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Bestselling Author Colleen Hoover Reveals Cancer Journey Amid Book-to-Movie Success
Colleen Hoover, the bestselling author behind It Ends With Us and a string of wildly popular romance and thriller novels, is opening up about a personal chapter of her life and is doing so with the honesty and humor that have endeared her to millions of readers.
On Monday, Hoover revealed on her Instagram Stories that she is currently undergoing cancer treatment. The post featured a photo of the author wearing black sweatpants beneath a teal hospital gown, paired with an upbeat update.
“Second to last day of radiation!” Hoover wrote.
She followed the news with her trademark humor, adding, “I wish I could blame my hair and facial expressions on @texas.oncology but they’ve been great. Hope you never need them, but highly recommend them.”
The update comes months after Hoover quietly stepped away from a major professional moment.
In October, she did not attend the premiere of Regretting You, the film adaptation of one of her novels, citing an “unavoidable surgery” at the time. In the Facebook post, the best selling author wrote, “I hate to have to announce this, but I will not be moderating the signing for @lukasgage this month, nor will I be able to attend the premiere or any events for @regrettingyoumovie. I’m super bummed, but am having an unavoidable surgery and can’t travel for a while.”
Hoover has since offered more insight into her health in a candid Facebook post shared on January 9. According to the author, genetic testing revealed that the cancer did not “come from family genes,” nor did it stem from the two primary causes, which she identified as HPV and excessive hormones.
“This means it was more than likely environmental/lifestyle, which is lack of exercise, poor diet and stress,” Hoover wrote.
While expressing gratitude for her recovery, Hoover was characteristically honest about the not so fun lifestyle changes she’s now navigating. “I’m happy and grateful to be alive but I hate vegetables. I hate when I have to get off the couch. I hate sweating,” she wrote.
She continued with the self-deprecating humor fans recognize immediately. “If you see me at the gym, don’t even tell me good job. If you see me at a restaurant eating grilled chicken and drinking water, I’m probably real mad about it.”
Hoover has written more than 20 novels, many of which have topped The New York Times bestseller list.
Her books, including It Ends With Us, Verity, Ugly Love, and Reminders of Him, have built a massive global following and helped redefine modern romance and romantic suspense.
Hoover’s stories have increasingly made the jump from bestseller lists to movie screens. It Ends With Us and Regretting You both hit theaters as feature films, and additional adaptations like Reminders of Him and Verity are lined up for release in the coming year.
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