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Customer Review
Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2015
“If I were capable of loving someone… it would be you.”
Colleen Hoover is a genius, plain and simple. I’ve read Slammed/Point of Retreat/This Girl and Maybe Someday/Maybe Not and I’ve loved them all, but after reading Ugly Love I can easily say that this was my favorite CoHo book that I’ve read so far! This woman has such a way with words, her writing is just a joy to read, even when she’s tearing your heart out. I don’t know how she does it, she doesn’t use big fancy words or complicated prose, these are just ordinary everyday words but the way she puts them all together is simply magical. It’s hard for me to describe, but if you’ve read any CoHo books I think you know what I’m talking about. All of her stories are so unique and amazing but one thing they all have in common is Colleen Hoover’s gift with words. I know exactly what I’ll be getting when I pick up one of her books in terms of writing and quality, but I am always surprised with the direction her stories take. It’s always an incredible adventure and I love going along for the ride.
I loved how this book was narrated, it’s told from dual POVs, alternating every other chapter between Tate and Miles. The thing that made this book unique is that Tate’s chapters were set in the present day and (with the exception of the last few chapters) all of Miles’ chapters were set 6 years earlier. So we essentially get two separate love stories that are both wonderful and beautiful that come back together in such a great way. I loved getting Miles’ backstory in the form of these flashback chapters, first off they were so amazingly written, they just flowed like poetry and I found myself lost in these simple words:
‘My new favorite flavor is Rachel. My new favorite thing is Rachel. I want Rachel for my birthday. I want Rachel for Christmas. I want Rachel for graduation. Rachel, Rachel, Rachel. I’m gonna fall in love with you anyway, Rachel.’
Secondly, in Tate’s chapters Miles really is an enigma and without his current day POV you really don’t have much clue what’s going on behind that wall he’s put up:
‘Still no smile, though. Jesus Christ, this man. Does he now realize that facial expressions are supposed to accompany speech?’
But reading his flashback chapters really helped understand what Miles’ potential to love was. Before you find out what happened to him in the past that caused him to be so closed off you get to see what a huge heart he has and his great capacity for love. This book was just as much Miles and Rachel’s love story as it was Miles and Tate’s story, you’d think that as a reader you’d have ill feelings towards the “other woman” because you know you should be rooting for Tate but there’s none of that. I felt Miles and Rachel’s story just as fully as I did him and Tate.
Colleen Hoover’s characters are always so well written, they are well developed, incredibly detailed and 100% relatable. I totally loved Tate, she was a riot and she said and did things that I could see myself doing in those situations and I connected with her right away. I loved her inner musings as she tried to figure Miles out or tried to soak up any little scrap of hope he threw her way:
‘“You look pretty, Tate.” I want to plaster those four words on a billboard and require myself to pass it on my drive to work every day. I would never take another day off work again.’
There were some times when Miles would do something where Tate totally should have walked away, but I think she reacted how many women would react and I know that she didn’t give up completely on Miles because she knew what was happening between them was real even though he would never admit it. Miles intrigued me from the start and from their first meeting where she witnessed his very private breakdown I knew that I was in for a doozy when his past was revealed. I knew he must have endured some horrible event(s) that caused him to swear off any form of love, and wow was he dedicated to his rules:
“Don’t ask about my past,” he says firmly. “And never expect a future.”
I’ve never seen a character hold so steadfastly to rules like he did. We got to see moments, tiny glimpses of actions or a slipped word that gave us some hope but just as quickly as we grasped that hope he snatched it right back. I was so sad for him and falling so in love with him at the same time (much like Tate, only with the added bonus of seeing what a wonderful guy he was six years earlier when he was still full of life and love) and I just wanted to hug him. My heart completely broke for him as his full past is finally revealed, and I will say that what actually happened was not at all what I was expecting. But I love how once we hit that point the story shifts to all present day and it’s seamless and I love how it put my heart back together again and wrapped up in a totally believable and satisfying way.
In addition to Tate and Miles I loved all of the secondary characters. I’ve already mentioned Rachel and I did really love her. I also loved Corbin and his friendship with Miles and his protectiveness of his sister. I also liked seeing Ian and Miles’ relationship both in the past and in the present day. My favorite secondary character however was Cap, I LOVED Cap! I love how Colleen Hoover can throw in a quirky random character like this and make you totally fall in love with them and have them end up being so important to the overall story.
I read this book over the course of a few hours spread out the day, I simply could not put it down. I struggled though because I wanted to read as fast as I possibly could to find out what happens next but at the same time I wanted to slow down to savor every single word on the page! In the end speed won out but I think I highlighted half the book with passages I wanted to always remember! I’m going to have to re-read this book someday because I don’t think one time is enough for something written as well as this was. I’m sad I don’t have more time with Miles and Tate but I am so glad that I was able to spend one wonderful afternoon/evening in their world with them and I know I will never forget this amazing, beautiful, ugly love story! 5+++ stars!
‘But the second she opened her eyes and looked at me, I knew. She was either going to be the death of me… or she was going to be the one who finally brought me back to life.’
