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Never After Reading Order.

Quick Answer

Start Never After by Emily McIntire with "SCARRED", then follow the publication sequence. This order preserves the intended narrative twists and world-building progression.

The complete reading order for the Never After series by Emily McIntire. Below you'll find the authoritative guide on how to read the books in order, including publication dates and chronological timeline placements.

Reader's Guide

This series spans 5 main titles released between 2025 and 2024. For the best experience, we recommend following the Publication Order below to preserve key plot reveals.

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Official Verdict

Short Answer:
Start with "SCARRED"

To experience the narrative as intended, read the main sequence in Publication Order.Ignore novellas and side stories until you finish the first 3 core novels. This resolves all timeline confusion and preserves every major twist.

Community Consensus

High Debate

"The comments analyze two main topics: the systemic hostility towards queer recommendations on the subreddit, and a long fantasy series (implied to be 14 books) that is extremely divisive. For the long series, the consensus is that it is often repetitive and slow-paced, spanning only two in-world years, leading many readers to drop off around Book 3 or 4 despite the high emotional attachment felt by those who finish it."

Key Reddit Advice

The implied reading order is sequential, beginning with Book 1, as readers discuss progressing book by book (e.g., 'in the middle of book 5,' or 'stuck through four books'). However, readers are advised to stop reading if they are not enjoying it by Book 3 or 4, as the pace does not significantly improve.

Why This Order Is Confusing

Many reading lists for Never After conflict because early publishers often labeled short story collections as standalone novels, or rearranged internal chronologies for marketing. This guide follows original author intent and narrative continuity to settle the debate for good.

Can I skip the short stories?

Technically yes, but we strongly advise against it for Never After. The shorter volumes often establish the core character motivations and world-building that the main saga assumes you already know.

I watched the show/movie first — where should I start?

Ignore the screen adaptations' timeline. Start with "SCARRED" to see the original depth of the world. The books offer a significantly different (and usually more complete) experience than the on-screen versions.

Why do people disagree on the order?

Disagreement usually stems from the conflict between purely chronological order and publication order. Most long-term fans recommend publication order to preserve the emotional arc and mystery reveals.

Curator's Strategy

Recommended Reading Order Strategy

The authoritative way to read the "Never After" series is in Publication Order. Start with the first published book. It's the way the author intended the world to be revealed.This ensures you experience character reveals and plot twists exactly as the author intended.

Complete Series Reading Order

Publication Reading Order5 Titles

Why Publication Order?We recommend reading in Publication Order (default). This follows the author's release schedule, ensuring you experience plot twists, character growth, and world-building exactly as intended without spoilers.
Best Start Here
1

SCARRED

Pub: 20253.85

The second book in the Never After series. Lady Sara Beatreaux develops an attraction for one of the men she intended to kill.

2

Wretched

Pub: 20223.83

Plot details hidden until you finish "SCARRED".

3

Twisted

Pub: 20223.85

Plot details hidden until you finish "Wretched".

From New York Times bestselling author and BookTok sensation Ana Huang comes a contemporary royal romance! Stoic, broody, and arrogant, elite bodyguard Rhys Larsen has two rules: 1) Protect his clients at all costs 2) Do not become emotionally involved. Ever. He has never once been tempted to break those rules...until her. Bridget von Ascheberg. A princess with a stubborn streak that matches his own and a hidden fire that reduces his rules to ash. She's nothing he expected and everything he never knew he needed. Day by day, inch by inch, she breaks down his defenses until he's faced with a truth he can no longer deny: he swore an oath to protect her, but all he wants is to ruin her. Take her. Because she's his. His princess. His forbidden fruit. His every depraved fantasy. *** Regal, strong-willed, and bound by the chains of duty, Princess Bridget dreams of the freedom to live and love as she chooses. But when her brother abdicates, she's suddenly faced with the prospect of a loveless, politically expedient marriage and a throne she never wanted. And as she navigates the intricacies-and treacheries-of her new role, she must also hide her desire for a man she can't have. Her bodyguard. Her protector. Her ultimate ruin. Unexpected and forbidden, theirs is a love that could destroy a kingdom...and doom them both. Do not become emotionally involved. Ever.

4

Crossed

Pub: 20233.68

Plot details hidden until you finish "Twisted".

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.

5

Hexed

Pub: 20244.17

Plot details hidden until you finish "Crossed".

From USA Today bestselling author Emily McIntire comes the final dark and delicious fractured fairy tale in the Never After series. He's the prince of La Cosa Nostra. She's the witch who steals his heart. Venesa Andersen has never been good. She wasn't good enough for her parents, and she isn't good enough for the gangster uncle who took her in after they died. But she's cunning. Beautiful. Dutiful to her uncle's demands. And she doesn't have time for a moral compass, anyway. When her runaway cousin returns to their coastal southern town, she brings a man with her...and Venesa soon realizes he's the only one who's ever seen her for her. There's just one problem- she can never have him. Enzo "Loverboy" Marino is a wealthy businessman by day and prince of the underworld by night. Underboss to a notorious mafia syndicate, he answers to no one except his father, the strongest don in the northeast. When he's tasked with marriage, Enzo doesn't think twice. Until he meets his fiancee's cousin. Venesa is everything he never knew he wanted, bewitching him with her sultry voice and supple curves. But Enzo learned long ago that for a man like him, life is better without the things you want. When plans unravel and temptation sings its siren song, they'll both have to choose what's more important- duty to their families or a forbidden love that was never supposed to be.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is it okay to skip books in the Never After series?

We recommend ignoring novellas and short stories until you finish the core sequence. However, main sequence novels should never be skipped as they contain critical character development and plot progression.

What is the best order to read Never After?

The final answer for the best experience is to start with "SCARRED" and proceed in publication order. This sequence preserves character developments and plot reveals exactly as Emily McIntire intended.

Can I read Never After books in any order?

No. The main narrative is strictly sequential. Skipping volumes or reading out of order will lead to significant plot spoilers and confusion regarding character arcs.

Are there spin-offs or companion books?

Yes, the Never After universe includes several companion works. These are marked as 'Optional' in our guide and can be read at any time without disrupting the main storyline.