Life’s Missing Fragments and Finding the Other Pieces: Regretting You by Colleen Hoover

“I wonder if humans are the only living creatures that ever feel hollow inside.” 

-Colleen Hoover 

Personal Rating

Humans are strong and intelligent yet vulnerable to pain and heartache. Besides, when we lose interest in what we used to love, we keep something new to replace it instead of uncovering the mystery behind its disappearance. There’s a feeling of emptiness inside us now and then; even we can’t control it sometimes. But we need to do something about it; otherwise, we might regret it later. This hollow inside us can be alarming. For it can be a sign of being unfriended, negativity, and deep thoughts like watching a poignant view.

Regretting You by Colleen Hoover was published on the 10th of December 2019. It had 354 pages with 38 chapters. Half of the chapters show the perspectives of the characters of Morgan and her daughter Clara. When you read this book, you’ll notice that the events are not far from what is happening to us today. This is because there’s so much in common with every individual from different walks of life.

The novel portrayed how a single mistake can cause devastation in someone’s life and affect the people around him. The author showed the themes of friendship and relationships that turned into family. We can also find themes such as; grief, mystery, betrayal, guilt feelings, death, and essence of forgiveness. In every decision we make, let’s make sure we are ready to face the consequences and be accountable for our actions because that’s what we chose, and no one but ourselves should be blamed for it. Let’s not include those innocent people who become part of our new chapter in our lives because of our decisions.

The aftermath of a tragic death of a loved one can last a long time on those people who were left behind. But their presence will remain as lovely memories in our minds. A mysterious death, on the other hand, can lead to confusion. But who should you blame when the people you think were responsible have passed on themselves?

You yourself, who was clumsy and numb about everything that happened far from your consciousness, or the people behind the betrayal who were dead yet didn’t give you the reasons for their crazy actions?

It can be quite satisfying to find out the truth behind the mystery, but it can also lead to your downfall. This may happen if you lead by your emotions instead of by your mind when searching for the truth. And once you come across it, the results can have an effect on yourself and your family too. The truth can either make or break your relationship.

Bearing the burden of grief caused by the death of a loved one and the betrayal behind it may cause you to question your feelings of guilt, not to mention the guilt of those who caused it. You might ask yourself, “Are they deserving of my forgiveness?”

Moreover, it was about taking the opportunity to change what was left behind because of personal matters, and fate dictation can somehow be risky—knowing that both of you were no longer in the same situation just like before. You thought it was the right time, and you took it without thinking that a new person in your life today might not understand it and take it seriously.

How are you willing to take a risk to something you left behind before, yet it is granted to you? Will you follow your heart or mind? That love lost regained was once in a lifetime, and not all those people in that challenging situation were given a chance; that’s why be prepared and trust your actions.

In every action we make, there will be reactions. Different perspectives could view these actions by the people around you. It can be used as a weapon against you to make you feel worthless and stupid or a good model. Finding solutions were uncertain and irrelevant at some point. Especially if you’re aware of what you had done yet chose to be a slave of the strange beast inside you, the heart that wasn’t ruled by logic.

Forgiveness, we had heard of it many times. But I have a question, have you already forgiven yourself? Those people who hurt and betrayed you? Those people who used you? Those people who promised you yet they’re gone?

The essence of forgiveness was a lifetime process to be understood, and it was both inevitable and uncertain that somehow made it complex, unfathomable, and only time can tell. Like in our lives, we can’t start a new book without moving on from the previous book we read. So let’s not force ourselves to read that book if we’re no longer committed to it. If we continue it, we’re just hurting ourselves; that’s why we learn how to move on, try new things and accept them. Life will always be challenging, unpredictable, mysterious, and a book that has so much to offer if we’re just willing to take it well. So let’s keep moving forward and balance the wheel of our lives.

In most chapters of the book, friendship, family relationship, grief, mystery, betrayal, guilt feelings, death, and essence of forgiveness was the main point of this novel. This novel can also be to those teens who believe that they can be independent easily in different stages of their lives without knowing what lies ahead. The friendship that turned into the family has never been impossible in this world. They are a leap of faith and blessings in disguise.

Grief and betrayal were both sinful acts, something that can tear your life into pieces. Those who commit betrayal will gain the consequences of their silly actions, and children will receive the greater impact. Mystery caused by death was both a relief and tragic. Uncovering the secret is a relief, but the death was a tragedy. It depends on how you will going to react and handle the situation. The essence of forgiveness is how it can mend and heal our hearts, minds, and souls. That’s why this novel could be read by anyone interested in these things and who has undergone this kind of situation.

It is for readers who love fictional stories yet situational ones. Something that will help you be aware of the outside world, knowing those events were happening to other people, perhaps to other readers. It can be an indication to us on how to make our lives not an easier but productive one. Those negative things that happened in the book were close to real-world. So let’s try to think and reflect on it.

I gave this book 4.4 out of 5 stars because it was almost perfect and well written, yet I was not too fond of the idea when Morgan failed to read the letters of those traitors. I’d seen her as a coward, for she was afraid of the truth that those letters could reveal to her. As a reader, I hope to know what’s inside it, but the author didn’t allow me or the fictional characters to witness the truth.

Charisse May B. Oberas is an introvert, phlegmatic, silent-type reader. You can find her hanging around on Facebook and Instagram.