Colleen Hoover Books In Order: The Ultimate Guide To The TikTok Sensation

The rise of social media has changed the way that people communicate about books forever.

Gone are the days when you had to attend an in-person book club in order to talk about the books you’ve been reading.

Colleen Hoover’s Books In Order The Ultimate Guide To The TikTok Sensation

Instead, all you need is your phone and access to the internet in order to access virtual book groups across the globe.

Social media – particularly TikTok – has been critical in the rise of many authors across the world. No author has felt the power of social media when it comes to reading quite like Colleen Hoover.

Colleen Hoover is an American author whose career seemingly blew up overnight thanks to TikTok and other forms of social media.

Her easy-to-read writing style combined with the romance novels that she typically writes catapulted her to success.

The fact that she has a large back catalog of books and that she writes about difficult topics in an accessible and respectful way has only made her more popular.

If you are thinking of reading Colleen Hoover’s books, then you’re likely wondering what order you should read them in.

In this guide, I’m telling you the perfect order to read Colleen Hoover’s books for maximum enjoyment. Read on to find out more.

About Colleen Hoover’s Books

Colleen Hoover is an author who has taken the internet by storm.

She has a back catalog of over 20 published novels and has deals signed to publish new novels in the coming years.

Like many authors, Colleen Hoover began by self-publishing her works, but she was soon picked up by a publisher, and since then has sold more than 20 million copies of her works.

A number of her novels have already been picked up to be adapted for television or the big screen, and this really highlights just how popular she is.

Primarily, Colleen Hoover writes novels in the romance and young adult genres, however, one of her most popular novels is actually a psychological thriller.

She is an incredibly talented writer with the ability to capture her audience and cover serious and important topics in a way that is easy to understand.

If you are at all familiar with Colleen Hoover’s works, then you will know that the bulk of her content is standalone novels.

For this reason, there are quite a few of her books that you can read in whatever order you like. Aside from her series, of course.

That being said, Colleen Hoover has managed to knit her novels together by crossing some characters over between different books.

For this very reason, I would recommend reading her books in the order I’ve listed below.

This order allows you to understand all the crossovers between the different standalone novels, and take you on a journey through the depths of her writing talent.

Colleen Hoover’s Books In Order

It Ends With Us

It Ends With Us

If you are new to reading Colleen Hoover’s novels, then you should start with the book that really catapulted her to success – It Ends With Us.

This novel really is the one that made her a TikTok sensation, and it is set to be adapted into a movie with Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni starring as the main characters.

It Ends With Us focuses on the main character – Lily – who has recently moved to a new city following college.

By chance, she meets a man named Ryle and falls head over heels for him.

But as she is falling for Ryle, her first love – Atlas – reappears. The novel covers two timelines: the present day with Ryle, and the past with Atlas.

This novel tackles some pretty difficult themes.

Colleen Hoover has called it one of the hardest books she has ever written, as she called on her mother’s experience with domestic violence to cover Lily and Ryle’s relationship in the book.

Pros

  • This novel is a love story with a twist.

Cons

  • Some difficult themes in this novel could be triggering for some readers.

It Starts With Us

It Starts with Us: A Novel (2) (It Ends with Us)

The next novel by Colleen Hoover that you should read is the sequel to the previous book that I spoke about – It Starts With Us.

With the tagline “Before It Ends With Us, it started with Atlas”, this novel focuses once again on Lily, but this time on her relationship with Atlas, rather than Ryle.

While the title suggests that It Starts With Us should be read first, you really need to read it after It Ends With Us.

That is because this novel takes place immediately after the end of It Ends With Us and looks at Lily’s life after the events of that book.

This novel sees Lily trying to navigate her new life with Atlas, while still having Ryle in her life.

It Starts With Us is a book about recovery, and it contains themes of hope, falling in love, and rebuilding trust after the heartbreak that Lily went through in the first novel.

Pros

  • Allows fans of It Ends With Us to find out more about Lily and Atlas’s love story.

Cons

  • Covers a lot of events that have already happened in It Ends With Us.

Verity

Verity

Colleen Hoover almost exclusively writes romance novels, but as I said earlier, there is one exception to this. That exception is Verity.

