Twisted Love (Twisted, 1)

This was a fantastic book! I really enjoy when the story puts the plot ahead of spice in this one definitely delivers on that front. While the connections with future couples are a bit predictable, I still found the book very engaging. The audiobook narration was a delightful bonus and I especially love the dual narration-Aiden Snow’s voice is absolutely delectable! I can’t wait to dive into the rest of the series!The characters are wonderfully developed, and I often felt a strong emotional connection with Ava. It’s all too common for people to see individuals like her-those who try to find the good in others - as weak, but that view really misses that strength it takes to hold onto such a perspective, life can throw so many challenges our way, and it truly requires remarkable resilience to stay positive despite the odds. Ava exemplifies the strength beautifully, and I’m glad the author captured her so thoughtfully.

First and foremost, I truly enjoyed this reading. I'm one of those readers who sometimes need some incentive to go back to reading, and Twisted Love helped. I'm also a HUGE fan of romance and cliches, so all these cute and protective moments Alex and Ava lived were gas to my fire.**Now, let's discuss the plot and characters.**You'd think that because Ava went through much trauma, she'd be really smart to read between the lines. WRONG! Ava is blind, and it can become annoying at a certain point. She's a nice person, but sometimes I'd really wonder if she would be able to make it out in the world by herself, without anyone keeping an eye on her. (But I promise I liked her.) 🩷Regarding Alex, a man's only personality trait is his money. Every - and I mean it - every chapter he loves talking about how much money he pays people to do unthinkable things and how powerful Archer Group is, and how smart and how high his IQ is. Like, okay, Alex, what else do you bring to the table besides money? 🦗🦗 (cue the crickets.)As opposed to what some people say, Alex is exactly what a grumpy person would be in THIS situation. We must remember that he felt something during his vivid flashbacks, especially with his family. He didn't choose to be the way he is. He was forced to become it instead of being prey and living an empty life with no purpose. **Alex has been fighting his demons since day one.**While I love the time Alex and Ava spent together and the discoveries they made about themselves, **they were not meant for each other**. It's not even "right person, wrong time." Both have way different approaches to life, and in the long run, their supposedly match will simply fade. They'll eventually fall into a routine and not act as a couple full of love. I love them, but again, they don't belong together.They lacked boundaries and didn't seem interested in getting to know each other better. It looked like a high-school couple. They think they know everything, yet they aren't aware of anything. Ever. Ava backs up my opinion by calling herself a teenager on page 277.Everything could've been better if they had communicated, and Alex allowed himself to be vulnerable after all the chaos had gone down. He killed the people he wanted to get his revenge. He didn't have anything else to lose. But no, the man HAD to act like a complete jerk and still be evil.I truly wished that when Ava went to London, she'd move on regardless of whether Alex went after her or not. I wish she'd focus 100% in her passion - photography - and understanding that her loving heart didn't call for romantic love, but for other types as well like her art. For once, I wished a book would end with both MCs following their individual paths and lives, only keeping each other in their memories.And yes, he sings, but it's not cringe. The whole singing plot is backed up by the earlier chapters when Ava asked him to sing as her birthday present and Alex said that singing is something that shows lots of emotions and vulnerability, hence why he didn't want to do it. However, when he sings in THAT book chapter, you understand how far he's come to act like that. I enjoyed his small character development.⭐️ 4.5/5

1st read: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars2nd read: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 starsAlex Volkov is an underrated twisted MMC, and no can change my mind. This man is the KING OF GROVELING. He bought her a new phone because she didn’t text him in a week 😭😭. He bought a $40,000 art piece so she’d get the commission. He helped her get over her fear of water. He gave her up willingly because we hadn’t feel worthy of her. He moved to another country without hesitation to be with Ava once he found out she was leaving. He resigned his CEO position to follow her to London, despite the fact he’s been working for that position his entire life. He groveled for AN ENTIRE YEAR. He bought her entire art collection. He sang for her even though he previously refused to sing because it made him too vulnerable to his emotions. Like come on. He’s AMAZING. He used to be as cold as ice, and only had his eyes set on revenge, until he met HER. She brought light into his life 😭😭. She helped him smile, laugh, make jokes, and helped with his insomnia. And then if you’ve read the next three books, you KNOW he gets better in each book even through the brief scenes we see of him and Ava.If I could change one thing, it would be more in depth scenes of their time together. I needed to their dates, the swimming lessons, etc rather than a brief description. Like the epilogue and bonus scene was PERFECT. We needed more of those kind of scenes.Favorite quotes/scenes:“Do you ever smile? It might help with your condition.”“What condition?”“Stickuptheassitis.”“No. The condition is chronic.”“Just take the damn cookies. You can eat them, throw them out, feed them to your pet snake Nagini, whatever.”“Did you just compare me to Voldemort?”“What? No!” Maybe.“Ooh, yes! Spnk me, master!”“I am not your master. Go away.”“She was mine. She just didn’t know it yet. I hadn’t known it myself until I saw her in Colton’s arms and every instinct raged at me to tear her away. To claim what belonged to me.”“Your current phone is clearly broken, since I haven’t received so much as a text from you in the past five days.”“Alex, the piece costs $ 40,000.”“Really? Sht.”“I’m sure we can—”“I thought it was expensive.”“I wanted every shadow of his soul and every piece of his beautiful, multilayered heart. I wanted to pour into him every drop of light I had to give until he consumed me whole. Until I was his and he was mine.”“What did I tell you? You’re mine, Sunshine. You’re never touching another man unless you want him six feet in the ground. So yes, we’re fing exclusive.”“You want to fk, we fk. You want to date, we date. You want to call me your boyfriend, I’ll call you my girlfriend.”“Tell me who or what I need to kll. What happened at your father’s house?”“I told you, nothing. It was just the lake. You can’t kll a lake.”“I’ll drain every fing lake and ocean in the world if I have to.”“I’m not an easy person to love.”“Good thing I never cared much about taking the easy road. You are cold and infuriating and, I admit, a little scary. But you are also patient and supportive and brilliant. You inspire me to chase my dreams and drive away my nightmares. You are everything I didn’t know I needed, and you make me feel safer than anyone else on the planet. What I’m trying to say—again—is, I love you, Alex Volkov. Every part of you, even the parts I want to slap.”“You are the light to my dark, Sunshine. Without you, I’m lost.”“I wanted to keep her here, safe and cherished, forever. Fk the rest of the world. It could burn for all I cared.”“That’s my girl. Hate me. Don’t cry over me. Never cry over me. I’m not worth it.” 😭😭“Because I love her! There, happy? I love her so much I would rather give her up than hurt her. But if you think I’m letting her go to another country alone, with no protection, you’ve got another think coming. Now give me her fing flight info.”“You told me once there was something beautiful waiting for me, something that would restore my faith in life. I’ve found it. It’s you.”“Leave me alone.”“I can’t do that, sweetheart. I’ll wait however long it takes, but I’ll never be okay with a world in which you’re alone.”“I never claimed to be Prince Charming, and my love isn’t a fairy-tale type of love. I’m a fed-up person with fed-up morals. I won’t write you poems or serenade you beneath the moonlight. But you are the only woman I have eyes for. Your enemies are my enemies, your friends are my friends, and if you wanted, I would burn down the world for you.”“I resigned as CEO, effective one month ago.”“What?”“I couldn’t stay on as CEO while spending all my time in London with you, so I resigned.”“You know there’s no getting rid of me now.”“That wouldn’t have happened anyway.”“Now you’re getting it.”“Alex?”“Yes, Sunshine?”“I love you.”“I love you too.”