TL;DR: if Sally Rooney’s NORMAL PEOPLE had a baby with Jeneva Rose’s THE PERFECT MARRIAGE, you might find yourself with Samantha Downing’s A TWISTED LOVE STORY. The latest from the author of MY LOVELY WIFE, HE STARTED IT, and FOR YOUR OWN GOOD, ATLS is a deliciously dark cat-and-mouse relationship story about a truly deranged couple and the fucked up game of one-upsmanship they play to express their…love…for one another. However, when the duo’s antics catch the eye of a corrupt detective, they find themselves going to even greater length to protect their relationship, and each other. It’s not my favorite Downing (straight people be crazy, and let’s be real, MY LOVELY WIFE is a freakin’ masterpiece), but it’s solid beach-reading fun, and fans of dark fucked up toxic relationship thrillers (Hoover’s VERITY, Carola Lovering’s TELL ME YOU LOVE ME, Araminta Hall’s OUR KIND OF CRUELTY) are really gonna dig this one. This one officially hits bookshelves July 18th!!

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬💭:
My Lovely Wife is one of my all time favorite thrillers. Sadly, none of the author’s other work has been up to par. So expectedly, this one was a highly anticipated book that I was hoping to be up to standard. Thank you Berkley Publishing for my e-ARC!

𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐛📝:
Wes and Ivy have a complicated on again and off again relationship. One minute they are in love, the next they are sabotaging one another. One night they have an intense break up that took a turn for the worst. Which has become their best kept secret.

𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. It pains me to rate this one and it makes me sad that the author hasn’t come up with something that has made my jaw drop since her debut. I can’t really say that this one was a thriller because it felt mostly like a domestic drama more than anything. Toxicity, unstable relationships and pettiness were what this book mostly revolved around rather than the thrill of murders and mysteries. Maybe it was my expectations that made this less than it was for me, but as the name suggests, I guess you can imply that it is exactly what it is. A Twisted Love Story. Can’t say i recommend this if you’re looking for a thriller. But I was still intrigued enough to finish and it got slightly more interesting towards the end. I just really couldn’t tell what the point of it all was.

𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚: 𝘛𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘔𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘵𝘰𝘹𝘪𝘤 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘴, 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺, 𝘥𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘢

Tag line: "Wes and Ivy’s romance was like a train wreck I could not tear my eyes off from!"

My full review can be found on FreshFiction.com. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review!

This is a story about the very toxic relationship of Wes and Ivy. It is described as a thriller, but it lacked suspense. I love Samantha Downing books but this one just wasn’t for me; it was too repetitive and I disliked both Wes and Ivy that I quickly lost interest of what was happening. There were some surprises throughout the book that I did enjoy; but overall, I thought it was just ok.

This book was absolutely off the rails. If I hadn't done the audiobook, I would've DNFed it. This is just one toxic story that keeps going.

Whew! That was a heavy book! It is about a toxic relationship between a couple that loves each other so much, but they continue to destroy each other over and over. They can’t stay away from each other and they have a secret that binds them together.

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 impact of a tumultuous unhealthy relationship leach into the lives of others. Which one of this couple is the abuser? Layers are peeled away excruciatingly - and deliciously - slowly. Great for fans of psychological suspense.

I really thought this was going to be a thriller but I guess it was more of a domestic suspense story? Wes and Ivy have a completely toxic and fucked up on-and-off relationship that results in the police investigating Wes and uncovering secrets from the couple's past. I didn't get why these two were so attached to each other, and there's a hugely convenient plot twist that I couldn't get past. I love Downing's writing but this wasn't my favorite of hers.

Thanks to Berkley for the copy to review.

For a book marketed as a thriller, this did not feel very thrilling. Sure, there were secrets, but I was bored for most of this book. While a toxic relationship can add a lot to a thriller, I feel like A Twisted Love Story did not do a good job at that.

I know the characters were meant to be unlikeable, but I could not stand anyone, not even the side characters. I found this to be predictable and the ending felt anticlimactic and I don’t really care for how it ended.

I loved the author’s previous work, For Your Own Good, so I was shocked to not be into this one. I will definitely pick up more from this author and hope it is more like her previous work and less of this.

“Wes and Ivy were like a human tornado that destroyed everything in its path.”

Wes and Ivy have been in an incredibly toxic on-and-off relationship for approximately 10 years after meeting a fateful night in college. Something keeps drawing them back together despite their abusive and manipulative behaviors and cat-and-mouse games. Is it love or is it the damning secret they share about the truth of an unsolved death of a teenager nearly a decade ago? Their newest toxic shenanigans lead them right into Karen the detective’s lap. Karen, a victim of domestic violence and a toxic marriage herself, is infatuated with Wes and Ivy’s relationship and wants to get to the bottom of it all. Her involvement in their lives sets dominos into effect that they can’t quite stop.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one! It wasn’t a thriller but more like a domestic suspense with lots of relationship drama and some police procedural/mystery plot. I really enjoyed how it was written from multiple POVS and included flashbacks that gave background to the characters and their stories. There were so many insane plot twists and tense moments. I recall saying expletives out loud at least twice while reading (once in public)! The ending left on such a cliffhanger omg. I hate not knowing what happened next. I wanted moreeeeeee. However, I do recognize some of the best psych thrillers and domestic suspense I’ve read leaves the ending wide open like this after invoking extreme emotion in the readers and that makes me think about it for a long time after (best example I can think of is Verity!)

