Name: Patrick Book's review of Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover
Item: Point of Retreat
Rating: 2
Author: Patrick Book

Colleen Hoover

From the bestselling author of Slammed, comes Colleen Hoover's next big hit. Layken and Will have managed to overcome the obstacles that threatened to destroy their love, proving that they are destined for one another. What they are about to learn, however, is that the things that have brought them together may be the very things that ruin their connection forever… Layken is left second-guessing the relationship whilst Will is jumping over hurdles to prove his love for her. What the young lovers discover about themselves along this journey may change their entire world and the lives of those who depend upon them the most... Praise for Colleen Hoover: 'As brilliant and entertaining as Slammed, Point of Retreatis absolute poetry.' - JAMIE MCGUIRE, New York Times bestselling author of Beautiful Disaster 'I finished reading Slammed at 1am on Sunday... I couldn't wait to start reading Point of Retreatso I bought it right then and there!' - Amazon Review

Point of Retreat

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of All Your Perfects. Sometimes two people have to fall apart to realize just how much they belong together. As Layken and Will’s emotion-packed story continues, a stunning and unforeseen revelation about Will’s past leaves them questioning everything that they thought they knew about each other. With the foundation of their relationship at risk, they must decide whether they are willing to fight for a future together, or to retreat back into solitude and heartache. How far does Will have to go to prove to Layken his love for her will last forever? It will require something truly extraordinary to keep this couple together, and the decisions they make and the answers they find will change not only their lives, but the lives of everyone around them.

A Novel

Ruby Gentry-Clark

Sometimes things happen in life that you didn't plan for. All you can do now is suck it up and start mapping out a new plan."

Bunnhi

Patrick Book

You know how Bukowski supposedly wrote his poems? By writing lines, cutting them up, throwing them in a bowl, and then pulling a handful out at random and writing them together without concern of any semblance of order?

That’s what this book is like: a random collection of traumas, with Hoover trying desperately to write them together in any way that remotely makes sense. It’s clunky and weird and gross in equal measure.

Kattia

I love love this series. Or maybe I just love love love Will Cooper?

No, I love it all! The story and writing are fantastic. I love the journal entries from Will, and even more so that this book was in his perspective. I have nothing but wonderful things to say about this book and series. Point of Retreat is the follow up to Slammed, and continues just after the events from the first book. Will and Layken still live across the street from one another, raising their younger brothers while going to school. Their relationship is going nicely when someone from Will's past causes a problem between them. Will has to find a way to prove to Layken that she's the only one for him.

I think my favorite part is that this is in Will's POV. I liked that we got a look into his mind, to see what he thinks and how deeply he feels for Layken. I loved Will's poem "The Lake" from the first book and his poem "Because of you" was just so, so good. Why can't ever guy be like Will Cooper? He is so totally swoon-worthy! 

An equally perfect sequel to the much loved Slammed. 

5/5 stars

So trying to forget that he was her teacher for part of the first book this one was interesting. I think discussing if they really wanted to be in the relationship was an interesting plot line especially after what they have been through. I do think it would have been better if it had both POVs. Especially when the third book is also only in his POV. I didn’t like how he went about not telling Lake about his ex in his class and wanting to get back together with him, but was a thought process that is generally done. Also I don’t know how any of them would get into cars at this point with the amount of PTSD I’m sure they all have from what they have been through.  

Priscilla Stanfield

Honestly I love this series. Definitely some of CoHo’s best books.

Cassie French

★★★★ // if anything, hoover is pretty great in writing romance even if on a normal day, it would make me cringe. a justified conclusion to what has been a roller-coaster ride journey.

Arianna

After much thought, I’ve decided to change my ratings for this book and Slammed. I just really didn’t like it. Love CoHo but these just didn’t work for me.

Lauren Grey

Sequels are normally never as good as the original, so I am not that surprised that I was not as wow-ed by this book as I was the first one. It started out strong, then got super boring and a bit pathetic, and then picked up back towards the end.

One of the things I like about this series is that they give the kids a voice. I love kids and I think they are funny and much smarter than people give them credit for, so I appreciate that you get to see how the kids cope with the deaths they experience as well as their sibling’s relationship. I loved that the boys had crushes and I also liked that a girl their age moved onto their street and became a semi-main character. She was hilarious!

I liked that they addressed bullying and Kiersten’s poem almost put me in tears! The fact that the first one was focused on poetry, I was concerned that this one wouldn’t incorporate it, but it did and that made me happy.

Acknowledging non-traditional families can get overlooked, but I felt this book did a great job at showing how friends can be just as much family as blood relatives. This gives me hope for the future. I liked the Dad Luncheon and how Will stood up for Kiersten even though she isn’t his. This just puts a smile on my face.

With that being said, I was disappointed in the middle of the book. Sure every couple fights, but I don’t like reading books about couples that don’t get along or are made at each other. I felt that part when on for far too long. I read some reviews on this book where people complained about this part saying he was stalking her and crap, which yes he was being ridiculous, but I didn’t think he was doing it in a creepy way. I definitely wouldn’t compare him to Travis by any means.

