Twelve years after her debut novel hit the New York Times bestseller list, Colleen Hoover remains a literary powerhouse, topping bestseller lists around the globe. Known to her fans as CoHo, Hoover crafts stories that blend heartbreak, family drama, and complex social themes. Her many devoted readers and listeners, the CoHorts, devour her intense romances—often reaching for the next novel before finishing the last. Two billion views on #Bookstagram and #BookTok later, Hoover’s popularity continues to grow, so much so that she was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2023.
With fans buzzing with excitement after watching the film adaptation of It Ends With Us, the question arises: What CoHo novel should I listen to next? I've got you covered! Whether you’re new to Hoover’s work or a seasoned CoHort, this guide will help you navigate her novels and pick your next listen with ease.
Warning: spoilers ahead!
Breakdown of Colleen Hoover series:
Colleen has penned close to 30 novels, novellas, and anthologies. While most are standalone, 13 are categorized in the following series:
Slammed
The Slammed series is about first love, focusing on a troubled young couple who are bonded by a passion for slam poetry and a shocking discovery that challenges their relationship. Colleen's debut novel, Slammed starts the story of Layken and Will—who meet when they become neighbors. After Layken’s father died suddenly, leaving her to gather every ounce of strength to prevent her family's world from falling apart, she doesn't think she can manage to go on—until she meets Will, that is. As the series continues and revelations surface, Layken decides she wants to know everything about Will, even if he wants to keep painful memories of the past in the past, where they belong. Point of Retreat continues Layken and Will's story, as a revelation about Will's past leaves the pair questioning everything and tests how far they are willing to go for their relationship. This Girl concludes the Slammed series, and finds Layken and Will still together as Will finally begins to open up about his past. The Slammed trilogy is a perfect example of how the path of true love doesn’t always run smoothly.
Hopeless
The Hopeless series introduces Sky, a senior in high school, and Dean Holder, whose promiscuous reputation rivals her own. From their first encounter in Hopeless, he captivates and terrifies her. Something about him stirs up memories of her deeply troubled past. Though Sky is determined to stay away from Holder, his unwavering pursuit and enigmatic smile break down her defenses. But the mysterious Holder has been keeping secrets of his own. Once they are revealed, Sky is changed forever—and her ability to trust may be a casualty of the truth. Only by facing the stark revelations can Sky and Holder hope to heal their emotional scars and find a way to love without boundaries. Losing Hope starts with Holder being haunted by past events—his life overshadowed by feelings of guilt and remorse. He has never stopped searching for the peace he needs to move on. However, Holder could not have anticipated that he would experience even greater pain the moment he finally reconnects with the now grown-up little girl he couldn't save. Finding Cinderella is all about how one small action can change your entire life. A chance encounter in the dark leads 18-year-old Daniel and the girl who stumbles across him to profess their love for each other. But their love has conditions—they agree it will last only one hour, and it will only be make-believe. When the hour is up and the girl rushes off like Cinderella, Daniel tries to convince himself that what happened between them only seemed perfect because they were pretending it was. One year and one bad relationship later, his disbelief in fairy tale love at first sight is stripped away the moment he meets Six—a girl with a strange name and even stranger personality. Unfortunately for Daniel, finding true love doesn't guarantee a happily-ever-after ending.
All Your Perfects celebrates two imperfect people and cautions against believing in a perfect marriage. The love Graham and Quinn shared is messy, beautiful, and absolutely filled to the brim with hope. What they have is suddenly threatened by an ugly truth—made worse by unrealistic expectations. Will promises they made in the past be enough to save them? Finding Perfect is told from Daniel's (Finding Cinderella) POV, as he and Six are on holiday break after their first semester in college together. Other characters in the Hopeless series find their way onto the nine chapter novella, giving listeners the conclusion they’ve been hoping for. (Note: Colleen recommends listening to All Your Perfects and Finding Perfect right after the Hopeless series, so that the final novella makes sense.)
Content warning: The Hopeless series contains sensitive themes, including child abuse, incest, and suicide.
Maybe
The Maybe series, which consists of two novels and a novella, tells the story of two couples whose relationships are complex and tumultuous. Starting the series, Maybe Someday finds Sydney living her fullest life—until she finds her boyfriend cheating, that is. While trying to figure out what her next move is, Sydney becomes captivated by Ridge, her mysterious guitar-playing neighbor. When their inevitable encounter happens, Sydney and Ridge realize that there's something between them they can’t ignore. In Maybe Not, Sydney and Ridge's relationship continues to exist in the background while we zoom in on Ridge's roommate, Warren. When the chance to have a woman roommate arrives, Warren jumps at it, hoping for an exciting change. Instead, he gets the distant, and often temperamental, Bridgette, who can't stand to be in the same room as Warren. Still, he theorizes that there's more to Bridgette than her cold, calculating ways. Is Warren right? At the start of Maybe Now, the series closer, we find that one couple is thriving and the other definitely is not. Sydney and Ridge's relationship is struggling, complicated by jealousy and illness. When Ridge's old friend Maggie comes to terms with the fact that she doesn't have long to live, she keeps him updated on her adventures as she checks off her bucket list—while Sydney grows more and more suspicious about their friendship. Will welcoming their past into their present allow Sydney to trust Ridge?
