Verity

Content Warning: The source material and review include discussion of ableism, child death, cursing, and illness/death.

Readers who are new to Colleen Hoover should approach Verity with caution, as it deviates in theme and content from some of her earlier works. Hoover has written 26 novels, and her books have sold millions of copies. The latest film adaptation of her novel, It Ends With Us, has highlighted her success and made her a household name. Some people have even gone so far as to call her the Stephen King of romance; her work has been called “touching” and “heartwarming,” and yet, the words beneath many of those well-known book covers can hide much darker themes.

Verity is no exception. The novel, which was published in 2018, is officially categorized as a romantic thriller. The main character, Lowen Ashleigh, is a young writer who is offered a job finishing a bestselling author’s book series. That author is Verity Crawford—someone whom Lowen greatly admires—but an accident has left Verity physically disabled and unable to finish her own books. In accepting the job, Lowen agrees to sort through Verity’s notes for a few days at her multi-million dollar home, a “monster” of a house at the end of a long secluded driveway, six hours outside of New York City (44). When Lowen arrives, she is greeted by Jeremy, Verity’s husband, and Crew, their 5-year-old son. 

While searching for notes about the book series in Verity’s office, Lowen unintentionally stumbles upon what appears to be a secret autobiographical manuscript. In it, Verity reveals her innermost private thoughts. As Lowen begins to read about Verity’s life, her understanding of the author and her past greatly changes, as do her feelings toward Jeremy.

“No one is likable from the inside out. One should only walk away from an autobiography with, at best, an uncomfortable distaste for its author. I will deliver” (61). 

Through Verity’s accounts, Lowen learns about the tragedies that Verity and Jeremy experienced, including the deaths of their two daughters, Chastin and Harper. However, Verity’s horrible secrets and confessions reveal a person who is utterly detached from the reality of her life. This leads Lowen to wonder: Who is the real Verity Crawford, and does she really deserve such a devoted husband?

At first, Lowen’s character is distant from others; she steels herself against Corey, her literary agent, with whom she has an inappropriate physical relationship, and she reflects on the death of her mother, who passed away shortly before the novel begins. Her first impression of Jeremy and his son are also less than complimentary; initially, she is determined to stay as far away from Jeremy as possible, and she describes his son as an “asshole” (46), though both of these feelings and intentions shift. Her feelings toward Verity also change from admiration and respect in the beginning to horror and disgust in the end. And the more Lowen reads Verity’s manuscript, the more her feelings for Jeremy grow. Eventually, their relationship becomes something far deeper than a distant employer-client relationship.

Colleen Hoover’s writing style is relatively simple. Her syntax lacks complexity and depth, but this may be one of the reasons her books have become so popular. They are easy to read and digest, and as a result, they appeal to a wide audience. Hoover’s writing allows audiences of varying reading levels to slip away into a story for the sake of a story; the plot, generally speaking, requires little thought and analysis. Still, her ability to reveal information at just the right time and in the most shocking ways keeps readers coming back for more. Her work is just as predictable as it is unpredictable. The novel is structured as a kind of dual narrative, with most chapters told in present tense from Lowen’s point of view. Occasionally, alternating chapters from Verity’s autobiographical account are told in past tense from her own perspective.

People who love heartwarming, touching, and feel-good stories should skip over Verity and choose a book that leans more heavily on romance and less on the thriller aspects of the genre. The story is dark and contains many heavy elements; it is best suited for fans of horror, suspense, and thriller who are comfortable with mature romantic scenes.

While reading this book, readers may feel self-conscious or perhaps even a little guilty; the characters’ deepest, darkest thoughts reveal feelings and truths that many people would never dare say aloud. In that regard, Colleen Hoover has created an unforgettable tale that encourages readers to question everything about the people they think they know best.