A Twisted Love Story by Samantha Downing is a thriller novel. The story in A Twisted Love Story is one that is told by changing the point of view between the characters and does feature an incredibly toxic relationship if that may be a trigger to some.

Wes and Ivy have been on again off again on again off again rinse and repeat since their college days. The most in love couple ever until one or the other explodes and it all ends for them again for a while anyway.

Now Ivy has crossed another line and talked to the police leading them to believe that possibly Wes is a stalker. This in turn brings Wes right back into Ivy’s life yet again but will this be the time that the couple finally gives up the secret they have fought to hide?

I have to say I went into A Twisted Love Story by Samantha Downing expecting to really enjoy it but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. The thing is it almost felt as if everyone in the book was toxic and there wasn’t really anyone to like at all. But this one also felt as if the pacing was slow to me but on the flip side it would switch from here to there all too often not really getting a good rhythm which threw me off too. Overall I ended this one at the two and a half star range but while I didn’t love it others did so if it sounds interesting perhaps give it a try for yourself.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

"A Twisted Love Story" is a psychological thriller about a couple, Wes and Ivy, that has been dating on and off for 10 years and it's super toxic - they mess with each other's emotions, play mind games and try to bring one another to their breaking point. They've committed some heinous crimes that are starting to become exposed and we see how quickly everything unravels from the perspective of Wes, Ivy, Karen (a detective) and Bianca (an administrative assistant).

I really appreciate a book that can be told from multiple different perspectives if it's done well and I actually really enjoy all four perspectives of Wes, Ivy, Karen and Bianca, but I wasn't exactly invested in Wes and Ivy as the book went on. I felt as though their back and forth and the toxicity really began to turn me off and by the end of the book, I had had enough. This book really was twisted and had so many ups, downs and all arounds, but it was just okay in my eyes. I'm so appreciative of the early copy!

Samantha Downing is one of my favorite authors of psychological suspense. A Twisted Love Story did not disappoint! I will read anything the author creates. Thank you for the opportunity to read this e-galley.

I loved this book! I loved it from start to finish. What is better than a love story...? ... a twisted love story! I cannot recommend this book enough! I look forward to more titles by Samantha Downing.

I liked the twists in the novel, but didn't enjoy any of the characters. I am a pilot driven reader, so I prefer great plots to likeable characters . However when the story is all about only 2 characters, the characters need to be likeable. I was really wanting to root for one or the other main characters in the relationship, but I didn't.

That being said, I liked the writing style and would like to read another book from this author.

Unfortunately this book was not for me. I really enjoyed the authors previous books but this novel was very different. The characters were toxic and I didn’t feel like they were consistent throughout the book. I couldn’t tell who to trust and I’m not sure that was intentional. All in all it just wasn’t my favorite.

I find the author's books wickedly fun. There is a underlying dark sense of humor and I never know where they are headed. And I love that.

This one focused on two exes that maybe shouldn't be exes or the longer I read maybe shouldn't live anywhere near each other. I loved the pull they had on each other. And all the hidden meaning that it takes the book to uncover. Wes and Ivy are her typical characters in that they are not quite right and slightly delusional.

This book was looking at a train wreck that I just couldn't bear to look away. It was a wild ride, but one I was happy to be on. I didn't like Wes or Ivy but I also can't tell you that I didn't like them. I needed to know their stories and if they were going to destroy each other. Because right from the start you know this is a distinct possibility.

And the more I read and the more I learned about them, the more I needed to know. And while I am not sure it is 100% believable, I can't say it wasn't. And by the end all those details of their lives and their love story paid off. I could not have ever guessed those twists.

I see that I am in the minority here, but this one seemed pure Samantha Downing to me. Wild characters, a wild tale and an unpredictable ride.

Samantha Downing has such a way with words. She somehow gets into every character's head so deeply and so cunningly, which makes her books unputdownable. I couldn't bear to stop reading this one until the messy end.

It has really always been Ivy & Wes and Wes & Ivy even though their passionate off-and-on started in college. Full of drama with two people who could not be more right and wrong for each other at the same time, Downing's newest thriller does not disappoint.

Ivy makes a twisted attempt to get Wes's attention after their latest time apart (10 years). Inadvertently, she opens a cold case led by a detective who is driven by personal grudges. As Ivy and Wes become more scrutinized, they realize they will always be together.

If you like thrillers, Downing is an author for you. I didn't feel like this one had the usual gasp-out-loud twists, but she does offer her token open-ended conclusion. Readers, be forewarned: it's frustrating and amazing at the same time - you *know* how it's going to end, but since she won't write it, the reader is forced to finish it. That leads to many books being thrown across the room while exclaiming, "I hate that ending! It was the such a great book!"

I was hoping this book went in a completely different direction, but it did not, and I was utterly disappointed. I was drawn in at the beginning, and because of My Lovely Wife, I wanted so much more.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was. A quick read. While I’m usually a fan of Downing’s work, this wasn’t my favorite. The main character’s toxic relationship grated on my nerves. I didn’t like the detective in charge of the case either. I don’t know what the author could have done to make me like it better.

I love the twists and turns Downing puts in her novels. I never quite know how the journey I'm on is going to turn out. And even though I couldn't stand either main character, I still found myself weirdly engrossed in their love story. I couldn't put this one down and devoured every last page. It's a slower build up than other books out there, but it doesn't take away from the overall effect. I would recommend if you enjoyed her other books, or psychological thrillers.

