Too Late - Colleen Hoover

Genre: Romance

Rating: 5/5

Thanks to #BookTok and #Bookstagram, Colleen Hoover has quickly become one of the most popular authors. And, I'm not complaining. I fly through every book I read of hers because from the very first page she catches your attention and never lets it drop until the very last page.

Most of her books are true romance - forbidden, twisted, tragic love, heavy on the spice, with happy endings. No wonder almost every girl in the universe loves her books - what's not to love about an easy romance read!

But, "Too Late" is different in many ways. It's a bit more twisted than most of her books, maybe all of them besides Verity (IYKYK). From the first page of the forward, Colleen outlines how this book is different. She used it as a twisted escape when she had mental blocks. It's not about the usual type of love you think of when you think of Colleen Hoover. Honestly, it's sometimes hard to read because of how messed up it is.

This book is dark, about a manipulative, abusive relationship. Sloan, the main character, stays with her monster of a boyfriend because she wants a better life for her and her special needs brother. But, growing up in a poor family with a drug-addict mother, she doesn't have the means to support the health needs of her brother without the help of her drug-dealer boyfriend, Asa. Sloan is going to school and saving money to hopefully have the means to support herself and her brother without Asa, but has to pretend to love him in the meantime.

To add to the stress of living with Asa who throws parties every night with strangers constantly sleeping on the couch, Sloan meets Carter in Spanish class and things start to get complicated. Carter is an undercover DEA agent on an assignment to bust Asa's drug business with his partner, Ryan. He grows closer to Sloan while he pretends to be friends with Asa, falling for her every time they hang out. But, he can't even tell her what he is actually doing there or that his real name actually isn't Carter.

Without spoiling too much, this dynamic becomes messy fast. Sloan and Carter have to find a way out quickly or Asa could kill them both.

The end of this book is unlike anything you could imagine. When you think you know what happens, Colleen throws you for a loop.. a few times. It's a true psychological thriller about the most dangerous kind of love.

I would highly recommend it! Just take this as your trigger warning, it can be very hard to stomach at times.