I have had to sit and digest my feelings for this one for days. Man oh man, I’m still struggling. On one hand, I LOVE Colleen Hoover’s books, she’s one of my favourite authors. On the other hand, I knew going into this it might not work for me, as paranormal is not my thing. This book confirms what I thought - books with ghosts - nope.

I do have to commend her for writing WAAAAY outside her of her norm once again. She did it with Verity, which I loved. But this one is not similar to that at all, it is its own entity entirely. People that love paranormal romances WILL love this! I think I’m going to be the unpopular opinion on this one. 😬

So the good:
-true to CoHo’s style, it’s completely binge-worthy and addicting
-the initial romance was sweet
-the writing keeps you invested, even though I wasn’t loving the story, I couldn’t put it down until I finished

The not so good:
-Normally the characters are one of my favourite parts of a CoHo book, they’re easy to connect to and they’re real. Unfortunately, I didn’t find that at all with this book. I had zero attachment to any of the characters
-Leeds, the main character, is just awful. I think you’re not supposed to like him, but then I think you’re supposed to forgive him and I just couldn’t. He doesn’t redeem himself and he just sucks.
-you have to be able suspend disbelief....like a lot....
-while there was a big twist at the end, I did have feelings of where it’s was going, and while I didn’t figure out every precise detail, I was on the right track and therefore not blown away
-it was just too much

This kills me...2.5⭐️ BUT there are tons of 5 star reviews so like I said, I will probably be the odd person out on this one

I might have just read a rather soul gripping book from Colleen Hoover and I appreciate all the excruciating emotions that rolled through me like a tsunami.

The book hooks you from the very first line and keeps you dangling until the very last page past the epilogue until the acknowledgements. A paranormal romance isn't necessary what I've come across before because of the rarity of such books in my shelf. When CoHo decides to write a new genre I'm always eager to read the book. Yes, verity was a welcome shock but Layla here is a uninvited anxiety attack which you will love for each and every second. I connected so well with every character and that's what makes her books so special.

Layla has the kind of story that makes you want to forcefully go into the book and strangle the characters, it makes you wanna keep everything aside and stress that you can't read words fast enough, it also gives you the amazing feeling of reading the most well constructed story which takes place particularly for a few weeks with so much depth.
I shouted at the characters so many times, that I ended up embarrassing myself while shouting at my phone for no reason in others eyes. The book is initially written in two different timelines which will merge later on as the story progresses and I just couldn't wait for it to do so. I had a fabulous time reading an ARC for one of my favourite authors and I loved the feeling of happiness and the antsy impatience inside me. This book isn't just a story, it is a rich example of an author trying a new genre in a different perspective.

Honestly, when I decided to ask for the ARC I had no idea I would be accepted for a review copy and that made it esctatic. As a fan I have always loved her writing and this book didn't disappoint in that matter.i only felt that the cover could be better and the paranormal instances taken in this book makes us look at the supernatural aspects in a very different light from what we have known.

I'm happy, or rather happiest with the ending because my heart couldn't take anymore misfortunes. Thankyou again netgalley, amazon publishing and Collen Hoover for the review copy. #layla #netgalley #colleenhoover

This wild ride starts at a wedding. Typical boy (base player) meets girl (sister of the bride) after some light flirting things escalate quite quickly when they spend the night together and end up blowing everyone off the next day when it’s time to leave and spend more time together.

The two end up going back to Leeds place and moving in together shortly after. Sadly after an unprovoked attack Layla is shot, she spends weeks in intensive care recovering physically but emotionally not quite there. Leeds decided a to book a little get away to the one place bound to make them happy. The place they first met.

Leeds plan doesn’t quite work, Layla starts acting extremely odd and things are happening in the bed and breakfast that simply cannot be explained.

Holy moly at this point the roller coaster starts getting intense and Willow is introduced into the story. Leeds finds comfort within Willow as does Willow in Leeds. She needs help sorting out her loose ends. They come to a cross road when Leeds has to pick Layla or Willow to be saved. The wrong choice could be deadly.

I’ve never felt so many emotions in one book. I was happy, in love, sad, angry, confused, concerned, betrayed, outraged, scared and nervous all in one. @collen you are queen of the emotions. I honestly cannot get enough of your books, yet equally want to savour every page.

