Discover what happens in Reminders of Him. Colleen Hoover’s novels hook readers in with gripping love stories and, indeed, Reminders of Him is one of #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover’s best books overall, delivering an emotional punch along with an intense romance.
This Reminders of Him summary helps you decide whether to read it and answers questions about this popular contemporary romance fiction book. Let’s get literary!
Quick Details
- Release Date: January 18, 2022
- Page Count: 335 pages
- Age Rating: Mature Adult 17+
- Content Warnings: drug and alcohol use, car accident, grief, incarceration, depression, neglect of a child
- Tropes: second chance romance, small town romance
Reminders of Him is about a troubled young mother named Kenna Rowan, who leaves a five-year stint in prison hoping to reunite with her young daughter.
However, everyone shuts her out for what she did except a local bar owner named Ledger. As he becomes a bigger part of her life, they must hide their connection to avoid losing the trust of everyone that matters to them, while also maintaining the hope of healing fractured bonds.
It’s a gripping story of grief, redemption, and forgiveness that packs an emotional punch in addition to offering a steamy romance.
Full Reminders of Him Summary
This Reminders of Him summary CONTAINS SPOILERS.
Kenna Rowan is a 26-year-old woman who has been released from prison 5 years into a 7-year sentence for involuntary manslaughter involving the death of her former boyfriend, Scotty Landry, in a tragic car accident that occurred while they were intoxicated. Kenna had left the scene of the accident and, to this day, is considered to be a villain in her small town.
However, Kenna is determined to reunite with her 4-year-old daughter, Diem, whom she lost custody of to Scotty’s parents, Grace and Patrick. She had been pregnant with Diem at the time of the accident and only met her once.
Back in town, Kenna has coffee alone at Ward’s Bar, where she intrigues the owner, Ledger Ward. He was Scotty’s best friend, and he remains very involved in Diem’s life, but he and Kenna never formally met, and he doesn’t recognize her.
Read more about the Reminders of Him characters.
As they continue to get to know each other, he figures out who Kenna really is, which leaves him conflicted, and she begins to rehabilitate herself with a low-paying grocery store cashier job.
When Kenna tries to apologize to the Landrys, Ledger forbids her and explains that they remain in pain and are trying to heal without her presence. The Landrys do, indeed, get a restraining order against her.
But, this doesn’t stop Ledger from getting to know Kenna and, while he’s still conflicted, he begins to understand there may be more lurking beneath the surface about Kenna that the town doesn’t see.
He also reveals that he had been engaged, but his ex didn’t like his involvement in Diem’s life. It’s hard to deny that Ledger and Kenna are now intimately connected in more ways than one, and their relationship deepens.
Unfortunately, the Landrys find out about Ledger and Kenna and ask him to choose between them and her.
Reminders of Him Ending Explained
Meanwhile, Kenna reveals that she wrote hundreds of letters to Scotty over her years in prison, and she reads one that explains the accident in detail.
Kenna had thought Scotty was dead, and she left for help when she couldn’t find a phone. On the highway, she became disoriented by her injuries and went home. It wasn’t until the next day that she found out he had been alive for 6 hours after the accident and before he died. Riddled with guilt, she pleaded guilty, and she was too heartbroken to discuss her side of the story in public at her sentencing.
She says this popular Reminders of Him quote in a letter to Scotty:
“There was before you and there was during you. For some reason, I never thought there would be an after you. But there was, and I was in it. I’ll be in it forever.”
(Read more Colleen Hoover quotes.)
Ledger shows Scotty’s mom the letter, and she forgives Kenna, inviting her to their home to meet Diem, with whom she joyfully reconnects.
Two years later, Ledger and Kenna live together nearby, and they remain very involved in Diem’s life. Together, they also bore a son named Scotty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover is about a 26-year-old woman who is released from prison for involuntary manslaughter relating to the death of her boyfriend. She seeks to reunite with her daughter and find forgiveness for his death, but she is shut out by everyone except a local bar owner with a connection to all of them and just may be the only one who can help.
Yes, Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover contains a few spicy scenes of explicit romance.
In Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover, Kenna left Scotty to die because she thought he was already dead. She left for help when she couldn’t find a phone. On the highway, she became disoriented by her injuries and went home. It wasn’t until the next day that she found out he had been alive for 6 hours after the accident and before he died.
In Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover, Scotty died six hours after a car accident in which Kenna was driving intoxicated.
Yes, Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover has a happy ending and all the storylines are tied up tightly at the conclusion of the book.
The message of Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover is that things are not always what they seem, and people deserve second chances.
Conclusion
This Reminders of Him summary helped you learn more about Colleen Hoover’s gripping “second chance romance” book, which is one of her most popular to date. In closing the page on this book, remember that things are not always what they seem, and people deserve second chances.
Want to read more about it? Get my thoughts in my Reminders of Him book review.