Book Review For Verity

"Verity" by Colleen Hoover is a dark psychological thriller that explores the boundary between truth and fiction, as well as the psychological complexities of love, guilt, and manipulation. The novel is told from the perspective of Lowen Ashleigh, a struggling writer hired to complete the bestselling book series of Verity Crawford, a famous author who has been incapacitated after an accident. The story intertwines Lowen's present-day experiences in the Crawford household with the disturbing manuscript she uncovers, which reveals chilling secrets about Verity's life and her relationship with her family.

Introduction

Lowen Ashleigh is a reclusive and struggling writer on the verge of financial ruin when she is offered the job of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, asks Lowen to complete Verity’s successful book series after a car accident leaves Verity unable to write. As Lowen moves into the Crawford home to go through Verity’s notes and manuscripts, she discovers a hidden, autobiographical manuscript that shocks her to her core. The manuscript reveals Verity’s darkest secrets, including her twisted thoughts about her children and her manipulative relationship with Jeremy. Torn between revealing the truth to Jeremy or protecting herself, Lowen must navigate a world of deception, betrayal, and fear.

Chapter 1

The novel opens with Lowen witnessing a fatal accident on a busy New York street, which sets the ominous tone for the rest of the book. She meets Jeremy Crawford after the accident, and they share an intimate moment despite being strangers. Later, Lowen attends a meeting where Jeremy offers her the job to complete Verity's series. Although hesitant, Lowen accepts due to her financial struggles and moves into the Crawford household to work on the project.

Chapter 2

Lowen moves into the Crawford home, a large, eerie house filled with reminders of Verity's past success. Lowen begins to sort through Verity's office and notes, hoping to find material for the next book in the series. However, she finds Verity's hidden autobiography, which paints a different picture of the author than her public persona. Lowen begins to read it, and the disturbing nature of the contents immediately captivates her.

Chapter 3

Lowen’s life becomes more entangled with the Crawford family. She grows close to Jeremy, who is charming and attentive, and gradually starts to feel a connection with him. Meanwhile, she is deeply disturbed by the autobiography, which reveals Verity’s resentment towards her own children, Chastin and Harper. Verity writes about her jealousy of Jeremy’s attention towards their children and her deep ambivalence about motherhood.

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Chapter 4

As Lowen continues to read, she discovers Verity’s twisted confessions of sabotaging her pregnancy and intentionally harming her children. She reads in horror as Verity describes emotionally detaching from Harper after believing that Harper was responsible for Chastin’s death. The manuscript creates a portrait of a woman who is cold, manipulative, and dangerous, especially toward her children.

Chapter 5

Lowen is torn between her growing attraction to Jeremy and the increasingly disturbing revelations in Verity’s manuscript. She begins to question whether Verity is truly incapacitated or if she is faking her condition. Lowen starts to see signs that Verity might still be aware of her surroundings, creating a growing sense of paranoia and fear. This chapter builds tension as Lowen becomes more suspicious of Verity’s true state.

Chapter 6

As Lowen spends more time with Jeremy, they grow closer, both emotionally and physically. The tension between them is palpable, but Lowen is unsure how to proceed, given her knowledge of Verity’s manuscript and the lingering presence of Verity in the house. Meanwhile, Lowen continues to delve deeper into Verity’s manuscript, where she reads about Verity's manipulative efforts to control Jeremy and her increasing obsession with him.

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Chapter 7

The tension reaches a breaking point when Lowen and Jeremy give in to their mutual attraction, leading to a passionate but complicated relationship. Lowen feels guilty, especially as she continues to read Verity’s manuscript, which becomes even more disturbing. Verity describes how she attempted to win back Jeremy’s affection by becoming the perfect wife after their children’s deaths, despite her previous apathy towards motherhood.

Chapter 8

Lowen’s paranoia about Verity intensifies. She starts to believe that Verity may be faking her condition and that she poses a threat to both herself and Jeremy. Lowen begins to experience strange occurrences in the house, such as the feeling that Verity is watching her. These incidents blur the line between Lowen’s fear and reality, adding to the psychological tension in the story.

Chapter 9

The manuscript reaches its climax as Verity confesses to intentionally causing the accident that led to Harper’s death. Lowen is horrified and torn about what to do with this information. She becomes increasingly anxious, feeling that Verity is not only dangerous but also actively manipulating those around her, including Jeremy. Lowen considers confronting Jeremy with the manuscript but fears the consequences.

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Chapter 10

Lowen decides to confront Jeremy about the manuscript, but before she can, she discovers Verity awake and moving around the house. This discovery confirms Lowen’s suspicions that Verity has been faking her condition all along. Lowen is terrified and struggles to decide what to do next. She fears for her life and for Jeremy’s safety, realizing that Verity is capable of anything to keep her secrets hidden.

Chapter 11

The story reaches its thrilling conclusion as Lowen reveals Verity’s manuscript to Jeremy. In a dramatic confrontation, Jeremy reads Verity’s disturbing confessions and is devastated. Lowen and Jeremy must decide how to handle the truth, knowing that Verity has been manipulating them all along. The final chapters are filled with suspense and shocking revelations as the characters face the consequences of Verity’s twisted mind.

Epilogue

The epilogue leaves readers with lingering questions about the nature of truth and deception. In a final twist, Lowen discovers a letter written by Verity in which she claims the manuscript was nothing more than a writing exercise, a fictional portrayal of her darkest thoughts meant to help her perfect the villainous characters in her novels. This revelation casts doubt on everything Lowen and Jeremy thought they knew, leaving the reader to decide what was real and what was manipulation.

In "Verity," Hoover masterfully blends suspense, romance, and psychological intrigue, leaving readers questioning the nature of truth and the extent of one’s ability to manipulate others. The dual narrative between the present and Verity’s manuscript keeps the tension high, as the story moves toward its shocking and ambiguous conclusion. This chilling and addictive thriller explores themes of love, guilt, and the power of storytelling in a way that leaves readers haunted long after the final page.

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