Emily McIntire

𝙊𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙐𝙥𝙤𝙣 𝘼 𝙏𝙞𝙢𝙚,
there was a wicked girl.

She lost everything that mattered,

causing darkness to unfurl.

Impulsive and intelligent, 

she helped her family name grow strong.

But then one day a man without a heart came along.  

An undercover agent, meant to spy and bring back tips. 

Following down her hidden path of faded yellow bricks. 

She hated him, he wanted her; 

she was too good to be true. 

But a woman can be great...

𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙤.

💚 Forbidden
👠 Bad Girl/ Good Guy
💚 Grumpy/Sunshine
👠 Enemies with Benefits

Never After #3

Wretched

A woman can be great, and terrible too.

Evelina Westerly has always been the bad guy. As the brains, brawn, and botanist behind her family's drug empire, she's her father's ruthless secret weapon. With her days divided between perfecting her greenhouse, seeking revenge for her sister's murder, and putting a gun to the head of anyone in her way, Evelina doesn't have time for anything else. Especially not for love. After a one-night stand with a gorgeous man at a nightclub, she's sated her urges and is back to her criminal ways. That is, until that same man shows up as the new Westerly lackey...under a totally different name.

But Nicholas Woodsworth's real secret is much more dangerous than an alias. He's an undercover DEA agent, and he's hell-bent on destroying the drug trade that devastated his family. When he realizes the youngest daughter of the Westerly empire is the same woman he's been fantasizing about since that night at the club, attraction wars violently with disgust. Evelina embodies everything he's against, and he's been sent here to be her downfall. Yet the more they learn about the darkness in each other's hearts, the more alike they seem, and when hatred turns to something more, Nicholas will have to decide whether he can love a wretched woman, even if it means bringing both of their lives to ruin.

Never After Series

Klaudia Iškyová 

Okay.. first of I am absolutely thrilled I got to read this MAGNIFICENT book before it's release, thank you to Emily and her team for picking me to be on the ARC team.


“Let me be your calm in the chaos, pretty girl.”

This book!!!!!!!!! I was convinced that there was no way it could top the first two in the series, boy was I wrong. 

Eveline and Nicholas' story was captivating, thrilling, heartbreaking, hot, beautiful and just filthy all at once. It was also different from most of the dark romances available currently, I am a sucker for a morally grey character but when that character is a woman as well???? Sold. Instant love. 

I loved everything from the plot, to the spice, the nods to the Oz, THE SPICE, best hate sex scene i've read in a long long time!!🥵, the soft moments between were not far behind, Nick being absolutely SMITTEN by Evie(mood, can't blame him), Evie being a strong female character that has her issues that in no way paint her as weak, we love to see it.💕💕 
Also the way the book incorporated classic poetry in the way these two use it to communicate between each other was just a pure genius idea. 

Once again let me just say, Emily could write a grocery list and I would devour it, she just simply can't miss! No one does enemies to lovers quite like she does.

Lover of Romance 

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.
 


But if I’m her calm, then she is my chaos, and if I can’t live with her forever, then I don’t want to live at all.



  First Impressions

This is a book that is one of my most anticipated reads of the year and after reading the first two books of the series, I really loved what the author created with this series. There was a TON of hype surrounding this book, especially on bookstagram. It is a more unique retelling, this is where we have a “Wizard of Oz” theme to it, it’s not a straight-up retelling, but I was really intrigued by how this author was writing this series here. I really wanted to see more of what this author would deliver in this story. Now I won’t lie in that I was nervous as the author had written a heroine that is the villain (kinda). But honestly, I felt like its very rare for a anti-heroine to work for me, but i did like it for the most part even though it didn’t quite work as much as I had hoped for. I do think that this book is a bit overhyped, in my opinion,. While I liked it overall, the first book “Hooked” still wins for me.

Let me be your calm in the chaos, pretty girl.


