Since self-publishing her first book, Slammed, in 2012, Colleen Hoover has rocketed to stardom and published 22 novels and novellas. Her success did not follow the typical publishing blueprint as Hoover didn’t have a literary agent or a formal education in writing, and she self-published many of her early books rather than seeking out a publisher. Her path to success was rooted less in traditional marketing and more in finding new ways to interact with her readers and the online book community. For example, Slammed became a viral hit because it was reviewed by Maryse Black, a popular book blogger who focuses on independent and self-published works alongside books from major publishers. After cultivating a following, Hoover continued self-publishing and offered free bonuses for her fans such as publishing a free novella (Finding Cinderella, 2013) and collaborating with musician Griffin Peterson to create a free, streamable soundtrack to Maybe Someday (2014).

Hoover’s fans, primarily women, call themselves CoHorts, and they post gushing, often emotionally charged reviews on various platforms. In the past few years, Hoover’s books have been featured heavily on BookTok (TikTok with a focus on books), especially because Hoover is active on the platform and often posts reaction videos to reviews.