Review: Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover

July 18th, 2013 Kimberly Review 150 Comments

18th Jul
Review: Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover
Losing Hope
by Colleen Hoover
Series: Hopeless #2
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Source: Purchase
Purchase*: Amazon *affiliate
Goodreads
Rating: One StarOne StarOne StarOne StarOne Star

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.

Hopeless was the first book that I read by Colleen Hoover and I adored the characters and was swept up in the tale, so I was really excited and nervous to read Losing Hope. Told from Holder’s point of view Hoover gave us a fresh look at the events and insight into Holder himself. Three-word review: captivating, heartbreaking, beautiful.

Say goodbye to your heart as Hoover whisks it away in the very first pages of this tale as she takes us into the mind of Holder, his sister’s suicide and his interactions with Sky. In Hopeless we learned everything from Sky’s perspective and in Losing Hope the tale that unfolds shares those events as well as things we didn’t see and the impact it all had on this swoon-worthy, broken, sensitive young man. The tale held my heart hostage.

I connected with and enjoyed both Holder and Sky in the previous novel, but getting inside Holder’s head as he deals with losing his sister, returning home and discovering Sky took my emotions on one heck of a ride. Hoover slowly peeled back Holder’s layers showing his emotions and the guilt he carries regarding his sister and the little girl who disappeared. We see his sensitive side; how he struggles, his concern for Sky, his parents and doing the right thing. It is powerful and raw and felt very genuine. In the midst of YA and NA, bad boys Dean Holder is refreshing. He is basically an all-around good guy dealing with some pretty traumatic crap. Yet, he has just enough of an edge to appeal to those who adore their bad boys. Sky is innocent, complicated and naive; I loved seeing her through Holder’s eye. Holder’s best friend Daniel is back and he is a strong secondary character who is loyal, hilarious and supportive. Now Breckin is Sky’s best friend and I adored him and his sense of humor in the first book and we get more glimpses of him and his interactions with Holder making me one happy reader. While Les, holder’s sister gets less page time, her presence is powerful and her story captivating.

This is the second author to amaze me when telling the same tale from a different POV. The first was Jamie McGuire with Travis’s story in Walking Disaster and as much as I adored that book Hoover took it to another level. This wasn’t just a play by play of the same scenes from Holder’s POV, she gives us new scenes, information is revealed, answers are given. Tremendous insight into Holder and his struggles apart from Sky make this unbelievably fresh and had me whipping the pages and devouring the words. OMG, I think I’ve gone all fan-girl and no I haven’t had any Monster Java today! While this plays off the first book, it can stand on its own. Both books toyed with my emotions, had me connecting to the characters and caught up in the tale as it unfolded. A part of me loves Losing Hope even more than Hopeless, but I am honestly not sure if it’s because I read the first book and together they made me fall completely and madly in love with a smexy, sweet, troubled young man named Dean Holder.

For fans of Colleen Hover, Losing Hope is a must read, and if you liked Jamie McGuire’s’ Walking Disaster and Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry will enjoy this tale.

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About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram

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150 Responses to “Review: Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover”

  1. Lauren

    Yay! I was hoping the extra POV would work, and that it wouldn’t be too repetitive, so I’m thrilled that you loved this so much! It’s hard to imagine this being better than Hopeless, but if anyone can make that happen, it’s Holder. 🙂 Beautiful review!

    • kimbacaffeinate

      Like I stated I am not sure if it’s because I read book one but I loved this one more!

  2. Lindy

    Beautiful Review Kimba! I just finished Losing Hope this weekend and it was heartbreaking! I loved this retell as well! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I always enjoy reading another person’s take on the same book 🙂

  4. Naomi Hop

    Oh wow!! What a beautiful review!! I agree with everything you said!! Colleen is amazing and this book was spectacular!! I cried like a little girl in places!! FABULOUS Kimberly!

  5. kimbacaffeinate

    Have you read her YA book Slammed? I think it would give you an idea of the author in a genre you prefer. There is a real story in this series, a mystery of sorts that really adds to the love story making it more than your typical NA.