  Summary

Nick and Evie are from two different worlds, but they meet one night in a club and share some passionate interactions and even though they are complete strangers, they live that night together, just embracing the passion they have for each other. But reality wakes them up when they are reunited with each other. Nick is working undercover, to bring down a drug cartel and his focus is the family that Evie is a part of. Her father is the king of the underworld or at least his section of it Her older sister was killed and ever sine Evie hasn’t been the same. Her sister Dorothy, is the evil sister and has her father’s heart. And even though Evie sacrifices so much for the family, she is still viewed as second best. She is the daughter that does the dirty work and is still given the least amount of information. Evie lives for the poetry and her gardens and secret places she hides from the world. Even though Nick’s focus is to be drawn in by Dorothy, as she is the flighty sister, there is something in Evie that he can’t resist. Even knowing she is probably the villain and there is no happy ever after in their future, he can’t resist what she gives to him and the love that is starting to build between them despite how forbidden their relationship is.

How can someone so fucking beautiful be so goddamn bad?


  What I Loved

This book just kicked booty, there is so much to unpack here. I really do feel that this story will be one that most dark romance readers will really get a kick out of. Because normally when it comes to anti-main characters, we always see it in the hero and just rarely in the heroine. I did enjoy what we get from Evie, she is such a badass but also has her share of vulnerabilities as well. My heart just ached for her, she wanted to be a part of the family, and she missed her older sister who was killed, and she has a heart of a poet. There are quite a few redeemable qualities to her. Then we have Nick, who is quite divided in how he feels. He has his duty to the law but at the same time, he can’t deny what he feels for Evie. I really enjoyed seeing how this author handled the forbidden nature of their relationship and how they gain their HEA was such a beautiful wrap-up to this angsty love affair of a romance. This is definitely a dark romance so please know that going into it before reading it. However, if you like dark romance and are intrigued by the series, I can’t recommend these books enough and they easily read as standalone. And the quirky connections that we have to the Wizard of Oz were such a delight. We NEED more authors that are willing to write these uncommon retellings because I was all for this and I might have been wanting to listen to the soundtrack for this classic while reading, not going to lie. I also think the way that this author handles her layers of plot and character build-up was quite impressive. I was so hooked on this story and intrigued to see where she would take this story.

“I lie with her, and she with me.” He pauses, and then suddenly his tongue is on me, swirling in small circles around the sensitive nerves. I whimper, heat shooting down my legs. His tongue disappears. “And in our faults by lies we flattered be.”


  What I Struggled With

There were a few aspects to this story that I will admit that I did struggle with. I was split into two with the heroine. I wanted to love her but at the same time she is CRAZY and a bit unhinged at times. She does know how to take care of herself, but I was torn on her character because yeah this book did push my limits “Morality wise” and while I love that in dark romance, it definitely took me to the edge of what I normally enjoy. I also felt that this romance was not as connecting as the previous two books. While there is plenty of chemistry, the actual intimacy part that I love to see in a romance was missing. And I definitely wanted more of those small moments between Nick and Evie.


  Overall View

I found Wretched to be a badass dark romance that will stretch the limits of your morality, open your eyes to hidden depths, and will fascinate you with the connections to the Wizard of Oz. It’s a magical dark edgy romance that will get your blood to pump and your heart to race and keep you enthralled from beginning to end.

There’s no one like family, Evie, and there’s no place like home. We have to stick together.


  Trigger Warnings:

(view spoiler)[Bullying, Violence, Death of a family member. (hide spoiler)]

From international bestselling author, Emily McIntire, comes a dark and delicious fractured fairy tale reimagining ofThe Wizard of Oz.

A woman can be great, and terrible too.

Evelina Westerly has always been the bad guy. As the brains, brawn, and botanist behind her family's drug empire, she's her father's ruthless secret weapon. With her days divided between perfecting her greenhouse, seeking revenge for her sister's murder, and putting a gun to the head of anyone in her way, Evelina doesn't have time for anything else. Especially not for love. After a one-night stand with a gorgeous man at a nightclub, she's sated her urges and is back to her criminal ways. That is, until that same man shows up as the new Westerly lackey...under a totally different name.

