Whoa, they really got the title right for this book!! This is one of the most twisted, back and forth, love/hate relationships that I have ever read about.

Wes and Ivy have been in their “relationship” on and off since college. Their friends and family keep telling them that they are totally wrong for each other – yet they can’t seem to find real love with anyone besides each other!!

They play wicked little games with each other, sometimes carrying things way too far – damaged property, arrest warrants, etc etc.

Each time they get back together it’s like “the honeymoon phase” all over again! Flowers, grand gestures, vows of love and fidelity.

It’s a toxic relationship but for some crazy reason they still seem to be right for each other. They are both very much the same.

But this time Ivy has carried things too far. Now the police are involved and that is really, really bad because Wes and Ivy have a very deep secret. One they NEVER talk about!!

Detective Karen Colglazier becomes OBSESSED with finding out all of the secrets that this couple have. This woman will stop at nothing to see the end of Ivy and Wes. Of course she is very self serving and also out of control!!

NOW WES AND IVY HAVE A COMMON ENEMY AND THEY NEED TO JOIN FORCES TO GET OUT OF THIS MESS TOGETHER!

Half way through I thought this would be a 3* read for me until the ancillary characters and all of their craziness started escalating the story and moving it forward quickly.

As with most thrillers it’s best to go into this one blind. This novel didn’t seem to contain any “normal” characters. None of them were really likable and yet somehow I ended up rooting for Ivy and Wes.

If you love a fast paced thriller with some really good twists you will enjoy this one.

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to read and review this title.

3.5 but rounding up to 4!

Downing definitely knows how to write about a toxic relationship. I liked the alternating points of view in this story as you could see how everyone had such a warped view from the actual truth. Both Wes and Ivy were very intriguing characters who made some very questionable decisions, but I was engrossed in their story. I did find the ending a little anti-climactic given all the different ways this could have gone, hence my lower rating. But it was definitely a great bingeable read with alternating points of view and short chapters!

4⭐

I have always enjoyed Samantha's thrillers, and this book is no exception! You really have to embrace having NO IDEA how the relationship between Wes & Ivy will go through during this book with starts off! I don't wanna say much to ruin the books plot, but the confusion I had for Ivy and Wes was throughout the whole book!

Brief Blurb: Karen, a detective, is contacted y Ivy, as she believes her ex-boyfriend is stalking her. But while Karen believes Wes is manipulative and abusive, Ivy is working on getting back together with Wes. With murder past and present occurring in this book, we learn more about their 10 year relationship and the secrets they hold, and how those secrets may start to be uncovered by Karen.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an eARC of A Twisted Love Story by Samantha Downing in exchange for my honest review!

One of the most anticipated thrillers and it was worth it! Outstanding, Samantha Downing! This is one of the most toxic love stories I have read. Maybe they are in love, but they are more addicted to each other and fighting.

Wes and Ivy fell in love instantly. It didn't take long to realize their disagreements became volatile. Property is damaged, police are called and worse. When one of their breakups happened, someone ended up dead. Detective Karen wants in on this investigation when she realizes she has information that could solve the case. With the help of their friends and coworkers, she gathers pertinent information and looks at their shady past as toxic.

"When it's good, it's good. When it's bad, it's really bad."

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

I simply did not want to put this book down! Wes and Ivy have such a volatile relationship but it works for them….in the most toxic way. This book quickly turned from a cringe-worthy (in the best way) domestic suspense to a thrilling whodunnit at breakneck speed! Once a detective gets involved in their relationship shenanigans, all hell breaks loose and Wes and Ivy may not be able to reign it all in. I highly suggest reading this one!

If you're looking for a fast-paced, thrilling read with unlikable characters and a surprising ending, look no further! This one's for you!

A toxic love story filled with mind games, destructive behavior and secrets.


It’s no secret I am a fan of the twisted, psychological thrillers Samantha Downing writes. Her characters are always just so much fun with their destructive behavior and warped thinking. A Twisted Love Story takes us deep into Wes and Ivy’s toxic Bonnie and Clyde relationship and leaves us unable to look away.

These two were made for each other, in the worst way. They have this obsessive cat and mouse game they play that just seems to get increasingly crazier, darker and yes, even more toxic as the history of their relationship is revealed. Once Ivy reports her stalker, who she believes to be Wes, to Detective Karen of the Sex Crimes Unit she unknowingly sets things in motion that bring out all the skeletons in their closet. Detective Karen was a formidable opponent. I enjoyed her character and her pursuit of the truth.

I listened to this on audio and loved it. The fast paced, quick chapters kept me glued and the despicable behavior of not only these two but seemingly everyone around them, left me unable to step away. Another Samantha Downing win for me!

I couldn't figure out who I liked the least because none of the characters were remotely likable, and in this case, it worked great for the story. Ivy and Wes are toxic. That is what attracts them to one another and thrive on drama. Watching this story unfold is like driving past a car accident and you can't look away while causing another car accident. I couldn't put it down because I couldn't wait to see what crazy character was going to do next. After all, there were a lot of crazies in this one.

