Losing Hope: A Novel (Hopeless)

"Thirteen years. I've been looking for her for thirteen years and I very well may have just found her. Alive." When I was a little girl, every single year on my birthday, my parents would take me to my favourite toy store which happened to be in a city a few hours away from ours. Those day trips were some of the happiest moments in my life because I could always take that joy for granted. I never knew what toy I would pick, the anticipation was half the fun, but I always knew I would be returning home with a huge grin on my face. Well, fast forward "a few" years and I have found the equivalent of those childhood toy store expeditions. It is called a Colleen Hoover book. Hopeless was hands down one of the best books I have ever read. It touched me so profoundly and so irrevocably that I walked away a different reader. The story of Sky and Holder is not something that you ever forget - its uniqueness lies in the deep emotions that it makes us feel and in its inimitable writing style. It is truly the perfect book. Losing Hope is its sequel, written entirely from Holder's point of view, but following the same storyline. It is not a book, however, that could or should be read without reading Hopeless first as several scenes are better understood with prior knowledge of Sky's story, allowing this book to simply fill the gaps in the timeline and for Holder to finally tell his side of this timeless tale of love, courage and human endurance. Revisiting such an emotional story from a different point of view was no small task, especially since we were left believing that no stone was left unturned in the storyline, but it truly deserved to be told again. From the first moment we hear Holder's voice, we become aware that to truly understand the complexity of Sky's reactions, we needed to witness Holder's too. All the final puzzle pieces are set in place, making this story even more flawless. Holder has had more loss in his life than any young man should ever have to overcome. Losing his childhood friend left him burdened with guilt and regret, but losing his twin sister shattered his heart. "What are the chances that the only two girls in my life I've ever loved ... I've lost?" The moment he first sees Sky is the embodiment of thirteen years of hope. When Holder meets her, he wishes with all his heart for her to be his long lost friend, but the more he gets to know her, the more he needs her not to be that little girl. We watch them fall in love, slowly, gently, cautiously, knowing the truth this time around and aware that it is a ticking bomb waiting to explode. "I don't know what will be more painful. Staying away from her so she doesn't find out, or telling her the truth and ruining her life all over again." While we suspected Holder's feelings to be strong, we now find out how overwhelmingly intense they were from the moment he laid eyes on Sky. They love story is epic - it is the story of two young people who have cared for each other for over a decade and who are now drawn to each other all over again, like two magnets unable to fight the pull, the growing love between them healing their hearts and giving them the courage to face the impending truth. They are kindred spirits who might be falling in love with one another for the first time, but their hearts have known each other and have been connected for a very long time. "I've loved Hope since we were kids. But tonight? Tonight I fell in love with Sky." Nothing in this book is accidental or without purpose. Ms Hoover uses her words with intent and with impeccable skill. Even the simplest of sentences make us feel so much, fortuitously manoeuvring our emotions from one direction to another. What left me speechless once again is the author's ability to use humour to lighten even the heaviest of subjects. Holder's letters to his dead sister are an unexpected highlight of this story, equally heartbreaking as they are comical at times, often making me genuinely laugh through tears of sadness. "Why would you leave your jeans on the floor if you knew what you were about to do? Wouldn't you at least throw them in the hamper? ... Well, I'm not picking them up." I must stress again the importance of reading Hopeless first as this book is in effect a companion novel. Several very important scenes are rushed over this time around as they were told in detail previously and nothing needed to be added. This being Holder's story, the focus is not only on his relationship with Sky but also on overcoming his feelings of grief and guilt stemming from the untimely loss of his sister. I have said so much about this book and I still consider myself speechless over it. I believed Hopeless to be a complete story but I am now convinced that neither book should be read without the other one. I am doing a standing ovation to Ms Hoover, once again, and I get a feeling I should be used to it by now. A truly spectacular read. "I don't want her to feel nothing when I kiss her. I want her to feel everything."

Losing Hope is an emotionally intense and beautifully written companion to Hopeless that dives deep into Dean Holder’s perspective. Colleen Hoover does a fantastic job peeling back the layers of his grief, guilt, and healing, making this more than just a retelling — it’s a powerful expansion of the original story. Getting inside Holder’s mind adds so much depth to the events we already know, especially his internal struggles with losing his sister and reconnecting with Sky. The journal entries to his sister are heartbreaking and raw, giving the book a more introspective tone. While some parts felt familiar since it mirrors Hopeless, the added emotion and new scenes made it worth the read. It’s not quite as shocking or twist-filled as the first book, but it still packs an emotional punch and gives closure in a meaningful way. If you loved Hopeless, this is the perfect companion — honest, emotional, and full of heart.

