Woman Down

by Colleen Hoover

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.

Her words used to set the page on fire. But a viral backlash over her latest film adaptation forced Petra Rose to take a hiatus, resulting in missed deadlines and an overdue mortgage. Branded a fraud and fame-hungry opportunist, she learned the hard way what happens when the internet turns on you. And she’s been uninspired to write ever since.

Now, with her next suspense novel outlined and savings nearly gone, she retreats to a secluded lakeside cabin, hoping to find inspiration. It’s Petra’s last-ditch attempt to save her career—and herself.

Then he shows up.

Detective Nathaniel Saint arrives with disturbing news, his presence igniting a creativity in her she thought long since burned out. Petra’s words return in a rush, and her fictional cop character begins to mirror the very real cop who’s becoming her muse.

Their “research” sessions blur the lines between fantasy and reality. Each glance, every touch pulls Petra deeper into a world she thought she’d never lose herself in again. She’s never felt more alive. But inspiration this powerful comes at a cost.

When Saint starts taking his role in her career a little too seriously, Petra’s forced to confront the chaos she created. But doing so could cost her more than the reputation she’s been trying to salvage. The reputation the world wrote for her—the reputation only she can reclaim.

Genres: Thriller, Colleen Hoover, Mystery Thriller, Romance, Mystery, Fiction, Suspense

312 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication January 13, 2026

About the author

International and #1 New York Times bestselling author of romance, YA, thriller, women's fiction and paranormal romance.

I don't like to be confined to one genre. If you put me in a box, I'll claw my way out.

My social media username is @colleenhoover pretty much everywhere except my email, which is colleenhooverbooks@gmail.com

Founder of www.thebookwormbox.com charity and Book Bonanza.

Reviews

[Christa Anne]

CoHo is writing fanfic about herself now? Wild.

[Sophie]

yeah idc ill be reading this

[Delaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Verity or Too Late are your favorite CoHo reads, this one will be your next fave! An expanded story from her novella Saint (published in 2020 in the one more step anthology) longtime fans will see familiar themes from that novella and be SO HAPPY with all of the new details.

In true Colleen fashion, each chapter is quite a time. Typically you expect the twists to hit you at the end, but Colleen sprinkles little reveals at crucial points of the book that just keep you insanely hooked. I read this book in one sitting as soon as I got it in the mail. Completely unputdownable!!!

So happy to have Colleen publishing her stories again, and I look forward to the next.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC

[Salma | HIATUS until Jan 4th]

don’t mind me, i’m just a hater.

i'm surprised she's still writing 💀

[Antonella]

to quote great poet shakira i would rather eat my soup with a fork than read this book

[ଘRory]

The blurb is giving Verity’s unhinged older sister meta vibes ☠️

[Aaru ♡]

the first para sounds a LOT like her life with the it ends with us backlash...ahhh never thought I'll be excited for a colleen hoover book but here I am

[Bookish Boy]

Jobless immature kids are unnecessarily hating once again. Idc, idgaf this sounds GOOD and I WILL BE READING IT. GO, CRY ABOUT IT 🫶🏼

[Tami]

Woman Down is Colleen Hoover’s next novel, coming out January 13, 2026. It started as a short story called Saint in the One More Step anthology. Colleen has now taken that short story of about 18,000 words and rewritten it into a full-length book of 100,000 words. She explained that what began as a simple extension turned into a complete rewrite with new characters, extra twists, new storylines, and a new title so readers know this is a different experience. One difference is the heroine’s name, which has changed from Megan Andrews to Petra Rose. Another difference is the setup: in the short story the heroine was facing writer’s block, while in the novel Petra is also dealing with backlash from a movie adaptation of her work.

Colleen has described Woman Down as the darkest book she’s ever written. It’s also worth noting this one will be published through Amazon, so the ebook will be exclusive to them (including Kindle Unlimited), though print copies should be available in bookstores.

The story begins with Petra Rose, once a well-known author. After the film adaptation of her book received strong backlash on the internet, she retreats to a lakeside cabin in a last attempt to save her career. There she meets Detective Nathaniel Saint, who arrives with “disturbing news” and unexpectedly becomes part of her writing process. Since Petra already has a police officer in her draft, Nathaniel fits right in, and soon their “research sessions” start crossing the line between fiction and reality.

