Maybe Someday

Maybe #1

by Colleen Hoover

Contains exclusive content: songs from Griffin Peterson

Sydney is living in an idyllic bubble—she's a dedicated student with a steady job on the side. She lives with her best friend, has a great boyfriend, and the music coming from the balcony opposite hers is fast becoming the soundtrack to her life. But when Sydney finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her, the bubble bursts. The mysterious and attractive man behind the music, Ridge, gives Sydney hope that she can move on and they begin to write songs together. But moving on is harder than she expects, Sydney can only hope….

Maybe someday…

Colleen Hoover draws you in to this passionate tale of music, love and betrayal…

Genres: Romance, New Adult, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Young Adult, Fiction, Music

385 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 18, 2014

About the author

International and #1 New York Times bestselling author of romance, YA, thriller, women's fiction and paranormal romance.

I don't like to be confined to one genre. If you put me in a box, I'll claw my way out.

My social media username is @colleenhoover pretty much everywhere except my email, which is colleenhooverbooks@gmail.com

Founder of www.thebookwormbox.com charity and Book Bonanza.

Reviews

[Aestas Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, Colleen Hoover has delivered an emotionally charged masterpiece that will capture your heart! Maybe Someday is not your typical romance but I promise you, it is one of the most deeply passionate and uniquely beautiful books I have ever read.

Pure perfection! 5++ stars!!

“I never realized how powerful desire could be. It consumes every part of you, enhancing your senses by a million. When you’re in the moment… all you can do is focus on the person in front of you.”

Maybe Someday was utterly unique and refreshingly original. I honestly do not have a single other book to compare it to, nor have I ever read a plot line even similar to this one. Everything from the way the characters met to the twists and reveals all took me by surprise and kept me guessing the whole way through.

Colleen Hoover's writing has this beautifully gripping, compelling quality to it that draws you right into the lives of her characters. From the first few lines, I was fully immersed in this story and stayed connected until the very last word.

Ridge was the kind of guy who everyone will fall in love with - a gorgeous, sweet, talented musician with a heart of gold and who was also hiding a big secret. Everything about him made me either swoon or melt.

Sydney was one of those heroines who I just immediately liked. She was kind, endearing and earned my respect more than once with the way she handled the situations she was put in.

I truly loved everything about this book and about their romance - the texting, the flirting, the slow but powerful build of their connection... the music, the song writing, the heart ache and also the pranks. The strong emotional undercurrent that ran throughout the entire book was so intense that you could just  feel it in every single scene.

There were moments that made my laugh so hard that I had to stop reading until I could recover and moments that broke my heart so completely that I just sat there with tears streaming down my face.

The way Ridge and Sydney connected through their music was hypnotic, beautiful and downright hot. They each had something that the other needed and pretty soon, the lines between making music and falling in love began to blur.

There was also an incredibly awesome feature worked into the book where real, listenable songs that had been written and recorded specifically for this book were integrated throughout the story in such a way where you would be prompted to listen to them at the exact right time. And holy wow were they just out-of-this-world incredible!!! For me, the most special part of all was being able to listen to the song after watching them create it from scratch together. It was truly just a magical experience.

The story is also told in alternating POVs so the reader really gets to see all the different sides of the story and is really able to connect to each character individually.

Now, here's the thing that you can't really tell from the blurb of the book... this is actually a forbidden romance but just so not in the typical way

*** If you want to go into this book entirely blind, then just stop reading here ***

All you need to know is that this book is absolutely incredible, beautiful and unique. It's truly a must-read!!

But... if you want a little idea of what to expect from the story, then read on. I don't reveal any major twists and I don't tell you how the story ends, but because of the complexity of the situation, I felt the need to talk a little about how it made me feel.

Here goes...

I'm just going to lay it right out: there's a love triangle. But this is not your average love triangle. Just like the rest of the book, this one is completely different and unique and despite the fact that as a reader I'm not usually fond of triangles, I absolutely adored the way this one was written.

We actually found out very early on in the story that Ridge had a girlfriend, Maggie, and it was abundantly clear that she wasn't just a random girl he was semi-attached to. No, this was a girl who he was completely and totally, til-the-day-I-die in love with. She was kind, sweet, loving and honestly just a beautiful character both inside and out. But when Ridge and Sydney met, they too had an undeniable, soul-deep connection. Now, before you ask, this is also not a cheating book either. Ridge loved Maggie and would never want to hurt her, and Sydney had just come out of a relationship where she was betrayed by her boyfriend so in no way would she ever want to put another girl in the situation she was in. But, despite their best intentions, that connection between her and Ridge grew stronger and stronger even though they both fought it with everything they had.

"Having her so close feels as though we’ve created our own personal space and nothing from outside our world can make its way in, and nothing from inside our world can make its way out."

Emotionally, my heart was all over the place. I genuinely did not know what to feel. I was so conflicted because there was no right or wrong here. No good guy or bad guy. I knew that this was Ridge and Sydney's story so my heart was rooting for them but I couldn't help but wonder... what if this had been Ridge and Maggie's story? Because in that case, Sydney would have been the "bad guy" for representing a threat to their relationship. I mean, as much as I hated to admit it, didn't Maggie deserve to be with Ridge just as much as Sydney? And it didn't help that both Sydney and Maggie were such wonderfully sweet people and neither of them had any flaws that made it easy to justify disliking them for any reason.

"Hey, Heart.  Are you listening?  You and I are officially at war."

This is not a book where you can hate anyone. You can't be annoyed with anyone, you can't fault anyone, and there is no one to blame. There's nothing that makes you feel better about or justifies what you're feeling. I didn't want anyone to get hurt and I couldn't pick a side. It just hurt. But I had no idea who I was hurting for. The best answer would be everyone. 

"Nothing in my life has ever felt so good, yet hurt so achingly bad."

There were no 'teams'. No black, white, or even grey zones. There were just people. And feelings. Strong, powerful, all-consuming feelings. And choices. Impossibly painful, heart-wrenching choices and still... no. right. answer. But honestly, the fact that this book was able to mess with my emotions so strongly was one of the things I  loved  most about it.

"God, I hate feelings. Or I hate my conscience. The two are constantly at war and I'm not sure which one I'd rather turn off."

The thing is, you can't help who you fall in love with. No matter what the brain insists on, at the end of the day, the heart calls the shots and no matter how much we try and fight it, or deny it, it's the one thing that can't be covered up.

I loved that the author had the guts to write a story where there was no "bad guy" because it meant that there was no easy way to justify your feeling and with the way it was written, I truly felt each character's conflict as though it were my own. Especially Ridge. I swear I spent half the book just wishing I could hug him.

This was one of those rare books where I never once, not even for a single moment, was angry or annoyed with anyone. Not to say that I wasn't conflicted about their actions because holy hell was I ever torn and utterly unsure of everything I was feeling but at the same time, every single thing that happened was understandable. I was rooting for everyone's happiness and I loved that I was never (not even in the end) made to hate anyone.

The ending was really just brilliantly laid out and incredibly well paced leaving me with the most wonderful feeling knowing that every single part of the story had been wrapped up.

This book kept me up reading til 4:30AM. I couldn't put it down, couldn't glance away from the page, and as desperate as I was to find out what was going to happen, I just didn't want it to end.

It was fresh, unique, and unpredictable. I felt fully connected to each of the characters and I honestly don't have a single complaint to make. This book is perfect. Truly perfect.

I can't recommend it highly enough. Read this book. Live it. Love it. Allow it to take over your heart. It's an unforgettable journey that every reader should take.

5++ stars!

This is a standalone novel.
Release date: March 18, 2014.

Also, on a side note, I really strongly visualized every single thing in my head as I was reading. Every scene, every character, every location is crystal clear in my mind so I'm going to pray to the movie gods that this story ends up on the big screen because it would make one helluva movie! :D

Please note that all quotes were taken from an advance copy of the book and are subject to change before publication.

