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Never After #5
Crossed
From bestselling author Emily McIntire comes a dark and delicious fractured fairy tale reimagining of The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
He is righteousness. She is sin.
Father Cade Frédéric is a holy man. Brought up in the streets of Paris, he has dedicated his life to the church. But there’s a monster that lingers just beneath the surface. A sickness. One that bleeds darkness and feeds on the damned. When he’s tasked to become the priest in Festivalé, Vermont, a town both beautiful in architecture and riddled with despair, his sickness sings, demanding he rid the place of evil.
Amaya Paquette is Festivalé’s beautiful mystery. She spends her days caring for her younger brother and her nights transforming into Esmeralda, dancing for greedy eyes and shameless lips. Although she longs for love, she shies away from companionship, afraid of being abandoned again.
When Father Cade lays eyes on Amaya, he finds himself ensnared, convinced she’s using witchcraft to lure him to her. He can’t eat. Can’t breathe. Can’t think unless it’s of her.
And temptation is a devastating mistress.
She’s his weakness, so he decides he’ll be her demise…even if it means killing the only woman he might ever love.
***
*CROSSED is a dark, contemporary romance (not fantasy or a literal retelling) and the fifth complete standalone in the Never After series: fractured fairy tales inspired by our favorite villains. It features mature themes and content that may not be suitable for all readers. READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED. Detailed TW can be found on the author's website. This series can be enjoyed in any order.*
He is righteousness. She is sin.
Father Cade Frédéric is a holy man. Brought up in the streets of Paris, he has dedicated his life to the church. But there’s a monster that lingers just beneath the surface. A sickness. One that bleeds darkness and feeds on the damned. When he’s tasked to become the priest in Festivalé, Vermont, a town both beautiful in architecture and riddled with despair, his sickness sings, demanding he rid the place of evil.
Amaya Paquette is Festivalé’s beautiful mystery. She spends her days caring for her younger brother and her nights transforming into Esmeralda, dancing for greedy eyes and shameless lips. Although she longs for love, she shies away from companionship, afraid of being abandoned again.
When Father Cade lays eyes on Amaya, he finds himself ensnared, convinced she’s using witchcraft to lure him to her. He can’t eat. Can’t breathe. Can’t think unless it’s of her.
And temptation is a devastating mistress.
She’s his weakness, so he decides he’ll be her demise…even if it means killing the only woman he might ever love.
***
*CROSSED is a dark, contemporary romance (not fantasy or a literal retelling) and the fifth complete standalone in the Never After series: fractured fairy tales inspired by our favorite villains. It features mature themes and content that may not be suitable for all readers. READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED. Detailed TW can be found on the author's website. This series can be enjoyed in any order.*
416 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2023
6512 people are currently reading
153378 people want to read
About the author
Emily McIntire
25 books28.5k followersEmily McIntire is a #1 New York Times and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author whose stories serve steam, slow burns, and seriously questionable morals. Her books have been translated in over a dozen languages, and span across several sub-genres within romance.
A stage IV breast cancer thriver, you can find Emily enjoying free time with her family, getting lost in a good book, or redecorating her house depending on her mood.
Sign up to Emily's VIP List and never miss a New Release! -> https://mailchi.mp/emilymcintire/sms-...
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Burning Daylight
Latest Release:
Hexed
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X -> https://www.x.com/authoremilym
Website -> https://www.emilymcintire.com
A stage IV breast cancer thriver, you can find Emily enjoying free time with her family, getting lost in a good book, or redecorating her house depending on her mood.
Sign up to Emily's VIP List and never miss a New Release! -> https://mailchi.mp/emilymcintire/sms-...
Upcoming Release
Burning Daylight
Latest Release:
Hexed
Find Emily!
Newsletter sign up -> https://mailchi.mp/emilymcintire/sms-...
Reader Group -> https://www.facebook.com/groups/mcincult
Instagram -> https://www.instagram.com/itsemilymci...
TikTok -> https://www.tiktok.com/@authoremilymc...
X -> https://www.x.com/authoremilym
Website -> https://www.emilymcintire.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 8,020 reviews
June 29, 2024
To all the people giving this book 1 star reviews because they ignored the disclaimers with the advisory that the main character was a villain and then didn’t like that - surprise surprise - he did what villains tend to do, genuinely, from the bottom of my heart, what the actual fuck?
The main character was depicted exactly as he should be - the villain - but because this didn’t meet the soft morally grey man in your head, you’re upset?
In no way am I justifying the murders. All I’m saying is, what did you expect from a book that is written about the villain?
And what is your definition of a villain?
A villain is universally known as a bad guy. Or did you want to pick and choose what to romanticise, such as when he only kills for her? 🤡
Going even further than that, you know he’s a priest, you know it’s a smut book, like, how can you not put 2 and 2 together?
Please, I beg you, read the disclaimer and trigger warnings next time 🙏
Anyway, Emily, I love you, you’re one of my favourite authors and it kills me to not give this book 5 stars like all the others but the book screamed Priest at me and I had trouble separating the 2 in my head.
Still a great read and Mrs Mcintire has such a way with words. I cannot wait for the last instalment of the series when she’s regained her strength and then to see what else she produces from that amazing mind.
The main character was depicted exactly as he should be - the villain - but because this didn’t meet the soft morally grey man in your head, you’re upset?
In no way am I justifying the murders. All I’m saying is, what did you expect from a book that is written about the villain?
And what is your definition of a villain?
A villain is universally known as a bad guy. Or did you want to pick and choose what to romanticise, such as when he only kills for her? 🤡
Going even further than that, you know he’s a priest, you know it’s a smut book, like, how can you not put 2 and 2 together?
Please, I beg you, read the disclaimer and trigger warnings next time 🙏
Anyway, Emily, I love you, you’re one of my favourite authors and it kills me to not give this book 5 stars like all the others but the book screamed Priest at me and I had trouble separating the 2 in my head.
Still a great read and Mrs Mcintire has such a way with words. I cannot wait for the last instalment of the series when she’s regained her strength and then to see what else she produces from that amazing mind.
Want to read
March 15, 2023them: how many emily mcintire books are you going to read?
me: YES
update march 2023: that cover is soooo pretty!
and omg...A BELL! You know what that means 👀👀
if this isn't the filthiest book in the series im retiring from my career of smutty reader
me: YES
update march 2023: that cover is soooo pretty!
and omg...A BELL! You know what that means 👀👀
if this isn't the filthiest book in the series im retiring from my career of smutty reader
December 10, 2023
3 STARS
And here's a loose retelling of my most hated Disney villain: Claude Frollo, an evil, sick monster disguised as a priest, and his obsession with Esmeralda. I must admit, I was excited about it. 😮💨
➤ OK, IT WAS CRAP BUT HERE'S THE REVIEW. 😗
No one warned me - okay, who am I kidding? Emily didn't even dare to mention that this book involves STALKING. Cade leaves all his duties to follow Amaya every day, with thoughts of killing her constantly. 😭
The story depicts extreme insta-lust from ourunholy PRIEST, who is madly, sickeningly, and depravedly obsessed with Amaya. He punishes himself for these feelings, resorting to whipping and doing everything to please HIS GOD. His thoughts are entirely consumed by Amaya, leaving no room for anything else.
yk what they say,
❝Temptation is a devastating mistress.❞
╰┈➤ FATHER CADE FREDERIC:
wake up, stalk, obsess, beat himself, sleep
He's a man on a mission. This is his everyday routine, and don't get me started on his priest duties because he was never seen doing that! HE'S A STALKER and a MURDERER. 🤌🏻 Seriously, this book could be about a serial killer, but he's a GODDAMN PRIEST! 😂 He refers to himself as a priest in the day and a monster at night for the 100000th time that I was resigned!
