Introduction
First published 10th March 2015, Confess is one of Colleen Hoover’s beloved contemporary romance novels, with 320 pages of love and loss it really is such a beautiful story. Gaining such a mass of media attention it was made into a TV series in 2017 by Lisa Berger. Although this particular book doesn’t get the same attention on social media currently like many other of her novels it is still just as much of a heartwarming story.
Storyline/ plot
In this book we follow Auburn Reed on her move to Dallas Texas with her plans for the future looking bright. She is in search of a part time job when she stumbles on an art studio advertising for urgent help. The concept of the art studio is unique in itself: The artist (Owen Gentry) paints pieces based on anonymous confessions; Auburn is in no position to turn down work so, accepts to help that night for an exhibition.
Auburn and Owen have unspoken chemistry from the start which Auburn feels must just be a sudden attraction, little does she know herself and Owen have met before in passing.
Auburn and Owen begin to grow their connection into something neither of them expected to blossom so fast until the past creeps up on them both without warning. The only way for Auburn to gain respect from her late childhood sweetheart’s mum and gain more access to her son, is to make sure Owen is not part of her future.
While Auburn gets into a new routine with her son and new “relationship”, Owen has to face some of his own past demons too, with his fathers pill addiction creeping back in, Owen makes a tough choice. His fathers future or his own? Meanwhile Auburn has to decide if faking a connection with her late boyfriend’s brother to gain the respect and trust of her ex mother in law in order to gain more custodial rights to her son is worth cutting her connection with Owen.
Owen faces the tough decision on whether he should let Auburn go and let her continue her life with her son without the complications having himself in her life will bring, or, confess what really goes on behind the scenes of his life. This could possibly mean risking his fathers career and family secrets or letting Auburn leave without complicating things further.
Writing style
This novel, like many of Colleens, is told in dual perspective making the story so complex with the two minds of the characters. In some cases this can be deeply frustrating to the reader as we know what both characters are thinking but not communicating,although this does make the plot so addictive as you always want to know if they ever say what they truly think. This book is also a form of realism like many of Colleen Hoovers novels which sometimes is nice to read as a lot of fiction is more escapism, Colleen Hoovers books are really good filler books for this reason.
Conclusion
Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was a rollercoaster of emotions but such a good, fast read. I gave it four stars because although like all of Colleens books it does have some heavy topics but is still a much lighter read than a majority of her books; I also found the concept of Owens art studio really interesting and the subject of art in this novel was something I have personally never read before which was nice. I read this book while reading a series as a breath of fresh air and I found it really nice and easy to read.