I don't know exactly what I just read but what I do know is that I freaking loved it!!!

This is Colleen's first book is this genre and I seriously hope we get more. Layla was so unique. I don't think I have ever read a book quite like this one before. It sucked me in from the very beginning.

Leeds meets Layla and they hit it off from first sight. Layla is awkward and full of life. Leeds is lost and doesn't know where to go or what to do with his life. But when he meets Layla, his world is full of love and life....until it isn't. My mind was spinning at the twists. I thought things would go in one direction and they went the complete opposite.

Go into this story with an open mind.. If you read this book thinking it's like Colleens other books, you are in for a shock. You will get a romance but it's a haunting love story that will have you questioning everything you ever thought.

Ahhhhh...just read this book! Layla will not disappoint.

I love Colleen Hoover's writing style, but most of her books are just not for me because they are more geared toward a YA audience. The only reason I am not giving it a high rating is because I just don't connect to YA characters. This one was just not for me.

Alright Hoover fans, this will be a read unlike anything you’ve ever read by Colleen before. And it’s fucking brilliant (pardon my language, but that’s the truth).

It’s not your typical butterflies-in-your-stomach-heart-bursting-at-the-seams romance, but that doesn’t make it any less intriguing. This romance is darker, more twisted, but still so engaging! Colleen has a way with turning your emotions upside down and inside out. For that reason alone, I was completely captivated and enthralled by the story. I still can’t fathom how many emotions I wrestled with while reading this story. I felt heat and warmth of a love story, I felt the goosebumps prickle on my spine from fear, I felt an intense curiosity bubble up, I felt the sharp slice of betrayal, and I felt each and every shocking twist. Colleen is an incredible author for being able to pull so many emotions out of one story. I don’t understand how she can make me fall completely in love with a romance while for the majority of the book I didn’t even know if I liked the main character. This story is a unique blend of romance, paranormal, and thriller that will leave your mind blown.

Thank you so much to Amazon Publishing for sending me and advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

WHAT A RIDE! Wow. Not what I expected from a paranormal romance, but just what I expect from Colleen!

When I hear paranormal romance, I think vampires, werewolves, or other creatures of the night. This is not that. With lots of thriller-esque twists, Layla will appeal to fans of Verity and other psychological thrillers. I can’t say more without spoiling, but just know that Colleen’s venture into this new genre is unique and unexpected.

This is not five stars for me because the storyline made it really hard to like the characters. I’ve enjoyed plenty of stories with unlikable characters in the past, but this plot line made it difficult to connect with the characters’ motivations. The things that didn’t make sense to me all added up in the end, but it was an issue for me throughout most of the book. I also just don’t think this was as well-written as other books from Colleen Hoover.

Still, I enjoyed the book overall. I thought it was bingeable and twisty and I couldn’t put it down. The ending left my jaw on the floor, and I totally need to catch up on CoHo’s backlist now.

CW: gun violence, emotional cheating

Layla was the first book I’ve read by Colleen Hoover, who I’ve heard so many good things about, so I had some pretty high expectations. I am so happy to say that I was not disappointed at all and loved this book!

Reading about Layla, Leeds, and Willow kept me on my toes because I was never sure what was going to happen next. Layla and Leeds were both so (rightfully) erratic throughout the story that I never knew how they were going to react to anything.

I enjoyed how Layla was written, with the chapters going from Leeds’ interview in the present to the past, showing you what lead up to his and Layla’s current situation.

There were parts of the book where I loved each character and hated each character, and to me that’s so important. If I have real feelings towards a character/characters that means I am completely invested in the book.

Layla was definitely a different kind of book than I’m used to, because I normally lean towards fantasy, but I’m so glad I gave it a shot! A great read with complex characters and an amazing twist.

Leeds doesn't know how to help Layla any more. His ex-girlfriend Sable attacked Layla savagely, leaving her deeply disturbed, so traumatized that, well, you'll see. As a last ditch effort, he takes her away, thinking a change of scenery will be good. Things are off, though at the B&B and Leeds finds a common soul in Willow. This is hard to review without spoilers- you already know there's something paranormal going on but I'm not going to tell you what it is. Or who. Just enjoy the whirlwind romance between Leeds and Layla and how he tries, so so tries. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A fast entertaining read.

I should just save CoHo’s books for when I’m in a slump because they never fail to grip me. I was a little slow to start (totally life’s fault, not the book’s), but once I got hooked, I couldn’t stop. Will forever love anything Colleen Hoover comes up with.

This book is a ride. Which is not surprising considering its author. That being said, Layla is a different type of book for Hoover as she ventures into the paranormal. Leeds and Layla meet at a wedding and it's basically insta love. Everything is better than they could imagine until a terrible tragedy changes their lives dramatically. Leeds takes Layla for a trip back to where they met for a getaway in the hope that they can find their way back to how things used to be. Things do not go as planned as everything Leeds thinks believe changes and he finds himself and Layla stuck in a mixed up situation.

