Colleen Hoover Books in Order: The Complete Reading Guide for Every Fan
Updated October 2026
Colleen Hoover Books in Order: The Short Answer
Colleen Hoover has published more than two dozen books between 2012 and early 2026: four short series (including three novellas) and twelve standalone novels. Her newest is Woman Down, a thriller released in January 2026. If you want every Colleen Hoover book in order of publication, here it is:
| Year | Title | Series or standalone |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Slammed | Slammed #1 |
| 2012 | Point of Retreat | Slammed #2 |
| 2012 | Hopeless | Hopeless #1 |
| 2013 | Losing Hope | Hopeless #2 |
| 2013 | Finding Cinderella | Hopeless novella |
| 2013 | This Girl | Slammed #3 |
| 2014 | Maybe Someday | Maybe Someday #1 |
| 2014 | Maybe Not | Maybe Someday novella |
| 2014 | Ugly Love | Standalone |
| 2015 | Confess | Standalone |
| 2015 | November 9 | Standalone |
| 2015 | Never Never (with Tarryn Fisher) | Standalone |
| 2016 | It Ends with Us | It Ends with Us #1 |
| 2016 | Too Late | Standalone |
| 2017 | Without Merit | Standalone |
| 2018 | Maybe Now | Maybe Someday #2 |
| 2018 | Verity | Standalone |
| 2018 | All Your Perfects | Hopeless world |
| 2019 | Regretting You | Standalone |
| 2020 | Heart Bones | Standalone |
| 2020 | Layla | Standalone |
| 2022 | Reminders of Him | Standalone |
| 2022 | It Starts with Us | It Ends with Us #2 |
| 2026 | Woman Down | Standalone |
That's 24 titles in the table. The 25th is Finding Perfect, a short novella that closes out the Hopeless world after All Your Perfects. Several of these books had a self-published first edition and a later publisher edition, so you'll sometimes see a different year on the copyright page than the one above.
One thing to know before you buy for a teenager: most of these are adult romance or adult thrillers. We cover age ratings in detail further down.
In this guide:
- Colleen Hoover's Four Series in Reading Order
- The Twelve Standalone Novels, Grouped by Mood
- Colleen Hoover Age Ratings: What She Says Herself
- Colleen Hoover Movies and TV Adaptations
- Buying Colleen Hoover Books Used
- Frequently Asked Questions
Colleen Hoover's Four Series in Reading Order
Hoover's own site suggests reading the Slammed books first, then the Hopeless and Maybe Someday books, then everything else. You don't have to, but within each series the order matters.
Slammed (3 books)
- Slammed
- Point of Retreat
- This Girl
Her debut: a young woman, a slam-poetry night and a neighbor who turns out to be her teacher. This Girl retells the first book from Will's side, so read it last. Hoover rates this series 14+, the only series she places in young adult.
Hopeless (3 books and 2 novellas)
- Hopeless
- Losing Hope (the same story from Holder's point of view)
- Finding Cinderella (novella)
- All Your Perfects
- Finding Perfect (novella)
All Your Perfects reads perfectly well on its own, which is how most people find it, but Hoover groups it with this series because Finding Perfect ties the two together. Hopeless deals with childhood sexual abuse and is one of her heaviest books.
Maybe Someday (2 books and 1 novella)
- Maybe Someday
- Maybe Not (novella)
- Maybe Now
A love story built around a songwriter and a guitarist. Early editions of Maybe Someday came with original songs by Griffin Peterson written to go with the book.
It Ends with Us (2 books)
Her best-known book. Lily Bloom falls for a neurosurgeon whose temper becomes abuse, and the novel follows her decision about whether to stay. Hoover has said it draws on her own mother's experience. The sequel, written after the first book took off on BookTok, is lighter and focuses on Lily and Atlas.
The Twelve Standalone Novels, Grouped by Mood
Twelve books stand alone and can be read in any order. The more useful question is what kind of Hoover book a reader wants.
Thrillers and dark books
- Verity (2018): a struggling writer is hired to finish a famous author's series and finds a manuscript she shouldn't have read. Her most talked-about book after It Ends with Us.
- Woman Down (2026): an author facing online backlash over a film adaptation retreats to a cabin, and a detective shows up with troubling news. Hoover has called it probably one of the darkest books she's written.
- Too Late (2016): originally a free online serial, later revised and published as a book. Extremely graphic; her roughest title.
- Layla (2020): a romance that turns into a paranormal mystery.
Readers who come for Verity and want more dark suspense often move on to the horror shelf; our Stephen King books in order guide sorts his novels so you know where to begin.