I realize that retellings from an alternate POV are not for everyone. I, however, am one of those people who loves a good retelling that gives me not only a new perspective, but also new content. Cutting and pasting scenes and making minor changes is not a retelling for me. Give me something I didn't know, offer me new emotions, provide a new perspective, and make me fall for the characters all over again and I'm yours. Fortunately for me Colleen Hoover did just that! I purposely did not reread Hopeless before Losing Hope. I'm very glad I didn't. While I was tempted a couple of times to pull out my Hopeless copy and do a side-by-side comparison of a couple of scenes, I decided not to. But that wasn't because I thought it was just a copy-cat scene; it was because the scene actually felt different. But to me that was a good thing, because the scene should feel different because it was from Holder's POV, not Sky's. So I kept on reading and kept on loving this story. I also wanted to see if this would be a book you could read before Hopeless instead of afterwards. While technically you could do it, as there is enough information and story to make it have its own story, I still wouldn't suggest it. What I loved about reading Hopeless was the mystery element of trying to figure out Holder's deal and Sky's past. If you've never read Hopeless, you still get the mystery element of Sky's past, but not Holder's, and I feel like the impact would be so much greater if you read Hopeless first. So that is my opinion: read Hopeless first. What's new in Losing Hope that's not in Hopeless, you ask? Holder! Lots and lot of Holder! He is such a fantastic character, with such depth to his character, but also such humor, compassion, and love that it was a real pleasure reading from his POV. One thing I really enjoyed about Holder's POV was learning more about Lesslie, his relationship with her, and how he handled all that tragedy on his own. There was so much for me to learn, and what he expressed to Less were among my favorite, and emotional, bits of the book. I teared-up twice that I recall, and both involved Holder and Less. We also get more about Holder's friendships, his family, and then, of course, his feelings about Sky. Learning why he reacted to her the way he did, what was behind his actions and motivations, what his true feelings were toward her - all of that I loved and gobbled up. Having Sky's feelings in the back of my head from Hopeless, and then gaining Holder's perspective here, truly rounded out this relationship for me. Holder and Sky are truly a beautiful couple inside and out. Was there anything I didn't like? Honestly, not much. I did miss a couple of secondary characters at the end, and wanted to know more about them, but I realize that this wasn't their story, so I wasn't overly disappointed. Beyond that I have no complaints except, like a greedy child on Halloween who wants to continue to trick-or-treat despite my overflowing bag of candy, I just want more. Bottomline: I loved this retelling from Holder's POV and fell in love with these characters and their heart-breaking but heart-lifting story all over again. Thank you, Colleen Hoover, for giving us more Holder and making this story come alive even more than it already was.

