Rating: 1.5/5

Thought I read a few interesting books in my lifetime, but this one disturbingly tops the list.

Colleen Hoover is The New York Times Bestselling Author of #BookTok fan favorites such as “It Ends with Us,” “Verity” and “Ugly Love.” Originally self-published on Nov. 19, 2016, her psychological suspense novel, “Too Late: Definitive Edition” was released in June 2023. According to Goodreads, a popular reader review platform, the novel garnered around four out of five stars in terms of ratings.

Now, the overall premise of this book had potential, but the execution was disappointing.

After reading the first act, I was caught off guard by the graphic depictions of sexual assault, mental and physical abuse and drug use.

While there is a trigger warning in Hoover’s opening remarks, I was not prepared for the excessive number of scenes that described this violence.

The plot of the novel was confusing and difficult to follow. There wasn’t a consistent flow established due to the multiple points of view of the main characters Sloan, Carter and Asa.

I was most invested in Sloan’s point of view and found that the book lost its grasp on me once it switched to another character.

Additionally, I couldn’t determine where the romance between Carter and Sloan would fit into the storyline. There were moments where Sloan shifted the power dynamics in her relationship with Asa by threatening to leave him, and I wish those were expanded upon.

Due to the nature of the plot, there was little-to-no world building. This book was dialogue heavy, so I wasn’t expecting to read lengthy setting descriptions.

However, the establishment of each setting was generic, and I found myself trying to fill in the missing pieces in this blurry fever dream.

While I can understand what message Hoover was attempting to send out regarding abusive relationships, I don’t understand how the constant depiction of women’s suffering could be used to prove this point.

This novel was dark, violent and graphic, and it left me wondering why consumers purchase and read books that highlight this type of violence.

If readers do plan to pick this next on their reading list, prepare for heavy and traumatic content.