Before the story starts, I keep hearing the word "monster" in his every POV, and he beats himself with a whip to repent for his sins. He murders people because he believes it frees them of their demons, and he repents because he doesn't feel guilt. He's traumatized, having been abandoned by his parents, living as an orphan, and getting beaten by Sister Agnes. At age 7, he ran off and lived on the streets until becoming a priest. To be honest, I didn't give a fuck! 😒
I just can't handle his POVs. He was so obsessed that he stalked Amaya from the moment he saw her, and every day he beats himself due to his lust-filled thoughts! (I'd be dead if I beat myself for my dirty thoughts). I mean, every time he thinks about Amaya, his C0ck twitches 🙁 and he's always hard because he sees her as a temptress, a witch, a sinner. PLS you're a goddamn PRIEST. 🤌🏻
God, he was so indecisive that for 40% of the book, he kept saying things like 'I'm gonna kill her,' 'I'll kill her tonight,' 'She needs to be gone, I'll crush her windpipe,' and suddenly, out of nowhere he took a 365-degree turn and was like, I'M NOT GONNA KILL HER BECAUSE I CAN'T EHEHE. 👺
Like, bish? I was actually waiting for a little bit of action, like just get inside her house and put a damn pillow on her face, but stop at the last minute, but nah! Not in this lifetime. 👎🏻
Okay, but his visuals are so hot in my imagination and that fan art by Emily! 🥵 LIKE, IT ACTUALLY MADE ME HOT BECAUSE I COULD IMAGINE HIM SO WELL. HIS DRESSING IS 5/5.
╰┈➤ AMAYA PACQUETTE:
Pls who was she??? I didn't know what to make of her. I just couldn't connect with these characters for the life of me. 🥹
• Mommy issues ✔️
• Responsible sister ✔️
• Gorgeous and sexy AF that men drool over her ✔️
• Stripper or dancer, whatever ✔️
• Town's outcast with only 1 friend ✔️
• Attract bad people (priest, businessman, lawyer) ✔️
• Traumatized and raped BUT DOESN'T GIVE A FUCK! ✔️
She keeps talking about her past, how she's never had any friends, lived a nomadic life with her stupid jealous mother, took care of her brother, and how Parker Errien took advantage of her, leaving her in debt.
Yeah, there were so many issues, and her story was so twisted that I had to take notes to keep track of what happened to her. Did I sympathize? No! Because I couldn't care less! I was more interested in the romance.
➤ AT ONE POINT, I WAS LIKE JUST SHUT THE FUCCCKKK UPPPPP! 😵💫
Also she agreed to marry that prick Parker like just kill him already?
How is it possible that you get a full-on show of her body while hiding in the bushes? I mean, obviously, she has a window, but what's the point of giving everyone a view of her LUCIOUS CURVY GODESS body, and doesn't she know it? If I saw someone naked & changing clothes near a window, I'd be pissed off and running!
To be honest, I couldn't feel connected to either of the characters. In "Scarred," I loved Sara, and in "Twisted," I understood and felt bad for Yasmin and the others, but Amaya? NOOO! Maybe it's a me problem, but I couldn't care less about her.
She had a bit of sassiness inside her, but she usually held back her retorts. I wondered why. She was like a shy cat showing her claws to...a priest? The hero! She was always like that with him, but it was boring AF.
❝I should be revolted. Disgusted. Freaked out. Screaming from the rooftops and calling the cops. But I'm not.❞ — that's how you get killed in serial killer movies!
As for the romance, ummm, there wasn't much to it, except him lusting after her, and her being sassy, but that wasn't that good! I got a little ick from the heroine. Also, the church scene was hot, but I was too focused on finishing this book that I didn't care about that! ☺️
Also, the fact that Cade wasn't into anything sexual for years, but killing people made him hard. — wth you psychopath mOnStEr 👹
To sum up the whole book: I DIDN'T CARE ABOUT ANYONE! I didn't have any reaction throughout; I was just reading without feeling anything good, and it was just like that! There was a lot of stalking and a lot of bad thoughts; everything was in the mind, and it was slow, creepy, and gave me icks! I didn't enjoy it at all, and the traumas should have been told in more detail. The story was not constructed properly. 👎🏻
Regarding the religious aspect, to be honest, I felt like a sinner, and that's the only reason I don't indulge in these types of books. I understand only a few things about all those church things, and there were a lot of Bible verses that I had to skip! 🙂
Do I recommend it? No. I love the other books more!
******
— Wow! It's finally released, and I'm incredibly excited to read it now! I've been eagerly waiting for months. But first of all, let's appreciate the strength and hard work Emily has put into this book. 🥺 Despite fighting stage three breast cancer, she managed to publish this book, and giving us all the updates! She's truly strong, and I hope she gets better soon and regains her health to write many more super amazing books in the future! ♥️
— RATINGS:
• HOOKED – 4 STARS
• SCARRED – 5 STARS
• WRETCHED – 5 STARS
• TWISTED – 5 STARS
And here's a loose retelling of my most hated Disney villain: Claude Frollo, an evil, sick monster disguised as a priest, and his obsession with Esmeralda. I must admit, I was excited about it. 😮💨
➤ OK, IT WAS CRAP BUT HERE'S THE REVIEW. 😗
No one warned me - okay, who am I kidding? Emily didn't even dare to mention that this book involves STALKING. Cade leaves all his duties to follow Amaya every day, with thoughts of killing her constantly. 😭
The story depicts extreme insta-lust from our
yk what they say,
❝Temptation is a devastating mistress.❞
╰┈➤ FATHER CADE FREDERIC:
wake up, stalk, obsess, beat himself, sleep
He's a man on a mission. This is his everyday routine, and don't get me started on his priest duties because he was never seen doing that! HE'S A STALKER and a MURDERER. 🤌🏻 Seriously, this book could be about a serial killer, but he's a GODDAMN PRIEST! 😂 He refers to himself as a priest in the day and a monster at night for the 100000th time that I was resigned!
Before the story starts, I keep hearing the word "monster" in his every POV, and he beats himself with a whip to repent for his sins. He murders people because he believes it frees them of their demons, and he repents because he doesn't feel guilt. He's traumatized, having been abandoned by his parents, living as an orphan, and getting beaten by Sister Agnes. At age 7, he ran off and lived on the streets until becoming a priest. To be honest, I didn't give a fuck! 😒
I just can't handle his POVs. He was so obsessed that he stalked Amaya from the moment he saw her, and every day he beats himself due to his lust-filled thoughts! (I'd be dead if I beat myself for my dirty thoughts). I mean, every time he thinks about Amaya, his C0ck twitches 🙁 and he's always hard because he sees her as a temptress, a witch, a sinner. PLS you're a goddamn PRIEST. 🤌🏻
God, he was so indecisive that for 40% of the book, he kept saying things like 'I'm gonna kill her,' 'I'll kill her tonight,' 'She needs to be gone, I'll crush her windpipe,' and suddenly, out of nowhere he took a 365-degree turn and was like, I'M NOT GONNA KILL HER BECAUSE I CAN'T EHEHE. 👺
Like, bish? I was actually waiting for a little bit of action, like just get inside her house and put a damn pillow on her face, but stop at the last minute, but nah! Not in this lifetime. 👎🏻
Okay, but his visuals are so hot in my imagination and that fan art by Emily! 🥵 LIKE, IT ACTUALLY MADE ME HOT BECAUSE I COULD IMAGINE HIM SO WELL. HIS DRESSING IS 5/5.
╰┈➤ AMAYA PACQUETTE:
Pls who was she??? I didn't know what to make of her. I just couldn't connect with these characters for the life of me. 🥹
• Mommy issues ✔️
• Responsible sister ✔️
• Gorgeous and sexy AF that men drool over her ✔️
• Stripper or dancer, whatever ✔️
• Town's outcast with only 1 friend ✔️
• Attract bad people (priest, businessman, lawyer) ✔️
• Traumatized and raped BUT DOESN'T GIVE A FUCK! ✔️
She keeps talking about her past, how she's never had any friends, lived a nomadic life with her stupid jealous mother, took care of her brother, and how Parker Errien took advantage of her, leaving her in debt.
Yeah, there were so many issues, and her story was so twisted that I had to take notes to keep track of what happened to her. Did I sympathize? No! Because I couldn't care less! I was more interested in the romance.
➤ AT ONE POINT, I WAS LIKE JUST SHUT THE FUCCCKKK UPPPPP! 😵💫
Also she agreed to marry that prick Parker like just kill him already?
How is it possible that you get a full-on show of her body while hiding in the bushes? I mean, obviously, she has a window, but what's the point of giving everyone a view of her LUCIOUS CURVY GODESS body, and doesn't she know it? If I saw someone naked & changing clothes near a window, I'd be pissed off and running!
To be honest, I couldn't feel connected to either of the characters. In "Scarred," I loved Sara, and in "Twisted," I understood and felt bad for Yasmin and the others, but Amaya? NOOO! Maybe it's a me problem, but I couldn't care less about her.
She had a bit of sassiness inside her, but she usually held back her retorts. I wondered why. She was like a shy cat showing her claws to...a priest? The hero! She was always like that with him, but it was boring AF.
