Verity

by Colleen Hoover

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 the night their family was forever altered. 

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. 

Due to graphic scenes and mature content, this book is recommended for readers 18+.

• ISBN10: 1791392792
• ISBN13: 9781791392796
• Publish Date: 10 December 2018
• Publish Status: Withdrawn
• Imprint: Independently Published
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 332
• Language: English

Reviews

[Berls]

4.5 stars
Okay so talk about a total mind f*ck. I have yet to read a Colleen Hoover book that I didn't enjoy. I haven't read many simply because I find I have to be in specific state of mind to handle them - and while this isn't her normal tragic romance fare - it still proved to be true. Because, yeah, mind f*ck.

While I enjoyed the book and was literally flipping out for like 80% of it because OMG (and that's all I'll say because anything else I try to say will be a spoiler), I can honestly say the only character with any redemptive quality was the little boy. Every other character was awful in varying degrees. But they were FANTASTICALLY written as these awful people.

The main character, Lowen, is an incredibly unreliable narrator, which I always love. When you can't trust your narrator to be seeing things clearly, it just heightens the tension, suspense and doubt. And as the book ended, I can honestly say I'm still not quite sure what happened. It's one of those books where you finish it and have to talk to someone else who has read it so you can theorize and try to figure out what was the "truth."

I listened to Verity, narrated by Vanessa Johansson and Amy Landon. They complimented each other very well and only amplified the suspense of the reading. I LITERALLY couldn't put this book down and listened well past my bedtime, only to finish it and still not be able to sleep. I'm pretty sure I still heard their voices in my head well after I'd finished, they were that poignant in their delivery. A great match to the book and no trouble listening at my normal 2x speed.

[lessthelonely]

OK, I've been very much avoiding writing this review because I felt like, for the first time, I would have to write a review including spoilers, which is something I never do. However, I decided to stay true to myself and not spoil this book, so let's just go.

I want to start by saying that I had known of Colleen Hoover's popularity mainly through TikTok and Twitter - from the same place, I also knew about how people have been finding her work to be worse and worse. My own two cents on that situation is that I don't think it's fair to judge dated writing decisions, and close to 10 year old writing decisions are obviously going to bring you some cringy lines or even passages that you are baffled with when you think that they got past a publisher's team.

This book, though, which is pretty recent? Completely readable. There were some icks, though nothing as bad as I've been seeing on Twitter, mainly things like using "vibe" when you're close to 30 years old and some other moments that felt a little bit forced because Hoover wanted there to be a clear moment of "X and Y get closer".

I don't understand how this book could be labelled a Thriller. Let alone a Mystery, because the driving force of its plot doesn't even have what you could call an inciting incident - for all intents and purposes, Verity's plot happens out of a coincidence: our MC meets this dude and then finds out he's basically asking for her help. The book seller, though, is Verity's autobiography, which starts early in the book, but I felt like we spent a whole lot of time in characterization of characters that I didn't care about.

I would probably label this speculative? Actually, I'd call it an attempt, I guess.

But when the autobiography starts, I was a little bit more in it and was trying to know what the book's title character is all about. I was duly dissappointed to find out that my worst suspicions about this book were right. All I'm going to say is that I can see a conservative person reading this book and being absolutely terrified. And, at the same time, the book is always pointing to the fact that This is so shocking, don't you want to throw up? by the means of making the main character react just like that. On top of that, the already bland shock-value this book tries so hard to go for gets even more affected by how the book frames it: I could see, from the very beginning, a very clear reason as to why things were happening, but it didn't even get addressed!

It felt like Verity was being told: You have another option. But Verity didn't get said option, so she turned to what the book described as "heinous", I guess. The fact that I was only tense while reading this book because I wanted to be shocked by it says a lot. I also couldn't take a lot of the supposedly tense moments seriously. It's very clear this is a first attempt at a Thriller Mystery, because the most basic, braindead and incredibly dull elements are added to this, as if the "mystery" part of the plot isn't so fucking basic you'll know what will happen 50 pages in.

And the reason I'm annoyed at this is because this book is said to be shocking, but the only way I see this book shocking anybody is if it is a baby's first book in the genre. Honestly, what was the author thinking? Because the mystery takes the background until basically the end of the book - the main character and the love interest have to fuck first, you know? But then, in the end, it's time to do what didn't happen for a whole book AND end up disappointed by it, because, outside of the abandoned, bare-bones mystery, NOTHING SEEMS TO HAPPEN IN THIS BOOK.

It's just the main character internally screaming that she wants out of the house, scenes with the love interest that often made me roll my eyes and the "creepy scenes" I already talked about. I would say the ending has three plot twists: the first one is just stupid, the second one is the only one that surprised me (and not in a good way), the third one just proved my suspicions right.

I will try a romance book by Hoover at some point, but this left a sour taste in my mouth. Incredibly easy to read if you decide to power through it like I did.

