“It Ends with Us” – probably not possible if you have not been through its hype. This series holds the kingship of romance and emotional depth.
The hardest book I’ve ever written.”
Colleen Hoover
It Ends with Us” became Colleen Hoover’s most popular book. Over a million plus sales, translated in more than 20 languages, a movie based on its story, more than 2 Billion views on TikTok’s “BookTok” hashtag and Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance. Why so much for it?
Here, we will explore everything about the series except the SPOILERS, leaving them for you.
Can’t wait to begin, eh? Let’s start:
It Ends with Us Series Synopsis and Overview:
“It Ends With Us” is a series, and the name of the first book of the series. The series focuses on themes of love and relationships. The series is specifically known for its emotional depth and insisting storytelling. “It Ends With Us” is in between a true story and fiction. The storyline is based on Colleen Hoover’s relationship with her mother and father journey.
The series explores the complexities of love and relationships. It digs into the challenges faced by the characters and their personal growth. The books enlighten the important issues such as domestic violence and abusive society. The complexities of human emotions and the diversity of love – who thinks someone can cover them in pages? The series offers an emotional reading experience.
“It Ends With Us” follows the journey of Lily Bloom as she travels through love, loss, and personal growth. Lily’s relationships with Ryle Kincaid and Atlas Corrigan are the focus points of the storyline. The young and hardworking Lily Bloom is stuck in her thoughts about her first love, which is not letting her grow and groom.
The other book, “It Starts With Us”, follows the recovery path of Lily. She aims to start a new life with healthy relations and never-ending love. The story emphasizes relational and parental love. It proves that getting love is the reward of loving.
Genre:
The It Ends With Us Series is categorized as contemporary, YA, and adult romances.
A key trope in the series is the overcoming of obstacles in relationships. There are certain aspects of friendship to relationship love. It explores themes of love, loss, and hope.
It is a mid-spicey series with a lot of romance. OK to go with adult romance lovers.
Recommended Age Rating:
The series is recommended for mature readers due to its intense and emotional content. Not that mature, 17-18+ is good. Colleen Hoover has a very young way of writing. Readers above 35 may not have that much fun, but the young ones’ hearts will be at their peak.
Be sure that you are stable enough to read mature content.
How Many Books in “It Ends With Us”?
The “It Ends With Us” series has only two (2) books, and no new book is coming to the series. The series is completed with these two books:
- It Ends With Us (2016)
- It Stars With Us (2022)
Best Reading Order for “It Ends with Us” Series:
The series is not recommended to read standalone as this will make you miss many things (It could be read standalone). Believe me, every single word of both books is worthy of reading.
The best reading order for the series is:
- It Ends With Us
- It Starts With Us
The story of both books is connected. “It Starts With Us” is a sequel to “It Ends With Us”. The first book (It Ends With Us) was published in 2016, and it let the readers suffer for more than six years for the next part. “It Starts With Us” appeared in 2022 and completed the story.
Characters:
The series offers a diverse range of characters (about 22). The main ones are:
- Lily Bloom: 25 years old blue-eyed girl. The main character of the series.
- Atlas Corrigan: Lily Bloom’s husband, childhood friend and first love. 26 years old when they fell in love.
- Ryle Kincaid: Lily’s ex-husband.
It Ends With Us Series’ Summaries:
It Ends with Us #1:
Number of pages: 387
Summary:
The story revolves around Lily, who grew up in an abusive home. She has an abusive father and complex relationships with two men, Ryle and Atlas. Lily moves to Boston after her college. Lily, initially a hopeless romantic, meets Ryle, a neurosurgeon with commitment issues.
She meets Ryle on a rooftop, and their relationship develops. Still, Lily is haunted by memories of a boy named Atlas from her past. The complexities between past and present start spoiling Lily’s relationships.
| Publisher | Atria Books |
| Published Date | First published August 2, 2016 |
| Language | English |
| Pages | 367 Pages |
| Series | It Ends with Us (#1) |
| Literary awards | Goodreads Choice Award for Romance (2016) and Nominee for Best of the Best (2018) |
| Settings | Boston, Massachusetts (United States) |
| Characters | Ryle Kincaid, Atlas Corrigan, Lily Bloom |
| Symbols | Open Heart Lily Better in Boston Magnet Plant |
| ISBN-10 | 1501110365 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1501110368 |
However, things take a dark turn when Ryle becomes abusive towards Lily, and despite the challenges, they get married. The abuse continues, leading Lily to seek refuge with Atlas after discovering she is pregnant. Eventually, Lily decides to leave Ryle for the well-being and protection of herself and her child.
