I felt like this would be a good story but it really wasn't. I'm not crazy when a lot of the story is characters remembering the past. I like it to happen in the story and build up to an ending. I also thought it would be a lot more of breakups and getting back together but their wasn't. The story was ok, but not the greatest.

At first, A Twisted Love story seems to be all about a dysfunctional relationship, but you quickly learn that it's about so much more than that. The pace of the book is fast enough that you don't lose interest, but not too fast where it feels like the story is rushed. There are twists and turns along the way, and even when you think you know what's going on a new twist appears.
The story is exciting and readers get to know Wes and Ivy well in the context of their relationship, but it's difficult to get a sense of who they are outside of their relationship. The book occasionally offers glimpses of them interacting with other people, mainly coworkers, but not enough to get a sense of who they really are. That being said, it didn't take really away from the story. Those who enjoyed Downing's My Lovely Wife will enjoy this book as well. It's a well written thriller with plenty of twists. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC.

A Twisted Love Story follows on and off again lovers Wes and Ivy. After a few months of not speaking, Ivy involves the cops in a stalking situation in an effort to get Wes’s attention. As a result, a local detective gets assigned to the case, past secrets begin to resurface and Wes and Ivy’s entire relationship is put at risk.

Out of all of Samantha Dowings books I found this to be the least like a “thriller.” Still, it was fast-paced and full of suspense. I was often changing my mind on who to believe and who to route for and even when I finished, I still don’t know!!

Read if you like:
-Dysfunctional and toxic characters
-Alternating POVs
-Bonnie and Clyde
-Binge reads

Thank you Berkly for the ARC! Pub 7/18

Samantha Downing is a god-send. I love finding a new author who can knock my socks off. This book was a fast paced, engrossing, read in a day type of book. This toxic "love" story starts off with a bang and will keep you riveted until the very last page.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I loved My Lovely Wife and For Your Own Good.
And was floored when I surprisingly got this stunning piece of work.

So how can I possibly write a review which shows how much I have enjoyed this book?…

Well first make sure to clear your calendar, and put everything else aside.
Because you won’t be able to tear yourself away until you reach the final page.
This is brilliant page turner that has you so addicted and wanting more.
I loved everything about this book. It definitely will be one of my favorites for this year. I was immediately drawn into this story. I could not put this down. I could not stop reading once I started.
A Twisted Love Story was a fast page-turner that kept me up reading late into the night with the best book hangover ever!

Dysfunctional relationships…. No one writes it better than Downing!
She skillfully ratchets up the suspense. Keeps her readers engaged and wanting more.
Downing knocks out the most amazing suspense stories and she never disappoints and always delivers such fantastic mystery/thrillers that are gripping, emotional, action-packed and packed full of nail-biting suspense.

I devoured this gem in just two sittings. It completely pulled me in and was utterly impossible to put down…
At points I was literally spellbound… loved it!!
A definite strong five star read and one which is deserving of higher.
Her clever plotting and magnificent twists kept me glued to the pages
It is well-written, it kept me intrigued the whole time, the setting was amazing, the characters were complex, and the story was twisted!

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

Thank You NetGalley and Berkley for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This was my second Samantha Downing book and I wasn't sure what to expect but wow, I sure loved this. It was so messy and it had me feeling frustrated and rolling my eyes at these characters' actions. There were moments I just wanted to yell at them to get their act together. But the way the history was woven throughout the story was excellent! I wouldn't say its a thriller though, more like a super toxic contemporary story with that "we're running away from our past" type vibes. Still incredibly enjoyable though! From this, I'm absolutely planning to read more of Samantha Downing's backlist.

Psychological thriller lovers, this one's for you. A Twisted Love Story follows Ivy and Wes, piece by piece outlining their 10-year relationship. However, it has not been all roses and sunshine. For them, it's been more of cloak and daggers. And yet, despite their best instincts, they're giving it another go - except this time is different. Twists and turns keep coming as more secrets unfold, and racing against the clock as a detective is catching up to them and their sordid past.

I found this one un-putdownable from beginning to end! I really enjoyed the dynamic between Ivy and Wes, and in all of the games they played with each other I continued to fluctuate for who's "side" I was on. Then enter the detective, who's trying to get to the bottom of things and knows something is amiss. She adds a complex layer as, although her intentions are clear for justice, she is coming at it from a biased perspective. One secret after another, short chapters, and multiple perspectives - that is my kind of thriller!

The ending. How it all wrapped up was just glorious, and I found myself really rooting for them both. The intensity continues to build, and it all comes down to this - their twisted love and can it survive above all else?

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for my #gifted copy!

A Twisted Love Story by Samantha Downing

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 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…

What more can I say other than Samantha is THE BEST at writing dysfunctional love stories? Fans of her previous books will love this one too.

Coming out on July 18

A Twisted Love Story by Samantha Downing
Pub date (expected): July 18, 2023

Samantha Downing has such a gift when it comes to writing about twisted complicated relationships. There’s something about two individuals doing damage in the name of love that is just catnip to my little kitty heart. And this story? Chef’s Kiss!

Wes and Ivy have a romance that will go down in history. It’s a thing of beauty; full of passion, deep connection, and all-encompassing love … until it isn’t. Then it becomes volatile, hateful and destructive. When they’re together, it’s forever but when they’re not? Things become complicated in the most toxic of ways.

After their last epic breakup, Wes gets a surprise visit from detective Karen saying Ivy named him as a possible stalker. Wes can only assume that this is just one of Ivy’s attention seeking tricks but decides to see for himself. Back together once more, their past comes back to haunt them, only this time, they’ve got the attentions of Detective Karen, and they do not need her putting two and two together.

