Hopeless by Colleen Hoover Published by Simon and Schuster
Published: May 7th 2013
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Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…
That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.
Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.
I had read Colleen Hoover once in the past and it wasn’t a great experience. I was not a fan of the book so I was wary going into Hopeless. However a friend recommended it and I had wanted to read it at some point in the past so I went for it. I can say with certainty that this book was a much better reading experience than the other. The plot line, although predictable, made way more sense and didn’t make me want to roll my eyes or laugh. Basically it was a win.
Hopeless is the story of Sky, a girl that has been pretty sheltered her whole life. Adopted at 5 she has lived without TV, phone or internet and has been homeschooled. When she is a senior in high school she convinces her mom to let her go to public school where she meets Dean Holder, the resident bad boy. All of a sudden Sky is feeling things for this boy she’s never felt before in her life and with these feelings come memories that she has been surpassing for 13 years that have the potential to change everything she has ever known.
Like I said I found the plot pretty predictable and transparent, but it didn’t bother me as much as it should have and that’s because I really liked the characters. Sky was a really interesting girl. I can’t really pinpoint what it was about her that I liked but it was something. She had great bravado and a killer sense of humor which I like in books. She was the kind of girl you want to be best friends with and learn more about. And then there is Holder. Holder was kind of awesome. He had so many levels and so much depth to him that you couldn’t help but fall in love. He’s one of those people that deeply feels the things that matter to him and isn’t above showing that passion whether it is in anger, love, or sadness. But there is also a mystery to Holder that you are constantly trying to figure out. Together these two characters had an amazing chemistry that just made you want to read more, and as a reader that is all you can ask for.
All in all Hopeless was a good book that hit on some hard issues but didn’t do it in a preachy kind of way. Sure, some of it was slightly ridiculous and unimaginable that it will play out that way, but not ridiculous enough that you have to stop reading. It was a much better reading experience this time around with this author so I’m glad I was suggested her again and gave her another chance.
Oh yay! I’m glad you enjoyed it. I was so worried you wouldn’t like it since I hadn’t read it and couldn’t make a sure recommendation of it. I don’t think I actually realized or paid attention to what it’s about, but it actually sounds like something I’d like to read!