It took me a few days to finish Losing Hope because life kept getting all up in my damn way. And then I had to take a few more days to reflect. It's one of those books that need reflection, because you just have to find one thing that isn't beautifully perfect. Which I couldn't do, by the way. This was definitely a Hoover book. Not only does it completely suck you in, but the words are absolute magic. Somehow, once again, Colleen takes these simple letters and rearranges, bends, and fits them into something that is nothing less than a piece of art. I'm sort of a self-proclaimed Will lover, or just Slammed in general. I know, you're probably wondering what the hell Will has to do with this. Well, when I read Hopeless I definitely liked it. It was well written, I liked the story, and I could see a few rereads in the future. Losing Hope? Holy crap. Sorry Will, you've been moved. Holder has pushed Will out, sat his ass down, and taken camp in that spot. As Holder cracks open his beer and gets comfortable, he's giving Will the "Better luck next time, buddy." look. I can't wait to finish these next few books I have to read just so I can get back to Holder for another read. Losing Hope begins with us meeting Holder pre-Sky. It's actually Les who we initially learn about, and Colleen does not waste any time in taking us down a notch. Oh no, this book does not begin on a high note at all. We knew it was going to happen, but damn, woman. Go big or go home, right? We watch the fallout, and why Holder becomes the person he is. How he was forced to handle the situation, and choices he made, which all lead up to meeting Sky. This isn't short, Colleen takes her time giving us the base to Holder. And those letters? I could not think of a better way to express what needed to be said to the reader. It was heartbreaking, the pain and different stages of coping were evident, and we got the information we needed. I adored Daniel, Holder's BFF. The way he supported Holder upon returning to school was the best. The students and teachers were unpleasant and Daniel made me laugh. A lot. So did Holder. "Every single shelf is stuffed with Les's jeans. They're all folded neatly on the shelves of the refrigerator and it pisses me off because this is where the food should be and I'm ducking hungry." Okay, so Holder finally meets Sky. I think seeing it all from his perspective actually made the story better. The way he so thoroughly loves her. Takes care of her. Even while dealing with his own steamy pile of crap, he makes hers better. There are important parts throughout Hopeless that I was dying to see from Holder's POV. Dramatic moments that I can't really put out there without spoiling, but seeing them through Holder? Ohmigod, emotions. Normally, I'd say that is a bad thing, but I couldn't stop reading. Even the parts that weren't so vital or climatic were better through Holder. "Right now. She said right now. That's nice because I conveniently don't have any prior engagements right now. I can do right now." I loved seeing Sky through Holder's eyes. The way he adored and accepted her. Accepted her crazy lifestyle, and no-pregnancy requests by Sky's mom. I think Sky was even funnier from Holder's side, "Laugh out loud. She actually typed laugh out loud. I really do lol, then I put my phone in my pocket and head to my car." The ending to Losing Hope far exceeds Hopeless, but for a reason. This is Holder's ending, not Sky's. We needed more for Holder to be settled because his story was more deeply tangled. It was brought together beautifully, and ended in the most perfect way. I wanted to go more in-depth with the story, but I can't without spoiling either Hopeless or Losing Hope. So you'll have to trust me when I say this book is the best yet from Colleen-ducking-Hoover. Oh, and Colleen? Nice product placement. Laugh out loud.

This book would have been so much better if it had been included in Hopeless with a dual POV. The last few chapters were good but the rest was a repeat of the other book.

Any of you that have read my previous reviews or Facebook posts know that I have two VERY FAVORITE authors. One of those authors is Colleen Hoover (the other is Abbi Glines, of course), so I knew before I even started this book that I would LOVE it! I absolutely loved it. I am ready to turn around and read it again and again and again. Did I mention I would read it again??? Losing Hope is written in Holder's POV, but it is the same story as Hopeless. So, if you haven't read Hopeless, you shouldn't read this review. BUT, you can read my review of Hopeless here. OK...let's get to it. We already know that Holder's sister committed suicide, but we are able to learn so much more in this book than the first. The way Holder cares for and protects his sister makes him that much more attractive. He is really a great guy who seems to suffer loss after loss. Something I really enjoyed about Holder's character in this book that we did not get in Losing Hope is his letter writing to Les. I loved how we got a lot of his thoughts and feelings through those letters. It was his own form of journaling, and it was a brilliant idea on Colleen's part. My heart broke for Holder several time while reading his letters. I enjoyed reading more about Daniel this go round. He is an awesome friend to Holder. He truly sticks by him and up for him no matter what is going on. He also makes me laugh with all of his nicknames for everyone because he "hates everyone." I loved Breckin in Hopeless but came to love him even more in Losing Hope. Another dimension is added because there are a few scenes between Holder and Breckin that are not included in Hopeless. They are really great scenes. Breckin is a powerful character because he stands up for what he believes even though he may end up getting his butt kicked, but in the end it just makes people respect him more. It was great how Breckin and Holder formed their own friendship outside of Sky. This book was so well written in that it made me really understand the dilemma Holder was dealing with in whether or not to tell Sky who she really was. In Hopeless, we know Holder does not mean anything malicious by his actions, but in Losing Hope we truly understand his internal battle. He is so distraught over what he should or should not do or say. I felt stressed out for him. It was so obvious that he was madly in love with her and did not want her to hurt. It made sense why he was trying to wait to tell her the truth. Getting all of this information from Holder's POV made an AHHH-MAZING story even more amazing! I also loved Holder explaining why he was not going to rush his kisses, any of their firsts, or telling her he loved her. He already knew he loved her and pretty much wanted to cherish each and every moment together. One of my favorite scenes remains to be the "I live you" scene. "Live. If you mix the letters up in the words like and love, you get live. You can use that word." Not only does she get me and not only is she smiling at me; but she just somehow gave me the one word I've been searching for since the moment I laid eyes on her in the grocery store. I don't deserve her. I don't deserve her understanding and I sure as hell don't deserve the way she just made my heart feel. I laugh and take her in my arms, bringing my mouth to hers. "I live you Sky," I say against her lips. "I live you so much." And as perfect as that word sounds, as perfectly as it describes the point we're at, I know it's a lie. I don't just live her. I love her. I've loved her since we were kids. There is also a whole new feel when Holder makes the realization of what Hope's father did to her as a child and when he realized those same things also happened to Les. His emotions were so powerful and protective. I feel like I could talk about this book forever. Please believe me when I tell you this book should be read by all romance readers. It is unbelievable. Then again, it is written by the one and only Colleen Hoover, so we all knew it would be incredible, right?? This is without a doubt a 5-STAR read.

