I have a "rule of 50" that I follow - I read the first 50 pages and make a decision about continuing on t0 the end... or not. In this case I could not soldier on. A terrible book - poorly written, it read like a dirty story some young adults would laughably type up after a few drinks on a dare.

Thanks to NetGalley, Emily McIntire and Bloom Books for this ARC!

Julian wants to take over Sultans and the only thing standing in his way is Yasmin. Should he kill her or marry her? Yasmin only wants to be with Aidan, but her father's expectations weigh heavily on her shoulders. Will these two enemies be able to work together or will their attraction be too much?

Hot damn, I devoured this book! I couldn't get enough of the spice and the enemies to lovers and the retelling aspect! Emily McIntire creates these beautiful retellings while staying similarly true to the original story and giving it these gorgeous spicy, dark AF twists. I loved this one.

This is my first book by the author and I was surprised in a very good way, I love dark fantasy and retellings, so I gave this a go and now I will try and read the previous ones. This story was terrific as I love the villains. Yasmin and Julian simply worked like a charm. The powerful dark Julian has a secret and I'm in love with him, he was simply the best villain I ever know I wanted. I strongly recommend this book!

Thank you netgalley and sourcebooks bloom books for the arc! And Wow!! This got me out of the worst slump ever, and I finished in a day! Forced marriage, enemies to lovers, and an age gap. I was sold from page one! Julian is to die for, as he says his love is dangerous. Murder definitely doesn’t phase him. I want a Julian..

“I want to reach into your chest and hold your heart in my hands, making sure it only beats for me,” I rasp. “But I don’t want your firsts, Yasmin. I want your forever.”

This is hands down my favorite adaptation of Aladdin ever. This book has a hold on me, it was explosive from the get go. I enjoyed the way Yasmin and Julian’s love progressed, yasmin was definitely the princess hidden in the tower, who gets corrupted and I loved every minute of it. Emily’s writing has progressed beautifully, there’s so much growth from the initial start of this series.

Oh wow. I read this book in one day. Just as good as her other books in this series I am so great full I got the chance to read this book. The Aladdin style story was great but she completely put her own twist in all of it. It was sexy, hot and spicy. You can’t go wrong with her books and this is my new favorite read

This book.....LOVE!!! It is spicy, engaging, mesmerizing and absolutely enthralling! I loved the re-telling and was completely absorbed in every aspect. I cannot wait to read more and engage with not only the worlds Ms. McIntire builds but her writing as well! Absolutely recommend!

Wow.
Just, wow.
Another amazing novel to put on my shelf right next to the other Never After Series! I’m obsessed with this Jasmine and Jafar retelling!!
The spice starts pretty quickly and let me tell you…… WOOOOOOOOOW! Amazing!
McIntire has a way with making you fall in love with the characters and her immersive world. Her villains and outstanding, and ones we all love to hate. I can’t wait for the next one!!!

A dark Aladdin reimagining featuring the heiress of a diamond company and her father’s right hand man who definitely has a few skeletons in his closet. Yasmin Karam is the daughter to one of the richest men in the world, she is extremely sheltered and spoiled, she loves her father and is willing to fo anything for him, event at the expense of her own happiness. Yasmin has been shut out of her father’s business despite how much she wants to be part of it, she’s been treated like a delicate doll all her life and she wants more, she wants to be taken seriously, to have her father’s approval and understanding, and to be treated the way his right hand man seems to be. Yasmin absolutely hates Julian Faraci, a man who is 13 years older than her who somehow managed to go from street rat to her father’s right hand man, who seems to have gotten the trust, attention, and consideration from her father that she never had. Julian is a man with so many secrets, he’s lived a life filled with darkness, manipulation and death. He had an abusive childhood that lead to him taking his own father’s life while dealing with the abuse from his mother. He wants power, he wants to take over Yasmin’s family’s business that should be his. He built the company and has made sure its continued to prosper but for some reason he is not even considered a successor for it. Julian’s only goal is to be the most powerful man in the world, and he’ll get rid of anyone in his way, preferably by feeding their corpses to his giant pet python. When his mentor, Yasmin’s father falls ill, and he gives Yasmin an ultimatum of finding a husband before he dies, Julian see’s an opportunity to snatch everything he wants and everything he never knew he wanted when he proposes a fake marriage to Yasmin.... yet this fake marriage will force them to finally face each other and who they both thought the other was and who they truly are. They get under each other’s skin like no one else, they turn each other on like no one else, and like a diamond in the rough, their feelings just need a bit of shine and pressure to finally reveal the twisted love cage that works perfectly for them. I adore the Never After series by Emily McIntire and this was a fun addition to the series! I thought it was an interesting retelling and I do like how wrapped around Yasmin’s finger Julian is, despite how much he doesn’t want to admit it, and ISABELLA THE SNAKE IS EVERYTHING OKAY I LOVE HER YALL. I liked seeing Yasmin’s growth from someone who wants to please everyone to someone who finally goes for what she wants and snatches it.

*Thanks Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books, Bloom Books for sending an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Thank you to bloom and netgally for letting me read this ARC. I’ve read the three book on this series already. I was so excited for the Aladdin retelling! I loved the premise of the book but I felt like I was missing something, I felt more than half of the book was a back and forth of her having to submit and doing it. I was wishing for a little bit more development from the book, I just wish Yasmin’s character had more development on standing up for herself. I wanted more of her being fearless on the aspect of the company and not just comply. The spicy scenes of course were amazing. Emily never fails on that aspect.

