BookTok, the subcommunity of the app TikTok, is dominated by young adult book reviews. Colleen Hoover largely owns this domain— her books are all best sellers and adored by the BookTok community. As such, I felt compelled to take a look at this prolific, hugely popular author with the young adult clique, and get a sense of why she garners such a loyal following.

Most of Hoover’s books are romances, but this book, Verity, is a romance-suspense mashup. When Verity Crawford is greatly injured in a car wreck, suffering irreparable brain damage, her husband Jeremy enlists Lowen Ashleigh, author of novels in the same genre as Verity’s, to complete Verity’s contractual obligation for three more novels to complete her series. Lowen has hit hard times, after having put her writing life on hold to care for her mother until her recent death due to cancer. It has cleaned her out financially, and despite her misgivings, she accepts the offer to complete Verity’s series. The layers of incongruity begin as soon as Lowen temporarily takes up residence at the Crawford home, only long enough to glean Verity’s intentions for the novels based on her home office files. Lowen finds a manuscript for what appears to be a memoir of Verity’s relationship with Jeremy, portraying a radically different view of events from Jeremy’s version.

In the years prior to Verity’s accident, the couple has suffered the deaths of both of their twin daughters. Jeremy is left with the care of his disabled, noncommunicative wife and their five year old son, Crew. The sexual tension between Lowen and Jeremy is intense, as Hoover gradually and teasingly develops their relationship. Verity’s very name, based on the Latin root veritas, means truth. What is the truth here? Is Jeremy the good husband and father he appears to be? Is Verity a good wife and mother, and the couple suffering horribly tragic losses? Or is Verity the scheming, manipulative monster revealed in her memoir? Lowen is not the most reliable narrator, having suffered an emotionally neglectful mother, leaving her unsure of her own perceptions and judgement.

This novel will keep you quickly page turning until the very end. Hoover effectively escalates the romance between Jeremy and Lowen, as well as the suspense regarding Verity, and her son Crew. Is this serious literary fiction, with deeper meanings? No, certainly not. Is this an entertaining beach read? Absolutely. Pack this one on vacation, and enjoy a little titillation and exciting edginess. Recommended.