I was in English class and it was independent reading time. Taking a brief pause from my book to look around the room, I saw a sea of one author- Colleen Hoover. So I decided to give her novels a try. 

Colleen Hoover is an author who writes romance novels. She is best known for a novel called It Ends With Us that she wrote in 2016, which became incredibly popular in 2019 and a New York Times Best Seller in 2022. However, she has been heavily criticized for certain parts in her books depicting domestic violence.

In the book It Ends With Us, the main character, Lily, falls in love with an abusive man named Ryle. She then marries him, but ultimately leaves him in search of a better life for her and her daughter. Some critics believe that Colleen Hoover has glorified the experience of being in an abusive relationship. In some reviews left on Amazon, one reader says she romanticizes domestic violence perpetrators. In the book Ryle says how he  “blacks out” when he gets angry and can’t control his actions, but the writer of the review says that the abusers are aware of their actions. Romanticizing abusers or excusing their behavior is problematic- this perpetuates and normalizes a culture of violence, especially against women. 

Some critics believe her books are corny and disappointing, especially when they, for the most part, come highly recommended to most readers. On multiple different websites, half of the one and two star reviews talk about how they were excited to read a book their friends, family, and even social media has recommended. Unfortunately, many were underwhelmed when Hoover’s books didn’t live up to the high expectations created. 

Despite the hate she has received for her books, people have also talked about how captivating her books are. Many reviews mentioned how they “couldn’t put it down,” or how it only took 24 hours for them to read It Ends with Us. In a review for a different Colleen Hoover book called Without Merit, the reviewer stated they finished it in two days.

There are certainly mixed opinions on Colleen Hoover. Despite many controversies, such as the problematic content of her books or her attempt to make a coloring book inspired by a novel about domestic abuse, many readers still love and treasure her books. It begs the question of whether or not we can separate the art from the artist- is her problematic past enough to “ban” her novels? Does the content of the books themselves warrant Hoover’s deplatforming? 

So with all that being said, what are your thoughts on Colleen Hoover?