2.5 stars rounded up to 3

I am so sad to be writing this review because I have always enjoyed Samantha Downing's book. She has a gift of being able to write about cooky characters, which she does well in this book, A Twisted Love Story. It was the plot that I just could not get into. It wasn't cohesive and left me feeling like it was choppy. I was really expecting more.

I received a gifted galley of A TWISTED LOVE STORY by Samantha Downing for an honest review. Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group, PRH Audio, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review!

A TWISTED LOVE STORY revolves around the relationship between Wes and Ivy. The pair are very much in love, but also very much in competition to outdo each other. Their relationship is a roller coaster ride of highs and lows. When it hits those lows, the damage can be catastrophic, to themselves and to everyone and everything around them.

The title of this book really sums up the plot and I think going in without knowing too much is your best bet. Without having read the synopsis before going in (with Samantha Downing’s name on the cover, I didn’t need to know anything else about the book), it did take me a little bit to get the players straight. Why wouldn’t I expect this to be a love story between Wes and Ivy when the book starts with Ivy reporting Wes to the police for stalking?

This book is full of toxic love and a lot of interesting commentary on relationships in general. It isn’t even a book that I tried to figure out the twists ahead of time because I was just along for the very entertaining ride. Between the audiobook and the ebook, I could hardly put this story down and it would have been an easy one sitting read if I hadn’t needed to do things like sleep and work! The book definitely has some trigger warnings for abuse and violence so do expect that if it might be a concern.

A TWISTED LOVE STORY was a wild ride and I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys a thrilling, sometimes over the top story!

Short synopsis: Ivy and Wesley are on again and off again, doing insanely irresponsible things to not only get back at each other. But get back together.

My thoughts: This was a totally bingeable thriller and my first from Samantha Downing. Toxic relationships where you can’t help but keep going back to the person you “love.” After making it to the end, we see what is really tying them together and why they keep returning to each other.

I did not expect the twist, I totally thought they were just so co-dependent on each other that they couldn’t help but force their way to each other time after time. Even their friends and family saw the red flags. This somewhat reminded me of some toxic relationships I saw in high school between some friends and their boyfriends. So glad they all found their way out to better lives!

I did a mix of audio and kindle reading because it’s narrated by my favorite Karissa Vacker. As always she did a phenomenal job at telling this twisted story!

Read if you love:
* Unlikable characters
* Criminal secrets
* Bonnie and Clyde
* Red flag/toxic relationships
* Alternating POV

THIS WAS SO TWISTY I LOVED IT SO MUCH. I don't know how to properly review this without giving away spoilers so let me just say this. Go into it blind, allow the story to just take you for a ride, and enjoy how Downing can create the twistiest plot I've read in a while.

I mean this in the best way—what did I just read??? Samantha Downing never disappoints, and her latest book is no exception. I didn’t even really read what the book was about before starting it because when it comes to Samantha Downing, I know without question I will be entertained!

A modern and truly twisted love story, I couldn’t put it down. The story is compelling, the characters are unpredictable, and by the end I really didn’t know who was the villain, who was the hero, and who got what they deserved. A Twisted Love Story is a total roller coaster from start to finish and I enjoyed the ride immensely!

Structure

Narrated from multiple perspectives, this is a story that you won’t soon forget! Samantha Downing is a master at using multiple narrators to build a story. Each time it changes narrators my opinion of what I thought was happening and the characters shifted, until the story rounds all the way out and I was on a journey through the shocking and deliciously twisted ending! Chapters are short and neat, and rotate between many of the characters, though most frequently from Wes, Ivy, Karen, and Bianca.

Plot

Wes and Ivy are a love story for the ages…some of the time. When things are good, they are unbeatable. Their chemistry is sizzling hot, and more than physical chemistry, they understand and accept one another for their most twisted and dark moments just as much (if not more) than their light ones.

But things between Wes and Ivy are not always good. Sometimes Wes and Ivy’s chemistry is explosive. They find attraction in knowing how to provoke one another. They live in a toxic (or maybe romantic, depending on the day) cycle of being in love, breaking up, not communicating, then provoking contact with the other, only to get back together and end up back in love again.

During one of their cycles, Ivy is convinced Wes is leaving her small creepy gifts, the sort of gesture that is sure to pull her right back in. But Ivy needs to retaliate, to get Wes’s attention. That’s how their relationship works, after all. When a detective named Karen shows up at Wes’s office to interview him on suspicion of stalking Ivy, Wes is infuriated. How dare Ivy bring her drama to his workplace?

Soon enough, Wes and Ivy are right back together. But now that Karen’s interest has been piqued, she can’t drop it. Karen is convinced that Wes is abusive to Ivy, and coming from her own abusive past she sees it as her duty to not drop it, even when Ivy tells her to.