****************************

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[RJ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ridge should take some advice from Mr. Depp.

I'll be honest...this book made me shed some tears....tears of frustration.
I guess it all boils down to if you enjoy this type of plot. And I personally, hated it. And now I want to burn the memory of ever reading this book from my brain. Maybe I should give it some props since it made me feel albeit they were negative emotions.

I should start off by saying that I hate love triangles. With a passion. So maybe I was already prejudiced going into this book. If I hate love triangles that much then why in the world did I read this book? Well. The simple answer is that I was curious. And I curse that curiosity for making me pick up this book. I read some glowing 5 star reviews about how this love triangle is all complex and heartbreaking and I decided I needed to try it out.

Usually when I don't like a book, or stuff happens that I don't agree with, I will just drop the book. But with this book, I just had to know how the author would resolve the love triangle from hell.

This rant will just consist of the things I hated in this book. (Cause I didn't like anything)

1. There was nothing attractive to me about Ridge. From his name to his actions. He was a sleaze. It was totally okay that he fell for two girls and was cheating on basically both of them. NOT. The book makes it seem okay, but it's fucking not. He was emotionally cheating on his girlfriend long before he actually kissed Sydney. Did you catch that? He kissed Sydney, and didn't even have the balls to tell his girlfriend Maggie what he did. He just pretends everything is okay. WTF. Not okay, man.



2. I hated Sydney, too. There were SO many things I wish she had done differently. One, I wish she had dated another guy and shoved that relationship down Ridge's throat like he did with Maggie. Then she cried so fucking much. Boo-hoo, cry me a river, bitch. Then I hated the fact that she just got cheated on and then went on and did that to another girl. Like, WTF? Who does that?

3. I hated watching Ridge with Maggie. Because I know they're not gonna end up together, why am I being subjected to reading about them? It just cheapens the real romance in my opinion. Because at the end when Ridge came to Sydney's apartment and was kissing her all I could think of was him kissing Maggie and professing his love to her and begging her to take him back. And that night he even said in his letter that he would go back to her if she asked!?? WHAT?? (Although he did try to smooth that over by saying that's not what his heart wants) Fuck your heart Ridge. And I don't want to read about him kissing, hugging, and fucking Maggie.



4. I hated all the shame and guilt they harbored. He honestly didn't deserve both of them. I wanted Sydney to leave his ass and end up with someone who chooses her and makes her his first and only choice. If Ridge had loved Maggie so much he would never have fallen for another girl. And it was just so frustrating to read.



5. They didn't even have any personal goals. All Sydney thought about was how much she wants Ridge and how much she should not want Ridge. All Ridge thought about was how innocent he is and is doing nothing wrong but why does he still feel guilty?

6. The biggest thing that bothered me was that Ridge didn't choose Sydney. Maggie made that decision for him. And that is why I ended up hating this book. I've read love triangles before and ended up not hating them with a passion, because in those the character who has the choice between two others chooses one. Ridge would have never, ever, in a million years realized that he is better suited with Sydney. I suppose we were supposed to applaud his sense of honor or whatever that was (guilt/hero complex) that made him stay with Maggie. I wanted Ridge to choose Sydney. No external forces, just him and his heart. But no, we did not get that. In the end all Sydney ended up being was second-best. And even though I didn't like her character, she still deserves someone who will make her his first choice. And how can she be with someone who she knows is a cheater? She just left one cheater for another.

7. The ending wasn't even satisfying. When a couple gets together in the end there should be no doubt in my mind that they are meant to be and will last beyond the last page. But I still question Ridge's love. Does he really love her? Or Maggie more? Even though he said otherwise, I don't believe him. And I can't stop feeling that Sydney deserves more.


Fuck this shit. Love is not a triangle.

[peachygirl · Rating 1 out of 5]

Maybe someday I'll forget that I read a sorry piece of literature where the writer tried to poetise cheating, but today I'm so pissed that I'm gonna rant to my heart's content.
Ms. Mary Sue Sydney can't decide if she should feel guilty about carrying on with Ridge while he's in a relationship with someone else or revel in her new found love. Inspite of repeatedly dissing her bestfriend for sleeping with her ex. Hypocrite much?
Ridge can't decide if he should stay with his girlfriend of 5 years or take up with a girl he met weeks ago. Apparently both of them are two halves of his pathetic heart. This guy is the very definition of fickle.
I can't decide who I hated more in this fucked up love triangle.
Maggie was wise (bless her) to dump Ridge's sorry ass when she came to know of his "unintentional" cheating. And Sydney was only happy to take him back even though she knew she wasn't his first choice. These two deserved each other, what with both of them being cut from the same shitty cloth and all. Also, Warren singing extremely different tunes to Sydney got on my nerves. What exactly did she do to inspire his instant loyalty?
And that sappy ending made me cringe. Ughh.
I hated this book with everything in me. I despised the poorly written cardboard characters, the cloying bullshit songs and weaker-than-sydney's-will promises, the insipid romance and the two timing asshole protagonist.
Why doesn't Goodreads have a 0 star rating? Just why??

[Kristin (KC) · Rating 5 out of 5]

*5 out-of-the-box stars!*

Maybe Someday I'll come across a Colleen Hoover book that doesn't knock my socks off and push me to scope out life from a profound perspective ... But I highly doubt it.

So shots all around, for another CoHo favorite!



(The power of pine-sol, baby.)

What I love most about Colleen Hoover books, in conjunction with her beautifully mapped out stories, is the fact that none of them are the same. They're all so richly unique to one another and each one becomes something I've honestly never read before.

This book was no exception.
Or maybe it was THE exception.
Because it became the ultimate reading experience. It had everything — and I do mean everything — that allows me to fully connect with a story to the point where I'm breathing in its words. And by the end, I was utterly breathless.

Our heroine, Sydney — a creative and loving girl with an adorably dainty violent streak — has been betrayed and is left to pick up the scattered pieces of her now lonely life.

Enter our hero, Ridge-- a musically inclined, selfless, compassionate, sexy -- and well, I just dare you to not fall in love with him and we'll leave it at that.

Sounds like the groundwork for a typical new adult love story, right? Well, I can assure you it is NOT.

In this case, I cannot give away plot details because not knowing is a vital part of the experience, but I will say that this story incorporates a topic unique to anything I've read, and definitely places a heartwarming spin on the plot. Best part is: I never saw it coming.

So here are some gentle details: The plot really narrows in on the connection between its characters; a connection formed through the medium of music. There are moments that will make you laugh, and there are moments that will break your heart. However, its unpredictable twists will only make you that much more invested in the story.

The "romance" is slow-building and as intense as it is complicated. The story is delivered through alternating dual perspectives, so we really get a solid feel for the journey of both characters. There's plenty of sexual tension to go around, but not offered to the point of frustration. Everything is delivered in the perfect dose, and this book really persuades you to open your heart and your mind as a reader...

To except what you typically wouldn't.
To understand what you normally couldn't.

To see things from a new, unbiased perspective. To leave all judgment at the door while stepping into this book, because you WILL be granted a view to both sides of the coin.

There is no wrong or right way to fall in love--it just happens. And sometimes certain obligations take precedence over that love...which makes the person who denies himself selfless, not selfish. I'm not giving away the story here, but if you only desire only a happy story that leads seamlessly into a perfect relationship, consider looking elsewhere for your next read.

Although this review has been intentionally vague, I can almost guarantee that you'll fall hard for this incredible cast of characters, and that this book will stay with you long after reading. It does everything BUT disappoint, and if you give this amazing story a chance, you'll see why.

However, if you want some more in-depth plot details, that I promise will remain major-spoiler-free, click here --->
There is a love triangle, but it's not your average one, by far. The level of angst isn't magnified and there are no bad intentions. There is no "one" person who is "mean", whom you wouldn't mind having out of the picture. Simply said: we tend to root for everyone in this story. But in different ways. The love triangle is, at times, heartbreaking, but also beautiful...and with reason. To repeat myself: it does not DISAPPOINT ;);)

*If you've read the story, click here for the touching epilogue of a secondary character: http://www.maybesomedaysoundtrack.com...

