Introduction
One 18th January 2022 Colleen Hoover released Reminders of Him, crossing between a romance novel and domestic fiction. This story represents the hardships that come along with repairing bridges broken by a mistake and how, in most cases, it can be much harder than a simple apology. At 335 pages as a reader we experience how one navigates loss, grief as well as regaining that lost sense of family.
Storyline/ plot
When Kenna Rowan returns to her hometown after spending five years in a correctional facility, she has one goal: to gain a relationship with her daughter. In order to do this Kenna must redeem herself to her daughter’s grandparents, her now dead ex-boyfriend’s parents, only issue: Kenna is the reason their son died.
Kenna manages to find somewhere to live, it’s not the nicest but, she makes it work, eventually she lands herself a job too. Everything seems to be going in the right direction, although her daughter’s grandparents/ legal guardians won’t seem to budge.
Along the long path to getting her daughter back Kenna meets a man, Ledger Ward a financially stable ex football player turned bar owner hits it off with Kenna as soon as she walks into his bar, the pair form a flirtatious friendship over time even landing Kenna a second job in his bar. Unbeknownst to either, Ledger was Kennas late Exs best friend and now, neighbor to her daughter and her grandparents.
Ledger has the relationship with Kennas daughter she can only dream of, and as things between the pair heat up, Kenna is more determined than ever to get Diem (her daughter) back.
After the initial shock of learning everything about Kenna, her previous relationship and crime, Ledger makes the brave decision to help her gain a relationship with her daughter, but is it worth the risk of neither of them seeing Diem again?
Writing Style
In this novel in particular it treats the romance more of a subplot than a main story line, this story mostly focuses on repairing broken relationships and redeeming yourself after making a mistake no matter how big the mistake was.
Of course the romance between Ledger and Kenna is a big part of the story but, it is not as important as the lengths Kenna (a mother) will go just to have a relationship with her daughter (Diem), we learn just how strong the bond a mother has to her child no matter how long it has been.
I personally really enjoyed the representation Colleen gave to all of the women repairing relationships after spending time inside a correctional facility as well as how difficult some women really have it when it comes to rebuilding their daily lives on the outside.
Pros/ cons
The pros of this book would be how much respect Colleen had towards the subject of prison and the shift from that to life on the outside while writing it, she describes the difficulties some may face really well here. I also really enjoyed how forgiveness was represented in this book and how she shows that if a person is really trying to prove themselves they deserve a second chance.
The only con I can think of is that I personally thought this was a little slower paced than her previous books which is fine but, I personally tend to gravitate to more fast paced books.
Conclusion
Overall I gave this book four stars. I thought the representation was really well done, as I previously stated I did find the book a little slow in some parts but still a really good story overall.
I would definitely recommend this book although the topic does tackle some subjects that some may find difficult (prison, driving under the influence).