Losing Hope: A Novel

Product Description

#1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover held readers spellbound with her novel Hopeless, the story of what happened when a troubled girl named Sky encountered a long-lost childhood friend, Dean Holder. Now, in Losing Hope, we finally learn the truth about Dean Holder.

Haunted by the little girl he couldn’t save from imminent danger, Holder’s life has been overshadowed by feelings of guilt and remorse. He has never stopped searching for her, believing that finding her would bring him the peace he needs to move on. However, Holder could not have anticipated that he would be faced with even greater pain the moment they reconnected.

In Losing Hope, Holder reveals the way in which the events of Sky’s youth affected him and his family, leading him to seek his own redemption in the act of saving her. But it is only in loving Sky that he can finally begin to heal himself.

Top Reviews

Equally as good as Hopeless
by Kindle Customer (5 out of 5 stars)
April 18, 2017

So, for starters, this is COMPANION and NOT A SEQUEL. I knew this before reading the book. I was somewhat concerned that it would be repetitive of Hopeless without filling in more of the story to the reader. Hopeless itself was fulfilling and didn't leave me to ponder many unanswered questions. However, I did enjoy this book every bit as much as I enjoyed Hopeless. And although it may seem repetitive to have the same scenes in both books, it is helpful to know where you are at in the story's timeline. I definitely learned more about all the characters in Losing Hope. And the new perspective does fill in things that I didn't expect. Now on to Finding Cinderella. #cohort
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I loved reliving this story about Hope, Dean, and Les thru Holder's eyes. 5 loving stars.
by Buzy_reading (5 out of 5 stars)
May 15, 2015

I love being inside Dean's head reading his journal entries. This story is about Dean and how he deals with losing both Hope and Les.

Colleen handles these sensitive subject matters with great precision. High school is tough and I've never personally known someone to die during that time so this is a new experience for me. Colleen has covered all the bases.

Colleen adds a nice balance to this story considering the topic of death and kidnapping. There's humor mixed in with grief. There's anger mixed in with happiness. There's fighting mixed in with loving. There's intimacy mixed in with cheating.

I read Hopeless maybe 3 years ago and have wanted to read Losing Hope for those 3 years. I am amazed how easily all the information came back so simply. It was as if I read it yesterday. That story imprinted itself on my mind forever. I'm not one to remember details of a story but this one is still fresh in my mind. It has a draw to me. It touched my heart.

Holder is playing the part of a patient guy and its intoxicating. The flirting is seductive. I'm imprinting each moment in my mind. I love how Holder wants every moment to have meaning. Each shared encounter ship has to be relevant. I'm driven crazy by the sweet torture of Holder and his appreciation for Sky when he's adoring her.

I'm so wrapped up this story for a second time and I can't pull myself away. There is no part of the story that is easy to step away from. From one chapter to the next I find myself eagerly turning the pages. I love Holders character. I find Colleen has a way of capturing the innocence of a young male character. It's so sweet and pure. It makes me ache to have that tenderness.

Colleen you have a brilliant mind. I can see why people love you so much. You have this ability to look at all possible scenarios. You are like the devils advocate. Someone who can understand every possible path and give clarity to that perspective. That's what draws the reader. It's emotional and dynamic.
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Get ready to fall in love with this book...
by Gabriella (5 out of 5 stars)
March 23, 2014

After reading Hopeless (and loving it) I was hesitant about Losing hope. I thought maybe it would be repetitive and not as gripping as Hopeless. I honestly doubted that Coleen Hoover was going to write the same story again and get the reader just as involved as with Hopeless. I was wrong. I can't explain how she does it, but even though you're reading the same story it is completely different. A lot of the words might be the same, but the perspective, the feelings they convey, and the way they grab at you makes you feel you're reading it for the first time, but even better, because having read sky's side and now reading Holder's side now you feel completely surrounded by their feelings, their world and the events that are enfolding them. You feel your are as much part or the story as they are, because she has a beautiful and really kind of perfect way of putting feelings into words. And you will hopelessly fall in love with Holder again and again with every turn of the page. Anyone that reads hopeless has to read Losing hope. They should actually be sold together because with Losing Hope you get all the closure and and the loose ends finally come together to create a perfect circle. It absolutely is the other half of the first book.

One of the best YA authors out there.
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Five bright glittery stars!
by Jamie Casey (5 out of 5 stars)
May 26, 2019

This book was as good as Hopeless. This book is a game changing book. It was amazing to get to see Holder's side to the story and I loved every single minute of it. Every single minute. Loved it.

