Review: All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover

Release date: July 17th 2018
Publisher: Atria Books
Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of It Ends with Us—whose writing is “emotionally wrenching and utterly original” (Sarah Shepard, New York Times bestselling author of the Pretty Little Liars series)—delivers a tour de force novel about a troubled marriage and the one old forgotten promise that might be able to save it.

Quinn and Graham’s perfect love is threatened by their imperfect marriage. The memories, mistakes, and secrets that they have built up over the years are now tearing them apart. The one thing that could save them might also be the very thing that pushes their marriage beyond the point of repair.

All Your Perfects is a profound novel about a damaged couple whose potential future hinges on promises made in the past. This is a heartbreaking page-turner that asks: Can a resounding love with a perfect beginning survive a lifetime between two imperfect people?

*Publisher approved request via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

All Your Perfects is a beautiful and realistic story depicting how two people can move from being hopelessly in love at the beginning of their relationship to fighting for each other when times get tough.

I'd like to start of my review by admitting that I didn't totally understand Quinn's unhappiness at first. I found it baffling as to how she could be so sad in her marriage yet she wants to have a baby. Babies don't fix things, it only makes the situation more stressful. But as the story progresses and I begin to learn more about what she's going through and why Graham's love hurt her so much then I could sympathize with Quinn and where she's coming from. 

I really like how real and relatable their problems are, especially on Quinn's part. I don't want to specify too much but I do want to say this is something many women face and I like that Colleen explored this issue so much. 

Graham is definitely one of a kind, in the way that he's so loving and understanding of his wife and is accepting of everything about her. I think Quinn had all these expectations and dreams going into their marriage, that while Graham shared and loved about her, he also knew within his heart that none of those things would shatter the love he has for her should they not achieve them. I believe Quinn lost this somewhere down the line and definitely needed to be reminded of what truly matters and why they got married to begin with.

Being that the story is written in past and present times, you really get to experience the highs of their relationship and the most hurtful times. I enjoyed getting to know these two and falling in love with their love. It definitely started out crazy but you quickly warm up to the intense feelings between them. I'd be smiling at their cuteness and then crying at their sadness. It's just that great of a story with superb writing. I haven't read a Hoover novel since Confess, but this book certainly has me hopping back on the CoHo train. I highly recommend!

About the Author
Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Slammed, Point of Retreat, This Girl, Hopeless, Losing Hope, Finding Cinderella, Maybe Someday, Maybe Not, Ugly Love, Confess, November 9, It Ends with Us, and Without Merit. She has won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance three years in a row—for Confess (2015), It Ends with Us (2016), and Without Merit (2017). Confess was adapted into a seven-episode online series. In 2015, Colleen and her family founded The Bookworm Box, a bookstore and monthly subscription service offering signed novels donated by authors. All profits are given to various charities each month to help those in need. Colleen lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys.

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Review: Confess by Colleen Hoover

Release date: March 10th 2015
Publisher: Atria Books
Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Auburn Reed has her entire life mapped out. Her goals are in sight and there’s no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to find a deep attraction to the enigmatic artist who works there, Owen Gentry.

For once, Auburn takes a risk and puts her heart in control, only to discover Owen is keeping major secrets from coming out. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything important to Auburn, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it.

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. All he would have to do to save their relationship is confess. But in this case, the confession could be much more destructive than the actual sin…

*Publisher provided eARC in exchanged of an honest review.

Whew! I don't even know where to start. Confess is definitely my second favorite Colleen Hoover book since I've started reading her work. This one is right up there with Hopeless. If I had to describe Confess in one sentence, it would have to: an emotional roller-coaster. Everything about the story was so intense. I was pulled in from start to finish. The characters and plot were well-constructed, and the writing (as always) was dead-on. I felt like I was actually inside the story; like I was experiencing every single moment of it. I saw things through the characters' eyes and I could even feel their pain. This book was just that gripping. 

Okay. Let me collect my thoughts. Let's talk characters. I have to admit that initially, I didn't warm up to Auburn. I felt like she should have been stronger in how she lived and when it came to certain people. But once the story progressed, I realized that Auburn was indeed strong and very selfless. She'd sacrificed so much to keep someone so precious and I started to root for her when that became apparent. I couldn't imagine putting aside my love like that, but when your life changes in the way that it did for Auburn, you do what you have to no matter how it hurts. I mean, this girl tried so hard to prove that she could provide a good life. I applaud her for her strength because Heaven knows I would have snapped a long time ago. And I'm glad she found her voice in the end to take a stand and speak up.

