Colleen Hoover has captivated millions with her emotionally devastating contemporary romance and women's fiction. Her novels like It Ends With Us, Verity, and November 9 masterfully blend heart-wrenching romance with complex characters facing real-world struggles. If you've found yourself ugly-crying over a CoHo book at 2 AM, these authors will give you that same emotional rollercoaster.
Cherry writes gut-wrenching contemporary romance that rivals Hoover's emotional intensity. Her storytelling focuses on broken characters finding healing through love, often dealing with grief, trauma, and second chances.
The Air He Breathes showcases Cherry's signature style perfectly. Elizabeth and Tristan are both drowning in grief after devastating losses—she's lost her husband and daughter, while he's struggling with his wife's death. When these two shattered souls collide, their journey from friendship to love is both heartbreaking and hopeful. Cherry doesn't shy away from the messy, painful parts of healing, making her characters feel authentically human rather than perfectly polished.
What sets Cherry apart is her ability to write about heavy topics without making them feel exploitative. Her prose is lyrical yet accessible, and she excels at showing how love can be both destructive and redemptive—themes that Hoover fans will instantly recognize.
Sheridan specializes in emotionally intense romance featuring damaged characters with traumatic pasts who find salvation in each other. Her writing style mirrors Hoover's ability to create deeply flawed yet loveable protagonists.
Archer's Voice tells the story of Bree, escaping her own painful history, who moves to a small town and meets Archer—a man who hasn't spoken in years due to childhood trauma. Their connection transcends words, built on understanding, patience, and gradual healing. Sheridan excels at portraying how trauma affects people differently and how the right person can help us find our voice again.
Her characters feel real and raw, dealing with issues like PTSD, selective mutism, and family dysfunction. Sheridan's ability to weave hope into the darkest situations makes her a perfect match for Hoover enthusiasts who crave emotional depth.
Todd burst onto the scene with her After series, creating the kind of toxic-yet-addictive relationship dynamics that Hoover fans either love or love to hate. Her writing captures the intensity of young love with all its passion and destruction.
After follows Tessa, a dedicated student whose carefully planned life implodes when she meets Hardin, a brooding bad boy with serious emotional baggage. Their relationship is a masterclass in red flags and irresistible chemistry—the kind of connection that's simultaneously the best and worst thing that could happen to both characters. Todd doesn't romanticize toxicity but rather explores how young people can become addicted to intense, unhealthy dynamics.
While Todd's writing has evolved significantly since her Wattpad days, her ability to create characters you're simultaneously rooting for and worried about remains unmatched. Her exploration of codependency and emotional growth resonates with readers who appreciated the complex dynamics in books like It Ends With Us.
This dynamic writing duo (Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings) creates contemporary romance with the perfect blend of humor, steam, and emotional depth that Hoover fans crave.
Love and Other Words demonstrates their mastery of dual timelines and second-chance romance. The story alternates between Macy and Elliot's teenage love affair and their reunion as adults, slowly revealing the devastating event that tore them apart. Christina Lauren excels at building emotional tension—you'll find yourself holding your breath as past and present collide.
Their characters feel like real people with actual flaws and growth arcs. They tackle serious topics like grief, family dysfunction, and trauma while maintaining hope and humor. The emotional payoff in their books rivals Hoover's most satisfying moments.
Douglas writes new adult and contemporary romance with an edge, featuring morally gray characters and intense emotional conflicts that push boundaries.
Punk 57 showcases her talent for creating complicated relationships. Misha and Ryen have been pen pals for years, sharing their deepest thoughts without ever meeting. When fate brings them together in real life, Misha discovers that Ryen isn't who she pretended to be in her letters. The story explores identity, authenticity, and the masks we wear to survive high school and beyond.
Douglas isn't afraid to make her characters unlikeable at times, forcing them to face real consequences for their actions. Her books often feature themes of bullying, social anxiety, and finding your authentic self—territory that Hoover fans will find familiar and compelling.
McGuire writes addictive contemporary romance featuring alpha males and the strong women who can handle them. Her books are known for their intense chemistry and emotional drama.
Beautiful Disaster introduced readers to the volatile relationship between Abby and Travis. He's a underground fighter with commitment issues; she's trying to escape her past and start fresh. Their relationship is a perfect storm of passion and chaos, featuring the kind of "I hate you but I can't stay away" dynamic that hooks readers completely.
McGuire's strength lies in creating flawed characters who grow throughout their stories. Her exploration of addiction, family trauma, and toxic patterns feels authentic rather than melodramatic, making even the most dramatic plot points feel grounded in emotional truth.
Moyes writes emotionally devastating women's fiction that explores love, loss, and personal growth with the same intensity as Hoover's most impactful works.
