28 September 2022

Alicia convinced me to read Verity early this year, and I loved it so much that I went searching for other thrillers by Colleen Hoover. My search turned up Layla which immediately landed in my online shopping cart.

My first thought on Layla is “What the…” If you are expecting a thriller – this book will be a huge disappointment. I will not place this in the thriller genre. If I did not promise Alicia that I would keep an open mind and keep reading this book, I might have closed it and walked away. If anything, Layla is not what I expected.

Colleen Hoover manages to keep you curious as you turn the pages. Her writing stirs emotion, even if you are left with an urge to lean into the book and smack a character – she still manages to engage you. While I enjoy her writing style, after reading Layla it will take a lot of convincing for me to reach for one of her books again. Not that this was a bad book, but I think it is more just not my genre of choice.

Leeds Gabriel is the bass guitarist in a band he does not like. If anything, he finds himself embarrassed by the music he is playing. While playing at a wedding he meets Layla and a whirlwind romance unfolds.  Layla is more than he could ever have hoped for in a partner. When an ex-girlfriend sees a photo on social media of Leeds and Layla – his world is turned upside down. Layla is shot and after a lengthy recovery period, she is just not herself. Leeds takes Layla back to the Bed and Breakfast where they first met, hoping they can find their way back together. But he finds a lot more than he was hoping for.

Layla is not what you might expect. While I was a little disappointed at the start, I found myself engrossed and eager to see where the story was going. This book managed to stir emotions that kept me turning the pages. Layla was more of a romance than a thriller for me with a few interesting twists thrown in just to keep you curious.

The characters are an unusual bunch. Layla starts as an independent likeable young woman until she is shot. During her recovery, she is a mess. She is weak and full of insecurities. She doesn’t speak her mind and hides away behind medication. There is not much to like about her. Willow is portrayed as a vulnerable, lonely character, but the more time you spend with her the more she shows how selfish she can be. I cannot say that I liked her at all.

When it comes to Leeds – well good luck to anyone who has a boyfriend like him. You think he cares about Layla, that he has her best interest at heart – yet actions speak louder than words. He is a horrible person. The worst part about this story for me is that Layla and Willow never question his actions. How could anyone accept his behaviour?

This book is a love/hate read. The author’s writing makes this a good read while the story is not what you would expect. I found myself tempted to give up at times while still wanting to know what was going to happen.

Loads of readers will love this book, unfortunately, this was not exactly my cuppa tea.