Slammed

“I’m standing in what is no longer our kitchen when I catch a glimpse of a purple plastic hair clip under the cabinet in the space where the refrigerator once stood. I pick it up, wipe the dust off of it, and run it back and forth between my fingers.”

Lake’s purple hair clip takes on symbolic significance; it reminds her of her father, who convinced her the clip was magical. She holds it, longing for her father and grieving the family’s move from the ranch.

“He smiles. Our handshake lingers as neither of us says anything.”

Lake and Will’s chemistry comes through in their lingering handshake; they are both occupied in their assessment of the other. Love and Attraction is an important theme in their developing relationship and the romance novel as a whole.

“‘Is that the quickest way to the store? That drive took nearly twenty minutes.’ He winks at me and opens his door. ‘No, actually, it’s not.’ That’s definitely flirting. And I definitely have butterflies.”

Will’s attraction to Lake is clear in his decision to take her on a meandering route to the grocery store in order to spend more time with her; Lake correctly deduces that he is flirting with her. Lake’s butterflies reveal that the pair’s Love and Attraction are mutual.

“But death

didn’t

forget.”

Will’s parents’ deaths are revealed in his poem, delivered at Club N9NE. The theme of Grief and Loss is explored through Will, who tells Lake of his struggles in the wake of his parents’ car accident. Colleen Hoover conveys the passion of Will’s performance through bolded and italicized words, which indicate emphasis. Poetry is a recurring motif that allows characters to express difficult emotions and topics.

“‘Will,’ I whisper, not able to get a full breath out. ‘Please don’t tell me…’ His face is red and he has a pained look in his eyes as he bites his lower lip.”

The forbidden lovers trope is established with the reveal that Will is Lake’s teacher. Hoover intentionally positions this reveal after Will and Lake’s first date, which established their intellectual and romantic chemistry. Tension is established as the reader wonders how the two characters will respond to this change.

“After my parents died, I doubled up on all my classes. I have enough credits to graduate a semester early. Since the school was so shorthanded, they offered me a one-year contract.”

Will and Lake’s predicament is complicated by Will’s financial obligations to his younger brother Caulder, which caused him to pursue a teaching degree to better provide for the family. As well as complicating Will and Lake’s chances of being together (as Will doesn’t want to risk his career for Caulder’s sake), Will’s priorities characterize him as committed.

“‘He’s a teacher at your school, Lake!’ She starts coughing and grabs at a Kleenex.”

Julia is established as a protective mother in this exchange; she is concerned for Lake’s well-being once she learns she went on a date with her teacher. Hoover also includes a clue in Julia’s coughing fit, as she is dying of terminal cancer but has not told Lake or Kel yet.

“There’s a different hunger behind him now. He slides his hands under my shirt and grabs at my waist. I return his kisses with the same feverish passion.”

Tension builds as Lake and Will control their urges—until they finally kiss in this quote. Their “hunger” and “feverish passion” illustrate the difficulty of their restraint, as they both clearly long for each other. Love and Attraction continues to be explored through this longing.

“I think what was happening at lunch yesterday was more than just a slap on the wrist for inappropriate verbal usage. I don’t know how much more, and honestly it’s none of my business. I just want you to know you can talk to me. If you need to.”

Eddie is characterized as a kind and caring friend. She doesn’t pry into Lake’s relationship with Will but communicates that her interest is solely based on her concern for Lake’s well-being.

“I covered my ears as she screamed at me, wiping the evidence off of her nose. She slapped me across the face and reminded me of how bad I was!”

Eddie recites a poem at Club N9NE, which recounts her mother’s abuse. Her poem receives applause from the crowd, as poetry slam events are meant to celebrate vulnerability.

“Lake, I have cancer.”

Julia reveals she is dying of terminal lung cancer. A red herring is planted in Lake’s incorrect suspicion that her mother started a new relationship; in this interaction, she learns the real reason behind her mother’s secretive behavior. Grief and Loss continues to be a recurring theme, as Lake will now have to manage her grief over her mother’s diagnosis alongside her ongoing grief over her late father.

