"I hear the crack of his skull before the splattering of blood reaches me." Talk about a book that captures me from the first line!

I want to preface this with that I don't typically read thrillers, but here I am reading a suspense novel about a woman who writes suspense novels being hired to finish the suspense novels of an injured best-selling author. Book within a book within a book.

Overall, this book enthralled me. The pacing was just right and the immersive plot actually cured my reading slump. Vivid characters. Thrilling story. This is the first Colleen Hoover book I've read, and it's made me want need to read more.

The book begins through Lowen Ashleigh's eyes. She experiences an accident on her way to an important meeting. Her shirt is covered in the victim's blood, and it's super not helping her already stressful life. She runs into a man, who introduces himself as Jeremy and who helps her get cleaned up. Of course, this man is HELLA attractive. But he's wearing a wedding ring. Ugh. Besides, he has a meeting to get to.

But surprise, surprise. They're going to the same meeting! What are odds, really.

So, basically. Lowen is a writer. Jeremy--Jeremy Crawford--is the husband of best-selling author, Verity Crawford. Verity wrote half of a series before a car wreck left her unresponsive, and Lowen and her agent Corey are offered a large sum of money to finish the series. Lowen's own books don't get that much attention, so she's terrified of taking on this task, but nevertheless, the charming, hot, sexy Jeremy Crawford convinces her to take the deal.

Lowen's going to have to go to their house to gather up Verity's notes for the series, and maybe...just maybe, something's not exactly what it seems. But what, Izzy? What isn't exactly what it seems? Read the book.

THE ROMANCE. Ugh. The romantic element of this book had my little butterfly heart flying all over the place. I cried. I got angry. I "aw"ed.

If you like a good balance between romance and thriller, this book is PERFECT for you. I would rate it 4.5 stars, but if I have to round up or down, I choose up, if only because it finally cured my reading slump.

((Last line spoiler))

"No matter which way I look at it, it’s clear that Verity was a master at manipulating the truth. The only question that remains is: Which truth was she manipulating?"