There’s been a recent BookTok hype around the author Colleen Hoover. Her most popular book, It Ends With Us, a story about the struggles of being stuck in an abusive relationship and having to make the hard decision of leaving and stopping the cycle, was first published in 2016, but the hype did not start until about 2019.
Readers either love or hate Hoover – there is not much in between. However, while being at the peak of her career readers were quick to reveal her problematic choices.
When I discovered Hoover’s books I was immediately hooked and went on a spree of buying and reading them, but I quickly fell out of that obsession as I realized that I didn’t actually like her books as much as I thought. I was only reading them because I was influenced by everyone I saw posting about how good her books are.
Some of Hoover’s books like Reminders of Him and All Your Perfects I do like and think they are a good read but some of her other books like Ugly Love and Regretting You weren’t so good.
A few good aspects of her books are that they are fast-paced, she gives back stories, and she uses real-life issues. A few not-so- good aspects are that she romanticies toxic relationships, the books are aimed towards teen girls who are easily influenced, and they can send harmful messages.
Hoover’s most recent book It Starts With Us created some controversy. It dismisses the real meaning of It Ends With Us, Hoover’s best selling book: Lily meeting who she thought was the love of her life and finding out he’s not the person she thought he was during the relationship. With Lily continuing her life with Ryle still present in the sequel, it follows the same story of Lily’s parents.
In 2019 it was announced that the book would be adapted into a movie. Everyone including me went wild over this.
But finally, after waiting for four years the cast for the main characters has been revealed. It was highly disappointing.
Hoover has also started a conversation with an It Ends With Us coloring book. It’s upsetting to see Lily’s story of escaping and surviving an abusive relationship being overlooked by turning it into something that seems childish and playful.
Hoover’s attempt at fixing her mistake has only made me and many others more disappointed. The coloring book was extremely tone-deaf and clueless on Hoover’s end.
Hoover has made her own efforts to apologize for what she has done, but I believe she’s just doing what she’s being told to do. She created a book with a heart-shattering story that many are able to connect with and silenced it by making it into something it was not meant to be. There are still some fans who support Hoover and act like she can do no wrong. The hype is coming to an end, and Hoover is desperately trying to hold on to it.