Owen! OMG! Loved him. Love artists. Love art. And I loved the concept of intertwining art with confessions. That's pure genius. Artists put a lot of emotion into their work so it was interesting to read about someone who painted based on the inspiration of confessions made by others.  And I loved how in the end Colleen uncovers where Owen got his first inspiration from to become an artist. It cleared up several questions and it certainly makes one wonder about fate. 

This man... Owen... oh my... he's amazing. He protected Auburn so much. She didn't even know about the many ways he looked out for her until everything came to light. Owen is the kind of man that should be in more books. I liked his honesty and willingness to set his feelings aside for Auburn. All he wanted was for her to be happy and if that meant that Owen shouldn't be with her, then he was more than ready to let that happen. Throughout the book, he kind of waited for Auburn to figure stuff out, all the while giving her space but always letting her know it should be her decision and no one should pressure her. Like, there are no words to fully describe the awesomeness of this guy and it was mind-blowing that he could still remain so strong for Auburn when he himself was going through so much with his father and the guilt he carried from the loss of his mother and brother. 

One thing I liked most about the characters is that they were flawed. They weren't cookie cutter at all. Individually, they had a lot of issues to deal with and together, their love was tortured and threatened. In a sense it made the story that much more interesting and made Auburn and Owen very relatable, because they were truly new adults finding themselves. 

So overall, I enjoyed Confess big time. There were fireworks. Hair-twisting and nail-biting moments when I became frustrated about something and someone (Trey), and even moments where I wanted to pull out a certain character's hair (Lydia). There were a lot of sweet moments and of course, the gut-wrenching scenes that made me wanted to cry. I invested my heart in this book and I honestly loved the story. Like I don't know how else to describe my feelings and how it impacted me, but Confess truly touched my soul. And I cannot wait to see those artwork. The descriptions in the book will intrigue you and leave you anticipating. So yes I'm going to pick up a copy just for that, and the fact that this book is worth spending your money on, not to mention it's deserving of a nice spot on your bookshelf. I highly recommend!

Credit: molliekh + toughcriticbookreviews

Review: Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

Release date: August 5th 2014
Publisher: Atria
Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:

When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she knows it isn’t love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her.

Never ask about the past.

Don’t expect a future.

They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all.

Hearts get infiltrated.

Promises get broken.

Rules get shattered.

Love gets ugly.

*Approved via Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

Ugly Love definitely has its perks, but for the most part it was a sad story about the pain and suffering caused by the emotion. While I liked the lyrical writing and how fast-paced the story was, there were some things that bugged me. I would have loved to get more from Miles from the beginning than what the closing chapters offered. I know he's supposed to be this closed-off guy with a lot of pent up hurt, but I think I would have believed his feelings for Tate more had there been some establishment on his part from earlier. 

I also didn't really like when the POV switched to him because it was mostly explaining his past and his undying love for another girl. While it was understandable that the author wanted readers to understand why Miles was now determined to never fall in love again, I felt like it didn't have to expound on his past for that long. Maybe two or three chapters, which included the main cause of his pain, and then switch it to present where his attraction to Tate is brought out more. It was just too unbearable reading about his feelings for Rachael (I didn't care for her) while Tate was there loving him so hard.

Speaking of Tate, I wish she was stronger. I know that in reality, some women tend to love a guy so much that they don't even have the strength to steer away from the guy when he refuses to be honest with himself about his feelings. But my gosh, it was just terrible for Tate. She put herself through hell to have any part of Miles, while he continued to punish himself by not giving in to love. Maybe it's me, but that just seems so wrong. I feel that no woman should settle for something like that, no matter how much she loves the guy. If he's playing stubborn and not willing to invest as much, then take a step back and give yourself some space from him. I know you're probably saying it's easy for me to come to that conclusion when I'm on the outside looking in, but their relationship was not healthy. There are people who have those situations worked out, where there are no strings attached, but that was bound to crash when it came to Miles and Tate. Miles just had too much baggage in his past for even casual hook-ups to work. 

Fortunately for Tate, she finally got the nerve to walk away, and I think Miles finally realized how much he wanted to be with her when she left the situation and found the strength to not put up with his shield anymore. Even though he had to find his ex to make a decision, I'm glad he came to an epiphany and saw the good thing he almost let slip away.

In regards to other characters, I liked Cap and the way he provided advice for both Miles and Tate. Corbin and Ian were likable guys as well. I liked Corbin even more when he punched some sense into Miles. And Ian was just admirable when he called him out on his crap. It's cool when you've had a friend for that long. They know the hell you've been through and want more than anything to see you find happiness. That's the kind of person Ian was and I applaud him for always being there for Miles.