Book Stats:
▪ Genre/Category: New Adult Romance
▪ Steam Caliber: Deliciously steamy
▪ Romance: Slow building. Complicated.
▪ Characters: Strong, feisty, lovable heroine. Sweet and gentle, sexy hero.
▪ Plot: Uniquely and gorgeously developed. Character driven.
▪ Writing: Flawless. Poetic. Insightful. BEAUTIFUL.
▪ POV: 1st Person: Alternating, dual perspectives.
▪ Cliffhanger:None
▪ HEA? Yes

*Arc provided by publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

[Emily May · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am conducting what I'm shelving as a "New Adult (NA) Experiment". I'm going to work my way through some of the popular New Adult books and see if I can weed out the crap and hopefully find some surprising gems. Here's hoping!

You know, I promised myself something before starting this book: either I would decide it wasn't for me and DNF it without a review, or I would be pleasantly surprised and continue to the end and write a glowing oh-my-I-can't-believe-it positive review. Neither actually happened. I finished this book and I enjoyed parts of it. I hated others. I only picked the arc up out of curiosity because, as much as I disliked both the author's other books, there was a HUGE improvement in the writing between Slammed and Hopeless. In fact, I even mentioned in my review of the latter that it was almost a good book. What stopped it from being a good book was the glorifying of control freaks and stalker-ish behaviour.

I felt a similar way about Maybe Someday. It was almost a good book and it was definitely better than the other two I've read. I'm starting to think that, if this pattern persists, Hoover might actually write a book I love in about five years time. There's a reason I managed to read every single page of this with ease and it's the same reason I made it through Hopeless - the author writes in an addictive, engaging style. Some people just manage to pull this off and make it seem effortless. It's so easy, so palatable, that you manage to finish it without realising where all the pages went. Hoover definitely deserves credit for that, if nothing else. I think I keep returning to this author because I know she writes so well.

The main things I liked:
Apart from what I mentioned above about the author's addictive easy-to-read style, I also liked the guy in this a lot more than in Hoover's previous works. Dean Holder from Hopeless managed to freak me out and piss me off simultaneously. He was a tall, gorgeous message to teen girls that stalkery, predatory behaviour is absolutely fine when the person doing it is hot. I mean, how much stupid is in this quote:

"My instinct is telling me to run and scream, but my body wants to wrap itself around his glistening, sweaty arms."

But Ridge isn't like that. He's sweet, he's a musician, he's completely free of Douchebag Syndrome. Oh, and he's also deaf. Personally, I thought this was an interesting and original touch that was explored well and sensitively. Very few hearing-impaired protagonists exist, never mind sexy love interests and I really liked this unique view of a relationship where one person is unable to hear the other. They communicate a lot via text and facebook, which was also different.

Where did it all go wrong?
The same place it always seems to go wrong in the New Adult genre: the way every woman but the MC is portrayed. I admit that I almost DNF'd this book after the prologue because Sydney (the MC) calls another girl a whore on page one, and then a few pages later has an encounter with a bitchy girl who - surprise! - is wearing a Hooters uniform:

I don't know why she's complaining about getting wet, when there isn't much clothing to get wet. She's wearing next to nothing. I glance at her shirt, which is missing its entire bottom half, and realize she's in a Hooters outfit. Could this day get any weirder? I'm sitting on almost everything I own in a torrential downpour, being bossed around by a bitchy Hooters waitress.



But, unfortunately, it doesn't stop there. I'm starting to wonder if this whole slut-shaming thing in NA is a group conspiracy. It seems to be a defining feature of the genre. Once again, every woman is Sydney's enemy and they are all "whores" or "sluts" who are unfavorably compared to our "good girl" MC. The book is saturated with language that either openly shames other women or snidely implies it. Like, for example, calling Tori "Barbie" - a word which is meant to emphasise the difference between the sexualized depiction of Tori and Sydney's good and pure behaviour. At one point, Sydney even doubts that Bridgette (Hooters girl) has it in her to love anyone. There is often a direct connection in these kind of books between being evil or "bitchy" and sleeping around. I feel like I'm being hit in the face with Sunday school.

You will probably like this book if:
- You liked the author's other books.
- You tend to like NA contemporary romance.
- You are not pissed off by 1950s-style portrayals of women.

[jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

maybe someday i will finally get over how much this story ruined me, but today is not that day.

__________________________________

this is my fifth CoHo book and she is 5/5 on making me ugly cry. ugh. every. single. time. her stories and words make me uncontrollably weep with every emotion i had no idea i was capable of feeling. goodness, this woman. what amazes me is how unique and different each of her books are. romance books can feel a little formulaic to me, but i never know what im going to get each time i open a new CoHo book. except for it ending with me ugly crying - thats a guarantee.

this story in particular really got me because it very gently crossed some lines that i never thought i would understand, let alone condone. but i truly felt for these characters. my heart was eager to back them up and support their actions because i understood everything little thing they did and felt and wanted and hated and needed. by the end, my heart was just as deeply in love as they were.

this book has the power turn even the most cold-heartedly independent person (such as myself) into a silly puddle of lovey mush. and who knows - maybe someday i will even find a ridge of my own. ;)

↠ 5 stars

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Someday stars!!!

Maybe not right now. Maybe not tomorrow. But maybe someday.

Colleen Hoover is one of those authors that never disappoints. I don’t think she has it in her to write anything other than perfection. I loved every chapter, every page, every word of Maybe Someday.

Sydney and Ridge’s story was so different, so original, and due to the nature of the story, it’s going to be hard to review. I’m going to hide all my spoilers, and I would highly recommend NOT reading any of them unless you’ve read the book. Go into it without knowing what it’s all about, it will make the story that much more powerful.


Sydney just caught her boyfriend of two years cheating on her. With her best friend. She doesn’t know what to do or where to turn, and ends up on her neighbor Ridge’s doorstep. There is something about Ridge that draws Sydney to him. She’s not in a place in her life to jump straight into another relationship, but it’s no secret she’s attracted to him.



Ridge doesn’t know Sydney well. He see’s her sometimes on her balcony, listening to him play guitar. He’s just an all around good guy and wants to help her out. She becomes the fourth roommate in a uniquely crazy trio, until she can get back on her feet.

Sydney and Ridge spend time together and connect over music. She is a muse to Ridge, inspires him to play and helps him with lyrics. They work well together. They are determined to keep it platonic, let it just be about the music but it’s not easy to fight this powerful attraction.

I’m convinced that people come across others in life whose souls are completely compatible with their own. Some refer to them as soul mates. Some refer to it as true love. Some people believe their souls are compatible with more than one person, and I’m beginning to understand how true that might be.

As their relationship/friendship develops, I found myself more conflicted than I ever have while reading... here is the part of the review to read ONLY if you’ve read the book... There is an unusual love triangle here. I say unusual, because you LOVE all three people in it. Who do you root for? Everyone is trying so hard to do the right thing, but you can’t fight feelings that intense. There were parts that broke my heart.

Ridge’s devotion for Maggie...

I will never ever leave her. I love her. I’ve loved her since the moment I met her, and I’ll love her until the moment I die.

How much he fought his feelings for Sydney...

Despite how hard we tried to fight it, all those things happened between us because our feelings for each other are becoming so much stronger than our desire. Desire is easy to fight. Especially when the only weapon desire possesses is attraction. It’s not so easy when you’re trying to win a war against the heart.

‘It shouldn’t be possible for the heart to love more than one person at once.’

And Sydney’s part in all this...

‘Hey, heart. Are you listening? You and I are officially at war.’


I loved how Sydney or Ridge never wanted to sneak around and be the cheaters. Sydney liked and respected Maggie and never wanted to go there. She also never pushed Ridge to break up with her. It’s hard to talk about their situation. But by the end, I was left in happy tears. I don’t know HOW she pulled it off, but the ending worked itself out in the best possible way.

