With over 20 novels to her name, newcomers to Hoover’s work might feel overwhelmed deciding where to start. Should one begin with her breakout hit or perhaps her debut novel? A standalone book could offer a taste of her writing style, while a series might provide a more extended adventure. For those uncertain, a wise strategy could be to explore her highest-rated books on Goodreads. Here, readers rate novels on a five-star scale, and many of Hoover’s works comfortably surpass the four-star mark, making her top-rated books a great starting point.

The second entry in Colleen Hoover’s “Hopeless” series, “Losing Hope,” revisits the storyline introduced in “Hopeless.” Here, Sky and Holder’s journey continues, but this time, the narrative unfolds from Holder’s perspective. This shift allows readers to delve into his previously mysterious past and gain insight into his thoughts and motivations, enriching the original tale.

The novel “Regretting You” explores the aftermath of a tragic car accident that claims the lives of a young girl’s father and aunt. As Clara and her mother Morgan grapple with their loss, a hidden family secret emerges. Initially concealed by Morgan, this revelation reshapes their perceptions of their loved ones. Amidst the emotional turmoil, both Clara and Morgan embark on new romantic relationships that aid in processing their grief and understanding each other, despite being polar opposites.

Hoover isn’t the first to present the idea of rewriting the first book in a series from the male character’s point of view — Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight” underwent the same treatment with “Midnight Sun,” a project that took 15 years to be released. Readers love Holder in “Hopeless,” but “Losing Hope” adds a compelling new part to the narrative. “I have to say that in all honesty, even though I knew all the twists from reading ‘Hopeless,’ each one of them hit me as though it was the first time in ‘Losing Hope,’ reviewer Aestas wrote on Goodreads. The sentiment is echoed in other 5 star reviews of the book, noting that the story still manages to be surprising and impactful. It causes many to love “Hopeless” and Holder even more, now that they understand everything he was going through while trying to make things work with Sky.

What happens when a young girl loses her father and aunt in the same car accident? That’s what “Regretting You” follows. As Clara and her mother Morgan try to come to terms with the deaths, a family secret comes to light that. Though Morgan initially hides it from Clara, the secret forces them to reconcile how they viewed her father and aunt, and who they actually were. As part of that, they both fall into romantic relationships that help them work through their feelings about each other, since the mother and daughter are polar opposites.

Kirkus Reviews writes in their review that “Regretting You” is “front-loaded with drama,” but it gives room “for the mother and daughter to unpack their feelings and decide what’s next.” Both characters go through incredibly different grief journeys, and readers were engaged not only with the family as a whole but the different narratives within it. Reviewer Alex writing on Goodreads that “the way they weave together is flawless,” highlighting that Colleen Hoover entwined Morgan’s and Clara’s stories together well.

A movie adaptation of the book was released in September 2025, starring Allison Williams as Morgan and Mckenna Grace as Clara. While critics didn’t like the film, giving it just 27% on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences enjoyed it, giving it an 85%.

“Point of Retreat,” the second book in Colleen Hoover’s “Slammed” series, takes readers back to Layken and Will’s story. We’ve fast-forwarded a year and the two are still neighbors, each taking care of their younger brother while pursuing higher education. Though they’ve overcome the issues separating them in “Slammed,” new obstacles pop up, like Will’s ex-girlfriend. 

Though “Slammed” is from Layken’s point of view in a fairly standard narrative style, “Point of Retreat” is told through Will’s journal entries. The change in style didn’t deter readers, who enjoyed that more poetry is incorporated into the text. Readers liked that, through Will’s eyes, it’s clear that he sees his relationship with Layken as something with a strong foundation, with reviewer Arlene writing on Goodreads that they “enjoyed getting into his mind and journeying with Will as he struggles to prove that their love goes beyond the common bond of tragedy that brought them together.” Will is incredibly articulate with his emotions, which isn’t common of male main characters in the romance genre, and that helps make him a great character to readers.

In “November 9,” Fallon meets Ben just as she’s moving, so her last day on the West Coast is spent with him. They end up continuing to meet on the same day every year, living what seems to be a perfect day over and over again. It’s romantic and gives Ben, a writer, amazing inspiration for his books — until it seems like he is hiding something from Fallon, possibly about how their pasts are connected.

The twist regarding Ben’s connection to the house fire that injured Fallon is highlighted in reviews as something that felt shocking in a good way, with Goodreads reviewer Pearl calling it “the greatest PLOT TWIST OF ALL PLOT TWISTS.” Readers didn’t anticipate what the twist would be, which is always a compliment to the writer and makes the story that much more engaging and intriguing. Though the plot is filled with angst, the out-of-left-field twist, and a constant will-they-won’t-they between Ben and Fallon, everything ends on a happy note, making the journey to get there worth it.

“Finding Perfect,” the conclusion to the “Hopeless” series, is from the male perspective, just like “Losing Hope.” Daniel and Six first meet in “Finding Cinderella,” the third book of the series, after having a one night stand in a closet before going their separate ways. At the time, they didn’t know each others’ names or even what the other looks like, but when they meet again a year later through their best friends Sky and Holder, they go about their relationship differently, not initially realizing who the other is. After they do, it forces Six to comes to terms with what happened during her year abroad in Europe.

