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Colleen Hoover is the reigning queen of BookTok, the books-obsessed side of TikTok. With 26 different romance books to her name, she has a legion of fans across social media and an unprecedented amount of sales. In 2023, the New York Times reported that she held six of the top 10 spots on the paperback fiction best-seller list, an incredible feat for one author. Her best known book, It Ends With Us, is being adapted into a movie starring Blake Lively that releases on August 9. So what’s all the hype about?

Hoover, or CoHo as she’s been nicknamed, writes in the New Adult category, mixing classic YA writing with older characters and more serious (or spicier!) themes. Fans love her work for its accessible style and fan favorite romantic tropes. The trademarks of a Colleen Hoover book are men with secrets, angsty heartbreak and emotional romance. Some of her books cross genres, including paranormal and psychological thrillers, and many tackle tough topics like abuse and poverty. Basically, if you love Hallmark Christmas movies but wish they were darker and steamier, Hoover will have a book for you.

But with all the CoHo books out there, some in series and some as standalones, how do you read the Colleen Hoover books in order? We have a guide. And don’t forget to join the Good Housekeeping Book Club for more on our favorite reads.

What Colleen Hoover book should I read first?

Hoover has written four book series. You can read one or all of the series, in any sequence.

According to Goodreads, Colleen Hoover’s most reviewed books are It Ends With Us and Verity. So if you’re curious about Hoover and want to join the conversation, these are the books fellow bookworms are most likely to have read. You could also start from the beginning with Slammed, the debut novel that launched Hoover’s career. But the best place to start is always the book that sounds most interesting to you.

Colleen Hoover books in order

Hoover has published books both as standalones and as parts of series. The standalones can be read in any order, but make sure to follow the right order for each series — it can be confusing!

The Slammed Trilogy

Slammed (2012)

This was Hoover’s debut novel and the beginning of a trilogy. Eighteen-year-old Layken has just lost her father and is trying to be strong for her family. Her new neighbor, Will, a fan of slam poetry, sparks a relationship with her — but a startling secret threatens to destroy it.

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Point of Retreat (2012)

This second installment of the Slammed trilogy continues to follow Layken and Will’s relationship as it is put to the test by a surprise from Will’s past. Can they fight for their future together, or will they retreat and give up on their love?

This Girl (2013)

The third and final book in the Slammed trilogy, this book is told from Will’s perspective. Although Layken and Will have surmounted several obstacles in their relationship, Will’s past continues to threaten their future together.

The Hopeless Saga

Hopeless (2012)

High school senior Sky meets hunky Dean, a classmate with a promiscuous reputation who can’t seem to leave her alone. But something about him sparks memories of Sky’s dark past, and Dean is keeping a secret that may shatter Sky’s ability to trust.

Losing Hope (2013)

This Hopeless sequel is told from Dean’s perspective as he is haunted by his guilt over a little girl he couldn’t save. It delves into both his and Sky’s past, and how they impacted each other in childhood.

Finding Cinderella (2013)

This novella follows Daniel and Six, two friends of Dean and Sky. An 18-year-old Daniel meets a girl who agrees to pretend to be in love with him for an hour, then disappears. A year later, he hasn’t forgotten her when a mysterious girl named Six enters his life.

All Your Perfects (2018)

This book is part of the larger world of the Hopeless Saga but could also be read as a standalone. However, it is important to read if you want to understand the final Hopeless installment, which includes continuing storylines from this book. It follows Quinn and Graham as they try to fix their struggling marriage.

Finding Perfect (2019)

This book ties together several different CoHo stories. It’s the sequel to All Your Perfects but also the last installment in the Hopeless Saga. It’s narrated by Daniel from Finding Cinderella and follows his tight-knit group of friends: Six, Holder, Sky and Breckin.

The Maybe Trilogy

Maybe Someday (2014)

Sydney has a great life in college — until she finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her. Facing his betrayal, she finds herself captivated by her neighbor Ridge, who plays the guitar on his balcony every evening.

Maybe Not (2014)

This enemies-to-lovers roommate romance follows Warren, a fan favorite character from Maybe Someday. When he and his new female roommate Maggie clash, he starts to wonder: Could Maggie love somebody as passionately as she seems to hate Warren?

