Dec. 17, 2024
By Layla Lundholm
Staff Writer
“Twisted Love: Twisted Book One” is the first in a series of four compelling novels by Ana Huang. In this book, readers meet 22-year-old Ava Chen and 26-year-old Alex Volkov, who have moved in next door to each other in Washington, D.C.
Alex has been best friends with Ava’s brother, Josh, for eight years, but the two never got to know one another before becoming neighbors.
He and Ava could not be more different. Alex is a grumpy and antisocial billionaire, and Ava, a college student, is a ray of sunshine and social butterfly who shares a house with her flirtatious and supportive best friend, Jules.
Ava is enjoying her time studying photography at the fictional Thayer University, which she attends with Jules and her other two best friends, Bridget and Stella. Meanwhile, Alex is progressing at his uncle’s real estate business, the Archer Group.
“While Alex views Ava as helpless, she is a strong person who overcomes many difficulties.”
The two butt heads a lot, but Ava is set on becoming friends with Alex, who tries to avoid interactions with her at all costs. However, the two build a relationship as Alex works with Ava to combat her fear of water, which she developed after almost drowning as a child.
As Ava works through her trauma, Alex brings her to a hotel pool, where her trust in him grows.
They try to fight their connection out of respect for Josh, but neither of them can hold back their feelings, so they start dating. When they decide to celebrate Thanksgiving together, Ava starts experiencing flashbacks and nightmares again.
Their relationship is going great until the secrets of their pasts come to light.
Alex is kind to Ava, but sometimes he can be way too overprotective of her. At the beginning of the novel, he catches her in the middle of a photo shoot wearing an outfit he believes is too revealing, so he insists she go home. While Alex views Ava as helpless, she is a strong person who overcomes many difficulties.
Those who are interested in enemies-to-lovers romance novels will enjoy this book. Young adults will especially gravitate to it because it is an entertaining read that teaches them about the ups and downs of relationships.
“Twisted Love: Twisted Book One” is not just a love story. The storyline also addresses family dynamics, which makes the book richer by highlighting the complexities of life and showing that relationships in any capacity are not perfect.
Ava and Alex had challenging childhoods. Additionally, they share a connection because they have both experienced the loss of their parents. The two share a special bond, as they work together to help each other overcome their childhood traumas.
This novel may not be for everybody, but it is perfect for hopeless romantics and those looking for an easy read with multiple storylines. Readers will be immediately drawn to Ava as a likable protagonist and will look forward to following her intriguing journey.
