I loved the concept of Pan also being Hook, and the connection to the past. It was well written and the character development was evident. At some points it seemed to slow a bit; however, the story was great overall.

I will not be reviewing this book due to the author's decision to update this version and it is now outdated.

Thank you to Brittany Montgomery and NetGalley for this eARC upon its original distribution.

I pushed to finish this one but I didn’t enjoy it. This book has a note that it is a second edition and was rewritten from a dark romance, maybe we need to go back to that. This one was lacking any substance.

Thank you to Brittany & Evelyn Montgomery for an advanced reader copy of this independently published book.

I am a huge Peter Pan fan and am always excited to read a new take on the classic tale. However, I wasn't a big fan of this particular novel as a whole. There were elements of the story where I definitely like the concept the author took. The biggest one being what if Peter the boy grew into Hook the man. Though I enjoyed that overall theme, I would have enjoyed more showing and less telling in the story.

There was nothing about this novel that would be inappropriate for young adult readers.

This took me a lot longer than necessary. It was really good in some parts and also really confusing at other parts. It’s definitely not a book I could continue.

This was an arc given to me by NetGalley and it’s a privilege but I DNFed.

"Losing Neverland" is a captivating dark romance novel by Brittany Montgomery that takes inspiration from J.M. Barrie's classic "Peter Pan." The story follows Wendy, who finds herself kidnapped by Peter/Hook and taken back to Neverland, with the plot using analepsis to retell what happened two decades ago. Montgomery does an excellent job of portraying the intimate relationships between the characters with tenderness and authenticity, and the story is narrated from multiple perspectives. While the retelling may not be everyone's cup of tea, Montgomery imbues her novel with perceptive writing, bringing her characters to life and providing fresh insights into their personalities. Overall, if you enjoy dark romance and dialogic writing, "Losing Neverland" is a well-crafted novel that will keep you engaged from beginning to end.

Set 17 years after Peter Pan took Wendy to Neverland. Peter Pan had an alter ego, Hook. Decisions from his past turn him to Darkness & now he has to find a way back & to save Neverland.

I give this book a solid 3 stars. I liked the idea and the concept of the book. It was a good twist to the normal story we hear of Peter Pan. I felt sad for Wendy & Peter and their story.

I liked the premise of this with Peter Pan and Hook being the same person. I felt like book got a little dark at points but then pulled back. The author had a note at the start of the book that they had published a dark spicy version under a pen name and I kind of wished I had read that version. If your gonna go dark I feel like you should just lean in.

Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read this book. I appreciate the opportunity. However, I didn’t read all of it, as it wasn’t what l expected.

*Disclaimer*: Book provided through netgallery/the publisher in exchange for a review:

The idea of this book is good, but the writing and execution of the story is a bit messy. I typically enjoy retellings of fairy tales, so I was intrigued by the description of this book! Unfortunately, this felt too much like a beginner writer’s fan-fiction that I would read when I was much younger. That’s not always a bad thing, but the way this story progressed was too cliche of a dark/evil Peter Pan, and it felt like I had read the same story before. It was honestly difficult for me to read this. I had difficulty connecting with the characters- the relationship between Wendy and Peter was hard to believe since it appeared to be pure attraction and “need” for the other at first. It took too long to get to the point and dragged out parts much longer than needed. Overall, the story was generally entertaining, but it seems like it needs to be edited again and reworked to seem a little more professional and out together. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Wonderful story, great character development, great writing! Highly recommend this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it

"Losing Neverland" promises readers a thrilling journey into a world where the familiar story of Peter Pan and Captain Hook is turned on its head. In this captivating retelling, secrets are unveiled, and truths are exposed, revealing the hidden depths behind the beloved characters. As Wendy Moira Angela Darling takes center stage, readers are drawn into a tale of passion, obsession, and emotion, where the lines between reality and myth blur. With its unique perspective and dark, sexy narrative, this book delivers a mesmerizing experience that will keep readers turning the pages until the very end.

With advance praise highlighting its twisted beauty and addictive storytelling, "Losing Neverland" emerges as a standout among Peter Pan retellings. From its captivating characters to its intricate symbolism and surprising twists, this novel captivates readers from start to finish. Whether you're a fan of the classic fairy tale or seeking a fresh take on familiar legends, "Losing Neverland" promises an unforgettable reading experience that will leave you craving more.

I enjoy reading Peter Pan retellings, but this book was not it for me. It started off well, but I struggled to keep up with some of the plot. It continually goes from past to present, and it leaves some unanswered questions. I did enjoy the aspect of Peter Pan and Hook being the same character, but the Hook side was really just a depressed Pan. This is the rewrite, so I didn’t have the chance to read the original. This book wasn’t my cup of tea, but others will still enjoy it!

I absolutely love the brooding, dark peter/hook storyline.
This isn’t my first Peter Pan retelling.
The jealous fae storyline with Tink and Tiger Lily feels very over the top.
John’s motivations and alliance come out of nowhere.
Then the pacing for the introduction of the queen fae at the very end to tell the origin of neverland was a little off.

This book flashes back and forth between childhood Wendy and Pan vs adult Pan and Wendy.

There are hints of DV so if that is a trigger, be prepared.

Editing notes:
There are some aggressive grammatical errors throughout the book, incorrect use of words in context and punctuation missing entirely.
The storyline was so good it was bothersome to be pulled from the story to try to figure out what the author was attempting to say vs what was written.
I know this was a rewriting of the first version, and some of the errors could have been caused by that.

I would recommend this book to my friends that enjoy fairytale retellings and prefer to skim books vs reading every word.
This book would be incredible with a good editor to look it over.