❝I should be revolted. Disgusted. Freaked out. Screaming from the rooftops and calling the cops. But I'm not.❞ — that's how you get killed in serial killer movies!
As for the romance, ummm, there wasn't much to it, except him lusting after her, and her being sassy, but that wasn't that good! I got a little ick from the heroine. Also, the church scene was hot, but I was too focused on finishing this book that I didn't care about that! ☺️
Also, the fact that Cade wasn't into anything sexual for years, but killing people made him hard. — wth you psychopath mOnStEr 👹
To sum up the whole book: I DIDN'T CARE ABOUT ANYONE! I didn't have any reaction throughout; I was just reading without feeling anything good, and it was just like that! There was a lot of stalking and a lot of bad thoughts; everything was in the mind, and it was slow, creepy, and gave me icks! I didn't enjoy it at all, and the traumas should have been told in more detail. The story was not constructed properly. 👎🏻
Regarding the religious aspect, to be honest, I felt like a sinner, and that's the only reason I don't indulge in these types of books. I understand only a few things about all those church things, and there were a lot of Bible verses that I had to skip! 🙂
Do I recommend it? No. I love the other books more!
******
— Wow! It's finally released, and I'm incredibly excited to read it now! I've been eagerly waiting for months. But first of all, let's appreciate the strength and hard work Emily has put into this book. 🥺 Despite fighting stage three breast cancer, she managed to publish this book, and giving us all the updates! She's truly strong, and I hope she gets better soon and regains her health to write many more super amazing books in the future! ♥️
— RATINGS:
• HOOKED – 4 STARS
• SCARRED – 5 STARS
• WRETCHED – 5 STARS
• TWISTED – 5 STARS
July 13, 2024
so he wants to kill her because he wants to fuck her, and he’s afraid that he won’t be able to control himself... i’m sorry but how the fuck is that her problem?
December 27, 2024
2nd Review : Yep, this is till my favourite book of all time, I was worried it wasn’t gonna hold up but it does!
1st Review : Now THIS is what I’m talking about. I really wasn’t expecting to love this book as much as I did but my god, I loved every second of it. There is seriously no part of this book I dislike. I just thought it would be a fun little read and it’s probably one of my favourite books.
I was super invested in the characters and their relationships and their actions. Even when it wasn’t super steamy I was so engulfed in what was happening. I liked the characters (besides Parker) and how all of their actions seemed fitting for each one, and they were all so well thought out and real.
This book had me in a chokehold and really played with my feelings a lot. It made me warm and fuzzy, really sad and angry at some points. I just thought it was awesome. I like the way some of the serious subject matter was handled and it never felt half-assed.
I know a book is good when I’m super invested in everything that’s happening. I haven’t had such reactions when reading a book in a while, I’ve had a few duds recently so it’s nice to get back to a book that was sooooo good.
1st Review : Now THIS is what I’m talking about. I really wasn’t expecting to love this book as much as I did but my god, I loved every second of it. There is seriously no part of this book I dislike. I just thought it would be a fun little read and it’s probably one of my favourite books.
I was super invested in the characters and their relationships and their actions. Even when it wasn’t super steamy I was so engulfed in what was happening. I liked the characters (besides Parker) and how all of their actions seemed fitting for each one, and they were all so well thought out and real.
This book had me in a chokehold and really played with my feelings a lot. It made me warm and fuzzy, really sad and angry at some points. I just thought it was awesome. I like the way some of the serious subject matter was handled and it never felt half-assed.
I know a book is good when I’m super invested in everything that’s happening. I haven’t had such reactions when reading a book in a while, I’ve had a few duds recently so it’s nice to get back to a book that was sooooo good.
June 20, 2023
I got an arc from Bookup and if this isn’t the worst book I’ve read all year
I have so many issues with this book. From the stupid reasoning for it all, to weirdly constructed sentences which I’m being a bit more lenient with since is an arc and maybe it was missing a round of editing,
Both main characters are the worst. “They are supposed to be morally grey” ughhh whatever they are a real torture to be inside their heads. I hated the plot, the characters, the romance, the use of catholic themes without proper research. Listen I’m not religious but this was just so badly done
I have so many issues with this book. From the stupid reasoning for it all, to weirdly constructed sentences which I’m being a bit more lenient with since is an arc and maybe it was missing a round of editing,
Both main characters are the worst. “They are supposed to be morally grey” ughhh whatever they are a real torture to be inside their heads. I hated the plot, the characters, the romance, the use of catholic themes without proper research. Listen I’m not religious but this was just so badly done
June 22, 2025
therapy, babe, therapy!! that's what you need and all I need is some bleach. 🤡
he wanted to kill her bc he was afraid of his temptation to want to fuck her, like wtf did she even do to you? 🤷♀️ There was nothing but superficial lust and for no reason either bc no one had a likable personality. I thought priest x pole dancer was going to be super unique and I was excited for it. However, this book was boring and there was so much lost potential. I had to force myself to finish reading this book because I wanted to dnf like every other chapter.
1 more book left of this series and I remember it being inspired by The Little Mermaid, so hopefully I like it, but I'm treating myself to cheesecake after I finish this series. 🍰
forgive ME father for I have sinned...by wasting my time....but two back-to-back 1-stars, what is happening to me?!?! 😭😭😭😭
Wretched remains to be the best of the series for me with a rating of 2.5 stars.
--------
pre-read: 2 books of this series left, let's see if one of them will top Wretched. 🤷♀️🤡
he wanted to kill her bc he was afraid of his temptation to want to fuck her, like wtf did she even do to you? 🤷♀️ There was nothing but superficial lust and for no reason either bc no one had a likable personality. I thought priest x pole dancer was going to be super unique and I was excited for it. However, this book was boring and there was so much lost potential. I had to force myself to finish reading this book because I wanted to dnf like every other chapter.
1 more book left of this series and I remember it being inspired by The Little Mermaid, so hopefully I like it, but I'm treating myself to cheesecake after I finish this series. 🍰
forgive ME father for I have sinned...by wasting my time....but two back-to-back 1-stars, what is happening to me?!?! 😭😭😭😭
Wretched remains to be the best of the series for me with a rating of 2.5 stars.
--------
pre-read: 2 books of this series left, let's see if one of them will top Wretched. 🤷♀️🤡
December 7, 2023
“Ma petite pécheresse. My little sinner.”
She’s a stripper. He’s a sexy priest who enjoys stalking her. Need I go on??
THIS WAS SO GOOD. Emily’s darkest book yet, but it had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. The plot was really well done, I loved all the twists and turns. I especially loved how Amaya & Cade developed as a couple and as individual characters, it was quite the ride. Also yes the smut was incredibly hot, obviously
She’s a stripper. He’s a sexy priest who enjoys stalking her. Need I go on??
THIS WAS SO GOOD. Emily’s darkest book yet, but it had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. The plot was really well done, I loved all the twists and turns. I especially loved how Amaya & Cade developed as a couple and as individual characters, it was quite the ride. Also yes the smut was incredibly hot, obviously
December 16, 2024
╭ ✦ •
│
│ ⊹ 𝟸.𝟻 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜 𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚞𝚙, 𝚛𝚝𝚌 (𝚖𝚊𝚢𝚋𝚎) ⊹
│
╰ ✦ •
I dont know how to rate this. It was like reading Haunting Adeline but he's a psycho stalker, killer PRIEST... one who has a LOT of trauma
I mean it was OK... if he wasn't a Priest it would have been 80 times better
rtc
_________________________________
Hooked | Review
Scarred | Review
Wretched | Review
Twisted | Review
Crossed | Review
Hexed | TBR
Blog ಇ StoryGraph ಇ Instagram ಇ Twitter ಇ Facebook
│
│ ⊹ 𝟸.𝟻 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜 𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚞𝚙, 𝚛𝚝𝚌 (𝚖𝚊𝚢𝚋𝚎) ⊹
│
╰ ✦ •
I dont know how to rate this. It was like reading Haunting Adeline but he's a psycho stalker, killer PRIEST... one who has a LOT of trauma
I mean it was OK... if he wasn't a Priest it would have been 80 times better
rtc
_________________________________
Hooked | Review
Scarred | Review
Wretched | Review
Twisted | Review
Crossed | Review
Hexed | TBR
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February 2, 2025
Father Cade Frédéric is a holy man. Brought up in the streets of Paris, he has dedicated his life to the church. But there’s a monster that lingers just beneath the surface. A sickness. One that bleeds darkness and feeds on the damned. When he’s tasked to become the priest in Festivalé, Vermont, a town both beautiful in architecture and riddled with despair, his sickness sings, demanding he rid the place of evil. Amaya Paquette is Festivalé’s beautiful mystery. She spends her days caring for her younger brother and her nights transforming into Esmeralda, dancing for greedy eyes and shameless lips. Although she longs for love, she shies away from companionship, afraid of being abandoned again. When Father Cade lays eyes on Amaya, he finds himself ensnared, convinced she’s using witchcraft to lure him to her. He can’t eat. Can’t breathe. Can’t think unless it’s of her. And temptation is a devastating mistress. He is righteousness. She is a sin. She’s his weakness, so he decides he’ll be her demise even if it means killing the only woman he might ever love. Will temptation prevail?
