Without Merit: A Novel

From Colleen Hoover, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Regretting You, It Starts with Us, and It Ends with Us, comes a moving and haunting novel of family, love, and the power of the truth.

Not every mistake deserves a consequence. Sometimes the only thing it deserves is forgiveness.

The Voss family is anything but normal. They live in a repurposed church, newly baptized Dollar Voss. The once cancer-stricken mother lives in the basement, the father is married to the mother’s former nurse, the little half-brother isn’t allowed to do or eat anything fun, and the eldest siblings are irritatingly perfect. Then, there’s Merit.

Merit Voss collects trophies she hasn’t earned and secrets her family forces her to keep. While browsing the local antiques shop for her next trophy, she finds Sagan. His wit and unapologetic idealism disarm and spark renewed life into her—until she discovers that he’s completely unavailable. Merit retreats deeper into herself, watching her family from the sidelines, when she learns a secret that no trophy in the world can fix.

Fed up with the lies, Merit decides to shatter the happy family illusion that she’s never been a part of before leaving them behind for good. When her escape plan fails, Merit is forced to deal with the staggering consequences of telling the truth and losing the one boy she loves.

Poignant and powerful, Without Merit explores the layers of lies that tie a family together and the power of love and truth.

BUY THE BOOK

Published Oct 3, 2017

384 pages

Average rating: 6.82

281 RATINGS

|

Community Reviews

Coco_In_Bookland
Feb 01, 2025
4/10 stars
I love consuming a Colleen Hoover book, they flow , they keep me engaged and they always have well crafted characters.
literarily_occupied
Aug 12, 2025
10/10 stars
Colleen is perfect yet again!

Even though this was different than her usual, she still hits all the feels. No matter what book of Colleen's you pick up you can't go wrong.
Shanena
Jun 25, 2025
7/10 stars
Love the characters and it has an important message. Doesn’t have the usual plot twists like other Colleen Hoover books, but the story didn’t need one.
Kendra25
Mar 29, 2025
10/10 stars
amazing!! Amazing amazing! The drama in this family in unlike any other! In this story Colleen really shows how relationships and communication need work and how she makes everything fit so perfectly I do not know, But she does. I was surprised and how many details were included in most parts but in others lacked thereof. The people in this book are a mixed bag but somehow fit together! Would 100% read again!
AntoinetteMarisa
Feb 18, 2025
10/10 stars
I loved it!! The quote shared near the end is my favorite part. A beautiful story

See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.