Colleen Hoover Books in Order: Complete 2026 Reading Guide
With more than twenty novels and novellas across connected series, standalone stories, romance, contemporary fiction, and psychological thrillers, figuring out the best order to read Colleen Hoover can look more complicated than it actually is.
The good news is that most Colleen Hoover books do not need to be read in one giant chronological order.
Several belong to clearly defined series, while many others are completely standalone. Her official website currently groups the books into the Slammed, Hopeless, Maybe Someday, and It Ends with Us series, alongside standalone titles.
So whether you want to read everything or simply find the best book to start with, this guide will make the order much easier.
Quick Answer: What Order Should You Read Colleen Hoover Books?
If you only want the easiest answer, you do not need to read every Colleen Hoover book in publication order.
Read each connected series in its own sequence:
Slammed series
- Slammed
- Point of Retreat
- This Girl
Hopeless series
- Hopeless
- Losing Hope
- Finding Cinderella
- All Your Perfects
- Finding Perfect
Maybe Someday series
- Maybe Someday
- Maybe Not
- Maybe Now
It Ends with Us series
- It Ends with Us
- It Starts with Us
Her official site confirms these groupings and currently recommends beginning a complete Hoover reading journey with the Slammed series, followed by Hopeless and Maybe Someday, before moving through standalones and later books.
Everything else can generally be approached according to what kind of story you want next.
Colleen Hoover Series in Order
Let us start with the books where reading order actually matters.
Slammed Series in Order
The Slammed series contains three books.
1. Slammed
Slammed was Hoover’s debut novel and begins the story of Layken and Will.
The official site identifies it as Book 1 of 3 in the series.
It combines first love, family challenges, poetry, and major life changes.
If you want to begin Colleen Hoover from near the beginning of her career, this is the natural starting point.
2. Point of Retreat
Point of Retreat continues the characters and relationships introduced in Slammed.
This is not where I would recommend beginning.
Read Slammed first.
3. This Girl
This Girl completes the trilogy and revisits important events from another perspective while continuing the larger story.
Best reading order:
Slammed → Point of Retreat → This Girl
Do not shuffle these.
Hopeless Series in Order
The Hopeless universe is slightly more complicated because some books shift perspective and one later title connects characters from another storyline.
The official site currently lists five books in the series.
1. Hopeless
This is where the story begins.
Hopeless follows Sky and Holder and establishes the events that later books build upon.
The official Colleen Hoover site identifies it as Book 1 of 5.
2. Losing Hope
Read this after Hopeless.
It revisits part of the story from Holder’s perspective and provides additional context.
3. Finding Cinderella
This novella expands the universe through Daniel and Six.
It is shorter than the main novels but becomes relevant again later.
4. All Your Perfects
This one can feel like a standalone when you first encounter it.
However, Hoover’s official site currently classifies All Your Perfects as Book 4 of 5 in the Hopeless series because its characters eventually connect with the wider storyline.
5. Finding Perfect
Finding Perfect brings multiple threads together.
The official description specifically recommends reading:
- Hopeless
- Losing Hope
- Finding Cinderella
- All Your Perfects
before Finding Perfect.
Best reading order:
Hopeless → Losing Hope → Finding Cinderella → All Your Perfects → Finding Perfect
This is one series where I would definitely follow the recommended sequence.
Maybe Someday Series in Order
The Maybe Someday series contains three books.
1. Maybe Someday
Start here.
The official site identifies Maybe Someday as Book 1 of 3.
It introduces Sydney, Ridge, and the central group of characters.
2. Maybe Not
Maybe Not is a companion novella focused on Warren and Bridgette.
Technically, Hoover’s site notes that it can be read separately, but it works naturally after Maybe Someday.
3. Maybe Now
Maybe Now continues the larger story after Maybe Someday.
Hoover’s official page gives the clearest recommendation:
Maybe Someday → Maybe Not → Maybe Now
That is the order I would follow.
It Ends with Us Books in Order
This series is very straightforward.
1. It Ends with Us
Read this first.
The official site identifies it as Book 1 of 2.
2. It Starts with Us
This is the continuation.
Even though the title sounds like it might come first, it does not.
The correct order is:
It Ends with Us → It Starts with Us
Reading them backwards would spoil important developments.
What About Never Never?
Never Never was written with Tarryn Fisher.
It originally appeared as a multi-part story, but the complete series is now available in a single volume. Hoover’s official page describes the current edition as the complete Never Never series in one volume.
So for a new reader in 2026, this is simple:
Read the complete Never Never edition as one book.
You do not need to hunt down separate installments.
Colleen Hoover Standalone Books
This is where the reading order becomes much easier.
Her current official catalogue lists the following among the standalone titles:
Standalone contemporary and romance titles
- Confess
- Ugly Love
- November 9
- Without Merit
- Regretting You
- Heart Bones
- Layla
- Reminders of Him
Darker standalone stories
- Verity
- Too Late
- Woman Down
You can generally choose among these based on your mood rather than publication order.
Where Does Verity Fit?
Verity is a standalone novel.
You do not need to read another Colleen Hoover book before it.
Her official catalogue currently places Verity among her darker standalone titles rather than within any connected series.
That makes it one of the easiest entry points for readers who are more interested in psychological suspense than contemporary romance.
If you are considering it, we already have a full spoiler-light guide:
Verity Review: Is Colleen Hoover’s Thriller Worth Reading?