  7. Belle Read

    I am so glad to see that you liked this as much as you did. I loved Hopeless and look forward to reading this second installment myself. Thank you for the great review.

  8. Maja (The Nocturnal Library)

    I haven’t read Hopeless yet even though it’s been recommended to me so many times. It’s just that I’m not overly fond of NA in general. It takes a lot to make me read one. BUT such high praise from you might just do the trick. You’ve certainly made me rethink things.
    Gorgeous, heartfelt review, Kim.

  10. April

    I haven’t read anything by Colleen Hoover but Hopeless and Losing Hope look like something that would fill my craving for a good contemporary with a lot of heart! I love that it’s the same story told from both POV’s too, that’s awesome. I will be adding these to my wish list!

  16. Pabkins

    Oh that guy on the cover looks like David Duchovny…be still my beating heart.

  17. Pnrurbfantasyreviews

    You will LOVE Slammed, I’m 100% sure of it! 🙂

  20. Sandy

    Great review! I loved Losing Hope more than Hopeless too–though I didn’t think about it maybe being because Losing Hope really compliments and completes Hopeless so perfectly. Loved it!

  21. Sam

    I agree. I loved both Hopeless and Losing Hope. I thought Colleen Hoover did a wonderful job in not being too redundant throughout Holder’s story. I liked it better than Walking Disaster as well. Hopeless was also my first Hoover novel and I can’t wait to read more! 🙂

    –Sam @ SIK Book Reviews

  23. Pnrurbfantasyreviews

    I’m really looking forward to reading this series. I LOVE Colleen’s writing style, so I’m sure this series will be a winner for me. Lovely review, doll!

  24. kimbacaffeinate

    ooh, yes there are sad moments, and you feel for the character..but this is not a freak your family out because you are crying like your dog died kind of cry…Disclaimer: I teared up, no actual sobbing occurred during the reading of this book

  25. kimbacaffeinate

    I was nervous the first time I did, thinking it would be well boring..but the reality is there are two sides to every story and I found I liked the view.

  26. Heidi

    I loved Hopeless and I can’t wait to try it from a different POV. I don’t think I have read a book told from a different POV before. Love seeing that five stars,

  27. Melissa (Books and Things)

    Oh this worries me a bit. I hate to cry, to sob, and this looks like I may do just that. However, the sound of the characters just feels so right. Ugh! You have found me another one, haven’t you? If I cry, I’m sending you the bill for the ton of tissues I use! 😉

  29. Laurel-Rain Snow

    Wow, this one does sound great. Thanks for sharing…and enjoy your weekend.

  34. candacerobinson

    Yeah, I think I’d be a little afraid that it would be the same events told over from a different POV so I’m glad it wasn’t that and that it worked out really well. Everyone just raves about Colleen!

  35. Andrea

    Everyone seems to think Losing Hope is the best alternate point-of-view story ever. Hoover is an amazing writer, and I’m so excited to see that you loved this one. Beautiful review!

  36. Book Swoon

    I loved Jamie McGuire’s’ Walking Disaster, so I think I should definitely pick up Colleen Hoover’s series. I love when the story is from the guys POV and you can get such a great & new perspective on the story! Glad this book lived up to it. Thanks Kimba. 🙂

  47. kimbacaffeinate

    ooh I don’t think it is a sell out, after all there are two sides to every story and you really do see things differently and there are scenes you weren’t privy to before.

  51. Jennifer Bielman

    Ahh, so excited to read this one. I need to read it soon. Have you read her Slammed series? So good. The first book is better though.

  52. Toni

    I have both books, just need to read them! Awesome review, Kim. I didn’t realize this was the same story from a different POV. I loved Beautiful Disaster, but didn’t pick up Walking Disaster because I wasn’t thrilled that it was the same story from Travis’ POV. I felt like it was a cop out, not writing something original. If I like both of these, perhaps I will change my mind about that.

  54. Nick

    I’ve heard nothing but praise for this book, Kim! I was a little wary because it’s the same story told in a different POV, but your review and Sharon’s review have me convinced that it’ll be like reading a new book. I just don’t know if I can go through the emotional roller coaster that I went through with Hopeless!
    Beautiful review, Kim!