“He places his finger on the picture and says, ‘This boy is a big deal.’”

Will confronts both Lake and Eddie to reveal why he is so panicked that Eddie knows about his and Lake’s relationship. He emphasizes his love for Caulder, imploring the girls not to reveal the fact that Lake slept at his house; he would lose his job, which would leave him unable to care for Caulder. Despite his inconsistency, Will is further characterized as committed to his career and family.

“She’s not trying to prepare us for her death. She’s trying to prepare us for her life. For what she has left of it.”

Will leads a class discussion on his poem “Death,” which he wrote after his parents’ car accident. He does so to connect to Lake, to communicate his desire that she make up with her mother—which she understands upon reflection. Overall, Will’s poem lauds the power of human connection (i.e., his and Lake’s shared grief).

“I’m starting to accept it. That we won’t be together.”

Lake’s earlier fury at Will’s rejection is replaced with calm acceptance. Her mother’s impending death puts her romantic woes in perspective and forces her to behave with greater maturity for the sake of her family. While she is not fully in the wrong, her coming of age is apparent.

“‘I hope for your birthday you’ll accept this gift,’ Joel says as he hands her the pink balloon. ‘I want to be your dad, Eddie. I want to be your family for the rest of your life.’”

Eddie’s foster father, Joel, reassociates pink balloons—which Eddie associates with her birth mother’s cruelty—with his unshakable love for her. This illustrates Joel’s desire to acknowledge Eddie’s trauma and foster her healing.

“So you keep your ocean,

I’ll take the Lake.”

Will recites a poem at Club N9NE that communicates his love for Lake. She hears the poem and realizes the double entendre. Poetry continues to operate as a recurring motif that allows characters to voice hidden feelings.

“You’ve been doing so much thinking with your head that you’re ignoring your heart completely. There has to be a balance. The fact that both of you are letting other things consume you is about to ruin any chance you’ll ever have at being happy.”

Julia urges Lake to confess her true feelings to Will. She explains that Will is abstaining from their relationship to give her and Lake as much time together as possible but that Lake’s happiness will come from following her heart. Love and Attraction is an important theme here, as Julia urges Lake to prioritize love, even in the midst of Grief and Loss.

“I go back to the bathroom and brush my bangs to the side of my head and snap the clip in place.”

Lake’s purple hair clip has come to symbolize both of her parents. She wears the clip as part of her preparation to confess to Will, harnessing her parents’ support in this important moment.

“[A] boy that I’m seriously, deeply, madly, incredibly, and undeniably in love with.”

Fittingly, Lake professes her love for Will through the medium of poetry at Club N9NE, the site of their first date. Poetry continues to function as a means for authentic self-expression, including love confessions.

“The girl I fell

So hard for?

There’s room for her in first.

I’m putting her first.”

Will responds to Lake’s love poem with a love poem of his own, verbalizing his desire to prioritize her. This is significant, as Will previously cited his commitment to his career and Caulder as reasons why he can’t be with Lake. Furthermore, the theme of Art as Self-Expression is important here, as Will and Lake are able to admit their hidden feelings through poetry.

“He brings his lips to mine, and I throw my arms around him and kiss him back.”

Love and Attraction is an important theme here, as Lake and Will’s public kiss is the culmination of the novel’s tension. They finally decide to be together, after months of tense interactions and turmoil over their forbidden love.

“I walk around the living room, taking long leaps over mounds of toys as I gather wrapping paper and stuff it into the sack. ‘Did y’all like your presents?’”

After the death of Julia, Lake is characterized as a parental figure to both Kel and Caulder, having purchased and wrapped their Christmas presents and cleaned up after them. Her journey mirrors Will’s in many ways, as Will also became a parent to his brother after their parents’ deaths. Despite the Cohens and Coopers’ shared Grief and Loss, there is still happiness in their lives.

“Having Will by my side has made it bearable.”

The novel culminates in Lake and Will’s loving relationship, a satisfying ending considering their connection alleviates their Grief and Loss. Love and Attraction is also an important theme here, as Hoover suggests that love can flourish even in times of tragedy.