5 Addictive Authors Similar to Colleen Hoover

Have you ever finished a Colleen Hoover book, only to feel like your heart was ripped out and stitched back together again? That hollowed-out, breathless feeling is a signature CoHo hangover. We crave it. We chase it. But let’s be honest, her books are polarizing. They walk a razor’s edge between addictive emotional intensity and themes that can be deeply unsettling. There’s one book in particular—the way it twisted abuse into romance and then blamed the victim made my stomach churn, made bile rise in my throat.

It’s a complicated obsession. You want the gut punch, the flawed characters, the impossible situations, but maybe without the specific elements that don’t sit right with you. That’s exactly why I built this guide. If you are looking for authors similar to Colleen Hoover, you generally want that specific blend of angst and addiction.

Whether you’re craving another story that will leave you in a puddle on the floor or looking for something with a similar vibe but different twists, this guide has you covered. We’re diving deep into the authors who write emotional rollercoasters that will give you that same unforgettable, heart-stopping feeling.

The Foundation: Top Authors Similar to Colleen Hoover

Colleen Hoover’s books leave you emotionally scraped out, hollowed, and somehow desperate for more. It’s not an experience—it’s an addiction, a freefall into angst and passion you can’t claw your way out of.

If you’re looking for that next fix, that next book that will absolutely wreck you in the best way possible, you’re in the right place. Here’s a list of authors who deliver that same gut-punching intensity, flawed characters you can’t help but root for, and storylines that will stick with you long after you’ve turned the final page.

It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

⚡ 🏆 NYT Best Seller | ⭐ 4.15 (2.6M) | 🌶️ 2/5 | 👀 Dual POV

This book defines the emotional depth and angsty romance that Hoover fans adore. It’s an angsty, emotional, and heart-wrenching journey that has become a benchmark for contemporary romance. This isn’t just a love story; it forces you to stare right into the face of cyclical abuse, to feel the impossible weight of breaking that chain.

When Lily Bloom, a small-town girl who has worked for everything she has, meets the gorgeous neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid, it feels too good to be true. He’s assertive, a little arrogant, and completely brilliant. But his aversion to relationships is unsettling. As Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating” rule, she can’t help but be overwhelmed by him, even as questions about his past linger.

The sudden reappearance of her first love, Atlas Corrigan, threatens everything she and Ryle have built, forcing Lily to confront a devastating truth about love, sacrifice, and survival. This is the book that will make you sob, scream, and question everything you thought you knew about love. It’s a must-read, but go in prepared for a serious emotional beating.

Verity by Colleen Hoover

⚡ 🏆 NYT Best Seller | ⭐ 4.32 (1.4M) | 🌶️ 3/5 | 📚 400 pages

A dark, twisty thriller that explores the blurred lines between love and obsession. If you thought Hoover only wrote heart-wrenching romance, Verity is here to prove you dead wrong. This book is twisty, suspenseful, and unapologetically dark. It will crawl under your skin and live there for days.

Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job of a lifetime. She’s hired by Jeremy Crawford, the husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish. When Lowen arrives at their home to sort through Verity’s notes, she discovers an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read.

Page after page contains bone-chilling admissions, including the truth behind the night their family was forever altered. The secret festers in Lowen. She knows she should tell Jeremy, but as her feelings for him grow, the truth becomes an impossible, suffocating weight—a confession that she knows would utterly destroy him. This book is a masterclass in psychological tension, with an ending that will have you debating with anyone who will listen.

Twisted Love by Ana Huang

⚡ ⭐ Top Rated | ⭐ 3.75 (85k) | 🌶️ 4/5 | 👀 1st Person

Ana Huang’s dark romances echo Hoover’s exploration of flawed relationships, with an extra dose of spice. This book is dark, obsessive, and deliciously forbidden. If you are looking for authors like Ana Huang for spicy romance who also deliver high stakes, she is an author you absolutely need on your shelf.

Alex Volkov is a devil blessed with the face of an angel and cursed with a past he can’t escape. Driven by a tragedy that has haunted him for most of his life, he is ruthless in his pursuit of vengeance. When he’s forced to look after his best friend’s younger sister, Ava Chen, he sees her as nothing more than a distraction.

But Ava is not what she seems. She’s a free spirit trapped by nightmares of a childhood she can’t remember, and she sees the good in Alex that he can’t see in himself. Theirs is a love that was never supposed to happen, but when it does, it threatens to destroy everything in its path. It’s a perfect read for when you want that all-consuming, slightly dangerous love story.

Romantic Thrillers Similar to Verity

If Verity left you questioning everything, sleeping with the lights on, and second-guessing every character you meet, these romantic thrillers will keep you on the edge of your seat. This subgenre is all about that perfect, toxic cocktail of passion and paranoia, where the person you’re falling for might just be the one you should be running from.

This psychological thriller set the standard for dark romance hybrids. Verity isn’t just a book; it’s an event. It proved that a story could be both a swoon-worthy romance and a terrifying, mind-bending thriller. The romantic thrillers similar to Verity in this section are guaranteed to leave you just as emotionally wrecked.

Icebreaker by Hannah Grace

⚡ 🔥 Hot New Release | ⭐ 4.01 (120k) | 🌶️ 4/5 | 📚 Book 1 of 4

While lighter in tone, Icebreaker delivers the same addictive tension and character-driven drama. Okay, hear me out. This one isn’t a psychological thriller, but if you loved the obsessive character dynamics and the can’t-put-it-down feeling of Verity, this is your next read. It’s spicy, banter-filled, and set in the high-pressure world of sports romance.

