Colleen, what do you do to me? First, it was Hopeless and now Ugly Love. How is it that Colleen can make me feel emotionally and physically with her stories? How is that possible? I'm trying to think what to write for this review but my mind comes up blank. It is not easy to write a review for a book you love so much.
This story is told in dual point of view: Tate's POV is present day and Miles' POV is six years earlier. I loved that Miles' POV was set in the past so the reader could understand what was going on in his life before meeting Tate because he wouldn't share anything on present day. The reader gets to learn a lot about Miles' previous life, when he was happy and it was so sad...his story is sad. My fiance went through a similar experience before we dated and to this day, it hurts him but he has learned to live with it. Which is why I don't judge the way Miles' is feeling, the way he acts so closed off around others. What I don't like is how he treats Tate. I mean, yes, they did agree on only having sex, no strings attached but it really hurt me when he would treat her bad.
I had one problem with Tate. She let herself get used by Miles when she started having feelings for him and Miles would only seek her out for the sex and she knew this. This part really irked me and got me mad because[spoiler] there was one scene where they are having sex and Miles says his ex's name. When he realizes he said, he freezes and Tate says, "Just finish" as in, finish doing it right now. He does and she walks out the door.[/spoiler] In that part, she really let herself be used and that just hurt me to read a lot.
The writing of the story I found to be poetic, elegant and seductive. If you've read a Colleen book, then you know that her writing is always poetic and charming. One of the reasons why I love Ugly Love is because of the writing style. It is so beautiful and magnificent. Some of the quotes written, I took them to heart. I have one that is my ultimate favorite but I won't share because it is long and could be a spoiler. My other favorite and simple quotes are:
It's all worth it. It's the beautiful moments like these that make up for the ugly love.
Whoever coined the phrase, I love you to death obviously never experienced the kind of love she and I share. If that were the case, the phrase would be I love you to life. Because that's exactly what she did. She loved me back to life.
When life gives you lemons, make sure you know whose eyes you need to squeeze them in.
You guys need to read this story. You will not be disappointed. I started this book thanks to Christy @ Novel Ink. She pushed me and pushed me until I gave in and I am so thankful this woman didn't give up. Like I was telling her, I don't like books that have a great ending and the authors write a sequel, continuing the story with the same couple. I hate that so much. But with Ugly Love, I wouldn't mind another book that continues the story because it is that amazing.
http://www.divabooknerd.com/2014/08/ugly-love-by-colleen-hoover.html I was incredibly excited to begin Ugly Love, I'm a big fan of Colleen Hoover and have rated all seven books so far incredibly high. I loved the underlying storyline, the broken Miles who won't allow himself to love again, and Tate who believes their arrangement will be nothing more than a physical relationship that they can both enjoy... Yet it seems neither are have been prepared for what's to come.
Tate becomes emotionally attached, and although Miles insists that he isn't giving her false hope of anything more, his actions speak louder than words. Told in dual points of view, Tate's thoughts are of the present from the moment she arrives at her new home with her brother, whereas Miles' tells the story of the past and what has led him to become the closed and private person he is today. I felt incredibly sorry for Tate, she knows that he's infection is slowly destroying her, but sex is the only way she can relate to him and will take what she can get. Even stating herself that she allows him to use her, because she just doesn't know how to stay away. Her actions seemed that of a girl with little or no confidence and although the term love was never used, she is far more involved beyond the physical relationship.
Miles may have outlined what he wanted from the arrangement, but he too is more involved that he claims. Through intimate details of their relationship, thoughtful gestures and seemingly looking for an excuse to spend time with Tate all translate to false hope. He comes across an very emotionally immature, but as the reader doesn't have the same insight into his private thoughts as we do Tate's, and you'll find yourself either dismissing or trying to justify his behavior, much the same as Tate does. But his indecision comes across as cruelty at times, and I found it hard to sympathise with his situation. But Colleen Hoover weaves through an incredibly emotional storyline that allows the reader to see why Miles can't get involved. I didn't see it coming. I went from strongly disliking his behavior towards Tate, to tears.
I couldn't put it down and ended up reading until my blurry eyes filled with tears.
Miles can be seen as cruel and Tate allowed herself to be used. It's not as engaging as the Slammed or Hopeless series, which I both adored, but it's by far her most emotional. I cried, and not often does a book reduce me to tears.