Despite it being a huge step out of her comfort zone, Verity gained Colleen Hoover a New York Times #1 Bestseller and a whole host of other awards.

Psychological thrillers are supposed to get people talking, and that’s exactly what this novel does.

Verity focuses on an author with financial struggles called Lowen. Lowen gets offered the opportunity of a lifetime – to ghostwrite a series of novels by a bestselling author who is no longer able to write due to a tragic accident.

Lowen accepts the opportunity and moves into the home of Verity and Jeremy Crawford where amongst a chaotic office, she finds an unfinished autobiography by Verity.

The manuscript for the autobiography contains many spine-tingling confessions and very dark admissions by Verity, and Lowen decides to keep it hidden from Jeremy.

As romance and tragedy come together in this chilling thriller, the reader will ultimately be left to choose – are they team manuscript, or team letter?

Pros

  • A thrilling read that you won’t be able to put down.

Cons

  • A departure from Colleen Hoover’s typical writing style.

Regretting You

Regretting You

This novel focuses on a mother and daughter – Morgan Grant and her 16-year-old daughter, Clara.

Morgan wants her daughter to make better decisions than her, to avoid getting pregnant (and married) too young, and to be able to live her dreams.

Likewise, Clara wants to be nothing like her mother – she wants to be spontaneous and fun, and live a happy life.

Their personalities constantly leave them in conflict, and the only person who can bring peace to the household is Chris – Morgan’s husband, and Clara’s father.

But when their world is rocked by a tragedy that takes Chris from them, followed by a series of life-changing secrets that are revealed, their lives are turned upside down, and the mother and daughter are driven further apart.

So far, they may never be able to make things better between them.

Pros

  • Tackles some important themes, including grief, betrayal, heartbreak, love, and reconciliation.

Cons

  • A much slower read than Colleen Hoover’s typical writing style.

Reminders Of Him

Reminders of Him: A Novel

Despite being one of her newer novels, Reminders of Him is a firm favorite amongst many fans of Colleen Hoover.

This novel has themes of heartbreak, redemption, and romance, with an interesting twist.

At the center of this novel is Kenna Rowan. Kenna is a young mother with a tragic and troubled past that has left her separated from her 4-year-old daughter.

After serving 5 years in prison for a tragic mistake that she made as a teenager, Kenna returns to the town where her world was turned upside down on a quest to build bridges and reconnect with the daughter she has lost.

But everyone in town is set to block Kenna out, all except Ledger Ward – a local bar owner who just happens to have a direct connection to Kenna’s daughter.

As both try to fight through their personal troubles, a romantic connection forms between the two that threatens to ruin Kenna’s chances of reconnecting with her daughter forever.

Pros

  • A main character that you really connect with despite her past.

Cons

  • This novel won’t grip you immediately, you have to stick with it.

Hopeless

Hopeless

Now that you will have read quite a few of Hoover’s standalone novels, let’s move on to one of her best series – the Hopeless series.

The Hopeless series focuses on two teenagers – Sky and Holder.

Both have tragic pasts and their own issues that they must work through, but it is these devastating pasts that seem to pull them together.

Despite trying to stay apart, these two end up on a journey together to discover the lessons of life and the healing that only the truth can bring.

The first novel in the Hopeless series is actually one of Colleen Hoover’s first published works, and it’s interesting to see how much her writing skills have developed since her early works were published.

Pros

  • Grips you from the very start and leaves you wanting more.

Cons

  • Covers some pretty intense themes, so take care with any trigger warnings.

Losing Hope

Losing Hope: A Novel (2) (Hopeless)

Once you finish Hopeless, you should move straight onto the next book in the series – Losing Hope.

This novel focuses on the same characters as the first novel but focuses more on Holder rather than Sky.

After the revelations that occurred in the first novel, this book focuses on Holder and how the events of the first novel have impacted him.

Throughout this novel, Holder is looking for his own chance of redemption by saving Sky.

This novel really is perfect for reading immediately after Hopeless because the writing quality throughout both novels is absolutely perfect.

The sequel is of the same quality as the first book which is very rare, and I’m certain you won’t be able to put this book down.

Pros

  • Gives a different perspective on the events of the first novel.

Cons

  • You cannot read this novel without reading Hopeless first.