I happened to absolutely loved this take of spicy retelling. It was such an entertaining ride for me. From reading about them all ready to nick each other’s jugular to falling in love and that too pretty hard and fast!! I absolutely loved it.

"Because it feels like she’s choosing me. And she’s the only one who ever has."

Synopsis: Twisted is an addicting and spicy fractured fairytale reimagining of Aladdin.
He is her worst nightmare and she is his diamond in the rough. Yasmin Kara (Jasmin) is the daughter of one of the richest men in the world and has never known conflict. When her father falls ill, she is determined to ensure that his final days are his happiest. His dying wish? To see her married to a man of his choosing. But Yasmin’s heart already belongs to someone else, a servant, street rat, a man her father would never choose. Stuck in a hard place, Yasmin makes a deal out of desperation with her father’s right hand man, Julian, not knowing he has his own dark twisted agenda... Julian Faraci (Jafar) has one goal: to become the most powerful man in the world. The future he has built stems from a dark past and taught him to never care who he hurts along the way. When his mentor falls ill, he finds himself on the verge of losing everything he worked for, and he will stop at nothing to inherit what is rightfully his. Even if it means forcing a woman he loathes into marriage.
Yasmin is a brat who fights at every turn, and Julian is the villain of her story. But he decides to make her his, no matter what it takes.

Thoughts: Ms. Emily McIntire does it again with another book I could not put down! Holy cow this story was addicting to read, I did not want it to stop. It had so many tropes I love: forced marriage, enemies to lovers, age gap, villain gets girl, and more! She made a delicious story filled with hot tension and chemistry that had me eager to keep reading. I really enjoyed that tiny things from Aladdin are sprinkled throughout just like her other fractured fairytale reimagining's books! I loved reading the backstory for both of the characters, Julian's backstory broke my heart. I desperately wanted to give him a big hug! Julian is more than his past though, he is powerful, charming, protective, and that mouth *fanning myself*. If he forced me to marry him, I’d do so happily! The sexual tension built up slowly between Yasmin and Julian made it that much hotter when they did act on their feelings. Another great addition to the standalone Never After Series, I cannot wait for Crossed!

This book includes:
-Forced Marriage
-Enemies to Lovers
-Age Gap
-Villain Gets Girl
-Morally Grey MMC
-Slight Slow Burn
-Spicy
-Aladdin Fractured Fairytale Reimagining
-Dual POV

4.5/5 stars
2.5/5 spice

Thank you Emily McIntire, Bloom Books, and NetGalley for providing an arc for
an honest review.

Emily is my-go to author. I don't care what she writes, I will read it. Her story telling is phenomenal.

I loved the little twist on the retelling. It was highly entertaining and enjoyable read for me. The spice was good too. Definitely going to recommend it to all the people who love spicy romance books!

In my eyes, Emily can do no wrong. I crave these books everytime I hear that another one is coming out. A dark romance, loosely based on Aladdin?!? How can you go wrong? And even though Julian is supposed to be a villain, he does it for me everytime!

I actually thought this was the strongest one, writing wise and plot wise in the series so far! And I found the connections to the origin story a little more creative--still a bit too spot on the nose for me (did Jeannie really need blue hair?) but, you know! I think McIntire is improving or the editing is getting stronger.

Out of all the Never After books, I can wholeheartedly say that this one was my favourite! Top tier tropes; marriage of convenience, enemies to lovers, UGH SO GOOD! The story was fantastic, well thought out! The love between the characters was realistic and not over the top. An overall great dark romance!!
5 stars!!
Thank you to SourceBooks and NetGalley for the ARC!

Twisted is a standalone reimagination of Aladdin in the Never After series. In this edition we are introduced to Yasmine & Julian, who together form a plot that will benefit them and their causes.

The beginning started quite slow, in terms of plot and buildup for me and the ending felt a bit rushed and could have been drawn out just a touch longer. However, for the most part, Twisted had a perfect pacing that kept me turning the pages. The spice was a lot lighter through this one and definitely more one sided. While I love Emily and her series, this one fell a little flat for me. Still, I bow to the Queen of reimagination, and look forward to further books that come from the wonderful Emily McIntire

Many thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy for my honest review.

I love a good retelling but this one fell a little flat for me as the main character has some morally irredeemable qualities.

It was also a bit flat as the sex scenes were well written but lacked some chemistry.

However while this one ultimately was not for me, I do think many fans of dark contemporary romance will find this really hits the mark.

I have never read any of Emily McIntire's books and I have had Hooked on my TBR shelves for ever, but I just haven't gotten around to reading it yet. So when I got an ARC of Twisted, I figured now was a good time as any to start. I am so glad I did! This book was amazing. I couldn't put it down. I flew through it in 3 days-it's been a really long time since I have done that! I can't stop thinking about the story and the characters! I know this isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea, there's a lot of triggers and cringe worthy things, but I ate it up! I was all in! Julian is such a bad person- truly a villain -he's killed people just to further his career and he was even going to marry then kill Yasmin (the main MC) so he could stay in control of her dad's company when they both died- like what??! Why am I okay with this? Oh, because he's hot and he had a bad childhood and it's not really his fault he's like this and he changed his mind about killing her because he loves her and now he will unalive anyone who wants to hurt her. And that doesn't sound any better! Lol. But that's how into the book I was.

My favorite movie growing up with Aladdin so reading Twisted was right up my alley. I loved Julian and Yasmin's chemistry and the love they had for each other. It really was everything I could want from this book.