I really wanted to like this. I was so excited to see another book by Samantha Downing after <i>For Your Own Good</i>, which I recommend all the time, especially to older teens looking to move out of YA into more complex mystery and thrillers. I've never heard anything but rave reviews!

And then I tried to read <i>A Twisted Love Story</i> and I just couldn't. Admittedly, as a queer and polyamorous person, I don't think I'm the target audience. I thought I would be able to get through the monogamous hetero love story and into the crazy thriller, which I imagine is in the book somewhere, but 50 pages in, I hadn't found it. It's been sitting on my shelf for months waiting to be picked up again, but I'm ready to admit that this one is a dnf for me. I'm still eagerly awaiting Downing's next one.

This was my first read by Samantha Downing and I'm officially HOOKED!

I enjoyed the audio and appreciated the journey we were taken on with some minor twists and turns. Also, can you say toxic relationship? Because that’s all I could think throughout this book!

The back and forth, the "pranks", the constant distrust... I would definitely not be able to do it, but it seemed to somehow make these characters happy in some very twisted way...?

I do think I was expecting a bit more from the ending rather than the small twist that was revealed, but all in all, I really enjoyed this one and I cannot wait to dive into her backlist!

I wasn't sure what to expect from A Twisted Love Story after seeing a few mixed reviews. For me it was a fun and engaging Domestic Drama, which offered up quite a bit of food for thought that I wasn't necessarily anticipating. Downing was able to draw me in and keep my attention, which is pretty tough to do during the holiday season!

This story focuses on Wes and Ivy, whose contentious romance has nevertheless lasted for a decade. Their on-again, off-again nature may seem toxic to outsiders, but for them, it is their deep, passionate love for one another that pushes them to extremes at times.

Ivy messes up though and ends up contacting the wrong outsider and drawing her attention to their relationship. Unfortunately, the new woman in their life is a detective and Wes and Ivy have something they're desperate to hide. As Detective Karen Colglazier begins to circle the couple like a shark, the heat ramps up and they start feeling serious pressure. It's a classic game of cat-and-mouse as Ivy and Wes scramble to get out from under the Detective's scrutiny.

When I first began this story, I hadn't read the full synopsis. Samantha Downing's name was enough to attract me to the book. As it was first kicking off, we're getting a lot of info regarding Ivy, Wes and their relationship. I was curious how it was going to gain intensity, or suspense, from that set-up. It soon became clear Downing had a plan and I just needed to relax into it. She definitely pulled it off in the end.

I found this story to be compelling and highly readable. While I would tamper your expectations as far as thrills go, I think as a character exploration and twisted romance, this one is extremely well-paced and plotted.

I may be reading too much into it, but it made me think a lot about assumptions. We all make assumptions, even if unintentional, a lot of time based on our own experiences. We've all heard of, or even know of, relationships like Wes and Ivy's. I enjoyed watching the side characters interacting with them and discussing their relationship with them.

Each of these friends and family members it seemed felt they knew what was best, but I don't feel like any of them were ever truly spot on with this couple. Most interesting to me was the Detective's perspective. She was definitely making assumptions about them, which I felt were incorrect, but then things would happen that would make me second-guess my own interpretation. It was super enjoyable and engaging.

I would recommend this story to people who enjoy dramatic, possibly OTT-Domestic Dramas. This title says it all, this is a twisted love story. That's exactly what it is. Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This is only my second Downing novel, but I'm excited to pick up more!

TITLE: A TWISTED LOVE STORY
AUTHOR: Samantha Downing
PUB DATE: 07.18.2023

I really struggled with this one. I didn’t mind the unlikeable characters, but the situation and the plot lost me at the second third of the book, and was very hard to get into. I had no reason to turn the pages and wasn’t intrigued enough to find out what the point of the story is. I have loved every book Downing writes, but this one may have missed the mark for me.

I think fans of domestic thrillers who enjoy a twisted toxic couple would really enjoy this one.

I usually don't mind reading about bad people, but Wes and Ivy were more annoying than captivating villains. I really didn't feel connected to the story enough to care what happened to them. The dysfunction at time was entertaining and I did find some of the side characters interesting. I finished to find out the secrets, but I expected something a little more shocking than what's revealed. Not a bad book, but just an okay domestic thriller.

Wes and Ivy have a turbulent relationship. The good times are really good. The bad times are really, really bad.

A Twisted Love Story is about the toxic relationship between Wes and Ivy. Ivy has turned Wes in for stalking, which gets the police involved. Now, people are looking into their pasts, and there’s that one murder they would rather not get out.

A wickedly entertaining thriller. Recommended for readers who enjoy drama and devious characters in their thrillers.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Absolute snooze fest. I liked My Lovely Wife but have not been a fan of any of the other books by this author. They are so strange and far fetched and not in an entertaining way. This one was literally just a completely abusive relationship hidden in a pretend thriller? I didn’t get it and wouldn’t recommend it.

If the new relationship buzz word is toxic, that pretty much sums up Wes and Ivy. Ivy and Wes meet in college and have a typical /not-so-typical on again, off again relationship. Yes, they both can be assholes, especially when it comes to one another, and yet, they can't seem to be happy without each other. After the latest break up of 4 months, Ivy figures out a way to get Wes back in her life. She contacts the police and reports him for stalking. Neither Ivy nor Wes can imagine the consequences this has for them. I totally enjoyed this fast-paced suspense/thriller, my second from Samantha Downing, and she's now on my list of thriller authors to always read.