Review: Woman Down by Colleen Hoover

 

Publication Date: January 2026

Publisher: Montlake

Blurb: (Goodreads)

Her words used to set the page on fire. But a viral backlash over her latest film adaptation forced Petra Rose to take a hiatus, resulting in missed deadlines and an overdue mortgage. Branded a fraud and fame-hungry opportunist, she learned the hard way what happens when the internet turns on you. And she’s been uninspired to write ever since.

Now, with her next suspense novel outlined and savings nearly gone, she retreats to a secluded lakeside cabin, hoping to find inspiration. It’s Petra’s last-ditch attempt to save her career—and herself. Then he shows up.

Detective Nathaniel Saint arrives with disturbing news, his presence igniting a creativity in her she thought long since burned out. Petra’s words return in a rush, and her fictional cop character begins to mirror the very real cop who’s becoming her muse.
Their “research” sessions blur the lines between fantasy and reality. Each glance, every touch pulls Petra deeper into a world she thought she’d never lose herself in again. She’s never felt more alive. But inspiration this powerful comes at a cost.

When Saint starts taking his role in her career a little too seriously, Petra’s forced to confront the chaos she created. But doing so could cost her more than the reputation she’s been trying to salvage. The reputation the world wrote for her—the reputation only she can reclaim.

I think Colleen Hoover should stick to writing thrillers over romance. I have enjoyed more of her thrillers than her romances much much more.

Although this one didn't hit as hard as I thought it would, I still flew through it in a few days. 

It did feel a little hard to separate the art from the artist so to speak with this one as the plot focuses around an author whose novel has been made into a movie which has faced severe backlash within the crew and online. Hmm where have I heard this before... 

Looking past all of that, I found that once I started reading the book it was a real addictive page turner. Although some parts of the plot felt a little far-fetched as I tried to suspend my belief that this could plausibly happen - an author renting a cabin in the middle of the woods and having a man that is basically her character arrive at the door and engage in an outlandish role play relationship to further her novel... I did actually end up enjoying the wild rollercoaster of a novel. 

The ending felt a little bit flat for me, it seemed a little too rushed and tying up loose ends as quickly as possible. But overall a fun, crazy, thriller that was a good quick read. Hopefully Colleen Hoover writes some more thrillers as I think they are better and more entertaining than her romance novels. Overall - pick this one up for some fun, outlandish reading that you can fly through but won't blow your socks off.