Wes and Ivy are madly in love. They've never felt anything like it. It's the kind of romance people write stories about 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. Wes and Ivy have a common enemy--and she's a detective. There's something Wes and Ivy never talk about--the night of their worst breakup, when one of them took things too far, and someone ended up dead.

This fits in well with Samantha Downing's previous books, with unlikable main characters that somehow I was cheering for anyways? It's unpredictable and unhinged while still being believable and is absolutely a pageturner.

A Twisted Love Story

Wow, this was another great thriller/romance from Downing!

Synopsis:
Wes and Ivy have a toxic relationship. They can’t stand to be apart but when they are together their life is nothing but chaos. They have recently got back togethr but their past that has bonded them together over the last decade has come back to haunt them just when they are about to have their happily ever after.

My thoughts:

I had my suspicions about who the culprit was pretty early on and I was correct, but it didn’t ruin any of the suspense for me! Downing had a few plot twists to keep things interesting. This was a solid one from Downing and I really enjoyed it but still think For Your Own Good is my favorite. I went into this one pretty blind and I suggest you do the same that’s why I kept my synopsis brief. Only one complaint I have is that Downing has Ivy play into the stereotype that women are bad drivers.

Samantha Downing’s one of my go-to authors for stories with unpredictable and crazy twists; not to mention unreliable characters that just mess with your minds! The title of her new novel says it all: the MCs did indeed have a twisted love story! So twisted that it was definitely a toxic/ unhealthy relationship! I was SMH’ing the whole time and begging for them to just breakup and cut ties with each other!!! But of course, in true Samantha Downing fashion, there’s more to the story than a dysfunctional couple breaking up and getting back together time and time again. There were backstories and side stories that complicated the couple’s “romantic” reunion. There’s one particular detail that kind of put me off because I found it very unbelievable, but otherwise this was an ok SD novel for me. Not my fave but also not one I’d discard either despite my struggle in reading the 1st quarter of the book. I did like that the story came full circle towards the end (IYKYK!)

Happy pub day to A Twisted Love Story by Samantha Downing, and if the title intrigues you, this might be the perfect book for you because it sums up the story perfectly! I’m so grateful to @berkleypub for an e-arc and to @prhaudio for a free audio book amazingly narrated by the fabulous Karrissa Vacker.

Ivy and Wes have a toxic, but obsessive (and maybe fated?) relationship. When the book starts, it’s off again. But Ivy is being stalked by someone and when she calls the police after receiving a box of her favorite chocolates with a bite taken out of each piece, she tells the female detective sent to investigate that it’s probably the work of her ex Wes. And with that Ivy starts Ivy and Wes cycle all over again, and forces them to grapple with the night of the worst break up they ever had.

That’s all I’ll say in terms of a synopsis. Have I said too much? I’m not really sure.

Like Downing’s last book, this one is told in multiple POVs and the writing is fabulous and gripping. I think people looking for a book about the ins and outs of a toxic relationship will love this one. But I went in hoping for more of a thriller and kept waiting for twists that didn’t really come. Which is not to say there aren’t twists. There are. But many were crazy things that happened because of events in the book and less about clever villains or characters plotting. There were a lot of people doing rash things for their own reasons which ended up with rash, surprising results. But there wasn’t much to figure out or unweave. Except why Ivy and Wes were so drawn to each other and I’m not sure in the end I figured that out.

But I’m still thinking about it. Those enigmatic characters who I couldn’t completely pin down have stuck with me and I think that’s a sign of a great writer (it’s actually true about all the author’s books, from my favorite to my least favorite—I remember the characters she creates and wonder about them) even if I was hoping for a little more of a mystery from this book.

The audio is definitely great. Karrisa Vacker has officially moved onto the list of favorite narrators!

Samantha Downing nails the thriller every time! I loved the incorporation of a love story within this thriller! Wes and Ivy are a sick, toxic, on again, off again couple who live to see how far they can push one another! But when Ivy calls the cops to claim Wes is “stalking” her to get his attention, she goes too far. Karen is a detective who isn’t willing to let others get away with harming their significant others and is unwilling to drop the case after Ivy swears everything is fine. I could not get enough of this couple! They were like a perfect trainwreck I couldn’t take my eyes off of!

College sweethearts, Wes and Ivy, are in love…but it’s a totally obsessive love story. Who is the the one obsessing? What secrets are they hiding and how far will they go to keep those secrets hidden? Could a detective looking into one crime be on to something much bigger?

Maybe an unpopular opinion, but I didn’t love this. I found the characters totally annoying and really wanted to smack them silly. The ending left me unfulfilled. After 10 years of the off and on relationship, I found the storyline got old quickly. The short chapters did keep me engaged and kept the pace of the story moving. Although this book wasn’t for me, fans of Ms. Downing will enjoy her dark twists and turns. It will keep them turning the page.

Thanks to Berkeley Publishing Group and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

Wes & Ivy are dangerously obsessive with each other! They've got a volatile past, and an increasingly perilous future as they can't seem to stay away from each other. This is really A Twisted Love Story. It's crazy, toxic and both are truly psychotic.

