Bestselling author Colleen Hoover has sparked retirement rumors after deactivating her Instagram amid the ongoing It Ends With Us legal battle involving Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively.
Hoover, whose novel It Ends With Us became a viral BookTok sensation, has remained largely silent following Lively’s December 31 lawsuit against Baldoni and others, accusing the director of sexual harassment. Baldoni later counter-sued Lively and Ryan Reynolds for $400 million, alleging defamation.
Text messages revealed in Baldoni’s legal filings show Hoover initially supported him directing and starring as Ryle in the film adaptation. However, after publicly backing Lively, she deactivated her Instagram on January 22, 2025, further fueling speculation about her stance on the controversy.
Rumors of Hoover’s retirement spread after gossip site DeuxMoi reported that the author might step away from writing. However, sources close to the situation refuted these claims, pointing out that Simon & Schuster UK has acquired two standalone novels from Hoover, scheduled for release in 2024 and 2026.
Hoover has previously admitted to struggling with writer’s block, revealing in a 2024 interview that she had not written in nearly two years. "I need to write; it’s my therapy," she said, adding that while she hasn’t had time to fully immerse herself in a project, she remains hopeful about returning to writing.
Despite the legal turmoil and personal challenges, Hoover’s fans eagerly await her next move, as her influence on contemporary romance literature remains undeniable.
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