Why is the author Colleen Hoover so controversial?

Earlier this month, last year's highest-selling book, Colleen Hoover's "It Ends With Us," received a big-screen adaptation. The blockbuster starring Blake Lively has been attracting controversy, much of it having little to do with Hoover herself. Hoover, though, is plenty controversial in her own right, especially for an author who primarily pens romance and young adult novels.

Who is Colleen Hoover?

The former social worker from Texas began as a self-published writer and rose to fame and eventual ubiquity. She gained traction during the pandemic, when readers were stuck at home and seeking emotional release. BookTok embraced her work with open arms (and tear ducts) over those years. 

"Her fans were like Swifties," said Chels Upton at Slate. "Loyal defenders who would absolutely flood your comment section with their displeasure if a [Hoover book] review were to lean negative." Hoover's work always seemed to "inspire intense reactions" in readers, said Vox, "ranging from sublime catharsis to visceral disgust." Even those who did not like the books had plenty to say. 

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Hoover's novels are generally considered romantic melodramas, and she has enjoyed a near-permanent spot on the New York Times bestseller list. In 2022, eight of the 25 best-selling print titles in the U.S. were written by Hoover; she also sold more copies of her books than were sold of the Bible that year. A year later, "It Ends With Us" and its sequel "It Starts With Us" became 2023's blockbuster book titles. 

Hoover usually publishes at least one book per year and often two or more, though she has suffered from writer's block lately, apparently dreading the attention she is bound to receive. "I'm absolutely in that moment of panic now that I know how many people are going to read it," she said to Texas Monthly in April. "It's almost like I'm writing for the people who are just waiting to put out that negative video of my books."

Why is she controversial?

Despite her avid fan base, many have condemned Hoover's work for its quality, its content or its potential to negatively impact young women. Her prolificacy attracts readers who "prefer quantity over quality," said Rachelle Hampton at Defector, calling Hoover a mass-market author whose success far outstrips her abilities. "Thinly characterized but densely plotted, full of harrowing backstories and trauma bonding, Hoover's novels provide incredibly fertile ground for a fandom which privileges big feelings over big ideas," Hampton added.

As for the content of her stories, "some readers complain that Hoover's books normalize abuse," said CNN, and could even be dangerous if absorbed by impressionable fans. "Hoover's subject matter is heavy, but her writing style is bubbly and fun," said Vox, and this "contrast is weird." Hoover's haters "feel there is something crassly manipulative about the way Hoover dredges up tragedy to make her readers cry, and then tosses it aside when she doesn't want to deal with any of the parts that might be trickier to write."

Of course, not everyone agrees there is cause for concern. "The backlash against her work seems vastly overblown given the substance of the target," said Hampton. Young female fans of Hoover's books "deserve a lot more credit than they're getting," said Upton at Slate.

Why is she in the news right now?

"It Ends with Us," inspired by her parents' marriage, is Hoover's most successful and personal novel to date. The story follows Lily, a protagonist who falls for a man who reveals himself to be manipulative and violent. A page-to-screen adaptation came out earlier this month and has been busy making headlines beyond box-office numbers.

The film's promotional efforts have been accused of being tone deaf. The focus on fashion and star Blake Lively's flippant cross-promotion of her own hair-and-drink product were so prominent a viewer might not know "It Ends With Us" is a story about domestic violence. Critics have also pointed out that the movie's cast — and executive producer Hoover — are all keeping the marketing fun and frothy. To add another layer of complication, the director Justin Baldoni has been "accused of fostering an uncomfortable set that alienated Lively and the cast," said The Hollywood Reporter, which might explain why he has been doing press separately. 

"Why the heck are Lively and Hoover giddily promoting this film as if it's any other blockbuster?" said IndieWire, describing the marketing campaign as "built on hearts and flowers." Then again, perhaps this "cognitive dissonance" simply "mirrors Hoover's own promotion of her novel."