Finding Cinderella

Finding Cinderella

Next, I would recommend reading Finding Cinderella. This novel isn’t a direct sequel to Hopeless and Losing Hope as it focuses on different characters.

But without reading these novels first, the Finding Cinderella novella would not make any sense.

This novella focuses on an 18-year-old boy named Daniel.

A chance encounter in the dark leads Daniel and a girl who he finds in the darkness to profess their love for one another, but that love comes with conditions.

Their love will only last for one hour, and it will not be real.

Once the hour is up, the girl disappears like Cinderella, and it leaves Daniel questioning if their short period of love was actually perfect, or if it really was make-believe.

A year and a bad relationship later, Daniel meets a new girl and this leaves him questioning his disbelief in love at first sight and whether, or not, happily ever after truly exists.

Pros

  • A really cute novella that adds to the Hopeless series.

Cons

  • Really short – less than 200 pages in length.

All Your Perfects

All Your Perfects: A Novel (4) (Hopeless)

All Your Perfects is one of Colleen Hoover’s stand-alone novels, so you really can read it at any time.

You don’t have to read Hopeless and Losing Hope before reading All Your Perfects for this novel to make sense.

However, you do need to read All Your Perfects before moving on to Finding Perfect.

This book focuses on two adults – Quinn and her husband Graham.

These two have a perfect love for one another, but that is threatened by their imperfect marriage.

The mistakes that they have made over the years, and the secrets that they have kept from one another threaten to tear them apart.

The thing that could pull them together is ultimately the thing that could bring an end to their relationship.

This novel deals with themes of infertility, adultery, miscarriage, and other intense themes.

But it also tells the story of love and highlights the importance of being open with your partner if you want a relationship to work.

Pros

  • This novel has dual timelines so it gives you an excellent insight into Graham and Quinn’s marriage.

Cons

  • This is a sad book, so be sure to have tissues at the ready.

Finding Perfect

Finding Perfect

The final book in the Hopeless series is Finding Perfect.

This novella is super short, but it is excellent as it brings together all the characters in the Hopeless series and wraps the story up nicely.

That is why you should only read this novella once you have read all the previous books in the series.

Finding Perfect is told from the perspective of Daniel from Finding Cinderella. It is hard to describe the plot of this novel without giving away major spoilers.

However, it is clear that this short novella was added to wrap up the storyline and bring closure to the characters that we meet throughout the Hopeless series.

If you were to read this before the other novels, then you would ruin the previous novels for yourself.

So, I would recommend leaving this book on your shelf until you finish the previous books in the series.

Pros

  • Brings closure to the characters that the reader meets throughout the Hopeless series.

Cons

  • A really short read that you will read in one sitting.

Without Merit

Without Merit: A Novel

After you have finished your first Colleen Hoover series, I would personally recommend reading a handful of her other standalone novels.

From the Hopeless series, I would suggest moving on to Without Merit.

This novel is totally unlike Hoover’s other works, and that is mainly because it isn’t all about romance.

While there is a romance aspect to this novel, it mainly focuses on family and unusual family dynamics, as well as mental health.

The novel is all about the Voss family, and the main character is called Merit.

Struggling with an unconventional family, Merit finds herself slipping into a dangerous position mentally.

She is buried under all the different secrets she has kept for those in her family and is at breaking point.

When all this threatens her to lose the boy that she loves, Merit breaks.

With themes focusing on the power of love and truth, this is a poignant novel that is definitely worth the read.

Pros

  • A touching novel that tackles some important topics.

Cons

  • A departure from Colleen Hoover’s typical genre/ writing style.

Layla

Layla

Among fans of Colleen Hoover, Layla is one of the novels that you either love or hate.

It is totally different from her other novels and has supernatural themes that not everybody will like.

As it is a little different from the rest of Hoover’s works, I would recommend reading it immediately after Without Merit.

Layla focuses on two key characters – Layla and Leeds.

When they first meet, Leeds is confident that he’ll fall in love with Layla and spend the rest of his life with her.

But a tragic attack threatens to ruin this as Layla ends up fighting for her life in the hospital.

Once released from the hospital, Layla isn’t the same person she was before the attack, and in a bid to get their relationship back on track Leeds takes her away to the place they first met.

But when they get there, Layla begins to act even weirder, and this creates distance between them.

