Verity: A Compulsive, Dark Read for fans of “Gone Girl”

I’ve been in quite a reading rut lately (can you tell by my lack of posts??), so I’ve been reaching for books in genres I don’t normally read. I saw Verity by Colleen Hoover available on Kindle Unlimited, so I decided to give it a try. A gooey, emotional love story sounded like exactly what I wanted. Clearly, I had not received the memo that this book was going to be unlike every other Hoover book – aka: NOT a gushy love story. AT ALL.

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 what really happened the day her daughter died.

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.

What I liked about Verity:

1. Once I was about 20% into the book, I was hooked. I had to know what was going on. Hoover had created so many questions in my mind. I was desperate to know the answers.

2. It was definitely dark and twisted. Some of the “Verity” chapters were quite shocking to read.

3. You don’t really love any of the characters; they’re all flawed differently. I mean, you definitely like some characters more than the others, but no one in this novel is perfect.

If you loved Gone Girl then this one is for you!

A.S. Thornton

A.S. Thornton has evolved from book blogger to author with a particular fondness for writing forbidden love in ancient deserts. When not writing, she’s caring for dogs and cats as a veterinarian. You’ll never find animals at the center of her writing, though, because those fictional worlds don’t have veterinarians and her literal brain can’t accept that the poor critters would be without parasite prevention. Thornton’s debut, DAUGHTER OF THE SALT KING is available wherever books are sold.