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Quick answer: If you finished Colleen Hoover's Too Late, try Verity, It Ends with Us, Ugly Love, Reminders of Him, Hopeless and Confess. They are emotional, intense romances with dark turns. Content warning: Too Late is a very dark romance with abuse and drug themes.
Colleen Hoover's 2016 novel follows Sloan, a college student tied to a violent drug dealer, and her unexpected bond with a stranger. It is much darker than her usual books and includes graphic content. Readers who finish it want more emotional, tense romance, with different levels of darkness. These 15 books range from heartfelt to dark. Many deal with abuse, grief and trauma.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verity | Colleen Hoover | Adult | the closest in darkness |
| It Ends with Us | Colleen Hoover | Adult | readers who want her best-known book |
| Ugly Love | Colleen Hoover | Adult | readers who like angst |
| Reminders of Him | Colleen Hoover | Adult | readers who like second chances |
| Hopeless | Colleen Hoover | Adult | readers who like twists |
| Confess | Colleen Hoover | Adult | readers who like art |
| November 9 | Colleen Hoover | Adult | readers who like long romances |
| Maybe Someday | Colleen Hoover | Adult | readers who like music |
| Layla | Colleen Hoover | Adult | readers who like paranormal romance |
| Heart Bones | Colleen Hoover | Adult | readers who like drama |
| Twisted Love | Ana Huang | Adult | readers who like spice |
| Credence | Penelope Douglas | Adult | older readers who like taboo |
| Punk 57 | Penelope Douglas | Adult | readers who like enemies-to-lovers |
| The Housemaid | Freida McFadden | Adult | readers who like thrillers |
| Behind Closed Doors | B.A. Paris | Adult | readers who like psychological dread |
1. Verity by Colleen Hoover
A struggling writer is hired to finish a famous author's series and finds a disturbing hidden manuscript. Dark and twisty.
Best for: the closest in darkness.
2. It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
Lily falls for a neurosurgeon, and a hard truth about love and abuse emerges. Emotional and widely discussed.
Best for: readers who want her best-known book.
3. Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover
Tate and Miles agree to a no-strings arrangement that is not as simple as it seems. Emotional and steamy.
Best for: readers who like angst.
4. Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover
Kenna returns home after prison and tries to see her daughter. Emotional and hopeful.
Best for: readers who like second chances.
5. Hopeless by Colleen Hoover
Sky has a sheltered life, until she meets Dean Holder and her past unravels. Emotional with big twists.
Best for: readers who like twists.
6. Confess by Colleen Hoover
Auburn meets Owen, an artist who paints anonymous confessions. Romantic and tender.
Best for: readers who like art.
7. November 9 by Colleen Hoover
Fallon and Ben meet every November 9 for years. Sweet, with a twist.
Best for: readers who like long romances.
8. Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover
Sydney and Ridge connect through music and a hard choice. Romantic and musical.
Best for: readers who like music.
9. Layla by Colleen Hoover
Leeds and Layla's love is tested by a violent attack and a supernatural twist. Dark and emotional.
Best for: readers who like paranormal romance.
10. Heart Bones by Colleen Hoover
Beyah and Samson meet over a summer and face tragic family truths. Emotional and quick.
Best for: readers who like drama.
11. Twisted Love by Ana Huang
Alex, a controlling billionaire, and Ava, his best friend's sister, fall into a heated romance. Steamy and dramatic.
Best for: readers who like spice.
12. Credence by Penelope Douglas
A girl moves in with her stepfamily and a dark attraction grows. Very dark and controversial.
Best for: older readers who like taboo.
13. Punk 57 by Penelope Douglas
Two pen pals discover each other's identities. Angsty and steamy.
Best for: readers who like enemies-to-lovers.
14. The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
Millie takes a job as a live-in maid for a wealthy family and notices odd details. Twisty and fast.
Best for: readers who like thrillers.
15. Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris
A seemingly perfect marriage hides a horrifying secret. Dark and quick.
Best for: readers who like psychological dread.
How to Choose
For a dark twist like Too Late, start with Verity. For a more emotional take on abuse, read It Ends with Us. For gentler Hoover, try Ugly Love, Confess or Reminders of Him. For spice, choose Twisted Love. A simple plan is to check content notes before you start and to take breaks with lighter books. These novels include abuse, drugs and explicit scenes, and they are for adults only. If you or someone you know needs help, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. If you want to try one lighter Hoover first, read Confess or November 9, then decide whether to go darker. Audiobooks with dual narrators are popular, but the dark scenes can be intense to hear, so choose the format that suits you.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Too Late about?
Sloan is trapped in a relationship with a dangerous drug dealer and finds an unlikely ally in a stranger.
Is Too Late very dark?
Yes. It includes abuse, violence and explicit content and is darker than most of Hoover's books.
Where should I start with Colleen Hoover?
It Ends with Us or Ugly Love are the most common starting points.
Is there a series?
Too Late is a standalone novel.
Is Too Late similar to It Ends with Us?
Both deal with abuse, but Too Late is more graphic and has a criminal plot, while It Ends with Us is more realistic and emotional.