Warning: The Maybe series is recommended for mature listeners.
It Ends with Us
This two-book series starts with It Ends with Us, recently adapted into a major film directed by Justin Baldoni and starring Baldoni and Blake Lively. It Ends with Us introduces Lily, a woman in her early 20s who has never had it easy. Growing up in small-town Maine, though her family wasn't exactly poor, she has always had to work for everything she's wanted. After graduating from college, Lily moved to the big city of Boston and started her own flower shop. There she meets and falls for Ryle, a thriving neurosurgeon who is determined to be the best in his field. The two hit it off fast and hard—in fact, things seem almost too good to be true. As their relationship pushes forward, Lily finds herself looking back at her first love, Atlas. When Atlas reappears in Lily's life, her relationship with Ryle begins to spiral, leaving Lily torn by difficult circumstances and the ultimate question of whether she should stay or go.
It Starts with Us picks up right where It Ends with Us left off. This second-chance romance is a dual POV of Atlas and Lily, teenage sweethearts who lost touch after Atlas left for the military. As they find themselves at the right place and time in their lives, both work at navigating their relationship while also dealing with Ryle—Lily's very complicated ex.
Editor's note: It Ends with Us contains sensitive themes, including domestic violence, sexual abuse, and suicide—take care when listening. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available. Contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788 for confidential support, resources, and assistance. You are not alone.
Never Never
The Never Never novellas are co-authored by CoHo's best friend, bestselling author Tarryn Fisher. In Never Never: Part One, we are introduced to Charlie and Silas, childhood best friends turned lovers, who mysteriously lose their memory. As if being a teenager isn't hard enough, the two must puzzle their pasts back together in a race against time. Neither can remember anything before a moment in their history class that morning, and neither is sure if the other is experiencing the same thing. In Never Never: Part Two secrets are discovered, and it becomes more apparent that things between Charlie and Silas weren’t as they seemed. Both were keeping secrets, and both are now questioning their relationship. When Charlie goes missing, will Silas drop everything to find her? The final book, Never Never: Part Three has Silas remembering the last few days, which is just enough to get to the bottom of this strange illness. As the clock winds down, will Charlie and Silas reconcile and restore who they once were?
Breakdown of Colleen Hoover standalone titles:
Ugly Love is a novel about second chances and finding your way through heartbreak so you can learn to live and love again. The story is told from the dual perspectives of the two protagonists, Tate and Miles. Tate's POV is set in the present and shows us how she meets Miles and starts to fall in love with him, while Miles's POV takes us back six years into the past and recounts his first relationship—the one that obviously broke his heart and turned him away from the idea of love forever. Even though they have palpable chemistry, Miles has two rules for Tate: Never ask about the past. Don’t expect a future. Can their arrangement remain just an arrangement? Or will love get ugly again?
When they are both 18, Fallon, an aspiring actress, meets Ben, an aspiring writer, under unique circumstances—it's the day before Fallon moves from LA to NYC to pursue her dreams. In the brief time they spend together, Fallon and Ben find that they share more than a connection. They share their hopes and dreams, and maybe a kiss or two. November 9 turns out to be the perfect day. As they unknowingly provide each other with the confidence and motivation to take charge of their lives, Fallon and Ben part ways and promise to go make their dreams happen. Over time and various setbacks, triumphs, and heartbreaks in their separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Then on one November 9, Fallon finds herself wondering about Ben's motivation. Has he has been fabricating the perfect day, year after year, purely for the perfect plot twist?
Confess is a novel about risking everything for love—and finding your heart somewhere between the truth and lies. At 21, Auburn has already lost so much and is struggling to make ends meet. Faced with an impossible situation, she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job and finds herself drawn to the studio’s enigmatic artist, Owen. As their relationship develops, Auburn suspects that Owen has secrets of his own. When the magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything Auburn loves most, the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it—but will she be able to? The last thing Owen wants is to lose Auburn, but he can’t seem to convince her that truth is sometimes as subjective as art. To save their relationship, all he has to do is confess—if only the confession wasn't much more destructive than the actual sin. Confess has been made into a TV show and is available on Prime Video.
Sloan, a junior in college, is trapped in a relationship with the dangerous and morally corrupt Asa Jackson. She lives in his house, and Asa constantly has parties, making it difficult for her to study. In fact, she can barely take a shower without finding someone sleeping in it. Sloan vows to do whatever it takes to get by until she's able to find a way out. There's just one complication: Carter. He's more than just a classmate, and she cannot deny her attraction to him. And if his looks are anything to go on, he can't deny the attraction either. But mutual attraction is only the start of their complex friendship. Asa believes that he and Sloan are meant to be together, and he will do anything to keep her right where she is. He's good at staying one step ahead of Sloan. There's just one complication: Carter. Too Late is narrated from the POV the three main characters, giving listeners the entire story.