📌 Author’s clarification: Colleen said Woman Down has nothing to do with the publicity around her previous adaptations. She explained that she first wrote the story ten years ago as a novella called Saint. The main character is still a writer. Colleen said she often uses writing as therapy, so her thoughts and feelings appear in her books.

In Woman Down, the heroine faces backlash because a main character was removed from the movie of her book. Fans blame her for it. Colleen said this idea came from something that almost happened to her. A few years ago, one adaptation nearly cut a character, and she was afraid readers would turn against her. That fear gave her the idea for the story. She began writing this book two years ago. She said it was not added later to build conspiracies or to sell more copies.

Colleen said she writes only for herself. It took her years to start writing again, and she is very excited to finally have a release. The book helped her through a dark and disappointing time. She said she is both proud and horrified by the choices her character makes. Reworking the story was fun and also helped her release frustrations.




⚠️ Warning for Safety Gals: The original short story (Saint in the One More Step anthology) included on-page cheating. The heroine was married with two daughters and had both an emotional and physical affair with Nathaniel. It is not yet clear if Woman Down will keep that storyline, but some readers may want to know this before going in.

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't normally condone cheating, or even want to read anything about it, but in classic Hoover fashion, Colleen managed to suck me in and keep me engaged despite my reservations.

There was just something about this book, this storyline, these characters, that were hard to resist, hard to ignore, and hard to put down.

The thrill of it all, the turn the story took, was well worth anything else. Add in what had to be, despite the intro, some connection for CoHo with the underlying storyline, and it all made one appealing story that kept me eagerly turning the pages wanting more.


*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

[Madison Barnes]

Give it to me now.

[Dallas Strawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Colleen Hoover is back, baby; and she came to slay.

WOMAN DOWN is quite possibly her darkest book yet. If you thought Verity pushed the boundaries, buckle up babes because Detective Nathaniel Saint is about to ruinnnn you in entirely new ways like you’ve never expected.

We meet Petra Rose, a bestselling author grappling with intense writer’s block after a series of career controversies. Desperate for inspiration, she retreats to a secluded lakeside cabin to finally knock out her next novel; one centered around a dangerously attractive cop. And then, at 5 a.m., life imitates art when a very real super hot detective knocks on her door to investigate an accident in the neighborhood.

From that moment on, Woman Down doesn’t let go. It moves at a breakneck speed.

The book is packed with Colleen Hoover’s signature emotional trauma, gut wrenching heartache, and deeply layered characters whose flaws and secrets will leave you gasping as you turn the pages. This may be her first published novel in three years, but it’s crystal clear the queen has not abandoned her throne.

She absolutely wrecked me; delivering twist after twist I never saw coming, all building toward a jaw-dropping, doozy of an ending that still has me reeling. I literally just finished this book, and all I want to do is go back and read it again. That’s how fun… and traumatic, it is.

[Katie Prouty · Rating 5 out of 5]

WILD, dark, and completely addictive. Colleen Hoover leans hard into psychological suspense, exploring obsession, creativity, and reputation in a way that kept me glued to the page. The tension builds fast, the vibes are unsettling, and nothing feels safe. A creepy, fast paced read that kept me turning pages late into the night.

✨THINGS AND STUFF ✨
-revenge with a pen
-suspense! Creepiness!
-method writing
-love triangle
-remote cabin
-cop x author
-betrayal and dangerous secrets
-#IsThisAKissingBook open door

Thank you Leo PR and Amazon Publishing for the advanced copy!

[pinky]

SHE’S RELEASING SAINT AS FULL LENGTH NOVEL??/?? 🪑🪑

[Diana]

would read anything from Colleen if this is a thriller!

[🌊🐚 𝐻𝑒𝓇𝑜𝓁𝓈𝓉𝑜𝓃🩵🌴]

I AM SO EXCITED I MAY VOMIT

[Katie]

Own - Release 1/13/26

[Danni]

I'm a big Colleen Hoover fan, but this probably should have stayed a short story.