This is my favorite kind of book! Thank you so much to the Bookish Ladies Club, Colleen Hoover, and Montlake for this ARC. It was my very first paranormal romance and I wish it never ended. It gave me major Sarah Pinborough vibes and I LOVED IT. Colleen Hover should write more thriller/mystery/paranormal books because they end up being my favorite books of the year!

This book was about Leeds and Layla, a couple that fell madly in love. After an attack on them in their home months later, Leeds takes Layla back to the place they met to try to get away and help Layla be more like her old self. Once arriving at an empty bed and breakfast, Leeds wants to relax but strange things start happening.

Thoughts: I loved the paranormal aspects of this book! I am never one for romance, but this paranormal romance was SO well written, easy to follow, and completely captivating. I was totally engrossed in the story between Leeds and Layla and seriously loved each step of the journey this book took me on. There were some freaky parts but the story was what really got me. I honestly HATED Leeds in this book as well as loved him, so Colleen Hoover really made me feel things. This book was just as good as Verity and I am now a huge CoHo fan. This book will suck you in from the first sentence and you won’t be able to put it down. 5 SUPER STARS!

The only thing Layla ever did wrong is fall in love with me.
-Colleen Hoover, Layla.
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Wow guys! What a ride.. I’m not sure there has ever been a book that has made me feel so much anxiety. My heart was racing and my palms were sweating! I had to know what was happening!! I devoured this book, like really struggled to put it down and get on with my real life 😂
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We first meet Leeds as he is putting duct tape over Layla’s mouth to muffle her screams, while he goes down stairs to speak with a detective.. no joke, it’s literally how the book opens! We have no idea why Layla needs to be restrained, we just know that on some level she agrees with what Leeds is doing.
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Things go from sweet romantic beginnings, to crazy in a matter of chapters.. We get that incredible CoHo chemistry between our main characters, which instantly sucks you in because you need to know how on earth things have gone so wrong!
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This book took me on a real journey. I had no idea who I was supposed to trust. It made me question the characters sanity and their morals! I mean I don’t want to say too much because as usual, the less you know going in, the better the ride.
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I just want to assure those people that are chickens like me, even though this one has a creepy vibe in the beginning, it’s not overly scary. It’s a total rollercoaster of feelings and questions, that will keep you glued to the page. And that ending... WOW!😆
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Thank you to @amazonpublishing for the early copy, and thank you @colleenhoover for being my favourite author and writing so many amazing books that I adore!
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Highly recommend picking up Layla by Colleen Hoover when it’s released on December 8th.

Colleen Hoover is a master at her craft and I completely appreciate how she’s willing to take risks and push boundaries.

That said, it’s likely because of this that not every one of her books works for me. I almost have a love / hate relationship with them. Sometimes I feel moved to my bones and wish the story was required reading for life. Other times I feel angry and unsettled when I turn the last page.

Layla fell somewhere in the middle for me. I struggled to connect with the characters, and definitely with the insta-romance. Because of that, I didn’t feel this in the way that might have taken it to the next level for me. It was an interesting story – and one I did not, at any point, want to put down. But I admittedly skimmed over pages to get to the parts of the story that captivated me.

Those parts? The paranormal piece of it. It was a little chilling and unsettling how that was written. It wasn’t scary so much as it was just unnerving and it felt very realistic to me. I enjoyed this piece of the story so much. It kept me guessing and I had so many theories about what might be going on – and while I got a little close, I still never guessed correctly.

In all, this was a fun foray into paranormal romance. It was compelling and interesting, even if it didn’t captivate me the way I might have liked. I enjoyed it in a more analytical way – myself, separate from the story, observing these characters do all sorts of interesting, eerie, and occasionally unimaginable things. It was definitely different, and while it won't go down as my favorite story by this author - it is still lingering in my brain even a day after finishing, so it left a mark! That alone makes it worth the read, I think!

Layla by Colleen Hoover is a very unique, excellent book. Layla is a romance, thriller, and paranormal romance all in one.

Layla is in an interesting format rotating between an interview and then flashback to the full story of what happened. Leeds’s and his girlfriend, Layla, are not in a good place during the interview, but he still loves her. The book goes from Leeds and Layla meeting and following in love to months later when their relationship is falling apart.

