Thinking of Reading 'It Ends with Us' Before Seeing the Movie? Here's What to Know (2024)

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, has been adapted into a movie starring Blake Lively. 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.

• The Slammed Trilogy
• The Hopeless Saga
• The Maybe TrilogyI
• It Ends (and Starts) With Us

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!

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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?

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.

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.

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.

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.