My Thoughts On: Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover

Posted October 14, 2012 by Asheley in Uncategorized / 13 Comments


Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover
Series: Slammed #2
Published by Atria Books
Publish Date: August 10, 2012
(first published February 25, 2012)
320 Pages
Source:  NetGalley

Hardships and heartache brought them together…now it will tear them apart.

Layken and Will have proved their love can get them through anything; until someone from Will’s past re-emerges, leaving Layken questioning the very foundation on which their relationship was built. Will is forced to face the ultimate challenge…how to prove his love for a girl who refuses to stop ‘carving pumpkins.’(summary from Goodreads)

Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover


My Thoughts:  Okay, so I read and fell pretty hard for the first book in this little duet not too long ago. So hard, in fact, that within seconds of finishing Slammed, I started Point of Retreat. I can think of two instances (only two!) in my life as a reader where I have actually started the next book right away (here and here) and in each of these circumstances, it paid off for me big time. Point of Retreat was a nail-biting roller coaster of a good time and fantastic, just as I expected. I read it in one sitting. 

(You can read my thoughts on Slammed HERE.
Please do, actually.)

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Point of Retreat starts out pretty soon after Slammed ends, when this non-traditional-yet-loving family is settling down and finding a routine that works out for them. Will and Caulder (brothers) live close to Lake and Kel (brother and sister). They have great friends and pretty good neighbors. Things are looking up…

…until they aren’t. Somebody shows up – somebody from Will’s past. This is where things start to go sour. Why? Because of Lake. It’s always the girl acting all weird and crazy and maybe a little jealous, right? She can’t quite wrap her head around this person from Will’s past and the fact that Will has this amazing love for HER and only HER. Will does everything he can to show her his love and affection for her – Will style, which is swoonworthy and amazing, OF COURSE. 

Then THE THING happens. Now, you guys, we had A THING in the first book. But there’s another THING in this book. And good gracious – start with the nail-biting…because that’s what I did from the time it happened until the end. 

Y’all know I’m not giving too much away. I’m not spoiling TWO books here – because I want you to read them both. 

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First of all, HELLO WILL’S POINT OF VIEW! How are ya? I love you, Will’s point of view! It’s so great to get into Will’s head throughout this part of the story for two reasons: 1) Lake is a girl. Meaning, she has girl thoughts and good gracious, don’t we all (or most of us) know them already? It’s GOOD to know the thoughts of the Good Guy, the one we love to pieces. 2) Will is, in my opinion, the driving force of this book. So naturally I want to know what HE is thinking rather than Lake. There are a couple of times I’d probably want to thump Lake if I could get into her head in this book. (Yes, I’m serious.) 

Having Will’s point of view is extremely important. He is reflective back to the first book at times, which is great. Slammed was Lake’s story to tell, so it is nice to see what Will was thinking back then. But this time, this time, Will has to work so hard to prove his love for her and there is a ton he says in dialogue, but there is so much time that he spends alone with his thoughts. All we have to go on during these times is what he is thinking. Also, if we have Lake’s point of view for this book, with her being upset at Will so much, it wouldn’t be pretty at all. (Truthfully, Lake, you kind of got on my nerves a little too much during this book. It’s cool, though. I forgive you.)

Point of Retreat wasn’t quite as heart-grabbing as Slammed; I would instead call it heart-stopping. Where Slammed grabbed me by the heart and threw me down and MADE me keep reading to find out what would happen with these two because of THE THING – Point of Retreat had me glued to my seat, unable to breathe, biting my nails, sometimes yelling at Lake, wondering if the two would pull through together because of THE THING. So many things going on!! Such is life, you guys. Point of Retreat is yet another Colleen Hoover book about actual real life and man, she does it so well. How the heck does she do that? 

These characters are still so incredible. They are full – they’re funny, they’re emotional, they are flawed, they are real. There is the addition of a couple of new people to this story that are so perfect for this non-traditional family. The secondary characters are just as full and wonderful and lovable. All of the key players are perfectly placed and written. And this story is a good one, just as with Slammed. At the place I am in my life, there are several parts in this story that I laughed-out-loud hard when I read, just because of how accurate these parts are. 

Oh, yes! I nearly forgot: There is still some slam poetry in Point of Retreat, just not as much. The Avett Brothers are still a presence, just not as large. The things that make up and formed the relationship between Will and Lake are still part of this second book but because of the progression of their relationship and the way life twists and turns, some of these things have taken a back seat to the demands and THINGS at hand. Again, such is life. 

