Review: Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

 

Author: Colleen Hoover

Series: -

Pages: 391

Genre: New Adult

Publisher: Self

Amazon: Hopeless

Contact Colleen Hoover - Website / Twitter / Facebook

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…

That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.

Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.

Review: 5 out of 5 stars

Hopeless is the first book I have read by author, Colleen Hoover although her Slammed series has been on my radar for quite some time. I have to admit I wasn’t prepared at all for the emotions this book evoked, it was another extremely late night staying up just so I could finish reading it, I was truly captivated by this amazing, thought provoking story.

Seventeen year-old Linden Sky Davis is sarcastic, witty and strong; she lives with her mother Karen in a technology free household and after being home-schooled her whole life is about to start public school, already holding a not so stellar reputation for making out with a lot of boys who don’t make her ‘feel’ she is shocked by her reaction to Dean Holder

Dean Holder {sigh} is a bad boy who isn’t, he is caring, understanding and has experienced grief and loss; he has a temper, can be arrogant and moody but his interactions with Sky and the way he held her together despite his own inner demons made me absolutely gush.

“Dean Holder? Messy brown hair? Smoldering blue eyes? A temper straight out of Fight Club?” Six

The banter between Sky and Holder had me giggling, I loved the dialogue and how they each had to one up the other - I enjoyed their competitive natures. The chemistry between them was scorching hot; I adored watching their relationship progress and see them come together as more than just friends – their first kiss (that wasn’t) was overwhelming and wonderful.

Despite enjoying the romantic aspect, the story is also heart breaking and filled with some gut wrenching secrets as well as a difficult subject matter, I had no idea what to expect; I had a slight inkling about what Sky had endured but how the rest of her life had panned out and the reasoning as to why I was clueless, I liked the element of surprise, especially when it came to her mother, Karen.

Mention should also go to the wonderful side characters; best friend Six was amazing, I’d love to read a story written from her POV & Breckin was a classic.

Colleen Hoover’s writing is mesmerizing, the words she has penned flow beautifully and you are captivated by the gut wrenching tale she is telling but also see the hope. Each piece of the plot came together perfectly, from the very first moment Sky and Holder meet to the very ending, it all fit together nicely to create a stunningly real, passionate and complex story.

Hopeless is an intense, poignant, emotional roller-coaster of a read; the journey Sky and Holder had to take was traumatic and fraught with pain but they did it side-by-side, certainly not without a few misunderstandings but the way he protected her left me swooning and cheering for a HEA.

A few of my favourite quotes:

“The first time you kissed me?" I say. "That moment when your lips touched mine? You stole a piece of my heart that night”

“The moment my lips touch yours, it will be your first kiss. Because if you've never felt anything when someone's kissed you, then no one's ever really kissed you. Not the way I plan on kissing you.”

“The sky is always beautiful.Even when it's dark or rainy or cloudy,it's still beautiful to look at....it'll be there no matter what...and I know it'll always be beautiful.” 

I highly recommend Hopeless, a story about, love, loss, life and hope.

Due to sexual content and heavy subject matter, this book is recommended for ages 17+