“I need you... to hear this. I... will never... regret you.”

The characters were imperfect and flawed, yet completely and utterly lovable. Ridge was sweet, sexy, devoted and kind. Sydney was fun, strong and incredibly patient and understanding. Then there was Warren. There were times he pretty much stole the book. He was hilarious, but he had other sides. The pranks and his ‘tv’ nights killed me, and he had so many laugh out loud lines. I would LOVE a Warren spin off!

“I’ll make you a deal, I’ll keep my hands off you tonight so guys won’t assume you’re madly in love with me. I hate cock blockers, and I refuse to be one. But if anyone makes you uncomfortable, just look at me and give me a signal so I can swoop in and pull you out of the situation.”


Gah! He was just too funny!


I also want to comment on the music. I loved how much the story centered on the music and the connection these two character shared through it. It was very cool to be able to listen to the music after/during reading.

Colleen has a writing style that’s hard to describe. Her words just have this flow. They’re beautiful, captivating and suck you right in. Her writing is just flawless. I love her profound words that pop up-

‘Sometimes in life, we need a few bad days in order to keep the good ones in perspective.’

‘Heroines don’t need protecting.’

Once you start reading you can’t put the book down. It’s like life around you stops and you’re stuck in Hoover land. It’s a wonderful place to be. I can’t recommend this book enough. Heartwarming, heartbreaking, powerful and moving. I fell in love with this book. I loved how unpredictable it was. I can guarantee you won’t be able to tell whats coming next while reading! And I'm not sure how it's possible, but she delivered the perfect ending. Perfect! When it’s released, I encourage EVERYONE to get out there and get their copy. It’s a truly one of a kind, not to be missed book!



*ARC kindly provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I need someone who is willing to watch me brave the ocean and then dare me not to drown..."

First off December has been the month for good reads. Everything has been so good! Second I've been on a total Colleen Hoover kick. Third I think going into a book completely blank and with the smallest amount of information about the novel is the way to go. 
I picked up Maybe Someday only knowing that it was a story about a girl who falls in love with her musician neighbors and I assumed they hit it off. This book was so surprising. The story and the characters were SO far off from what I thought. All were such a pleasant surprise. 
Sydney
and Ridge’s story was so different, and so original. It’s going to be so hard to review this book due to the fact that something right away was such a surprise. I'm going to give NO hint too what it is regarding because not knowing. and the fact that others kept it such a secret really made this story amazing.

This book seriously starts off with face punch. Literally. Sydney catches her boyfriend of two years cheating on her. With her best friend/roommate. When her neighbor broke the news to her about her friends romance she ends up staying with him and hes roommates. The two bond over music and instantly become very close.
She becomes a muse to Ridge, and helps break his writers block. From there a friendship starts to become more than that. 

They however try so hard to keep it platonic, because Sydney clearly just got out of a tough relationship, and because Ridge has been in one of his own for years. This is the thing about Maybe Someday that I loved. It was all about building a friendship then turning into a relationship. It's so hard to say it wasn't a typical relationship because it's not but at the same time it is. The characters are both so well written. I love stories where either the girl is super sassy, and/or the guy is kind of a jerk turned nice guy... Neither of them are these things and I thought I was going to hate that... NOPE. They are nice, compassionate, natural people. 
Colleen Hoover is the Queen Bee of building up stories, sprinkling it with little surprises, then when she thinks you're not looking she reaches into your chest cavity and pulls out your heart.

When she finally has everything presented to you and door A and Bs are set in front of you, you wont know how to feel. This was another one of her books that I didn't think I would end up so upset over, but I was. I was on a roller-coaster of emotions. I didn't think Hoover could surprise me any further than she did with Ugly Love, she managed to do so much more than that. Every sentence down the the very last word was so poetically and beautifully written. Not kidding, the last sentence of this book couldn't have been more perfect. May Someday is yet another book this month that will be moving to the Hall of Fame Shelf. Yes it was just that good. I will continue my Hoover obsession and will be purchasing anything she puts out in the future. 

[mel ☽ · Rating 1 out of 5]

reread (2020): 1 star

lol never mind. i fucking hated this.

second-best: adjective
sec·​ond-best | \ ˌse-kən(d)-ˈbest
: Sydney Blake aka the heroine.

coward: noun
cow·​ard | \ ˈkau̇(-ə)rd
: Ridge Lawson aka the hero.

this about sums up the whole book.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

original rating (2015): 5 stars
past self, wth were you thinking?
my reading taste has changed sooo much.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me when finding out about Colleen Hoover's new book:







This is now me waiting for the book to come out:

[Christine Riccio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one, as I do with every Hoover book. Here's my full review/booktalk: http://youtu.be/2ZlpemVqyuk

[Ｄｒｅｙ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars!

... Matters of the heart.

Reread 7/27/21

Note: This is a forbidden romance.

My love for this one never ceases even the second time! I've never read a more passionate book than this masterpiece. If you haven't read this yet, what are you waiting for? I won't write a long-ass review why I loved this book because I know words can't do it justice. But, if you are sensitive to cheating in any way, shape, or form, unfortunately, this is not for you.

Maybe Someday Album by Griffin Peterson

"She’s worth it all. She’s worth more."

[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This love triangle is different from others I have read because there isn’t a villain or an unworthy person in the equation. All three characters’ feelings are equal and relevant and although we are only privied to two povs throughout the story, the third person’s side is felt throughout.

”It’s not so easy when you’re trying to win a war against the heart.”

Ridge is a work at home computer guy who song writes for his brother’s band Sounds of Cedar. He is in a five year relationship with Maggie, a gorgeous and wonderful girl. A connection across a courtyard that progresses through the music that sweeps the apartment complex has Sydney under his spell. She has a love of music and is taken by Ridge’s talents and soon the two make contact.

”I can’t deny it,though. Anyone who watches how passionately this guy plays would crush on his talent.”

Sydney lives with her best friend Tori and is in a two year relationship with Hunter. When the betrayal of her best friend and boyfriend is revealed Ridge opens his apartment to her and two begin working on lyrics to Ridge’s music and they experience insane amounts of chemistry and both fight those feelings.

[image error]

Ridge shares his apartment with Warren, Bridgette and now Sydney. Maggie visits regularly, Sydney and Ridge struggle with their building connection and feelings for one another (they create the most beautiful songs together), Warren and Bridgette get it on and then all of sudden BAM things get crazy. Of course there is a lot in between. Without spoiling anything, let me say I loved all the characters and disliked them at one point or another. This story has a big with the ending which I loved, but my feelings are still a bit all over the place.

I have conflicting feelings about how Ridge handled himself and his heart once he realizes it has been split in two. To be honest, I’m still thinking about this story and how I feel about it as a whole. The storyline was indeed unique and the characters truly tried to do the right thing. My issues weren't with Ridge’s feelings, perhaps his ingrained loyalty which may bother some readers more than me and some less than me. I would guess it’s up to the individual reader. Ridge truly was in a battle with his heart.

This is a story to be experienced and discussed with friends. I will definitely be swooning and ranting once this book is released with all of you!

Just read the epilogue on the author's page...Wow PEFECT ENDING!!!

Colleen Hoover, This story was painful and beautiful and unforgettable.

Simply put...



*ARC courtesy of Atria Books in exchange for an honest review*

[chan ☆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

How can two people who both have such good intentions end up with feelings, derived from all the goodness, that are so incredibly bad?

I thought is book was really sweet. I mean there were a lot of things that got on my nerves but it all worked out in the end.



****SOME SPOILERS****

Sydney meets Ridge by listening to him play his guitar on his balcony every day. She sits on hers and he sits on his across the way. Ridge has been having trouble writing his lyrics for the band and he sees Sydney singing to his music and thus it begins.