Finally: I saw a review calling this book atmospheric on here... I'm sorry, what? I would like to stress the writing is passable and a light read (think: adjectives and basic descriptions) but in no way did this book draw me in beyond me wanting to see what the fuck it was about.

[anastasia]

I'm speechless.
This was amazing.

[Bethany Hemstreet]

What a dark and twisted story that I absolutely loved.

[Charli G.]

I'm not a big fan of Colleen Hoover. Most of her books are just not my style. I'm not into the contemporary, YA/New Adult romance thing. But this book, self-published because it was such a departure from her normal books, was right up my alley.

I'd seen a review on booktube for this book and new I had to check it out. So I got an eBook copy through the Books app on my iPad and went to town. It didn't take me long to read it because I couldn't put it down. This book is so amazing. You get little twists and turns right from the start, but the biggest twist comes at the very end of the book. That twist gave me chill.

The characters are awesome. You'll come to love Jeremy and Lowen but hate Verity. You'll come to feel sorry for Jeremy and what he's had to put up with over the years. But then... you find some things out and discover maybe you hated the wrong person. This book is not for the faint of heart - it has some scenes that are sexual in nature, some scenes that may depict things that are upsetting.

I gave this 5 stars. It was just an awesome book and I absolutely loved it. I hope Colleen Hoover writes more of these books because I will definitely be reading them!

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

Verity: Something that is true, as a principle, belief, idea or statement.

At what point does one separate fact from fiction? Which, version of the truth is the correct one? These questions came to mind after I finished this latest offering from Colleen Hoover. This is my second time reading her work and I must say this woman is brilliant. She knows how to engage her fans and keep them coming back for more.

To say I am in a state of shock is an understatement. Up to this point, I am still not sure what the hell I just read. All I can say is that this is one story I am not sure I will forget anytime soon. Unpredictable, chilling and suspenseful are the most fitting words to describe this tale.

I have to admit this story elicited varying emotions. There were moments when I had to know what next was coming and there were those instances where I feared knowing what would unfold.
However, my curiosity stomped all over my fears and I found myself devouring every word.

The complexity of the characters was what made this story so shocking. Their thoughts, decisions and actions were compelling, which made it difficult for me to figure out who was the villain in the story.

Then that ending, OMG! Who would have thought? I do not consider it a cliff hanger. This an ending where the reader can draw their own conclusion.

Verity depicts an author’s power to make their readers believe their written words, be it fact or fiction. I for one believed what I read until that twist at the end, which had me doubting everything I had originally believed. Now I am left wondering what was the real truth.

Conclusion/Recommendation

Verity is the most disturbing yet entertaining book I have read in a long time. If you enjoy stories that messes with your mind and have you questioning what is real and what is not then you are likely to enjoy Verity.

[Molly J(Cover To Cover Cafe)]

Holy crap! This book was OUT OF THIS WORLD. Literally! Like, I went into the story expecting my typical CoHo novel, but what I got was a complete and total mind f*ck. This book is the absolute truth when it comes to being called a pyschological thriller. Each page turn was something different, yet, each page turn left me wanting more. By the end of the novel, I was on the edge of my sit, and staring at the wall, wondering what in the world did I just read. Incredible. Amazing. Fantabulous. Hands down THE best book of 2018.

*I purchased a copy of this book and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*

[kimbacaffeinate]

Caffeinated Reasons to Read Verity

• A forbidden romance. While I wasn't keen on a romance, I don't regret it.


• Hoover as a suspense-thriller writer -EPIC. This needs to be an audiobook! 


• Hells yes she and K.A. Tucker need to write a book together but a suspenseful, twisted one!


• The protagonist, Lowen Ashleigh, is a successful, yet humble writer. In her personal life she has recently come from a dark place. Hoover made her feel vulnerable and genuine.


• Jeremy Crawford, husband of best-selling author Verity Crawford has had it all and lost it all. He is a wonderful father and loyal husband. You'll want to comfort him, then question him. 


• The setting lent itself perfectly to the tale that unfolds and with subtle foreshadowing and chilling discoveries. As I sit here reflecting I am thinking I want to do a re-read.


• Hoover explores tragedy, opportunity, and sin, not to mention a few others... but alas spoilers.


• I confess I become completely caught up in the story that unfolds. The home has a sinister feel, and comments made by the five-year-old boy sent shivers up my spine.


• The things that went on in the writer's office.... words written, secrets told. What the bloody hell? It was addictive, horrifying, and at time chilling.


• The whole story built until the climatic ending before Hover takes us  down a rabbit hole from which there is no return.


• This story left me mind-fucked. 

Read it. Then come tell me what you think. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer

[Cocktails and Books]

WTF?!?!?

[boghunden]

Everyone's talking about all the twists and I'm here like ?!?? I didn't see it all coming, but I wasn't shocked at any of it. As okay read, but not one that I'll be thinking about a lot