Colleen Hoover is a genius, plain and simple. I’ve read Slammed/Point of Retreat/This Girl and Maybe Someday/Maybe Not and I’ve loved them all, but after reading Ugly Love I can easily say that this was my favorite CoHo book that I’ve read so far! This woman has such a way with words, her writing is just a joy to read, even when she’s tearing your heart out. I don’t know how she does it, she doesn’t use big fancy words or complicated prose, these are just ordinary everyday words but the way she puts them all together is simply magical. It’s hard for me to describe, but if you’ve read any CoHo books I think you know what I’m talking about. All of her stories are so unique and amazing but one thing they all have in common is Colleen Hoover’s gift with words. I know exactly what I’ll be getting when I pick up one of her books in terms of writing and quality, but I am always surprised with the direction her stories take. It’s always an incredible adventure and I love going along for the ride.
I loved how this book was narrated, it’s told from dual POVs, alternating every other chapter between Tate and Miles. The thing that made this book unique is that Tate’s chapters were set in the present day and (with the exception of the last few chapters) all of Miles’ chapters were set 6 years earlier. So we essentially get two separate love stories that are both wonderful and beautiful that come back together in such a great way. I loved getting Miles’ backstory in the form of these flashback chapters, first off they were so amazingly written, they just flowed like poetry and I found myself lost in these simple words:
‘My new favorite flavor is Rachel. My new favorite thing is Rachel. I want Rachel for my birthday. I want Rachel for Christmas. I want Rachel for graduation. Rachel, Rachel, Rachel. I’m gonna fall in love with you anyway, Rachel.’
Secondly, in Tate’s chapters Miles really is an enigma and without his current day POV you really don’t have much clue what’s going on behind that wall he’s put up:
‘Still no smile, though. Jesus Christ, this man. Does he now realize that facial expressions are supposed to accompany speech?’
But reading his flashback chapters really helped understand what Miles’ potential to love was. Before you find out what happened to him in the past that caused him to be so closed off you get to see what a huge heart he has and his great capacity for love. This book was just as much Miles and Rachel’s love story as it was Miles and Tate’s story, you’d think that as a reader you’d have ill feelings towards the “other woman” because you know you should be rooting for Tate but there’s none of that. I felt Miles and Rachel’s story just as fully as I did him and Tate.
Colleen Hoover’s characters are always so well written, they are well developed, incredibly detailed and 100% relatable. I totally loved Tate, she was a riot and she said and did things that I could see myself doing in those situations and I connected with her right away. I loved her inner musings as she tried to figure Miles out or tried to soak up any little scrap of hope he threw her way:
‘“You look pretty, Tate.” I want to plaster those four words on a billboard and require myself to pass it on my drive to work every day. I would never take another day off work again.’
There were some times when Miles would do something where Tate totally should have walked away, but I think she reacted how many women would react and I know that she didn’t give up completely on Miles because she knew what was happening between them was real even though he would never admit it. Miles intrigued me from the start and from their first meeting where she witnessed his very private breakdown I knew that I was in for a doozy when his past was revealed. I knew he must have endured some horrible event(s) that caused him to swear off any form of love, and wow was he dedicated to his rules:
“Don’t ask about my past,” he says firmly. “And never expect a future.”
I’ve never seen a character hold so steadfastly to rules like he did. We got to see moments, tiny glimpses of actions or a slipped word that gave us some hope but just as quickly as we grasped that hope he snatched it right back. I was so sad for him and falling so in love with him at the same time (much like Tate, only with the added bonus of seeing what a wonderful guy he was six years earlier when he was still full of life and love) and I just wanted to hug him. My heart completely broke for him as his full past is finally revealed, and I will say that what actually happened was not at all what I was expecting. But I love how once we hit that point the story shifts to all present day and it’s seamless and I love how it put my heart back together again and wrapped up in a totally believable and satisfying way.
In addition to Tate and Miles I loved all of the secondary characters. I’ve already mentioned Rachel and I did really love her. I also loved Corbin and his friendship with Miles and his protectiveness of his sister. I also liked seeing Ian and Miles’ relationship both in the past and in the present day. My favorite secondary character however was Cap, I LOVED Cap! I love how Colleen Hoover can throw in a quirky random character like this and make you totally fall in love with them and have them end up being so important to the overall story.
I read this book over the course of a few hours spread out the day, I simply could not put it down. I struggled though because I wanted to read as fast as I possibly could to find out what happens next but at the same time I wanted to slow down to savor every single word on the page! In the end speed won out but I think I highlighted half the book with passages I wanted to always remember! I’m going to have to re-read this book someday because I don’t think one time is enough for something written as well as this was. I’m sad I don’t have more time with Miles and Tate but I am so glad that I was able to spend one wonderful afternoon/evening in their world with them and I know I will never forget this amazing, beautiful, ugly love story! 5+++ stars!
‘But the second she opened her eyes and looked at me, I knew. She was either going to be the death of me… or she was going to be the one who finally brought me back to life.’
