Book Review: Verity

Introduction

Welcome readers! I’m glad to be back with my fellow book lovers after another busy week of reading. In this edition, I want to share my thoughts on Verity by Colleen Hoover.

Even though she’s never been my favorite author and sometimes her writing feels uneven, this book surprised me. It reminded me how stepping outside your comfort zone can lead to something truly gripping.

Hoover is best known for emotional novels like Reminders of Him, but Verity explores her darker and more psychological side.

Plot Overview of Verity

In this novel, we meet Lowen Ashleigh, a young writer in New York who’s struggling with money and losing hope in her career. One day, a mysterious man walks into her life and changes everything. From the first shocking chapter, the story grabs your attention and never lets go.

The book keeps you guessing until the very end. Every new clue builds more tension, especially in the final part, where everything comes crashing down.

Jeremy hires Lowen to finish his wife’s book series after a tragic accident leaves the author unable to write. To complete the project, she visits the author’s home to study her notes and understand her work.

Even though this book isn’t her best-written work, it’s one of her most gripping. The story is short, fast-paced, and packed with suspense. It’s the kind of book you can finish in a single day.

Setup & Characters of Verity

Lowen is a struggling writer barely making ends meet. She supports her sick mother, faces eviction, and feels invisible in the publishing world. Then, after witnessing a tragic car accident, she meets Jeremy Crawford, the husband of famous author Verity Crawford.

Jeremy offers her the chance of a lifetime — to finish Verity’s bestselling series for $250,000. To do the job right, Lowen stays at the Crawford home to study Verity’s outlines and notes.

There, she learns that Verity is in a coma-like state after a car crash. The family has already lost their twin daughters, leaving only their young son, Crew.

While living in the house, Lowen and Jeremy begin to grow close. But soon, strange things happen. Lowen feels like Verity is watching her, even though that seems impossible. Hoover slowly builds suspense, making readers wonder what’s real and what’s imagined.

Lowen discovers a disturbing manuscript written by the author. It reveals Verity’s dark secrets — jealousy, obsession, and horrifying thoughts about her children. The more Lowen reads, the more twisted the story becomes. The manuscript is full of manipulation and madness, leaving readers unsure what to believe.

Critique of Writing & Style of Verity

I first noticed Verity on BookTok, where it became a viral sensation. After waiting forever on my library’s hold list, I finally got my hands on it.

At first, I understood the hype. But after reading, I had mixed feelings. The story includes a lot of sex scenes — maybe too many — and at times, they distract from the plot. Verity’s obsession with her husband feels forced, though it fits the romantic elements Hoover is known for.

The book tries to mix thriller, horror, and romance, but it doesn’t always succeed. It starts strong, with an unforgettable opening, yet loses some sharpness halfway through.

Lowen and Jeremy don’t feel fully developed. Their emotions seem muted, even when facing tragedy. Hoover hints at Lowen’s painful past and anxiety but never explores it deeply.

The famous letter near the end is the biggest flaw. It’s long and overexplained. The twist tries to mirror books like Gone Girl, but it doesn’t hit as hard. The reveal about truth versus fiction is interesting but clumsy.

Overall, Hoover’s Verity is thrilling but uneven. It’s a dark page-turner that shocks and entertains but doesn’t quite achieve the depth it aims for.

Reviewer’s Experience

I won’t spoil too much because this story is best read with little knowledge going in. As someone who rarely reads thrillers, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

Normally, I stick to romance books like Ugly Love, but this one showed me how exciting psychological stories can be. After finishing it, I even started searching for more thrillers to read.

If you enjoy suspense, mystery, or emotional stories, I definitely recommend Verity. Writing this review was a joy, and I hope my fellow readers find it as gripping as I did.

Themes & Commentary

One of Verity’s strongest points is how it blurs the line between truth and fiction. It raises the question — how much of a story reflects the author’s real life?

Some readers accuse writers of sharing their own dark thoughts through their characters. But most of the time, fiction is imagination, not confession. Authors like Stephen King or Colleen Hoover use their creativity to explore ideas, not reveal personal truths.

To me, Verity is a smart reflection on this topic. It’s about art, identity, and how dangerous it can be to mix them.

By the end, I found myself wondering — was Verity evil, misunderstood, or both? The story’s moral gray area makes it haunting and unforgettable.

If you liked books such as The Goddess of Warsaw, you’ll notice a similar darkness. Both explore ambition, guilt, and how far people go to protect their truth.

The Letter

The letter is one of the most talked-about parts of Verity. It completely changes how you see the story.

Nine months after Verity’s death, a pregnant Lowen returns to the old house with Jeremy and Crew. There, she discovers a hidden letter written by Verity.

In it, Verity claims the shocking manuscript was just an experiment — a writing exercise her agent suggested to help her understand her characters. She says Jeremy found it, believed it was true, and tried to kill her by staging a car accident.

Lowen burns the letter, unsure what to believe. Was Verity truly a monster or a victim of her own fiction? Hoover leaves the truth unclear, forcing readers to decide for themselves.

Compared to Gone Girl, where the twist was sharp and shocking, Verity’s ending feels stretched. The letter drags on and loses its punch, but the underlying message — about the line between the writer and their words — remains powerful.

Final Thoughts

I strongly recommend Verity  by Colleen Hoover to anyone who loves dark mysteries with psychological twists.

Even with its flaws, the book keeps you turning pages, questioning every character’s motives. It’s a story that stays in your mind long after the last line.

I truly enjoyed writing this review and sharing it with my fellow book lovers. Until next time — happy reading!