Book Review: Ugly Love



Author: Colleen Hoover
Published: 2014
Publisher: Atria Books
Number of Pages: 322
My Rating: 5


Summary from GoodReads.com:
        #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover returns with a new heart-wrenching love story. When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she doesn't think it's love at first sight. They wouldn't even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn't want love, she doesn't have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her.

Never ask about the past.
Don't expect a future.

They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can't handle it at all.

Hearts get infiltrated.
Promises get broken.
Rules get shattered.
Love gets ugly.
 






I have so much to say about this book, and yet no words to put it in. Colleen Hoover is a genius and her work leaves me more and more baffled and in awe. Ugly Love: A Novel  has definitely joined her other books in a place in my heart and it is another one that I will be recommending to all of my friends to read and sigh and love. 

For something so amazing and wonderful, I don't feel like I can write a regular review. I am going to instead write a list of ten reasons why you should read and love this book, no matter how ugly it could get...



10. The main character, Tate Collins, is so real. Everything about her seems like either something you could relate to or something your friend might say or go through. I loved that she worked as a nurse and was honest about how busy she always was. She worked nights and tried to go to school at the same time and it was all just completely believable. 


9. Tate's brother, Corbin, is hilarious. He invited her to move in with him, despite his hectic pilot schedule, so she could get on her feet in San Francisco. He is overprotective of her and her heart and he just overall seems like what your brother would be like. 


8. Miles Archer. Enough said.


7. Just kidding. But really, once you read the book, you will understand what I'm saying about number eight. Miles Archer is Corbin's friend and conveniently his across-the-hall neighbor. Tate stumbles upon this ravishing character when she tries to move in, seeing him passed out in front of Corbin's door because he's locked out of his own apartment. He is sloppy drunk and sobbing about a girl named Rachel, and it's all Tate can do to just let him crash on the couch and tell him he's going to be okay. 


6. The chemistry. Boy oh boy the chemistry. When Tate and Miles meet each other again, this time him completely sober, the chemistry they have is undeniable. Hoover's writing makes you feel like you are in the book at times, experiencing things with Tate. Her attraction to him and his attraction to her is instant, and you want it all to happen just as bad as she does.


5. The, um, love scenes. Tate and Miles can't deny that they are attracted to each other in very physical ways, and they want to act on them. However, Miles makes it very clear that he is not looking for a relationship at all and can't give her anything like that. All that's left is a friends-with-benefits type thing which Tate more than readily agrees to, hoping it could turn into something more one day. These scenes are very realistic and not overly romantic and fantasized at all... and they will make you blush. 


4. The mystery. Every other chapter flashes back six years to when Miles was in his senior year of high school. He meets a girl and wants to fall in love with her. Through the course of the book you are slowly piecing together what could have happened to Miles to traumatize him so much, but it's something you will never see coming. 


3. The ugliness. This book gets real. It confronts real life issues and problems and drama. It gets very ugly. But what I liked about this ugliness was the fact that the characters acknowledge that this is life and things happen. Life isn't perfect but the ugliness helps you enjoy the happiness that much more.


2. The emotions. This book will make you laugh. A lot. It will also make you cry. A lot. It will make you intrigued, curious, excited, happy, thrilled, embarrassed, sad. You will feel all of these but you will relish every single second. 


1. The unique perfectness of the book as a whole. This book was unique and unlike anything else I have ever read. While there were some things that could have been somewhat predictable (a hot single man with relationship issues? please) the reason why people were the way they were is something you could have never predicted. The plot and the storyline are the typical Colleen Hoover magic and it's something you can't put into words, no matter how hard you try.


So there, I tried. This list was my best attempt at voicing how I felt about this amazing book. Now you need to get out there and read it yourself. And see, just how beautiful and ugly it can all get. 






-Busy Brunette  


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