Colleen Hoover: Some cherish her work and other do not. Is she worth your money and your Sunday afternoon?

Colleen Hover, born in 1979, is one of the most popular American authors. She has twenty-six books published, with a few I will be discussing later on within the blog. Her book’s genres are quite diverse, specializing in romance, mystery, and thrill (Willingham). Social Media has played a huge part of her fame. “It Ends with Us”, published in 2016, blew up on Tiktok. Users promoted for Colleen, putting multiple of her books on The New York Times’s paperback fiction best seller list (Alter). Alexandra Alter from the NY Times says, “Colleen Hoover has sold more books in 2022 than Dr. Seuss. She’s sold more books than James Patterson and John Grisham — combined.” Her books range from $13.99-$17.99 and can be purchased at Target, Walmart, Amazon, or any other large retail store.  

It Ends with Us

2016-Current

Summary: 

Main character, Lily Bloom, just moved to Boston. She meets a mysterious man, later revealed as Ryle Kincaid. While they grow in love and friendship, Lily runs into her first love Atlas. Seeing him brings back memories and creates challenges in her and Ryle's relationship.

Goodreads:4.21/5 

My review: 3.5/5

I read this book fairly fast, which for me indicates a steady pace throughout. The book touched on a bunch of important topics like abuse, divorce, and more. These are things that need to be talked about. I think this book does a good job of that. One plus is that there is a plot twist for sure. Well maybe not for some, but for me! Hoover made a writing decision I didn't expect. This book was overhyped but not bad. 

November 9

2015-Current

Summary:

At the start of the book Fallon O'Neil, eighteen years old, told her father in a diner in California where they lived she was moving to New York to chase her acting dreams. Her father, a typically arrogant celebrity, disapproved. He claims no one would hire her because of the scars she got from a house fire a year prior. A random stranger, Ben Kessler pretends to be Fallon's boyfriend and stands up to her father. Fallon and Ben spend a wonderful day together. Ben wants date her but Fallon insists on only starting a relationship at 23 or older. They agree to meet every year, once a year, November 9th with no contact in between. After five years of meeting, Fallon will finally be 23 and ready to date Ben.  

Goodreads: 4.17/5

My review: 5/5

I loved this book so much. Although it took me longer to read (one of the November 9th's was boring) the story is so creative. It's a short book so it does not feel like a chore reading. 

I am not usually one for romance novels but this book, especially the ending, makes you want to never settle. Ben treats Fallon so well and it's so comforting to see. It is a genuine book. 

Regretting Us

2019-Current

Summary:

The book flips from mother Morgan Grant's perspective and her sixteen-year-old daughter Clara. They are both grieving the lost of Chris Grant (Morgan's husband) and Jenny (Morgan's sister). Readers learn navigating grief is not linear when you are dealing with new relationships, discovering hidden family secrets, and much more. 

Goodreads: 4.16/5

My review: 3/5

This book was average. I really liked the first few chapters. Hoover set the plot up to be very enticing. There were so many "OMG" moments but then they stopped. I didn't like the ending. She could have played on one part of the story (the letters) so much long and turned it into a juicy story line.  

Overall:

Colleen Hoover is a gifted writer. It is extremely clear in her work. She is descriptive and creative. Although I have not read all her book and can't give an opinion on investing in her as a whole, I do recommend everyone read one or two of her books. They are easy, cheap reads that are good to binge, read on the beach, or use for a school assignment. If you are looking for deeper content I would recommend checking different authors out.

About the Author: Isa Hilton

Isa, born in Allentown, PA is a continuous learner who has a long term goal of graduating law school and having a successful career as a juris doctorate. Her short term goals are excelling in academics at Duquesne. She is passionate about reading. Her favorite genre is mystery. She loves a good plot twist! She is currently reading The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides.

Work Cited: Copy the link. 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ss7059rLvZgi61BUEA801ruPgUXiqHxq9Eq9MN6b3Sg/edit