Meanwhile the assistant at Wes’s office Bianca is a bit too interested. She looks up the detective’s specialty and begins to become even more interested in what Wes may be hiding. Abigail, the senior assistant, says Ivy is trouble. But Bianca thinks Wes may be the problem, and she has the access to his things to try to prove it.

As Ivy and Wes enter another cycle of their love story, they begin to worry that a long-buried secret from their past may be revealed. There is more than a twisted love story to these two, there is a dead body and they want to be sure no one connects it to them.

Final Thoughts

I enjoyed reading A Twisted Love Story so much! Wes and Ivy are connected with a magnetic force that is beautiful and toxic and destructive in the most entertaining ways I can imagine. The most fun part of this book was figuring out exactly what is currently and what formerly went on between Wes and Ivy. Who is the toxic one? Is it both of them? Is one the victim of the other? Was any of this preventable?

Obsession and love collide into a beautiful and destructive relationship. Samantha Downing has a gift with writing characters who are quite toxic, but whom I find captivating and entertaining with every word, sentence, and paragraph. I can’t even begin to explain what a wild ride this book is! Absolutely off-the-wall fun in the best, most twisted love story I’ve read this year.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for my copy. Opinions are my own.

Oh, this was a fast-paced thriller! The title of this book was perfect. It was about an extremely toxic relationship but also murder. I really enjoyed this one.

I really wanted to enjoy this one way more than I actually did 😪 I was upsetti spaghetti that I wasn’t more invested

although I absolutely flew through this one! for a medium paced story, the short chapters and overall short story was perfect for holding my attention. samantha downing’s writing doesn’t hit the details as much as I would like to hold my interest, so the short chapters really blessed up 🙌🏼

ivy and wes have the definition of a toxic relationship, and their hot and cold moods were certainly a bipolar mood 👀 I didn’t really root for either of the characters like I have with some of samantha’s other books, despite their antagonistic nature

I also didn’t really care for the mystery this time around. it felt super drawn out for no reason, especially since all of the characters seemed to figure it out and then purposefully not share information to make the mystery last longer. that being said, I’m super picky when it comes to plot twists so it may just be a me thing 🥲

it was a quick read to cleanse my palette and I cannot thank netgalley and berkley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!!

rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: napa valley merlot

Ivy and Wes are a hot mess and are in no way any kind of couple goals. They put the toxic in toxic. 🤣😩 This story had a lot of twists and turns especially at the end and once I connected the pieces together all I could do was shake my head. This book is a good poolside or beach day read that can be read in one sitting and I highly recommend!

Samantha Downing is one of my fav authors and this book was full of twists and turns! With Wes and Ivy’s dramatic and volatile relationship, I never knew exactly where the story was headed next and I was on the edge of my seat! Although this wasn’t my fav Downing novel, it was still a solid binge read!

Samantha Downing loves twisted toxic relationships. This is why I love her. Who wants to read about lovey dove couples that bicker, or don’t even talk to eachother, then get their happily ever after? I don’t! I want bloodshed, mind games and broken glass!! Bring it!
This dysfunctional couple, Wes and Ivy, are soulmates. They may break up a million times, but they always find their way back to eachother. Is it healthy? Nope, but it’s real. When you feel this strongly for someone, passion get expressed in so many ways, and it’s not always pretty. Jealousy, possessiveness, and loyalty can be good but also extremely bad. Wes and Ivy have that strong, borderline toxic relationship that you could only wish for. Unfortunately, they also have a giant deadly secret that connects them and may sever that connection.
The fighting is great, the mind games are fun, but the secret is what keeps you reading. Oh and that ending.. exactly what I wanted. It is perfect for this couple. You’re going to love it.

This was my most anticipated July read. I absolutely love Samantha Downing so I couldn't wait to get stuck into A Twisted Love Story, which I managed to read on the plane from Qatar to Australia. No real synopsis on this one except to say it really is a twisted love story between our two main characters, Wes and Ivy. I loved every part of the book and delighted in this wild ride. If you're a fan of this author, you'll enjoy this one!

I imagine this couple really loves the Halsey and G Easy song “Him and I”…except they take the lyrics too seriously. I could see them singing it out together before the other gets mad and destroys some property or strands their boo on the road side. They have a crazy cycle of makeup to break up and get off on the other person’s anger. This is an extremely toxic relationship that will make you cringe at the various antics they get into.

However, the immature relationship isn’t the only focus of the story. There is also a deep dark secret that is being threatened to be revealed *gasp* As a reader, you just gotta know what this juicy classified info is, right?

I loved the shoutout to Sacramento, and various places around the area where I live! That’s always fun to come across in a book and it made me more attached to the story since I could recognize so many familiar scenes.

