Title- It Ends With Us
Author- Colleen Hoover
Rating- 3.9/5
Series- standalone contemporary
POV- first person, present tense
Trope- trauma, abuse
Steam level- 2/5 sex scenes. See trigger warnings
Cover– a bit mysterious, inconspicuous for genre
Plot/Blurb-
Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town where she grew up—she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. And when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life seems too good to be true.
Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head. But Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating” rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place.
As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan—her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.
Character Development- I’m glad she finally made the choices she did. It’s not an easy ride and there was pain along the way and there will continue to be so in her future. Colleen Hoover did a good job of making the villain also have positive qualities.
Best part- the meet cute on the rooftop
What I would change- I wish it made me cry. I wanted it to take me there
Setting- nothing jumped out. Average. This novel is character based and internal progression
Prose- average
Theme- The theme “just keep swimming” was relevant in 2004 on my swim team and resonated on a different level. I appreciated the message the author was trying to convey about how it’s different to be outside of a situation compared to when you’re inside of it. How it’s easy to judge and it’s hard when you’re in love.
Vivid sensory descriptions- below average
Dialogue- they felt raw. I loved the “naked truths”
Diversity- not much
Ethics/morals- yeah… this is a rough one without giving spoilers.I haven’t gone through what this character has and don’t wish it upon anyone
Conflict/tension/obstacles- oomph. It was a lot. See trigger warnings
Pacing- medium
Thoughts while reading-
Page 15- I love how real and raw Lily feels.
Page 32- too much italics font hurts my eyes.
Page 63- I love that the dear diary letters are to Ellen Degeneres.
Page 102- I’m enjoying the current timeline story with Ryle more than the past with Atlas.
Page 119- feels like two completely different stories/characters. 15 year old Lily and 23 year old Lily don’t seem to resemble each other much. Sidenote- Lily, Lucy and Allysa all have names too similar so I need to reread.
Page 137- that wasn’t what I was expecting to happen. But this version makes it more interesting than what my guess was.
Page 185- everything changed. Unsure if I’ll like this book now.
Page 196- two separate stories colliding. This are coming into place.
Page 218- it’s hard to read. I’m exhausted & frustrated.
Page 272- ugh that sucks!!
Page 326- yeah, rough but it needed to be said. I agree.
Page 359- I think this page was supposed to break me. It didn’t. So, apparently I’m an emotional robot. Someone please find me a book that’ll make me cry. I’m desperate.
Quote-
“I’m sure he does love you. But he’s not loving you the right way. He doesn’t love you the way you deserve to be loved. If he truly loves you, he wouldn’t allow you to take him back. He would make the decision to leave you himself so that he knows for a fact he can never hurt you again. That’s the kind of love a woman deserves.” This line puts the responsibility on the man and not blame the woman or judge her action or inaction.
Ending- The Epilogue was needed and appreciated.
Cassie Swindon 