Review: Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

Publisher: Atria
Publication Date: August 5th, 2014
Pages: 336
Source: Purchased
Rating: 5/5
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When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she doesn't think it's love at first sight. They wouldn't even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn't want love, she doesn't have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her.

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

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

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

I bow down to you, Colleen Hoover. See that? My nose is touching the floor. You are the queen. I would read the phone book if you wrote it. Honestly, do you know how to write a story that won't tear my heart out? Something that isn't spectacular? Even when it's a story that's been done before. Your writing, characters and take on the story stand out above all others. Bravo.

Tate is just moving to San Francisco to live with her brother well she gets herself situated with school and her job as a nurse at the hospital. Right away she has a less than desirable encounter with Miles. Miles turns out to be her brother's across the hall neighbour, co-worker and friend. That's like a triple whammy for Tate. Right away she's attracted to Miles but he's a total mystery and sending her these weird signals. That is until Thanksgiving at her parents house where their intense attraction to each other is revealed. Also Miles lets it be known that he hasn't had sex in six years, he doesn't do relationships and he doesn't do love. Tate is a little thrown but she's not looking for a relationship either. Just sex sounds great to her. And they were hardly friends to start with, so what could go wrong?  Miles just has a few rules; Never ask about the past and don't expect a future. Easy enough. That is until Tate quickly realizes that she wants to break both of those rules.

Like Hoover's previous novels, this is a romance. But there's also so much more to it. It's almost like there's two stories within the book. Ugly Love is told in alternating chapters. Tate's chapters are the present. Well Miles chapters are from when he was eighteen. You know there's a reason why Miles thinks he can't love someone. Why he doesn't do relationships. And as you read through his past you know it's going to be devastating(it was). Through Tate's eyes you get this intense and hot sexual relationship she's experiencing with Miles. Pretty quickly she realizes she might not be able to handle the rules he set down. It's weird to have no emotional connection beyond the sex with him. They're done and clothes are put back on. The end. The thing is, Tate isn't stupid. She knows she's going to get hurt. But she can't seem to give Miles up. It's a constant emotional internal battle. And it doesn't help that Miles is sending her mix feelings. Eventually she can't keep her mouth shut much longer and everything explodes. Miles past eventually catches up to his present and he has to actually come to terms with it. The amount of times I wanted to punch Miles in the face and be like, "dude, open your bloody eyes!" "Stop being such a pratt!" "Open up to Tate already!" It was super frustrating. Sure I sympathized with Miles and can understand why he feels like love is better left out of his life. But when you find the person who can change that all for you, than let them in. Stop being scared and life your life. Like Hoover so rightly named this book, love can get ugly. Both Tate and Miles experience just how ugly it can get.

Ugly Love feels more mature than Hoover's previous novels. Maybe that's because there's a lot more sex scenes. But that fits with Tate's and Mile's relationship and the story of the book. Maybe it's because Hoover's writing has more prose to it. I felt it was a little reminiscent of Tahereh Mafi(no strike outs thank God). Either way Hoover still knows how to shatter my heart. My feelings weren't as messed up as Maybe Someday left me but it's still taken me about two weeks to try and write a somewhat coherent review. I still feel like I can never do a Hoover book justice. They're something you have to read yourself to understand the emotions she packs into them. She is a word wizard that I kind of wish was a robot so she could release a new book for me every week. That would be a perfect life.
On a side note, I've also now realize how hot pilots are and am going to start hanging out at the airport. ;)

Happy reading!

Brittany