Book Review: Verity by Colleen Hoover
SPOILER WARNING: Do NOT Read If You Haven’t Read Verity by Colleen Hoover
If you haven’t read Verity yet, stop here. This review contains major spoilers, and this is one book you absolutely do not want ruined. Go read it first — then come back.
Seriously. I’ll wait.
I went into Verity knowing Colleen Hoover is best known for romance, not thrillers — and that’s exactly why this book surprised me in the best possible way. Verity is dark, unsettling, and psychologically gripping, and I devoured it cover to cover in three days. I could not put it down.
This book crawled under my skin in a way few books ever have.
A Quick Overview (Spoilers Ahead)
Verity follows Lowen Ashleigh, a struggling writer who is offered a life-changing opportunity: to finish a bestselling book series after its author, Verity Crawford, is left incapacitated following a mysterious accident. Lowen moves into the Crawford home to review Verity’s notes — and quickly realizes something is deeply, disturbingly wrong.
While living in the house with Verity’s husband Jeremy and their young son, Lowen discovers an unpublished manuscript — an autobiography so horrifying it reads like a confession. As Lowen reads, the line between truth and manipulation blurs, and the tension escalates to a level that feels almost unbearable.
The Scene That Hooked Me for Good
The moment that absolutely hooked me — the point of no return — was the waving scene.
Lowen notices the little boy Crew waving, but then realizes he isn’t waving at her.
He’s waving at the window behind her.
At Verity’s bedroom.
The same Verity who is supposedly bedridden. Incapable of movement. Trapped in her body.
That realization chilled me.
Who was at the window?
How was Verity standing there?
And who was her son really waving at?
I was reading this alone, in the dark, on my Kindle — and I genuinely got spooked. That almost never happens to me with books. This scene hit like a jump scare in a horror movie. I actually paused, looked around my room, and turned the lights on.
That’s when I knew this book was something special.
The Slow-Burn Dread That Never Lets Up
Another moment that creeped me out was when Lowen realizes Verity is staring at her from the wheelchair. Just casually. Watching. Aware. Present.
OMG.
The tension in this book is relentless. You’re constantly questioning:
- Is Verity truly incapacitated?
- Is Lowen losing her grip on reality?
- Or is something far more sinister happening inside this house?
And then there’s the whiplash.
One minute the book is deeply unsettling and terrifying — the next, it swings hard into explicit intimacy. There’s a moment where Lowen and Jeremy are “getting down and dirty” on the couch… and then she looks up and sees Verity standing at the top of the stairs, fists clenched.
Erotica to chaos real quick.
It was shocking, disturbing, and incredibly effective.
The Ending: Shocking… But Questionable
I’ll be honest — while I was surprised by the ending, I also found it a bit far-fetched. The final reveal and the infamous letter left me conflicted. I’m still not entirely sure what I believe — and I think that’s intentional.
Did Verity manipulate everyone?
Was she a master liar?
Or was she telling the truth all along?
I didn’t love every choice in the ending, but I did appreciate how bold it was. It sparked debate, made me rethink everything I’d read, and lingered in my mind long after I finished the book.
And honestly? That’s what a great psychological thriller should do.
Final Thoughts
Even though Colleen Hoover is primarily known for romance, Verity proves she can absolutely deliver a dark, twisted thriller. This book was unsettling, addictive, and impossible to put down. The last time I got that feeling from a book was when I read Chevy Steven’s Never Let You Go.
I don’t usually get scared while reading — but Verity genuinely unnerved me. It had moments that felt cinematic, shocking, and deeply disturbing in the best way.
Will I read more of Colleen Hoover’s thrillers if she writes them?
Absolutely.
Am I rushing to read her romances?
Not usually my genre — but after Verity, I might just try one this year.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Dark, gripping, and unforgettable — even if the ending left me questioning everything.
