REVIEW: Twist by Kylie Scott

In brief: It’s a case of mistaken identity when Alex goes to meet the man she met online. But Joe has been using brother Eric’s account…how can they reclaim the spark when he lied from the start?

The good: Witty, funny and heartfelt.

The not-so-good: Eric, you’re still a tool.

Why I chose it: Enjoy Kylie Scott’s books.

Year: 2017

Pages: 273

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Setting: Coeur d’Alene, Idaho (USA)

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Kylie Scott’s books are always a fun read and Twist really cements the Dive Bar series as one that I continue to look forward to. It’s pure Kylie Scott, with a smart and sassy heroine and a brooding hero worth his weight in gold. I enjoyed it even more than the previous book in the series, Dirty. Twist is a little more vulnerable and heartfelt because of the plot and the main characters.

Alex is a lonely work from home graphic designer who has been hurt a few too many times. She’s on a dating site for hook-ups, no relationship attached. She meets a man she thinks is Eric Collins, and sparks fly via email. But when Alex arrives to celebrate his birthday, ‘Eric’ is outed as his brother Joe. Eric lost interest in using the site and Joe went to close it down, met Alex and…you know the rest. It’s a classic case of mistaken identity. The problem is that both Joe and Alex are good people. How can Joe make it up to Alex? Fortunately karma comes around pretty quickly and he nurses her through a case of the flu. Alex knows that ‘lumbersexuals’ like Joe are not her type, but they could be friends…right? Or can Joe convince Alex that a relationship is not a bad thing…

One aspect that I really enjoyed in Twist was that Alex and Joe’s relationship wasn’t completely sex-based. Perhaps it was that they met online, or that there was a basis of friendship once they had to start all over again in person. There was some great dialogue between the two of them as they discussed design/building projects and just life in general. It felt like a deeper connection than just the physical, which was sweet.

Another thing I am a sucker for in a book in letters, or the modern equivalent, emails. There are examples of the emails sent between Alex and ‘Eric’ (read: Joe) on quite a lot of the chapters which are kind of a basis for what that chapter is about. I liked getting to know both characters in writing as well as face to face (you know what I mean…this is a book, not quite virtual reality!). As a reader, I got to experience Joe’s sweetness and Alex’s wit, which didn’t really shine in the early stages of their relationship. It added another layer of connection, particularly as Joe’s a quiet guy. I also found the Dive Bar crew not to be as OTT in this book. Perhaps I’d just gotten used to them, but there didn’t seem to be the wild antics seen in Twist which made Stage Dive seem a little tame! And speaking of Stage Dive…is there any mention of our favourite fictional band? You’ll have to read the book for that, but you won’t be disappointed. There also isn’t a lot of page time about Vaughan and Lydia (main characters in Dirty). Some might be disappointed, but I personally was fine with that because both can be pretty exhausting!

I can’t wait to read the third book in the series, Chaser, in which Eric is (hopefully) redeemed! It’s going to take one special (and patient) lady to do that!