This distance results in Leeds meeting and forming a connection with another B&B guest – Willow – and this places him in an awkward position where he has to choose between these two girls.

Pros

  • A book that is guaranteed to have you hooked.

Cons

  • A strange spin on Hoover’s typical writing style.

Slammed

Slammed: A Novel (1)

After a short break from standalone novels, I would then recommend moving on to another one of Colleen Hoover’s series.

The next series I’d recommend reading is the series that includes the first novel she ever published – Slammed.

Slammed focuses on 18-year-old Layken who has moved across the country following the recent, and tragic, loss of her father.

Layken has to be the strong person in her family to support her mother and younger brother. She soon sees her strength mirrored in her neighbor, Will.

The pair fall for each other quickly, but their budding romance is quickly quashed when they find out that Will is also Layken’s teacher.

This novel has all the classic aspects of a Colleen Hoover romance, with forbidden love, tragedy, bereavement, heartbreak, and redemption being common themes in this novel.

It really is so good that you’ll find it hard to believe it’s her first published novel.

Pros

  • This novel takes you on an emotional rollercoaster.

Cons

  • It moves very quickly and can feel rushed at times.

Point Of Retreat

Point of Retreat: A Novel (2) (Slammed)

The next novel in this series is Point of Retreat, and I can guarantee that you’ll want to pick this novel up as soon as you put Slammed down.

This novel follows directly from the events of Slammed, so they really should be read back to back for maximum enjoyment.

In Point of Retreat, Will and Layken are closer than ever before. But in classic Colleen Hoover fashion, all that is about to be turned upside down.

An unforeseen revelation about Will’s past is about to put their relationship at risk, and they will have to question if they are willing to fight for their relationship, or if this will be the end.

Just like Slammed, Point of Retreat is a rollercoaster of emotions, and it is a very fast-paced novel.

That is why you’ll find yourself reaching for the third, and final, novel in this series as soon as you finish this book.

Pros

  • This novel includes a lot of character development for both Will and Layken.

Cons

  • There are a lot of major events in this novel that make it very fast-paced and dramatic.

This Girl

This Girl: A Novel (3) (Slammed)

The final novel in this series is a departure from the writing style that was used in the previous novels.

Instead of giving the reader new information about Will and Layken’s journey as a couple, this novel instead recounts the events of the previous novels, but from Will’s perspective.

In her later publications, Colleen Hoover tends to use a writing style that sees her switch between the two main characters in each chapter.

But as the reader didn’t get to see too much from Will’s perspective in the first two Slammed novels, This Girl is a refreshing opportunity to get another perspective on everything that happened.

This Girl has a much slower pace than the first two novels, and this can be quite jarring when you first start reading it.

However, Layken’s quest to find out more about Will’s past also allows the reader to find out more about this couple, and that is why this novel does an excellent job of wrapping up the series.

Pros

  • Concludes the Slammed series very well.

Cons

  • A much slower pace than the two previous novels, with some crossover in content.

Ugly Love

Ugly Love: A Novel

Among Hoover’s works that went viral on TikTok was Ugly Love.

Like many of Hoover’s other novels, this book is based on two characters who are in their early 20s, and it is credited as being one of her more mature novels.

Ugly Love focuses on Tate Collins who has recently moved in with her brother and is training to be a nurse.

On her first day in her new home, she meets Miles Archer, and they instantly dislike one another.

Miles turns out to not only be her new neighbor but also one of her brother’s best friends from work, where they both work as pilots for the same airline.

So despite their dislike for each other, the two are forced together.

This hatred for one another quickly turns into an attraction for one another, and while neither of them is looking for, or has time for, a romantic relationship, they come to a mutually beneficial agreement.

This agreement comes with rules, but rules are made to be broken, and that is how the book unfolds.

Pros

Cons

  • The ending of this book is fairly open, and that can be somewhat unsatisfying.

November 9

November 9: A Novel

November 9 is another standalone novel by Colleen Hoover, but I would recommend reading it after you’ve read Ugly Love.

Miles and Tate from Ugly Love make a brief appearance in November 9 so it is definitely worth reading that book before moving on to November 9 to avoid any potential spoilers.

Especially if you plan on reading the books close together.