Overall, it was a good, bittersweet story with great writing. This is my third time reading a book by Colleen Hoover, and while I didn't love it as much as I loved Hopeless, it was still another good reading experience. 

Review: Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

Series: Hopeless #1
Release date: December 17th 2012
Publisher: Atria
Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis via 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.

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

*Purchased ebook on Amazon

Wow. Just wow. You know when a book gives you all sorts of emotions, (from happy to sad, to wanting to slap someone, well maybe that's a bit extreme), but anyways, the book is so wonderful that you're left utterly speechless and can't even find the right words to give it enough justice. Because it's that great. I don't know why I waited so long to read Hopeless but I feel like kicking my own ass cause I was definitely missing out. The story is beyond well-written, heartfelt, relatable, intense, substantial, thought-provoking, lovable, and all the other English words that define a flawless creation. 

I truly wish that I'd started this one before Finding Cinderella, because I feel it's partly the reason why I didn't want to read Hopeless. I didn't enjoy Finding Cinderella because of its premise, but this book...this one gave me the fireworks that I so badly want to experience whenever I read.

Okay, let me arrange my thoughts so I can clearly state what makes it so great to me. First of all, the main characters had me at first eye contact. I knew there was more going on where Holder is concern and how he relates to Sky, but I liked how it all played out. I really enjoyed their chemistry and how humorous they were. All those sarcastic remarks and when he'd show up to her house were my highlights. Read and discover why. Those scenes in particular when they connected on an intimate level was new to me, I'd never read that in any book before and I liked how it was all described in a way that I could actually feel the emotions. 

Secondly, I like that their relationship wasn't the only focus of the story. There's so much more going on for both characters individually and together and I never anticipated where it was going. It wasn't predictable at all. That's another great thing about the story. 

What else? The mom was great, in spite of how Sky ended up in her life. And I don't blame her one bit, even if it was unfortunate for Holder's sister. And also, her best friend, whose name I still don't get even after reading Finding Cinderella, she's a good friend and I enjoy her texts. By they way, it was rather interesting reading about a teen girl who had been so sheltered to the point she was kept from all things technology. The reason behind that made sense but it was still so different and I found it fascinating how Sky didn't even know how to use a cell phone. Sorry if I just spoiled that for you. I guess I'll stop here so I keep from spoiling it further.

Overall, like I said it was a really wonderful story and deserves all the hype and rewards received. Good for Ms. Hoover, she's a terrific writer and I'm definitely going to read Losing Hope along with her other books in the coming days. 

Review: Finding Cinderella by Colleen Hoover

Series: Hopeless #2.5
Release date: October 14th 2013
Publisher: Atria
Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:

This novella is a companion novel to the Hopeless series, but can be read as a standalone. 

A chance encounter in the dark leads eighteen-year-old Daniel and the girl who stumbles across him to profess their love for each other. But this love comes with conditions: they agree it will only last one hour and it will only be make-believe.

When their 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 perfect. Moments like that with girls like her don’t happen outside of fairytales.

One year and one bad relationship later, his disbelief in insta-love is stripped away the day he meets Six: a girl with a strange name and an even stranger personality. Daniel soon realizes the way he pretended to feel about Cinderella and the way he really feels about Six may not be so different after all. Especially when the two loves of his life end up being one in the same.

Unfortunately for Daniel, finding Cinderella doesn’t guarantee their happily ever after…it only further threatens it.

I'm still unsure about this one. The story didn't really pull me in and the characters often had me baffled. Aside from the fact that it has the potential to be so much better, there were too many things that were completely off to me. Like the first encounter and the ones after. Their conversations were...different. Unlike anything I've read before. I don't know. Maybe it's me, but I was expecting a lot more than what I read, with all the hype surrounding the Hopeless series. Then again, this is somewhat of a spin-off as it strays from the main characters of the first books. However, I feel like it was lacking in a lot of areas.

I haven't read Hopeless or the follow-up, but I honestly hope it's not like this one because I didn't enjoy Finding Cinderella as much. The only thing I liked about the female character was her name, which is a nickname and involves another aspect that confused the hell out of me. But anyways, like I've said, the story has potential to be so much more, yet it fell short of being absolutely great. There weren't any fireworks, for me. Still, I want to read Hopeless then I'll decide if I want to give up on this series altogether.

On a side note, I can give it props for being quick-paced and Daniel was rather amusing throughout. If you enjoy reading young adult contemporary romances that aren't too ordinary then you might enjoy this one.