Reviews with content warning for Emotional abuse - Twisted Love

(Like near the ending chapters, there was a stalking in the rain scene, the run-away airport scene, the long monologue Alex gives on a stage and the casual interruption to another guy asking her out bc she’s *his*)

but I didn’t mind it too much.

I personally loved seeing Ava talk about her cultural background through the foods to the minute interactions. It really felt like she could’ve been a self-insert for the author. I also didn’t expect the struggles Ava goes through

Aka, her panic attacks and fear of water

And I loved that aspect. The blurb hints at this at the back, but I really didn’t predict the details. Also, I wonder how Ava manages to be so optimistic all the time with her tragic background? She must have overcome a lot to get herself there. Also, talking about the little things she liked, from red-velvet cupcakes to her photography, her interests were very well explored.

Her friend group is talked about a bit, mostly Ava just vents to them about her problems. But Bridget, as the matriarch, or female lead in the next book is mentioned just a smidge a bit more. She’s also a bit more impactful in the overall solving-the-third-act-conflict part.

As for Alex, he also seemed a bit cheesy at the beginning. The typical dark, brooding male, who is a CEO and loves and craves VIOLENCE, (at least as a means of getting whatever he wants bc his pockets are so deep) while somehow keeping said company afloat. I guess he sacrifices the finer things in life -aka his social life- for that. Jokes on me though, because I don’t hate this kind of men (in my books). And despite his last name, I hadn’t predicted his Russian heritage. He uses a few Russian words around the start of the book, though maybe if he’s Russian he could’ve called Ava something sweet in Russian? (I can’t remember if he did). I found ‘sunshine’ wasn’t really my thing.

My personal favorite part of the book is when the couple gets together around the half of the book, and even do normal couples stuff together, (So much so, that Ava’s friends are in on it), and yet aren’t official? At some point Alex says they’re exclusive, but they didn’t seem to call each other boyfriend or girlfriend. Somehow, I enjoyed this better than they’re typical selves before this part. That was also because they seemed to bicker a bit and the not-really enemies-to-lovers thing didn’t really do it for me. After that, they went through the third act where they separated for a bit, and it was all resolved in the last chapter before the epilogue. I’ve read other books where something similar happens, but I wish they ending was less rushed and more neatly tied up.

During this ideal period for me, the two acted more like a real couple and were giddy and in love. I didn’t like the after part as much, probably because of the third act conflict. Consider this a more detailed version of content warnings —> (

Alex enjoyed being in charge of Ava, calling her names in certain situations.

)

There were lots of cheesy things that I didn’t buy would happen for a single second

For example, Alex being invited to and attending a PICNIC, when the two weren’t getting along

. Alex also seemed a bit controlling, like him getting upset with Ava wearing more revealing clothing. Especially because this was early on when they still didn’t get along, so who is he to say so?

Also, he slept in the same bed as her during this time, which as a girl is not really endearing. It’s fine if the couple are close or feel safe with each other, but doing so without Ava’s okay and when they’re still bickering isn’t really a safe feeling for me.

So overall, this book went from the brother’s best friend trope to bickering, to getting along. Then it became a bit of a mystery (and that part also kept me going), solved Alex’s problems, and then they had to find each other again. It was a whirlwind and any of those separate parts could have been different books. But I enjoyed it as a fun read. I would like to read more about them as a couple in those happier times.

Content Warnings

megs_k's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Pretty words and pretty faces don’t equal pretty souls. ~ Ana Huang

Sometimes you just want to read a toxic red flagged romance.

Content Warnings

hannahcheney97's review against another edition

Go to review page

medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.0

Content Warnings

thespycrowreads's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Ever so often, you stumble across hilariously dumb books on TikTok during your worst reading slump, and sometimes these trashy novels are what revive your interest in reading. "Twisted Love" by Ana Huang is the first instalment of the Twisted series.