Emotional contemporary romance
- Reminders of Him (2022): a mother released from prison tries to reconnect with the daughter she's never met.
- Ugly Love (2014): a "no strings" arrangement with a pilot. Very steamy.
- November 9 (2015): two people agree to meet on the same date every year.
- Confess (2015): an artist who paints strangers' anonymous confessions.
If what you love is the slow-burn romance and the family drama, try the classic that shaped so much of it: our Jane Austen reading guide covers all six novels and which one to try first.
The gentler end
- Regretting You (2019): a mother and teenage daughter after a family tragedy.
- Heart Bones (2020): a summer romance for a girl with a hard home life.
- Without Merit (2017): a family comedy-drama with a lot going on under the surface.
- Never Never (2015, with Tarryn Fisher): two teenagers who wake up with no memory of each other. A mystery more than a romance.
Colleen Hoover Age Ratings: What She Says Herself
Parents ask us about Colleen Hoover more than almost any other author, usually because a 13-year-old has seen her books all over social media. The author's own website is refreshingly clear: it notes that the majority of her books are intended for mature audiences, and it sorts them into three bands.
- Young adult, 14+: the Slammed series, Heart Bones, Regretting You, Never Never, Without Merit.
- Mature, 17+: the Hopeless, Maybe Someday and It Ends with Us series, plus Ugly Love, November 9, Reminders of Him, Confess and Layla.
- Dark romance, 18+: Verity, Too Late and Woman Down.
What that means in practice: the 17+ and 18+ books contain explicit sex scenes, frequent strong language, and serious subject matter including domestic abuse, sexual assault, suicide and grief. Verity and Too Late add graphic violence. None of this is gratuitous in the eyes of her adult readers, but it's not what most parents expect from a book with a pastel cover on the teen table.
If a younger teen wants to see what the fuss is about, Regretting You or Slammed is the honest place to start. If an adult reader wants her signature book, start with It Ends with Us. For thriller readers, Verity.
For a teen who wants the emotional pull without the adult content, our books like Twilight list flags the cleaner romance options, and our best books for teens reading list is sorted by age from 13 to 18.
Colleen Hoover Movies and TV Adaptations
Hoover's books have become a steady source of films since 2024.
| Title | Release | Starring |
|---|---|---|
| Confess (web series) | 2017 | Seven-part series |
| It Ends with Us | August 9, 2024 | Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni |
| Regretting You | October 24, 2025 | Allison Williams, Mckenna Grace, Dave Franco |
| Reminders of Him | March 13, 2026 | Maika Monroe |
| Verity | October 2, 2026 | Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, Josh Hartnett |
It Ends with Us earned about $351 million worldwide. Hoover co-wrote the screenplay for Reminders of Him with Lauren Levine. Verity, directed by Michael Showalter for Amazon MGM Studios, opened in US theaters on October 2, 2026, and topped the weekend box office with about $32.6 million, so expect used copies of the novel to stay scarce for a while.
Buying Colleen Hoover Books Used
Because her books sell in enormous numbers, secondhand copies are easy to find, and paperbacks hold up well. See every Colleen Hoover title in stock, or browse our romance and thriller and suspense shelves for similar authors. Orders over $15 ship free, and our guide to buying books on a budget for your family has more ways to stretch a book budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the newest Colleen Hoover book?
Woman Down, a thriller published in January 2026. It was her first new novel since 2022.
How many books has Colleen Hoover written?
Twenty-five, counting three novellas and Never Never, which she co-wrote with Tarryn Fisher. That breaks down into four short series and twelve standalones.
What order should I read Colleen Hoover books in?
Her site suggests the Slammed series first, then the Hopeless and Maybe Someday series, then the standalones. The standalones can be read in any order, but read It Ends with Us before It Starts with Us.
Which Colleen Hoover book should I read first?
It Ends with Us is the usual starting point for adults. Verity suits thriller readers. For a younger or more cautious reader, Regretting You or Slammed is the gentler introduction.
Are Colleen Hoover books appropriate for teens?
Most are not. Her own website rates the majority 17+ or 18+ for explicit sex, strong language and themes such as abuse. The Slammed series, Heart Bones, Regretting You, Never Never and Without Merit are the ones she marks 14+.
Do you have to read It Starts with Us after It Ends with Us?
Yes. It Starts with Us picks up right where the first book ends and gives away its conclusion, so read it second.
When does the Verity movie come out?
The Verity film, starring Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson, opened in US theaters on October 2, 2026, from Amazon MGM Studios, and was the number one film at the US box office that weekend.