All my reviews have the possibility of spoilers, be warned!
First of I’m going to start with the fact that Kindle has stressed me out! I had so many quotes and annotations prepared for this review. For some reason, they’ve all been deleted from the book which is a great shame because I had so much to say. I’m going to be doing this review on my memory so it truly will not give this book the absolute justice it deserves. Emily cooked with this book so I hope you take that from this review!
Side note if anyone knows how to get my Kindle annotations back please let me know this isn’t the first time!
This book has the perfect pace between the two characters. Not only do we watch their relationship grow but we watch them grow as characters. Amaya is hated throughout the town and it’s obvious she and her brother are outcasted. Yet she grows and becomes an individual who will stick up for what is right. Cade struggles a lot with having to ‘punish’ himself for being deterred from his religion. Yet seeing him be able to understand the unconditional love God will always have for him and that Cade does not need to hurt himself is beautiful.
Amaya’s character was done so beautifully. The town paints her as a ‘witch’ someone who is a curse to be around. The way she cares for Dalia giving her a roof over her head free of charge shows she does have a heart of gold. The way Amaya places Quinten on a pedal stall everything she did was for that boy. She put herself in an awful situation with Parker and the only reason she would do that is to ensure that Quinten has a better future than she did. It is so admirable to see her strength and determination.
Cade was such a complex character. You really have to see how rough his mindset is. The first crucial years of his life he’s abused and bullied into thinking he’s a monster. The way he acted in the present is a true reflection of his not getting over it. Every lash and every whip was Cade desperate for redemption. The relief of Amaya helps him through this by telling him it hurts her every time he hurts himself. Cade truly carries a burden of religious grief and it was so important towards the end of the book that we got to see him accept himself because of imago dei. Cade believed that Amaya was a test from God to see if he could suppress temptation but really she was a gift for self-understanding and acceptance.
The relationship Amaya and Cade shared was heartwarming. Amaya needed to have that unconditional love from the way she grew up around her mother being jealous of men who wanted her when Amaya was nothing but a child. She craved to have someone protect her the way she deserved to as a child and also someone to protect Quinten and that was Cade. He did everything to ensure their safety. When it came to Quin he ensured inclusivity, and safety, but also spent quality time with him. Many times throughout the book we watched how Cade would protect Amaya. It made me weak he really did worship that woman.
Quinten’s character is important in this book, it raises awareness of how those with disabilities are mistreated and need to be protected at all costs. I loved seeing when the characters showed Quin's compassion it was heartwarming.
Honourable mention to Cade for what he did to Parker that was so satisfying and deserved!
The plot twists in this book really did hit. Emily came up with a wonderful plot line and she deserves all the credit for it. This book really brought tension, happiness, anger, and empathy. She gave us all the emotions we needed with perfect execution. Emily has not peaked yet and with each book, I cannot wait for the next one!
Check out the rest of the reviews for this series!
Hooked
Scarred
Wretched
Twisted
All my reviews have the possibility of spoilers, be warned!
First of I’m going to start with the fact that Kindle has stressed me out! I had so many quotes and annotations prepared for this review. For some reason, they’ve all been deleted from the book which is a great shame because I had so much to say. I’m going to be doing this review on my memory so it truly will not give this book the absolute justice it deserves. Emily cooked with this book so I hope you take that from this review!
Side note if anyone knows how to get my Kindle annotations back please let me know this isn’t the first time!
This book has the perfect pace between the two characters. Not only do we watch their relationship grow but we watch them grow as characters. Amaya is hated throughout the town and it’s obvious she and her brother are outcasted. Yet she grows and becomes an individual who will stick up for what is right. Cade struggles a lot with having to ‘punish’ himself for being deterred from his religion. Yet seeing him be able to understand the unconditional love God will always have for him and that Cade does not need to hurt himself is beautiful.
Amaya’s character was done so beautifully. The town paints her as a ‘witch’ someone who is a curse to be around. The way she cares for Dalia giving her a roof over her head free of charge shows she does have a heart of gold. The way Amaya places Quinten on a pedal stall everything she did was for that boy. She put herself in an awful situation with Parker and the only reason she would do that is to ensure that Quinten has a better future than she did. It is so admirable to see her strength and determination.
Cade was such a complex character. You really have to see how rough his mindset is. The first crucial years of his life he’s abused and bullied into thinking he’s a monster. The way he acted in the present is a true reflection of his not getting over it. Every lash and every whip was Cade desperate for redemption. The relief of Amaya helps him through this by telling him it hurts her every time he hurts himself. Cade truly carries a burden of religious grief and it was so important towards the end of the book that we got to see him accept himself because of imago dei. Cade believed that Amaya was a test from God to see if he could suppress temptation but really she was a gift for self-understanding and acceptance.
The relationship Amaya and Cade shared was heartwarming. Amaya needed to have that unconditional love from the way she grew up around her mother being jealous of men who wanted her when Amaya was nothing but a child. She craved to have someone protect her the way she deserved to as a child and also someone to protect Quinten and that was Cade. He did everything to ensure their safety. When it came to Quin he ensured inclusivity, and safety, but also spent quality time with him. Many times throughout the book we watched how Cade would protect Amaya. It made me weak he really did worship that woman.
Quinten’s character is important in this book, it raises awareness of how those with disabilities are mistreated and need to be protected at all costs. I loved seeing when the characters showed Quin's compassion it was heartwarming.
Honourable mention to Cade for what he did to Parker that was so satisfying and deserved!
The plot twists in this book really did hit. Emily came up with a wonderful plot line and she deserves all the credit for it. This book really brought tension, happiness, anger, and empathy. She gave us all the emotions we needed with perfect execution. Emily has not peaked yet and with each book, I cannot wait for the next one!
Check out the rest of the reviews for this series!
Hooked
Scarred
Wretched
Twisted
March 4, 2024
just take all the stars, TAKE IT !! 😭💗 . this book was absolutely addictive and i love it ! the Never After series never fail to amaze me 💗
December 6, 2023
"I've had this thing within me since I was born, damned, from my very first breath. It's only in servitude that I can attempt to cleanse my soul."
Father Cade Frédéric is a man of the cloth.
He is a holy man. A man of the church.
There is nothing else. Only the church.
But when night falls a different monster takes control.
A sickness takes control.
One that needs to kill the damned.
When he gets tasked with becoming the priest in Festivale, Vermont, he intends to do just that.
That is until he sees her.
And everything becomes an obsession.
"If being here is sinful, then this woman is sin, wrapped in a fiery bow."
Amaya Paquette is the town's mystery.
She is known all throughout the city and not in the best way.
She just wants to take care of her little brother after her mother abandoned them.
She will do everything she can to make sure she protects him and to never be abandoned again.
But when she meets the priest they brought for Festivale, things start to take a turn...
And Amaya's decisions may just be her downfall...
"Cade Frederic isn't safe. He's the danger."
⭐4.75 stars⭐
I love Emily Mcintire.
One of my first books that got me into reading was "Hooked" and (excuse the pun) I was legitimately sucked in and hooked ever since.
This is one series that has stayed with me throughout my whole book journey and like the other ones this book did not disappoint.
"It's not my fault, I remind myself. I'm only human. And she is… all-consuming. Like hellfire."
Amaya is trying to do everything she can to live a normal life. Keep her brother safe and living a normal life. God knows her mom didn't do it. She dances. That's the one thing that brings her joy.
And everything is about to change when Cade Frederic walks into her club.
"Just a moment in her presence and she's become the biggest temptation of my life."
And from there she became the obsession. And she's not sure if she wants it to stop:
"Tell me, petite pecheresse, have you thought of your priest?"
This book wrote the playlist itself. Every two seconds it reminded me of another song. And all I can say is you're welcome:
Link: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1mI...
