Without Merit by Colleen Hoover

Without Merit by Colleen Hoover is a powerful and emotionally complex novel that explores mental health, family secrets, and the struggle to feel seen in a world that often misunderstands us. With her signature blend of raw emotion and layered storytelling, Hoover delivers a coming-of-age story unlike any other.

The book follows Merit Voss, a teenager living in a house full of secrets and contradictions. Her quirky, dysfunctional family pretends everything is fine, but Merit knows the truth—and she’s tired of pretending. When a new boy unexpectedly enters her life and uncovers parts of her she’s kept hidden, Merit begins to unravel emotionally.

Feeling invisible and overwhelmed, she makes a dramatic decision that forces her family—and herself—to confront long-buried truths. Without Merit is an honest, sometimes humorous, and ultimately hopeful look at what it means to seek acceptance, love, and understanding—not just from others, but from ourselves.