If there’s one author who has garnered headline-making attention in the past few years, it’s Colleen Hoover. Known for her vast catalogue of romance books—and her incredible ability to get almost anyone back into reading—her work is a mainstay on the internet. So when, on the heels of the It Ends With Us adaptation scandal, I saw she was releasing a book about an author facing viral backlash after a poorly received book-to-movie adaptation, my interest was immediately piqued. Then, when I learned it was a thriller novel, I knew I had to pick it up. If you’re wondering whether Woman Down lives up to her Verity thriller legacy, here’s my full review. Warning: Minor spoilers ahead!
In this twisty thriller from New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, a frustrated author looks for her muse in a remote hideaway, but what she finds defies all expectations…and reality.
What is Woman Down about?
Woman Down follows Petra Rose, a prolific, best-selling author, on the heels of mega-viral backlash after the release of her first film adaptation. Her readers have abandoned her, her confidence is in the gutter, and she’s facing a horrible case of writer’s block. In an attempt to salvage what’s left of her career and prove her talent to herself, she retreats to a remote cabin. There, she hopes to finally write something for the first time in over a year.
Then, a mysterious (and insanely attractive) detective knocks on her door in the middle of the night. He seems like the perfect inspiration for the cop in her own barely written novel. What starts as an attempt to research her characters spirals into an elaborate ruse. Soon, Petra can’t tell what’s real and what’s part of her fantasy—and if she doesn’t figure it out, the consequences could be deadly.
My review of Woman Down
Colleen Hoover starts the novel with a personal note, begging readers not to draw parallels between the book and her own life. But ignoring the glaring similarities between her post It Ends With Us adaptation virality, and Petra’s situation feels completely unavoidable. While I won’t use a fictional thriller to speculate about real people’s lives, I will say that the overlap makes for a fascinating commentary on how social media impacts authors’ real lives. Especially coming from one as big as Colleen Hoover.
While we tend to think of online book communities as cozy corners to retreat into when you need a recommendation or want to obsess over a five-star read with fellow bookworms, the truth is that there’s a sinister side to any online community. Woman Down offers a compelling, albeit dramatized, look at how these spaces can influence authors, both positively and negatively. The deep dive into how social media drives Petra to extreme lengths just to prove she is talented is the most compelling part of the book by far.
When Petra is at the top, she recognizes that she owes her career to her readers. But no matter how many five-star reviews she receives, it’s the ones that call her work “unrealistic” that worm their way into her brain and cement themselves as fact. Petra may be fictional, but the online world we live in—where everyone has a platform, and everyone is a reviewer—is not. The same communities that can turn writers into overnight literary stars can rip that success away just as fast. Watching this play out in a tension-filled, dark romantic suspense novel kept me glued to the page. Success in our current publishing era is synonymous with virality, and that made Petra’s storyline feel shockingly realistic. As Petra’s experience shows, even the smallest comment can chip away at confidence and drive someone to extreme lengths to rediscover it.
“The same communities that can turn writers into overnight literary stars can rip that success away just as fast. Watching this play out in a tension-filled, romantic suspense novel kept me glued to the page.”
One aspect of the book I found myself wanting more from was Petra’s emotional journey. I didn’t find her character arc to be fully realized. By the end of the novel, yes, she has found it in herself to trust her writing and is somewhat more confident—but largely because she’s once again met with positive reception and commercial success. That’s not to say she didn’t make any progress. However, there was no satisfying moment where Petra realizes that the solution to her problems isn’t writing a book even her most fervent haters will love, but writing a book for herself, regardless of whether even one person raves about it. Ultimately, the story suggests that the true villain isn’t her inner critic, but anyone who didn’t enjoy her work.
While I think there’s some validity to this argument, and internet groupthink is a beast of its own, it fails to recognize that engaging critically with texts, forming independent opinions, and practicing media literacy, rather than praising every single book for the sake of the author, is important in its own right. Regardless of the ending, though, the book kept me thoroughly entertained, and I enjoyed how every page was laden with social media commentary and criticism. Especially knowing it comes from the mind of someone so deeply ingrained in book culture.
So, should you read Woman Down?
If you’re a Colleen Hoover fan who’s been begging for more thrillers since you read Verity in one sitting, or you can’t help but watch a 20-part TikTok series dissecting internet drama, this book is definitely worth picking up. If you’re hoping the book provides insight into what happened on the It Ends With Us set, you won’t find that here. What you will find is an even more interesting conversation: an eerie exploration of the emotional impact after a social media crusade. Before diving in, be sure to check trigger warnings, because CoHo isn’t afraid to get dark in this novel.
Lauren Blue, Assistant Editor
As an Assistant Editor for The Everygirl, Lauren ideates and writes content for every facet of our readers’ lives. Her articles span the topics of must-read books, movies, home tours, travel itineraries—and everything in between. When she isn’t testing the latest TikTok trend, she can be found scouring Goodreads for new releases to feature on the site.