🎹 "Salvation" - Christabelle Marbun - Literally the theme for this book no joke
🎹 "Hellfire" - Annapantsu
🎹 "Looking at Me" - Sabrina Carpenter
🎹 "Narcissist" - Lauren Spencer Smith
🎹 "Bigger Person" - Lauren Spencer Smith
🎹 "Unholy" - Hey Violet
🎹 "Lovely Liar" - Stevie Howie
🎹 "Tell Me You Love Me" - Demi Lovato
🎹 "Anyone" - Demi Lovato
🎹 "Unholy" - Sam Smith and Kim Petras
🎹 "RUNRUNRUN" - Dutch Melrose
🎹 "Colors" - Halsey
🎹 "Devil Saint" - Luma and Yuppycult
🎹 "W.I.T.C.H." - Devon Cole
🎹 "Church" - Chase Atlantic
🎹 "Sick Thoughts" - Lewis Blissett
🎹 "Somebody's Watching Me" - Rockwell
🎹 "Judas" - Lady Gaga
🎹 "Crazy" - Britney Spears
🎹 "Shatter Me" - Lindsey Sterling
🎹 "You Put a Spell On Me" - Austin Giorgio
🎹 "Survivor" - 2WEI
🎹 "Nameless" - Stevie Howie
🎹 "Audacity" - Emelyn
🎹 "Eat Your Young" - Hozier
🎹 "Made You Look" - Meghan Trainor
And to tie it all up in a pretty sinning bow:
"Show me how you wish to be touched. Show me what I'm giving up."
"That's it, petite pecheresse. Take it down your throat until you choke."
Father Cade Frédéric is a man of the cloth.
He is a holy man. A man of the church.
There is nothing else. Only the church.
But when night falls a different monster takes control.
A sickness takes control.
One that needs to kill the damned.
When he gets tasked with becoming the priest in Festivale, Vermont, he intends to do just that.
That is until he sees her.
And everything becomes an obsession.
"If being here is sinful, then this woman is sin, wrapped in a fiery bow."
Amaya Paquette is the town's mystery.
She is known all throughout the city and not in the best way.
She just wants to take care of her little brother after her mother abandoned them.
She will do everything she can to make sure she protects him and to never be abandoned again.
But when she meets the priest they brought for Festivale, things start to take a turn...
And Amaya's decisions may just be her downfall...
"Cade Frederic isn't safe. He's the danger."
⭐4.75 stars⭐
I love Emily Mcintire.
One of my first books that got me into reading was "Hooked" and (excuse the pun) I was legitimately sucked in and hooked ever since.
This is one series that has stayed with me throughout my whole book journey and like the other ones this book did not disappoint.
"It's not my fault, I remind myself. I'm only human. And she is… all-consuming. Like hellfire."
Amaya is trying to do everything she can to live a normal life. Keep her brother safe and living a normal life. God knows her mom didn't do it. She dances. That's the one thing that brings her joy.
And everything is about to change when Cade Frederic walks into her club.
"Just a moment in her presence and she's become the biggest temptation of my life."
And from there she became the obsession. And she's not sure if she wants it to stop:
"Tell me, petite pecheresse, have you thought of your priest?"
This book wrote the playlist itself. Every two seconds it reminded me of another song. And all I can say is you're welcome:
Link: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1mI...
🎹 "Salvation" - Christabelle Marbun - Literally the theme for this book no joke
🎹 "Hellfire" - Annapantsu
🎹 "Looking at Me" - Sabrina Carpenter
🎹 "Narcissist" - Lauren Spencer Smith
🎹 "Bigger Person" - Lauren Spencer Smith
🎹 "Unholy" - Hey Violet
🎹 "Lovely Liar" - Stevie Howie
🎹 "Tell Me You Love Me" - Demi Lovato
🎹 "Anyone" - Demi Lovato
🎹 "Unholy" - Sam Smith and Kim Petras
🎹 "RUNRUNRUN" - Dutch Melrose
🎹 "Colors" - Halsey
🎹 "Devil Saint" - Luma and Yuppycult
🎹 "W.I.T.C.H." - Devon Cole
🎹 "Church" - Chase Atlantic
🎹 "Sick Thoughts" - Lewis Blissett
🎹 "Somebody's Watching Me" - Rockwell
🎹 "Judas" - Lady Gaga
🎹 "Crazy" - Britney Spears
🎹 "Shatter Me" - Lindsey Sterling
🎹 "You Put a Spell On Me" - Austin Giorgio
🎹 "Survivor" - 2WEI
🎹 "Nameless" - Stevie Howie
🎹 "Audacity" - Emelyn
🎹 "Eat Your Young" - Hozier
🎹 "Made You Look" - Meghan Trainor
And to tie it all up in a pretty sinning bow:
"Show me how you wish to be touched. Show me what I'm giving up."
"That's it, petite pecheresse. Take it down your throat until you choke."
August 3, 2023
Before I start regardless if you like this book or not, Emily McIntire deserves all the congratulations in the world for completing chemotherapy and her book's new release!
Now onto the review, I personally have enjoyed all of the Never After books I have read and this one is probably my favourite. One, I love The Hunchback of Notre Dame and two the priest stripper dynamic is delicious! This is definitely the darkest book of hers but as far as dark romance goes it is pretty light still (IMO, my tolerance and preferences may be vastly different to others)! Father Cade Federic was angry and sinful and overall prone to religious guilt. Amaya was an independent woman backed into a corner by life. I really enjoyed it however I will say the pacing of the story really threw me off. I felt as though some of the plot points were underdeveloped or anti-climactic. Overall, I love a romance about two damaged people that fit their broken pieces together. Some quotes to convince you to give it a read!
“I wanted to see you one more time.” I step forward, testing her, and like the perfect girl she is, she moves, keeping the space between us. “Touch you.” I step closer again, and again she backs away. “See if I could reconcile the perfect image of you in my head with the reality of what we must be.”
You consume me, Amaya. Break apart my faith with the fire of a thousand suns and dominate every nightmare until all I dream is you.”
If she is a succubus, then seduce me. If she is my devil, then I will gladly burn.
But temptation is a devastating mistress. It’s not my fault, I remind myself. I’m only human. And she is… all-consuming.
She is my Bible. My scripture. My religion. She is everything, and I am nothing without her. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for her.
Possible Spoilers:
Parker was quite literally the absolute worst and he gave me the ick. I wish his obsession with Amaya was more developed and not just the face value of it. He was a very obvious villain and there was no moral conflict on whether he was a good or bad person.
Father Cade was perfect and if you have seen any of my reviews you know I am a sucker for a reflection on Religious guilt. As someone who grew up surrounded by religion and finds the church to be hypocritical I love to see it talked about. That may rub some people the wrong way but not me! ALSO, HIM BEING TALL💳, DARK HAIR'D 💳, FRENCH💳, OLDER 💳, A PRIEST 💳 AND A STALKER💳! WHERE DO I SIGN? I do think I wish we got to see Amaya and him discover each other broken parts more. I do feel robbed of seeing them be there for each other. For example, her explaining to Cade about everything that happened with Parker. Or him talking about his time with Sister Agnes with her. I know we the readers learn these things but seeing them learn about each other would make their bond more real to me!
Amaya was a great character and she did what she had to for Quin. Her trauma was really sad and hurt to read. I wish we got to see a bit more of her Esmeralda side. Her desire to taint Father Cade was *chef kiss*She was a little too emotionally reclused for her own good a lot of the time and it definitely started to get on my nerves how she and Father Cade literally didn't have a single real conversation, they talked about their feelings for one another but not about the plot that was going on beyond their romance which was strange.
LAST THING BLESS THE STARS, THE MOONS, AND THE SUN that the epilogue did not have a pregnancy trope in it. In every romance novel, the last pages are the couple being pregnant with children and I am just happy that wasn't the case!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and it was a quick read for me. My main critique which encapsulates all the things I've said thus far is every premise felt very surface-level to me. It was a really good and enjoyable book but if some of the plots and themes were explored deeper it would've been great.
EMILY MCINTIRE I WILL READ EVERYTHING YOU WRITE!
Now onto the review, I personally have enjoyed all of the Never After books I have read and this one is probably my favourite. One, I love The Hunchback of Notre Dame and two the priest stripper dynamic is delicious! This is definitely the darkest book of hers but as far as dark romance goes it is pretty light still (IMO, my tolerance and preferences may be vastly different to others)! Father Cade Federic was angry and sinful and overall prone to religious guilt. Amaya was an independent woman backed into a corner by life. I really enjoyed it however I will say the pacing of the story really threw me off. I felt as though some of the plot points were underdeveloped or anti-climactic. Overall, I love a romance about two damaged people that fit their broken pieces together. Some quotes to convince you to give it a read!
