Bestselling author Colleen Hoover has ignited speculation about her retirement after deactivating her Instagram account during the ongoing legal dispute surrounding the film adaptation of her novel It Ends With Us.
The controversy intensified following a lawsuit filed by Blake Lively against director Justin Baldoni, alleging sexual harassment. Baldoni retaliated with a $400 million countersuit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, claiming defamation.
Text messages disclosed in Baldoni's legal filings indicate that Hoover initially supported him in both directing and acting as Ryle in the film. However, after publicly aligning with Lively, Hoover's social media presence vanished on January 22, 2025, prompting further speculation about her position in the ongoing dispute.
Rumors of Hoover's retirement gained traction after gossip platform DeuxMoi suggested she might step back from writing. Nevertheless, insiders have dismissed these claims, revealing that Simon & Schuster UK has secured two standalone novels from Hoover, set for release in 2024 and 2026.
In previous interviews, Hoover has acknowledged her battle with writer's block, stating in 2024 that she hadn't penned anything in nearly two years. 'I need to write; it's my therapy,' she expressed, while maintaining hope for a return to her craft.
As legal issues and personal hurdles unfold, Hoover's fans remain eager for her next chapter, recognizing her significant impact on contemporary romance literature.