This couple makes-up and breaks-up on a consistent basis, yet they fall back into the sheets declaring let's get back together over and over. The consequences of their actions are about to catch-up with them as ALL hells breaks loose in Fair Valley, California.

This psychological thriller's short chapters had me compulsively reading this book. The whole lot of characters are awful. There's intrigue, secrets, unexpected twists and an ending that will leave your mind blown.

Thank you Berkley Publishing Group for the complimentary copy.

I just read A Twisted Love Story and twisted doesn’t even begin to describe it. It is a psychological thriller about a couple in a toxic, destructive relationship. This book was told by multiple points of view by some of the most unreliable and unlikeable narrators ever. There was no one to like and no one to trust and it all added to the deception and twists that kept me at the edge of my seat, quickly turning pages, waiting to see how it all turned out. This was a bonkers ride from start to finish.

Wes and Ivy - likely one of THE most toxic couples I have ever read about.

They have been on again, off again for a long time. There are secrets and lies, from each other and ones they share. They repeat a toxic relationship pattern over and over, but neither can seem to walk away.

These two need to break up and they need some serious counselling. Their story is bizarre, and toxic, and sad - but it sucked me in and I could not stop reading!

Detective Karen could use some help herself. She is obviously obsessed with these two and linking Wes to another case. So much so that she foregoes basic things like eating and sleeping.

This book was a hot mess but one I could not pull myself away from.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for allowing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I spent the better part of my weekend devouring this book and absolutely needed to find out what was going to happen next and how it would end.

The short version: I loved it.

Here’s the longer version:

Wes & Ivy have had a ‘never or forever’ relationship since they met in college 10 years ago. The highest of highs. The lowest of lows. They get each other in a way no one else can. And they also bait and taunt and fight and destroy things in the process. When they are together the rest of the world fades away. And no matter what destruction they serve upon each other they can’t stay away.

Back together, yet again, they are in the honeymoon period of sheer bliss. But when the people in their lives find out, everyone is worried. When a detective finds herself in Wes & Ivy’s world, she’s can’t shake her instinct that there is something not quite right and she is going to find out what it is.

Now Wes & Ivy have to put all their games aside, needing each other to survive in a way they never have before.

From the moment I read SAMANTHA DOWNING’s debut, MY LOVELY WIFE, I knew she was an auto-buy author for me. I was struck not just by her writing, but by her willingness to explore the darkest corners of her characters. She doesn’t shy away from exploring all sides of people, and whether or not you agree with people’s choices I think she does an amazing job of making the reader understand her characters.

She also weaves together page-turning stories, all the delicious twists I never see coming and makes me want to read late into the night. I’m such a massive fan of her books and she’s an absolute must-read for thriller fans!

And shoutout to quite possibly the best dedication ever 🙌🏻

Huge thanks to #BerkleyPub & #NetGalley for the eARC. So excited to have the chance to read this and can’t wait for my preorder to arrive and take its rightful place on my shelf!

I’ve read all the books by Samantha Downing so I was thrilled to be approved for the digital ARC. I read this last week and whilst it’s a completely bingeable read it’s not my favourite of hers.

It’s not your usual thriller but more like a romantic suspense and while I’m all for toxic relationships the games between the two protagonists became repetitive. They were twisted characters so I guess I was hoping for things to get darker, especially given the title!

But the author is the queen of twists and this book is no different. It has some good ones which I didn't see coming. I love when that happens.

Overall, it’s definitely a compulsive and enjoyable read!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

🥀Pub Day Review🥀
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Summary: 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…
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Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
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My thoughts: Happy Pub day to one of my favorite authors ever @smariedowning !! Thank you @netgalley and @berkleypub for the advanced copy! This one is such a wild ride with the most toxic/hot mess couple you will ever read! I loved This one and really had a hard time figuring out who to believe. So much fun, the perfect summer thriller with an absolutely insane couple 😂this one will make you feel like you are the most calm girlfriend/wife/partner in the world. 😂overall tons of fun with some cool twists that you will not see coming! Beautifully written as usual with the most addictive characters you can’t stop reading about!
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QOTD- what is a fun thriller that released this summer that you highly recommend ?!
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#atwistedlovestory #samanthadowning #bookreview #bookrecommendation #bibliophile #bookobsessed #bookaddict #bookaesthetic #bookish #booklover #bookworm #bookwormsunite #readersofinstagram #readersgonnaread #readmorebooks #readersofig #thrillerbooks #thrillerreads

Talk about toxicity on the highest level! 🫢 Ivy and Wes practically *screamed* red flags 🚩 🚩

Something I absolutely love about Samantha’s books are the short chapters!! They’re the way to my heart! I also enjoyed the detective work in this book and trying to piece together what happened. But I do feel like there was something missing and the ending felt rushed and unfinished. Nevertheless a fun and twisted love story! 😉

📖📚📝
•multiple povs
•quick reads
•toxic/abusive relationships