Editor's note and warning: Too Late was originally written as a side project by Colleen Hoover. The novel's content is more graphic than that of other books by CoHo. It contains scenes that depict rape, murder, and other graphic violence.
Without Merit is the story of a teenager struggling with depression who learns the importance of family, self-love, and the power of the truth. Merit Voss is part of an extremely complicated blended family, whose members seem indifferent to her presence. Merit observes her family as if she’s on the outside while keeping all of their secrets on the inside. She gradually stops going to school, begins to sleep during the day, and grows increasingly angry at her family situation. After a chance meeting, she finds solace in an intriguing boy named Sagan—who happens to be dating Merit’s twin sister, Honor. No matter how hard she tries, Merit can't escape her family. Will she allow herself to get the help she needs?
Verity is a psychological suspense novel with an unforgettable twist! A struggling writer, Lowen Ashleigh is thrilled to land a job ghostwriting for Verity Crawford, a bestselling author who has been seriously injured and is unable to complete the remaining books in her popular series. While sorting through the author's notes, she finds an unfinished autobiography that startles her with spine-tingling details about Verity's life, including the night of her accident. At the same time, Lowen develops feelings for the man who hired her—Verity's husband, Jeremy—and strange things start happening that continue to confuse, and scare, her. As her feelings intensify, Lowen begins to wonder—if Jeremy were to read Verity's words and learn the horrifying truth, would he be able to remain devoted to his wife?
Regretting You explores grief, loss, betrayal, anger, angst, retribution, parenting woes, and rebellion. Morgan will do anything to protect her daughter, and that includes stopping Clara from repeating the mistakes she made as a teen. Clara knows that her mom’s life is not the life she wants for herself, and she has very different hopes and dreams. With Morgan and Clara's warring personalities and conflicting goals, there's only one peacemaker in the house: Clara’s dad, Chris. When tragedy strikes, Morgan and Clara must learn to support each other. But can they? When Morgan reaches out for a man she shouldn’t, Clara retaliates and indulges in her own forbidden romantic adventure.
With an addict for a mother and a father she barely knows, Beyah has been on her own all her life. Every day consists of finding ways to fend for herself and get out of her small rundown town. She has a plan—she just has to make it through the summer. But when a tragedy suddenly leaves her with nowhere else to go, Beyah resorts to her only option—her father. She's resigned to spending the rest of her summer with a stranger on a peninsula in Texas—until she meets Samson. He is independent, quiet, and invests his time taking photos, turning the saddest pictures into intriguing works of art. After an awkward first encounter, Beyah and Samson unexpectedly find themselves as neighbors and get to know one another. It's hard to ignore their intense connection. Yet a rip current is coming, and it may be strong enough to break Beyah's Heart Bones.
A blend of romance, mystery and the paranormal, Layla follows a young couple who instantly fall in love. When Leeds first encounters Layla, he knows that she is the woman he wants to grow old with. However, not long after their relationship begins, it faces the ultimate test. A terrifying incident sends Layla to the hospital. She recovers physically but is left damaged. Seeking to heal the woman he loves and renew their bond, Leeds plans a romantic getaway to the bed-and-breakfast where they met. Soon after they arrive, Layla becomes unsettled, and then her behavior grows increasingly erratic. Through sharing his concerns, Leeds finds solace in another B&B guest, Willow—who has challenges of her own. Before long, Leeds is faced with a difficult choice. Which woman will he risk everything to help and protect?
Reminders of Him is an agonizing story of redemption. A young mother, Kenna has recently been released from prison after serving five years for making a terrible error of judgement. Her homecoming is met with stiff opposition, strong opinions, and rejection. But this will not stop Kenna from trying everything in her power to reunite with her four-year-old daughter. The road ahead to acceptance and forgiveness is a tough one, especially when the people closest to her child are doing everything in their power to shut Kenna out. When Ledger, a local bar owner, offers Kenna the compassion, understanding and love she deserves, she begins to have hope. But when she receives an ultimatum involving her daughter, Kenna faces a heart-wrenching choice. Will she ever be able to escape from her past and find happiness again? Reminders of Him keeps listeners gripped and feeling for its characters through the dual narration of Brittany Pressley and Ryan West. This novel packs such an emotional punch that when recommending this title, I also recommend tissues for the inevitable crying that will happen.
Breakdown of Colleen Hoover anthologies:
Currently, CoHo has penned two short story anthologies. These titles have been in collaboration with BookWorm Box, a company founded by Hoover and her sisters that connects authors to philanthropic causes.
Colleen and 25 additional authors were given the same first sentence and told to write a story. From that common starting point, where each writer took the story was completely up to them. Two More Days presents the results—and every story is different and, in its own way, amazing. This unique listening experience is not only an exercise on how a writer's mind works but also an opportunity for authors to give back to charity. Note: As we work hard to make book one of this anthology, One More Step, available, check out the Kindle version.
