15 Best Colleen Hoover Books to Read This Year

Fans of contemporary romance novels are certainly familiar with the works of Colleen Hoover. Since 2012, the author has published over 20 books, some of which are part of a series and some that stand alone. Readers love the twists that the writer often features in her books when telling tales of romantic partners with mysterious pasts or life-altering secrets.

While some critics think Hoover includes too much trauma and tragedy in her stories and take issue with how she writes about abuse, she's still hugely popular. Many of her novels have become New York Times Best Sellers, and two of her most famous books—It Ends with Us and Verity—are being adapted into films.

Whether you're looking to check out a Hoover book for the first time or are a fan trying to decide which novel to read next, the list below should help. You'll find descriptions of all four of her book series and her 11 standalone novels.

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Hoover self-published her first book, Slammed, in 2012. After it took off with fans online, it was republished by Atria Books, which went on to publish many of her novels.

Her debut work follows Layken, an 18-year-old high school student who moves to a new town and falls for her 21-year-old neighbor, Will. However, they soon find out that Will is Layken's poetry teacher at school, creating a source of tension since they are still attracted to each other but cannot be together. At the same time, they deal with other issues in their personal lives, such as both having experienced parental loss.

The title is a play on the slam poetry that Will is passionate about. Layken and Will's story continues in two additional novels, Point of Retreat (also 2012) and This Girl (2013).

Hoover's Hopeless series consists of three novels and two shorter novellas.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb

The first installment introduces readers to Sky and Holder, two high schoolers who enter a somewhat confusing relationship. Holder is often nice and calm around Sky, but certain things seem to set him off, which Sky can't understand. Eventually, traumas and secrets from their pasts come to light—in a series of twists—that explain their connection to each other. The second book, Losing Hope (2013), tells the story from Holder's point of view.

Also part of the series is the novella Finding Cinderella (2013), which is about Daniel and Six, friends of Sky and Holder. The novel All Your Perfects (2018) works as a standalone and is about another couple, Quinn and Graham, whose marriage is on the rocks. The novella Finding Perfect (2019) connects the story of Quinn and Graham to that of Daniel and Six and provides a conclusion for both, as Hoover herself has explained.

Maybe Someday (2014) is the first book in the Maybe Someday series, telling the story of Ridge and Sydney. The book begins with college student Sydney in a relationship with Hunter, but after she finds out he's cheating on her, she forms a connection with her neighbor, Ridge. Despite the two deepening their bond by writing music together, there's a problem: Ridge already has a girlfriend.

Book two, Maybe Not, is a standalone spinoff about side characters, while the third installment, Maybe Now, continues Ridge and Sydney's story.

It Ends with Us is arguably Hoover's most popular book—and if the name sounds familiar, it might be because it was just adapted into a movie starring Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, and Brandon Sklenar.

The story follows Lily Bloom, a florist who enters a relationship with a man named Ryle. He quickly becomes abusive but explains that his outbursts have to do with trauma from his past. Meanwhile, Lily reconnects with her first love, Atlas, who unexpectedly comes back into her life. The sequel, It Starts with Us (2022), continues Lily's story.

Ugly Love (2014) is about Tate and Miles. The two decide to try to have a purely sexual relationship because Miles doesn't want to be in a committed relationship, and Tate doesn't have time for one. Miles gives rules for the relationship: Tate shouldn't expect a future with him and shouldn't ask about his past. Of course, the two aren't able to stick to the plan, causing plenty of drama between them.

Described as "a twisty and devastating romantic mystery," Never Never (2015) is published as one book but is technically three novellas that Hoover co-wrote with author Tarryn Fisher.

The story is a mystery about Charlie and Silas, a couple who have known each other their whole lives. They wake up one morning to find that their memories of their relationship are gone. They then have to figure out what is really going on.

Confess follows Auburn and Owen, who begin a relationship after meeting at an art gallery that shows Owen's work. Their pasts threaten their new relationship, though, including Auburn's connection with her late partner's brother, Trey, and Owen's issues with the law that aren't what they seem.

The 2015 book was adapted into a TV series that was released on the now-defunct internet service go90.

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The title of November 9 (2015) comes from the main characters, Fallon and Ben, meeting on the same day each year following one amazing day they spent together right before Fallon was set to move to a new city. Ben takes inspiration from Fallon's tumultuous life for his novel, and she eventually learns about his connection to one of the most traumatic moments.

Too Late (2016) is centered around Sloan, a woman who is in a relationship with Asa, a drug trafficker who treats her poorly but whom she relies on financially. Sloan then develops feelings for an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent named Carter, which obviously makes this more high stakes than a typical love triangle.

Without Merit (2017) is about a 17-year-old girl named Merit Voss, who lives in a renovated church with her unconventional family. The love story involves Merit and a guy named Sagan, with their connection kicking off when Sagan mistakes Merit for her twin sister, Honor. In addition to the romance, the story overall is about the many secrets of the Voss family.

Hoover's 2018 novel Verity is planted more firmly in thriller territory, but it still includes some elements of romance. It's another of Hoover's more well-known works.

The story follows Lowen, a writer who is hired by Jeremy, the husband of a best-selling author named Verity Crawford, to finish Verity's book series because she is injured and unable to do it herself. While working in Verity and Jeremy's home, Lowen finds an autobiography Verity has written, which includes a shocking secret about her past. Lowen then has to decide whether to reveal the secret to Jeremy while being influenced by the fact that she is falling for him herself. A movie adaptation of Verity is in the works.

Regretting You (2019) is about a mother and daughter, Morgan and Clara, who are already distant from one another. Their relationship becomes further strained when Chris, Morgan's husband and Clara's father, is involved in an accident. The book includes romantic storylines for both Morgan and Clara while also maintaining a focus on their bond as mother and daughter.

Beyah and Samson are temporary neighbors with very different pasts—she grew up poor; his family is wealthy. While they begin a summer fling, they also have different futures ahead of them, as they're both set to live on opposite sides of the country.

As summer concludes, Beyah is looking forward to starting fresh in college after dealing with tragedy in her early life. But while their relationship has a time limit, Beyah and Samson's connection challenges their intention to just be together for a couple of months.

The titular character in Hoover's 2020 book, Layla, begins a relationship with a man named Leeds. And while they hit it off quickly, things shift after Layla is involved in an incident that leaves her not just needing to heal physically but which changes her emotionally.

Leeds attempts to bring back the Layla he fell in love with by taking her to the bed and breakfast that they met at, but things don't exactly go to plan. This one includes a supernatural element.

Reminders of Him (2022) is about Kenna, woman attempting to reconnect with her young daughter after serving five years in prison for involuntary manslaughter of her daughter's father, Scotty. The daughter now lives with Scotty's family, who don't want Kenna around. The romantic aspect comes in with Kenna's interest in Ledger, a bar owner who also had a connection to Scotty.