At the heart of November 9 is Fallon, an actress whose life was permanently altered by a tragic fire that occurred 2 years prior on November 9th.

Permanently scarred by the accident, Fallon has decided it is time to move across the country to New York to chase her dreams.

On her last day in Los Angeles, she meets aspiring novelist – Ben – and they end up spending her last day in the city together.

The pair hit it off straight away, and they end up coming up with a strange agreement where they will meet up with one another every year on November 9th, and have no contact for the rest of the year.

But is this agreement set to give Ben a best-selling novel, or will it end in heartbreak for them both?

Pros

  • A romance novel with a classic Colleen Hoover twist.

Cons

  • The ending is fairly open, and this can be a little unsatisfying.

Confess

Confess: A Novel

Sticking to the theme of standalone novels, the next book that I would recommend reading is Confess.

This novel focuses on Auburn Reed, a girl who at just 21 years old has had her life torn apart, and is on a mission to get it back on track.

However, that is all thrown into question when she meets Owen Gentry in an art gallery that she visits in hopes of a job.

Auburn decides to throw caution to the wind and listens to her heart, rather than her head.

However, it turns out that Owen is keeping a huge secret from her, and everything that is hidden in his past threatens to destroy everything that is important to Auburn.

So, the only way to get her life back on track is to cut him out.

With themes of loss, sacrifice, manipulation, and second chances, Confess is a classic Colleen Hoover novel.

This book has also been adapted into a television series, so if you loved the book, be sure to check that out!

Pros

  • A heart-wrenching book that covers some very important themes.

Cons

  • A mature novel that isn’t appropriate for younger fans of Colleen Hoover’s work.

Heart Bones

Heart Bones: A Novel

Heart Bones is the final standalone novel on this list, and it is a great one to read as it has recently been republished with a new, colorful front cover.

This novel is the perfect summer read, with an interesting plot to boot.

At the center of this story is Beyah Grim who, after a childhood of poverty and neglect, is finally free to leave Kentucky and start a new life.

However, her new life is quickly turned upside down when a shocking tragedy leaves her homeless, and results in her having to move to Texas with her father (who she barely knows).

Anxious for the summer to fly by so that Beyah can move on with her life, she has little time for the guy next door – Samson.

But there is an instant connection between the two, and it is too strong for them to ignore, despite the fact that after summer, they’ll be moving to different sides of the country.

So they agree to a summer fling. However, neither of them could have anticipated the rip current that will drag both their hearts out to sea.

Pros

  • A breathtaking love story – one of Hoover’s most romantic novels.

Cons

  • The ending feels a little rushed.

Maybe Someday

Maybe Someday (1)

As you come towards the end of Colleen Hoover’s back catalog, I would next recommend reading the Maybe Someday series of novels.

This series consists of 3 novels and the first in the series shares a name with the series itself.

This series focuses on 22-year-old Sydney who has a pretty great life.

She’s enjoying college, she has a good job, a wonderful boyfriend – Hunter – and a brilliant roommate too.

However, all of that is turned upside down when she discovers that Hunter has been cheating on her.

With her perfect life turned upside down, Sydney is at a crossroads, trying to decide what her next move in life should be.

But fate steps in, and she becomes infatuated with her mysterious, and very attractive, next-door neighbor – Ridge.

She finds herself constantly listening to him play his guitar, and with every small interaction they share, she grows more attracted to him.

For Ridge, the feeling is mutual, and soon they find themselves needing each other in more ways than one.

Pros

  • An interesting writing style, incorporating original songs and lyrics into the story.

Cons

  • It takes a little while for you to connect with the characters in this novel.

Maybe Not

Maybe Not: A Novella (2) (Maybe Someday)

The second novel in the Maybe Someday series is titled Maybe Not, and it focuses on different characters from the first novel.

In this novella, the focus is on Warren and Bridgette, and their journey together as roommates.

Told from Warren’s perspective, Maybe Not tells the story of Warren being given the opportunity to have a female roommate.

As you would expect, he instantly agrees to this exciting change. However, it isn’t necessarily going to be as good as he expects.

Through this short novella, we see Warren and Bridgette try to navigate living together despite the clash in their personalities.

Bridgette is cold and calculating, and tempers flare to the point where they can’t be in the same room as each other.

