I rated the contemporary standalone, Reminders of Him, by Colleen Hoover a 4.8/5 stars. Sometimes I wish the artwork on her covers weren’t as vague. The only way I can describe this author’s style or give it a comp is “Nicholas Sparks but waaaay better.”
Here’s the blurb:
After serving five years in prison for a tragic mistake, Kenna Rowan returns to the town where it all went wrong, hoping to reunite with her four-year-old daughter. But the bridges Kenna burned are proving impossible to rebuild. Everyone in her daughter’s life is determined to shut Kenna out, no matter how hard she works to prove herself.
The only person who hasn’t closed the door on her completely is Ledger Ward, a local bar owner and one of the few remaining links to Kenna’s daughter. But if anyone were to discover how Ledger is slowly becoming an important part of Kenna’s life, both would risk losing the trust of everyone important to them.
The two form a connection despite the pressure surrounding them, but as their romance grows, so does the risk. Kenna must find a way to absolve the mistakes of her past in order to build a future out of hope and healing.
Here’s some thoughts while reading:
Oooh I’m excited for dual POV. In chapter one we learn right off the bat that Kenna pleaded guilty for Scotty’s motor vehicle accident and she spent some time in prison and is trying to get back on her feet… with a surprise new kitten in a new apartment. Then right away we hear from Ledger who seems to own a bar and notices Kenna walk in alone. I can’t wait to hear more of their stories. Like COHO always does so well, I already feel like I know these two characters well somehow.
In chapter 8 I’m glad we are shown ‘this’ early/right off the bat so it’s not the driving force of the whole novel. No spoilers here.
Ah! At chapter 23, this book is completely addicting. It’s gonna break me. I already almost cried on page 70.
Ledger’s internal back and forth is so realistic and didn’t get repetitive or annoying.
Aaah! The videos destroyed me. So in chapter 21 I’m not sure how I feel about Ledger offering help in this way. It’s helping his agenda. Not hers.
At the halfway mark the news of the restraining order is killing me. Ugh!
Ah page 189 shows some clarification. Good.
“Happiness isn’t some permanent thing we’re all trying to achieve … it’s merely a thing that shows up every now and then, sometimes in tiny doses that are just substantial enough to keep us going.”
I like the part where she was trying to be grateful for sprinkles on her ice cream.
So I flew through the second half and didn’t take my reaction notes but wowzie did this feel “raw.” The emotions were just done so well and so real. The inner struggle the characters went through was relatable and done so beautifully because it seems so realistic. I loved the theme that there aren’t necessarily good people and bad people but most of us being in the middle who sometimes make mistakes and have evil. Forgiveness was a big hurdle for so many characters and healing to walk through with them too. That sounds like a book, Colleen!
At the end, I just realized we never learned about her friend, Ivy’s story, the one who the kitten was named after. Was she still in prison?
For funzies, I rated all the Colleen Hoover books I’ve read so far in order.
November 9 (5/5)
Heart Bones (4.9/5)
Reminders of You (4.8/5)
Verity (4.5/5)
Layla (4.5/5)
Ugly Love (4.0/5)
Regretting You (3.9/5)
It Ends With Us (3.9/5)
Those I still need to read:
It Starts With Us
Maybe Now
Maybe Someday
Maybe Not
All Your Perfects
Confess
Losing Hope
Slammed
Finding Perfect
Hopeless
Without Merit
Point of Retreat
Too Late
This Girl
One More Step
NeverNever
Finding Cinderella
Jeez, she has more than I realized.
Cassie Swindon 