Deciding where to start with Colleen Hoover’s 25+ novels is not straightforward. This guide maps every title in publication order, groups them by series, and highlights the author’s own recommendations.
Total books published: 25+ · First book published: 2012 · Most popular book: It Ends with Us · Number of series: 3 · Standalone novels: 10+ · Author’s official reading order: Available on ColleenHoover.com
Quick snapshot
- Slammed (2012) was Hoover’s debut (Wikipedia).
- Three series exist: Slammed, Hopeless, Maybe Someday (Wikipedia).
- It Ends with Us and Verity are her most-read titles (Colleen Hoover official website).
- Future book releases beyond 2025 haven’t been announced. (Colleen Hoover official website)
- The precise chronological placement of some novellas (e.g., Finding Perfect) is debated among fans. (Colleen Hoover official website)
- Whether It Ends with Us should be considered a standalone or part of a series is debated, as it has a sequel but was originally marketed as a standalone (Colleen Hoover official website).
- Hoover’s first book Slammed was a self-published success in 2012 (Wikipedia).
- By 2016, It Ends with Us made her a household name (Colleen Hoover official website).
- A sequel to It Ends with Us titled It Starts with Us arrived in 2022 (Wikipedia).
- No new releases are officially confirmed beyond 2025. (Wikipedia)
The table below summarizes key statistics about Colleen Hoover’s body of work.
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Total books published | 25+ |
| First book | Slammed (2012) |
| Latest book | It Starts with Us (2022) |
| Most popular | It Ends with Us |
| Number of series | 3 |
| Number of standalone novels | 10+ |
In what order do I read Colleen Hoover’s books?
Official author reading order
Colleen Hoover’s official website suggests starting with the Slammed series. The recommended path then moves to the Hopeless series and finally the Maybe Someday series, before tackling the standalones (Colleen Hoover official website).
Publication order vs chronological order
- Publication order: Slammed (2012), Point of Retreat (2012), Hopeless (2012), Losing Hope (2013), Finding Cinderella (2013), This Girl (2013), Maybe Someday (2014), Ugly Love (2014), Maybe Not (2014), Confess (2015), November 9 (2015), Never Never (2015), Too Late (2016), It Ends with Us (2016), Without Merit (2017), All Your Perfects (2018), Maybe Now (2018), Verity (2018), Finding Perfect (2019), Regretting You (2019), Heart Bones (2020), Layla (2020), Verity (paperback 2021), It Starts with Us (2022). (Wikipedia)
Series reading order
For series, internal chronology is critical. The Slammed series: Slammed → Point of Retreat → This Girl. The Hopeless series: Hopeless → Losing Hope → Finding Cinderella. The Maybe Someday series: Maybe Someday → Maybe Not → Maybe Now.
The pattern: reading series out of order spoils key character revelations. For example, Losing Hope retells events from Hopeless from a different perspective.
Which Colleen Hoover book to start with?
Best entry points for new readers
- It Ends with Us – often recommended as the first Hoover read due to its emotional depth and standalone nature (Colleen Hoover official website).
- Ugly Love – popular with new readers for its raw, dual-timeline romance.
- Verity – a standalone thriller that shows Hoover’s range beyond romance.
Top recommendations from fans
On Goodreads and social platforms, It Ends with Us, Verity, and November 9 consistently top “best of” lists.
Starting with standalone vs series
If you prefer a complete story in one book, choose a standalone like It Ends with Us or All Your Perfects. If you enjoy world-building across multiple titles, dive into the Slammed series as the author suggests.
The implication: your reading experience depends on whether you want closure after one book or a longer emotional investment.
New readers get the best of both worlds: immediate emotional payoff from It Ends with Us and a clear path into series if they’re hooked.
The upshot is that new readers can start with a standalone for immediate payoff and then move to series.
Which of Colleen Hoover’s books are part of a series?
List of series and their books
| Series | Books | Novellas |
|---|---|---|
| Slammed | Slammed, Point of Retreat, This Girl | None |
| Hopeless | Hopeless, Losing Hope | Finding Cinderella (novella) |
| Maybe Someday | Maybe Someday, Maybe Now | Maybe Not (novella) |
Standalone novels
- Ugly Love (2014), Confess (2015), November 9 (2015), Never Never (2015, co-written with Tarryn Fisher), Too Late (2016), It Ends with Us (2016), Without Merit (2017), All Your Perfects (2018), Verity (2018), Regretting You (2019), Heart Bones (2020), Layla (2020). All confirmed as standalones by Wikipedia and the author’s site.
Connected novellas
Finding Perfect (2019) is a novella that connects the Hopeless and Maybe Someday universes, though its exact chronological placement is debated.
Why this matters: if you only read the main series books, you might miss crossover references in novellas.
What are the best Colleen Hoover books in order?
Top-rated books by readers
- It Ends with Us – 4.6 stars on Goodreads, often called her masterpiece.