“I wanted to see you one more time.” I step forward, testing her, and like the perfect girl she is, she moves, keeping the space between us. “Touch you.” I step closer again, and again she backs away. “See if I could reconcile the perfect image of you in my head with the reality of what we must be.”
You consume me, Amaya. Break apart my faith with the fire of a thousand suns and dominate every nightmare until all I dream is you.”
If she is a succubus, then seduce me. If she is my devil, then I will gladly burn.
But temptation is a devastating mistress. It’s not my fault, I remind myself. I’m only human. And she is… all-consuming.
She is my Bible. My scripture. My religion. She is everything, and I am nothing without her. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for her.
Possible Spoilers:
Parker was quite literally the absolute worst and he gave me the ick. I wish his obsession with Amaya was more developed and not just the face value of it. He was a very obvious villain and there was no moral conflict on whether he was a good or bad person.
Father Cade was perfect and if you have seen any of my reviews you know I am a sucker for a reflection on Religious guilt. As someone who grew up surrounded by religion and finds the church to be hypocritical I love to see it talked about. That may rub some people the wrong way but not me! ALSO, HIM BEING TALL💳, DARK HAIR'D 💳, FRENCH💳, OLDER 💳, A PRIEST 💳 AND A STALKER💳! WHERE DO I SIGN? I do think I wish we got to see Amaya and him discover each other broken parts more. I do feel robbed of seeing them be there for each other. For example, her explaining to Cade about everything that happened with Parker. Or him talking about his time with Sister Agnes with her. I know we the readers learn these things but seeing them learn about each other would make their bond more real to me!
Amaya was a great character and she did what she had to for Quin. Her trauma was really sad and hurt to read. I wish we got to see a bit more of her Esmeralda side. Her desire to taint Father Cade was *chef kiss*She was a little too emotionally reclused for her own good a lot of the time and it definitely started to get on my nerves how she and Father Cade literally didn't have a single real conversation, they talked about their feelings for one another but not about the plot that was going on beyond their romance which was strange.
LAST THING BLESS THE STARS, THE MOONS, AND THE SUN that the epilogue did not have a pregnancy trope in it. In every romance novel, the last pages are the couple being pregnant with children and I am just happy that wasn't the case!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and it was a quick read for me. My main critique which encapsulates all the things I've said thus far is every premise felt very surface-level to me. It was a really good and enjoyable book but if some of the plots and themes were explored deeper it would've been great.
EMILY MCINTIRE I WILL READ EVERYTHING YOU WRITE!
September 8, 2024
If I could bleach my brain, I would. I wanted to give it zero stars, but since that’s not an option, here’s a generous 1 star. 🌟 I don’t even know how this passed through editing because, wow, it’s bad.
Let’s start with Father Cade. This guy is supposed to be a priest, right? But his main issue is that he wants to kill Amaya because he also wants to fuck her, and he’s afraid he won’t be able to control himself. Excuse me, but how is that Amaya’s problem? It’s laughably ridiculous! Like, dude, you need therapy, not a priesthood. The way this was supposed to come across as edgy or dark romance just felt completely gross and borderline absurd. Cade’s lack of self-control and blaming Amaya for it made me hate him even more. I didn’t want to see him redeemed; I wanted him to get a psych evaluation.
And Amaya? She deserves better. Her backstory had potential, but every scene she shared with Cade just felt like a trainwreck. Instead of chemistry, we got this obsessive, disturbing dynamic that made my skin crawl. It wasn’t romance; it was a horror show with a side of cringe.
Don’t even get me started on the pacing. It was slower than watching paint dry. The first half of the book dragged on and on with endless inner monologue from Cade, which did nothing to endear me to his character. If anything, it made me loathe him more. I’ve read the other books in the Never After series, and while some of them were entertaining (even Hooked wasn’t this terrible), but this one? Total disaster.
Lessons learned from this mess:
1. Priest romances are an absolute no for me.
2. Cade and Amaya both need serious help, preferably far away from each other.
3. Dark romance can be done well, but this is not it.
Bottom line: If you’re thinking about reading Crossed, just… don’t. It’s all kinds of uncomfortable, with no payoff, no redemption, and no enjoyment. You’re not missing out on anything but pure disappointment.
Let’s start with Father Cade. This guy is supposed to be a priest, right? But his main issue is that he wants to kill Amaya because he also wants to fuck her, and he’s afraid he won’t be able to control himself. Excuse me, but how is that Amaya’s problem? It’s laughably ridiculous! Like, dude, you need therapy, not a priesthood. The way this was supposed to come across as edgy or dark romance just felt completely gross and borderline absurd. Cade’s lack of self-control and blaming Amaya for it made me hate him even more. I didn’t want to see him redeemed; I wanted him to get a psych evaluation.
And Amaya? She deserves better. Her backstory had potential, but every scene she shared with Cade just felt like a trainwreck. Instead of chemistry, we got this obsessive, disturbing dynamic that made my skin crawl. It wasn’t romance; it was a horror show with a side of cringe.
Don’t even get me started on the pacing. It was slower than watching paint dry. The first half of the book dragged on and on with endless inner monologue from Cade, which did nothing to endear me to his character. If anything, it made me loathe him more. I’ve read the other books in the Never After series, and while some of them were entertaining (even Hooked wasn’t this terrible), but this one? Total disaster.
Lessons learned from this mess:
1. Priest romances are an absolute no for me.
2. Cade and Amaya both need serious help, preferably far away from each other.
3. Dark romance can be done well, but this is not it.
Bottom line: If you’re thinking about reading Crossed, just… don’t. It’s all kinds of uncomfortable, with no payoff, no redemption, and no enjoyment. You’re not missing out on anything but pure disappointment.
August 18, 2023
5/5★
I’m sorry… BUT WHY WAS THIS SO GOOD?!?! Istg what did Emily McIntire put in this book??? I literally could not stop myself from freaking BINGING and DEVOURING this book!! It was literally EVERYTHING!!! I can literally see no flaws.. like at all!! It was just… perfect.
Let me just say that this book was definitely a bit darker than her previous ones in the series but it definitely adds to the story and plot! Literally was gasping, screaming and even crying at some points. I do have to say that reading TWs beforehand is more than necessary for this book cause… it definitely got very dark at one point.
But I can confidently say that this book is my second favourite in the Never After series!! It just had everything in it for it to be a 5 star read for me!
Love me a man who falls first AND harder, who’s literally the definition of OBSESSED, who protects and is possessive of his woman and who is also totally off-limits. He was just.. PERFECTION!!!
I totally fell in love with a priest with stalker tendencies named Cade. He was just so… wow.
The way he literally gave up all of his beliefs for Amaya and was going against all the rules he set up for himself… ugh I LOVE HIM!! Need me a man like him fr. He was just so freaking hot, it’s crazy. He most definitely carried this book on his back!
Like the fact that he killed for her, helped and supported her little brother and was just so freaking in love with her despite what people thought of her had me SWOONING!! This man literally has no flaws! His inner thoughts about her had me on my freaking knees and the way he talked to and about her??? I’m obsessed.
I honestly can’t blame him though for being so obsessed with Amaya. She’s so freaking HOT!!! And besides that also so sweet, caring and sadly also so misunderstood. She has been through so much, just so that she can support her brother the best she can. Ugh… I love her!
Cade also put himself through so much. It really pained me to see him degrade himself so much because of his beliefs. It was truly heartbreaking.
I’m just so glad that both of them found their salvation within each other. Their love is truly something so beautiful, I just loved the way they talked and thought about one another. They’re fr soulmates and it had me actually giggling.
Not only was I giggling but also SCREAMING!!! The freaking smut in this book was EVERYTHING!!! It was so well written and it was just so fucking hot omg… these scenes are definitely bookmarked to say the least lol.
Overall, this is definitely one of Emily McIntire’s best books so far and I’m so proud of her for pulling through with the cancer and still being able to give us such an amazing masterpiece. She’s such a strong person and I wish her all the best for the rest of her cancer fighting journey!! I definitely can’t wait for her next banger!
I’m sorry… BUT WHY WAS THIS SO GOOD?!?! Istg what did Emily McIntire put in this book??? I literally could not stop myself from freaking BINGING and DEVOURING this book!! It was literally EVERYTHING!!! I can literally see no flaws.. like at all!! It was just… perfect.
