How do you seek forgiveness from people when you’ve done something deemed as unforgivable? Kenna is learning how to rebuild her life after spending five years in prison. The first step in this life of freedom is moving to where her daughter is…the daughter who lives with the people that want nothing to do with Kenna. Kenna puts all her hope into one man, the best friend of the man she loved-he’s the key to her daughter and if she can convince him that she’s a changed person, perhaps she can become the mother she always dreamed she would be.

Wow- this is now a top contender as one of my favorite books from Colleen Hoover. Even at the halfway mark, I didn’t know how much more my heart could take, but I also couldn’t put it down. I didn’t read the synopsis for this one so I truly had no idea what it was about. Every time I pick up a book from Colleen Hoover- I’m immediately invested in the characters and feel everything they’re experiencing. I loved the characters, the message of forgiveness and the beautiful way this story ended.

Reminders of Him is Colleen Hoover's next release (coming out January 2022). The story is about Kenna, a young woman who was five years in prison for a tragic mistake. When she is released from prison the only thing she wants is to try and get to meet her daughter, to whom she gave birth in prison but couldn't be with so she is desperate to connect with her baby girl. But the people in her daughter's life don't want Kenna to be a part of her daughter's life, all her doors are closed except for one. Ledger is the final link to her daughter and they soon begin to form a strong connection, but if other people knew it would cause a lot of turmoil, and so begins the emotional drama that Colleen knows so well to construct.

This book is easily devourable. I read more than half of it in one sitting. This is one thing I love about CoHo's books, they are always so addictive and the chapters always fly by. Also, something else I was thinking while I read this was that I feel like Colleen has about three "phases" in her career so far, being her very old books (hopeless, slammed) and then some emotional turmoil ones (it ends with us, November 9, confess) and her most recent phase (regretting you, heart bones, Layla and now reminders of him). I say this because I find that grouping these books like this makes sense in my head, both stylistically, and in regards to the themes and writing. For some reason the voice (in that case Kenna's) reminded me a lot of the Heart Bones narrator.I think it's interesting for an author who has over 20 published books to have certain styles in her career and her works.

Anyways I enjoyed this book and it was a devourable and easy read. The ending left me tear eyed? Heck yes. I just thought that the las few chapters were a tiny rushed so I ended up with a four star rating, but I would recommend this book to all fans of Colleen's work. Maybe some will be more wrecked than others, but it is definitely a worthy read.

Thank you Montlake publishing for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Harlequin Junkie Top Pick!

An angsty, emotionally-charged novel about finding forgiveness and redemption for past mistakes, Reminders of Him took Colleen Hoover's already evocative writing to a whole new level.

I swear I'm a masochist when it comes to Colleen Hoover's books because I just love how raw, gritty, and intense they are–even if I feel emotionally gutted after I finish reading them. As was perfectly showcased in Reminders of Him, CoHo is able to cut right down to the heart of the issues each character is facing, along with perfectly describing the emotions they feel so deeply in each scene. It makes for an intimate, sometimes painfully real, reading experience like no other.

Kenna and Ledger were in what amounted to a no-win situation in this story. And I waffled between rooting for them both as well as questioning decisions they made. I think that was the beauty of this particular book, though. CoHo was able to make me understand on a visceral level exactly where Ledger and Kenna were coming from based on their past experiences and where they were at present day. I could empathize with Kenna's desire to see her daughter for the first time ever. But I could also understand why Ledger and Kenna's daughter's grandparents would be wary of letting Kenna into their lives.

I have a sneaking suspicion that readers will hold strong opinions about the main characters, particularly in the first quarter or so of the book. But I think if you give CoHo a chance to build the story and let Kenna and Ledger learn from each other, then you'll be surprised (and hopefully pleased) with where it all goes. That epilogue!! Sigh…

A whole lot of healing took place after years of anguish and harsh feelings in Reminders of Him. Whether this is your first Colleen Hoover book or if you're a die hard fan, this will be an experience you won't soon forget.