Just because we didn’t end up on the same wave, doesn’t mean we aren’t still a part of the same ocean.”
It Ends with Us
I praise the book for addressing the reality of abusive relationships. The author highlights the challenges victims face in such situations. I appreciate Colleen Hoover’s skill in making readers empathize with the characters and experience their emotions.
It Starts With Us #2:
Number of pages: 323
Summary:
This story literally picks up exactly where it ends with us left off. “It Ends with Us” ends when Lily and Atlas meet after 2 years of not talking with each other. Now, you might be thinking, “Wow! Lily will be happy now”. They will be happy, but not immediately after the meeting. The story switches Lily and Atlas’s points of view, which gives us a deep understanding of them.
They both want to start a relationship but don’t know how to. Their relationship ended in complex situations, sort of – right person, wrong time. They loved each other extremely but could not find the loophole to cover up. Both are single; Lily left her husband, and Atlas is also solo. Everything is getting clear for them, but Lily is in a tough situation. She is previously divorced and experiencing parenting.
| Publisher | Atria Books |
| Published Date | First published October 18, 2022 |
| Language | English |
| Pages | 323 Pages |
| Series | It Ends with Us (#2) |
| Literary awards | Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Romance (2022) |
| Settings | Boston, Massachusetts (United States) |
| Characters | Ryle Kincaid, Atlas Corrigan, Lily Bloom |
| Symbols | Vandalism Closets Finding Nemo |
| ISBN-10 | 1668001225 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1668001226 |
Not that simple the story is. You get a note at the start of the book like – this is a lighter version of the series, and there’s no more than a happy life of Atlas and Lily. But it was wrong; the story was not simple. Ryle is back with a jealousy of Atlas being with Lily. Ryle has a permanent picture here; he is a big part of the story.
I can draw a seedling with two tiny branches. Yours and mine. We’ll be on our own brand-new, tiny family tree—one that starts with us
It Starts with Us
The story deals with very real situations. More drama, more trauma, painful situations with a topping of revisiting the past, this makes the story great. Collectively, it’s a great book to read.
Message Inside the series:
The series is reality-based and offers deep insight into modern society, abusive relationships, and emotional and physical struggles. The characters are facing heart-crushing decisions, which shows the difficulty in selecting love and building relationships. You can relate to the family and cultural pressure that reflects the real world.
Instead of problems, Colleen Hoover beautifully showed the themes of healing from trauma. She provided inspiration for the readers dealing with the emotional era of their lives. The books explore the balance between professional aspirations and personal life, reflecting common struggles and triumphs.
My Review:
The series proved to be an emotional war to me (There are still spots of teardrops of mine on the pages). “It Ends With Us” described an extremely fast-paced and emotionally impactful read that kept me engaged from start to finish. You read a novel, and it gives you back something, how profitable. Here, you read, and at the end, you feel a change in yourself. The individuals do things, but you get the change. You learn character development and mental stability.
I really liked Colleen Hoover’s “It Ends With Us” series because it talks about important things like domestic abuse and gaslighting. It shows the difficulties that people face in these situations. I also admire Colleen Hoover for being brave and writing about personal and emotional stuff in the book. The way the story is told, going back and forth between past and present, is also appreciable for being smooth and interesting. The surprises and unexpected turns in the plot, made the story more exciting and centered around the characters.
Does anyone have more than 5/5? Could you give it to this series? Believe me, it’s worth it.
The story felt predictable, as many of my guessed scenes were there. Some plot twists were clear to get what would happen next. The emotional and mental states of the characters sometimes did not show depth and authenticity. The book leans towards a more formulaic romantic approach.
Conclusion:
Enter a world of love, personal development, and real-life challenges in Colleen Hoover’s “It Ends With Us” series. Follow the emotional journey of Lily Bloom as she deals with the complexities of relationships, inspired by the author’s own experiences. This series skillfully blends fiction with real-life issues like domestic violence and societal struggles. Accompany Lily on her path of personal growth, where each page encourages you to reflect on your own journey. With a realistic painting of modern life, surprising twists, and a delicate balance between love and ambition, this series guarantees a meaningful and engaging reading experience. Don’t miss the opportunity to be moved, inspired, and transformed – get your copy and dive into the world of “It Ends With Us” today!