Layla
Ratings93
Average rating3.4
I love Colleen's books I devour them in a day usually.
I knew from the reviews and categories this was a ghost story/paranormal but wow, not what I expected at all.
Kudos to Colleen for stepping outside her comfort zone and writing something completely different. I admire authors who do that.
I won't say much about the plot but...wow. It's out there!
CAWPILE Breakdown:
Characters: 9
Atmosphere: 7
Writing: 6
Plot: 6
Intrigue: 9
Logic: 6
Enjoyment: 7
So I have to admit, this is my first Colleen Hoover book, but it will not be my last. This book started out really weird and slow, but once I understood the premise better I was hooked. I also loved reading this from Leeds' perspective but now that I have finished it, I think Layla's would be fascinating but less intriguing. This kept me on the edge of my seat curious what was going to happen and how everything was going to turn out. I also really liked the short chapters of “The Interview” interwoven with the main storyline.
The story tells us about a guy that falls in love with Layla, the kind, spontaneous, crazy, and beautiful Layla. Their life is perfect until she gets shot by his obsessive ex-girlfriend. After this accident, Layla is trying to get her life together BUT she is different, forgetful, and with all other mental problems. To reignite the sparkle and help Layla with her healing, Leeds decides to come back to the place where they met. However, instead of everything getting better it's all getting worst.
This book kept me hooked and I was really interested to understand what is actually happening. I think that maybe I gave too many stars for this book but I think it was kinda original and unexpected. And not all the MC need to be good people. BUT... justify bad behavior and poor choices with “love”... I don't know!
Leeds loves Layla, however, he doesn't treat her that way. Nothing in his behavior shows that. He is quite self-absorbed although he thinks that he treats Layla really well. Because the whole story is written from his perspective it is quite difficult to understand what is actually she feels and maybe that's why I got the feeling that he is self-absorbed. I also didn't feel the connection between the MC. I don't understand how they fell in love.
Once again, it looks like I didn't enjoy the book, but I actually did. The story was interesting and captivating, BUT it shouldn't be a romance... If it is a thriller/mystery - the plot is okay! But as romance, I don't think so.
I don't recommend this book to people who are not comfortable with cheating and lying relationships.
This book was intriguing in that it kept me hooked but I was so skeeved out by Leeds that I can't even say I enjoyed it.
When Leeds meets quirky Layla, he thinks they will be together forever. Until a tragic event threatens their happiness and almost ends Layla's life. Leeds takes her back to the B&B where they first met to recoup. But, once there Layla begins acting strangely. Leeds forms a connection with another guest at the B&B, Willow.
This is different for Hoover's others novels, but she does a great job with it. Great twists. I would definitely recommend this one.
colleen always has super addictive writing so this kept me intrigued. i loved the twists but this was nowhere near the top tier that is verity.
3.25
Go into this expecting a ghost story and you might not get disappointed. Coz as a ghost story its good but as a romance book not so much.
If you haven't read the book yet, its best to go into it as blind as possible and you might end up getting surprised by it.
(might change rating later)
Sooo.... I went into this bindly like with all Colleen's books... This one was different... It wasn't what i was expecting... Normally Colleen's books make me cry for daaaaays... But this one was not like that. It didn't hit me in the feels, but it was still very good. Should have probably seen that plot twist, but i didn't
O FINAL DESSE LIVRO FOI O MAIS RIDÍCULO QUE EU JÁ VI NA VIDA. SÉRIO? ALMAS QUE TROCAM DE CORPOS????
It was weird...
I didn't know anything when I started reading this book and I soon found out it had paranormal aspects of it. I don't know if it is for me.
If it did not have those aspects I would have really liked it. It was a good love story with a good plottwist (colleen hoover has great plot twists. I did not see this one coming!). But I would not recommend this coho book. There are way better books written by Colleen Hoover
I love that this is something different from this author's norm. I love a good paranormal romance myself and it's so nice to see an author branch out and do different things then their “normal”. It was a nice refreshing read. If you want to read another outside the box read from Ms Hoover also try Variety. A fantastic read through and through.
The story was well written and executed and easy to follow. You must suspend belief but isn't that the truth with all paranormal reads? My less than 5 star rating comes from the lead hero and heroine. Do not get me wrong I fully enjoyed the storyline itself. I just didn't feel a super intense chemistry between these two. I felt love and friendship. But I didn't feel that soulmate I can't keep my eyes off you kind of love. You really have to believe in that sort of thing for this. I felt their chemistry more in the beginning before the accident, but once things change (without giving too much away) I didn't feel the same intense feelings. I'm sure there is a reason for it but I just wasn't sold on them. Things are different and they must be portrayed as such otherwise you'd be able to figure out what was happening really quick.
Anyways I was pleasantly surprised once we start getting answers. I really struggled with the hero's decisions and found myself quite angry with him throughout but then he gets a little redemption when things come to light. I hope Colleen continues to experiment with different genres while still staying in line with her romance themes. I love her romances and have read a handful of them this year. I would say this book isn't as freaky as Verity. There are some “spooky” parts but Verity scared me more because of the realistic touch where this one doesn't have that reality aspect as much. Anyways give it a read! I've never regretted reading a Colleen Hoover book even if it's different then what you're used to from her.
