This book is not for the faint-hearted. Dark and enthralling, Colleen Hoover has taken a walk off the beaten path and produced an absolute masterpiece in thriller fiction. This ending of this novel will make you question every little detail in every chapter that you previously read. Totally mind-boggling. This book deals with some heavy topics so I do have to issue some trigger warnings to the reader (which you can contact me about if this is a concern, as they are spoilers). The following is a spoiler-free review, however a spoiler section is found at the bottom explaining the ending with a spoiler warning beforehand.

Book Description: Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish. Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity’s notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn’t expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity’s recollection of what really happened the day her daughter died. Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents would devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen’s feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife’s words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue to love her.

The characters in this novel are very unnerving. Everyone from the ‘nice guy’ Jeremy to the nurse, and of course Verity herself. Many of them were alright on the surface but there’s something quite creepy about them. Lowen has some major faults and I disagree with many of the things she did, but you can’t help but read with hunger whenever she hovels up in her room or the study knowing that Verity is in the same household. The characterisation was therefore excellent for the genre.

The story Hoover creates is intricately and beautifully spun like a spider’s web. The author builds pace like a pro, and it is a fascinating read. However, the book is very dark and should not and does not encourage the immorality on display. Rather, it should be used a warning against uncontrolled artistic genius and adultery! It is very hard to put this book down so don’t be surprised if you read it pretty quickly! The ending of the book is phenomenally complex. For that alone, I would recommend the book.

Rating: 4/5 (Please see About section for more information)

Age recommended: 18+

Spoiler ending…

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Ending explained: So Lowen sees Verity move on the camera and tells Jeremy. Jeremy runs to confront Verity, and as Lowen comes in, Verity moves and responds. It turns out that Verity has been faking her injuries and Jeremy, in a fit of rage, kills Verity with Lowen’s approval. Lowen later finds a letter in the room from Verity addressed to Jeremy explaining that the whole autobiography was just a writing exercise, not to be taken seriously. It then proceeds to write how Jeremy found out about the autobiography and attempted to kill her. She then writes how he did not succeed but she faked her injuries in order to not give him a reason to try again. Her plan was then to run away with the son. Of course, both stories cannot be true. So the question is, was Verity an innocent victim of a misunderstanding, or was she the psychotic liar she appeared to be from the outset? Most likely a psychotic liar.