This was my first Downing book but I’ve heard incredible things about her other works. I am itching to read her backlist now and will definitely look out for her future releases.

Can’t wait to discuss with The Read Rovers Book Club and Samantha herself as this is the August book of the month!!!

Thank you so much to Samantha, Berkley, and NetGalley for the digital review copy!

This is the 2nd Samantha Downing book that I read. Truthfully, I didn't finish "He Started It", it was a little too slow for my liking and predictable, checked the last pages (nailed it, mostly). I picked it up because of the cover art, the girl on the cover looked like Alexis Rose from Schitts Creek. Not usually how I choose my books but, you know, I'm being honest here! Samantha Downing came up on NoveList as an author I would like so when this became available on NetGalley, I requested it. To be fair, the description did not appeal to me. I expected the book to be quite different than it was. With that being said: I slammed through A Twisted Love Story.

The book made me feel a lot of feelings. Everyone was hiding something, and the fear of "what if" permeated throughout. The themes of the book was: what if, revenge and regret. If you have ever been an armchair detective wondering about how people end up in crazy dangerous romantic situations, you'll like this book. Some of the best parts are the confrontations by 2 characters that never should have met or interacted. The MCs were very frustrating and cleverly written. I disliked them. Which is a good thing! In the end, you hope that everyone WHO DESERVES IT (and only them) get their just desserts.

Love this author but this didn’t work for me. I felt like this was a very basic thriller and there wasn’t anything that blew my mind.

Twisted! Definitely a twisted love story!

Wes and Ivy are almost the perfect couple. When they are in a good place, it’s as good as it comes. Flowers, all the cutesy stuff, real conversations, romance, candy hearts, a genuine connection they have had for ten years since they met in college.

All the remainder, Wes and Ivy are toxic together. Lying, manipulation, countless breakups, property damage, even arrests, and the dynamics are harmful to themselves and each other. Endlessly harmful. They cycle back and forth through these phases together, on repeat.

Enter Detective Karen. Why she’s there is a spoiler I don’t want to share, but needless to say, she’s into uncovering secrets, and there are secrets aplenty, especially regarding one night with Ivy and Wes.

YAY for a thriller with short chapters and a nonstop pace. YAY for characters that got under my skin and kept me guessing with their unreliable natures. Even though they were toxic and scared me, at the same time, I worried for them. When my emotions get all wrapped up in the story, that is a very good sign. Also, the side characters, like the ones at Wes’s work, added so much to the story.

While her characters aren’t always reliable narrators, Samantha Downing always delivers twisty thrillers I want to read.

I received a gifted copy.

3.50

A Twisted Love Story is the perfect title for this book. Ivy and Wes are two fairly normal people until they get around each other, then it gets crazy. I really like Samantha Downing's writing and the way she brings her characters to life. Although there were a few things that made me say, really, I did like this book.

Readers, can you spell T-O-X-I-C? That will be your first assumption when you observe the events at the beginning of the book. Detective Karen Colglazier has first hand experience with being in an abusive relationship. When her sex crimes investigation leads her to Wes Harmon's office, the detective is positive that Ivy Banks needs to be rescued from her harmful relationship with Wes. But there is a whole lot more going on in addition to the "on again, off again" nature of Wes & Ivy. This may be my new favorite from Samantha Downing. The twists and turns thrown down in the narrative were like a bag of potato chips. That first chapter was my first chip. Before I knew it, the bag was empty.

A big thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review

If you enjoy love stories that are not your typical, run of the mill love stories, this is the one for you! A decade long, on and off relationship that is manipulative and toxic. It borders on abusive and codependent. It was like they were so petty and always trying to one up each other or something. There are multiple points of view in this book, which made it more enjoyable. I like to see things through more than one persons eyes. All of the characters are unlikeable but that makes it more compelling to see how it turns out.

What a toxic, but exciting story! The twists and turns were great, kept me wondering who was really behind anything going on right up until the end. The characters were unlikeable most of the time, but you still want them to end up happy. Samantha Downing is a top thriller writer!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved Samantha Downing's My Lovely Wife, so obviously I needed to read her newest book ASAP!! A Twisted Love Story was one of my most anticipated books this summer, and Samantha Downing definitely delivered!
Wes and Ivy have a toxic relationship....like extremely toxic. When it's good, it's really good, and when it's bad, it's really bad....that is, until someone ends up dead. These two lovebirds were totally twisted. I love a good domestic thriller that leaves you guessing the whole way through.
I loved Samantha Downing's writing, the quick chapters, and of course, the characters! I couldn't put this book down because I was desperate to know what was going to happen between these two.

Highly recommend!

The title of A Twisted Live Story is spot on for this suspense drama.

Briefly this book is a reckless, delicious thriller that gives a whole new meaning to the dangers of modern dating.

I don’t know that I would call this a thriller per se. It felt like a police procedural whodunnit with a side of toxic love. Wes and Ivy were not good for each other. Throughout the whole story I was like why do they just keep doing this to each other. Overall this one was just ok for me.

Are you a fan of slow build suspense or fast paced thriller?

Thank you @berkleypub for the E-ARC and @prhaudio for the accompanying audiobook!