After meeting at Layla’s sister’s wedding, Leeds and Layla spend all their time together. Then, there is a life changing event that causes Leeds to take them back to the bed and breakfast they met at to try to fix their relationship. It is now for sale, so they are the only ones staying there. As soon as they arrive, weird stuff starts happening. Leeds discovers there is a spirit living there, Willow. Leeds learns how to communicate with her. Soon his main focus is on Willow and trying to find out what happened to her. What will happen to Leeds and Layla’s relationship? What happened to Willow before she was at the bed and breakfast?

I don’t even know where to begin with my thoughts and feelings about Layla. I loved Layla so much. There wasn't anything I didn't like about this book. Layla was such a unique mix of romance, thriller and paranormal romance.

The book is called Layla but the whole book is from Leeds’s perspective which I found very interesting. Leeds was an excellent character. There were many times I was extremely frustrated with Leeds and didn’t like him. However, this didn’t keep him from being a great character. The reader knows why Leeds does everything and what he is thinking at the time. This really added to the story.

The story was so interesting. Instant love followed by a life changing event. Will Leeds and Layla become closer or farther apart from staying at the bed and breakfast?

I don’t read a lot of paranormal romance, but Layla has convinced me I need to read more.

I highly recommend Layla to fans of Colleen Hoover especially if you liked Verity. I also recommend Layla to anyone looking for a unique book and fans of paranormal romance.

Thank you NetGalley and Montlake/Amazon Publishing for Layla.

4.5/ 5 stars

There are very few authors that I would drop everything to read their new release. But Colleen Hoover is one of them. Everything that she writes is amazing. And I was so excited to read Layla.

To say that Layla was my most anticipated read of 2020 would be an understatement.

This book is not typical Coho. I like that the author is constantly trying new things. But this book is very different from her previous books. Layla is Colleen Hoover's first paranormal romance.

The narrator is musician Leeds Gabriel (1st person POV- male). Leeds meets Layla (22) when his band is playing at a wedding

The book starts from when Leeds meets Layla. And we get glimpses throughout the book of 8 months later (these parts of the book are called the Interview). The book moves forward in time until we reach that point 8 months later.

The first line of this book was epic. I was scared and I wondered "what am I reading?".

I had so many questions about what was happening during the interview part of the story. I don't usually like when a book goes back and forth in time. But in this case both time periods were so interesting.

For those contemporary romance readers who don't think that they will like paranormal let me reassure you. This isn't a vampire/werewolf/witch type of paranormal. It actually reads like a contemporary romance. But with a fairly major paranormal element. I think that readers who don't like paranormal will still enjoy this.

There were definitely some parts of this book that were typical Coho. There were some very impressive reveals. And there was a lot that I definitely did not see coming.

There is also a bit of a mystery. Leeds has to figure out what is happening. And we are taken along for the ride.

When I started Layla I was looking for an epic love story. As I was reading the book I just could not see how this was going to happen. But wow the author did things in this book that I was not expecting. And the result was amazing.

There was so much to like about this book. I loved the romance. I loved the characters. I loved the setting (much of this book is set at a Bed & Breakfast).

The end is everything for me. And the last chapters of this book were very strong. The last third of the book was 5 stars. I finished the book feeling overwhelmed with emotion. The end was riveting and made me feel so much. There were definitely some things that didn't make sense to me while reading the book. But all the things that did not make sense came together in the end. Honestly I have no idea how the author was able to do this. But I ended up being amazed. I was on the edge of my seat.

Overall, I was very impressed that this was the author's first paranormal romance. The more that I think about Layla the more I liked it.

Layla is the perfect creepy read for readers like me. I don't want anything too scary, but this is just spooky enough- especially great for fall.

Leeds and Layla meet at a wedding and they're smitten with each other from the start. They develop a strong connection and bond. Something happens that turns their lives upside down and their relationship hasn't quite been the same since. Leeds decides to go back to where it all began. The bed and breakfast where they first met. There he meets Willow, someone who needs his help. But helping Willow could come at the determent of Layla and he's not sure what to do...

Colleen Hoover always writes the best twists and this one threw me for a loop. Honestly, there was a time where I wasn't sure if I was liking it or the characters, but then BAM. It got me. It gave me just the right amount of feels and the ending, though I wish it gave me a bit more, was still satisfying.

Even though I wouldn't personally classify this as a romance, it had a strong romantic element that drew me in. I truly enjoyed figuring out what was happening along side our leading man, Leeds.

