Wes and Ivy do have a twisted codependent relationship, but the other characters in this novel are also mostly unlikeable and there is bad behavior all around. That makes this thriller interesting and enjoyable for me as I find the psychological aspects of the story fascinating. Their could have been a little more action to combat the slower pace of the storyline, but overall it was an entertaining read and the audiobook was very well done.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars

A Twisted Love Story is an unhinged love story/thriller. Wes and Ivy are in love. It is a twisted, toxic love that can be really good or really (really) bad. They have to figure out how to stop their vicious cycle because a detective is closing in. One night, after a terrible breakup, things spiraled out of control and someone died. Now, they must team up to keep their secret hidden.

I always love Samantha Downing’s thrillers, but this one never fully gelled with me. It was a little repetitive and reminded me of a few other thrillers I’ve read. This one may not have been for me, but I will be there for whatever Downing writes next.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Boy oh boy, Ivy and Wes are one toxic couple. The first 30% of the book was very intriguing and kept my Interest, however I found myself getting bored due to the repetitive storyline. This one just didn’t work for me.

(3.5 stars) multiple POVs; short chapters; unlikeable & questionable characters; romantic suspense; dark & twisted; took me awhile to get into, but about 1/2 way thru it really picked up into an addicting page-turner; wasn't super satisfied or shocked w/the plot twists & ending, but it was interesting & I enjoyed the ride

Special thank you to Berkley Publishing & NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

In A Twisted Love Story by Samantha Downing, Wes and Ivy's intense love affair alternates between euphoria and destruction. Their rollercoaster relationship takes a dark turn when they realize they share a secret involving a deadly incident from their past, and now they must navigate a police investigation while desperately trying to keep their volatile bond intact. A Twisted Love Story was one of the most anticipated summer reads! This book reminded me a bit of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, but A Twisted Love Story is so much better. The author’s fast-paced writing style had me hooked from the very beginning. The characters in this book are extremely flawed which added an extra layer of intrigue to the story especially in Ivy and Wes's toxic on-again, off-again relationship with its unhealthy patterns. The presence of multiple subplots kept me engaged and everything eventually came together in a satisfying way. While it may not be my personal favorite among Samantha Downing's works, I wholeheartedly recommend giving it a chance!

Downing is becoming a fast favorite. She really has the art of the thriller down to a science. She constantly surprises me with the twists she add to her stories. In this novel, Ivy and Wes have been on and off again in a 10 relationship that is quite volatile. However, for seven of those years they have been keeping a huge secret from everyone. They always end up back together even though they drive each other nuts. One of them finally pushes too far and ends up bringing their secret to light. Now their lives will never be the same.

A Twisted Love Story started out strong but I felt the middle just drug on forever. I wanted to love it and kept pushing through hoping for a redeeming ending. Sadly, this book wasn’t for me. I have really enjoyed other books by this author and look forward to more from her.

All the stars!! My favorite thriller of 2023!🤩

Where to start and what to say without giving anything away! Eeks! The pressure!

Ivy and Wes have had an on-again, off-again relationship for the past ten years. They’re a toxic combination together but alas…miserable apart. This latest rendezvous however have the police involved. And the cops aren’t about to go away!

I seriously can’t say more than that! Go in blind! Yes! It’s one of those thrillers! The less you know the better the experience!

The chapters are short and will have you blazing through them as fast as you can! There was so much I loved about this book. I hate to repeat myself but seriously…I can’t say more and chance ruining the experience for you!

All the characters were splendid! Loved them! And so vividly developed from the main characters to the supporting roles!

If you are a fan of Samantha Downing then don’t think twice about adding this gem to your list for the summer! It’s her best yet! (ha…and I didn’t think they could get any better)

Publication date July 18 2023‼️

A huge thank you to Berkley Publishing via NetGalley and Samantha Downing!

A Twisted Love Story is my first from Samantha Downing but definitely won't be my last!

Wes and Ivy have been on and off love interests for the past ten years. Their love is the one that other people either shake their heads at or wish was their own story. What they don't see behind closed doors is the bad moments, such as stalking rumors and arrest warrants. When Wes and Ivy get entangled with a detective, they reunite to take down the enemy: one twisted love story at a time.

I found myself hooked on A Twisted Love Story at the twenty percent mark and didn't want to put my Kindle down! I enjoyed the four points of view spread throughout however; I could only relate to Bianca's (who is featured less and less as the story moves on). I thought I had the whole story figured out but the twists made me hold on tight and continue with the story full speed ahead. Overall, anyone who wants a good domestic he said she said thriller will want to pick up Samantha Downing's latest!

UM, yup, this sure is a an accurately titled book!!

I just now read the synopsis and I'm so glad I didn't read it before I read the book, because it steals so much of the *element of surprise* from this one. I highly recommend going in blind!

I really appreciated how easily this one drew me in and kept me interested. I was never bored (which is rare for me lately). These characters are so unique and had some fun signature Samantha Downing character quirks (think Teddy Crutcher and his milk from FOR YOUR OWN GOOD).

The ending was so satisfying even if I predicted it ;)

Samantha Downing is definitely on my list of auto-buy authors and I can't wait to read what she writes next!

Thank you so much to Berkley for the gifted ARC! I also received the audiobook from PRHA and it was narrated by Karissa Vacker and her narration added so much to the story! This book will be available on July 18th!

A Twisted Love Story is Samantha Downing at her best - I love when she leans into the camp with her books and the toxic relationship in A Twisted Love Story was as campy and toxic as could be (and we all know, I am quite the sucker for toxic...)

I had so much fun reading ATLS and following along with Wes and Ivy's crazy!