“I love you because of you. Because of every single thing about you.”

These books focus on how original the characters are and how their friends are weird. I love that. I love that the author encourages us to be ourselves. Will talks about how he loves Layken for all these reasons that make her, her. This also gives me hope. I like girls that don’t conform to what they think the boy wants them to be.

I like Will. I think he is a great guy and a great character. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED the part at the end when Layken is sad about her hair, so he does his so that it matches. I thought that was incredibly sweet. The ending was fantastic!

Jenna Wooten

Little twist unlike all the other CoHo books that I wasn’t expecting towards the end, but the rest of the plot was a little boring. Love Lake & Will’s story just felt like there wasn’t a ton of substance. I liked it, it just was okay.

Meghna Sunny 

Victoria

Turns out, I just need a good book to get me back on track. Can't wait to finish the entire series.

Anna Ureta

Okay kinda a spoiler, but not really, but kinda, but I mean….COME ON!? ARE YOU SERIOUS!? Like after everything they went through in the first book you really can’t cut these two some slack can you?
 Don’t get me wrong, I loved Point of Retreat as a follow-up book, it hit all the right places and did amazing things….but I mean….Seriously? And if you’ve read the book you’ll know what I’m talking about, if not….well….then read the book and you’ll still know what I’m talking about and then you’ll understand why I’m wtfing. But other than that, this was a solid follow-up and a definite must-read by Colleen Hoover.
 
The sequel to the book that started it all, Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover is a brilliant follow-up to Slammed, which follows the relationship between Will and Lake.
 These two have gone through so much and have taken on responsibilities that some people couldn’t even fathom at their age. Barely adults themselves, they’ve taken on the roles of parent and guardian to their two younger brothers, and my god do they make it look easy. Of course their relationship isn’t perfect and of course there will be hiccups along the way, but who could have guessed that the thing that brought them together could be something that tears them apart. Secrets are often the reason people get hurt and it’s just better to rip of the bandage right away. Will needs to decide where his heart lies and has to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that his place is with Lake.
 
I think I liked this book a lot better in terms of flow in comparison to the first one; it just didn’t feel as jumpy as the first one. In terms of feels…I think there were more frustrated feels than anything. I mean you can’t blame Will and Lake for their poor decision making at that age…they’re so young, so I forgive them. But at the same time…you really have to try to be mature, especially with no guardians to guide you with their wisdom. Overall though, I think they all did a really good job given their situations and how they acted upon them, so A for effort.
 
“A guy can tell a girl he’s in love with her until he’s blue in the face. Words don’t mean anything to a woman when her head’s full of doubt. You have to show her.”

 
Will and Lake obviously have some issues they need to work out and that’s cool, but they can’t just focus on themselves, they have other people to worry about too. I don’t want to say anything bad about them but they do seem sort of….Mary and Gary Sue ish…where they’re just too perfect…even their flaws are sort of perfect, sort cut-outs… But again, not going to say anything bad since it was Hoover’s second novel. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong about them being cut outs, I think I’m just saying that they may be too perfect…or their story is.
 
“I’ll never be able to give you everything you deserve, but I’ll definitely spend the rest of my life trying.”
 
Lots of drama, lots of heart break, and lots of tears, but thankfully these two eventually get their happily ever after. That’s not a spoiler right!?
 Again, following Hoover’s work, I can see why she’s so popular and has gained the popularity that she has. Her novels are a hit, they’re passionate, raw, emotional and just flow so easily. I definitely look forward to reading more and following her work.
 
4.5/5 Hearts of Love

dija

This book is bemazing... Especially that it's from the point of view of Will.
I loved it and am seriously in love with the characters... I loved that it was pretty different.... Nothing happened in a chronological order... I couldn't see what was coming.... I guess I can't see anything coming with Colleen Hoover and that's why I love her books... It was perfectly written.... The words specifically chosen... I don't think I would find a serie like this one... Unique and unexpectedly beautiful.
And Will's words killed me....
"I have learned something about my heart.
It can break. 
It can be ripped apart. 
It can harden and freeze.
It can stop.completely. 
It can shatter into million pieces. 
It can explode. 
It can die. 

The only thing that made it start beating again? 
The moment you opened your eyes. "

Sofia Arcângelo 

This is not Colleen Hoover's best work, but it sure was entertaining and emotional. As all books from this author "Point of retreat" is very easy to read.

Nope. No. Just no. I'm just going to grit my teeth and get my thoughts out there.

I don't know what happened to the characters I grew to love in 
  Slammed
 but they're not here. They're totally not. I know perfectly well how great a writer Colleen Hoover is, because I liked 
  
    Slammed
  
 and 
  Hopeless
 well enough, but I have no idea what happened here. 

Throughout the book, our protagonists acted like freaking 12 year-olds. There is zero communication between them, just a hell lot of tantrums, sneaky immature games and pathetic whining. Especially on Will's part. Where was that 23 year-old, level headed Mr. Cooper from the first book? Where did he go?! Because all I see here is a douche-bag who disable's his girlfriend's car to get her to ride with him, uses his kid brother to do his dirty work, and is a total failure in the parenting department. Both him and Layken. 