If you're a fan of paranormal stories on the ghostly side that are completely intriguing and compelling, this is the book for you. Hoover is one of the few authors that can get me to read something out of my comfortable romance zone, but I'm glad I picked this one up. I definitely didn't see it going in the direction it did, but I loved the twists and turns it took.

If you had told me a few months ago that I would read (and really enjoy) a paranormal romance book, I would probably have looked at you like you were crazy! 😂 But it’s ~spooky season~ so bring on all the ghosts!👻

Colleen Hoover has a way of writing about relationships that clearly transcends genres. This was my third book I’ve read by her and I really enjoyed the interesting and unique premise of this one. While some parts were a bit of a stretch on my imagination, I still found myself rooting for Layla and Leeds to get the happy ending they deserved!

I did figure out where things were going about halfway through, but there were definitely some aspects that kept me guessing up until the very end!! I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to Colleen Hoover fans and those that are looking to branch out a bit from your typical romance book.

I don't know what to do with this one. On one hand, CoHo's writing is on point (as always) in this book. On the other hand, I just can't with the story...

This book is beyond different from any CoHo book you'll ever read. I love that she keeps testing her boundaries and dipping her toes in areas we never thought she would. This "ghost" story is definitely one I never pictured her writing. With that being said, it's hard to reconcile the story and characters, at least for me.

The story itself is just weird. I don't know if it's a good or bad weird. But it's weird, and it had me scratching my head throughout the whole book. It flows well. I didn't have a hard time grasping what was going on, except when I wasn't supposed to. The mystery of the mystery in this one was just too far fetched for me.

The characters.... Let me just say, I despised the main character completely from start to finish. He just dug himself deeper and deeper throughout the whole book. For me, there was no redeeming him. He's creepy. He's despicable. I couldn't like him at all. I know I wasn't supposed to like him, but CoHO tried to redeem him and it didn't work for me.

That leads me to the ending. It was the only way the book could end on a positive note, however it didn't work. It was rushed and completely unbelievable. I saw it coming, but it just didn't work. I think, for me, this is a book where it didn't really call for the HEA we come to know and love from this author.

Like I said before, the book is extremely well written. This one just wasn't one for me. There were too many things that didn't speak to me. I really want to love this one, but I just can't. I will give CoHo props for that though. I haven't stopped thinking about this book for days.

Wow... what did I just read ?! This is the kind of book that you can't put down and then when you get to the end you want to read it all over again after reading the ending. It's best to just go into this book blind without too much information and let the story unfold. I think in the end it's a great love story.

WOW.... what a ride!!

This is so unique, refreshing, and nothing less than what you would expect from a Colleen Hoover novel. BUT, this is completely wild and not something you normally see from Coho.

Way to jump out of your comfort zone Colleen and write something that we've never seen before. Ok.. let me tell you this is NOTHING like anything you will expect. I mean NOTHING.

So, this is about a woman named Layla and her significant other Leeds. That's all I'm going to tell you haha.

Interesting, engaging, and well just strange but wild in a good way. Colleen is masterful at her writing skills and she once again pushes the envelope with her beautiful mesmerizing words that just fly across the pages of Layla.

It kept my interest from page one and she ventures into a whole new realm and genre with this one.

Overall, definitely enjoyed this one!

4 stars.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Mont Lake Romance for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Pub date: 12/8/20
Published to GR: 10/4/20.

Wow. Seriously I’m stunned. This book. You know when I first saw that Colleen was writing a paranormal book I was skeptical, I mean I knew she could pull it off but still to execute it like she so flawlessly and majestically did I’m in awe. Layla and Leeds, what a complete tragic mess of a relationship. I can’t even begin to start to throw the gist of this book into this review, it’s one you just need to go into pretty much as blind as possible. It a romance that breaches the paranormal realm and leaves you completely a wreck in the best way possible.

A classic Colleen Hoover romance novel... with a twist! If you're looking for a Verity-esque Colleen Hoover novel then you have come to the right place. In this novel she is different, edgy, and a bit creepy. Leeds is a musician that is playing at a wedding when he seemingly falls in love at first sight with Layla, the outgoing and beautiful sister of the bride. From then on they are inseparable, moving in together in Tennessee before tragedy hits. From then on we get a back and forth of real time and flashbacks, and a lot that I didn't see coming.

