Never After · 2022
WretchedSpice level, tropes & is it dark romance?
Spice 5/5 (Scorching) · Darkness 4/5 (Pitch) · 5 trigger warnings flagged · Series: Never After, book 3 of 6
From Emily McIntire, 2022: Wretched, book 3 of Never After. Expect revenge, morally grey and enemies to lovers. We score it spice 5 (scorching) and darkness 4 (very dark). The heaviest flags readers report are murder, violence, death. Our scores lean on what readers report, not on a full reread, so treat them as a guide. This note is ours. It is not a publisher blurb.
First published: 2022. Book 3 of Never After.
Wretched tropes
On this shelf, Wretched is filed under Revenge romance, Morally grey heroes and Enemies to lovers. Each tag opens more books with that trope.
Wretched spice level
Is Wretched dark romance?
Yes, firmly. Wretched scores 4 of 5 on our darkness scale (Pitch).
Spice and darkness are separate scores. More pitch books. How we rate.
Wretched trigger warnings
Verified from author's content notes · Source: Emily McIntire's content warnings page, checked 13 October 2026. Flags grouped by us. Also on that list: drug or alcohol use. Read the author's list.
Graphic (2) — open before you read
Open this before you read. These are the flags most likely to be a hard stop.
Full Wretched trigger warnings
Never After reading order
Wretched is book 3 of 6 in Emily McIntire's Never After series. Start with Hooked.
- Book 1 Hooked · 2021
- Book 2 Scarred · 2022
- Book 3 Wretched (this book) · 2022
- Book 4 Twisted · 2023 not on our shelf yet
- Book 5 Crossed · 2023 not on our shelf yet
- Book 6 Hexed · 2024 not on our shelf yet
Order checked against the Goodreads Never After series page on 9 October 2026. The Never After series in order.
Who it's for
Shelf note written for this site. We do not copy reviews or publisher blurbs. Outbound links are search pages, not quoted ratings. Kindle Unlimited and endings are only flagged when we were willing to mark them. How we rate.
Missing a book? Suggest it.
Books like Wretched
Matched on shared tropes, then the closest spice and darkness scores. Other books in the same series are listed above, not here.
- Bitter Burn
Bitter Burn
Sierra Simone
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Enemies to lovers, Revenge romance
- Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance
Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance
Melissa K. Roehrich
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Revenge romance, Morally grey heroes
- The Serpent's Bride
The Serpent's Bride
Kathryn Ann Kingsley
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Enemies to lovers, Revenge romance
- Blood of My Monster
Blood of My Monster
Rina Kent
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●○○
Shared: Revenge romance, Morally grey heroes
- The Oath We Give
The Oath We Give
Monty Jay
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●●
Shared: Enemies to lovers, Revenge romance
- Wreck & Ruin
Wreck & Ruin
Emma Slate
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●○○
Shared: Enemies to lovers, Revenge romance
- Dawn of Chaos and Fury
Dawn of Chaos and Fury
Melissa K. Roehrich
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●●
Shared: Revenge romance, Morally grey heroes
- Possessive Enemy
Possessive Enemy
Michelle Heard
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●●
Shared: Enemies to lovers, Revenge romance
Books like Wretched, with a reason for each
Questions readers actually ask
What is the spice level of Wretched?
Wretched spice level is 5 of 5 (Scorching). Frequent, graphic, the point of many chapters. Darkness is a separate score: 4 of 5 (Pitch).
What are the Wretched trigger warnings?
Graphic: Torture, Gore. Moderate: Violence, Murder. Minor: Death. These are book-specific flags from the author's own content notes, grouped by us, plus any community-sourced additions. Read the full list before you start.
Is Wretched dark romance?
Yes, firmly. Wretched scores 4 of 5 on our darkness scale (Pitch). Bleak on purpose. Comfort is not the job.
What tropes are in Wretched?
On this shelf Wretched is filed under Revenge romance, Morally grey heroes and Enemies to lovers.
Who is Wretched for?
For a reader who wants revenge and morally grey with scorching spice. Read the warnings first. Start earlier in Never After if you can.
What are some books like Wretched?
Matched on shared tropes and similar spice and darkness: Bitter Burn by Sierra Simone; Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance by Melissa K. Roehrich; The Serpent's Bride by Kathryn Ann Kingsley; Blood of My Monster by Rina Kent; The Oath We Give by Monty Jay; Wreck & Ruin by Emma Slate. More read-alikes, each with a reason, are on zademasked.com/like/wretched.
Is Wretched a standalone?
No. Wretched is book 3 of 6 in the Never After series by Emily McIntire. The series starts with Hooked.
What order should I read the Never After series in?
1. Hooked; 2. Scarred; 3. Wretched; 4. Twisted; 5. Crossed; 6. Hexed.
How many books are in the Never After series?
The Never After series by Emily McIntire has 6 main books.
What is the Wretched age rating?
We'd say 18+. Spice sits at 5/5 (scorching) and darkness at 4/5 (pitch). That's our recommendation, not an official rating, so read the trigger warnings as well.
Join on Patreon for the Zade Masked serial.