The book was announced in January 2023, but canceled the next day after online backlash due to the novel's subject matter of domestic violence.

[1][3] Following backlash and criticism online, Hoover posted a statement on Instagram the next day, saying she would ask the publisher not to continue with the project.

[1] Many readers criticized the concept on TikTok, while Goodreads reviewers gave the book an average rating of one star.

[3][4] Some wondered if the book would "romanticize" abuse, such as by including an illustration of the scene where Ryle pushes Lily down the stairs.

[1][2] The Mary Sue expressed concerns that a coloring book would appeal to underage readers, arguing that "Hoover’s audience is largely comprised of impressionable young people who could be taking a lot of the wrong messages from what she’s writing.