The book goes back through “Finding Cinderella” and shows everything from Daniel’s side, but it’s from a place of reflection after the fact, not in the moment. Now the friends are in college, and more pieces of the puzzle fit together. For readers, this felt like a great end to the series, tying all three couples together officially and giving everyone their happy endings, even if some felt like they knew the direction it was headed. Goodreads reviewer EmBibliophile wrote that “Finding Perfect” “felt like a closure and a beginning,” calling it “everything [their] heart needed” from the series.

Layken is the glue holding her family together in “Slammed,” the first novel of a trilogy. Her father died suddenly, so now it’s just her, her mother, and her brother moving across the country. However, life starts looking up when she meets Will. He lives next door, likes slam poetry, and seems interested in her. The only problem? Though Layken is 18 and Will is 21, he’s also her teacher at school, so he continues to push her away, which is difficult since they are neighbors.

Though labeled a young adult book, the themes of Colleen Hoover’s “Slammed” are geared toward a more mature audience due to the themes, especially when it comes the taboo nature of Will and Layken’s relationship. Goodreads reviewer Jessica notes that they “have a few more critiques about this story than [they] normally would (mainly character related), but it makes sense because this is [Colleen Hoover’s] first novel.” Others, like Goodreads reviewer Tarryn, enjoy “the creativity, originality and depth” of the story. Though “Slammed” is her first book, it is one of her best reviewed, even after her more recent releases.

In “Heart Bones,” Beyah’s life is turned upside down after the sudden death of her mother, who she had a complicated relationship with. With only two months until she leaves for college, she connects with her father. Though she doesn’t know him or his new family very well, her stay results in meeting someone who may be just as broken as she is: Samson, a guy who comes across as a rich boy with few problems or cares for the world around him. The two ultimately connect over their complicated relationships with dead parents and where they see their lives going.

Kirkus Reviews calls “Heart Bones” “a thoughtful exploration of how poverty impacts people’s choices and blurs the lines between good and bad behavior.” Beyah and Samson are in similar circumstances, but choose very different paths to get by, and they ultimately bond over that. Goodreads reviews highlight that the book does a great job of shining a light on the transition between childhood and adulthood, how different that looks for everyone, and that no matter what, you have to learn to trust yourself and let people in, even when others have burned you in the past.

Teenager Sky meets a new guy, and sparks immediately fly in “Hopeless.” However, Holder proves to be just as troublesome as Sky is, and that’s not exactly what she needs as she settles into a new school environment after being home schooled. It isn’t a deeply original plot, hitting similar beats to other angsty teen and new adult books about a girl meeting a “bad boy” on the brink of adulthood, but it resonates well with readers because of Hoover’s writing style, which makes the story feel realistic and allows readers to connect with Sky’s vulnerability. 

“Hopeless” is the first in a five-book series that follows three different couples. Sky and Holder’s story stands out from the others because of how strong their connection is from the start and how they embrace it. Goodreads reviewer Katerina writes that “they didn’t get along at first but the connection and the bond that developed between them was something they could not control,” and that’s what makes their story endearing. Sky and Holder willingly lean into their feelings, helping each other heal in a story that Goodreads reviewer Christy describes is “as close to perfection as you can get.” As such, the series remains Hoover’s highest rated series overall, averaging a 4.09/5 on Goodreads.

“Verity” is a bit of a genre shift for those familiar with Colleen Hoover, with a story that leans more into the psychological thriller realm than the heartwrenching romance she’s known for. Lowen takes the job of ghost writing a series the original writer is unable to finish due to injury. This should be a good thing for Lowen, who is a struggling writer, and could pull her out of the financial debt she’s in. However, while looking through the author Verity’s work, she finds a draft of an autobiography that may reveal what actually happened when Verity’s daughter died, along with other concerning revelations.

The thriller is Hoover’s second highest-rated book on Goodreads, because readers are still left questioning what the truth is even after “Verity” ends. Everything is left up to the readers’ thoughts, trying to deduce what is real and what isn’t. Hoover succeeded in infusing an uneasy tone throughout, with Goodreads reviewer Melissa writing that “the level of creepiness Hoover managed to incite” is “surprising,” making it even more difficult to decide if Verity’s words are true or if it is all something else, like she claims. That said, the romantic element readers expect from Hoover’s work is also there, as Lowen becomes attracted to Verity’s husband, Jeremy.

A film adaptation is set for release in October 2026. Dakota Johnson, known for “50 Shades of Grey,” is starring as Lowen, with Anne Hathaway as Verity and Josh Hartnett as Jeremy. Will seeing the twists on screen help fans decide what the truth is? Only time will tell.

Colleen Hoover’s best-rated book on Goodreads, “Reminders of Him,” follows Kenna, a young woman who was in jail for manslaughter. While in prison, she gave birth to her daughter, who is now in the custody of the father’s parents. She has no one in her corner until she connects with Ledger, owner of the local bar. The only issue is that he was best friends with the person she accidentally killed.

Kirkus Reviews notes that “the author has created compelling characters who are magnetic and sympathetic enough to pull readers in” and the “story has an undercurrent of sadness” while exploring themes like forgiveness and guilt. Fans agreed, with Goodreads reviews highlighting how the novel was “an emotional rollercoaster” about a woman trying to have a relationship with her daughter and come to terms with her mistake. Hoover is known for writing emotional stories, but “Reminders of Him” took the cake for readers, making it her highest-rated book. 

A movie adaptation starring Maika Monroe as Kenna and Tyriq Withers as Ledger is set to hit theaters March 13, 2026. While the trailer does reveal most of the surprising aspects of the novel, it should still be emotional to relive the heartbreak all over again.