Written by: Allison Grundy
There’s nothing better than stretching out after a long day with a new book in your hands. A year ago, in my search for new reads, I heard of Colleen Hoover’s most popular novel “It Ends With Us” time and time again, especially following its film adaptation release.
According to an article by The Slate, Hoover’s books became widely popular from reviews on social media, and by December 2022, the author held six of the top ten spots on the New York Times paperback fiction best seller list.
Over time, however, it seemed like just as many people were critiquing her stories as promoting them. On Aug. 9, 2024, “It Ends with Us” premiered in theaters and received a 57% rating on the popular review website Rotten Tomatoes.
I would describe myself as a well-rounded reader, picking up books from all genres. When I finally read her book, “It Ends with Us,” I wanted to be able to join the discussion and say that it was in poor taste like everyone was saying. But actually, I felt like a lot of the hate she was getting was misplaced, and I understood why her work is so popular.
Although Hoover’s writing does not exactly place her as the fourth Brontë sister, nor is she an Orwell-esque prophet, undoubtedly she’s changed the expectations for what contemporary readers want. When discussing books, it’s important to recognize that literature serves many purposes: to entertain, to educate and to evoke emotion.
Reading Hoover’s most popular book, I was entertained, as the writing style pulled me in. Even though her story may lack nuance, the simple writing style makes her work accessible and easy to digest. Many people intimidated by reading have picked up Hoover’s books and have gone on to read more stories.
Critics may argue that Hoover’s books are “just” romance. However, romance, in its many forms, can explore deeper truths about human nature, relationships and the complexities of life. Hoover’s narratives often illustrate that love is not just an end goal, but a journey filled with challenges that require strength and understanding.
All of Hoover’s stories feature a female protagonist that overcomes personal challenges such as domestic abuse, mental health issues or familial conflict. Hoover’s popularity is a testament to the fact that the masses are seeking stories that reflect their realities.
It could be argued that in a book with such sensitive topics like abuse, romantic themes seem out of place or offensive. But when I read “It Ends with Us,” any romanticization of the abuser seemed, in my understanding of domestic violence, realistic.
Although, the cliche and unrealistic circumstances in the story, such as the antagonist being a renowned brain surgeon at a shockingly young age, seem to be unfortunate symptoms of novels in this genre.
I would argue that the romanticization of the abuser serves a literary purpose. And spoiler alert, in the book, despite how hard it can be to end a relationship, the protagonist has the courage to leave her abusive husband, ending a generation cycle of violent relationships.
So, Hoover has a primarily female audience with her stories that explore women’s universal struggles, conveying a largely positive message, even if it’s somewhat idealized. Despite this, her books have received considerable criticism. Due to these factors, it begs the question: Are these stories in poor taste because women enjoy them?
Alternatively, it seems that these stories are popular because women are looking for comfort and expression through relatable writing.
Although I do not recommend Hoover’s stories and think they deserve some criticism, I do want to urge readers to seek out their own opinions, and to be especially alert to societal patterns when an author’s work and audience is overly criticized.
Editor’s Note: The Opinion Section encourages multiple perspectives, so please feel free to send a response or other opinions for future articles to allisongrundy@southern.edu.