And then the sex part, I mean sure sex is great, but I can't believe how Will acts about it. No guy in his early 20s would freak out whenever they get this close to hooking up. And then there's his constant whining about how in love he is with her, how he adores her, how beautiful she is, every minute, all the frigging time in completely unconvincing ways. I get that it's supposed to be romantic, but c'mon! I think that Colleen Hoover needs to do a little more research on how a guy's mind works. Dearest authors, do not write from an opposite sex POV if you're not a hundred % sure you can pull it off. 

I couldn't see the point here except for all the silly drama. If 
  Slammed
 was bordering the line of extremely cheesy (in a good way), 
  Point of Retreat
 went waaay overboard. Honestly, Layken shouldn't have made such a big deal out of the fight if she was just going to forgive him after hearing his slam. She blew things way out of proportion. And for one, why couldn't Will have just said all that to her in a normal conversation instead of going to all the trouble of writing a poem? Such bull$#!t. In 
  Slammed
 a lot of things were going on at once, here I had to wait until almost to the end for finally something good to happen. And it turned out to be a car crash. REALLY? I found it unnecessary and dramatic and totally amateur. Ugh. Please never ever do that again.

Point of Retreat was unnecessary. I think that Will and Layken's story was already wrapped up nicely and there's no more need for sequels. I think Colleen Hoover was just using the success of the first novel. That's just my opinion. 

Oh, and if I read once more "This was butterflying amazing!", "carving pumpkins" or "point of retreat" one more time, I'm going to punch someone.

Caroll-Ann

I remember loving Slammed and this one is just as good. 

I deeply fell in love with Will and Lake, as well as with their siblings, I mean their whole environment is amazing. I was captivated the whole book through and can not wait to read the next part. 

Also this story makes me a little sad, since I miss experiencing that kind of love for someone or even crushing on someone. This really makes me miss being in love.

From the bestselling author of Slammed, comes Colleen Hoover's next big hit. Layken and Will have managed to overcome the obstacles that threatened to destroy their love, proving that they are destined for one another. What they are about to learn, however, is that the things that have brought them together may be the very things that ruin their connection forever… Layken is left second-guessing the relationship whilst Will is jumping over hurdles to prove his love for her. What the young lovers discover about themselves along this journey may change their entire world and the lives of those who depend upon them the most... Praise for Colleen Hoover: 'As brilliant and entertaining as Slammed, Point of Retreat is absolute poetry.' - JAMIE MCGUIRE, New York Times bestselling author of Beautiful Disaster 'I finished reading Slammed at 1am on Sunday... I couldn't wait to start reading Point of Retreat so I bought it right then and there!' - Amazon Review

Fátima

En este libro ambos personajes me cayeron mal, perdón.

¿Recuerdan que en mi reseña anterior dije que Will me gustaba (sólo omitiendo la parte en la que se pone posesivo) y que me parecía maduro? Bueno, pues olvidenlo.

Son unos niños, y sí, no les quito que tienen que sufrir muchas cosas y crecer muy deprisa, pero no son en lo absoluto los jóvenes maduros que la autora nos quiere hacer creer que son. Ya hace algunos meses que leí este libro y todavía no puedo pensar en una sola cosa buena que decir de ellos. Sigue molestándome la ligereza con la que se toman las cosas, y esta vez la historia se nos cuenta a través de los ojos de Will así que Layken (que sigue siendo insoportable) me parece un poco diferente a cuando estuvimos dentro de su cabeza en el primer libro. Ah, pero en este que nos tocó estar dentro de la cabeza de Will acabé por tomarle manía. Es aún más inmaduro e impulsivo de lo que parecía en Slammed.

El drama ni siquiera me causó nada. Todo mal.

Ariana Morris

Gisela Ayala 

I definitely liked Will's point of view a little better BUT with that being said, I was mad at him for probably 1/3 of the book. Him and Vaughn. Guys are assholes, and girls are assholes too. As much as I don't like Lake, I was totally on her side the entire book. 

Other than that, it was a nice change how Colleen made the different chapters as if they were diary entries. Sometimes timelines in books drive me crazy because they make no sense, and I was really grateful to her that she added that detail. 

She also did that thing she always does, where she makes you FREAK THE FREAK OUT and there is still like 40 percent or 30 percent of the book to go. Thanks for giving me a heart attack Colleen. Love you dearly.

definitely like slammed more. I feel like this book just added more drama into their relationship. Drama we didn't need.

micki

More 

Ley Stanton

I didn't like this one as much as Slammed, it read more like fanfiction. But I just love Layken and Will too much to let them go.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 stars, it definitely does not have that 2nd book syndrome thingy, it was just as amazing as the first one and I love it!!!

Lisette Haasnoot

Katelyn Broad

I thought that I loved Slammed but this is my favorite of the three. Why? So much growth! Even though there were parts when I wanted to scream at Lake, the end result was beyond worth it.

Bunnhi &
Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover

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