I have a hard time finding authors whose books I genuinely enjoy reading. There are times in which I can rave about one book that an author has written, and feel unsatisfied with another. That was not the case with Colleen Hoover.
I was introduced to Colleen Hoover on BookTok. I had never really read a romance novel before, which is her field of expertise, and I definitely would not consider that to have been an interest of mine. I glanced over the promotion on TikTok, thinking that her books were not for me. One day, I was walking by a stack of books at Barnes and Noble with the most aesthetically pleasing covers, and after seeing Colleen Hoover’s name on the front, I was convinced to give them a try (and I was not disappointed). Below are some of the books I’ve read this summer that I could not put down:
- It Ends With Us
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Trigger warning: domestic abuse
It Ends With Us is a romance book with an unexpected twist that left my mouth on the floor. The book follows the life of a girl named Lily, who as a child, witnessed domestic abuse between her parents and built up resentment toward them. She moved to Boston in hopes of starting a new life, where she starts her own flower business and meets a neurosurgeon named Ryle who she falls head over heels for. Their relationship progresses despite agreeing that they would never date. Lily and Ryle’s relationship takes a turn for the worse when Lily is reunited with her first love, and Lily’s worst nightmare comes true. The book raises awareness of domestic abuse and captures the difficulty of leaving dangerous relationships. The plot is very fast-paced and you really feel for the characters.
- November 9
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November 9 starts with the meet-up of two teenagers, Fallon and Ben, who spark an immediate connection in an awkward public setting. The day that they meet holds incredible significance for both characters, and after learning more about each other, they decide to meet up again once a year on this day, November 9. Despite their attraction towards each other, they decide not to learn anything new about each other during their time apart because the distance between them (from California to New York) will only make the year feel longer. Their relationship has its ups and downs, and the ending reveals that they had been connected to each other much earlier in their lives without notice. The ending of this book is incredibly unpredictable, but this book was my least favorite book out of the four. I would totally recommend it to anyone who loves suspense and romance, but it is rather unrealistic and I feel as though the characters could have been developed more.
- Ugly Love
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A nursing student named Tate moves in with her brother, Corbin, who is an incredible pilot. He lives in an apartment with a few of his coworkers, including Miles. Upon meeting, Miles and Tate are mutually attracted to each other, but neither of them feel ready to be in a committed relationship. They decide to pursue a casual relationship, and despite their best efforts to keep things casual, things progress quickly, leaving both characters to question what they really want in life. This book was the quickest read in my opinion, which is interesting because I felt as though the plot was rather stagnant. In true Colleen Hoover fashion, the characters faced major hardships in their lives, creating an unexpected twist that heightens the drama.
- Verity
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Verity was unlike any book that I have ever read, and I highly encourage everyone to read this book. I stayed up all night reading it because I could not go to bed without knowing how it ended. It has components of romance and thriller, and it is the most twisted book I have ever read. The book surrounds the career pursuit of struggling author Lowen. She accepts a job offer that she is rather unsure about, where she is asked to continue a famous and highly respected series by author Verity Crawford, who is no longer able to continue the series due to medical reasons. Verity’s husband, Jeremy, allows Lowen to stay at their house so she is able to conduct research on Verity’s writing style and her series, in order to prepare her mindset and writing to mimic Verity’s. While perusing Verity’s work, Lowen discovers a manuscript detailing Verity’s life prior to the incident that caused her injuries, uncovering a sick autobiography that shakes Lowen and the readers. The events that come next are jaw-dropping, and this book is an absolute must-read.
Although a lot of Colleen Hoover’s books include very heavy subject matter, I think it is important for some of these topics to be brought to life, but it is important not to glorify and romanticize these topics. I enjoy reading these books for their shock factor, easy readability, and plot, and am excited to dive into more of her work.
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