Crossed (Never After, #5), by Emily McIntire

priest romance • forbidden desire • dark obsession • fractured fairy tale • morally gray hero

Faith and temptation collide in this dark, seductive reimagining of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, where desire becomes dangerous and the line between devotion and obsession grows dangerously thin. Perfect for readers drawn to morally complex characters, intense romantic tension, and love stories that venture into the shadows.

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ 4/5

The Vibe

Amaya Paquette is a captivating mystery in the small town of Festivalé, balancing the responsibility of caring for her younger brother with a secret life on the stage. Beneath her guarded exterior is a woman who longs to be loved but has learned to protect her heart.

Father Cade Frédéric has built his life around faith, discipline, and the pursuit of righteousness. But Amaya awakens something in him that challenges his deepest convictions. Their attraction is forbidden, consuming, and wrapped in an atmosphere of gothic beauty, religious conflict, and dangerous desire. This is a dark contemporary romance for readers who love their fairy tales twisted and their love stories anything but simple.

Tropes & Tags

• Dark romance

• Forbidden romance

• Priest romance

• Obsessive attraction

• Morally gray hero

• Tortured hero

• Guarded heroine

• Caretaking heroine

• Religious conflict

• Small-town setting

• Gothic atmosphere

• Fractured fairy tale

• The Hunchback of Notre Dame inspiration

• High angst

Books in Series (In Order)

The Never After series features interconnected standalone dark romances inspired by familiar fairy tales and classic stories. Each book can be read independently.

1. Hooked (Never After, #1)

2. Scarred (Never After, #2)

3. Wretched (Never After, #3)

4. Twisted (Never After, #4)

5. Crossed (Never After, #5)

6. Hexed (Never After, #6)