Born in 1979 in Sulphur Springs, Texas, Hoover began her career as a social worker and teacher. While still working as a social worker, Hoover self-published her first book Slammed in January 2012 and its sequel Point of Retreat one month later in February 2012. Soon, her books would find acclaim from online book reviewers and reach the New York Times bestseller list later that same year. This success allowed Hoover to pursue writing fulltime.

Many of Hoover’s books have found success as self-published works, and she is one of the most successful contemporary American writers of the 2020s. Hoover confronts difficult topics and themes within her works, including grief, sexual assault, infidelity, miscarriage, and toxic masculinity. As of 2022, Hoover has sold over 20 million copies of her books.