A few spoilers included
As a bookworm, you don’t have to look far to know that Colleen Hoover is a marmite author—readers either love or hate her writing. There’s also a middle ground where opinions depend on the book. For instance, the novel I’m reviewing wasn’t my first Hoover read. I started with Reminders of Him via Audible, and while I enjoyed it, I found it predictable and didn’t give it a five-star rating. Verity, on the other hand, was an entirely different experience. It kept me hooked—at least up to a certain point.
In a shocking and graphic turn of events, a struggling author witnesses a fatal collision on the streets of Manhattan, leaving her covered in the victim’s blood. Stunned, she freezes until a stranger approaches, helping her clean up just in time for an important meeting with her publisher—who also happens to be her ex-boyfriend. Wearing the stranger’s shirt, she arrives at the office, only to realize that the man who helped her is Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford.
Verity, left comatose after a car crash, was in the middle of writing her famous book series. She needs someone to continue the work, but Lowen Ashleigh—a struggling writer—probably wasn’t what Verity had in mind. Jeremy, having endured a series of personal tragedies, hires Lowen and even invites her to move into their home for research purposes. While searching Verity’s office, Lowen discovers a hidden manuscript, uncovering horrifying truths. The deeper she digs, the more she feels trapped. She wants to leave the house but can’t seem to stay away from Jeremy. Her contract is either a golden opportunity or a one-way ticket to terror.
“The most helpless person in this house is the one I’m the most afraid of. It doesn’t make sense.” (PAGE 101)
I highly recommend Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca if you haven’t read it. Hoover’s novel is similar to Rebecca’s, with Verity seemingly haunting the new woman in the house. The eerie atmosphere, suspense, and psychological tension make it clear that Hoover may have drawn inspiration from du Maurier’s classic.
I rated Verity four stars—not five—because some of the graphic, almost grotesque imagery was a bit much for me. That’s a personal preference, though; other readers might feel differently. Ultimately, I was drawn in by the Rebecca-esque premise, which is what led me to pick up my second Colleen Hoover book in the first place.