We get a good glimpse of his emotions during Hopeless but that isn't the same as the entire story from his point of view.

Hopeless is also a five bright glittery stars. Just a fabulous series. These characters just grab hold and don't let go even after the last word has been written. I don't remember if I cried during Hopeless but I definitely sobbed during this one. Amazing writing and amazing story.
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STUNNING!
by Val (4 out of 5 stars)
June 1, 2019

So, I didn't expect it to be POV of Dean Holder. I figured even if it's same story of 1st book, I'll give it a shot. I didn't think I would have tears again...about Les & how it is a big factor of them all...Oh, man, the water works on Dean Holder. I don't regret buying this in Kindle Format & listening to the audiobook! I love knowing what Dean went through with her. Just beautiful to know how he handle things and do his best to keep the love going...Damn, I didn't believe I would love his character even more but man, cheese & rice, it's possible. STUNNINGLY AMAZING BOOK EVER.
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Holder & Sky
by Julie H (4 out of 5 stars)
June 8, 2015

MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS - I was hoping that this story retold in Holder's POV would add something overall but, for me, it really didn't. It reminded me what a fantastic story Hopeless was and it filled in some of the blanks on Holder's background, especially how he dealt with the suicide of his twin sister. Holder was on a pedestal before as the most perfect boyfriend in history. Now we get to see him as a normal teenager, full of angst after Les' death, learning he had a sexual past before he met Sky again. Their banter is so cute and I loved how Holder held off on that first kiss, wanting Sky to find significance in their connection unlike the other boys she'd been with. My most memorable sex scene EVER isn't technically a sex scene. It is the bedroom scene with Sky & Holder when he is trying not to kiss her but their chemistry is off the charts & he begins rubbing against her, fully clothed. Who doesn't remember those times when "dry humping" was the best thing ever! Even when Holder isn't sure what to do, when he runs away from Sky so he doesn't have to tell her about her past, Sky can be angry but she still feels that connection to him. Amazing, these two are just kids & their chemistry sizzles! Pretty dark story for Colleen Hoover but still one of my favorites!
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beautiful
by Heather Orgeron (4 out of 5 stars)
July 8, 2013

I am giving Losing Hope 4 beautiful stars. I won't give it five simply bc it did not affect me in the same way that Hopeless did. I can't give it the same rating as Hopeless, which I gave 5 stars and would give 10 if I could. It is however really really good for basically the same story in a different POV.

I enjoyed the first half of the book the most. This is mostly because this is the time period where Holder and Sky are not ALWAYS together; so it's not mostly the same dialogue as Hopeless, with different thoughts.

By the time I hit 10% of the book, I realized that I'd had tears streaming for a while. Going through Holder losing Les was rough. I loved that we got to experience their relationship a little and understand his love and his pain.

I also enjoyed getting to know Daniel, Holder's best friend. He is really funny and loyal. He is a really good best friend and it was touching to see that he had someone so amazing to help him through the loss of his sister. Daniel is always wanting to fight for Holder and calls him these crazy nicknames. Really, he has nicknames for everyone and they are hilarious.

It was neat being in Holder's head when he first thinks he sees Hope at the grocery store:
"I care more for this girl than any other girl in the world, who isn't Les. I loved Hope like a sister when we were kids and seeing her again has brought back all those same feelings. It's causing my hands to shake and my heart to pound and my chest to ache because all I want to do is wrap my arms around her and hold her and thank God we finally found each other."

Oh Holder how I love thee, let me count the ways.... We all already realize that Holder is the most amazing guy ever from his actions and what he says in Hopeless right? Well, now you get to go behind the scenes and see what is in his head....just a few swoon worthy Holder thoughts:
"I'm scared if I kiss her too soon, it'll feel like every other kiss she's ever received. She'll feel nothing. I don't want her to feel nothing when I kiss her. I want her to feel everything."
"I'm pretty sure it's too soon to love her, but shit. She's got to stop doing and saying these unexpected things that make me want to fast-forward whatever's going on between us. Because I want to kiss her and make love to her and marry her and make her have my babies and I want it all to happen tonight."
"Time has completely stopped, and all I'm thinking about while we kiss is how this is what saves people. Moments like these with people like her are what make all the suffering worth it. It's moments like these that keep people looking forward and I can't believe I've let them slip by for an entire month"

A few shocking secrets come out at the end that were not a part of Hopeless and it goes a little further than the ending of Hopeless in regards to what happens with Sky and Holder next.

