History of Colleen Hoover in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: March 10, 2026

Colleen Hoover is a celebrated American author renowned for her romance and young adult fiction novels. Initially self-published, her works gained significant traction, leading to mainstream publishing success. She is best known for "It Ends with Us," and as of late 2022, has sold approximately 20 million books worldwide. Her influence was further recognized when she was named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in 2023, solidifying her impact on contemporary literature and popular culture.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

December 11, 1979: Colleen Hoover's Birth

On December 11, 1979, Margaret Colleen Hoover (née Fennell) was born.

1998: Graduation from Saltillo High School

In 1998, Colleen Hoover graduated from Saltillo High School in Saltillo, Texas.

2000: Marriage to Heath Hoover

In 2000, Colleen Hoover married Heath Hoover. They later had three sons together.

November 2011: Started writing "Slammed"

In November 2011, Colleen Hoover began writing her debut novel, "Slammed", inspired by a lyric from The Avett Brothers' song "Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise."

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January 2012: Self-Publication of "Slammed"

In January 2012, Colleen Hoover self-published her debut novel, "Slammed", primarily so that her mother could read it on her Amazon Kindle.

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February 2012: Publication of "Point of Retreat"

In February 2012, Colleen Hoover published "Point of Retreat", the sequel to her novel "Slammed".

August 10, 2012: Atria Books Republishes Slammed and Point of Retreat

On August 10, 2012, Atria Books picked up Colleen Hoover's novels "Slammed" and "Point of Retreat" and republished them after their initial success.

December 2012: Self-Publication of "Hopeless"

In December 2012, Colleen Hoover self-published her novel "Hopeless," which reached #1 on the New York Times Best Seller list and remained there for three weeks, marking the first self-published novel to achieve this milestone.

April 2013: Publication of "This Girl"

In April 2013, Colleen Hoover published "This Girl", the third book in the "Slammed" series. Following the success of "Slammed", she quit her social work job to become a full-time writer.

March 2014: Publication of "Maybe Someday" and Soundtrack

In March 2014, Colleen Hoover published "Maybe Someday", the first novel in a series about musicians falling in love, accompanied by a soundtrack created by musician Griffin Peterson that readers could access via links or QR codes.

2016: Publication of "It Ends with Us"

In 2016, Colleen Hoover published her novel "It Ends with Us", a story addressing domestic violence, inspired by her own experiences. The novel has sold over a million copies worldwide by 2019 and translated into over 20 languages.

It Ends with Us: A Novel

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2019: "It Ends With Us" Sales Milestone

By 2019, Colleen Hoover's novel "It Ends with Us", published in 2016, had sold over a million copies worldwide and was translated into over twenty languages.

It Ends with Us: A Novel

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2021: Increased Popularity via BookTok

In 2021, Colleen Hoover experienced a surge in popularity due to attention from the BookTok community on TikTok.

January 2022: "It Ends with Us" tops NYT Bestseller List

In January 2022, "It Ends with Us" reached #1 on the New York Times Best Seller list, following increased attention from the BookTok community on TikTok.

It Ends with Us: A Novel

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October 2022: Book Sales and Recognition

As of October 2022, Colleen Hoover has sold approximately 20 million books. Her success was noted by Alexandra Alter of The New York Times, who highlighted the size and loyalty of her audience, recognizing her as the best-selling novelist in the United States.

October 2022: Simon & Schuster UK Acquires Two Standalone Novels

In October 2022, Simon & Schuster UK acquired two standalone novels by Colleen Hoover, expanding her reach to the UK market.

October 18, 2022: Publication of "It Starts with Us"

On October 18, 2022, Atria Books published "It Starts with Us", the sequel to Colleen Hoover's novel "It Ends with Us". The marketing campaign for the novel led to it becoming Simon & Schuster's most pre-ordered book of all time.

2022: Hoover Dominates Bestseller List

In 2022, Colleen Hoover held six of the top ten spots on the New York Times paperback fiction bestseller list, highlighting her immense popularity and success.

January 2023: Cancellation of "It Ends with Us" Coloring Book

In January 2023, a planned coloring book for "It Ends with Us" was canceled due to online backlash regarding the novel's sensitive subject matter.

It Ends with Us: A Novel

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May 2023: Filming Begins for "It Ends with Us" Adaptation

In May 2023, production began on the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's novel "It Ends with Us", directed by Justin Baldoni.

It Ends with Us: A Novel

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2023: Named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People

In 2023, Colleen Hoover was recognized as one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world.

August 2024: Release of "It Ends With Us" Film Adaptation

In August 2024, the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's "It Ends With Us" was released to mixed critical reviews but achieved commercial success, grossing over $350 million worldwide.