Interestingly enough, I was one of the ARC readers for Heart Bones back in 2020 when it released with a super vague blurb, a totally different cover, and an indie vibe. I’d only read one other book from Hoover at the time (Regretting You), and it didn’t resonate with me. Hoover was CoHo back then, but she wasn’t COHO like she is now, if you know what I mean. So I went into Heart Bones with exactly zero expectations – and I loved it! It ended up making my Top 20 of 2020 list, and I still think back on it very fondly.
Heart Bones recently received a brand new cover and blurb, so it seemed like the perfect time to share my review again. Many readers are discovering Hoover’s books for the first time now (my mom included, who read Verity without consulting me first, lol!), so her entire back catalogue is current. And I know most readers have strong feelings about Hoover (one way or another), but I still mostly think of her as the author who delivered this excellent read for me. It’s probably one of the quieter books she’s written, and I don’t see it discussed nearly as often as the others.
Read on for my original review!
Check out my Top 20 of 2020 list here
Stunning. Seriously, just a really beautiful, powerful romance. I had no idea what to expect going into this – and that’s how I’d recommend everyone go into it – so the story unraveled in such an organic, mesmerizing way. From page one, you can tell that there’s an intensity about the book that sets it apart from the rest; a heaviness that gives this love story such WEIGHT. And it truly is a love story. Our heroine goes on her own journey throughout the course of the book, but through it all, there’s that one guy who makes an impact. It’s one of the best books I’ve read all year, hands down, and the kind of story that you’ll want to reread with fresh eyes as soon as you turn the last page.
I’m not going to go into a lot of detail about the plot on this one, because I think you should discover it as you read. I will say that I don’t love summer fling romances, so the appeal here was Hoover’s writing – and I’m happy to report that it’s so much more than that. There’s an incredible build in intimacy, a slow burn romance that feels DEEP, and a mysterious quality to both our hero and the story as a whole. The book kicks off on a somber note and does have a heavy feel to much of it, but there is also so much wonder and that feeling you only get with young love. It’s new adult romance with a 19-year-old heroine who is just starting to really live. She comes from a troubled background, with many, many triggers in her history, and they appear right away.
My favorite part about the book? It is so THOUGHT-PROVOKING. Told exclusively from the heroine’s perspective, there are little breadcrumbs along the way that tell us more about the hero. These two seem so different on the surface, but the more they wade into the depths, the more commonalities they discover. At one point, I was so convinced that I knew where the story was heading… but I was completely wrong. And I love that. It kept me engrossed from start to finish, and I ended up devouring it in one sitting. I may have even shooed my husband away a time or two when he tried to interrupt my reading. So, the book is bad for your marriage, good for your heart, and that title will make complete sense once you finish reading.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3gaQqLG
If you own the kindle edition, the audio add-on is still available for just $1.99 – and I seriously doubt it’s going to stay that way! The book is with a new publisher now and Hoover is super popular, so be sure to grab the add-on at: https://amzn.to/3VtKsFy
Blurb:
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of It Ends with Us and It Starts with Us!
Moving, passionate, and unforgettable, Colleen Hoover’s novel follows two young adults from completely different backgrounds embarking on a tentative romance, unaware of what the future holds.
After a childhood filled with poverty and neglect, Beyah Grim finally has her hard-earned ticket out of Kentucky with a full ride to Penn State. But two months before she’s finally free to change her life for the better, an unexpected death leaves her homeless and forced to spend the remainder of her summer in Texas with a father she barely knows.
Devastated and anxious for the summer to go by quickly, Beyah has no time or patience for Samson, the wealthy, brooding guy next door. Yet, the connection between them is too intense to ignore. But with their upcoming futures sending them to opposite ends of the country, the two decide to maintain only a casual summer fling. Too bad neither has any idea that a rip current is about to drag both their hearts out to sea.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3gaQqLG
The old cover (skulls) is out in paperback now!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3eBo8Jz
The new cover (pinwheel) is coming out in paperback in January!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ewZWrU
If you own the kindle edition, the audio add-on is still available for just $1.99 – and I seriously doubt it’s going to stay that way! The book is with a new publisher now and Hoover is super popular, so be sure to grab the add-on at: https://amzn.to/3VtKsFy
About the Author:
Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times and International bestselling author of multiple novels and novellas. She lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys. She is the founder of The Bookworm Box, a non-profit book subscription service and bookstore in Sulphur Springs, Texas.
For more information and for a schedule of events, please visit colleenhoover.com.
To contact Colleen and her team (Her team’s name is Stephanie), please email hooverink@outlook.com.
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