"Sublimely creepy with a true Hoover pulse. I've been waiting on a thriller like this for years." Tarryn Fisher, New York Times bestselling author
Verity, an all-new romantic thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, is available now!
Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer
on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime.
Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen
to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is
unable to finish.
Lowen arrives at the Crawford home,
ready to sort through years of Verity's notes and outlines, hoping to find
enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn't expect to uncover in the
chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity likely didn't intend for
anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity's
recollection of the night their family was forever altered.
Lowen decides to keep the manuscript
hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents would devastate the already grieving
father. But as Lowen's feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes
all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife's words. After all,
no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying
would make it impossible for him to continue to love her.
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Excerpt:
“What are you wearing?” Corey is staring down at my shirt, perplexed, just now
noticing it despite having spent the last fifteen minutes with me.
I look down at my oversized shirt.
For a moment, I forgot how ridiculous I look. “I spilled coffee on my other
shirt this morning and had to change.”
“Whose shirt is that?”
I shrug. “Probably yours. It was in
my closet.”
“You left your house in that? There
wasn’t something else you could have worn?”
“It doesn’t look high fashion?” I’m
being sarcastic, but he doesn’t catch it.
He makes a face. “No. Is it supposed
to?”
Such an ass. But he’s good in bed, like most assholes.
I’m actually relieved when the
conference room door opens and a woman walks in. She’s followed, almost
comically, by an older man walking so closely behind her, he bumps into the
back of her when she stops.
“Goddammit, Barron,” I hear her
mumble.
I almost smile at the idea of Goddammit Barron actually being his
name.
Jeremy enters last. He gives me a
small nod that goes unnoticed by everyone else.
The woman is dressed more
appropriately than I am on my best day, with short black hair and lipstick so
red, it’s a little jarring at nine thirty in the morning. She seems to be the
one in charge as she reaches for Corey’s hand, and then mine, while Goddammit
Barron looks on. “Amanda Thomas,” she says. “I’m an editor with Pantem Press.
This is Barron Stephens, our lawyer, and Jeremy Crawford, our client.”
Jeremy and I shake hands, and he does
a good job of pretending we didn’t share an extremely bizarre morning. He
quietly takes the seat across from me. I try not to look at him, but it’s the
only place my eyes seem to want to travel. I have no idea why I’m more curious
about him than I am about this meeting.
Amanda pulls folders out of her
briefcase and slides them in front of Corey and me.
“Thank you for meeting with us,” she
says. “We don’t want to waste your time, so I’ll cut right to the chase. One of
our authors is unable to fulfill a contract due to medical reasons, and we’re
in search of a writer with experience in the same genre who may be interested
in completing the three remaining books in her series.”
I glance at Jeremy, but his stoic
expression doesn’t hint at his role in this meeting.
“Who is the author?” Corey asks.
“We’re happy to go over the details
and terms with you, but we do ask that you sign the non-disclosure agreement.
We would like to keep our author’s current situation out of the media.”
“Of course,” Corey says.
I acquiesce, but I say nothing as we
both look over the forms and then sign them. Corey slides them back to Amanda.
“Her name is Verity Crawford,” she
says. “I’m sure you’re familiar with her work.”
Corey stiffens as soon as they
mention Verity’s name. Of course
we’re familiar with her work. Everyone is. I hazard a glance in Jeremy’s
direction. Is Verity his wife? They
share a last name. He said downstairs that his wife is a writer. But why would
he be in a meeting about her? A meeting she isn’t even here for?
“We’re familiar with the name,” Corey
says, holding his cards close.
“Verity has a very successful series
we would hate to see go unfinished,” Amanda continues. “Our goal is to bring in
a writer who is willing to step in, finish the series, complete the book tours,
press releases, and whatever else is normally required of Verity. We plan to
put out a press release introducing the new co-writer while also preserving as
much of Verity’s privacy as possible.”
About Colleen Hoover
Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times and International bestselling author of thirteen novels and multiple novellas. She lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys. She is the founder of The Bookworm Box, a non-profit book subscription service and bookstore in Sulphur Springs, Texas.
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