Maybe Now (2018)

Maybe Now follows Sydney, Ridge, Warren and Maggie. As Maggie tries to cross off her bucket list in the face of her illness, Sydney battles jealousy at Maggie’s continued presence in Ridge’s life. Can they all learn to reconcile, or will they risk their relationships?

It Ends (and Starts) With Us

It Ends with Us (2016)

Flower shop owner Lily falls deeply in love with handsome, seemingly perfect neurosurgeon Ryle. But Lily’s family history of domestic violence and Ryle’s unexpected dark side complicate their relationship as Atlas, a homeless boy from Lily’s youth, suddenly re-enters her life.

It Starts with Us (2022)

This sequel to It Ends With Us dives into both Lily’s and Atlas’s perspectives as they reconnect after two long years. But to find their happiness, they must navigate Ryle’s jealousy and both of their pasts.

Standalone Books

If you don’t want the commitment of reading a whole series, one of Colleen Hoover’s standalone books can be a great start. You can read these in any order because they aren’t related, but here they are chronologically.

1. Ugly Love (2014)

2. Confess (2015)

3. November 9 (2015)

4. Too Late (2016)

5. Never Never (2016)

6. Without Merit (2017)

7. Verity (2018)

8. Regretting You (2019)

9. Heart Bones (2020)

10. Layla (2020)

11. Reminders of Him (2022)

Ugly Love (2014)

In this enemies-to-lovers romance, nurse Tate and airline pilot Miles strike up what is supposed to be a strictly physical relationship. But when their relationship is complicated by Miles’s mysterious past, hearts are broken and love turns ugly.

Confess (2015)

Twenty-one-year old Auburn is trying to rebuild her life after a devastating loss when she looks for a job at an art studio. Instead, she meets mysterious artist Owen. But as their relationship grows, she discovers that Owen is keeping a major secret—one that could ruin everything.

November 9 (2015)

Novelist Ben meets his muse Fallon on her last day living in L.A. They spend an unforgettable day together and develop a deep bond, promising to reunite every year on November 9th. But is Ben really in love, or is it all for his novel?

Too Late (2016)

This thriller brings the psychological suspense to Hoover’s trademark romance. Sloan is dating dangerous drug trafficker Asa, whose dirty money helps Sloan care for her sick brother. But as Asa becomes dangerously obsessed with Sloan, she finds herself falling in love with DEA agent Carter, who is hot on Asa’s trail.

Never Never (2016)

This three-part book is a YA story co-written with Tarryn Fisher. Charlie and Silas have been in love since they were 14. But one day they wake up with no memory of each other and must figure out why—as well as why they fell in love in the first place.

Without Merit (2017)

The oddball Voss family live in a repurposed church as their mother struggles with cancer. When Merit Voss meets quirky Sagan at an antiques shop, she grows tired of keeping family secrets—but may have to ruin her family to pursue what she wants.

Verity (2018)

In this romance thriller, Lowen is a struggling writer who is hired to finish a book series when injured bestselling author Verity can’t finish it herself. But when Lowen discovers Verity’s unfinished autobiography, unearthing a dark secret, she must choose whether to reveal it to Verity’s husband Jeremy as Lowen’s relationship with him deepens.

Regretting You (2019)

Mother Morgan and teenage daughter Clara butt heads constantly: Morgan doesn’t want Clara to make the same mistakes she did, while Clara resents her mother’s predictability. But when their family anchor, husband and father Chris, dies in a questionable accident, their world comes crashing down around them.

Heart Bones (2020)

An unexpected death sends Beyah to Texas to live with her estranged father for the summer before she goes to college. There, she meets wealthy neighbor Samson. Spark fly even though they will be moving to different coasts in the fall–and so starts a summer fling that may be destined to end in heartbreak.

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Layla (2020)

In this cross-genre novel, young lovers Layla and Leeds fight tragedy after Layla suffers a traumatic brain injury. Leeds brings Layla to the B&B where they first met to help her emotionally heal—but Layla’s behavior becomes bizarre, while Leeds becomes entangled with Willow, an unusual guest.

Reminders of Him (2022)

Kenna served five years in prison for a tragic mistake. Now re-entering society, she tries to reconnect with her four-year-old daughter and move forward, she but faces opposition from nearly everyone who used to be in her life. The only exception? Ledger, a local bar owner she slowly connects with.

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