If you are into retells of classic stories, a lot of sexual tension, fated mates, broken families and dark romance this is a book for you.

Brittany Montgomery introduces a new idea in her version of this classic tale. What if Peter Pan and James Hook were the same person? This is the idea that made me want to read it, mostly because the part of Captain Hook is usually portrayed by the same person as Mr. Darling (in the original play). So this was an interesting concept, a little like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, I imagined.

After reading this book, I must admit I'm a little tired of violent retellings of Peter Pan. Maybe I have read too many, and I've been disappointed every time. However, this is not the author's fault. It's purely a personal thing. The moment that turned me off the book was when the "fated mates" trope was introduced. I understand the appeal, but it felt like she removed too many choices from the characters by making it a greater game. Wendy and Peter didn't do anything but pine for each other and assume what the other was thinking. This became quite repetitive, and the 440 pages could have been shorter. Therefore, I'm giving it 2 out of 5 stars, and the only reason I didn't stop reading after 30% was that I find it hard not to finish books.

Despite my disappointment, I enjoyed the introduction of King Arthur's Legend into the story. Also, the fact that Peter and Wendy were connected since childhood beyond the fated mates line was intriguing. I won't spoil it by saying how, but it gives a bit more understanding of why they are so close and why they don't want to grow up. Also the way she made Peter and Hook work was not the way I was expecting and turned out to be a lot better than what I imagined.

Overall, I think it's an okay book. The idea is good, but I'm not sure about the execution. It does make me wonder how "Saving Tinkerbell" will turn out, but I am not sure I'll be reading it. Clearly, the story is not over.

A retelling of the classic Peter Pan and Wendy story.
A lovers to enemies to lovers kind of story, which I find really entertaining. This story jumps POV between Wendy, Peter, and Tink.
I did enjoy the love story between Peter and Wendy. I love that their story continued into adulthood and it wasn't just about teenagers. If you're looking for an easy read romance with fantasy involved, this is a fun one.
At times it can be a bit confusing. I also found myself questioning when things were taking place, it isn't clear how many days have passed in-between scenes.
This wasn't an epic love story for me, mostly just a tension built fantasy romance. Maybe one scene of spice, so if you aren't looking for a heavy spice book, this is a good one for that. If you consider this a dark fantasy romance, I'd say this is pretty tame. I was able to call a couple of the twists, but not all.
I'm giving it 3 stars, a fun fantasy romance, just not an epic story in my opinion. But I liked it enough that I'd read the second when it comes out.

With thanks to the author, and Brittany Montogmery and Evelyn Montgmery Books for an ARC and the opportunity to offer my honest thoughts.

This twisty Peter Pan origin story spans the past and present of their entwined lives and is told via multiple POVs (Peter/Jas, Wendy and Tink). I enjoyed the created backstory linking Peter and Wendy. The movement through time was nicely done. It allowed the reader to see the character motivations flesh out and evolve with the different influences on them.

This is a rewrite of an earlier work by the same author but without a pen name. I haven't read the original work and I may yet seek it out to see where the changes have been made. The flow feels off at times and some character decisions and actions feel ‘tamed’. The inner talk without action between the main protagonists led the story to drag in places.

The relationship between Peter and Wendy is an example of this drag. I saw the romance but I didn't feel the romance or chemistry consistently. Much of their independent internal dialogue went around and around. All I wanted to do was sit them down with a pot of tea, no distractions and either talk it out or fk it out.

I loved this comingling of Peter Pan and Jas Hook. The devolution of Peter to Jas gave nods to a journey through trauma psychosis and back to sanity. I would have loved to see Jas even darker rather than framed in mania of thought and action.

I loved and would like to recognise the mature aged cast. Yes the characters as we recognise them are teenagers. But this story lets Wendy as a mature woman to be anxious, to want to love, be loved and to be strong.

The manipulation and machinations wrought by Tink were an evil twist on her characters well known jealousy and delusions of grandeur.

The ending fell a little flat but, the next instalment will focus on ‘the bad guys’ Tinker Bell and Jake, and I think it will be a strong conclusion.

review
*** i received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review **
i love a good retelling as much as the next person, especially a peter pan retelling. i’m teetering between a 3.75 ⭐️ and a 4 ⭐️ rating for sure
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“There's more to Wendy and me than just a quick flight and a swift trip to Neverland. There's more to our story than open windows, bedtime stories, and lost boys.”
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i love the dr. jekyl / mr. hyde esque side of peter/hook’s character. the world building was fantastic. after reading some reviews, i saw that some readers said the timelines were confusing (aka the past and present) but i found it quite helpful and insightful ! they always came at the perfect time, gave just the right amount of background information that you needed. what i also enjoyed was that tinkerbell was actually the enemy in this story. not hook himself. sure, he wasn’t the best guy around. and sure, he k*lled people just cause but he wasn’t the “villain” perse…. that was tink! (and tiger lilly) i’m looking forward to the next book in the series!

Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC (eventhough the book is already out)

This book! I felt bad for everyone at some point or other except Tinker bell I never felt bad for her...

I was rooting for her to die for most of the Book.

I actually really enjoyed this book a lot.

I usually dislike retellings (unless they're dark)

If you're considering this book just get it, it's Amazing!

I read it in a day because I desperately wanted to know how it ended.

It did not disappoint.

Of course the ending made me rethink everything...

This was very hard for me to read. I didn't feel a connection to the characters at all and thought the book was unnecessary long. It drags on forever and it was hard for me to pick it up at some point. I liked the original premise of the book but don't like the execution.