Review: Colleen Hoover's "Hopeless."

I read Colleen Hoover’s “Hopeless” when it was first released last year and it was definitely a 5 star read for me. Knowing that “Losing Hope” is due out in July 2013, I really wanted to read the book again and also review it for my blog. The question is (with the element of surprise gone), would it still be amazing second time around? OMG, it was even better. When I initially read Hopeless, I was in such a reading frenzy, desperate to find out what happened next that I missed little snippets of information that linked really well to the overall story. Second time around, I picked up everything and there were so many moments where I found myself saying “How did I miss that?” or “That’s why he/ she said that.” So if you haven’t read it, go buy it and if you have, go read it again because either way, you won’t be disappointed.

So what’s it about?  

At 17 years old, Sky’s life has been far from conventional. Sheltered from the media and technology, she has been home schooled since she was five. That’s not to say she’s had a bad life, just different to most. Her mother loves her and her best friend (Six) adores her but Sky wants more. She's always wanted to experience life as a normal teenager and she finally gets her chance when she enrolls in high school. Unfortunately it isn’t quite what she expected and her association with Six has gained her quite a reputation:

It’s fourth period now and I’ve heard the words “slut” and “whore” whispered not so

subtly by almost every girl I’ve passed in the hallways.  And speaking of not so subtle,

the heap of dollar bills that just fell out of my locker, along with a note,

were a good indicator that I may not be very welcome.

With Six spending the year in Europe as a foreign exchange student, Sky has no one to fight her corner (not that she needs anyone), that is until Dean Holder walks into her life.  From the moment she sees him, her life will never be the same again:

I’m pretty sure I’m having a hot flash. Or have butterflies. Or maybe I’m coming down with a

stomach virus. The feeling is so foreign; I’m not sure what it is. I can’t say what is so different

about him that would prompt my first-ever normal biological response to another person.

Holder makes Sky feel ( something she’s never been able to do). He elicits all kinds of responses from her both physically and emotionally and as much as she tries to fights it, she’s attracted to him, drawn to him even:

Every fiber of my being knows he’s not a good person, yet my body doesn’t seem to give a shit.

 But does Holder feel the same? Absolutely. In fact he can’t get enough of her and wants to know all there is about his new found friend.  Unfortunately for Sky, along with these new feelings comes a stirring of memories. Memories from a past that was supposed to be dead and buried. As their relationship develops, she suddenly realizes that Holder isn’t the person she thought he was. In fact he’s been hiding a secret… one so big (once it’s revealed) it will tear her life apart. Everything she has ever known will be questioned but who will she turn to in her hour of need? Who can she trust?

Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…

Colleen Hoover has written such a beautiful story in “Hopeless,” one I didn’t expect to unfold the way it did. From the first page to the last, the story of Sky and Holder had me captivated and at times had me feeling desperate that there would be a HEA. Sky’s character was just brilliant. She was head strong, stubborn to the end but so funny at times. Her inner dialogue (especially when it came to the Holder) was just brilliant:

My instinct is telling me to run and scream, but my body wants to wrap itself around

 his glistening, sweaty arms. My body is a damn traitor.

Sky wasn’t  used to having these feelings. In fact, being around boys had always had the opposite effect on her:

The reason I enjoy making out with guys is simply because it makes me feel completely and

comfortably numb. It’s situations like the one I’m in right now with Grayson when it’s

nice for my mind to shut down. It just completely stops, and I like this feeling.

It was like making out with guys gave her some sort of respite from the world, from what was happening around her, from feeling anything.

So what about Dean Holder? Well what can I say? A beautiful character who was not only physically pleasing (oh yes…. Tousled dark hair, stark blue eyes, dimples, thick arms etc etc etc ….. definitely swoon worthy) but with a personality to go with. Yes his personality was contradictory at times (from moody, angry and aggressive to kind, generous and loving) but Sky summed him up in one word:

He doesn’t react the way he does because there are five different sides to his personality. He

reacts the way he does because there’s only one side to Dean Holder. PASSIONATE

Wow so very true and that’s another reason I couldn’t help falling in love with him.  But this guy also had a sense of humour and his text messages to Sky were hilarious. When it came to Sky, he was caring, protective and completely selfless. He wanted this relationship to work, to mean something and he wanted to make sure that everything they did made Sky “feel” and so he would wait:

But you’re not getting kissed tonight. And probably not tomorrow, either. I need this.

I need to know for sure that you’re feeling every single thing that I’m feeling the

moment my lips touch yours. Because I want your first kiss to be the best

first kiss in the history of first kisses.

And so it started, their journey of experiencing so many firsts together… first kiss, first date, first fight,  first time sleeping together…. God my heart just swelled to the size of a baseball field!!!! Their relationship was sweet, it was heartwarming and that point between live and love… what can I say (big sigh):

“There isn’t a single goddamned word in the entire dictionary that can describe this point between

liking you and loving you, but I need that word. I need it because I need you to hear me say it.”

“Live. If you mix the letters up in the words like and love, you get live. You can use that word.”

“I live you, Sky.” He says against my lips. “I live you so much.”

If ever there was a couple that were meant to be together, it was these two. Through thick and thin, even when their worlds came crashing down around them, their one solace was that they had each other.

Colleen Hoover definitely wrote a masterpiece with this one.  So unpredictable, it had my emotions doing all sorts. I laughed and I most definitely cried. If you haven’t read this book but think you know what it’s about, think again because not in a million years could I have guessed the sequence of events that unfolded.  Even the meaning of Holder's tattoo blew me away. I could go on and on and on about Hopeless but I won’t.  Go buy it and see for yourself. There’s a reason it’s received so many 5 star reviews.

And now I can add mine to the list because I too am giving it full marks: 5 Hearts

"Losing Hope" is out in July 2013 and tells th story from Holder's POV. I can't wait.

Click on the book cover to pre order