Wretched (Never After Series)

Emily McIntire’s "Wretched" is a dark, gripping retelling of the classic fairy tale "The Little Mermaid," infused with haunting themes of sacrifice, identity, and love. The narrative follows a young woman, driven by a longing for freedom and a desperate need to escape her oppressive underwater world. McIntire’s prose is both lyrical and evocative, painting vivid images of the ocean's depths while exploring the complexities of its characters.The protagonist’s journey is both heartbreaking and empowering, as she navigates her desires against the backdrop of betrayal and longing. McIntire skillfully develops her characters, making them relatable and multifaceted. The relationships are deeply woven, filled with tension and emotional depth, particularly between the heroine and her love interest, which adds a compelling layer to the story.The pacing is well-balanced, combining moments of introspection with intense, action-driven sequences. McIntire’s ability to blend romance with darker themes keeps readers on edge, making for an enthralling read. The themes of sacrifice and self-discovery resonate throughout, prompting readers to reflect on their own desires and the lengths they would go to achieve them."Wretched" stands out not only as a retelling but as a unique story in its own right, offering fresh perspectives on familiar tropes. McIntire’s exploration of the consequences of choices and the nature of love will linger with readers long after they turn the final page. This book is a must-read for fans of dark romance and fairy tale retellings, and it cements McIntire’s place as a talented voice in contemporary fiction.

Cover art is stunning as always. I believe I pre-ordered this book back in January of 2023, but i never got a chance to read it until mid 2024. This was 🌶🌶🌶🌶, but it felt fast paced, which left me a smidge bored. However, this was not the take on Wizard of Oz I was expecting. It was a great story, fantastically written, and I enjoyed it. I loved how it ended tbh, and I'd recommend it to anyone that wants to read these types of dark contemporary novels. Again, I love the Playlist. I never found them all compiled on Spotify.

Wretched was a quick and entertaining read. While there were some captivating and steamy moments the overall storyline and romance just felt very underdeveloped and rushed.This book is part of the Never After series, but is still a standalone and can be read without reading the prior books. I do however, highly suggest checking the trigger warnings before reading just in case.It is also a fractured fairy tale where the main character is the villain and loosely takes references from the Wizard of Oz, which I loved.It is dual POVs of the main characters as well and has some great tropes like, enemies to lovers and a forbidden romance.The story while fast paced was still quite underdeveloped. There were several plot points not fully explored and just brushed upon. I will say though, the mafia and law enforcement aspect was quite entertaining.The main characters, Eveline and Nick were just okay. They each had some interesting and surprising moments but they were a bit hard to connect with. Eveline does stay the unhinged villain the entire time, which I actually liked.The chemistry between them was definitely off the charts. There were some very passionate, steamy and kinky moments however, their emotional connection was just very underdeveloped. I would have liked just more development between them as their “I love yous” felt quite sudden.The conflict and resolution wrapped up a bit too conveniently as well but was still a decent conclusion and epilogue.Overall, a steamy and enjoyable read I was just expecting a bit more.

I would like to personally sign over my entire being to Emily Mcintire.Hooked? PhenomenalScarred? To die forWretched? Stick a fork in me, I am DONE.Emily Mcintire has proven time and again that she doesn’t miss. I can’t believe I ever even questioned whether I would like Wretched as much as Hooked and Scarred because of the addition of a female villain to the Never After Series, instead of my usual fave morally grey alpha holes.Emily gave us a strong, sexy, powerful, dominate MMC in Nick, and a stronger, sexier, more powerful, more dominate FMC in Eveline. These two are constantly trying to best each other and end up bettering each other. Our tin man finds his heart. Our wicked witch finds her peace. And they do it all with that big switch energy.The Never After Series has feature some of my favorite spice of any romance novels, and Wretched is no different. In fact, did someone mistake the cayenne for chili powder, because I am sweating. The bathroom. The table. The everywhere. Someone get this elder emo a zantac, because this spice got spicier. And what limb do I have to sell to get myself a good boy like Nick?Eveline. Oh Eveline. I adore the. My love for her is immeasurable and that isn’t just because y’all said that she reminds you of me, but holy gods does that feel good on my ego. She is a monster with a heart of gold and her internal struggles and trauma feel all too real. Every time she wasn’t heard or respected, every time she was misjudged or undermined, I felt that in my mind body and soul. She may be the morally gray villain of the story, but she is still a strong female character that is relatable as fvck to any woman out there that fighting to be taken seriously.And then there is Nick. Nicholas. Oh boy. A golden retriever, morally solid, cinnamon roll with a mouth on him that will make your mother’s, mother’s, mother turn over in her grave. Boy howdy. I just.. yeah that is literally all I can say about Nick right now because I am PARCHED.In short, read it. Go on. Get.