I enjoyed this book. There are twists and turns that keep the pages turning. At one point, I thought I had it all figured out and I sort of did. But Hoover's genius is that she's always one step ahead of the reader and the final result is surprising, gut wrenching and breathtaking. I did have a hard time with Leeds at times because the story borders on the idea of cheating. It had my stomach in knots for parts of the book. Having read books by this author, I had the trust that all would work out and it certainly did. In the end, I found myself really glad that I kept with it and would definitely recommend this one to others. While it is paranormal, Layla is still a love story at its core. Add this one to your TBR pile. It is nothing like you have ever read. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

I’m so conflicted on this book.

What I liked: It was a unique story, and parts of it did surprise me. Another plus is that it’s unlike any story I have ever read before.

What I didn’t like: The dialogue felt extremely repetitive at times. While I knew this was paranormal and didn’t expect it be super “realistic” this was almost too far fetched. For example, when I read “The Sundown Motel” it was paranormal and I definitely believed parts of the ghost story I’m the spooky little town, but this was almost too much.

I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t exactly love it either.

I can't decide if this is a 4 or a 4.5, so I'm going to be ambiguous and say that I can't decide. I've read three CoHo books now: 1) It Ends with Us, 2) Verity and now Layla. Verity is my favorite. It was so fun to read and I love creepy books that make your hair stand up on end. Layla was the same for a while and then it took a different turn and it lost the creep factor. I didn't rate down for that, (I try not to rate down for my preferences as best as I can), but it left me feeling disappointed at what could have been.

I think this book is best going into blind. I will admit that in my view, the first 50% was the best, and just when things started to get a little repetitive and my interest may have started to wane, CoHo deftly took us towards the conclusion and it was a fun ride to the end. I think that a lot of readers may get very frustrated with Leeds, but hopefully the end resolves that frustration for you.

Ultimately, I really liked it and continue to be a big fan of CoHo. I like how she tries to write out of the box ideas and for that I will keep coming back. I think most people are going to really like or love this book and I'm thrilled to have been able to read it early.

Thanks to Netgalley, Montlake and CoHo for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review.

Review Date: 11/27/2020
Publication Date: 12/08/2020

Thank you to the author and publisher & @netgalley for an advance e-arc of this much anticipated book!

Wow, I don’t even know where to begin my review of Layla! This is a love story like no other but I think that is something you would expect of Colleen Hoover. This is a paranormal romance, not between 2 ghosts but between a human and a ghost which does not at all follow the usual tropes of a romance genre. If you think this sounds far-fetched, think again. The book will catapult you from the first sentence and leave you speechless in the end. Please also have tissues handy.

This is not just another sob love story. It’s a book that constantly evaluates larger themes of morality, privacy, what it’s like to be a caregiver and what it’s like to be a victim. You are either going to love or hate the male protagonist because he is the nicest guy but also the most selfish. Then expect to reevaluate your feelings of him again when a major twist happens, à la CoHo style. And the twists keep on coming...

Notice how I never introduced character names or a summary which is not typical of me? That is because I want you to go in tabula rasa and savor this masterpiece. Even if you aren’t a usual romance reader, I urge you to preorder and try this one. Now, please excuse me while I go haunt someone for a signed finished copy!

WOW, this book. This is not the genre I usually read, but I LOVE Colleen's books, so I jumped in... Not going to lie..... It got hard for me in the middle of this book. I had to stop reading for a bit, but I needed to know how it ended. I am SO glad I finished the book, it was really good. Kind of our of this world crazy, but..... it has all the feels, One of the reasons I love Colleen you know her books are written well.

This book had all the feels and there were some major twists and turns. Now that I have read the entire book, I have gone back and re-read some of the chapters to truly understand now that I have the full story. This is brilliantly done and I have to say I enjoyed it, I did not think this would be the case while I was reading it. Leeds was a lost sole until he found Layla. He did not know he was lost, but he was....

Layla asked him after meeting him, "Do you ever watch those YouTube videos of people dying inside?"
He replies, "No"
She then replies, "That is what you looked like up there, like you were dying inside."

She saved him from himself and then just as life was really getting into the swing of things for them as a couple..... their world changes on a dime. One social media post and world was never right again...... until it was, and even then it was not....

Love never dies, even if the person does.... pick this book up and be really for an emotional roller coaster.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the Advanced Reading Copy in exchange for an honest review.

This unfortunately was a Do Not Finish at 50% for me. I had a hard time getting into this one because the blurb I don't think was a fair representation to this book. It should note that it is paranormal, maybe a suspense, or ultimately a horror story. The romance seemed to be the b-plot to me.

However, the reason for the DNF were my issues with consent. I won't delve deep into because I don't want to provide spoilers but I don't think they were necessary plot wise for the book and just made me uncomfortable that I could not continue to read. CoHo is a talented writer but consent is something I have to have in a book I read. It may ultimately get explained later in the book, but I did not connect with the MC and felt he was too clingy, his relationship with Layla too toxic. I could not continue reading.

I'm torn between giving this book 4 or 4.5 stars.

Only because my taste is not into paranormal. However, it is beautifully written, the storyline is unique, and the ending is excellent.

