I didn’t pick up Verity expecting to be emotionally rattled. I thought I was in for just another romantic suspense novel, something to fill a quiet weekend. But a friend—who rarely recommends books looked me in the eyes and said, “Read Verity. You won’t be the same.” That was the nudge I needed, and oh, was she right.
From the very first page, Colleen Hoover throws you into a psychological labyrinth. I found myself questioning every thought, doubting every character, and flipping pages long after I should have gone to bed. Verity isn't just a thriller it’s a twisted, intimate confrontation with the darkest parts of human nature. And I loved every minute of it.
Verity brings us Lowen Ashleigh, a struggling writer with poor earning capability. The world has boxed her in until the most unexpected thing happens to her. The husband of a bestselling author Verity Crawford, Jeremy Crawford, wants Lowen to finish the series of successful novels Verity writes. Why? Since Verity is not able to resume work since she has been disabled in a car accident.
Lowen takes it, and moves into the Crawford home to rummage through Verity notes. And there, in the quiet of the house and the darkness of tragedy, she finds an incomplete autobiography. It is all changed by what she reads.
Hoover does not take time in creating tension. She plunges you into a dark world where there are secrets, sorrow, guilt and a weird feeling of danger everywhere. The further Lowen gets into the manuscript written by Verity, the more the border between fiction and reality dissolves, and you, as a reader, are in the same boat as she is.
I should be explicit: this book swallowed me up. Hoover is a genius in the use of perspective, memory, and emotion to the point where you lose your sense of moral compass. You gradually end up feeling the paranoia that Lowen is feeling. You start questioning yourself, is Verity a victim of her situation or is she something far worse?
The manuscript that Verity is writing in the novel is bone chilling. It is not something to peek into her life, it is sitting front row to obsession, manipulation, and horror. I was sick when reading certain parts not due to the gore, but rather the psychological sickening of it. And I could not leave it alone.
At some points I literally shut the book, gazed at the ceiling and mumbled, what was that I just read? Hoover leads you to question all assumptions. You think you know a character, and she pulls the rug out under you.
Our narrator Lowen is very relateable. She is weak, insecure, and she is unleashed into an environment way above her capabilities. Her obsessive search into the past of Verity reconstitutes the reader into obsessively reading the story. I was a part of her fear, her confusion, her conflict. You do not simply read Verity, you sort of feel it through the skin of Lowen.
Jeremy the husband is attractive and mysterious. I simply could not make him out. Was he actually mourning and shattered? Or was he blind to darkness that could be under his own roof?
And Verity… Verity is a character who actually does not speak, does not cross the room, but still does control the story. You can choose to view her as a monster or a misunderstood woman, depending on your interpretation of the manuscript, and what you might think of as biases. That is what makes her memorable.
Reading Verity was to look in the mirror and see a stranger. It is not a book that just entertains you. It poses tough questions- regarding motherhood, ambition, jealousy and love and the extent to which people go to conceal their truths.
There is a scene which I will not spoil, but which so dislodged me emotionally, I had to stop, and go outside. It was not because it was violent but because it was so heartbreaking. Hoover is able to reach into your chest and squeeze your heart in her fist.
It is not a love story. It is not even a typical thriller. It is a psychological autopsy of trauma, lies and masks we put on. It is a story of what ensues when we dig deeper into the life that appears to be flawless.
And then, it closes… well, I guess there is not much to say, the ending made me speechless. I was rereading the last pages, expecting some clarity, resolution, answers, but Hoover does not give them away. She leaves you instead with ambiguity, which is eminent even after the last page.
I was haunted and thrilled by the end of Verity. I Googled theories, texted amigos that read it, and rewatched scenes just to see whether I overlooked something. It was like you are waking up after a dream you can not describe and can not forget.
In case you are looking to read a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat, then Verity is the right choice. It is not a comfortable read but a challenge. It will make you uncomfortable, it will make you disturbed and it will compel you to think about people in a different way. It will also make you excited, astonished and spend days and weeks thinking about the story.
Colleen Hoover has created a tension and character masterpiece. She is not only the storyteller, she challenges you to live a story. And Verity is one of those books that makes you remember why you started to love reading in the first place; why fiction can be so much more powerful than the truth: because sometimes, fiction hurts more than reality
So, what prompted me to read Verity? A friend’s simple, urgent recommendation. What did I find? A story that curled its fingers around my brain and refused to let go.
If you're looking for a mind-bending, heart-pounding, emotionally charged novel that defies expectations—Verity should be next on your list. But a word of warning: don’t expect to walk away from it unchanged.
You’ve been warned. Now, dive in. Let Verity mess with your mind.
The last three images was gotten from web:
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