While this wasn't the typical storyline or genre I would look for on the shelf the writing kept me intrigued and wanting to read more! Hoover does a great job of keeping the reader engaged by adding another turn that keeps you from predicting the outcome. Even to the last page I didn't know how the story was going to end! Ghost stories/paranormal books are not my go-to, but I am pretty sure I will love anything that Colleen Hoover writes. Especially with this strong finish!

Thank you Netgalley, Montlake publishing, and Colleen Hoover for the advanced copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

After hearing about how great Colleen Hoover books are, I couldn't wait to start reading Layla, her upcoming release that mixes romance with paranormal elements. It wasn't what I expected (to say the least). I was disappointed by the storyline, the characters, and the sex scenes (some of which felt entirely unnecessary). I'll give Colleen Hoover another shot, but I won't be recommending this book.

What the holy bananas?!

This lady, she just writes the craziest stuff and I am here for it.

I must admit that this took me quite a bit to get invested. I'm fairly certain that was more on me than on the quality of the book.

Once I was about 40% in I really binged it. I love that the POV was from the male lead. I don't find that often in books.

I also must mention that I'm not typically a fan of ghost stories, but come on...ots Colleen Hoover.

So...recap... it took a bit to get into the story, then you really get into the meat, then the craziness comes, and then you stare at the wall and say...."wha...." and then you're done. Yep, that's it in a nutshell. Well done Hoover.

Thank you Montlake and Netgalley for the advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for my homest opinion.

3,5 Stars

I’m proud to say that I have read a fair share of Colleen Hoover’s books, and this one is the weirdest book she wrote so far. It was Colleen Hoover’s first paranormal romance, she did previously dive a little bit in the genre when she cowrote Never Never with Tarynn Fisher, but she did push things much further in here. Layla was a real roller coaster for me, it started really strong, but unfortunately midway through the book, it went downhill and once again, my interest was caught towards the end.

I’m not going to talk too much about the synopsis of the book because I think it’s better to jump into it without knowing anything. Maybe that’s why I enjoyed the beginning of the book so much. When the book was announced, I knew the book was a paranormal romance, but somehow, I completely forgot that detail once I started the book. Therefore, I was surprised by the paranormal elements, but I really liked it. Some scenes actually scared the hell out of me, and I’m not easily scared by books, so it does say something about the atmosphere. I wish this spooky atmosphere would have lasted much longer but it ended pretty quickly. Regarding the plot, it was really original and nothing like I've ever read before.

The book is divided into two timelines, the present time where Leeds is interviewed by a man and the past which is Leeds telling the events that will ultimately lead to the situation they are in right now. I’m usually not a big fan of this kind of narration since it breaks it, but I didn’t mind it at all here. The chapters where Leeds is interviewed can give some clues to the reader as to what is going on, but I didn’t pick any of them. Indeed, I didn’t see coming any of the revelations which was an important point for me in those kinds of books.

Unfortunately, the romance is the weak point of the novel for me. I had a hard time believing Leeds and Willow were falling in love with one another since I didn’t feel any chemistry between them. Leeds was interested by Willow because he wanted to know more about her past and why she was “a ghost”, but I couldn’t believe that he fell in love with her. I guess it’s later on explained why he fell in love with her so quickly, but it really confused me at first.

The other issue I had was the pacing. The beginning went really well but when Leeds started to interact more with Willow, that’s where the pacing suddenly slows down so it was difficult to get absorb by the book and Colleen kind of lost me there. The pacing picks up once again towards the end since it’s where the climax occurred.

I would recommend this book; I just didn’t love it as much as I thought I would. I guess my expectations were too high.

Wow, not really sure I would enjoy this, as I’m not sure I’m a huge fan of paranormal romance, and unlike others have only read two books by Colleen Hoover, one being Verity which is not romance as much as others. With all that said, this book was written very well, it kept me glued to the pages, and although it’s not my normal genre, I must admit it truly blew me away! Hoover definitely knows how to write, in a way that grabs the reader by a chokehold and demands their attention. I found myself to be very drawn to the character development and story and needing a conclusion! Absolutely a book that will blow your mind! Highly, highly recommend for C. Hoover fans, paranormal romance fans, or even those new to the genre and author! Huge word of advice, clear your schedule before you start, and do not under any circumstances start before bedtime, unless you’re prepared to lose sleep!
Will buzz it around the platforms and use lower Amazon reviewer number on release date!

I totally enjoyed reading this book. Couldn't put it down. Perfect read at the end of the day. Definitely recommend.