  55. Jenea Whittington

    Wasn’t this just awesome!?!? Holder is truly just one amazing guy. I have the same feeling about loving it a little more than Hopeless, they make a great duet for sure. Wonderful review.

  56. Kristin Clifton

    Damn… I’m getting Hopeless out from the library today!!! You rock, girlie!!! I wouldn’t have picked up this series otherwise 😀

  57. thegeekyblogger

    Oh wow! a 5 for a story told from a different POV—it must have been fantastic then 🙂 WOOT WOOT for a 5 read!

  58. Blodeuedd

    Gods no, same story but from a different POV, that feels like it only has been written to get money

  62. kindlemom1

    Oh gosh, once again something I really need to read soon! I had planned to read Hopeless soon but I can see I need to read both of these now as well.
    Great review Kim, I can’t wait to meet Holder (what a great name!).

  63. Holly B

    Hi there! Awesome review! I’ve been wanting to read this one for a while – probably based on Giselle’s review too! 🙂 – and it’s good to continue to hear great things about it. I’ve heard it compared some to the Dexter books, the first of which I LOVED (and enjoyed the first few seasons of the show too, though don’t watch anymore), so if it’s anything like that, I’m all in. I love your choice of words in writing the review – “delicious” suspense is a great thought!! 🙂 I tell you what, the YA books these days are NOT what was available when *I* was growing up, to be sure! Phew. I like it, though, as a recognition that teens/YAs are (speaking generally) so much smarter and more mature than we sometimes give them credit for. Thanks again!

    (PS – I goofed on the last entry in my Rafflecopter, the “grab the button” one, I opened it to see the instructions but then accidentally clicked “Enter” when I mean to click “Cancel”!! And it won’t let me change it / back out of it now, so it’s reading as a valid entry when it’s really not… SORRY)

  64. kimbacaffeinate

    Holly, No problem on the button it happens. Besides Harry Potter and Twilight (which I read with my children) I am still a noob when it comes to YA and like you was astonished at how different it was from my YA years..LOL I hope you try this one, and thank you for commenting 🙂

  65. ryan snyder

    omg this sounds freaking awesome! his dad was a serial killer!?!?!?!? whaaaat? I so need to read this! O.o 😀

  69. Holly W

    Thank you for the awesome giveaway! It has been a long time since I have read a book like this, and it sounds amazing, I have heard nothing but good reviews, including yours!

  71. A Belle's Tales

    Squeeee! I’m a HUGE Dexter fan, so, even though I already had this one on my TBR shelf, I’m even more excited to get to it! Awesome review! Thank you so much for the giveaway <3

  74. Helena Ison

    I almost bought this book the last time I went to B&N… now after reading your review I wish I had! I’m a huge fan of anything dealing with forensics… I must get this one ASAP! Awesome review and thank you for the giveaway!

  76. Giselle Cormier

    Ooh yay! I’m so excited you loved this one too! It’s one of my favs! I loved the gore mixed with humor, and Jazz is a great protagonist! Wonderful review, Kimba!

  80. Christa Seeley

    I just read this recently from the library and loved it. It was so creepy and mysterious I couldn’t put it down. Glad you loved it as much as I did!

  82. Bella's Shelf

    Dexter? I’m in love w/Dexter. Sounds like a weird crush huh? Lolz from Damon and Sam Winchester to Dexter..lolz..there’s enough love in my heart for all of em! I entered to win. I never win anything! Ever! RC hates me! lolz that’s OK, its fun to read ur review and visit ur blog.:-)

  83. kimbacaffeinate

    I love Dexter for his creep factor and Dean Winchester and Damon Salvatore for their ..*swoons* factor! Good luck and thank you!

  84. Kelly

    Thanks for the great review. I heard of this earlier in the year but didn’t really read this sort of book at the time, now I do, and I’m excited to give it a try soon.

  87. kimbacaffeinate

    First I have three weeks of post already scheduled as of today and a few blog tour posts done and scheduled for Nov/Dec. So what I am reading today is for a post in November. I read about three-four books a week. Sometimes less sometimes more but generally I read for about three hours a day and not at one time. You need to have at least 2 weeks of solid posts scheduled and then you should be able to post daily and not kill yourself.