Me Before You is a masterpiece of emotional manipulation (in the best way). Louisa becomes a caregiver for Will, a quadriplegic man who's given up on life. Their relationship evolves from professional to deeply personal, challenging both of their assumptions about what makes life worth living. Moyes tackles difficult topics like disability, assisted suicide, and finding purpose with sensitivity and nuance.
What makes Moyes special is her ability to write about devastating situations without exploiting them for cheap emotional thrills. Her characters face impossible choices with grace and authenticity, leaving readers emotionally wrecked but somehow hopeful.
Kennedy writes contemporary and new adult romance with realistic characters, steamy chemistry, and emotional depth that goes beyond surface-level attraction.
The Deal follows Hannah and Garrett's fake relationship arrangement that becomes very real very quickly. Kennedy excels at writing banter-heavy relationships where the emotional connection develops alongside the physical attraction. Her characters have real problems—academic pressure, family expectations, past trauma—that they work through together.
Her college-aged characters feel authentically young without being immature, dealing with real issues like sexual assault, family dysfunction, and finding independence. Kennedy's ability to balance serious topics with humor and heat makes her books addictive page-turners.
Thorne writes contemporary romance with sharp wit, intense sexual tension, and characters who verbally spar as much as they fall in love.
The Hating Game perfected the enemies-to-lovers trope with Lucy and Joshua's office rivalry turned obsession. Their relationship builds through competitive games, sharp banter, and slowly revealed vulnerabilities. Thorne excels at creating chemistry that crackles off the page while building genuine emotional intimacy.
Her characters are complex and flawed, with realistic motivations driving their actions. The emotional payoff when her prickly protagonists finally let their guards down rivals the best moments in Hoover's catalog.
Ward specializes in second-chance romance and complicated family dynamics, often featuring childhood friends or former lovers reuniting under dramatic circumstances.
RoomHate forces former best friends Amelia and Justin to confront their shared past when they inherit a house together. Ward excels at exploring how childhood trauma and misunderstandings can destroy relationships, and how adult perspectives can heal old wounds. Her characters feel real and flawed, making mistakes that have lasting consequences.
Her exploration of family secrets, mental health, and the complexity of forgiveness resonates with readers who appreciate Hoover's nuanced approach to relationships and personal growth.
Glines writes emotionally charged contemporary romance often featuring wealthy, troubled male protagonists and strong female characters who challenge them.
Fallen Too Far explores the complicated relationship between Blaire and Rush, her stepbrother, in a world of family secrets and wealth disparities. Glines doesn't shy away from morally gray situations, creating characters who make questionable choices for understandable reasons.
Her books often feature themes of family loyalty, class differences, and finding your place in the world—territory that Hoover fans will find familiar and engaging.
Simone writes emotionally complex romance that pushes boundaries and explores faith, desire, and moral conflict.
Priest follows Tyler, a Catholic priest whose vow of celibacy is tested when he meets Poppy. Simone tackles the conflict between duty and desire with nuance and respect, creating characters whose struggles feel authentic rather than exploitative. Her exploration of faith, guilt, and forbidden love creates the kind of emotional tension that keeps readers riveted.
Her willingness to explore controversial topics with sensitivity and depth makes her books thought-provoking as well as emotionally satisfying.
Webber writes new adult romance that tackles serious issues like sexual assault, trauma recovery, and personal empowerment with sensitivity and authenticity.
Easy follows Jacqueline as she rebuilds her life after a traumatic assault, finding healing and love with Lucas. Webber's handling of difficult topics feels respectful and realistic, showing the messy, non-linear process of healing from trauma. Her characters' growth feels earned rather than rushed.
Her exploration of consent, trust, and finding strength after victimization resonates with readers who appreciated how Hoover handled similar themes in It Ends With Us.
Hart writes emotionally complex romance for adult readers, often exploring themes of past trauma, complicated relationships, and sexual healing.
Dirty features Elle, who prefers casual relationships until she meets Dan, whose patience and understanding slowly break down her walls. Hart excels at writing flawed characters whose past experiences shape their present behavior in realistic ways.
Her mature approach to relationships and sexuality, combined with deep emotional exploration, appeals to readers who want more sophisticated versions of the themes Hoover explores.
Dessen writes young adult fiction with the same emotional depth and realistic character development that makes Hoover's books so compelling.
Just Listen follows Annabel as she finds her voice after a traumatic experience, with help from Owen, a music-obsessed classmate who sees through her perfect facade. Dessen excels at writing about family dysfunction, trauma recovery, and finding authentic relationships.
Her characters face real consequences for their actions and grow throughout their stories in believable ways. While her books are technically YA, their emotional sophistication appeals to adult readers seeking the same kind of cathartic reading experience Hoover provides.
Ready to dive into your next book obsession? These authors understand that the best romance comes from characters who feel real, flawed, and worth rooting for. Whether you're looking for your next ugly-cry read or a book that will keep you up all night, these writers deliver the emotional intensity and authentic relationships that make Colleen Hoover's books so addictive.