HOPELESS
(Hopeless, #1)
Colleen Hoover
BLURB
From the NEW YORK TIMES Bestselling author of SLAMMED and POINT OF RETREAT.
Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the liesā¦
Thatās 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 sheās never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past she wishes could just stay buried.
Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing heās nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isnāt at all who heās been claiming to be. When the secrets heās been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Skyās life will change forever.
ā ā ā ā ā
5 Gorgeous, shining stars! And a couple glow in the dark ceiling ones too…
Seems ironic that a book entitled Hopeless would lead me to become so incredibly and utterly hopeful. There are many reasons why I love to read, but ultimately, I read to become inspired. And, after finishing this phenomenal book, I’m pretty sure I’ve never wanted to hug an author so badly in my life. Colleen Hooverāthe vivid characters you create deserve to be humanized, and the touching stories you write never fail to take up residence in my heart!
You can’t get mad at a real ending. Some of them are ugly. It’s the fake happily ever afters that should piss you off.
If I had to sum up this book in one word, it would be POWERFUL. This story kicks off in the midst of an emotionally charged moment of despairā setting the stage for the chilling mysteries that lie ahead. But as the pages turned, I realized that this level of intensity wasn’t limited to the intriguing introductionāand that every single piece of this story was in fact JUST. AS. POWERFUL.
I won’t touch on any important plot details because keeping the mystery alive is important to how this book will affect its reader. I honestly love when a story can pull the rug out from underneath me, and Hopeless presents quite a few victorious rug tugs! When this book wasn’t busy lovingly breaking my heart, it got its kicks from wowing me with some of the most clever and adorable scenarios imaginable.
Sky Davis has been living a sheltered life and seeks false comfort in remaining emotionally numb. She’s broken and lost and sadly believes she’s incapable of truly feeling…until Holder steps in to challenge those beliefs…
Every fiber of my being knows he’s not a good person, but my body doesn’t seem to give a shit at all.
Dean Holder has branded himself Hopeless. He’s intimidating and intense, but equally filled with passion and life. He seems to have many sides, and Sky is initially set on keeping her distance. Or so she tells herself…
I don’t understand why anytime he steps within a foot of my personal space, it sucks the breath out of me. I especially don’t understand why I like that feeling.
I simply adored the initial back and forth, playful banter between these two characters, and the way Sky was intent on remaining immune to Holder’s charm. As broken as Sky appeared, she was quite an inspiring heroine–funny, witty, and unconcerned about what others thought of her. Her quiet strength amazed me. Holder was utter hero perfection–protective, sexy, sensitive, with a very deep and unique way of thinking. His love for Sky knew no bounds, and his nobility was humbling. My heart shattered for what these two endured and rejoiced in all redemption they received.
The way this story is mapped out and how it gradually unfolds is incredibly creative. Every word used is carefully selected and holds an importance that will eventually be revealed. Even the subtleties will ultimately tie into the final grand picture. This is obviously no easy feat for a writer, but I must admit that it came across as graceful and entirely effortless. One of my favorite aspects of this story was the ease of the dialogue and how truly natural and real it all felt.
The beauty, heartache, and inspiration created within these pages took my breath away. I was not simply reading or observing this story–I was swallowed up by it and honestly lived it.
A few of my favorite Hopeless things
‘Lol’ misinterpretations
Ego-shattering text messages
Non-kisses
Braving the post-it notes
Heaps of sarcasm
The ice cream cure
Dinner quest
The very bestest ever in the whole wide world š
Book Stats:
āŖ Genre/Category: Romance/New Adult
āŖ Steam Caliber: Moderate steam. Very sexy scenes.
āŖ Romance: Slow-building, angsty, sexual tension.
āŖ Characters: Broken and damaged. Completely lovable.
āŖ Plot: Intensly emotional with a mysterious storyline.
āŖ Writing: Gorgeous, witty, and truly thought-provoking.
āŖ POV: First person: Heroine
āŖ Cliffhanger: None
āŖ Next Installment: Story retold in hero’s perspective.
(originally read & reviewed on October 19, 2012)
