It’s a good day for BookTok readers – Colleen Hoover is back.
The “It Ends With Us” and “Verity” author announced Sept. 10 on the TODAY Show that her new book “Woman Down” will be out in January. Thanking fans for their patience, she teased this thriller is “probably one of the darkest books I’ve written so far.”
“Woman Down,” which publishes Jan. 13, 2026 through Amazon Publishing, seems to be a bit of a meta take on Hoover’s own recent scandals – it follows an author on the heels of viral backlash over a film adaptation of her books, retreating to a lakeside cabin to find inspiration.
Hoover is the author of over 20 novels in the romance, young adult and psychological thriller genres. She’s best known for “It Ends With Us,” now a movie starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, and her novel “Verity,” which is being adapted into a movie starring Anne Hathaway.
New Colleen Hoover book ‘Woman Down’ follows an author after controversy
In “Woman Down,” author Petra Rose is forced into a hiatus after the backlash, causing missed deadlines and mortgage payments. She searches for inspiration at a remote cabin but instead finds Detective Nathaniel Saint, who arrives with disturbing news and reignites Rose’s creative passion. But as she uses him as her muse for a fictional cop character and Saint becomes invested in her career, the professional lines begin to blur. She feels more inspired and creative than ever – but at what cost?
Hoover has been largely absent from the public eye and book communities following the legal firestorm surrounding the film adaptation of “It Ends With Us” and its stars, Lively and Baldoni. The book found mainstream success thanks to BookTok popularity, quickly catapulting Hoover to literary stardom. But readers have also criticized Hoover for the book and movie’s portrayal of abuse, which some argued glamorized domestic violence.
In February, the author returned to Instagram after deactivating her account amid the controversy. Photos with Lively and Baldoni were notably wiped. In June, she appeared as one of 70 authors co-signing an open letter urging publishers against AI use.
“I just want to say a quick thank you for being so patient and supportive,” Hoover said in a message for fans on TODAY. “This one took me a while to finally get another book out for you, but I’m excited for you guys to read it and go preorder your copy today.”
Clare Mulroy is USA TODAY’s Books Reporter, where she covers buzzy releases, chats with authors and dives into the culture of reading. Find her on Instagram, subscribe to our weekly Books newsletter or tell her what you’re reading at cmulroy@usatoday.com.