Twisted Love (Twisted, 1)

Ok. So this book series was all over TikTok & I finally caved. As per usual with this author, the book is well written the pacing is good, I liked the characters and even the plot itself was good…I’d give the heat level two chili peppers….But the believability of the the plot twists eek. It’s in the details where it all falls apart for me. -SPOILER-Ava Chen’s bother is going away for a year so he asks his best friend of 8 years, Alex, to watch over his sister. Within 2/3 months they fall madly in love. I wish we had felt them fall in love not just had a few movie nights and a few bouts of jealousy then boom life altering love. But ok. During this time Ava recovers her repressed memories of her dad trying to murder her. Supportive Alex seems to have everything in place to bring her dad down. We find out later why he’s so prepared but still-It’s a little like an infomercial during the scene (insert eye roll here) but wait there’s more! First he surprised the dad with- you’re being recorded- and your son has been secretly watching, AND the fbi is here-boom case closed. You’re going to jail. Just cheese city the way it all played out. Thennnnnn Alex finds out after 10 years of planning the ruin of the man who killed his family it wasn’t him at all! Again. We needed another murderer in their midst? Is this a mafia romance? No.Ok. Fine. Cut to a kidnap scene in which Alex presses the number 1 on his phone (discreetly of course) and instead of the police showing up 10 minutes later- it’s a “clean up” crew mascarading as police and ems crew. Sorry. Don’t buy it. Again I’m willing to jump the hurdle to get to the next point in the plot. And the author must have felt the same way. I picture her on the computer like” ugh. How is Alex going to get away with MURDER in 1 page or less”. He then breaks up with Ava (for her protection of course) and really hasn’t this excuse been used enough? It never lands well with me but again. Ok. Then we wait 5 months. 👀 my patience level is zero at this point, but im sticking it out for my hea. He finally comes to his senses and tells her he loves her but of course he broke her trust and she “just can’t” cause as a reader we haven’t been tortured enough apparently. So she makes him wait A YEAR!!!! That’s not even the most unbelievable part of the story. He waits for her every morning with a coffee and walks her to work for a YEARRRRRR. Never once touching her. He walks her to and from work every single day. In another continent. Doesn’t work. Doesn’t have friends. No family. Lives his life solely hanging on these 30 minitues per day 5 days a week he gets with her? Major ick. It doesn’t sound romantic it sounds pathetic and I just could not. A year? He ate dinner alone for a year, spent Christmas alone? Wandered the city aimlessly all day just waiting for her FOR A YEAR?? no vacations, no purpose, no friends, no conversation, while she went out with friends and had a fullfilling thriving career? The wieght of being alone for a year isn’t stated at all in the book. It glosses over how this man went a year without a single human touch. It may seem romantic to some people but killed it for me in a big way. I will probably read the whole series cause I’m a masochist apparently, and I have to see things thru. The friend group each gets their shot at love. Hopefully theirs is less painful and a little more believable. It was a quick read, maybe 3/4 hours total? Enjoyable enough, but I probably won’t be in a rush to read this author again. After this series hahah.

This book was so much better than I anticipated! Honestly, I initially wanted to read Twisted Games since I’d seen so many good reviews on Tiktok. However I read in the beginning of that book that it would be helpful to read this one first so I was like fine I’ll read it – and I’m glad I did! I lovedddd Ava and Alex’s story so much. The emotional roller coasters they took me through…wow. And the way Ana Huang writes their story, all of the suspense and foreshadowing, made the experience even better. I loved loved loved this book. Now onto Twisted Games!

Believe the hype on this one. Alex and Ava’s story had me wanting more. Even though the story a bit predictable, it is no less addicting and intriguing. I ate this book up. Ana’s style of writing has you at the edge of your seat. You have to know what happens next., The best part, besides the spice, is the strong heroine. Ava didn’t give into Alex. She fought him every step of the way. Alex being Alex never gave up on Ava. It was the best thing when they finally got their HEA., 4.75 Stars