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Layla

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About this listen

A Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestseller.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover comes a novel that explores life after tragedy and the enduring spirit of love.

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.

©2020 Colleen Hoover (P)2020 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved. Ghosts Horror Paranormal Paranormal Romance Romantic Suspense Scary Romance Suspense Exciting

Critic reviews

“The audiobook is narrated by the late Brian Pallino, who provided distinct voices and powerfully reflected the emotions of the characters.” (Library Journal)

“Surprising and emotionally tense, this paranormal romance is sure to entertain.” (Publishers Weekly)

“The love between Leeds and Willow has a very appealing, slow build, while the many plot turns will keep readers guessing through to the shocking resolution.” (Booklist)
All stars
Most relevant
My low emotional quotient made me almost DNF this, but out of respect to my favourite author I kept on reading….and I’m thankful I did. Different genre from her books that I read, but CoHo did it again!! As always!

Kudos to narrator Brian Pallino, really think he did a great job!

ALMOST DNF this, good thing I didn’t!

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The plottwist was soo good, started doubting the book a few times, but so glad I listen to everything

The plottwist

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Absolutely amazing, kept going right until the last chapter, totally different to what I usually read

Could not stop listening

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I really enjoyed Verity and wasn't sure what to expect from Layla. My feelings changed dramatically for Leeds as the story progressed. This was a really unique story that I will be recommending to everyone.

incredible! Such a creepy and unique story

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Layla had all the ingredients of a compelling romance/psychological thriller—mystery, emotional tension, and an intriguing supernatural thread. And to be fair, if this had been my first dip into the genre, I probably would have been hooked. But having read quite a few twisty, suspenseful stories, I guessed the main twist very early on—possibly even from the blurb—and unfortunately, that totally took the excitement and enjoyment out of the whole experience.

From that point on, the book felt like it dragged. The “subtle” clues were laid on a little too heavily, making most of the suspense feel like a waiting game rather than a revelation. There were moments I hoped the story might turn in an unexpected direction, but the red herrings didn’t lead anywhere fresh—they mostly served to pad out the lead-up to a twist I’d already seen coming.

That said, I do think Layla would be a fantastic read for someone new to supernatural romance or Colleen Hoover’s darker storytelling. The premise is strong, the atmosphere is immersive, and the emotional beats do land—especially in the final chapters.

But for seasoned readers of psychological or paranormal thrillers, this might feel more like déjà vu than discovery. Disappointing for me, I ended up listening at 1.5x speed and I was glad when it ended.

An Intriguing Concept That Sadly Falls Flat If You’ve Read Similar Stories

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