Wretched is the third book in the Never After series by bestselling author Emily McIntire.
At the time of publishing this guide, this story was available on Kindle Unlimited.
Here’s more about the book, along with our free Dirty Dozen downloadable discussion question guide for your spicy book club.
Book description
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 book club discussion guide
**PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THIS DISCUSSION QUESTION GUIDE MIGHT INCLUDE SPOILERS**
We’ve provided the Dirty Dozen below; twelve spicy and intriguing questions to spark discussion and help you uncover the spine-tingling depths of the story.
The Dirty Dozen
Foreplay – Warm Up Questions
1. What’s the overall spice level? 1 (Not Spicy) – 10 (Spiciest Thing I’ve Ever Read)?
2. How does the spice level compare to the other books we’ve read together?
3. Do you think the touches that tie the story back to the original fairy tale are enjoyable or not? Which were your favorites?
The Spicy Bits – Gettin’ Down and Dirty with the Plot
4. Could you play the long game in a fake identity with real chemistry? Or would you catch feelings and crack under pressure?
5. Would you crack if someone sat silently, waiting for you to talk—or would you hold your own like Nick/Brayden did?
6. Nessa tells Evie there’s no one like family and there’s no place like home. Do you agree with the old adage that “blood is thicker than water”?
7. The tension between Nick and Evie is built on secrets, betrayal, and danger. What made the chemistry work for you and what, if anything, didn’t land?
8. There’s a line between justice and vengeance that Wretched walks carefully. Did you want more moral resolution, or did the ambiguity make it hotter?
9. Brayden’s shift in identity—from law enforcer to something darker—was gradual but intense. Did it feel authentic, and did it make him more or less attractive?
10. Evie is no damsel—she’s calculating, ruthless, and sensual. How does she compare to other heroines we’ve read? Would you want to see more women written like this?
11. Did you feel like the ending was too abrupt or just right? Did the epilogue help?
Aftercare – Final Thoughts
12. Do you enjoy the law enforcement with the criminal trope? What other “unlikely pairings” would you want to see read in the book club?
Bonus: What questions do you have for the author? If you could dog-ear a page with a question for the author, what would it be?
Please feel free to use this post as a starting point for your spicy book club discussion questions and use the comments below to share your thoughts and insights about the book. You can also get a free downloadable copy of the discussion guide using the button below.
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