Let me just say that this book was definitely a bit darker than her previous ones in the series but it definitely adds to the story and plot! Literally was gasping, screaming and even crying at some points. I do have to say that reading TWs beforehand is more than necessary for this book cause… it definitely got very dark at one point.
But I can confidently say that this book is my second favourite in the Never After series!! It just had everything in it for it to be a 5 star read for me!
Love me a man who falls first AND harder, who’s literally the definition of OBSESSED, who protects and is possessive of his woman and who is also totally off-limits. He was just.. PERFECTION!!!
I totally fell in love with a priest with stalker tendencies named Cade. He was just so… wow.
The way he literally gave up all of his beliefs for Amaya and was going against all the rules he set up for himself… ugh I LOVE HIM!! Need me a man like him fr. He was just so freaking hot, it’s crazy. He most definitely carried this book on his back!
Like the fact that he killed for her, helped and supported her little brother and was just so freaking in love with her despite what people thought of her had me SWOONING!! This man literally has no flaws! His inner thoughts about her had me on my freaking knees and the way he talked to and about her??? I’m obsessed.
I honestly can’t blame him though for being so obsessed with Amaya. She’s so freaking HOT!!! And besides that also so sweet, caring and sadly also so misunderstood. She has been through so much, just so that she can support her brother the best she can. Ugh… I love her!
Cade also put himself through so much. It really pained me to see him degrade himself so much because of his beliefs. It was truly heartbreaking.
I’m just so glad that both of them found their salvation within each other. Their love is truly something so beautiful, I just loved the way they talked and thought about one another. They’re fr soulmates and it had me actually giggling.
Not only was I giggling but also SCREAMING!!! The freaking smut in this book was EVERYTHING!!! It was so well written and it was just so fucking hot omg… these scenes are definitely bookmarked to say the least lol.
Overall, this is definitely one of Emily McIntire’s best books so far and I’m so proud of her for pulling through with the cancer and still being able to give us such an amazing masterpiece. She’s such a strong person and I wish her all the best for the rest of her cancer fighting journey!! I definitely can’t wait for her next banger!
July 21, 2023
4/5 ⭐️
“She is my bible. My scripture. My religion. She is everything, and I am nothing without her.” Crossed, Emily McIntire
—dark romance
—priest/dancer
—forbidden romance
—unaliving
Just like always, Emily does it again with another slow burn spïcy dark romance that leaves you needing a tall glass of water to cool down.
Cade and Amaya exuded tension, chemistry, and lust and it kept me wanting more and more with each page turn. And they got the HEA they both deserved. Crossed was as addicting to read as all of the others in the series, and it stood out with its characters, dirty talk, and plot.
“She is my bible. My scripture. My religion. She is everything, and I am nothing without her.” Crossed, Emily McIntire
—dark romance
—priest/dancer
—forbidden romance
—unaliving
Just like always, Emily does it again with another slow burn spïcy dark romance that leaves you needing a tall glass of water to cool down.
Cade and Amaya exuded tension, chemistry, and lust and it kept me wanting more and more with each page turn. And they got the HEA they both deserved. Crossed was as addicting to read as all of the others in the series, and it stood out with its characters, dirty talk, and plot.
August 6, 2023
5 star
4+4?
This has to be, in my opinion, the darkest, most disturbed book in the series yet. Oh and the slow burn? It was sloooowing 🤌🏼🤌🏼
4+4?
This has to be, in my opinion, the darkest, most disturbed book in the series yet. Oh and the slow burn? It was sloooowing 🤌🏼🤌🏼
December 29, 2023
annoying and cringe asf characters and idr anything else about this book to write a better review so bye 👍🏻
September 1, 2024
3.5
¿un sacerdote que también es un asesino? ¿y ESTÁ OBSESIONADO CON ELLA? yes, please.
me lo leí como en 4 hrssss!!! 💋
¿un sacerdote que también es un asesino? ¿y ESTÁ OBSESIONADO CON ELLA? yes, please.
me lo leí como en 4 hrssss!!! 💋
October 18, 2023
3.5* very slow burn but very fun 😋
August 16, 2023
things i learned:
1. i hate priest books
2. if i hear the words solar plexus anytime soon i will rage
3. this was atrocious. only reason i didn’t dnf is cuz i wanted another book to add to my yearly tally … no shame!!!
1. i hate priest books
2. if i hear the words solar plexus anytime soon i will rage
3. this was atrocious. only reason i didn’t dnf is cuz i wanted another book to add to my yearly tally … no shame!!!
July 25, 2024
if Priest and Haunting Adeline had a child it would be this
September 13, 2023
moral of the story.. they both crazy
February 12, 2024
“She was a vision in her violence, a fallen angel seeking vengeance for being wronged. She is a masterpiece, and she is mine.”
This one has a much slower burn than the previous installments but the sexual tension is worth it.
I loved Father Cade he was such a psychopathic creep 🫶🏽😂
Amaya was great she was such a likable heroine u will definitely root for her & Quinton is the sweetest bean u will ever know. 🥹❤️😣
September 14, 2023
1.5 ⭐️
Cade need help, asap
Take that back, they both need help.
Cade need help, asap
Take that back, they both need help.
August 15, 2023
4.7💫 out of 5💫
“𝑺𝒊 𝒔𝒆𝒖𝒍𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒖 𝒔𝒂𝒗𝒂𝒊𝒔 𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒍 𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒎𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒑𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒕𝒐𝒊. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒆 𝒎𝒆, 𝑨𝒎𝒂𝒚𝒂. 𝑩𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌 𝒂𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒎𝒚 𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒂 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒖𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑰 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎 𝒊𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖.”
📍ᴛʀᴏᴘᴇꜱ:
🚩ᴀ ᴅᴀʀᴋ ʀᴇɪᴍᴀɢɪɴɪɴɢ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴜɴᴄʜʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴏꜰ ɴᴏᴛʀᴇ ᴅᴀᴍᴇ
🚩 ᴘʀɪᴇꜱᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴏʟᴇ ᴅᴀɴᴄᴇʀ
🚩 ʙᴏʏ ᴏʙꜱᴇꜱꜱᴇᴅ
🚩 ᴏʙꜱᴇꜱꜱɪᴏɴ ᴀᴛ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ꜱɪɢʜᴛ
🚩 ꜱᴛᴀʟᴋᴇʀ ᴍᴍᴄ
🚩 ꜰᴏʀʙɪᴅᴅᴇɴ ʟᴏᴠᴇ
🚩 ᴀɢᴇ ɢᴀᴘ
🚩 ꜱᴛʀᴏɴɢ ꜰʟ
🚩 ᴛᴏᴜᴄʜ ʜᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅɪᴇ * ʟɪᴛᴇʀᴀʟʟʏ*
✨ Page-turning and captivating ✨
LOVE CADEAMAYA! They're really perfect for each other!
𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 is a Dark reimagining of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, where The Villain gets his happily ever after. Just one week before the release of this book, I watched this movie and man! instantly Frollo and Esmeralda become my favourite should-have-been-end-up-together couple! I know Frollo is a villain but my villainous heart loves him and his chemistry with Esmeralda in the movie was E-X-P-L-O-S-I-V-E! I still can't put my mind into how and fu©️king why Disney made her end up with that Phoebus...man he was supposed to be the so called " hero" in the story but I hate his guts then only 😂✋, he was so freaking annoying and I have to say this book villainous Phoebus named Parker makes me hate his character a lot more! Thank God Daddy- I mean Father Cade end him * yes little Spoilers* 🤧
In this story too Cade is not a typical hero, he is an morally grey one 🥵🤌, his character was complicated and I love the way we got to see his inner battle of doing what was the right thing, he as a priest should do and his ever growing Obsession with Amaya which he can't control and losing himself completely in her when she is around. It was really Obsession at first sight when he saw her as Esmeralda.
Amaya was another complicated character. Their characters are deeply flawed and go through so much mental and physical Truma, my heart aches for both of them. The World never shows them kindness so they show each other the kindness and support they crave, they're indeed soulmates!
A lot of appreciation to author Emily for representing Autistic syndrome through Quinten. My heart feels so heavy with emotions reading about him and how badly people treat him just because he is different from them. Cade does a lot of bad things but he never treats Quin badly like all the people in town, he shows him affection and understanding , I love there interactions so much 🥺❤️🩹. Amaya is such a good sister, Quin was her whole world, she takes care of him like a mother then their own mother ever has and that too in a tender age. She is a strong and relatable character, you can easily click with her emotions.
