Author: Ana Huang
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Fiction
Personal Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ / ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 out of 5 stars)
Call me easily influenced because I started out hating this series but once I got used to the writing and lowered my expectations about the depth of the characters, I’m getting into it in book three of the Twisted series. This may be the first time for me.
PLOT
Jules Ambrose and Josh Chen have always hated each other and not a single interaction between them before the events of this book would not end without throwing insults at each other. The only reason they’re in the same orbit is that Josh’s beloved sister, Ava, stuck with Jules as her best friend since college. Now that they’re adults with jobs, there’s no reason to see each other that much except Jules got a job at a medical-legal firm near Josh’s hospital where the latter routinely volunteers. And so starts their regular interactions outside their group circle where hate turns into hateful lust.
ANALYSIS
The number of cliches squeezed into this book is honestly amazing. It’s risky enough to make one cliche bearable and enjoyable for media consumers who might’ve seen it all. The boldness to make so many in one book? I was just stunned. I might’ve eye rolled so hard if this happened in the first two books but now I’m already in rhythm with the narrative so I just enjoyed the ride.
List of tropes in this book:
- Enemies to lovers
- Sister’s best friend / My best friend’s brother
- Angry confrontations lead to angry s*x
- There’s only one bed
- Wild girl turns out to be soft
- F*ck boy turns to commitment
- Friends with benefits, no falling in love rule
But fair play to the author, the characters in this book were more consistent than in the previous two books. Josh Chen was a charismatic doctor but turned hateful when his best friend used him and betrayed him. It’s no surprise that he acted like a total a*s almost the entire time, he was full of anger. Jules Ambrose had a troubled background so she’s unapologetically pursuing financial stability. It’s also very much in character that she bickers with Josh (unlike Ava and Alex’s bickering in the first book) after hearing him demean her character when she was just starting to get along with Ava.
The pacing of the story felt more genuine too. I really felt how much they hated each other and drops of innate characters that they never cared about each other dropped here and there allowing room for curiosity. Those minor vulnerabilities led to understanding and the pent-up hate was released in their sexual arrangements giving way to more comfortable dynamics. Plus, that bet scene they had on who can get the most numbers in an hour led them to their mutual respect? Pretty refreshing.
For example, during the first night of their arrangement, Jules fell asleep because Josh insisted she doesn’t leave until the rain stops. No sleepovers were one of the rules but Josh let it slide. However, he was still not fully caring enough. Jules woke up as Josh was cooking breakfast and Josh said it was just for him since cooking for Jules would be too nice but she can eat his leftovers. Yes, I know he just said that even though he really cooked the meal for Jules but it showed that he was still not comfortable being too nice to her. It’s those kinds of hate/love moments from hate to comfort that beautifully transitioned their characters from enemies to lovers.
The ending was also surprisingly more meaningful and more complicated than the previous books. They pushed each other away and realized their own miserable problems before fixing their relationship. I was thoroughly impressed when Julie apologized to Josh for stealing from him and Josh said he forgives her, had sex, then said he lied and kicked Jules out. Talk about a plot twist and a devastating turn of events. I was then again impressed when afterward, Josh realized he loved Jules when he almost killed Max after assaulting Julie but when he tried to woo her she declined because what Josh did to her after she apologized was really f*cked up. It was super f*cked up, but it emphasized what the betrayal meant to him. Jules processed it on her own terms until they reconciled.
Lastly, I really liked how the other stories in the series are more intertwined. The previous book only had the clue at the end but this one had their friend, Stella, and Christian’s clues, all over the book. From the moment Jules and Stella got their apartment, to Jules’s deal with Christian to help her out with her problem, I’d say Stella and Christian had the longest buildup starting in the second book during Bridget’s wedding. It’s really nice to see the writing improvement.
FINAL THOUGHTS
This is definitely a spice read, no question about it. The enemies-to-lovers trope fit the aggressive s*x that comes (pun intended) your way. I’d say the spicy encounters start around 30% of the book and just really amps up from there. Again, no complaints. I thoroughly loved them especially that finally the woman in these scenarios is more feisty and not just purely submissive.
As a series, it’s starting to look up. The character progressions are now more evident and the scenes are becoming more meaningful than just your typical plot devices to get to the next spicy scene.
Favorite Quote(s):
“You’re my personal hell, Red. And God help me, I don’t want to f*cking leave.”
― Josh Chen, Twisted Hate
“Fake concern was a thousand times worse than no concern at all, because fake concern gave way to false hope, and false hope destroyed souls.”
―Jules Ambrose, Twisted Hate
“The monsters in our imagination are often worse than those in reality.”
― Josh Chen, Twisted Hate
The Stray Reader 
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