SYNOPSIS: When Leeds meets Layla, he’s convinced he’ll spend the rest of his life with her—until an unexpected attack leaves Layla fighting for her life. After weeks in the hospital, Layla recovers physically, but the emotional and mental scarring has altered the woman Leeds fell in love with. In order to put their relationship back on track, Leeds whisks Layla away to the bed-and-breakfast where they first met. Once they arrive, Layla’s behavior takes a bizarre turn. And that’s just one of many inexplicable occurrences.
Feeling distant from Layla, Leeds soon finds solace in Willow—another guest of the B&B with whom he forms a connection through their shared concerns. As his curiosity for Willow grows, his decision to help her find answers puts him in direct conflict with Layla’s well-being. Leeds soon realizes he has to make a choice because he can’t help both of them. But if he makes the wrong choice, it could be detrimental for all of them. – via Goodreads
So I haven’t read enough Colleen Hoover books to only think “romance” when I pick up one of her books. I’ve read a few, and they’ve all been quite different. I went into this relatively blind – I just picked a Hoover book. I then realised there was a paranormal aspect to it, and that piqued my interest.
However, this never really materialised into anything major or more for me. It probably didn’t help that I didn’t really like Leeds much at all. And I felt that there was more that could have been done about fleshing him, Layla, and Willow out. We basically just get his internal monologue and I did find him quite… selfish. And he made some of the most insanely questionable choices, which made it impossible for me to like him.
Anyway, the story is relatively quick to read, is interesting enough to keep you reading and engaged, though the big twist was not the most inspired, but it was handled alright. I liked this well enough but certainly didn’t love it. There are better paranormal reads out there, but this was enough to show me that I’m perfectly alright picking up the occasional Hoover novel, and that she can write more than just romance.
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