It Ends with Us
Ratings727
Average rating3.6
ok honestly this was not as bad as I thought it would be?? Like don't get me wrong I didn't LOVE it and I don't really understand the popularity of it, but I had read takes like ~~glorifying abuse~~ and I think it's...not that bad. I think it's coming from a well-meaning place and trying to depict the complex situations of why people might stay in abusive situations etc. It's still like...pretty clunky and not...the best...but...whatever. I don't think it's actively harmful and I thought Colleen's afterword about growing up a survivor of DV was moving.
There are also a lot of super wild plot-irrelevant choices here, such as opening a flower shop for people who hate flowers, which I was thrilled to discuss on the podcast.
https://www.frowl.org/worstbestsellers/episode-213-it-ends-with-us/
Not what I expected at all, I thought this was going to be your run of the mill Romance novel but I was mistaken. This story is a lot darker than I anticipated and very emotionally raw. I like that the story is not wrapped up in a nice little bow at the end.
Lily Bloom comes from an abusive household where she witnesses more than once her father attacking her mother. She never understood why her mother endured all those years of abuse and quite frankly felt that her mother was weak. When Lily meets Ryle Kincaid in Boston after the death of her father she is immediately smitten and they get entangled in a whirlwind romance. When Lily realizes that this relationship is not what she expected she has two choices to make, stay where she's at and be like her mother or make a change for the better and do what her mother could never do.
In the midst of this whirlwind romance we gets a glimpse into the youthful relationship Lily had with homeless teen Atlas Corrigan from years ago. Lily takes Atlas under her wing and takes many risks to make sure that Atlas is cared for, fed and showered. When Atlas is finally able to find a stable roof to live under Lily cannot fathom living without him in her life but she knows it's for the best and lets Atlas go.
In her new life Lily stumbles upon Atlas as an adult and soon finds that she still has a deep love and affection for him. Atlas has never stopped loving Lily and when Lily needs help the most he is sure to be there to save her life as she saved his so many years ago.
This book gets a strong 4 stars from me, this story has a ton of domestic violence triggers so do be cautious but open to understanding what we as outsiders may never get.
This was my first Colleen Hoover book. It was hard to read in places. I'm glad it ended the way it did. May have to read the next book!
The book was simply written and pretty cheesy (mostly the names) But still enjoyable.
Lily Blossom Bloom- loves to garden and opens a flower shop
Ryle-because he is always riled up
Atlas- because he has always struggled
Honestly I was hating on this book - it gave me Christian Grey, Edward Cullen bordering-on-abuse vibes but then it redeemed itself by the girl leaving the guy!! Yes, thank you!!
In saying that though, it still started off pretty cliche, with the girl getting a lot of help in running her flower shop for free so I can't say it was good enough for a 4 stars.
Well I finally broke down and read my first Colleen Hoover book. I went in with low expectations and thank goodness, because there's a lot of issues with this book.
The main character of Lily is a Mary Sue. She's loved by all the guys, including the one that says he never wants a relationship or long-term commitment, but magically does with her because she's ~~different~~. She opens up a flower shop with no concept and barely any experience but she's amazing at it because of course she is.
I didn't like the main love interest of Ryle from the beginning. He was arrogant and bossy, but I guess that's the typical romance trope. I was not on board with their romance from the beginning, so when there is conflict later in the book, I find myself having a hard time caring.
I did find the story of her and Atlas intriguing, although the way it's worked into the book is kinda dumb. This story is told via writing letters to Ellen, which I'm sure is to hammer home the “just keep swimming” line but it's just soooo forced. Also, there are times it doesn't feel like a 15-year-old is writing these letters, which took me out of it too. I wish there would have been a better way to deliver this backstory.
When I first started the book, a few chapters in, I wrote: “This Ryle guy is such a jerk and I'm probably supposed to think he's a bad boy and like him. Also it's really suspicious how the sister just shows up and offers help and immediately everything is perfect. I hope we get an explanation for all of this and it's not just lazy writing.”
But sadly it was just lazy writing.
This book wasn't all bad. I appreciate how it tried to tackle abuse from a victim's perspective. I did find Atlas's story interesting (much more than Ryle's). I liked how Lily had actual growth in the novel. I don't know if I would have read this book if it wasn't amazingly popular for some reason. And I'd only recommend it to anyone who wants to see what all the the hype is about. Apparently this is not the worst Colleen Hoover book, so that's good.