But after seeing Bridgette hate with such passion, Warren has a theory that she will be able to love with just as much passion.

So Warren decides to put his theory to the test, maybe he’ll get the results he wants, Maybe Not.

Pros

  • A very funny read that will have you laughing out loud.

Cons

  • A very short read that leaves you wanting more.

Maybe Now

Maybe Now: A Novel (3) (Maybe Someday)

The final novel in this series is titled Maybe Now, and it does an excellent job of tying the first two novels together and bringing a conclusion to this series.

At the center of this novel are the main characters from both of the previous novels – Sydney, Ridge, Warren, and Bridgette.

In Maybe Now, Sydney and Ridge are thriving as a couple.

They are finding themselves excited to navigate the freedom of their relationship together, all while Warren and Bridgette are finding their relationship to be as tumultuous as ever.

While Maggie battles her illness, she comes across a list of things that she wants to do “someday”, and this leads her to the decision to live at its fullest, and chase the dreams that she laid out in the list.

As Maggie follows her dreams, she keeps Ridge updated with all her adventures.

The contact between Maggie and Ridge makes Sydney suspicious of their friendship, and his constant worries regarding Maggie just make Sydney more jealous.

To move past her jealousy in this situation, Sydney needs to let herself be at peace with how she and Ridge became a couple, and with that comes the acceptance that Maggie will always be in their life.

If she can’t accept that, she realizes that it could mean the end of their relationship forever.

Pros

  • An excellent conclusion to the series with a satisfying ending.

Cons

  • Reads at a slower pace than the previous novels in the series.

Never Never

Never Never: A Romantic Suspense Novel of Love and Fate

The novel that I would recommend reading last by Colleen Hoover is Never Never.

This novel is Colleen Hoover’s only novel that has been published with a co-author.

Never Never was originally published as a series of shorter novels. But now, the series has been picked up by a new publisher and published in one book.

It is a large book, but it is totally worth the read to enjoy the novels all in one place.

As is typical of a Colleen Hoover novel, Never Never is a romance story.

It is over 400 pages long and focuses on Charlie and Silas who have been best friends since they were little.

From the moment they learned how to walk, this pair were tied at the hip, and by the age of 14, they were madly in love with one another.

But as the book starts, these two have become strangers.

Every memory that the couple has ever shared has vanished. Their first kiss, their first fight, the moment they become friends, and the moment that they fell in love – it’s all gone.

The reason why their memories have disappeared is a mystery, and together it is something that Charlie and Silas try to figure out throughout this series.

But when they discover that they were once in love, rather than being pleased by this memory, they begin to question why they were a couple in the first place.

This series is an emotional rollercoaster, and despite it being one of Colleen Hoover’s longer novels, it is one that you’ll struggle to put down!

Pros

  • This novel was originally written as a series, so it takes you on a journey.

Cons

  • It is very much aimed at younger readers, so it may be less enjoyable for mature readers.

Final Thoughts

There is no denying that TikTok, and other forms of social media, have been instrumental in the rise of Colleen Hoover’s career.

But without her writing talents, and the large back catalog of published work, she never would have become popular on TikTok in the first place.

With more than 20 novels published, and more yet to come, Colleen Hoover is the perfect author to check out if you want to be able to read a large number of works by the same person.

For any lovers of romance or young adult fiction, she really is the perfect author to check out.

At the time of writing, Colleen Hoover has 4 published series and a wealth of standalone novels.

However, due to the crossover in characters through some of her standalone novels, I would recommend reading her books in the order that I have outlined above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is All Your Perfects A Stand-Alone Novel?

Yes, All Your Perfects is a standalone novel. However, for the final novella – Finding Perfect – in the Hopeless series to make sense, you should read All Your Perfects before reading Finding Perfect.

How Many Series Of Books Has Colleen Hoover Written?

At the time of writing, Colleen Hoover currently has 4 published series, including the Slammed series, the Hopeless series, the Maybe Someday series, and the Never Never series.

Should I Read Ugly Love Before November 9?

Yes, I would recommend reading Ugly Love before November 9. The main characters from Ugly Love – Tate and Miles – appear in this novel as background characters, so to avoid spoilers you should read Ugly Love first.

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Noah Burton