The author who left Kathryn Bernardo “fragile and speechless,” here are 4 books by Colleen Hoover that are as romantic and page-turning.
Related: This Is How Much Kathryn Bernardo Spent On Her Constellation Piercing
I could remember clearly the time when Colleen Hoover, young adult fiction and romance author had a firm grasp on everyone in high school. Just about everyone, including me had one of her novels in their bag, reading them during lunch breaks, and even others exchanging paperbacks after. If you’ve opened TikTok anytime recently or follow Filipina actress Kathryn Bernardo, then you’ve seen that Colleen Hoover’s books are back in the spotlight. Bernardo shared on her Instagram that she’s been passing the time during the pandemic, reading books and she’s hooked on “It Ends With Us” that left her and Ria Atayde in tears.
Hoover’s books are an easy read but they’re an emotional roller coaster. It’s filled with romantic scenes that provides all the “feels” and shocking plot twists that will give you a good cry. Even a non-reader would enjoy her stories. So if you don’t know where to start, here are four recommendations.
Please check for trigger warnings below, since some deal with sensitive topics:
1. It Ends With Us
This is the book that Kathryn Bernardo, Ria Atayde, and Lovi Poe have in their favorites list and my opinion is Hoover’s best work. The novel follows Lily Bloom, who left her marketing job to follow her passion to be a florist. She then meets Ryle Kincaid, an assertive and charming neurosurgeon who has a “no dating” rule but they fall for each other hard and fast. We follow their relationship that’s packed with passionate meetups, riveting drama, and painful truths.
This is more than a love story as the relationships are portrayed with honesty, compassion, and strength. What I loved most about it is how Hoover subtly weaved in foreshadowing in each chapter that will make you think back as you finish the last page. I’ve recommended this to several friends and every single one sent a picture of them ugly crying after finishing the book.
Trigger warning: Domestic violence and abuse.
2. Ugly Love
A friend with benefits set-up that turns into a complicated relationship, Ugly Love is filled with steamy pages as a student nurse Tate Collins and her neighbor and pilot Miles Archer hook up due to mutual physical attraction and mutual fear of commitment. They follow only two rules: don’t ask about the past and don’t expect a future. Palpable angst starts when Tate develops feelings for Miles even though he refuses to open up.
This book will make you cry, squeal, and even hate the characters at one point but just like Tate you’ll earn a soft spot for Miles and can’t resist the reason behind his tough exterior.
Trigger warning: Child death.
3. Hopeless
If you love a “bad boy and good girl” trope then this is the story for you. Homeschooled Sky Davis convinces her adoptive mom, Karen, to let her attend public school for her senior year. That’s when she meets Dean Holder. Dean comes several warning bells but of course, he’s undeniably attractive, soft on the inside, and the only person who can invoke intimate feelings within Sky.
You watch the team fall in love and fall in lust for the first time and play the game of seduction. But when they discover their shared past, it threatens to resurface memories that Sky wants to stay buried. This one’s a heavy-hitter so prepare your tissues.
Trigger warning: Sexual abuse and suicide.
4. Maybe Someday
I have a soft spot for this one since I would love to fall in love with the boy-next-door, musician in real life. With “Maybe Someday”, Hoover tells the story from both point-of-views of the main leads. Sydney is a musically talented, fun-loving girl who ends up becoming roommates with Ridge, a musician, after catching her boyfriend cheating on her. Ridge only communicates by text but would he would often Sydney singing made-up lyrics while he plays on his guitar. A bond instantly forms between them that go beyond the music.
It’s one of Hoover’s more light-hearted novels with light plot twists but it’s equally just as good. And again if your heart raises with “harana” moments, this book does not come short. You can actually listen to the songs that they create together in the book on Spotify.