I’ve had so many different emotions reading this book. I went into it with an open mind and honestly not knowing too much of the description. I just heard Colleen Hoover and knew I had to read it!

The beginning was intense and left me captivated. I felt like I was right alongside Layla and Leeds as they fell into love. Colleen Hoover's writing is fantastic. She writes beautifully, giving the right amount of details without making the story slow.

I was not expecting where this was going though.....

When Willow's story is first introduced, I was a little spooked. I was reading at night, and paranormal stuff is not my thing. I’m a total spook! But just as slow and weird that part got, it takes a drastic turn. Willow's story starts to unfold, and it all becomes more intriguing as it develops.

There were times that I did find it to read slow and odd, and I had no idea how it would end. But then, as in CoHo style, it all took a drastic turn.

The ending blows my mind. It has to be one of my favorite endings of her books I’ve read so far. Colleen Hoover is just such a genius. The storyline and was unique and her writing, as always, was beautiful.

Colleen Hoover is an author known for deeply exploring emotions, bringing engaging characters and relationships to life, and for creating epic twists among the drama. She normally writes contemporary romance novels (which almost always get me to cry). She deviates from that once in awhile to explore the thriller genre. Her novel, Verity, is an example of one of those occasions, and we can add Layla to the lost now, too.

Layla was so interesting in that it was a supernatural romance. It’s edgy and hot. The main characters meet at a wedding, and the man was one of the hired band members. - There is something really sexy about combining music and romance and that element really worked for the storyline.

Right from the Introduction at the beginning for the book, the reader is shown a hint that this Hoover book will have a dark side, and the way she sets up the story makes for a ton of mystery. I appreciated that the book covers a lot of deep topics - trauma, anxiety, assault, and life after death, to name a few.

If you’re a CoHo fan, you will want to read this and get a copy when it is published December 8th! It’s incredibly unique and I guarantee you’ll lose sleep over it as you read past your bed time (at least I did). 👻
I gave it 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 for this review.

I love Colleen Hoover - but this one fell a little flat for me. Nevertheless, it's a great book, just didn't feel like the same as the others I've read by her... I can't even name what it was...

My brain hurts. A lot. And I THINK in a good way. It would be easy to assign this a rating based on the success of the romance in this (hint: it would NOT be favorable), but that's really, really not what this is. It's psychological, paranormal, and boundary-pushing. The quality of the writing is definitely there, and the journey is all kinds of crazy. I can honestly say that the storyline is like nothing I've ever read before, and while there were times when I was adamant that I was hating it... it's ultimately a very engrossing, uncomfortable, and unpredictable read.

The story follows Leeds and Layla, two people who meet and feel an instant spark between them. After a few sex-filled months together, their lust seems to have simmered into love, and things are looking up for these young lovers. But when an incident sends their lives into a tailspin, Leeds isn't sure how to get back what they lost. Suddenly everything between them is different, and it's becoming more and more difficult to find the woman he fell for. And that's just the start of his spiral out of love and out of control.

The romance reader in me struggled with this book so, SO much. It both is and isn't a romance. Yes, love is at the foundation of the story, but it's centered on the psychological/paranormal elements, and messes with your mind in a big way. Hoover pushes the reader to the limit on what they find acceptable in a relationship, with everything from a love triangle to cheating to a hero who honestly is not all that likable - and more. I think I found it to be more fascinating than enjoyable, but I very much wanted to find out what happened next. Everyone is going to have a different response to this story, but it's one that you won't soon forget. So, in the end, I think it's very successful in being an engaging, intricately planned read. I was lucky enough to receive an early copy via NetGalley (then purchased it for my collection), and am voluntarily leaving a review of this brain-bending story.

OH. MY. DAYS.
My head is literally spinning trying to process what I've just read.
There is no other adrenaline like it when a book makes you gasp and whisper out loud "OMG. TWIST"!
I admit I had to suspend disbelief a few times and I wasn't a huge fan of Leeds being such a coward, but the end was utterly mind blowing.
The book hangover from this one is going to be HUGE.
If this is what Colleen Hoover's books are like, I can't wait for the ride.

Ghost Whisperer and Jennifer Love Hewitt here I come.

I loved that series so much and it feels like a lifetime since I was so intrigued and caught up with everything, especially one episode that stayed with me till today. And that exactly epic love story was all the time in my mind while reading this book.
It’s such a heartbreakingly beautiful love story that will be raked about so much and hopefully turned into a movie because it has all the elements for a blockbuster.
While I wasn’t completely comfortable with some of the actions that Gabriel tried to find out what’s really happening or even to help Layla, the story has so many layers of suspense and romance intertwined that it’s hard not to see how his love for her has no limits.
I’m glad that the resolution came from her part and a bit shocked that he kept up with it.

Even you don’t care for the paranormal books, this is a must-read story.

Not one of my typical reads but this is a phenominal supernatural read. Mystery, light romance and an intriguing story bind together to make this a quick, entertaining read.. With Colleen Hoover's prose you can't go wrong no matter the genre!