Ugly Love - Colleen Hoover

This is the first book I have reviewed in awhile, it's also been quite difficult to focus on reading due to personal reasons but that's by the by. So, let's delve into Ugly Love then by Colleen Hoover. Firstly, I think I should let you know that when I found this book, I was dealing with some personal issues and hurting. Maybe that's why this book stood out to me in the first place as it resonated with previous experiences and current feelings, and I knew as soon as I started reading the first page, I was hooked. I couldn't put it down, I connected with this book and the story behind it. 

As I am sure you can guess Ugly Love is all about relationships, regret and the hard truths of love. Which is that it can get ugly. No one wants it to but it does, and love does come unexpectedly at times for people that you never thought it possibly could. This is what happened for both Tate and Miles in this wonderfully and beautifully set up storyline of two people, who aren't friends and they aren't together but have pure sexual chemistry. Miles, closed off due to his past and Tate, a strong and admirable young woman busy with school and work, find themselves losing the battle of becoming emotionally attached when they start to embark on this sexually pleasing experience together. Which opens up a lot of questions for myself, why can't sex be casual? Does it always have to lead to being emotionally attached? Why do men struggle so much to communicate that they are just as confused as you? Why do people repeat the same processes, which ends badly every time, just to be left feeling hurt?

Can I say that this book answered all of my questions? No, it didn't but (and this is why I admire the strength in Tate ironically) it did allow me to see that even though you may have these powerful, chemical feelings it doesn't have to consume you. You can still live and enjoy your life. Everyone in their lives will experience meeting that one person, who consumes them. You feel them everywhere, even when they aren't around and hurt for them and because of them all at once. I am not proud of myself, for admitting this (and apologies if this review reads like a diary entry haha) but there are people in my life that bring out the best and worst of me at the same time. I will always let them in and that's a known fact. But I do think to reach that intensity with someone it has to work both ways, not recommending it or telling you to seek out that kind of relationship with someone but if you have it then reading this book will definitely resonate some home truths. 

There was many positives to reading Ugly Love for me, it made me understand myself better a little bit, it was nice to read about a similar situation that I have previously been in, and it showed me how strong my empathy for BOTH characters (even though I thought some of the things Miles did was out of line) is. It was also very imaginative and fiery which was a plus. I believe that I started this book a little over a week ago and I have finished it. The fact that I read it that quick shows how invested I was in the characters and the situation, it was beautifully written and I thank Colleen for writing this book, it communicated emotions, regret and lust extremely well and delicately at times. 

Personally, I feel like this book is in two halves. One half (the start until Miles' realisation that he needs Tate in his life) I can completely feel and understand on a personal level, there was a lot of hurt, darkness and anguish in the set up and development and I was here for it. But then moving onto the second half, and perhaps this is due to it mapping onto my own experiences a little too much, I started to relate a little bit less and felt like the emotions started becoming a bit PG friendly. I can't lie, I was disappointed in this a little because as you start to read it, the book has a darkness at its core which is super powerful and beautiful as well as soul crushing. I was expecting this book to break my heart (even more) into a million pieces but the end seemed to wrap everything up in a nice little neat bow. I do understand why, every situation needs to come to an end and everyone deserves to be happy. Again, this might be mostly due to my own feelings right now but I wanted them to end hard, brutal and painful. I thought this is what the book was promising, not the wrap up warm fuzzy feelings it delivered. There were elements of darkness at the end, which was appreciated, where Miles couldn't cry or feared he wouldn't feel as strongly about certain life changing moments as he did the first time around. As always trying not to ruin the story so that you still read it if you want to. I just felt that the ending was rushed and I would have liked the story to continue with another book, where it focussed on Tate realising she deserved more and Miles then having to chase her more. But again, that's by the by. Just an opinion. 

I do know that there is a film adaptation to this book, and a big part of me wants to watch it but I worry that it will take away from the adult experience I had to a very teenage angst perception so I am not sure that I am ready to watch this yet. For example, as much as I enjoyed To all the boys I've loved before I am not sure that I want this book to have a similar bright outlook if that makes sense? 

This has probably been the biggest review that I have ever given. My bottom line here is if you love someone and feel that connection with them but can't see yourself being together for whatever reason, but still want them in your life, no matter how much it hurts then you should read this book. Fall in love. Fall in Ugly Love. Just don't expect the happy ending. 

Bookmark this book:

If you are curious about this book after my review, then just click the book to access the link to purchase. I earn nothing by redirecting your clicks to Amazon etc. Just trying to be helpful. You can also purchase this at Asda like I did as part of the two books for £8 deal.  

I also found these really cute bookmarks that you can purchase for dirt cheap if you would like, I will be buying my own. Again, link is sat behind the image. 

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