Twisted Love Review: Wattpad Called, It Wants Its Plot Back

Summary

He has a heart of ice…but for her, he'd burn the world

A diverse new adult steamy romance from Tiktok sensation and USA Today bestselling author Ana Huang.

Alex Volkov is a devil blessed with the face of an angel and cursed with a past he can't escape.

Driven by a tragedy that has haunted him for most of his life, his ruthless pursuits for success and vengeance leave little room for matters of the heart.

But when he's forced to look after his best friend's sister, he starts to feel something in his chest:

A crack.

A melt.

A fire that could end his world as he knew it.

***

Ava Chen is a free spirit trapped by nightmares of a childhood she can't remember.

But despite her broken past, she's never stopped seeing the beauty in the world...including the heart beneath the icy exterior of a man she shouldn't want.

Her brother's best friend.

Her neighbor.

Her savior and her downfall.

Theirs is a love that was never supposed to happen-but when it does, it unleashes secrets that could destroy them both...and everything they hold dear.

Twisted Love is a contemporary brother's best friend/grumpy sunshine romance. It's book one in the Twisted series but can be read as a standalone

Source: GoodReads

Book Review

2.5

I totally get why this book has been so hyped and why it’s selling so well. It brought me right back to my 2008–2010 self, reading fanfics about my favorite series and bands — and this felt exactly like that.

Why were we so drawn to these stories as teens and young adults?

For one, they rewrite the narrative — your favorite characters in a different world, sometimes one that’s even more appealing to you. They’re easy to read, light, and full of short chapters. Fanfiction also gives you creative freedom. You can throw in clichés and tropes that would feel ridiculous in a "serious" book, but in fanfic? It’s fun. And when you’re a teenager, that’s exactly what you want.

On top of that, as a reader, you can insert yourself into the story — you feel like you’re living it, like you are part of it. The protagonist is Ava Chen and the author’s name is Ana Huang? See? Make your own conclusions.

Twisted Love gives off that same vibe: a fun, fast-paced story that won’t win any Nobel Prizes, but delivers exactly the kind of entertainment and structure you’d expect from a fanfic. In a way, it’s freeing to read something that provides instant gratification — even if it won’t stick with you long after you’ve finished it.

But, if we’re talking about Twisted Love as a formal novel… well, it could definitely use some polishing.

Alex and Ava were probably the only likable part of the book for me. Ava is a very simple protagonist — very average, and honestly, that works. She’s not the “pretty but doesn’t know it” type, or the small girl who can fight anyone. She’s just a normal student living a normal life. That makes her relatable. She’s naive and persistent — but so are plenty of people.

Alex, on the other hand, is reserved and quiet from the start. There’s no redemption arc here; this is who he is, and this is as good as its gonna get. I appreciated that consistency. His POV was actually fun to read when we got it.

But the problem? He’s a perfect character:

- Gorgeous.

- IQ of 160 — a genius.

- Became a billionaire at 14.

- By 26, he’s financially set and the CEO of his own company.

- Oh, and of course, he’s an orphan — because if you want readers to sympathize with a character, just give them a tragic backstory.

If you read that description of someone on a dating app — minus the tragic backstory part — you’d probably think you’re about to match with the Tinder Swindler and get scammed. For real.

And to top it off, he has

spoiler

HSAM (Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory).

That felt like a reach — clearly added to make him seem even more special.

spoiler

If you look it up, you’ll see (like I did) that you’re part of the majority of people who had never heard of it. Why? Because only 61 people worldwide have been diagnosed, and it’s estimated that fewer than 100 people actually have it.

You’d think that if the author gave him such a rare and unique condition, it would play a role in the story. Nope.

- Did it help solve a mystery? Nope.

- Did it drive character development? Nope.

- Did it impact the plot or his relationships in any meaningful way? Nope.

Ava’s trauma and personal backstory also didn’t really serve the plot. If you took it out, nothing would’ve changed. It felt like it was just there to give her some personal struggle and create bonding moments with Alex — but honestly, anything else would’ve worked just as well.

And Alex's whole "dark side"… I mean. In the first half of the book, Alex (and others) make a big deal about how he’s “not like other guys” when it comes to sex. When I finally read why... I had to laugh. It was just so silly.

Also, how is it possible that these characters always know exactly what someone is feeling or thinking just by looking at them? Lines like “you could feel the wrath emanating from him.” Like… how? How could you feel that? How can you tell? What are you talking about? The story is full of moments like this, and after a while, it just starts to feel stupid.

You can definitely read this book for the fun of it — because it is entertaining. But don’t expect a well-developed plot. Everything falls perfectly into place, exactly like you’d expect from your favorite 2010 fanfic. That said, I do think the author’s writing style is quite good — she has a natural flow. I believe she has potential and can continue to improve.

A lot of ideas were thrown in that didn’t really add anything to the story. Were they convenient? Yes. Did they make sense? No. Will you have fun? That’s up to you — just go along for the ride.

You can find it on:

Amazon