The sexual tension between them 😩...I live for it! The way they eye contact with each other and say a lot without saying anything at all when other people are around...I freaking love it! There is a lot of sexual tension between them, you can just feel it ... sometimes i feel bad for Cade the way he has to struggle to not give in to his desires lol.
And then that fu©️ker Parker gets between them, argh- although thanks to that scumbag they come closer...I am telling you, you all seriously gonna hate him a lot...the despicable things he has done, but believe me his death was satisfying 😌.
How Cade comes from " she is the bane of my existence" to " my entire world revolves around her" is awesome! He could do anything for her 🙈
I completed this book in four days well more like three and less then a day but this should tell a lot about someone who reads slow as fu©️k 🤣.
After watching the movie I craved to read a couple who gives Frollo and Esmeralda vibes, and i enjoy this a lot, it serves the vibes perfectly and more.
Do check the triggers before reading. Because i think this can Tigger some people.
“𝑺𝒊 𝒔𝒆𝒖𝒍𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒖 𝒔𝒂𝒗𝒂𝒊𝒔 𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒍 𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒎𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒑𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒕𝒐𝒊. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒆 𝒎𝒆, 𝑨𝒎𝒂𝒚𝒂. 𝑩𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌 𝒂𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒎𝒚 𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒂 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒖𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑰 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎 𝒊𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖.”
📍ᴛʀᴏᴘᴇꜱ:
🚩ᴀ ᴅᴀʀᴋ ʀᴇɪᴍᴀɢɪɴɪɴɢ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴜɴᴄʜʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴏꜰ ɴᴏᴛʀᴇ ᴅᴀᴍᴇ
🚩 ᴘʀɪᴇꜱᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴏʟᴇ ᴅᴀɴᴄᴇʀ
🚩 ʙᴏʏ ᴏʙꜱᴇꜱꜱᴇᴅ
🚩 ᴏʙꜱᴇꜱꜱɪᴏɴ ᴀᴛ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ꜱɪɢʜᴛ
🚩 ꜱᴛᴀʟᴋᴇʀ ᴍᴍᴄ
🚩 ꜰᴏʀʙɪᴅᴅᴇɴ ʟᴏᴠᴇ
🚩 ᴀɢᴇ ɢᴀᴘ
🚩 ꜱᴛʀᴏɴɢ ꜰʟ
🚩 ᴛᴏᴜᴄʜ ʜᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅɪᴇ * ʟɪᴛᴇʀᴀʟʟʏ*
✨ Page-turning and captivating ✨
LOVE CADEAMAYA! They're really perfect for each other!
𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 is a Dark reimagining of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, where The Villain gets his happily ever after. Just one week before the release of this book, I watched this movie and man! instantly Frollo and Esmeralda become my favourite should-have-been-end-up-together couple! I know Frollo is a villain but my villainous heart loves him and his chemistry with Esmeralda in the movie was E-X-P-L-O-S-I-V-E! I still can't put my mind into how and fu©️king why Disney made her end up with that Phoebus...man he was supposed to be the so called " hero" in the story but I hate his guts then only 😂✋, he was so freaking annoying and I have to say this book villainous Phoebus named Parker makes me hate his character a lot more! Thank God Daddy- I mean Father Cade end him * yes little Spoilers* 🤧
In this story too Cade is not a typical hero, he is an morally grey one 🥵🤌, his character was complicated and I love the way we got to see his inner battle of doing what was the right thing, he as a priest should do and his ever growing Obsession with Amaya which he can't control and losing himself completely in her when she is around. It was really Obsession at first sight when he saw her as Esmeralda.
Amaya was another complicated character. Their characters are deeply flawed and go through so much mental and physical Truma, my heart aches for both of them. The World never shows them kindness so they show each other the kindness and support they crave, they're indeed soulmates!
A lot of appreciation to author Emily for representing Autistic syndrome through Quinten. My heart feels so heavy with emotions reading about him and how badly people treat him just because he is different from them. Cade does a lot of bad things but he never treats Quin badly like all the people in town, he shows him affection and understanding , I love there interactions so much 🥺❤️🩹. Amaya is such a good sister, Quin was her whole world, she takes care of him like a mother then their own mother ever has and that too in a tender age. She is a strong and relatable character, you can easily click with her emotions.
The sexual tension between them 😩...I live for it! The way they eye contact with each other and say a lot without saying anything at all when other people are around...I freaking love it! There is a lot of sexual tension between them, you can just feel it ... sometimes i feel bad for Cade the way he has to struggle to not give in to his desires lol.
And then that fu©️ker Parker gets between them, argh- although thanks to that scumbag they come closer...I am telling you, you all seriously gonna hate him a lot...the despicable things he has done, but believe me his death was satisfying 😌.
How Cade comes from " she is the bane of my existence" to " my entire world revolves around her" is awesome! He could do anything for her 🙈
I completed this book in four days well more like three and less then a day but this should tell a lot about someone who reads slow as fu©️k 🤣.
After watching the movie I craved to read a couple who gives Frollo and Esmeralda vibes, and i enjoy this a lot, it serves the vibes perfectly and more.
Do check the triggers before reading. Because i think this can Tigger some people.
Read
March 15, 2023𝘾𝙍𝙊𝙎𝙎𝙀𝘿 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙠 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙝𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙤𝙛 𝙉𝙤𝙩𝙧𝙚 𝘿𝙖𝙢𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙛𝙩𝙝 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙉𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝘼𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨: 𝙛𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙖𝙞𝙧𝙮 𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙫𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧. 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙗𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙟𝙤𝙮𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙧.
💜Pre-order today! 👉🏼geni.us/UZHn
(𝐏𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐢𝐬 𝟐𝟓% 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐨𝐧 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬 & 𝐍𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐝𝐞: 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐌𝟐𝟓)
Cover by the magical TRC Designs
👉🏼 Releasing August 1, 2023
🔔💜🔔💜
𝑯𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔. 𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒊𝒏.
Father Cade Frédéric is a holy man. Brought up in the streets of Paris, he has dedicated his life to the church. But there’s a monster that lingers just beneath the surface. A sickness. One that bleeds darkness and feeds on the damned. When he’s tasked to become the priest in Festivalé, Vermont, a town both beautiful in architecture and riddled with despair, his sickness sings, demanding he rid the place of evil.
Amaya Paquette is Festivalé’s beautiful mystery. She spends her days caring for her younger brother and her nights transforming into Esmeralda, dancing for greedy eyes and shameless lips. Although she longs for love, she shies away from companionship, afraid of being abandoned again.
When Father Cade lays eyes on Amaya, he finds himself ensnared, convinced she’s using witchcraft to lure him to her. He can’t eat. Can’t breathe. Can’t think unless it’s of her.
And temptation is a devastating mistress.
She’s his weakness, so he decides he’ll be her demise…even if it means killing the only woman he might ever love.
💜Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/3EsbdDp
💜Pre-order today! 👉🏼geni.us/UZHn
(𝐏𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐢𝐬 𝟐𝟓% 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐨𝐧 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬 & 𝐍𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐝𝐞: 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐌𝟐𝟓)
Cover by the magical TRC Designs
👉🏼 Releasing August 1, 2023
🔔💜🔔💜
𝑯𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔. 𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒊𝒏.
Father Cade Frédéric is a holy man. Brought up in the streets of Paris, he has dedicated his life to the church. But there’s a monster that lingers just beneath the surface. A sickness. One that bleeds darkness and feeds on the damned. When he’s tasked to become the priest in Festivalé, Vermont, a town both beautiful in architecture and riddled with despair, his sickness sings, demanding he rid the place of evil.
Amaya Paquette is Festivalé’s beautiful mystery. She spends her days caring for her younger brother and her nights transforming into Esmeralda, dancing for greedy eyes and shameless lips. Although she longs for love, she shies away from companionship, afraid of being abandoned again.
When Father Cade lays eyes on Amaya, he finds himself ensnared, convinced she’s using witchcraft to lure him to her. He can’t eat. Can’t breathe. Can’t think unless it’s of her.
And temptation is a devastating mistress.
She’s his weakness, so he decides he’ll be her demise…even if it means killing the only woman he might ever love.
💜Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/3EsbdDp
October 3, 2023
This book just didn't do it for me. There was too much inner dialogue. The first 50% was absolutely boring. I've loved all the books in this series except this one. Oh well, some books just aren't made for you 🤷♀️
March 3, 2024
There’s morally grey, and then there’s Ted Bundy.
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