  89. erin f

    thanks for the awesome review and giveaway! I’ve been reading such great reviews for this book, it was already on my want list 🙂

  91. Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf

    Probably not the book for me but I do admit that I love the idea of a boy groomed by his dad to be a killer and then ending up helping the police catch killers…hope he doesn’t end up being one of them someday!

  93. Heidi

    I still can’t believe I haven’t read this one! I did a whole research on serial killers for my senior year of college for my psych degree and the topic fascinates me! I really need to read this one !

  96. kimbacaffeinate

    Sorry Carmen..if I could make them all international I would, thanks for your awesome comments! I hope you like this as much as I did 🙂

  97. sherry fundin

    I love the Dexter series, and anything serial killer. Thanks for the giveaway.

  100. GRgenius

    Oooh…sounds like a winner! The gory/graphi side doesn’t surprise me…anymore. I already got that shock out of the way when I read GOTH GIRL by Mr Lyga. He’s definitely got his own style….thanks for sharing!

  105. Texas Book Lover

    I normally don’t do the super creepy books but this book is just calling my name!

  110. Brandy Corona

    Seems to be a very spooky book 🙂 Can’t wait to read it!

  111. Tanja

    I’m yet to start this series but I really enjoyed Slammed so I’ll probably enjoy this one too. Also you made it sound great. Great review! 🙂

  112. Caitlin Peterson

    I LOVE this series! I’ve recently become addicted to ghost stories, and I love this one. The Prophet is awesome! Totally surprising. Have you ever read the Experiment in Terror series? That’s another good spooky series!

  116. Heidi

    Don’t you love this series? I think The Prophet is the best so far, I love Angus! I also eat up all the cemetery stuff, I was thrilled when Amanda posted on it for my blog.

  120. Candace's Book Blog

    Wow, this sounds like a series I really need to read! I love books in the South! I’ll definitely go check out the first. It seems like I saw Heidi’s reviews as well. Or something to do with the series, anyway.

  125. Leanne A.

    I’ve seen this book around the blogsphere and I’m pretty intrigued. 🙂 Really great review, Kimba! Normally I loathe urban fantasy novels (though strangely the cover looks more like a traditional fantasy novel to me) but you convinced me to give this a go. 🙂

  129. A Belle's Tales

    There are so many aspects of this book that I love, not to mention how many things you mention in your amazing review (ie: paranormal woo-woo, Supernatural) that have me needing this series ASAP. Thank you so much for sharing! Brilliant review, love!

  132. GRgenius

    Wow…now that synopsis really has my attention. “…eating away at the soul of this town”…a cemetery at the bottom of a lake? Oh my! What secrets are buried here? Might have to check it out…and thanks for the tip on stand alone versus the series! Off to investigate book 1…. ^_^

  133. GRgenius

    Ooh…thanks! Missed that one somehow… *switches screen*

  134. Amber Elise

    Yaay I’m so happy that you liked it! The Prophet is definitely rewarding and I hope there are more books coming! I’m happy that I’m not that only one who was truly creeped out by this book. I liked Thane too but I didn’t think he could hold a light to Devlin!

    Amber Elise @ Du Livre

  136. Danny Bookworm

    Oh wow!!!!!! That awesome!?!?! I’m always a little afraid of same books – different POv, but this one seems to rock as it only gets really good reviews:))))

  140. Mary Preston

    Thank you. Your review for TEMPING IS HELL was very helpful.

  142. Sharon - Obsession with Books

    I like the sound of this one! Kate sounds like a wonderful character.. Another one going on my pile 😉

    A great review 🙂

  145. junemanning

    This sounds like a fun paranormal story. I can’t wait to see how Kate accidentally signs her soul away and Thomas plans to get both his & her’s back. Thanks so much for the review & for hosting the giveaway 🙂

  148. Steph, The Readingista

    Great review. I liked the book, but did have some issues with Kate. Her family sucks! Are they among the least supportive, or what? I didn’t get the reason behind it.