I only read 80 torturous pages before DNFing. At least 20 of those pages were the main character (an author) having a conversation with her author friend about all the hard things about being a writer. It just felt like a weird personal essay that did absolutely nothing to drive the story forward. And once she meets the cop character, it didn't get any better honestly.

Don't waste your time.

[Chandler (chapterswithchan)]

3.5

I have been marinating on this for a few days now, because I had to get my feelings in order. I went into this book with romantic suspense vibes but quickly found out it was a suspense with some craziness in it. When I changed my mindset, this was actually a pretty good suspense book.

A famous book author, Petra Rose, is going to her favorite getaway spot to lock herself away to write a new book. She has recently been canceled from the fallout of a movie adaptation and is struggling to put pen to paper and produce anything. She has the bare bones but with all the drama surrounding her right now is not in a place to write. But when inspiration strikes in the form of a handsome cop who shows up at her door one night, the creative juices start flowing and it is like riding a bike. But Petra’s world is about to be flipped upside down, AGAIN, and this time she will have no one to blame but herself.

THOUGHTS… this book was a wild ride. I really struggled with the “cheating” aspect in this book. HOWEVER, cheating in a romance? Heck no. Cheating in a suspenseful thrillerish book? Totally fine. Karma will come back to them. But that is when I needed to change my mindset about the way this book was going. There was no white knight to come in and save the day, this was not about a woman who would be rescued. This was about a woman who was lost and decided to then lose herself even more to get her goal accomplished. The ending of this book of this book fit perfectly, leaving me as the reader to wonder… “WELL WHAT DID SHE DECIDE“?? I really would love to talk to another reader who read this so we can discuss.

Many people think the whole premise of the author being canceled is a sob story, but I actually enjoyed how CoHo added this into her story. Write what you know and all of that. To be fair, CoHo haters were not going to like anything she produced so no matter which direction she went she would have been screwed.

Overall, I am giving this book 3.5 stars. I really struggled with all the cheating and also the fact that Petra just kind of sucked. BUT SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO! Which is why I added the .5 points. That was the character. I do recommend this book to people who enjoy thrillers and also coho. I am not going to say it gave off Verity vibes because nothing can really do that but Verity itself, but it did give the same feelings of “WTF?”.

Can you handle cheating in a book?

[Ali | flippin_and_sippin_mn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woman Down
Colleen Hoover
Publishing: 1/13/26

The ways in which I’ve been waiting for a new(ish) CoHo book! This originated as a short story called Saint from the One More Step anthology, however I had never read it, so this is all new to me.

In true Hoover fashion I was instantly sucked in and hooked. I love how Colleen can write multiple genres. While her main foray is romance, she definitely knows how to write a jaw dropping twisty thriller. Petra’s story kept me engaged and at times on the edge of my seat. It was suspenseful, creepy, a tad uncomfortable(as was intended), and I had fun with it.

CoHo described this as the darkest book she’s ever written and Woman Down definitely leaned more towards Verity and Too Late. If you enjoyed those, I think you’ll like this one too.

A huge thank you to Montlake and Leo PR for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Karen | karentalksbooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

a good thriller for the girlies that want to dip their toe into the genre!

[Break From Reality · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

When I heard Colleen talk about this book, I'm not going to lie I wanted to read it asap for a couple of reasons ...

The fact that the storyline was based around an author, her book, the film based upon her book and the shenanigans that ensued well, of course I was curious. Disclaimer ~ I've seen the film It Ends With Us a few times and I absolutely refuse the let the crazy that has happened ruin my experience. I have no idea what happened behind the scenes nor do I care to know. I enjoyed the book and I enjoyed the film. That said, I was beyond curious about this book and I am so happy I received an arc and that I experienced the creative world of Woman Down.

I refuse to post any spoilers because I have a feeling this will be read by, my gosh I couldn't even image how many people.

The characters are brilliant. I literally felt like I was participating in the storyline at certain times in this book. The creativity of writing each character with such incredible realism was perfect. I could have been friends with all the female characters without a doubt. The male characters, well hells bell I can't even. I literally could play a game of sleep with, marry, and kill LOL. The male characters in this book were perfectly scripted, relatable, desirable, and honestly, they just seemed so real as did the women. One of my favorite parts about the characters were their unique quirks. I could visualize every scene which left me feeling completely immersed in the story.

