A review by revolverreads
Twisted Love by Ana Huang

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

3.0

There is something so unsexy about a man who claims he would burn the world for her but can’t even use his fists when his uncle kidnaps and almost kills her. Men can be so unreliable these days.

This month, we dove headfirst into "Twisted Love" by Ana Huang. The vermilion red flags are bright and waving in your face as you open this book, because nothing screams Wattpad like a classic playlist for a novel. 

However, to be fair, this book was fun to read. It hits all the tropes you'd expect from a romance novel, particularly one with an icy male lead. Alex Volkov is meant to be dangerous, he’s meant to be serving body and face, but the only thing he should really be serving is some jail time. Especially for giving Ava absolutely no warning before "unloading" himself all over his face. 

Also, if you're going to promise a dangerous male lead, it's important to actually let them exhibit a bit of darkness and danger. 

Ava carries obvious trauma, having survived a harrowing incident involving drowning. Much of the narrative revolves around Alex and Ava navigating her trauma together, both emotionally and physically. He has a knack for making her wet, whether it's in or out of the pool... if you catch our drift. However, their escapades extend to inappropriate public locations, like getting her all hot and bothered during dinner at a friend's house. At least Ava’s blessed with a fantastic group of friends who each possess distinct personalities that hint at their future successes in their own sequels. 

Our protagonists initially have minimal issues with Ava’s brother, mainly because they whisked him off to South America as swiftly as Disney dispatches its princesses' mothers to their graves. Predictably, the villains and plot twists lack surprise, and the inevitable conflict between the main couple can be seen from a mile away. 

What we didn’t expect was Alex's impromptu serenade with a guitar. That scene truly had us wondering if rich people need poor friends to remind them that they are not good at everything, and money can’t buy talent. Because the hill we will die on is that Alex is a bad singer, and an even worse boyfriend for upstaging Ava at her event. 

This book serves as a cautionary tale on what not to do in a relationship. You'll either love it, hate it, or perhaps just DNF it, but we invite you to join us as we delve into more detail on our podcast, "Revolver Reads: A Bookclub Russian Roulette." Find us on your preferred podcast platform or simply @revolverreads on Instagram, and share your thoughts. If you have any future book suggestions for our roulette wheel, feel free to email us at [email protected].
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