A review by viktoriadoyle
Too Late by Colleen Hoover

dark tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

 
 I think the story has too much unnecessary point of views and details. The story is quite cliché. It’s basically a modern fairy tale. Sloan’s way out of the situation was way too good to be true with Luke being the savior and loving her instantly. Like does that even happen? This is by far the worst Coho book I’ve read. I may have high expectations from this because of how most readers mentioned that this is quite the same genre as Verity, but in all honesty, it’s not. I also hated that there were point of views from Asa about him being truly addicted to Sloan and how he honestly loved her, which I think the author’s way of letting readers make sense on asa’s behavior - kinda the same way as how most readers fell in love with the abusive guy in ‘It Ends With Us’. Also, Sloan’s behavior doesn’t make sense especially that she grew up in a fck up family. She’s too kind, too innocent for her to be easily manipulated by Asa. I also think that punching Asa’s father wasn’t enough of a closure since Asa has been talking about his father and how he was thankful and hateful of him. I thought that Asa not wanting to have revenge on his father other than punching him doesn’t make sense at all. In some way, I understand Asa’s obsession of Sloan because Sloan is everything his mother is not. I believe that we project our needs as a child to someone we look for as a partner when we grow old and that’s the reason of Asa’s obsession. I was just surprised how immediately Asa liked Sloan, like it was a love at first sight, which was also is kind of the same as to how Luke liked Sloan. Sloan has been through a lot in this book but I don’t think she was smart enough to be manipulated by Asa especially at the last part of the story where she was looking lasagna and Asa secretly went to their hidden apartment. Also, the story is full of telling rather than showing. It was basically more about narrating, I did not feel too much emotions while reading the story at all. Additionally, the only time I felt a reaction while reading was when Asa did the surprise as if they were raided by the FBI and Carter revealed that he was a cop, then realizing that FBI was just a 
I find the story to be filled with excessive viewpoints and unnecessary details. It's quite cliché, resembling a modern fairy tale. Sloan's escape from the situation seems too idealistic, with Luke instantly becoming her savior and falling in love with her. Does that even happen in real life? This is, without a doubt, the worst book by Coho that I've ever read. Perhaps my expectations were too high due to readers comparing it to "Verity," but honestly, it doesn't live up to that standard. I also disliked the inclusion of Asa's perspective, where he claims to be addicted to Sloan and genuinely loves her. It felt like the author's attempt to justify Asa's behavior, similar to how readers fell for the abusive character in "It Ends With Us." Furthermore, Sloan's actions don't make sense, especially considering her troubled upbringing. She's portrayed as overly kind and innocent, making it hard to believe she could be easily manipulated by Asa. Punching Asa's father wasn't a sufficient resolution, considering Asa's conflicting feelings towards him. It doesn't make sense that Asa didn't seek more revenge. In a way, I understand Asa's obsession with Sloan because she embodies everything his mother is not. I believe we often project our childhood needs onto our partners in adulthood, which explains Asa's fixation. However, I was taken aback by how quickly Asa developed feelings for Sloan, as if it were love at first sight, mirroring Luke's instant attraction. Despite the trials Sloan faces throughout the book, I don't think she displays enough intelligence to be manipulated by Asa, especially during the final part where she was looking for lasagna and Asa secretly entered their hidden apartment. The story primarily relies on narration rather than evoking emotions. I didn't feel deeply connected to the story while reading it. The only time I had a reaction was when Asa staged the surprise raid by people dressed as FBI agents and Carter revealed he was a cop, only to realize it was all orchestrated by Asa. It was a foolish move on Asa's part, but it suited his character. I would rate this book a 1, primarily because it tackles a topic that may not be easily understood without exploring the characters' perspectives. Without this aspect, it would be a mediocre 1 for me, solely acknowledging the effort put into the writing.


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