down!
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started the story and found myself delighted and intrigued by this retelling of Peter Pan! I love the mechanism used for naming and the hints of other tales are little breadcrumbs in this tale. A clean sweet retelling with realistic faults and mistakes the characters make. I couldn't put it down!
December 31, 2022
Better than expected
This was my first Sarah Beran and I am now looking forward to reading the series and sharing them with my daughter. Pan and Wendy are rounded characters who each grow I their own way, and I’m totally hooked on this world. Great use of a Christian cosmology in a romantic fantasy adventure. Sign me up!
This was my first Sarah Beran and I am now looking forward to reading the series and sharing them with my daughter. Pan and Wendy are rounded characters who each grow I their own way, and I’m totally hooked on this world. Great use of a Christian cosmology in a romantic fantasy adventure. Sign me up!
August 26, 2024
Wonderful!
Wonderful retelling of Peter Pan! Loved the creative way the author remade the characters and made them work together. The only complaint I have is that the romance portion in the first half seemed nonexistent, and then all of a sudden they love each other. I'd love to see more of their emotions leading up to it.
Wonderful retelling of Peter Pan! Loved the creative way the author remade the characters and made them work together. The only complaint I have is that the romance portion in the first half seemed nonexistent, and then all of a sudden they love each other. I'd love to see more of their emotions leading up to it.
May 16, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun and easy read but I liked the character development a lot. I also liked the bits of the Peter Pan story we know and love and I loved that it wasn’t super close. I’m excited to read the next books in the series!
December 27, 2025
I'm not normally a huge fan of Peter Pan retellings, but I didn't mind this one. The beginning was pretty traumatic, and I found all the nicknames of the characters a little bit convoluted, but it was a fun story, and I enjoyed the main characters.
December 22, 2022
Officially my favorite Peter Pan retelling! A creative retelling that hits all the right beats of familiar and unique.
May 27, 2025
If you love Peter Pan and pirates. You need to read this book! The story was very interesting and action packed. I really loved how the story was told. I highly recommend this book!
January 13, 2026
The clean romance and interesting plot line was well written. Pan and Melanie were great characters and this was an entertaining YA book with sweet romance and fast paced action.
December 29, 2025
3.5✰
⋆⁺₊⋆☾⋆✩⁺₊⋆
Despite it being hard to get into, I really enjoyed this! The characters were so sweet and I absolutely LOVED all the references and clever world building! Sarah Beran is a master at retellings.
(I annotated the crap out of this little book)
Mel got annoying sometimes but I liked her most towards to end. Also I’m so excited for the next book!
Age rec: 11+
Spice: 0/5
Language: 0/5
Completely clean ♥︎
⋆⁺₊⋆☾⋆✩⁺₊⋆
Despite it being hard to get into, I really enjoyed this! The characters were so sweet and I absolutely LOVED all the references and clever world building! Sarah Beran is a master at retellings.
(I annotated the crap out of this little book)
Mel got annoying sometimes but I liked her most towards to end. Also I’m so excited for the next book!
Age rec: 11+
Spice: 0/5
Language: 0/5
Completely clean ♥︎
June 10, 2025
A fun twist
With most every element of Barrie's story present, but none of them the same.
Lost a star for the frequent typos, missing words, and inconsistent paragraph formatting.
Also, Pan's sword skills are built up so much, but then he doesn't even really get to use them. :(
Overall, I liked the character development, the world building, and the set ups for other stories.
With most every element of Barrie's story present, but none of them the same.
Lost a star for the frequent typos, missing words, and inconsistent paragraph formatting.
Also, Pan's sword skills are built up so much, but then he doesn't even really get to use them. :(
Overall, I liked the character development, the world building, and the set ups for other stories.
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