Today’s discussion of Hopeless by Colleen Hoover encompasses pages 269-342. The scenes we will be discussing are very intense, and may be painful for survivors of abuse.
Karen finds Sky’s cell phone, and misunderstanding the texts he’s sent her tells Sky that she isn’t allowed to see Holder anymore…discuss…
Tamie: I figured Karen would be upset if she found the phone, and I can understand how she could misinterpret the texts that Holder sent. However the wiser thing to do would’ve been to listen and find out the whole story.
Elena: I think it was an excuse…Something tells me Karen knew what was coming…
After Sky finds out that Karen was the one that took her from her father when she was little, she asks Holder to take her away and leaves Karen’s home. What do you think of this decision?
Elena: It’s completely understandable. Sky’s world has just turned upside down. She’s not who she thought she was, and also Karen. Of course the best thing would have been to wait and get Karen’s side of the story first, but at that moment Sky was so shocked that she wanted to leave. And honestly, I think I’d have done the same.
Tamie: My heart was pumping so hard while reading this scene. I gotta say that Holder handled things so calmly. Sky obviously needed to get out of there, and I can’t blame her. I agree that it might have made more sense to get Karen’s side of the story, but I understand why she didn’t.
Sky’s memories are coming back and she remembers what her father did to her. What was your reaction when you read this scene?
Elena: There are no words to express how shocked and pained I was when I read about this. What happened to Sky is awful and sick, to put it mildly. Those things were done to her by someone who was supposed to protect her. And even worse is the fact that there are people out there who are like Sky’s father. Thinking that these things happen for real and children suffer like Sky did makes me sick to the stomach.
Tamie: It was everything I had been fearing. This was one of the hardest things I’ve ever read in a book.
Now we get why Sky didn’t feel anything with the other guys. Now that we know the truth about Sky’s past, why do you think Holder was the first one to make her feel anything?
Tamie: I have to believe that it was because of the connection they shared all those years ago. subconsciously, Sky realized that Holder was important…and safe, so she was able to feel with him for the first time ever. The bond they have is transcendent.
Elena: I believe this happened, because even though she didn’t remember him from her childhood years, her soul recognized him as being the only one. She’s always loved him, even though she didn’t remember. They are soul-mates.
Tamie: I agree, Elena…I think soul mates is the right description.
Sky and Holder almost have sex again. What do you think of the circumstances and of how Holder reacted?
Elena: This is another intense scene. Sky wanted Holder to take away the pain and the suffering she was going through, but Holder reacted exactly how I expected him to. He didn’t know what was the right thing to do – all he wanted to do was care for Sky, and in such a situation it’s really difficult to know how to act.
Tamie: I felt so bad for both of them. She needed something from him but wasn’t truly ready. Holder wants to give her what she needs so desperately, but it just wasn’t the right time.
Sky and Holder have sex for the first time. Discuss…
Tamie: The beauty between Sky and Holder was overwhelming. It was perfectly written with love and caring and tenderness. It was so full of wonderful that I was bawling my eyes out. Sheer book perfection.
Elena: This is one of my favorite scenes in the whole book – not because of the sex, but because of the emotions this scene conveys. The words Holder says to Sky are so beautiful…He loves her unconditionally and he shows her with his body and his words. Despite it being a passionate scene, I had tears to my eyes while reading it, because Sky finally felt loved.
Sky’s confrontation with her father and his confessions…Thoughts?
Tamie: Ugh! That Sky was able to confront her father was astonishing to me. She’s an amazing girl who just gets more amazing as the chapters go by. I also have to say that hearing all this must have so been so hard for Holder as well. I give them both huge props for dealing with everything the way they did. Holder taking charge of the situation after Sky’s father shot himself was incredible and brave.
Elena: That was a very difficult scene to read. I held my breath throughout. The confessions of Sky’s father were shocking and it made me sick when he tried to lie to her. And when he killed himself in front of Sky and Holder? I believe it shows how little he cared for Sky and how it was all about himself.
Do you think Sky’s father was really sorry for what he did?
Elena: Usually I’m a person who always likes to think that people will come to understand their failings and change, but this is not the case with Sky’s father, I’m afraid. As much as I’d like to believe he was sorry, I’m convinced he really wasn’t. Firstly, because he tried to lie to Sky when she confronted him. He made it sound as it had happened only once, when Sky clearly remembered that it was night after night after night. When you’re sorry for something, you don’t lie about it. You want to get it out and seek forgiveness. Secondly, because he killed himself. I think he did it out of cowardice. He was a cop and he didn’t want other people to know what he’d done to his daughter and to Les. I honestly think that if Sky had shown up to his doorstep without remembering anything about her past, he would have done it again. Usually I’m a person who tries to think the best of someone, but not this time. I just can’t.
Tamie: I have to agree with everything Elena just said. Perfectly stated and there’s nothing I could add to that!
Your favorite sentence:
Elena and Tamie: “The only thing that matters to me with you are the forevers.”
Your favorite paragraph:
Tamie and Elena: “When I touch you, I’m touching you because I want to make you happy. When I kiss you, I’m kissing you because you have the most incredible mouth I’ve ever seen and you know I can’t not kiss it. And when I make love to you –I’m doing exactly that. I’m making love to you because I’m in love with you. The negative connotation you’ve been associating with physical touch your whole life doesn’t apply to me. It doesn’t apply to us. I’m touching you because I’m in love with you and for no other reason. “
Your favorite scene:
Elena and Tamie: Sky and Holder making love for the first time.
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We welcome your comments.
Tamie and Elena
Filed under: Book Club, Book Club Discussion, Book Recommendation, Colleen Hoover, Favorite Authors, Hopeless Tagged: amazing books, Book discussion, Colleen Hoover, Hopeless, Sky and Holder
