BOOK REVIEW | Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover

Title: Losing Hope
Author: Colleen Hoover
Series? Yes, companion novel to Hopeless
Pages: 221
Publication Date: July 8, 2013
Publisher: Atria Books
Source: I bought a copy of Losing Hope on BookOutlet

In the follow-up to Colleen Hoover’s #1 New York Times bestseller Hopeless, the charming and irresistible Dean Holder tells the passionate story that has melted thousands of hearts.

In Hopeless, Sky left no secret unearthed, no feeling unshared, and no memory forgotten, but Holder’s past remained a mystery.

Still haunted by the little girl he let walk away, Holder has spent his entire life searching for her in an attempt to finally rid himself of the crushing guilt he has felt for years. But he could not have anticipated that the moment they reconnect, even greater remorse would overwhelm him…

Sometimes in life, if we wish to move forward, we must first dig deep into our past and make amends. In Losing Hope, bestselling author Colleen Hoover reveals what was going on inside Holder’s head during all those hopeless moments—and whether he can gain the peace he desperately needs.

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Losing Hope is the companion/sequel novel to Hopeless, which was one of the first books Hoover wrote way back when in 2012. First, if you haven't read Hopeless, I would say that you should read Hopeless before reading Losing Hope. While both novels are the same story, just told from different points of views, Hopeless has more to offer. If you are interested in reading this story, do it with Hopeless. Also, keep in mind that Losing Hope is literally the same story, but just in Holder's point of view. If you are looking for something new, do not read this. In fact, if you are right off reading Hopeless, do not read this book. You'll just get bored. However, if it's been a while since you want to read Hopeless, and you loved Hopeless, then I suggest reading this. 

Personally, it has been three-ish years since I have read Hopeless. At the time, I absolutely loved the book. I wanted to have a quick read, and this definitely worked. I do think though, that this book was pretty pointless. I appreciated the new take on the story with Holder's POV, but not a lot of new things are offered. What we do get out of this book is more insight into Les, Holder's sister, Holder and Daniel's friendship, and of course, Holder's inner thoughts throughout the book. 

But really, there is no point. It had been so long that I forgot major things about Hopeless, but I still felt that the book was redundant. Me, who forgot a major character death, was at times bored. I loved reading from Holder's perspective, but I wish this was actually a sequel instead of the same book retold. 

Hoover did a great job with Holder's voice, and I really empathized with him more than I did in the original novel. However, I think there was a lost opportunity here. I would have loved to see Holder and Sky somewhere new, not the same old place. There could have been flashbacks, nightmares, something that makes Holder remember his past, etc. if Hoover wanted to give some more backstory to Holder. Instead, she decided to write the same book over again. Yes, the dialogue is the same, and I am pretty sure that there are paragraphs repeated as well. 

As for the characters themselves, I had a great time with them. I loved Sky in Hopeless. I thought she was such a strong character. In this book, like I mentioned, I was able to connect with Holder so much more. I felt for Holder when reading Hopeless, but I truly cared for in this book. At times I thought Holder was an ass in Hopeless, but Losing Hope did make me understand him more. We see a bit more of Daniel, Holder's best friend, and I loved any of the scenes he was in. As for the other characters, there is not a lot to offer. 

If you have just read Hopeless, do not read this book. Like I said, you will be bored, or even frustrated, because the two books are so similar. If you read Hopeless and only felt meh about it, than don't read this book. You'll just feel the same way about Losing Hope. BUT. If you loved Hopeless, and you are ready to dive right back into the story, then go for it! 

So, do I recommend this? Well, that's depending on how much you want to read the same book over again, and whether or not you would mind. I had a good time with this book, and I think it was good, but at the end of the day, does this book even need to exist? No. Was it fun to read? Yes! I personally waited just long enough for me to remember the main story but not too much. I got a little bored here and there, but I was mostly entertained and I was happy to be reading Hoover again.

With that, I give this book 

3.5 out of 5 Stars!