On Sydney's birthday she finds out from Ridge that her boyfriend of two years, Hunter, has been having a relationship with her roommate, Tori. He really didn't want to tell her but he couldn't put it off any longer. Ridge had seen them on the balcony. They say it was just sex and meant nothing, they had been having sex for years before they knew Syd. Seriously?

Anyway, Syd moves in with Ridge and his roommates, Bridgette and Warren. They are a hoot let me tell you.

Syd finds out Ridge is deaf but he can still play guitar and writes music for the band his brother formed. They are a big hit. Ridge won't play with them though because of his nerves and something else, but I won't tell you what that something else is, just something that is holding him back.

So Ridge and Syd communicate through text messages and the laptop. And they make music together. Syd writes the lyrics and Ridge plays, at least until he gets his muse back, which is through Sydney.





Then, Syd finds out Ridge has a girlfriend. Hello, you could have mentioned that from the beginning before I started falling for you. Men.

Maggie and Ridge have been together for 5 years and it's not all what it seems either. You know how you get comfortable with someone and they have other problems and you feel you can't leave them. But it all works out in the end for everyone.



I loved being able to read a nice fluffy book. Sometimes I just need to do that, although I don't need to explain myself to you. I enjoyed this book, but like I said I wanted to scream through some of it. I loved the characters and they all seemed to just get one another. Lovely.

MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List

[Amy | Foxy Blogs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read but this time I'm listening to it.
First reading was 2014
Second time was 2018
#UltimateReadingChallenge

For the January re-read challenge I decided to listen to Maybe Someday. This time I was able to relax more while listening to it since I knew the final outcome.

Hearing Zachary Webber voice bring to life the story was an audible pleasure.

Maybe Someday is an amazing standalone. There are some moments that will make you gasp and others that will make you hold your breath. Experience all the feels with this book.

_______________________
_______________________
(Original review in 2014)

Perfection!
When your book is so highlighted that it glows in the dark you know you have a winner!

So much to say and yet not wanting to reveal any plot twist I'll re-frame from divulging into the plot line.

The beauty of MAYBE SOMEDAY is it's a book you feel. With every heartbeat you feel like you're there experiencing the story. When CoHo describes something you find yourself mimicking the characters facial expression and/or movements.



My arc copy did not include the music links to feel the songs. But even without them I still think this book is SUPERB.

I've heard rumors about a love triangle with this book. If you want to know if the rumors are true or not click the first spoiler. Yes, there is a love triangle but remember this is CoHo and she isn't going to do us wrong. There are no bad guys in this love triangle. I liked all the characters.
Whenever you hear there is a love triangle the next question is- is there CHEATING? I'll answer that in spoiler in case you would rather not know. There is one brief kiss.

An epilogue is offered on CoHo's website. Click here.

Standalone
Release date: March 18, 2014

**ARC courtesy of Atria Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

40th book of 2014

[Whitney Atkinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I'm slowly beginning to think that Colleen Hoover just isn't for me. I don't understand the hype behind her whatsoever. The only good thing about this book was that it was fast-paced. That, and it had a cool twist that would be a spoiler to tell you, but if you've read it, you know what I mean and I really liked that aspect of it. But this book was just entirely too angsty. I hate that cheating is such a common trope used in New Adult, and although it may be realistic, it's OBNOXIOUS. If you cheat on your girlfriend, tell her and deal with the consequences and stop crying literally every 3 pages for half of this book. This book had no other plot other than a sob story about cheating and regret. Colleen Hoover loves including small phrases like "she hits like a girl" and "i need her to be vulnerable" (actual lines pulled from Ridge's POV), which totally rubbed me the wrong way. I just hate how Colleen Hoover tackles these serious problems and over-dramatizes them. By the end I was ready for this to be done so that there would stop being so much ridiculous angst.

Additionally, I wasn't a fan of the soundtrack for this book.

[Jess-i-ca ~Sometimes a Gif Witch~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - They can't all be a winner - stars

I'm sad I didn't love it but oh well.....



Ok now don't get me wrong this book was written great and I still love me some CoHo, but this was not by any means my favorite CoHo book.....Maybe its my fault for not reading the blurb bc I didn't care since it was a new CoHo book but I actually considered DNF because I saw where this book was headed and its one of my pet peeves.

“Nothing in my life has ever felt so good, yet hurt so achingly bad.”



I kept hoping that the heroine would wind up with someone other than the hero. I don't care what the circumstances are, the hero needed to man the eff up.



"...people don't get to choose who they fall in love with. They only get to choose who they stay in love with."



In my opinion, Sydney was a hypocrite and Ridge has no backbone. Loyal my ass. My heart broke for Maggie. Maggie was a great person. Ridge can go



Also, I feel like he was with Sydney by default. Like if everything wouldn't have gone down with Maggie he would have stayed with her.

Anyways



I still plan to read Colleen's future books because



and we share a love for

[Mo · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Sometimes in life, we need a few bad days in order to keep the good ones in perspective.”

This is my third book by Ms Hoover. I loved Hopeless. Was not too keen on Slammed. Yeah, saw all the rave reviews for this one and thought to myself will I? Still had a bit on the Amazon gift voucher…. Cos it’s not cheap for an e-book. You UK buyers are getting it for a bargain at your price. I buy on .com so it was a bit more.

“Hey, heart. Are you listening?
You and I are officially at war.”

I saw the reviews but I did not read them and I am so glad I didn’t as this book was a complete surprise for me. And a pleasant one.


So I don’t want to say too much about the book for fear of giving anything away. It was very emotional. I really did not know which way it was going…. I felt I was holding my breath for the last 20% of the book. But I ended up LOVING it.

“I...will never...regret you.”

Another reason I wasn’t going to read this is at is NA. He is 24 and she is 22. But it did not read like an NA book. It was just a good book.

“A life of mediocrity is a waste of a life.”

Like Colleen, I love music so this book had the added bonus of having music throughout it.

“I don't want to care. But I can tell by how disappointed I feel that I do care.”

“There will never be a maybe someday.”

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

REVIEW:

There is no doubt that Colleen Hoover can write any amazing novel. The development and interaction between Sydney and Ridge was pure magic. Their method of communicating with each other felt like a language meant only for Sydney and Ridge and I felt like a fly on the wall playing witness to their romance. One of elements of this novel that I appreciated was the lyrics. I usually cringe when I read lyrics in books because they come off so cheesy and unrealistic but not with Maybe Someday. Romantic. Heartbreaking. And uplifting. This book is a must read!

4.5 STARS

*I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Based off previous Colleen Hoover novels I will:

1. Cry
2. Fall in love
3. Have a new book boyfriend



Get ready mystery man, we are coming for you!

[Kelly (and the Book Boar) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/

A 4.38 average on Goodreads, you say? Yeah, that sounds about par for the course on books I rate 1 Star. Now, before everyone goes all cuckoo crazy I need to ask a favor . . . .



Don’t tar and feather me just yet. I’m actually one of you and have fangirled over CoHo in the past (see EXHIBIT A). In fact, the only story I didn’t like was Never Never and that was more because it was a serial (which I hate) and it didn’t have enough storyline in part one to keep me interested in obtaining a copy of part 2.

I didn’t like one diddly dang dong thing about Maybe Someday, though, and it began immediately with a tired trope that was just not cool with me . . .



Again, put the buckets of pig blood down. This tired trope has worked for me in the past (see EXHIBIT B ). It just has to be done the right way for me. THIS might be (and judging by the ratings obviously was) the right way for most everyone else.

When Sydney discovers her live-in boyfriend has been banging her bestie on the side, she finds herself jobless and homeless. Left out in the rain with nowhere to go, neighbor Ridge saves the day. Ridge and Sydney have been “communicating” via music through the courtyard for a bit, which has also given Ridge a front-row seat for the “extracurricular activities” Sydney’s significant other has been dabbling in on the side. He feels sorry for her so he (and his roommates) offer Sydney a place to stay. Soon Ridge discovers Sydney has a flair for writing song lyrics – something he has always done until a severe case of writer’s block kicked in. Working so closely together, it doesn’t take long for the two to realize they have an undeniable attraction to each other. But Ridge has a long-term girlfriend . . . .