Anastasia Allen is a competitive figure skater determined to make Team USA. Nathan Hawkins is the captain of the university’s hockey team. When a prank gone wrong forces the two teams to share a rink, their worlds collide in the most explosive way possible. They are instant enemies, trading insults and glares across the ice.

But when Anastasia’s skating partner is injured, Nate steps in, forcing them to work together. The tension between them is electric, simmering just below the surface until it finally boils over. The drama isn’t about a hidden manuscript, but about secrets, trust, and the insane pressure these athletes are under. It has that same addictive quality where you have to know what happens next.

If you’re obsessed with the darker side of love and passion, you need to check out our other recommendations. Discover more dark romance recommendations.

Heart-Wrenching Books Like Colleen Hoover

Sometimes, we just need a book that makes us ugly cry. The kind that shatters your heart into a million pieces and then, maybe, just maybe, helps you put it back together again. These heart wrenching books like Colleen Hoover deliver on that front, giving you all the feels, the tears, and the emotional catharsis you’re looking for.

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

⚡ 🏆 NYT Best Seller | ⭐ 4.14 (250k) | 🌶️ 2/5 | 👀 Dual POV

A witty yet emotional romance that tugs at your heartstrings. This book is witty, steamy, and built on the beloved fake-dating trope, but don’t let the humor fool you. At its core, this story has genuine emotional depth that will sneak up on you and leave you breathless.

Olive Smith is a third-year Ph.D. candidate who doesn’t believe in lasting romantic relationships. To convince her best friend that she’s moved on, she panics and kisses the first man she sees. That man happens to be Adam Carlsen, a young professor. To her shock, Adam agrees to be her fake boyfriend.

What starts as a simple charade quickly spirals into something real and complicated. The book is hilarious, but it also tackles serious themes of sexism in academia, imposter syndrome, and the vulnerability of opening your heart after it’s been broken. The emotional payoff is immense and will leave you with a book hangover for days.

For more books that will make you feel everything, Explore more tearjerkers.

The Tropes That Hook Us

What is it about these books that makes them so damn addictive? It’s the tropes. These familiar narrative structures are like catnip for romance readers, and authors like Colleen Hoover are masters at using them to create maximum emotional impact.

• Enemies-to-Lovers: The tension is everything here. Watching two characters who despise each other slowly—or sometimes, violently—fall in love is pure magic. The witty banter, the stolen glances, the moment one of them realizes their hate has turned into something else entirely… it’s an emotional rollercoaster we will ride again and again. Think Nate and Anastasia in Icebreaker.

• Fake Relationship: There’s something so delicious about a relationship built on a lie that slowly becomes the truth. It forces characters into proximity, making them see sides of each other they never would have otherwise. We get to be in on the secret, watching them catch real feelings while trying to convince everyone else it’s just for show. The Love Hypothesis executes this flawlessly.

• Brother’s Best Friend: This trope is dripping with forbidden tension. It combines the comfort of a known history with the thrill of breaking the rules. The stakes are automatically high—if things go wrong, it could ruin not just the relationship, but a lifelong friendship. Ana Huang’s Twisted Love uses this to create a dark, possessive romance that feels both inevitable and dangerous.

Safety First: Trigger Warnings to Consider

Part of the reason these books hit so hard is because they don’t shy away from difficult subjects. But that also means they can be incredibly triggering for some readers. Your emotional safety is paramount, so here is a quick guide to some of the heavy themes you’ll find in these recommendations. Please read with care.

Frequently Asked Questions

What author should I read if I like Colleen Hoover?

If you love the dark, possessive, and spicy side of Hoover’s work, you need to read Ana Huang. If you’re here for the gut-wrenching emotional drama and complex relationships, authors like Taylor Jenkins Reid will absolutely destroy you.

What book should I read if I liked It Ends with Us?

If you are searching for books to read if you liked It Ends with Us, I highly recommend Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score. It has that same blend of heavy, serious themes, a strong FMC finding her footing, and an epic, all-consuming love story.

What is the most heart-wrenching book?

While It Ends with Us is a top contender, a book that truly shattered me is A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. Be warned: it’s not a romance, and it is one of the most devastatingly beautiful and painful books ever written.

How is the Colleen Hoover writing style explained?

When you have the Colleen Hoover writing style explained, it usually centers on accessible prose, fast pacing, and an emphasis on heavy emotional beats over flowery language. She specializes in “trauma romances”—stories where the characters’ past wounds are just as important as their present love lives.

What about Taylor Jenkins Reid vs Colleen Hoover?

The Taylor Jenkins Reid vs Colleen Hoover debate usually comes down to scope. Hoover focuses on intense, singular relationships and fast-paced romantic angst. Reid tends to write broader, character-driven dramas with historical settings and larger ensembles, though both are masters of making you cry.

Your Next Emotional Hangover Awaits

We read these books because we want to feel something. We want the soaring highs of falling in love, the crushing lows of heartbreak, and the thrill of a story that grabs you and refuses to let go. The authors similar to Colleen Hoover on this list are guaranteed to deliver that addictive, all-consuming experience that she has perfected.

They will make you ache, make you swoon, and leave you staring at your ceiling at 3 AM, thinking about the characters as if they were real people. Ready to dive into your next emotional rollercoaster? Let us know which book wrecked you the most.