Meanwhile, there’s other players afoot who are just as invested in Wes and Ivy’s past. There’s one thing for certain, something terrible happened in the couples past and Wes and Ivy aren’t the only two who know about it.

Wildly clever and cunning, this is a crazy train of suspense and thrills that I’m recommending to everyone!

Thank you so much @BerkleyPub for this gifted DRC!

I love Samantha Downing's books. They usually get me hooked from page one.

Unfortunately, i dont think I would even consider this book a thriller.

It'd say it's mostly a contemporary fiction about a couple with a lot of issues. They need a ton of therapy!
This is the most toxic/childish relationship I've ever seen.

Buuut... the last chapters had a little bit of thriller and mystery in them, so that's good.

Overall, an enjoyable read, but nothing mind blowing.

SO excited to receive an ARC of #ATwistedLoveStory from @berkleypub, i finished in less than 24 hours, which is highly unusual for me. Sometimes I got it, and others I didn't - the aforementioned "twisted love story" - between Wes and Ivy. I wondered if there would be some huge twist at the end, and I'd realize it wasn't about them at all. Was the detective confused? Was I being gaslit by unreliable narrators? Yes, but no, to all 3! Ms. Downing does a great job at plotting out her story, tying together many things I didn't see coming. Kept me guessing til the bitter end. Terrific book, highly recommend.

This book was not for me but thank you for the review copy; I appreciate it! I just found the writing a little flat

I squealed when I got approved for an ARC for this one. 🐷
For those of you who adored For Your Own Good, you will probably enjoy this book in one way or the other. The main character in that was a horrible person and so are the MCs in this one. If likable characters are a dealbreaker for you, this won’t be your book. There are times you will want to shake them for how crazy they are.
Although I did like For Your Own Good better than this one, it was still very enjoyable and entertaining to say the least.
There are a few surprises sprinkled throughout the book to keep you engrossed and itching to read more!
One of the many reasons Samantha Downing has turned into a go-to author is because she can add humor and shock value and doesn’t ever have the need to elaborate on gory sex details or feel the need to swear. I think the writing can do all the talking instead of an f-bomb to prove a point.
If you’re looking for…well…a twisted love story…then this is exactly what you’ll find within these pages!
A big thank you to Berkley Publishing as well as NetGalley for a complimentary advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This book will be released on July 18th, 2023.

I like Samantha Downings books and this really stands up to the rest of her books. I had a little trouble getting into it just because the main couple was so toxic but I did want to keep reading and find out what would happen. Some of the ties between the characters seemed to stretch the imagination a little too much for me, but I still liked it.

I was lucky enough to win an e-ARC of A TWISTED LOVE STORY by Samantha Downing through a Shelf Awareness giveaway. Thanks for the early look, and have a safe and happy weekend!

The newest book by the author of My Lovely Wife tells the story of two on-again, off-again lovers - Ivy and Wes. Unlike most couples, their relationship is marked by over the top gestures of anger and love - destruction of private property, breaking and entering, and allegations of stalking.

As the story unfolds, A Twisted Love Story is exactly what it purports to be - a complicated mix of thriller and chaotic love story.

I enjoyed this one! It wasn't quite like any other book I've read - kind of a bonnie and clyde crime story that was never quite thriller or romance.

Thanks so much to Samantha Downing and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC through NetGalley! A Twisted Love Story will be available July 18th, 2023.

Samantha Downing managed to pull me in rather quickly with her newest book!! When I initially read the synopsis I knew I had to read this one. Needless to say, A Twisted Love Story did not disappoint. The writing style seemed a little different to me, but I still enjoyed the book. The character or Bianca was probably my favorite. Ivy and Wes were both unreliable characters which made this book a super fun read. I enjoyed the plot, the setting, the flow of the story, and especially the ending. Looking forward to sharing this review on my blog near publication date.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for the ARC.

I'm a big fan of Samantha Downing. This book can be summed up in two words: toxic love. I did not care for either one of the main characters, Wes and Ivy. My favorite character was the detective. The writing and suspense kept me turning the pages. This was definitely not one of Downing's best books.

One very bad night, one unfolding unstoppable chain of events, and an anti romance diabolical story with Ivy (a deadly but pretty plant right?) and Wes, who can't seem to end their relationship but also now can't escape their actions and past. Samantha Downing is one of my favorite thriller writers! With the most epic book dedication ever to a plot that is once again on the darker edgier side of people and relationships with an exploration of an "in hate" toxic relationship, A Twisted Love Story is another win for me as a fan of this author.

Downing never fails to offer a plot that breaks up the thriller genre for me in good ways, often with MCs who if not always likeable are certainly memorable (I am still recommending For Your Own Good!!) and with plots that are just a little bit different from the usual thriller fare. We get the inside the "bad guy" perspective, the voice and thoughts that aren't always voiced in other thrillers, only guessed at by detectives or the final girl. I am not sure what it says about me that I find this refreshing but as a reader it is fun to get a different POV and an edgy dark story.

Recommended for fans of this author as well as readers who liked Layne Fargo's They Never Learn, Vera Kurian's Never Saw Me Coming and similar reads.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

I have read two others by this author which I really enjoyed, but this one just didn’t do it for me. I think I just expected more murder mystery, twisty-turny kind of a thing and this wasn’t really that. Literally just about a fucked up couple who gets off on mind games. Fine and a quick read, just not what I had hoped for. Author is great at writing characters, however!