Therein lies the rub. What exactly constitutes cheating? Well, as far as I’m concerned if I found my out my husband/boyfriend/whatever was spending his evenings lying in bed, making sweet, sweet music with another chick and due to . . . . reasons found it necessary to do things like wrap his arms around her or rest his hand across her heaving bosom in order to really “feeeeeeel” the music I’d probably react kinda like this . . .



And as soon as Sydney said “I will never, ever do that to another girl” - followed by locking lips with Ridge I knew I was going to get more than a lil’ bit ragey. Unfortunately . . .



But enough about that. Let’s move on to the other thing that ruined this book for me – the music. While I appreciate CoHo’s use of “mixed media” in her stories (especially in EXHIBIT C), it didn’t work for me this time around. The lyrics were super cheese-a-riffic and the whole idea really jumped the shark once I discovered there was a song entitled “Trouble” . . . .



I thought maybe it was just a case of needing the music rather than just reading the words so I took a couple of minutes to You Tube the songs themselves and hear what they sounded like. What I discovered? Nah, nah honey I’m good. I can definitely live without any of those on my iTunes playlist. (Please note I’m also a middle-aged woman who doesn’t like Adele. I should probably burn myself at the stake.) When I hear that songs are supposed to make me feely, they need to be feeeely. However, the feels I like to feel are things like anger : )

“Maybe that's what happens when a tornado meets a volcano
All I know is I love you too much to walk away though
Come inside, pick up your bags off the sidewalk
Don't you hear sincerity in my voice when I talk
Told you this is my fault
Look me in the eyeball
Next time I'm pissed, I'll aim my fist at the drywall
Next time? There won't be no next time!
I apologize even though I know its lies
I'm tired of the games I just want her back
I know I'm a liar
If she ever tries to fucking leave again
Im'a tie her to the bed and set this house on fire.”

Yeah, I’m nuts. Don’t get it twisted that I think that is a “sexy” song, though, ‘cause it’s not. The video on the other hand . . .



Aruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuga!

The point I’m trying to make is that it stirs emotion and these songs didn’t. I don’t want to make with the sexy to whiny crybaby songs by Bieber (only Erica gets off on that). I want to do the dirty to The Weekend . . .



Well, at least I did until it nearly got ruined for me by having a track added to the 50 Shades soundtrack. Then (much like with the "romance" in this book), my snatch was all like . . .



Bottom line is I hated this story (I know I was pretty vague up there so you might have had a hard time reading between the lines), but I’m still a fan of CoHo. Not every book works for every reader. Luckily at Goodreads you have the ability to read tons of different personal opinions (NONE of which are wrong). This one was already on your TBR? Definitely still read it. It wasn’t, but now you’re intrigued? Add it to the TBR. Hate that my opinion differs from yours and now you’re butthurt????



Ha! I keeeeeed. Well, kind of.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colleen Hoover can write books that I get quickly absorbed in and can't read fast enough. This book was no exception. I couldn't put it down while at the same time wanting to pull the two main characters aside and give them a serious talking to. The long and short of it is, Sydney finds out that her boyfriend has been cheating with her best friend who is also her roommate. She leaves and is quickly given a place to stay by Ridge, the man who she listens to play guitar at night. They bond over a love of music and spend time together working on lyrics and never, not once, does he divulge an important fact to her......How could that have possibly slipped his mind.

Anyway, I enjoyed most of the characters and was sucked in, I completely understand why some people had issues with this book. For me this was a very nice rebound book (get it) after reading a not so great book. It was nice to sink into a book and be completely captivated. Plus, I enjoyed reading both main character's POV chapters. It was nice to read what was going on in each of their heads.

[Hazel (Stay Bookish) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted at Stay Bookish

Here’s the thing: I’m a huge fan of Colleen Hoover- a tremendously HUGE fan. I’m in love with everything she writes and I’d basically buy anything she puts her name on. Colleen is high on my favorite author list and I’ve adored every single one of her books, especially this latest one, Maybe Someday.

Saying I was excited to read Maybe Someday would be quite the understatement. I basically counted down the days until it was released and no one would ever understand how ecstatic I was when I found out it had been already available at my local bookstore. I was not only thrilled that it was a Colleen Hoover book, but also that it had aspects I was interested in, like music and romance. The book focuses respectively on Sydney and Ridge, the female and male lead, who both have their own POVs. Their story is one of a kind- it’s incredibly heartbreaking, but most of all, beautifully told.

Sometimes in life, we need a few bad days in order to keep the good ones in perspective.

The novel starts with Sydney, who just turned twenty-two and was having the suckiest day of her life. Betrayed by her best friend and boyfriend, Sydney was angry, depressed, and was left with nowhere to go. From the very first line of the book, I knew Sydney was going to be a very readable character for me. If there was one thing I loved about her the most, it was that she kept things real. Her dialogues with the people around her were fun, her internal conflicts were so relatable and honest and she was a really good heroine in general.

In the midst of the disaster that is her life, Sydney finds a friend in her enigmatic musician neighbor, Ridge, and convinces herself that she’s only crushing on his guitar talents. I’m not even sure how to begin describing Ridge. He took me completely by surprise. I did not expect him to be how he is (those who’ve read will understand what I mean!) but I loved that Colleen Hoover made her male lead different from the rest and also so completely layered. I loved reading about Ridge’s disposition when it came to music- it was so interesting to look at things through his perspective. Aside from that, I loved his personality in general, how he is passionate and caring and also how he loves pranks!

I’ve learned that the heart can’t be told when and who and how it should love. The heart does whatever the hell it wants to do. The only thing we can control is whether we give our lives and our minds the chance to catch up to our hearts.

Ridge has been having a block when it came to writing lyrics so he collaborates with Sydney, who is utterly passionate about songs and music. The two grow attracted to each other but they establish a deeper connection more than just a physical one. However, Ridge has Maggie, his girlfriend, and that meant he and Sydney couldn’t and shouldn’t act on their feelings. I love that Maggie was not viewed as an antagonist of the story even though she was the reason Sydney and Ridge couldn’t be together and all. She was actually really wonderful and nice and you can see why Ridge loves her very much. Ridge’s best friend, Warren, was also a great minor character! I came to adore him during the entirety of the book, not only because he was pretty hilarious, but also because he was so frank and honest.

If I may be honest as well, I found Maybe Someday to be very conflicting- but in a really good “ahh omg feeeeels” kind of way! After all, the story revolves around a relationship that is wrong in the context of the situation but nonetheless feels so right, which I must say is totally confusing and frustrating, not just for the characters, but also for the reader (in this case: me), whose emotions become one with Ridge and Sydney’s. With Colleen Hoover’s expert writing, she manages to show us that there is more to these kinds of circumstances. It’s not about what’s right or wrong, it’s about the feelings that are there and about what the main characters choose to do about it. I loved how the two were both so mature, how they really tried so hard to fight their hearts and it tore me apart, seeing them struggle with their feelings so much.

People don’t get to choose who they fall in love with. They only get to choose who they stay in love with.

Not only was this book heart wrenching, it was also fascinating, what with the aspect of music and lyrics bringing Sydney and Ridge together. If there’s one thing that gets me as emotional as books do, it’s music. I have to say: my favorite part of this whole novel would be the lyrics. Every word was just so perfect for every scene, every emotion, and I just loved it beyond everything else. A gorgeous soundtrack accompanies Maybe Someday and it contains the songs Sydney and Ridge wrote for and about each other. Listening to the soundtrack album while reading the respective scenes was the best thing ever! I’ve never had such an unforgettable reading experience until this one!