Which Colleen Hoover Book Should You Read First?
There is no single answer for everyone.
I would choose based on the type of reading experience you want.
If You Want to Start With Her Earlier Work
Read: Slammed
It introduces you to Hoover’s early style and begins one of her main series.
If You Want One of Her Most Recognizable Books
Read: It Ends with Us
It is one of the titles most closely associated with Hoover’s mainstream popularity and also begins a simple two-book series.
If You Want Psychological Suspense
Read: Verity
It stands alone and feels substantially different from much of her contemporary fiction.
If You Want an Emotional Standalone
Read: Reminders of Him
No series knowledge is required.
If You Want a Connected Universe
Read: Hopeless
The Hopeless sequence eventually expands across five connected books, making it one of the more interesting choices if you like following recurring characters.
Do You Have to Read Colleen Hoover Books in Order?
No.
This is probably the most important thing to understand.
You only need to worry about order when reading one of the connected series.
Those are:
- Slammed
- Hopeless
- Maybe Someday
- It Ends with Us
Her remaining books can largely be selected independently. The official catalogue itself separates the series from standalone books.
So you absolutely can read:
Verity
then:
Reminders of Him
then:
Ugly Love
without missing anything.
You do not need to start from Hoover’s first book and work forward unless you personally enjoy reading an author’s entire catalogue that way.
Colleen Hoover Books by Reading Mood
Another useful way to choose is by mood.
Want Something Suspenseful?
Try:
- Verity
- Too Late
- Woman Down
Want a Series?
Start with:
- Slammed
- Hopeless
- Maybe Someday
- It Ends with Us
Want a Standalone?
Try:
- Reminders of Him
- Ugly Love
- November 9
- Confess
- Regretting You
- Heart Bones
Want Something Different From Her Better-Known Romance Titles?
Try:
- Verity
- Layla
- Woman Down
What Is Colleen Hoover’s Newest Book?
As of September 2026, the newest book listed in Hoover’s current complete collection is:
Woman Down
The official site currently places Woman Down at the end of its suggested full reading journey and includes it in the 25-book complete Colleen Hoover collection.
The novel follows writer Petra Rose, who retreats to a lakeside cabin while trying to rebuild her career and rediscover her ability to write.
It is a standalone, so you do not need to read any earlier Hoover novel before it.
How Many Colleen Hoover Books Are There?
Hoover’s official site currently describes her as the author of 25 novels and novellas, and its complete signed collection contains 25 books.
That collection currently includes:
- Slammed
- Point of Retreat
- This Girl
- Hopeless
- Losing Hope
- Finding Cinderella
- Maybe Someday
- Maybe Not
- Maybe Now
- Confess
- Ugly Love
- November 9
- It Ends with Us
- It Starts with Us
- Without Merit
- All Your Perfects
- Finding Perfect
- Regretting You
- Verity
- Heart Bones
- Layla
- Never Never
- Reminders of Him
- Too Late
- Woman Down
This count treats the current complete Never Never edition as one book.
Best Colleen Hoover Reading Order for a New Reader
If someone told me:
I eventually want to read almost everything. Just give me one sensible order.
I would use:
Start with the series
- Slammed
- Point of Retreat
- This Girl
Then: - Hopeless
- Losing Hope
- Finding Cinderella
- All Your Perfects
- Finding Perfect
Then: - Maybe Someday
- Maybe Not
- Maybe Now
Then move into standalones: - Confess
- Ugly Love
- November 9
- Without Merit
- Regretting You
- Heart Bones
- Reminders of Him
- Layla
Then: - It Ends with Us
- It Starts with Us
And finally explore the more suspense-driven books: - Never Never
- Verity
- Too Late
- Woman Down
This is not a mandatory chronology. It is a practical House of Readers route that keeps connected stories together and makes the overall catalogue easier to navigate.
Hoover’s own website similarly recommends beginning with Slammed, then moving through Hopeless and Maybe Someday before continuing into standalones and later books.
Final Recommendation
If you are completely new to Colleen Hoover, do not let a 25-book catalogue make the decision harder than it needs to be.
You do not need to read everything.
Start with the type of book you already enjoy.
Choose:
Slammed if you want to begin with a series.
It Ends with Us if you want one of her best-known titles.
Verity if you prefer psychological suspense.
Reminders of Him if you want a standalone emotional story.
Hopeless if you want a larger connected universe.
Then continue only if you enjoy the experience.
There is no prize for reading an author’s books in perfect publication order.
The best order is the one that keeps you interested enough to open the next book.
Frequently Asked Questions
Read:
- Slammed
- Point of Retreat
- This Girl
The official site lists Slammed as Book 1 of the three-book series.
Read:
- Hopeless
- Losing Hope
- Finding Cinderella
- All Your Perfects
- Finding Perfect
Hoover’s official catalogue lists all five in the Hopeless series, and Finding Perfect specifically recommends reading the preceding connected books first.
The recommended order is:
- Maybe Someday
- Maybe Not
- Maybe Now
This is also the order recommended on the official Maybe Now page.
Read It Ends with Us first, followed by It Starts with Us. The official site identifies It Ends with Us as Book 1 of 2.
No. Verity is currently categorized as a standalone book on Colleen Hoover’s official site.
As of September 2026, Woman Down is the newest title in Hoover’s current complete 25-book collection.
