Twisted Hate Summary and Review

I was thoroughly impressed by Twisted Love. I picked up Twisted Games soon after and loved it equally. I had intended to get through the whole series by December 2023 before tackling her Kings of Sin series in 2024, but that did not happen. Nevertheless, here we are with my review of Twisted Hate—the third one. This review will contain small spoilers for the first two books, but since each book features different characters, they can be read as standalone novels. That being said, the characters are linked by a common group of friends, providing a pleasant thread of continuity.

What is Twisted Hate About

Author: Ana Huang
Content Warning: 17+ (Explicit content, profanity, drug/alcohol use, sensitive topics)
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

“He hates her… almost as much as he wants her.”
Twisted Hate tracks Josh Chen, a good-looking and conceited would-be doctor, and Jules Ambrose, a driven former party girl taking the bar exam. They’ve been sworn enemies for years, trading snarky insults and scowls—but under all that hostility is sizzling chemistry. After a night they will never forget, they settle on an “enemies with benefits” deal: no jealousy, no strings attached, and absolutely no falling in love.
But when past traumas return and truths from their pasts surface, the hate and love line gets twisted. Will it shatter them or unite them?

The Twisted Hate Review

I couldn’t wait to see where Twisted Hate would lead the series, particularly as Josh, Ava’s brother and Alex’s best friend, was a returnee from Twisted Love. Now a bit older, Josh is dealing with some serious emotional baggage. On the other hand, we have Jules, whom I, honestly, didn’t care for in earlier books. She seemed shallow. But this book gave her story unexpected depth, and I found myself liking her a lot more.

Ana Huang retains her classic dual POV narrative, which I’ve always liked. It is especially effective in romance because it allows you to feel both characters’ inner lives. Although that was helpful here as well, I still felt that the pacing was a bit sluggish at times. Some scenes dragged on, and the relationship development overall didn’t feel as organic.

Twisted Hate Characters

Josh’s character development was more interesting to me. His evolution was believable, and the emotional milestones of his past gave him weight as a character. Jules’ history was also surprisingly interesting. The insight into her troubled past brought her closer to me. Nevertheless, as a pair, Josh and Jules didn’t entirely resonate with me. Their relationship in the first half of the book was more annoying than charged, and the chemistry wasn’t as believable as in the previous books.

What I loved most in Twisted Hate

• Josh’s emotional depth
• Jules’ surprising depth
• Genuine portrayal of relationship ebbs and flows
• Dual POV format continues to be effective
• Continuation of the interconnected friend group storylines
• Lack of chemistry between the main couple
• The first half felt a bit repetitive
• Some emotional moments lacked intensity

Though Twisted Hate wasn’t my favorite in the series (Twisted Games will always be my favorite), I ended up enjoying it as a read. Jules grew on me, and I was interested in what had happened to her. Josh’s emotional journey added depth, but their romance never fully hooked me. That said, Ana Huang’s writing continues to be engaging, and I’m excited to see where Twisted Lies goes, especially since Stella has always come across as a bit mysterious. Let’s see if she surprises me.