All in all, I really loved Maybe Someday. It was poignant and thought provoking, not to mention a breath of fresh air compared to most of the books in this genre. Maybe Someday may be Colleen’s most complicated book yet but it’s also her most profound book so far. Sure to impress its readers, Maybe Someday brims with heart and hope.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I inhale read this in one sitting.
I highly recommend listening to the soundtrack along with the book.
This is for fans of the slow-burn, angst-filled romance. This book deals with a delicate situation in a realistic and complex way. I adored it.

[Larry H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe Someday is another home run from Colleen Hoover, leaving me sniffling and teary-eyed!! (This has become a regular occurrence when reading her books!)

From the moment she seems him playing the guitar on his apartment balcony, something about Ridge mesmerizes Sydney. He’s handsome, sure, but he has an indescribable appeal which, coupled with his talent, draws Sydney out on to her balcony across the way so she can listen to him play. She's embarrassed to admit this to her best friend and roommate, so she just pretends to study on the balcony a lot.

When Ridge notices Sydney singing words to the songs which don’t exist, he seeks her help with lyrics. Since she has a serious boyfriend, they just text back and forth, and songs are born.

One night everything falls apart for Sydney when she discovers her boyfriend and her roommate have been sleeping together. Ridge sweeps in to help his valuable lyricist and she temporarily moves in with him and his roommates. But what ensues is far more complex, intense, and emotional than it seems on the surface, leaving both of them to decide what path is the right one to take.

"How can two good people who both have such good intentions end up with feelings, derived from all the goodness, that are so incredibly bad?"

This book surprised me with a few of the twists Hoover threw in. They really brought a fascinating and utterly compelling perspective to the book and the love stories within it. Maybe Someday is super steamy at times, utterly poignant at others, and it really makes you wonder how even with the best of intentions you can hurt someone else so deeply.

I’ve become an enormous CoHo fan, having read five or six of her books in the last several months. I need to keep diving into her backlist! Any recommendations on which book of hers to read next?

Check out my list of the best books I read in 2019 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2019.html.

Check out my list of the best books of the decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.

See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.

Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.

[Lady Vigilante (Feifei) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Go get it!! >> http://amzn.to/1i6jCev <<

If you've read this already, go HERE for the epilogue written in a secondary character's POV. Password is the last word of the last chapter of the book.

4 STARS



Without a doubt, this book dealt a powerful blow to my feels and is one of the most emotionally charged stories I’ve read this year! Whenever I see a Colleen Hoover book, I know to brace myself for a story that builds up in intensity and showcases unique plot twists. Her stories are always so well-written (at least for me) and she knows how to make the little things count. She doesn’t trivialize. She doesn’t exaggerate. She delivers.



Sydney Blake has the perfect life: an attentive boyfriend Hunter, doing well in college, BFFs with Tori, etc…but on what should’ve been a fantastic, special day for her turns into her worst nightmare as she discovers Hunter has been cheating on her with Tori.

****MINOR SPOILER****

Okay so this is where I had a little problem. From the blurb I expected Sydney to be connecting with Ridge on a musical level after she finds out about Hunter and Tori, but she actually knows and chats with him beforehand. Not a bad thing, but the way it was introduced into the story i.e. the book structure (present, then flashback) cut my reading flow a little.

****END OF SPOILER****

Sydney has this special connection with Ridge that goes beyond their mutual love of music. There’s no name to it, but it’s a feeling you’ll experience when you read it because it’s so passionately and tenderly palpable.

Now you’re wondering okay, so what’s the story? Is it just them falling in love over making music? No it’s not, and normally I’m inclined to disclose details but this is one of the rare times I feel you should go into the book as blind as possible. But for those that just need a little more to go off of, this next section is for you.

****DETAILS IF YOU NEED MORE****

There’s no way to fluff it so I’m just going to say it: there is a love triangle so this story is essentially a forbidden romance. However, it was impossible for me to NOT appreciate the love triangle aspect as it’s so real and heartfelt and there is no bad guy. I’ll admit, it was a damn struggle to read 75% of the book because what these characters were going through wasn’t contrived or added in as a filler, but sensational and honest. It was how they felt and their natural response to these feelings. For me, reading this book was like opening a Pandora box full of emotions and letting those emotions smack me in the face over and over again.



While I actually enjoyed the love triangle aspect, it was the conclusion/ending of the triangle that brought down my rating. For me, the magic of Colleen Hoover’s writing is its spontaneity and unpredictability, and the fact that I can never really pinpoint what will happen next. Somewhere along the way, the unpredictable became predictable and that took away from the originality and thrill of reading Sydney and Ridge’s story. I’m not saying I hated the way Ridge “chose” one of the two girls, but it ruined the uniqueness of the love triangle aspect and no matter how well-written it was, I was left feeling underwhelmed. From this point of the book to the ending, I was pretty much done and felt the book should’ve ended, but it dragged on instead.

****END OF DETAILS****

Another thing I’m starting to notice in many NA books (and in this book too) is the slut-shaming of practically every female character but the heroine. I don’t usually point this out unless it really bothers me and it did. I genuinely liked Sydney but the time where she calls Tori a bitch (which she deserves) and then immediately after sees another girl in a Hooters uniform and thinks “I don't know why she's complaining about getting wet, when there isn't much clothing to get wet.” and calls her a bitch annoyed me. Putting the name of “Barbie” on Tori I think was supposed to be humorous, but I felt like it was used as a distinction between our good girl heroine and bad girl, punishment-deserving female characters. Quite honestly, the book could’ve omitted that part because Sydney is a great heroine; I never felt the need for any justification to why I shouldn’t like her.

I had originally planned on giving this book 3.5 stars because the problems I stated above were a raging forefront in my mind, but after a night’s sleep I realized that the emotional intensity and good writing quality were what stood out to me more than any of the problems so it’s a 4 star read. Though I can’t say I fully enjoyed the book, it’s truly an unforgettable story; that point is undeniable.

ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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[♥Rachel♥ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well I guess I'm the odd duck here because I didn't like this. The only reason I'm rating it 2 stars and not 1 is because I did like how it ended, mostly. I completely lost respect for Ridge with his treatment of both women. Mostly Sydney, though.

[Ninoska Goris · Rating 3 out of 5]

English - Español

With this book two totally new things are given to me: a love triangle with two women and a man and a protagonist who is deaf.

The strangest thing about Ridge is that he plays the guitar and composes songs, music and lyrics. It's lovely to see him with Maggie, but it's also lovely to see him with Sydney. They are two people who blend very well, something like your soul mate if it were in an ideal world. The stories of how he and his little brother Brennan grew up are simply heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time.

His life was tough since childhood with abusive parents, unconcerned and ashamed of his deafness, having to practically raise Brennan. But now he has his brother and his best friend Warren, who is like another brother and my favorite character in this book.

Sydney, oh Sydney, is my least favorite of all in the book, including Bridgette. I don't identify with her in absolutely nothing. First, when she is without a boyfriend and homeless she prefers being under the rain sitting in her suitcases than going up to look for her wallet, staying in an apartment where she doesn't know anyone, falling in love with a man who has girlfriend and who has told her that he isn't going to leave her and have the nerve to tell him that they can't be together now because he just finished with Maggie when she not only liked Ridge since she had a boyfriend, but just several weeks of finishing with Hunter was already falling in love with Ridge and the worst is that she spend most of half book crying.

Despite Sydney and that many things happen that can be considered as infidelity, I liked the book. It goes fast, it doesn't bore and it ends like it has to end.

The next book in this series is of Warren and I coudn't be happier.

✨✨✨

Con este libro se dan dos cosas totalmente nuevas para mí: un triángulo amoroso con dos mujeres y un hombre y un protagonista que es sordo.

Lo más extraño de Ridge es que toca la guitarra y compone canciones, música y letra. Es adorable verlo con Maggie, pero también es adorable verlo con Sydney. Son dos personas que se compenetran muy bien, algo así como tu alma gemela si fuera en un mundo ideal. Las historias de cómo crecieron el y su hermano Brennan son simplemente desgarradoras e inspiradoras al mismo tiempo.

