Twisted Love by Ana Huang - Book review

Twisted Love by Ana Huang is a dark, twisted suspense, romance that follows Ava and Alex who never thought would fall for each other but they do. There is a mystery surrounding both the characters throughout the story. Ava is caring and kind while she struggles with nightmares and phobias due to an event in her past. Meanwhile, Alex is tough who is a business man with a disturbing past, seeking revenge on those who killed his family when he was at the age of ten.

The story starts with Ava who know Alex for years as her brother's best friend. They never spoke with each other until one day when Josh (Ava's brother) asks Alex to pick up Ava. Josh has just left the country for work and he asks his best friend Alex to move into the house next door to look after Ava. Though Ava and Alex were never friends, Ava decided to welcome Alex by offering him cookies. And Alex starts to feel something in his chest for Ava. Then, Ava's friends decide to let Alex's emotions out by the plan "Operation Emotion." 

During this operation Alex realizes he’s having thoughts about her which he shouldn’t be having for his best friend’s sister. He started to get jealous when Ava was dancing around with a guy and he even rescued Ava from Liam (Ava's ex) and he gradually became possesive towards her. Ava realizes that there is a chemistry that builds between herself and Alex. As days passed by, both look happy together, spending time, Ava having a photoshoot for Alex. Everything was perfect for Ava. 

Ava had a disturbing past when she was pushed into the water by her mother and this incident always haunt her. Her mother died due to overdose as she was depressed by the divorce decision. And as Ava was scared to swim, Alex started to train her to let go of that fear and swim. 

Later, Ava and Alex visit Ava's father for the Thanksgiving and that night was the worst nightmare to Ava as she remembers the ring on those hands who pushed her into the water, it was her dad. Alex plans a confrontation with her father in his office with Ava and Josh listening everything from the outside. Michael (Ava's father) confess everything that he was the one who tried to killed Ava because he thought Ava's mother had an affair and Ava wasn't his daughter. He's been arrested. Josh finds out about Ava and Alex. And Josh warns Alex not to break Ava's heart.

After few days, Alex finds out the one who murdered his family was his uncle Ivan Volkow. When Alex is notified that Ava and Bridget had been held hostage by his uncle Ivan, Alex tries to not show any emotions on them and to free them he says that he was with Ava and Josh just to absorb the information from their father for he had an suspect on him. Ava was devastated by his words and on the other hand Alex points a gun on Ivan and shot him 6 bullets by taking his revenge.

Ava is hurt by Alex and he says whatever he said was true. After all this, Alex thought it was for the good of Ava, he has to stay away from her. After two months she left to London for her fellowship. Alex couldn't resist and left to London asking Ava to give him a second chance but Ava wasn't pleased and asked him to leave alone. On the last day of exhibition, Ava was surprised when she heard all of her works were sold and she knew it was Alex who purchased it all. He later sang a song to Ava about love and regret and heartbreak and forgiveness and there comes the happy ending allowing his forgiveness and getting back together happily.

It definitely has a great plot but Alex's character disturbed me for he being a psychopath. The only thing I enjoyed reading was the dark past of Alex and Ava, the suspense and the trauma they both faced during their childhood. It helped me to understand the characters more in depth. There were so many twists and turns that I never saw coming. Overall, it was not worth the hype and the first half of the book was pretty slow and the ending was quick which I felt was a rush but I was never bored. 

However, I look forward to continuing this series and getting to know other characters as well.

Favourite quotes from the book:

“If you let lesser people determine your self-worth, you'll never reach higher than their limited imagination.”

“You believe the best of people and that’s a strength, not a weakness.”

“Wonderful people exist and wonderful things happen too, and if you focus too much on the negative, you miss all the positive.”

Love isn’t earned, it’s given.”

"Death was oblivion; life was reality, the harshest truth that had ever existed."

“You want the world to think you have no heart when in reality, you have a multilayered one: a heart of gold encased in a heart of ice."

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