In books like this, I love the unexpected and I was not disappointed. Surprises .... oh yes there were a few. First, well I was shocked and then I just rolled along from there.

This book is entertaining for many reasons. It is a fast and engaging read.

If you think by reading this, you are going to get to the center of the controversy that has happened you will probably be disappointed.

If you are looking for a storyline that is fresh, engaging and entertaining I think you’ll enjoy Woman Down.

[Carrie Shields · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝑰𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒊𝒅𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔, 𝒊𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒆. 𝑨 𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌. 𝑾𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏. 𝑩𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕'𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒂𝒎. 𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝑰 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍. 𝑰𝒕 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆...

WOMAN DOWN opens with a compelling premise: Petra Rose, a once-celebrated author, finds herself isolated after a public misstep involving a film adaptation of one of her books. Humiliated and devoid of inspiration, she escapes to a secluded cabin to try to finish the book that just won't come. A knock at the door brings Detective Nathaniel Saint arriving with disturbing news. However, his presence ignites a creativity in Petra that she feared was gone, and when he accepts her invitation to question him on police procedure, their 'research' blurs the lines between fiction and reality. As the words and chapters pour out of her, Petra has never felt more alive. But she has no idea that her creation will come at a terrible cost.

I absolutely loved how this book explores fame and accessibility and how being visible and interactive can quickly become a liability. The blurred lines between an author's public persona and private self, especially when fans feel entitled to constant access, was thoughtfully conveyed in a frank manner. The theme of fans turning against a writer they once loved is definitely timely, but it was the rumination of those negative opinions invading Petra's mind and making her doubt herself and her talent that carried an emotional weight that was deeply unsettling and painfully realistic.

While I didn't find this to be a thriller on par with VERITY, it maintains a consistently suspenseful tone and isn’t afraid to dip into darker territory. The tension simmers rather than explodes, allowing the psychological aspects to breathe. Overall, it’s moody and thought-provoking with an ending that will shake you to your core. Many thanks to Amazon Publishing and Hunter PR for the early copy. This book will publish January 13, 2026.

[Charlotte Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colleen Hoover knows how to write a thriller. Woman Down is a book full of suspense, thrills, and creepy moments. Petra is a struggling author who meets Saint at just the right time.

I had many moments of shock and discomfort at what Petra was doing and where her story seemed to be heading. Yet, I thought it would all work out for her. I am unsure that her story is done or that it all worked out but it did come together in a way that I did not see coming. Colleen Hoover kept me guessing and anticipating the entire book. I could not put it down.

Thank you Montlake for a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Jamie Hug · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woman Down? That was me, because I could not put this book down!

From the very first page, I was hooked. It's dark, emotional, and intense in all the best ways. It has all the emotional chaos that Colleen is known for and had me in an absolute chokehold with the twists. This book had me squirming, stressed and begging for more by the end!

[Stacey Ferrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was unlike the usual books from Colleen Hoover. In fact the first half of the book, I got very specific Lucy Score vibes. It was very well written and kept me engaged throughout the book. In true Colleen fashion, there were several unexpected twists that I didn't predict. It was missing the push she generally gives that makes it a 5 star but it was still a good read.

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty average psychological thriller. This book started out promising, but I feel like the plot twist was predictable and the ending was anticlimactic. Also, I disliked the main character, Petra, so it made it hard for me to feel bad when everything happened to her. The whole story was basically her cheating and excusing it away the entire time. Boringgg

[Natalia Hauser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plot twists i probably should’ve seen coming still caught me by total surprise. Loved Petra’s character and the supporting roles. CoHo is back and I will continue picking up any and all books she writes!

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one definitely required some suspension of disbelief, but the thriller element was strong. It was a super fast read, and even though I questioned a lot of what was happening, it still kept me on the edge of my seat.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Katherine Bichler · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

This is more of a romantic suspense than a thriller.

An author books a cabin to write a book and uses her experience there as the plot.

Kept my attention and was predictable. Not my favorite CoHo book but still decent.