Lat week I shared a special feature for Samantha Downing’s latest suspense novel, Twisted Love Story. So far I have loved Downing’s books and I had no reason to think that Twisted Love Story would be any different. Downing writes such great suspense novels that I couldn’t wait to check this one out and even though my summer reading schedule was really full, I knew I couldn’t pass on this one!
One of the things that appealed to me about this book (besides the fact that Downing was the author) is that the story sounded a little more modern and different. In My Lovely Wife, it was an interesting study in marriage and housewives but this book sounded like it would focus more on the early relationship parts of romance in a way that her other stories might differ. I think this would appeal to a different demographic of reader to some degree and might make it feel a little more ‘modern’ in the process.
I know for me, I am married and the way that I relate to marriages in books (even if they are twisted and insane) is different than someone who is not married so I think this book has the potential to appeal to readers of a different demographic. However, I think the huddled masses of readers will find al to to enjoy in this one—regardless of their season of life!
Summary
From the bestselling author of My Lovely Wife comes a reckless, delicious thriller about a young couple that gives a whole new meaning to the dangers of modern dating.
Wes and Ivy are madly in love. They’ve never felt anything like it. It’s the kind of romance people write stories about.
But what kind of story?
Because when it’s good, it’s great. Flowers. Grand gestures. Deep meaningful conversations where the whole world disappears.
When it’s bad, it’s really bad. Vengeful fights. Damaged property. Arrest warrants.
But their vicious cycle of catastrophic breakups and head-over-heels reconnections needs to end fast. Because suddenly, Wes and Ivy have a common enemy–and she’s a detective.
There’s something Wes and Ivy never talk about–in good times or bad. The night of their worst breakup, when one of them took things too far, and someone ended up dead.
If they can stick together, they can survive anything–even the tightening net of a police investigation.
Because one more breakup might just be their last… (summary from Goodreads)
Review
I love romance novels. I also love murder mysteries—-I love love love the way that Downing blends the two opposing genres! It doesn’t seem like the two would work together but some how Downing makes it work just about every time. I will say that My Lovely Wife does stand out to me over the other books she has written but this one does a great job and creating something different and an interesting blend for two genres. I mean I will say that the extremes in this story are a little fantastical but in a way that one expects when reading a piece of entertainment. There were plenty of times I was saying “what?!?” in my head and while it sounded so over the top, I couldn’t put it down and just kept right on reading.
The relationship between Wes and Ivy was so toxic and just strange but it wasn’t to the point that I couldn’t believe it or buy into it but just wow—WILD is all I am going to say about that and let you guys read it so you can understand what I mean. I don’t know that I particularly liked either character, but I suppose that was the point of the book. You don’t necessarily like them but yet there is a train wreck quality about it that you can[‘t disregard and look away! This book was absolutely my guilty pleasure this summer for this reason.
The book has three different POVs, Wes, Ivy and Bianca. I can easily say that I liked Bianca’s POV the best as the other characters were so off putting that I found myself getting the most satisfaction out of reading from her perspective. But even though I didn’t LOVE the characters, the story was suspenseful and twisted as the title promised which sucked me in and didn’t let me go. I really enjoyed the thriller and found myself up late reading because I simply couldn’t get enough of the weirdness and wild story contained within the pages. So how does this one stack up to Downing’s other books? For me My Lovely Wife will always reign supreme but this one is right up there and for me lived up to the expectations of ‘the hottest thriller of the summer’ that everyone seems to be hailing this one as!
Book Info and Rating
Format
400 pages, HardcoverPublished
July 18, 2023 by BerkleyISBN
9780593101001 (ISBN10: 0593101006)
Free review copy provided by publisher, Berkley, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Genre: thriller
The Lit Bitch 