I am giving Losing Hope 4 beautiful stars. I won't give it five simply bc it did not affect me in the same way that Hopeless did. I can't give it the same rating as Hopeless, which I gave 5 stars and would give 10 if I could. It is however really really good for basically the same story in a different POV. I enjoyed the first half of the book the most. This is mostly because this is the time period where Holder and Sky are not ALWAYS together; so it's not mostly the same dialogue as Hopeless, with different thoughts. By the time I hit 10% of the book, I realized that I'd had tears streaming for a while. Going through Holder losing Les was rough. I loved that we got to experience their relationship a little and understand his love and his pain. I also enjoyed getting to know Daniel, Holder's best friend. He is really funny and loyal. He is a really good best friend and it was touching to see that he had someone so amazing to help him through the loss of his sister. Daniel is always wanting to fight for Holder and calls him these crazy nicknames. Really, he has nicknames for everyone and they are hilarious. It was neat being in Holder's head when he first thinks he sees Hope at the grocery store: "I care more for this girl than any other girl in the world, who isn't Les. I loved Hope like a sister when we were kids and seeing her again has brought back all those same feelings. It's causing my hands to shake and my heart to pound and my chest to ache because all I want to do is wrap my arms around her and hold her and thank God we finally found each other." Oh Holder how I love thee, let me count the ways.... We all already realize that Holder is the most amazing guy ever from his actions and what he says in Hopeless right? Well, now you get to go behind the scenes and see what is in his head....just a few swoon worthy Holder thoughts: "I'm scared if I kiss her too soon, it'll feel like every other kiss she's ever received. She'll feel nothing. I don't want her to feel nothing when I kiss her. I want her to feel everything." "I'm pretty sure it's too soon to love her, but shit. She's got to stop doing and saying these unexpected things that make me want to fast-forward whatever's going on between us. Because I want to kiss her and make love to her and marry her and make her have my babies and I want it all to happen tonight." "Time has completely stopped, and all I'm thinking about while we kiss is how this is what saves people. Moments like these with people like her are what make all the suffering worth it. It's moments like these that keep people looking forward and I can't believe I've let them slip by for an entire month" A few shocking secrets come out at the end that were not a part of Hopeless and it goes a little further than the ending of Hopeless in regards to what happens with Sky and Holder next. It really is a great companion novel. Who doesn't want more Holder? I loved him before and love him even more now! Well done Colleen Hoover!

