Twisted Love is an adult romance novel that has been marketed heavily to teens via TikTok, but make no mistake: it’s explicit, toxic, and written for an adult audience. If your teen is asking for it, they aren't looking for a sweet high school crush story; they’re looking for "spice," and this book delivers it in a way that bypasses the "Young Adult" label entirely.
TL;DR: Twisted Love is a viral "dark romance" bestseller that belongs on the adult shelf, not in the YA section. It contains explicit sexual content, "morally grey" (read: toxic) male behavior, and heavy themes like trauma and stalking. If your teen wants romance with the same "grumpy/sunshine" vibe but less graphic content, check out Better Than the Movies or Check & Mate from our best books for kids list.
If you haven't been on TikTok lately, "BookTok" is the corner of the internet where books live or die. Twisted Love by Ana Huang is a titan there. The problem? The algorithm doesn't care about age ratings. It sees a "Grumpy/Sunshine" trope or a "Brother’s Best Friend" plot and pushes it to anyone who likes romance, whether they’re 35 or 13.
Parents often see the illustrated covers—which are trendy and look a bit like modern YA—and assume it’s a standard teen read. It isn't. Ana Huang writes "spicy" romance, which is the polite publishing industry term for books where the sex scenes are frequent, graphic, and the primary draw.
The story follows Ava Chen, a sunny college student with a tragic past, and Alex Volkov, her brother’s best friend who is tasked with watching over her. Alex is the quintessential "dark romance" lead: he’s a cold, calculated billionaire who doesn't do "feelings" and has a "touch her and you die" attitude.
In the world of adult romance, this is a popular trope. In the real world, Alex’s behavior is a catalog of red flags. He’s possessive, he stalks Ava (for her "protection," of course), and he’s emotionally manipulative. For an adult reader who understands the "fantasy" of a dark romance, it’s entertainment. For a 14-year-old still figuring out what a healthy relationship looks like, the line between "intense love" and "abusive control" gets very blurry here.
If you’re trying to gauge the "spice" level, imagine a scale of 1 to 5. Twisted Love is a hard 4.
- The Content: We aren't talking about "fade to black" or a few passionate kisses. The sexual encounters are described in high detail using explicit language.
- The Themes: The book deals with childhood trauma, attempted murder, and deep-seated revenge plots. It’s heavy.
- The Language: F-bombs are the punctuation of choice.
It’s not just that the book is "mature"—it’s that the entire framework of the relationship is built on intensity and obsession rather than mutual respect. If your kid is reading this, they are consuming a version of "love" that is intentionally exaggerated for adult drama.
If your teen is obsessed with the ideas in Twisted Love—the brooding guy, the forbidden romance, the high stakes—there are plenty of books that hit those notes without the graphic adult content.
The "Grumpy/Sunshine" & "Brother's Best Friend" Vibe
- Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter: This is the gold standard for YA rom-coms. It’s got the banter, the "enemies-to-lovers" tension, and it’s genuinely funny. It captures the feeling of a big romance without needing the explicit scenes.
- Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood: Hazelwood is famous for adult romance, but this is her YA debut. It features a brooding chess prodigy and a girl who is his only real rival. It’s "spicy-lite"—meaning there’s tension and some steam, but it stays within the YA lane.
The "High Stakes & Mystery" Vibe
- The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes: If they like the "billionaire" aspect and the dark family secrets, this series is addictive. It’s more of a puzzle-thriller with a romantic subplot, but it scratches that "intense world" itch perfectly.
- A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson: For kids who like the darker themes of Twisted Love, this mystery series provides plenty of grit and a compelling "us against the world" romance without the erotica.
If you find this book on your teen's nightstand, don't panic or stage an intervention. That just makes it forbidden fruit. Instead, treat it like a media literacy moment.
The Conversation to Start: "I noticed you're reading Twisted Love. That’s actually written for adults, and the guy in it, Alex, does some pretty intense stuff. What do you think about the way he treats Ava? Is that 'romantic' in a book, or would that be a nightmare in real life?"
The goal isn't to shame them for being curious about "spicy" books—every generation has them (hello, Flowers in the Attic or Twilight). The goal is to make sure they can distinguish between a "dark romance" trope and a healthy relationship.
Q: What age is Twisted Love appropriate for? Twisted Love is written for readers 18 and up. While older teens (16+) might have the maturity to handle the themes, the explicit sexual content makes it a firm "adult" title rather than Young Adult.
Q: Is Twisted Love ok for a 13 or 14 year old? Generally, no. The explicit sexual descriptions and the toxic nature of the central relationship are a lot for a middle-schooler to process. If they want romance, point them toward our digital guide for middle schoolers for better options.
Q: Why is Twisted Love so popular if it's toxic? It’s a "fantasy" read. Many adult readers enjoy the "dark romance" genre because it explores intense, over-the-top emotions that you wouldn't actually want in a real partner. The problem for parents is when that fantasy is consumed by kids who don't yet have the life experience to see the "red flags" as entertainment rather than a blueprint.
Q: What are the content warnings for Twisted Love? Twisted Love includes graphic sex, stalking, kidnapping, murder (off-page and discussed), childhood trauma (including fire and drowning), and heavy emotional manipulation.
Twisted Love is a well-written example of its genre, but its genre is Adult Dark Romance. It’s not "YA with a little edge"—it’s erotica-adjacent fiction. If your teen is looking for a great love story, there are hundreds of brilliant YA novels that offer the same emotional payoff without the "adults-only" content.
Check out our best books for kids list or our digital guide for high schoolers to find something that hits the sweet spot of being "cool" enough for TikTok but "sane" enough for your household.
- Browse the best books for kids for age-appropriate romance.
- See our digital guide for high schoolers for more on navigating BookTok trends.
- Ask our chatbot for a "spiceless" romance recommendation
