No, Colleen Hoover doesn鈥檛 get it either.听
What’s “it”? The extent to which her empire of youth-oriented romance novels have taken over the world.
A little more than a decade ago, Hoover was a social worker in Texas, self-publishing romance novels from the singlewide trailer she shared with her husband and three sons.
These days, life looks a little different for Hoover, largely regarded as one of the biggest novelists on the planet, with more than 20 million books sold. And this month, she鈥檚 talking up the film adaptation of her 2016 book 鈥淚t Ends with Us,鈥 which is expected to become one of the summer’s blockbusters.
Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively star in the film adaptation of “It Ends with Us.”
Sony PicturesSince 2012, Hoover has published a string of novels听about such subjects as domestic violence (鈥淚t Ends with Us), childhood trauma (鈥淗opeless鈥 and 鈥淟osing Hope鈥) and ghosts (鈥淟ayla鈥). Many embrace an epistolary form of storytelling, and most feature at least a few steamy bedroom scenes.
鈥淚 tend to like to write about emotional things,鈥 Hoover told the Star. 鈥淚 like to feel what I鈥檓 writing. Even when I set out to write a rom-com, it just turns the opposite direction. It becomes totally emotional.鈥
Hoover鈥檚 fans have bought into the author鈥檚 love for high-stakes emotions: On TikTok, ardent readers have filmed themselves tearing through paperbacks and sobbing in real time. Hoover鈥檚 fans,听who call themselves听the CoHorts, are a huge presence on BookTok 鈥 and they鈥檝e helped听drive听Hoover to the top of the New York Times bestseller list.
鈥淚 love watching those videos,鈥 Hoover said, 鈥渂ecause you never know (this) when you鈥檙e writing. I can鈥檛 speak for other writers, but I鈥檓 not a super-emotional person, so I don鈥檛 always know if what I鈥檓 writing is actually tracking with readers when they read it. So to see those videos and see they鈥檙e feeling the feelings I was hoping they would is always good.鈥
“It Ends with Us,” published in 2016, also became one of the biggest sellers of 2023.
AtriaThe movie version of 鈥淚t Ends with Us鈥 has offered Hoover a new opportunity to see the payoff of her work up close (she also makes a brief cameo early on). The story follows Lily Bloom, a florist played by Blake Lively, and Ryle Kincaid, a neurosurgeon played by Justin Baldoni (who also directed), as they navigate a roller-coaster love affair haunted by their troubled childhoods.
The novel, which has garnered criticism for its graphic depiction of domestic violence, inspired a bestselling 2022 sequel, 鈥淚t Starts with Us,鈥 which Hoover wrote after she was 鈥渋nundated鈥 with requests for more of Lily鈥檚 story.
鈥淭he fan base is just phenomenal,鈥 Hoover said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 my favourite part of this whole thing. I got into this career not really knowing what to expect, and just making friends with people along the way. I鈥檇 call most of them my friends 鈥 I made my best friends in my whole life from this industry.
鈥淚 went six years saying 鈥榥o鈥 to a sequel to 鈥業t Ends with Us,鈥 and then I just got an idea for it one night and said, 鈥極K, I can make this work,鈥欌 she continued. 鈥淭hat one wouldn鈥檛 exist if it weren鈥檛 for the readers. Every now and then, I鈥檓 hearing what they鈥檙e begging for.鈥
Colleen Hoover with director and star Justin Baldoni on the set of “It Ends with Us.”听
Sony PicturesDespite some anxiety over the film鈥檚 release, Hoover says she鈥檚 happy with Christy Hall鈥檚 screenplay, which mostly follows the novel’s storyline beat for beat.
鈥淚 think this book is definitely a sensitive topic,鈥 said Hoover, 鈥渟o I just wanted that to translate to the screen. I was super nervous because, you know, it could go very wrong. But I think (Hall) did the work justice, and (the filmmakers) were very sensitive with the material. I couldn鈥檛 be happier with how it turned out.鈥
Lively鈥檚 involvement with the film has contributed to its buzz. Perhaps best known for her role on TV鈥檚 鈥淕ossip Girl,鈥 the actor, who’s married to Ryan Reynolds, is also besties with Taylor Swift (whose piercing ballad 鈥淢y Tears Ricochet鈥 makes an appearance in the new movie). According to Hoover, the movie wouldn鈥檛 have been possible without Lively, who also served as a producer.
鈥淪he just brought such an emotion to it,鈥 Hoover said, 鈥渓ike a kind of quiet emotion. I love that in the movie 鈥 I think she pulled it off so well. When I saw her in that role, I was like, 鈥極h, you don鈥檛 need any advice from me.鈥欌
Hoover鈥檚 aware of the criticisms of her work 鈥 including the label 鈥渢rauma porn鈥 鈥 but she knows her books have been therapeutic for some, and she鈥檚 looking forward to seeing how her work continues to reach new audiences.
鈥淪ome people like to read about dark subjects and emotional things,鈥 said Hoover. 鈥淪ome people call that 鈥榯rauma porn.鈥 Some people like regular porn. I don鈥檛 shame what you like. Enjoy what you enjoy, read what you want to read.
鈥淭his book has helped people make huge decisions within their own lives to protect themselves from dangerous situations,鈥 she continued. 鈥淭hat was never my intention when I wrote it, and getting the emails and messages and meeting readers face-to-face who have been personally impacted or made decisions because of the book is just insane to me. It鈥檚 kind of terrifying.
“But it鈥檚 also very inspiring, and I hope the film does the same.鈥
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