Thank you to Berkley for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

This was my first read from Samantha Downing even though I have a list of her books on my Want to Read shelf. I was happy to be approved to read this newest release. However, I read 53% of this book and gave up. I disliked all of the characters who seemed superficial and lacked depth of character. I just did not care about them or the story. I decided to not read the remainder of the story.

Samantha Downing is one of my favorite authors, so I was beyond excited to get approved to read an early copy! This was a very different vibe from her other books, more of a romantic suspense I would say than what I would consider a true thriller. It’s a compelling look at toxic relationships, but I struggled with the first half of the book which primarily is focused on Wes and Ivy’s relationship. The last 40% was faster paced and nice and twisty with some fun reveals to end strong.

Romantic suspense isn’t my usual genre, but I’m sure there will be plenty of readers who love the relationship focus. I did really enjoy the way it all came together and was surprised by several of the twisty reveals.

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for the DRC!

The title says it all: Well, most of it, anyway; stories don't get much more twisted, but I'm not sure how much love has to do with it.

At the center of it all are Wes and Ivy, who met in college and have been crazy in love ever since. I'm talkin' really crazy; apparently, they can't live without each other, but they can't live with each other, either. The first part of the book is ups, downs, scraps, fights (both verbal and physical), vendettas, one upmanships and every possible mix of those that two co-dependent idiots can muster up - to the point at which I actually said this out loud: You know, if this entire book is going to be nothing but a pair of unstable jerks yelling, scheming, making up and doing it all over again, I'm outta here.

Happily, a few pages later that started to change. As Wes and Ivy's world expands, readers start to see what's gone on (and going on) around them in an intricately woven plot (not unexpected from this talented author, BTW). Much of it happens after Ivy tries a ploy to get Wes back after their most recent blow-ups that crosses the line and puts their relationship in the crosshairs of police detective Karen Colglazier, who's like a dog with a bone.

Mind you, no character here is anything close to lovable; all are flawed, some seriously (and irrevocably), and each has connections with Wes and Ivy that, as they're revealed, lead readers toward an ending that's, well, not exactly expected (nor, in some respects, is it satisfying). All in all, it's a riveting journey into the lives of some very disturbed people - and I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy. Loved it - and I think you will, too!

I am such a huge fan of Samantha Downing’s books. I was absolutely thrilled to be approved on NetGalley to read this book and I read it before I saw it was also an available audiobook for me to listen to. I tore through this book and read it in just a few days. It was fast paced, with all the twist and turns I have come to expect from this author. The main characters were unusual and intense and I couldn’t stop reading. It was drama to the hundredth degree. If you like drama, toxic relationship, along with a murder mystery this is the one for you.

Synopsis from Amazon:

Wes and Ivy are madly in love. They've never felt anything like it. It's the type of romance people write stories about.

But what kind of story?

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 reconciliations 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…

🥀A TWISTED LOVE STORY by Samantha Downing🥀

📆Pub date: July 18th, 2023
➡️Swipe for synopsis
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: E-book
Read if you like:
📚Domestic thrillers
📖Short chapters
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦Multi-POV

Wowwww this was so good! This is an amazing psychological thriller that reads almost more like a domestic thriller, but really it’s a perfect mix of the two! Wes and Ivy are addicted to each other. Their relationship is toxic, but neither of them can get enough of the feeling they get when they’re together, or the thrill of being apart and making their way back to each other👀. They always take things a little too far, and when Ivy falsely reports Wes for stalking in order to get back together (lol), a detective starts poking around and finds something suspicious about Wes and Ivy’s past.

I don’t know how Samantha Downing did it, but somehow I was rooting for these extremely toxic characters despite the things they did. The short chapters and multiple POVs had me fully engaged and reading this book so fast. I was unsure of how this was going to end until the very last page, but it ended in a super satisfying way that felt true to the characters.

Thank you so much Berkley for an early copy of A Twisted Love Story! Pick this one up with it releases on July 18th, you won’t regret it🤩

Wes and Ivy are good together, until they aren't and then they have a nasty breakup but they can't stay apart. Each time they get back together their time together is more intense and so are their breakups. This time when Ivy wanted Wes back she involved the police and now that they are on the police's radar secrets are in danger of being revealed. Can they survive the scrutiny of the police? Will this keep them together or will they turn on each other? This twisted story will keep you reading and guessing.

When Wes and Ivy met, they quickly fell in love, and hard. They have since broken up and gotten back together, always in tumultuous ways, but no matter what they always find their way back to each other. Most recently, Ivy went to the cops about someone stalking her and gave them Wes’s name. When he confronts her, they quickly fall back into each others arms. The only word for their relationship is toxic, but now the cops are looking further into their past, and they both want to keep that night a secret.

“With a taste of your lips I’m on a ride, you’re toxic, I’m slipping under.” This song repeated in my head this entire book. I really don’t know if I have read a more toxic couple! I was immediately pulled in by these two and their mess of a relationship, but also wanted to know more about the past they kept talking around. Somehow, even while knowing how bad they were together, I was still rooting for this relationship throughout the book? I quickly went from “Jesus, break up for good already!” to “these two are meant to be.” This is one of those books you just can’t stop reading once you start!

Unfortunately this is yet another mismarketed “thriller.” Instead, it is the story of a totally dysfunctional relationship and the consequences of one night many years ago. I’d say that this is more of a character study than anything. I had hoped for more suspense, but it was really a web of interconnected messy characters.

Thank you to Berkley & PRH for my ARC/ALC

This book was just a fun time. Characters that you did not have to like because they was baaad. I could not even figure out who I disliked more. It was like watching a train wreck and my nosey ass was there for it.

Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.