Bestselling author Colleen Hoover has revealed that she was diagnosed with cancer, sharing details about her treatment and recovery on social media earlier this month.
In an Instagram story posted on January 12, Hoover provided an update on her radiation therapy, captioning a mirror selfie: “Second to last day of radiation. I wish I could blame my hair and facial expressions on @Texas.Oncology, but they’ve been great. Hope you never need them, but highly recommend them.”
The update came just one day before the release of her latest thriller, Woman Down, which launched on January 13.
Hoover also detailed her diagnosis in a Facebook post on January 9, noting that her cancer was not linked to genetics or the two most common causes, HPV and excessive hormones. She wrote that her condition was “more than likely environmental/lifestyle, which is lack of exercise, poor diet and stress.”
Despite the seriousness of her diagnosis, Hoover maintained her trademark humor and candidness. “I hate when I have to get off the couch. I hate sweating. I hate when science is right,” she said, adding that she is learning to take better care of her health.
Hoover explained why she kept her diagnosis private until recently, writing that she only shared the news after surgery and as she neared the end of radiation. “Just wanted to deal with it privately last year, but almost done with radiation and then I guess 2026 will be a year of learning to treat my body better,” she said.
Hoover, who has sold more books than the Bible and has more than 20 titles to her name, has seen several of her novels adapted for film. Reminders of Him, her latest adaptation, is set for theatrical release on March 13.
In October 2025, she announced she would miss the premiere of Regretting You, based on her 2019 novel, due to “an unavoidable surgery.”
Hoover’s openness about her health journey comes at a time when she continues to engage readers with her bestselling novels, highlighting her resilience both personally and professionally.