... And now I'm off to read It Starts With Us because I like torturing myself, apparently.
If I could give it a 4.5 I would! It was so well written, compared to some of the other books I have read. If you read the Author's Note AFTER you finish the book, it explains a lot and I admire Coleen for sharing the story. Not every one is perfect and no story is the same. I'm happy with the way it ended. I'm not upset that there is another book, because I do need more of the story! Would recommend.
When I sit down to read a book that has gotten a lot of buzz, I always prepare myself to be disappointed. Sometimes if the hype is too much, the book can't live up to it. Well this book didn't disappoint- it lives up to the buzz! I read this in two days and was thoroughly committed to reading what happened next. The story of Lily and her journey from an abusive household as a child to finding herself married to an abusive man was compelling. The author treated the subject matter and characters with such skill that the book is more than a story- it leaves the reader with questions and much to think about.
I hesitate to give books 1 star because it feels punitive, but I truly, truly think this book is bad. It is poorly written on a mechanical level, it has flat, poorly developed characters, and regressive views on relationships masquerading as healthy response to abuse. No thank you.
Contains spoilers
I had never read a book by Colleen Hoover before, but this was so hyped by everyone at work that I had to check it out. Well, apparently we have very different tastes. At one point, i had to flip to the end to find out if she leaves him because if she didn't this was gonna be a big fat DNF. Once I got back to the ending, i do admit that i appreciated it and the fact that the author was actually trying to say something about domestic violence. But personally, it didn't make up for the way it previously felt like it was romanticizing DV.
Ryle immediately gave me the ick because he was so coercive from literally the moment he met her. It didn't come off as assertive or dominant - just nasty. I dunno, maybe it hit a little too close to home for me but I hated him so much.
At different parts of the book, i had trouble suspending the disbelief for the plot. Like, you get an immediate-hire employee your first day you open your business and she also becomes your best friend (then sister in law and also neighbor)? Stuff like this can be fun, but i need to be convinced sometimes I guess. I have a hard time describing what I mean by this, though, or what makes it so unbelievable sometimes.
And every time they said, "naked truth," i wanted to vom.
If it weren't for the ending and for Atlas, i would've given this one star. But it taught me i like a partner indecision trope, for whatever that's worth.
At the first few chapters, my rating for this book would be 1 star.
In the midst of it, i would give a 2.
And till the end it's a 3.
The theme was alright. The problem again lies in the manner of story-telling and how the writing was like–well, i wouldn't want to say it's bad but it is indeed. Alongside those cliche quotes, which at times made me cringe, and oh yes, the weird fast-forwarding relationship going on for 6 months into marriage and children directly? how convenient that is!
Oh sure, maybe the bit about domestic abuse is the best about this book, but then the main problem to be solved or the moral of the story is easily known, and that might even downgrade the raise the awareness of some issues bit.
And i wonder why is this worth a 4.xx average rating while other literary fictions only have a 3.xx? Oh. how universal the side people take here!
What a HORRIBLE book. You already know everything is going to happen like 3 chapters before. And also, what the HELL was going on Lily's head to honor the DEAD BROTHER OF HER AGRESSOR??????? Horrible. Simply horrible. I won't even read the continuation. Disappointed, really.
I never thought I would fall for the TikTok hype, but here I am, 2:45 at night with tears on my face. I finished the book within 6 hours. Took a short break to eat, to watch some tv, but that was it. I've never cried as much while reading a book. Ever. I just have to give it 5 stars, because this book made me feel things.
A love/family story about abuse. Had I known the theme beforehand, I would not have picked it up. But I got some idea of the dilemmas involved. Actually, the book was too long. It slows down after around the first quarter. The rest is a little drawn out.
I re-read this book after 3 years and it was even better than the first time I read it. What a great book!
When I finished this book I was on a book high, after months of processing this book was lowkey mid and I've yet to read the sequel I bought whilst in that book high
Very personal at that time. Had to stop reading at one point just cus i could relate so much. Then just to see if they'll meet again... Love wins at the end or not... I continued and finished. So i got the satisfaction that things always work out in the end.. but now i hate this book so much.. cus in my real life things didn't work out well and i lost her. Do it makes it books on which i have cried the most upon.
Not my cup of tea. It was a very quick read but everything about the story itself gave me the creeps. The characters were barely developed and the story was moving along way too fast. There was also a lot of manipulation both of the characters and of the reader.
I'm a sucker for a sob story fantasy romance ending and that's why I didn't give it 1 star lol