But Nicholas Woodsworth's real secret is much more dangerous than an alias. He's an undercover DEA agent, and he's hell-bent on destroying the drug trade that devastated his family. When he realizes the youngest daughter of the Westerly empire is the same woman he's been fantasizing about since that night at the club, attraction wars violently with disgust. Evelina embodies everything he's against, and he's been sent here to be her downfall. Yet the more they learn about the darkness in each other's hearts, the more alike they seem, and when hatred turns to something more, Nicholas will have to decide whether he can love a wretched woman, even if it means bringing both of their lives to ruin.

Wretched is a dark contemporary romance and the third complete standalone in The Never After Series: A collection of fractured fairy tales inspired by our favorite villains. It is not fantasy and it is not a retelling. Reader discretion is advised. For all content warnings, check the author's website.

Sven Test

To say that I’m obsessed with Eveline, the absolute badass main character from Wretched by @itsemilymcintire is the understatement of the century!

“How can someone so fucking beautiful be so goddamn bad?”
Evie is the MC, but make no mistake, she’s a true villain. Her badassery enhances who she is as a character and makes the spice incredibly hot! The chemistry between our mc’s is fucking chef’s kiss! Ice baths will be needed. 🥵

I inhaled the majority of this book in one sitting. It’s exactly what I want in my dark romance novels. The suspense combined with the electrifying chemistry and spice had me in a chokehold! I also loved the little nods to Wizard of Oz, which were perfect! And the gun scene?! 🔥 Holy. Hell!

IF YOU LIKE:💚 Secret identity👠 Forbidden romance💚 Enemies with benefits👠 Bad girl / good guy💚 Badass female👠 Grumpy / sunshine💚 Top tier spice👠 Gun play💚 WIZARD OF OZ

“You know, for not believing in romance—” 
“I’m so fucking in love with you, Eveline Westerly,” he cuts me off. 
I grin, rising up on my tiptoes to press a kiss to his lips. “Every wretched piece?”
He brushes the hair back from my face. “Every single one.” 


4.75☆
girlboss x malewife best dynamic spread the word!

caly

criminal gf x agent trying to bust her without knowing it bf is becoming my new favorite genre

Maggie Hepditch

This was perfectly adequate. The epilogue is what made it four stars. A very enjoyable plot as well.

Isabel shapiro

Omfg I very highly recommend this book I have been loving all the books in the series but this is my favorite so far 

Katie Allard

This book was fine, a quick, easy read and good if you’re looking for smut. But the Wizard of Oz retelling part really didn’t work and felt shoehorned in - this absolutely could have just been a story on its own. The MMC is supposed to be the Tin Man, but you’d almost never guess. And the plot is just a bit odd and I think one of the reasons why I’m realizing I don’t love most standalone novels-they’re just not fleshed out. I had so many questions at the end of this. The relationship between the MMC and FMC was cute though for what is was and was the only reason I didn’t DNF. Also the plot wasn’t all that different from the author’s first in this series - Hooked. 

Genesis (@whisperingchapters)

To say that I’m obsessed with Eveline, the absolute badass main character from Wretched by @itsemilymcintire is the understatement of the century!

“How can someone so fucking beautiful be so goddamn bad?”

Evie is the MC, but make no mistake, she’s a true villain. Her badassery enhances who she is as a character and makes the spice incredibly hot! The chemistry between our mc’s is fucking chef’s kiss! Ice baths will be needed. 🥵

I inhaled the majority of this book in one sitting. It’s exactly what I want in my dark romance novels. The suspense combined with the electrifying chemistry and spice had me in a chokehold! I also loved the little nods to Wizard of Oz, which were perfect! And the gun scene?! 🔥 Holy. Hell!

IF YOU LIKE:
💚 Secret identity
👠 Forbidden romance
💚 Enemies with benefits
👠 Bad girl / good guy
💚 Badass female
👠 Grumpy / sunshine
💚 Top tier spice
👠 Gun play
💚 WIZARD OF OZ

Wretched Never After #3

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