Losing Hope: Colleen Hoover
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Available July 8, 2013
In the follow-up to Colleen Hoover’s #1 New York Times bestseller Hopeless, the charming and irresistible Dean Holder tells the passionate story that has melted thousands of hearts.
In Hopeless, Sky left no secret unearthed, no feeling unshared, and no memory forgotten, but Holder’s past remained a mystery.
Still haunted by the little girl he let walk away, Holder has spent his entire life searching for her in an attempt to finally rid himself of the crushing guilt he has felt for years. But he could not have anticipated that the moment they reconnect, even greater remorse would overwhelm him…
Sometimes in life, if we wish to move forward, we must first dig deep into our past and make amends. In Losing Hope, bestselling author Colleen Hoover reveals what was going on inside Holder’s head during all those hopeless moments—and whether he can gain the peace he desperately needs.
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Kim's 6 star review/Tammy's 6 star review
Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…
That’s 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 she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.
Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.
Note: Please read Hopeless before reading Losing Hope or this review.
What are the chances that the only two girls in my life I've ever loved...I've lost? It's killing me piece by piece every single day. I know I should probably find a way to try to get over it...to let go of the blame. But to be honest, I don't want to get over it.
I thought I could not love Holder any more after reading Hopeless, but I was so wrong. And even though I knew what was going to happen, this story still was interesting an enthralling to me. There were parts from before the beginning of Hopeless, others that gave us more insight into certain situations, and some that were different. And once you put the put the two stories together, you get the full, amazing, emotional perspective of this unbelievable story.
My heart was breaking for Holder from the first few pages. He had to bear so much loss for a young man...he felt like he failed the two most important people in his life by not protecting them and keeping them safe. We learn more about his relationship with his twin sister Les and how her loss affected him.
I loved seeing into Holder's head and heart, not only about Hope/Sky but also his feelings about his sister, Les. Hearing exactly what he was thinking during the whole process with Sky is enlightening. His inner struggle between wanting her to be Hope while also wanting her to just be Sky was heartfelt and honest. Giving him a way to "talk" to his sister was a brilliant move. We see his anger, pain, need to confide in his best friend, his feelings of guilt and loss, and his love for Les. He also shares his deepest secrets, hopes, fears, and joy regarding Sky and Hope. It opened up a completely other avenue to learn about him and his feelings clearly and without interruption. In this book, we see the more vulnerable side of Holder. He seems younger, less in control, and even more hurt. He has many layers and he feels deeply. He had so many different issues pressing down on him leaving him broken, guilt ridden and scared. But Sky literally brings back "hope" to his life. Just as he does to hers.
But I'm not falling in love with her piece by piece anymore I'm in love with the whole girl. Every single piece of her.
I just don't want it to be insignificant to her. When I touch her...I want her to feel it. I want every single thing I say to her and every single thing I do to her to have significance.
Their story was beautiful, emotional, and uplifting among a background of pain, loss, secrets, and tragedy. They discovered so much about each other, themselves, and found a way to move forward together and stronger.
"Fuck all the firsts, Sky. The only thing that matters to me with you are the forevers."
We got to see more of some side characters like Sky's friend Breckin, and the Holder's wild and hilarious side kick Daniel. They added more humor to the story. And Les became more of a real person in this one as we learned more about what drove her and how she struggled.
This did not seem like just a re-hash of Hopeless in Holder's point of view. It is truly his whole story and it felt that way. The beginning starts before Hopeless and we get more back story with Holder and his sister and family. And even some of the amazing scenes we all remember from the first book like the "non-kissing kissing scene" were renewed and enriched knowing what went on through his mind. It made you understand the real depth of his feelings, his insecurities, his fears, and his intensity. And face it, there were parts of Hopeless where it was hard to understand what Holder was doing or thinking. And this novel, clears all that up and fills in those holes. Holder is an incredible multi-dimensional character and I appreciate him even more now. Sky/Hope is also a strong, resilient heroine despite what she went through. Together they are still one of my favorite book couples and their story is truly unforgettable. Colleen Hoover is simply a master at pulling you into a story and providing deep characters that work their way into your heart. The only thing I would have made me happier and I would loved to see more of was more of their story in the future. But I am still satisfied with this companion novel and feel like it was a great extension to the first book. I highly recommend this fantastic emotional, beautiful series.
Thank you Atria and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of Losing Hope in exchange for my honest opinion. Quotes are from advanced reader copy and subject to change.
I am a HUGE fan of Holder; Hopeless made its way straight to my six star shelf. I was wicked anxious and excited to read all the juicy details from deep inside his mind. When I reached the end of his & Sky's journey, I honestly did love getting to read everything from Holder's point of view, but for me, some of the major parts would have worked just as well if they had just been included in Hopeless or made into a novella. Colleen Hoover truly is a genus; her writing is once again flawless, so that isn't anywhere close to being the issue. Holder will captivate you just as he did in the first book; I found I was just as addicted to him this time around, as I was the first if not more. For me, it was the repetitiveness. I felt like I was rereading Hopeless all over again, but without the fine-tuned details. Don't get me wrong there were some great additions, such as Dean's letters to Less. I LOVED those; they broke my heart, but the letters really helped to gain a better feel of Holder and his emotions. I felt they gave me a deeper insight into him and allowed for his layers to build. However, without all the fine details it was as though you were reading the story from a distance. I guess I really just missed the fresh feel of angst and anticipation that Hopeless left me feeling. It was hard to achieve that with Losing Hope since I already knew the outcome and big twist.Would I suggest this read, hell yeah I would because as I said earlier it's Colleen Hoover and her writing is always flawless. The paperback version of this book will be sitting right next to Hopeless on my bookshelf as soon as it is available. So yeah, I definitely think everyone should read it! I truly do think Losing Hope makes a great companion novel to Hopeless, and it did answer some questions from the first book. I promise you will once again fall madly in love with Holder (and Ms. Hoover).
Thank you Atria and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of Losing Hope in exchange for my honest opinion.
Colleen lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys. She released her debut novel, SLAMMED, in January 2012 and the follow-up novel, POINT OF RETREAT, in February, 2012 both of which became NYT's bestsellers. In December, 2012, she published a standalone novel, HOPELESS, that went on to become a #1 NYT's bestseller.
As a "Thank you" to her fans, she went on to write the male point of views of both SLAMMED and HOPELESS. THIS GIRL, (Will's pov plus a lot more) was released in April and LOSING HOPE will be released in July.
She is currently working on two standalone novels, UGLY LOVE and MAYBE SOMEDAY, both of which will be released in 2014.
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