While I know some people will find this story entertaining, others may feel that the petty relationship drama is too tedious. If you enjoyed the MTV show, Jersey Shore, this may work for you! (Ivy & Wes have major Sammi & Ronnie vibes)

Wes and Ivy are deeply in love but their relationship is volatile. When it’s good, it’s great. When it’s bad, it’s horrible. If they can work out their one secret from the past, they may make it but a detective is creeping in.

The title of this book is perfect because that is exactly what it is.. a twisted love story. It’s really relationship drama and games, with a little mystery from the past thrown in. The detective on the case plays a huge role and helps to see the twisted relationship from an outside perspective. It’s one of those stories that you don’t fully know the past until the end.

“But after being a copy for so many years, there is one thing Karen knows to be fact. There are no coincidences.”

A Twisted Love Story comes out 7/18.

I s'pose this book does live up to its title, but unfortunately, the overall effect was not for me. For one thing, I couldn't stand the two ding-dongs at the center of this story. I know that's intentional, but still. Knowing is half the battle and the other half is trying to read about these two chuckleheads while wanting to step into the book and kick them both.

After loving For Your Own Good, I keep trying Downing’s books, and I haven’t found one I love as much as that one. A Twisted Love Story started off intriguing, but I found myself losing interest as the story went on.

This reminded me of My Lovely Wife which I didn’t like. I’ll keep trying with Downing’s books, I’m sure I’ll love one again soon!

Pub date: 7/18/23
Genre: suspense, domestic thriller
Quick summary: Wes and Ivy are in love...but this love is toxic and twisted, and their shared criminal history is about to come out.

I wasn't so sure about this one when I started reading - both Wes and Ivy are wildly unlikable, and toxic relationships are not really my jam. But once I got into it, the book started to focus less on the relationship and more on Wes and Ivy's secrets. Karissa Vacker's narration was excellent, and if you like domestic suspense audiobooks, this is a good one to try on audio!

This book isn't an edge of your seat thriller, but there are a few good surprises, and I enjoyed the ride. It's not my favorite of Downing's book (MY LOVELY WIFE is hard to top), but if you need a summer read, you might enjoy this one!

Thank you to @letstalkbookspromo/Berkley for my e-ARC and @PRHAudio for my complimentary audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Wes and Ivy are living a love story only they can dream about. The tumultuous couple has been on and off for ten years, and when they are together - it is better than the movies. When it is bad, it is breakups, wrecking each other's property, and police reports. The things these two will go through to make each other happy or jealous is off the rails. Once a stalking report is filed by Ivy, a detective pays Wes a visit and decides to dig deep into their history together. Wes and Ivy need to stick together in order to make sure the detective does not uncover their dark past where someone ended up dead.

Because of the title and description of the book, I wanted more. I couldn't bring myself to care about either Wes or Ivy and the plot seemed to drag at times. It was repetitive and nothing really happened despite the explosive relationship descriptors of the characters. This book didn't make the cut for me, but I am still looking forward to more novels by Samantha Downing.

Thank you NetGalley and BerkleyPublishing Group for this ARC.

This twisted love story wasn’t as twisted as I wanted it to be. Almost like the author was promoting toxic relationships. To be honest I’m still not sure on her stance. I did binge this read and would recommend for fans of carola loverings Can’t look away. More of a domestic suspense than a thriller in my opinion.

Thank you @ berkleypub & @prhaudio for my gifted copies. My thoughts are my own.

When I read Samantha Downing’s book FOR YOUR OWN GOOD, she became an auto-buy author for me! Her new book, A TWISTED LOVE STORY does not disappoint!

Ivy and Wes are one of those couples who are constantly on again/off again. They seem to find just as much joy in arguing and getting even as they do in getting back together. But Ivy and Wes are hiding a secret that they have agreed must be kept from all others. However, when Ivy goes to the police to (falsely) accuse Wes of stalking her, a police woman takes special interest in Ivy’s case and starts digging further. Things slowly begin to unravel for Ivy and Wes. How far will they go to keep their secret?

This is one of those books where you end up liking the bad characters and hoping things go well for them! I also listened to much of this book. The narrator, Karrisa Vacker, does a fantastic job. Read (or listen to) this if you enjoy psychological drama, on again/off again couples, twists and surprise endings.

Samantha Downing is a generally a hit more than a miss for me, but this one was more on the miss side of things. This book is about a couple who would be called ‘toxic’ by any standards, but gives an insight into their relationship.

Ivy and Wes have had an on-and-off relationship for ten years, but they’ve always ended back up with each other. After a particularly long break, they’re back together with added complications. They’ve both had police complaints against each other in the past, but this time one particular case is being opened up by a police officer who is convinced about Wes’s guilt.

Even though the focus is on this toxic relationship, we don’t get to see the depth and intensity from both these people. I wish we got more of their feelings about each other. Also, the end was easier to guess, and I wish it was revealed in a better way. All in all, a solid 3⭐️