This contemporary romance novel centres around Ava Chen and Alex Volkov. Ava is a cheerful, aspiring photographer with a complicated past, while Alex is a brooding, wealthy businessman with a vendetta. The story begins with Alex reluctantly agreeing to look after Ava when her brother, Josh, leaves for a year-long volunteering stint. Despite their initial friction, Alex and Ava gradually grow closer, sharing their struggles and vulnerabilities. Alex's cold demeanour is linked to his traumatic past and a deep-seated grudge against Ava's family. As their relationship deepens, both characters confront and deal with their respective emotional wounds. The novel delves into themes of trauma, revenge, and redemption, culminating in a resolution that highlights Alex's quest for forgiveness and their evolving relationship.

To be honest, I had the lowest expectations from this book considering many other book recommendations from the internet usually fall short. The plot and sub-plot are quite engaging, with a notable entertainment factor. The characters are well-developed and not shallow. The writing and narration are also commendable. However, several factors just did not sit right with me.

Firstly, the narrative feels a bit rushed due to the multiple intertwining plot elements. While this adds to the entertainment, it can also be overwhelming. Secondly, while Huang does a good job with character development, Alex Volkov's narcissistic and possessive traits made it difficult for me to fully root for him. The portrayal of his behaviour, particularly his attempts to control Ava, raised questions about his true intentions. Ultimately, this affected my overall enjoyment of their relationship.

I’d give it a solid two stars—one for the decent writing and one for the entertainment value. I'm currently debating whether to continue with the second instalment, "Twisted Games," which I’ve heard is lengthy and focuses more on steamy content.

Content Warnings

jaklyn_heath_reads's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

I didn’t love this one but also went into knowing it wasn’t going to be a favourite.
I listened to the audio while painting and enjoyed it. There is a lot of spice- it’s a tad demeaning, dirty, rough so be warned.
The theme of “vengeance” was a bit over-the-top but I guess the twists were decent.
Not the best written book but entertaining.

Content Warnings

jennaslaney_'s review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Content Warnings

chaninpages's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

Basically, reading twisted love made me realise that despite having some of the best tropes, the story falls short due to poor writing and execution. Twisted love is the first book among Twisted series. The book has dual pov of both Alex and Ava which was interesting rather sticking to single lead pov. The four books center around Ava and her three best friends which is again another interesting setup which will possibly show different personalities and their relationship dynamics. The beginning of the book is good, but the more you read, the more you feel the urge to DNF it but I didn't end up doing it .

1. Firstly ,it has the most amazing trope of the brother's best friend. The central idea of this trope was built naturally and seemed fine. Then it is supposedly said to have grumpy x sunshine. Ava does have a personality of sunshine but calling Alex a grumpy guy is actually changing the definition of the word grumpy. He is so cranky, bad-tempered and irritable. He might be called anti-hero or morally grey but his personality is not too ambiguous when it comes to morals. He is always willing to take the violent course of actions. The bed sharing trope was written well.

2. Both the leads have traumas and they cope differently. One is so aloof and the other is friendly. The opposites attract is shown well in this story. Male lead is quite a confusing character when it comes confiding in his feelings. The twists were not twisting and are very much predictable.

3. Alex is definitely not the type of guy one must date. He is the yandere type of guy. The fact that he is rich, influential, handsome, and has an IQ of 160, along with other unrealistic qualities, does not make him unapproachable. Rather, it is his sheer toxicity, which takes no detour and continues to lead the way from beginning to end, that makes him so. He is extremely possessive, obsessive and threatens every being who is close to Ava when things don't go his way.

He even resorts to stalking and begging after betraying her and treating her poorly.

4. His character development was not strong enough but his soft natured feelings seemed genuine. The morally grey characters can be handled very well but Ana did not quite make him likeable except for few instances which cannot let you blind eye towards his insane behaviour. The smut was so cringey and so aggressive.

Content Warnings

bekkas_library's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Content Warnings

More...