Another superb story is written by #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover. With its dark and enthralling narration of events, Verity (2018) lets your imagination soar with its roller-coaster take of romance and mysteries to be unraveled. It makes you try to solve a writer’s dilemma only to trick you with her own manipulative skills.

Let me ask you: How far would you go to manipulate the truth? 

In “Verity,” join the character of Lowen Ashleigh, a struggling writer who was hired to ghostwrite the unfinished stories of bestselling author Verity Crawford. As Lowen enters the life of the Crawford family, she then finds out Verity’s dark twists and turns in her love life with Billy, as well as her “expectations versus reality” type of marriage.

Beware, it’s a trap

Verity never lets you stop reading for an hour or so. Once you start reading the book, there’s no turning back. Moreover, its 200-page story seeks answers on uncertainty; yet as you reach its cliffhanger-like ending, questions would still linger, making it astounding and satisfying.  

“I hear the crack of his skull before the spattering of blood reaches me.”—Chapter One’s first sentence. This striking opener already gives off a “Gone Girl” plot type of vibe; making its narration written with brevity, boring no one. Every used word choice, timing, and flow of the storyline vividly sketches moving images to its readers. 

Staying in Crawford’s residence being one of the perks for Lowen, she also pries to the dilapidated-due-to-an-accident Verity. This seems like a blessing in disguise to Lowen who then gets fond of Billy, Verity’s husband, and falls in love with him. Upon reading, you’ll get used to Lowen’s curiosity on discovering the truth as embedded on her personality as a writer. 

Meanwhile, Verity’s role lets you be in awe as she’s the type of an author who can’t express her emotions exclusively. With her manuscript as the evidence, we discover what’s on Verity’s mind, encapsulating her hidden desires and regrets. 

If you are a faint-hearted reader, this serves as a warning. Moreover, you’ll also learn to love and hate the characters, even in their most bizarre ways. 

A fresh new take 

Colleen Hoover is famous for her romance and young adult novels which would surely hook you as a reader. Although Verity is her first ever suspense book, Hoover does not disappoint publishing another top tier story to be added in your must-read collection. 

Aside from Verity, here are my top three Colleen Hoover’s novels that I could recommend:  

• It Ends With Us
• Confess
• Without Merit

Happy reading, CoHo bookworms.

Cover Photo by John David Miranda