Hopeless
Colleen Hoover
Contemporary Romance Fiction
Colleen - thank you! You have just become my new favourite author.
I've been searching for an author like this - one who tackles ugly but realistic stories, that involve two characters falling in love, whilst also providing a context for us to reflect and challenge our own thinking and beliefs in the real world ... and that's what Colleen gives us in spades. Topics like this seem only to be tackled in the Domestic Drama genre. I think we need a new Romance sub-genre, one that allows for the HFN ending (Happy for now), rather than the mind-blowing (often unrealistic Happy ever after) ... although side-note, there is a more than happy ending at the end of this story.
I've been looking for a category that describes this type of book, but there doesn't seem to be one - yet. Maybe 'Ugly Tears romance'? ... but this book certainly ticks the following boxes;
- Romance (tick - and with a little bit of steam ... but only where it's relevant to the character's growth)
- New Adult (tick - this is definitely a coming of age story)
- Suspense (tick - there are plenty of secrets and mystery as to Sky's past, that together Holder and her need to unlock, in order for her to grow and heal as a result)
- Domestic drama (tick - although I can't say why, as that would give the game away)
- Ugly tears (tick - I love a good ugly cry and Colleen tackles a highly disturbing 'real world' topic with sensitivity and care)
When I started reading this book, initially I thought I would rate it 3stars, then about halfway through, when I realised that this wasn't going to be another formulaic troupe-y romance (which I absolutely detest BTW ... I steer clear of anything Billionaire Romance, Second chance romance, Wedding Romance, Cow-boy, Amish, Sports - romance ... as once you've read one, you've read them all) and that this story had real 'feels', and character growth, and builds up to an impossible dilemma, where there is no obvious 'right' choice for the protagonist .... that's when it became a 5star MUST READ from me.
If you're after another troupe-y romance, give this a pass, BUT if you like a beautifully written and well crafted story about healing your past through love, then download Hopeless now.
I've already downloaded two or three more of Colleen's books to read next.
