Fans Tell Author “It Ends With Us”

Colleen Hoover is unstoppable. To say she is a best-selling novelist is an understatement. In 2022, Hoover held six of the top ten spots on The New York Times’ paperback fiction best-seller list. She has sold more than 20 million books. Her social media presence reaches far and wide. She has roughly 3.9 million followers across platforms and that number continues to grow each day. Reviews of her books have become a sensation on TikTok.

With such a large following, her fans, known as “CoHorts,” are sure to make their opinions known. As a result, it is no surprise the CoHorts were quick to speak out when Hoover announced her plans to design an adult coloring book based on her bestseller “It Ends With Us.”

Facing Domestic Violence

Without spoiling the book, “It Ends With Us” is largely about domestic violence. Both the main character, Lily Bloom, and her mother face domestic violence in the story. Hoover recently announced her adult coloring book project on Instagram writing, “I’m one of the adult coloring book industry’s biggest consumers, so to have one of my books turned into a coloring book is a dream come true.”

The adult coloring book was slated to be released April 4, 2023, and would contain approximately 30 illustrations of some of the most iconic scenes and settings from the novel, illustrated by Emma Taylor.

Fan’s Reactions

The CoHorts’ reaction to Hoover’s announcement was less than enthusiastic. Many were critical of Hoover’s decision to design an adult coloring book based specifically on the storyline of “It Ends With Us” due to its domestic violence subject matter. Harsh statements began to litter the internet, claiming Hoover was romanticizing toxic and domestic violence relationships.

Following such strong reactions by her fans to her announcement, Hoover made a follow-up post to her Instagram story stating that she had asked her publisher to pull the project and not release the coloring book.

Hoover wrote, “The coloring book was developed with Lily’s strength in mind, but I can absolutely see how this was tone-deaf. I hear you guys and I agree with you. No excuses. No finger pointing. I have contacted the publisher to let them know I would prefer we don’t move forward with it. Thank you for the respectful discourse and accountability. Nothing but love[.]”

Coloring Can Be a Therapeutic Activity

Despite Hoover’s pulling the plug on her project, some have voiced their opinions, albeit unpopular, that an adult coloring book illustrating “It Ends With Us” may not have been the worst idea ever conjured. Although the book contains a storyline rife with domestic violence, coloring is often viewed as a therapeutic activity, and the coloring book may have provided a beneficial outlet for some experiencing similar life circumstances.