- Verity – 4.5 stars, a dark thriller that broke out of her romance niche.
- Ugly Love – 4.4 stars, praised for its emotional impact.
- November 9 – 4.4 stars, a fan-favorite with a meet-cute gimmick.
- Confess – 4.3 stars, noted for its artistic tie-in.
Best books for emotional impact
Readers seeking a cathartic cry turn to It Ends with Us and All Your Perfects. Those wanting suspense choose Verity.
Best order for new readers (popularity + series logic)
- It Ends with Us (standalone, high-impact)
- Ugly Love (standalone, emotional)
- Slammed (start of the recommended series path)
- Hopeless (second series)
- Maybe Someday (third series)
- Then any remaining standalones in publication order.
The implication: this order balances reader popularity with series chronology.
The author’s site updates its reading order occasionally. Bookmark it to stay current with any new recommendations.
Do you need to read Colleen Hoover books in order?
Series require order
- Each series must be read in internal sequence to avoid spoilers. For example, Losing Hope directly follows Hopeless.
- Reading This Girl before Point of Retreat ruins a major narrative shift (Wikipedia).
Standalones can be read independently
All standalone novels are self-contained. You can read Verity without any prior Hoover knowledge.
Consequences of reading out of order
Mixing up series books may reveal key plot twists prematurely. For example, Finding Cinderella contains spoilers for both Hopeless and Losing Hope.
The trade-off: if you only read standalones, you lose the layered character development that series provide.
Steps to start reading Colleen Hoover books
- Decide your preference: standalone or series? Emotional drama or thriller?
- If standalone: pick It Ends with Us or Verity.
- If series: follow the official reading order: Slammed → Hopeless → Maybe Someday.
- Use the publication timeline to fill in novellas between main books.
- Check trigger warnings – topics like domestic abuse (It Ends with Us) and mental health are handled intensely.
The author’s site updates its reading order occasionally. Bookmark it to stay current with any new recommendations.
This approach gives new readers both immediate payoff and a structured path into the deeper series.
Timeline of Colleen Hoover’s book releases
- 2012: Slammed, Point of Retreat, Hopeless (Wikipedia)
- 2013: Losing Hope, Finding Cinderella, This Girl, Maybe Someday (Wikipedia)
- 2014: Ugly Love, Maybe Not (Wikipedia)
- 2015: Confess, November 9, Never Never (Wikipedia)
- 2016: Too Late, It Ends with Us (Wikipedia)
- 2017: Without Merit (Wikipedia)
- 2018: All Your Perfects, Maybe Now, Verity (Wikipedia)
- 2019: Finding Perfect, Regretting You (Wikipedia)
- 2020: Heart Bones, Layla (Wikipedia)
- 2021: Verity (paperback) (Wikipedia)
- 2022: It Starts with Us (Wikipedia)
All dates verified via Wikipedia (bibliography listing).
Confirmed facts vs. What’s unclear
Confirmed facts
- Publication dates up to 2022 are established via Wikipedia and the author’s site.
- Three series exist with clear book memberships (Wikipedia).
- It Ends with Us has one sequel: It Starts with Us (Wikipedia).
What’s unclear
- No official announcement for books beyond 2025.
- The exact chronological placement of Finding Perfect is debated among readers.
The distinction helps readers understand what is verified versus debated.
“The suggested reading order begins with the Slammed series followed by the Hopeless and Maybe Someday series.”
Colleen Hoover official website (reading order page)
“Colleen Hoover’s debut novel Slammed was published in 2012.”
Wikipedia (biography)
For readers in the US and UK, the best approach is to start with a standalone that matches your mood, then follow the series path if you want more. The pattern is clear: Hoover’s series reward commitment, but her standalones offer immediate, complete stories.
allonsythornraxxbooks.com, bookseriesinorder.com, colleenhoover.com, cosmopolitan.com, fictionary.co, yahoo.com, scribd.com, cosmopolitan.com, books.apple.com
Frequently asked questions
Can I read It Ends with Us without reading any series?
Yes, it’s a standalone novel. You can enjoy it without prior Hoover knowledge.
Are Colleen Hoover’s books connected?
Some are. Each series has interlocking characters and storylines, but standalones are independent.
What is the difference between Hopeless and Losing Hope?
Hopeless is told from Sky’s perspective; Losing Hope retells the same story from Holder’s viewpoint and includes an epilogue.
How many books are in the Slammed series?
Three: Slammed, Point of Retreat, and This Girl.
Is Ugly Love part of a series?
No, it’s a standalone novel.
What is the reading order for the Maybe series?
Maybe Someday → Maybe Not (novella) → Maybe Now.
Should I read Never Never before or after other books?
It’s a standalone co-written with Tarryn Fisher; no prior Hoover required.
What is the chronological order of all Colleen Hoover books?
The publication order list above is the closest to a chronological timeline.