Bottom line, the Slammed duet is so great. Such great, incredible, fun, wonderful stories. Colleen Hoover tells us great stories. I love her for that. She gives great details, she makes her characters real, she makes them have true-to-life issues. Ms. Hoover writes characters that are like people I could know, and I think that is the best thing of all, because characterization is so very important to me. These books, both of them, even with their THINGS, are a breath of fresh air in a market saturated with book clones and crap. Will, the character, is one of the best things out in YA/NA today. I want to read more books by this author as soon as possible. More than that, though, I want everyone else to read these two books that are already out

I recommend Point of Retreat to everyone that has read Slammed, first of all. I also recommend it to everyone who is a fan of New Adult contemporary, or even YA contemporary romance, particularly those with incredible male leading characters. 

Point of Retreat will appeal to fans of:

Male Leading Character/Point-of-View – HOORAY!
*Great, great male characters that break the mold
for what NA/YA normally throws out there.*

New Adult Contemporary 
Romance with Issues
(romance-contemp + issues-contemp)

Great characterization, main and secondary cast

Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover

is currently available for purchase.

**I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest opinion and review. I received no compensation for my thoughts. Thank you Atria and NetGalley!


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What are some of your favorite books with
a Male Lead/Point-of-View? 

Have you read SLAMMED yet?
I’ve asked before, I know.
If not, are these books on your wish list?


Asheley

About Asheley

Asheley is a Southern girl. She loves Carolina blue skies, Ben & Jerry's ice cream, and NC craft beer. She loves all things history but prefers books over everything.

You can find her somewhere in North Carolina, daydreaming about the ocean.

Find Asheley on Litsy @intothehallofbooks!

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13 responses to “My Thoughts On: Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover

  1. I AGREE! I AGREE! So true. LOVE LOVE these books. LOVE that this one is written from Will's perspective. Glad that they took some time to make sure their relationship was solid and strong and real. Yes, Lake did get on my nerves a tad. But Will should have said something earlier about that person. I think that Colleen Hoover is writing a third book from Will's perspective. It's a look back at what happened in Slammed…And I'll definitely be willing to read anything else she puts out.

    • I'm glad you told me about the possibility of a third book, especially from Will's perspective. I liked his thoughts much better than Lake's, although hers weren't all bad. He was just such a strong character.

      And I too would read anything Colleen Hoover puts out. I'm definitely a fan after these two.

  2. Oh, I need to hurry up and read this! You know how much I loved Slammed, and I was so stoked to get approved for Point of Retreat from NG, but, you know the drill, I haven't been able to get to it yet. I know once I do I'm going to totally have that "what the heck were you thinking putting this book off???" moments.

    I am SO excited to get into Will's head and look around a bit, YAY for male POV's!!!

    So glad to see that this one is as strong as the first!

    • This one is strong, but it is different. Like I said, there's another THING, but it is different. A nail-biter for sure. I sat on my bed and read straight thru.

      Hurry and read it and let me and Lauren know what you think!!! You'll love it, of course. I know you will.

  3. Ahhhhh, I loved this book so so much!! Will is currently one of my favorite guys in fiction right now…:)

    I adored the ending too…cant say much in my comment to not spoil the book, BUT…when that incident happened after the club, yeah I was thinking please dont do what I think your gonna do to Will!!!!!

  4. Wow, Oh my goodness what a review!
    Until this moment, I hadnt heard of either Slammed or Points of Retreat, though since reading this review (and going back and reading your review of Slammed) I have decided I must buy these now!

    BTW- I just found your site, and am now a new follower via GFC.
    Please come check out my blog HERE and maybe follow me back…
    🙂

    • Yes, Asheley, I am replying to my own comment, because I answered your question before I read your review. Now, I'm intrigued by these books. I am going to have to research and possible add them to my TBR list. Also, I remembered an alternating POV that I "read" recently: Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance. In the audiobook version, Jenna irritated me, but Jonah has a very interesting take on their story. I really liked his character. I didn't really review it, but I gave it 4 stars on Goodreads.

    • First of all, you are hilarious.
      Second of all, I owe my love for Iron Druid Chronicles to you. So thank you.
      Third of all, I haven't read Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance! I haven't even heard of it. Thanks for telling me about it. 🙂

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