It really is a great companion novel. Who doesn't want more Holder? I loved him before and love him even more now! Well done Colleen Hoover!
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Love these words!
by Kindle Customer (5 out of 5 stars)
October 27, 2019

Love, love, LOVE! I truly love Hopeless, and Losing Hope answers a few questions on the Dean side of things. He had a fresh perspective, and we were able to see his side of it all. I mean, some of the things he did in Hopeless were kinda weird, like when he gets up and leaves the table when he finds the bracelet on Sky, why? Where did he go? Why did he not say he was sorry? We hot those answers and much, much more! Love it just as much!
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YOU HAVE TO READ THIS ONCE YOU'VE READ HOPELESS... DO NOT MISS THE REST OF THE STORY!!!!
by AZ_Judy (5 out of 5 stars)
November 2, 2013

From my review of Hopeless by Colleen Hoover:
"The magic that is Hopeless comes from enchantingly real characters, a love that is founded in purity and innocence which then blossoms into an all-consuming unconditional love. A love that is tested and proven when the heartbreaking truth of the past throws Sky and Holder into shocking new grief. With each part of Sky's heart that Holder came to own, they came to own a part of mine."

Losing Hope is the story of Hopeless from Dean Holder's point of view. This was the first time that I read a book which was the same story/different POV and I didn't know what to expect from it. Wow, reading this book was heart wrenching, eye opening, and really dug into the my emotions as Holder's story is told. It not only filled in the blanks of the times when he acted without explanation (i.e. re the bracelet) or disappeared from the story in Hopeless, it gave such new depth into his feelings of grief and guilt at having failed to save Hope and Les. Having read the two books, I experienced one incredible journey into the lives of Sky and Holder with everything exposed. Even knowing the secrets of the past and the plot of what would happen, thinking I could handle the emotions better in this book because of the same, I was lost in emotion again and again. So much for being prepared! Ha!

I loved the author's technique of having Holder journal by writing to Les. In this way we really get to learn what he is going through and thinking. Since he wasn't talking to his parents or friends or Sky about these things, the journaling was a genius way to let us into his head and heart. I didn't think it was possible, but the love story between Sky & Holder is even more beautiful in this book. We learn how truly affected Holder is by Sky and how perceptive and gentle and tender his intentions are with her.

I have to say that I had a feeling about what was to come at the end of the book and I had to read through tears.

If you haven't yet read Hopeless, DO IT NOW, and don't stop there! As soon as you finish it, read Losing Hope! Each book is amazing, and the excerpt from my review of Hopeless that is quoted above applies equally to Losing Hope. Together, they are one of my favorite reading experiences EVER, even with the difficult subject matter.

Recommended for readers 18+ due to mature subject matter.
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A perfect companion novel for Hopeless that was just wow.
by Liljerk1012 (5 out of 5 stars)
September 21, 2014

Wow. That Colleen Hoover sure knows how to write a book. This is second book in the series; Hopeless is the first book. If you haven't read Hopeless, don't read this review for Losing Hope, there's some things in my review that will spoil Hopeless. Losing Hope is told through Holder's eyes. The majority of it takes place in the same timeline as Hopeless. However, we get a lot of new scenes without Sky, and a few new ones with her. I went back and reread some parts in Hopeless that were currently happening in Losing Hope. It was great to be able to know what was happening in both Sky and Holder's heads. We also get to learn so much more about Holder and the pain and guilt he's harbored for the past thirteen years about Hope, and the past thirteen months about his sister Les. We get to see the night before Les kills herself and the day that she does and it is just heartbreaking. As much as I loved reading more about Holder and Sky, my favorite parts of the book were when Holder wrote to Les. A few days after Les dies, he finds a blank notebook in her closet. He begins to write to her. The first few letters to her just broke my heart and made me cry. Then the letters became fun and funny. There were some more sad parts to some of the letters but it was good to see that interaction even though it was only on Holder's end. As much as I wished things were different for Sky in Hopeless, I wished that for Les in this book. I was just really sad that Holder lost her and sad that she lost herself. There were a couple of more twists that took me by surprise and I loved it. Once again, every part of this book was perfect. Something that I've noticed in Hoover's books are that her characters are very likeable and relatable; not annoying. It sounds a little funny, but sometimes a character in a book is too stubborn and selfish and it's really frustrating for the reader. I'm excited to begin the next book, Finding Cinderella, which is a novella. It focuses on Holder's best friend, Daniel that we meet in Losing Hope. I'll leave you with one of my favorite lines: I wonder if it's possible for people to fall in love with a person one characteristic at a time, or if you fall for the entire person at once

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