Ha pasado mucho trabajo desde pequeño con unos padres abusivos, despreocupados y avergonzados de su sordera, teniendo que prácticamente criar a Brennan. Pero ahora cuenta con su hermano y con su mejor amigo Warren, quién es como otro hermano y mi personaje favorito de este libro.

Sydney, oh Sydney, es mi menos favorita de todos los que aparecen en el libro, incluyendo a Bridgette. No me identifico con ella en absolutamente nada. Primeramente cuando se queda sin novio y sin casa prefiere pasar trabajo, como estar bajo lluvia sentada en sus maletas que subir a buscar su cartera, quedarse a vivir en un apartamento donde no conoce a nadie, enamorarse de un hombre que tiene su novia y que le ha dicho que no la va a dejar y tener la desfachatez de decirle que no pueden estar juntos ahora porque el acaba de terminar con Maggie cuando a ella no solo le gustaba Ridge desde que tenía novio, sino que apenas varias semanas de terminar con Hunter ya se estaba enamorando de Ridge y lo peor de todo es que se pasa medio libro llorando.

A pesar de Sydney y de que pasan muchas cosas que se pueden considerar como una infidelidad, el libro me gustó. Va rápido, no aburre y termina como tiene que terminar.

El próximo libro de esta serie es de Warren y no puedo estar más feliz.

[Claudia Lomelí · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review to come later. For now, I just have to say that Warren was my favorite character <3. Also, that it bothered me a little that Sydney spent half of the book crying. I'm not even joking, she was always crying!

Anyways. I really liked this book <3.

LATER (as in two days later):

OK, I'm finally ready to review this. I'll be brief. First of all, I love Colleen Hoover and this book didn't let me down <3. The writing was just as beautiful as always and the characters were endearing. I didn't expect THAT Rigde was deaf! thing about Ridge. When he made the revelation (early in the book) I was SO bewildered! I don't know, maybe it is because I had never read book with a main character (and narrator!) with that condition (until this book, anyway).

I really loved Ridge... there were times when I wanted to punch him, but overall he was an amazing guy that made my heart explode with love (and he also broke it a few times!). Sydney was also likeable, but not my favorite. As I said before, she was always crying! She was happy: she cried. She was sad: She cried. She was angry: She cried. UGH, sometimes I was just like: "OK SYD, that's enough!" But she didn't stop. Also, I loved Warren... at first I thought he was a jerk, but OH, he's the best friend Sydney and Ridge could ever ask for!

I'm glad with the way things ended in this book. Ridge had a difficult choice to make and I think that Maggie helped him a lot with that.

Also, I teared up every time Ridge spoke to Sydney. OH GOD, I couldn't handle it! Those scenes where so heart wrenching and BEAUTIFUL! Every word Ridge spoke to Sydney was beautiful and perfect and made me cry like a baby. Really, my FEELS where all over the place!.

And hmmm... I think that is all (?), haha.

[Ash Wednesday · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 STARS

People don’t get to choose who they fall in love with. They only get to choose who they stay in love with.

Well if there’s one good thing I can say about Colleen Hoover at this point in my reading canon, there is something about the way she writes that allows me to finish her book in a day. There’s an ease in the way she tells a story, a manner that keeps my attention even when I don’t like what is going on. I can’t seem to look away, even when half the time I’m alternating between wanting to smack and throttle the protagonists senseless.

INSTA-BLURB: Sydney is forced to leave the apartment she shares with her friend Tori upon discovering that she occasionally hits up her boyfriend, Hunter, for meaningless sex. Penniless, purseless and jobless, she finds herself squatting with Ridge, the cute musician from the apartment across who has convinced her to write lyrics for him as rent after he sees her singing along his impromptu balcony concerts. This of course leads to writing sessions that don’t really end up as writing sessions as Ridge and Sydney start to feel a forbidden attraction towards each other.

Basically, Maybe Someday is a 367-kindle pages guide on how to rationalize infidelity. How to justify falling for your writing partner while being in love with your girlfriend who, because this wouldn’t be a Hoover book if not, suffers from a deadly disease that will kill her before she reaches the age of 30.

It’s pages and pages of guilt, conflicting emotions, jealousy and guilt over being jealous. A lengthy introspection on love and hearts within hearts, and hearts being halved and a valiant attempt at trying to portray the concept of loving more than one person in a mature and dignified manner. It felt a lot like it was trying to sell me this product, pointing out the good and the bad, giving balanced perspectives through alternating POVs between Sydney and Ridge…

…only to draw the conclusion that the answer is in listening to one’s heartbeat.



I don’t know, it just ended up being too Hallmark treacly for me. Initially I was sold on the originality of choosing a deaf musician for a hero. I mean, who would rage on a guy who is simultaneously sweet, sensitive and hell bent on being faithful to his girlfriend? I was wary that his deafness opens an avenue ripe for emotional exploitation. Well this kind of did and did not. A lot of his and Sydney’s scenes together seem to be written around that particular detail and most of their tender moments used that as an emotional crutch, so to speak. So when the whole Maggie subplot was brought into the picture, it just got a little over the top, dramatic gimmickry for me.

And since I don’t know how to lead into this thought, I’m just going to come out and say it: I did not get the Maggie love. I’m a heartless monster, I know. But apart from Ridge, Warren and Sydney saying so, why again is she awesome? Atleast the emotional manipulation from Ridge’s character is subtle, Maggie was just too in-your-face for my tastes. To be clear, it’s not just the Nicholas Sparksing of Maggie that didn’t sit right with me, I felt she was poorly explored as a character outside of her and Ridge’s story, making it difficult for me to appreciate her distinctly from him.

There was so much angst going on, the book somehow forgot to illustrate the happiness any of these characters derive from each other. From where I stand, everyone would probably be better off single.

It feels a bit strange complaining about that in a Colleen Hoover book. Though it’s been a while since I last read an original story from her, I remember that she writes particularly endearing interludes between her protagonists. She has a knack for writing in charm in the banter between her leads and in her secondary characters that subtly compliments the heavy drama in her climactic scenes. I find myself missing Kiersten’s wit in all that Pine-Sol and Warrenisms.

Despite all of that, I would’ve still given this a 3-star rating.

Had it not been for Sydney.

Him: Do you sing in the shower?

I shake my head, confirming my initial suspicion. He’s a flirt. Of course he is, he’s a musician.

Me: I don’t know what kind of question that is, but if this is your attempt at flirting, I’ve got a boyfriend. Don’t waste your time.

That’s the exact point that I knew I am not going to be a fan of this girl. There’s a certain kind of presumptuousness from her that rubbed me wrong in that exchange. I have guy friends who’ve relayed anecdotes similar to this one and most of them ended with “I have a girlfriend too, I’m actually not hitting on you believe it or not.”

I’m supposed to like her better because she spends a great deal of time being morally conflicted with her feelings for Ridge and her experience with Hunter. But the way she phrases her thoughts in her POVs runs a whole roller coaster of annoying to ANNOYING:

✔︎ I’m happy that he’s here. I’m pissed off that he’s here.
✔︎ Please, let it be Ridge. Please, don’t let it be Ridge.
✔︎ I’ve never felt about anyone or anything the way I feel about him.
✔︎ Oh, my God he looks incredible. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen him on a stage.
✔︎ I love the fact that Hunter is about to turn around and witness Ridge looking like this. (i.e. Shirtless.)

It cheapens an already shallow character, one that fit so incongruously in a story that already struggles with keeping up the appearances of being a New Adult Contemporary Romance of depth.

Once upon a time I thought Slammed was the best book I’ve ever read.

I’ve read everything Colleen Hoover has written ever since, in the hopes that I can recapture that first read high. I can see her evolution as a writer. But I’m not quite sure I’m evolving in the same path with her anymore.

We both know where we want to be; we just don’t know how to get there.
Or when we should get there.

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