It was okay
I spent the first 3/4 of this book just being pissed off at one of the main characters. About gave up and C.H. came in for the save at the ending. Not my fave but still good.
super interesting and fun . love an unlikable character !
edit : i literally think ab this book every single day so bumping it up to a 5⭐️
oh. my. god. i don't think i've ever read anything like this. it had slight Verity vibes (probably because it's CH) but honestly this plot was so unique. i cant speak too much on it without spoiling things, but if romance/thriller books are your vibe then you'll probably be into this one.
i think a lot of those who left negative reviews didn't finish the book. the main characters morals start to get a bit muddy at some point and a lot of the lower ratings revolve around that. tbh the entire thing is a mindfuck and you cant judge it until it's over.
now if you'll excuse me- i have to go stare at a blank wall for a few hours and process what just happened <3
This did not work for me at all - not because it was paranormal or a change from her usual style, it was mainly that Leeds was a despicable dickwad and I couldn't take reading/listening from his point of view so ended up skimming to find out the “twist”. Had he not been such a unbearable testicle I could have been more invested and actually have been impressed by the twist as it's fairly original (for me anyway).
Rating this 2 stars because it wasn't bad writing overall, and it wasn't as bad as November 9 which I hated.
This is the first time I've read a paranormal romance. It's the first time [a:Colleen Hoover 5430144 Colleen Hoover https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1464032240p2/5430144.jpg] has written one. I have no clue whether she followed the appropriate tropes, but I stayed hooked on the story, just as I always do with her books. While the story centers on the couple, Leeds and Layla, but it's told from Leeds' point of view. I think this is a real departure both for the author and for romances in general. While Hoover did a masterful job of thinking like a guy (I think), I was often left wondering about his reasoning. Not enough to put me off the story, but enough to wonder if he was not as nice a guy as he was initially portrayed to be.The spiritual depth attracted me. Where do we go, if anywhere, after death? Do we move on or just move over? Can some people sense spirits that might still be around without a body? Are there folks that know more about this phenomenon than most?I don't want to give away any of the plot. I'll just say I enjoyed the struggle between the two (or is it three?) main characters. Now, when something falls over near me for no discernible reason, I'm left wondering why—and if I'm really alone. Great read! One I might actually read it again, just like I rewatched the movie, The Sixth Sense, once I knew the ending.
extremeeeee spoilers ahead
The writing was very basic and repetitive. It got better when we got into the paranormal aspect of the book and when there was some urgency. Other than that, the actual writing itself was not great to me.
There were a few details that I felt were put there to set something up and we never got back to it. The most notable examples is the REPEATED detail that he was actually wealthy and Layla “didn't know it yet”. It set up a moment where Layla is supposed to find this out about him and she never does.
Then there's the unrealistic responses to the relationship at the end with Aspen, the sister. Are we supposed to believe he would eventually “win her over” after her sister confesses that she's been drugged and tied up, only to play it off as a joke seconds later? He has BLOOD and SCRATCHES on his arm at the hospital and she's just a bit upset? Also, Leeds could've totally played off the wrist issue by saying they were having kinky sex (aka handcuffs) and the “drugging” could be a inside joke about sex pills (the ones that make ur sex drive go up like crazy). This couple has mentioned sex to each other before so it would not have been irregular and could've added some humor. This could've been added to make the whole Aspen situation fall away in a REALISTIC way.
I also was confused on whether or not he was IN the pool with her. I imagine it would be very, very difficult to drown someone if you're just on the edge of the pool? So I imagined him in there with her. So why was he not wet? If he was on the side, I think there should be more stress on the awkwardness and the sheer FORCE it would take to make this happen. I just think many of these details were awkward or not realistic.
I think a small note is that I think this narrator is just really unlikeable. I don't find this to be bad though. I just hated him. He seems to think he's redeemed at the end which I thought was just so typical of a man. But really, my hatred for him stemmed from his need to make everything sexual. He couldn't even kiss his girlfriend (her soul? inhabiting her old body? whatever) without thinking about wanting to fuck her. But like I said, I don't dislike the writing of this. In fact, I think it's the most realistic characterization ever.
other remarks:
why are we referencing ALEXA at the end??? i hate contemporary references so muchhhh
we never got back to the suicide note. did he successfully delete it?
even if sable was inhabiting laylas body, i still find it weird they would HAVE SEX in that possessed state....sable still has a MIND and FEELINGS and therefore should have autonomy. the book itself says she might not KNOW she is sable. so you're inhabiting the body of an innocent person and then having sex with her posssed body. i just thought this moment was inappropriate at best.
can't even count on my fingers how many times his worry and predicament were repeated to us in almost the exact same way. “ahhh i'm starting to fall out of love with layla and that's so fucked up but i LOVE willow”. if the WRITING of this emotion was better, each moment Leeds thought about this, it would feel different. it felt as if the same thing was bejng said over and over and over without variation or nuance. you don't have to fill up space to just go fill it.
all of this being said, i thought the actual plot was pretty fascinating. i especially loved the detail of the detective who was ALSO a ghost. (though, even he was a bit rushed and had very little characterization to me). i just think this could've been edited some. it was obvious this was done pretty quickly and thrillers, especially ones that are complex in this way, need to be precise and well thought out.
I've seen more people not like this book than love it, which I can kind of understand. I enjoyed it. The last 100 pages are CRAZY. I loved the twist. I usually can predict a twist, but not this time. Not your normal Colleen Hoover book, but overall a decent story, I think? I'm still kind of like “What did I just read?!” lol Would recommend to a friend.
This book kept me up at night the first 2 days I was reading it. THEN IT PROCEEDED TO MIND FUCK ME EVEN MORE.
This. Book. Was. Not. What. I. Was. Expecting. AT ALL. (in a good way).
I had a vision of where this book was going, and then WAHBAM! It was way better than what I was expecting. You cannot predict what is going to happen in this book. This was some weird fuckery shit, and I loved it.