I don't know how it's possible that this novel was even better than the Hopeless, especially when Hopeless was simply amazing. But this just blew me away. This was such an amazing, beautiful, heartbreaking book. I thought I loved Dean Holder before, but I love him even more after reading this. This is the type of book that you feel in every single part of you. Ms. Hoover's writing seeps deep down into your soul, and weaves its way around your heart, never letting go. You will laugh and cry, and you will realize the beauty of finding love. It's makes every person want to find that one person that everything is perfect with; that one person who you don't have to hide anything from, and it's something every single person deserves. Ms. Hoover's writing is simply gorgeous, flowing off the page in an effortless way that can only be accomplished by a few authors. And have no fear, this is not just a re-telling of Hopeless, with the same scenes and dialogue. Nope! There's is so much that is new. After reading this, you have a much more complete view of the story, and everything that made Dean, Holder in the first book, you understand at a much deeper level. The letters that he writes to Les were so beautiful and made me tear up throughout the novel. However, the last letter from Les made me lose it. I was bawling like a baby. I felt all the same emotions I felt in Hopeless, but because of knowing everything that happens in that story, those emotions are magnified ten-fold. So just be prepared! This is Holder's story. Obviously, Sky is in it too since she's an integral part, but we get so much more with Holder's story. We get EVERYTHING. If you thought like I did going in, that you knew Holder, you're in for a shock. Because there is so much more to Holder than you know before reading this novel, and I loved learning every single thing about him. We learn everything that happened with Les, why he calls himself Holder instead of Dean, why he moved back from Austin, the different things he went through during Hopeless, and much much more. Colleen Hoover has a talent that is rarely seen. She has the power to completely draw you into a story, and make you feel every single emotion. She casts a spell on the reader, and you are instantly bewitched. Ms. Hoover is vivid in her descriptions, and gives life to the words she writes. This book has so many beautifully written sentences and words that you will go back and re-read sentences just to experience the words all over again (even if you did just read them). Read this now. You won't be disappointed! I for one can't wait to re-read this book as soon as possible just to meet Dean Holder, and find hope all over again. Happy reading :) 5++++++ stars

Another piece added from my CoHo haul! I'm excited to spend the night devouring this beauty. BTW, my book came in good condition. Not even a single damage😊

Bokrecension: Losing Hope av Colleen Hoover Handling: Dean Holder har kämpat med skuldkänslor sedan hans bästa vän försvann för tretton år sedan. När han träffar Sky, som påminner om hans förlorade vän, blir han dragen till henne samtidigt som han kämpar med skuldkänslorna. För att gå vidare måste han konfrontera sitt förflutna och hitta frid med Skys hjälp. Recension: Denna bok utgör den andra delen av Hopeless-serien, författad av Colleen Hoover. Denna gång följer vi Dean Holders resa genom barndomen och ungdomen. Jag uppskattar serier som knyter an väl till föregående böcker. På så sätt blir det lättare att komma ihåg handlingen och fördjupa sig ytterligare. Hoovers skrivsätt är både ros och ris. Rosen ligger i att hennes berättande är lätt att följa, vilket lockar läsaren att fortsätta och upptäcka hur historien utvecklas. Hon använder även vackra beskrivningar av miljöerna, med rikliga inslag av bildspråk som gör det lätt att visualisera scenarierna. Risaspekten är att Hoover tenderar att upprepa sig. Även om repetition kan vara effektivt, kan det också göra att berättelsen känns stillastående och svår att följa. Dessutom återkommer ofta liknande teman i hennes berättelser, med karaktärer som har upplevt våld och hot. Trots dessa repetitioner och liknande teman uppskattar jag ändå denna serie och kommer att fortsätta läsa de återstående tre böckerna. Även om berättelserna kan vara repetitiva är de ändå gripande och viktiga att lyfta fram. Jag ger ändå boken 3,5 stjärnor av 5 eftersom jag tycker att den är bra och gripande. Den berör viktiga ämnen och det är vackert att se hur Holder får ett avslut som tillåter honom att gå vidare i livet och lämna sin våldsamma och utsatta barndom bakom sig. Det är en fin bok som jag rekommenderar att ni läser. Boken får: 3,5/5 Sidor: 336 Genre: romance, new adult, contemporary Författare: Colleen Hoover Förlag: Simon and Shuster GoodReads: ArbereshaSabani Instagram: @wandersinbookland #losinghope #colleenhoover #simonandshuster #bookstagram #bookblogger #bookblog #bookphotography #bookreview #bookstagrammer

I honestly didn't think I would like a second half to the really awesome "Hopeless" because the bar was set so high but I was wrong. Not only is it just as good as the first half, the perspective from another narrarator adds another layer of greatness the the origininal story but Hoover is even generous enough to add a whole new storyline and new dimensions that tie the first half together even better. As you can see, my writing skills are not as good as Hoover's and I ran out of superlatives. I thought "It ends with us" would be her best piece, then I read "Hopeless" which tied for first and now "Losing hope" triple-ties the gold.

In this novel, the Dean Holder perspective is seen. The novel becomes interesting from the starting. It is about finding forgiveness in the aftermath of Trauma.

OMG her books are incredible, it is impossible don't 😢 cry. I want so much read all her books, I already read two and I'm going to the third