Published by Simon and Schuster on August 2nd 2016
Genres: Fiction, Romance, New Adult, Contemporary, General
Pages: 384
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
Also by this author: Slammed, Point of Retreat, Maybe Someday, November 9
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 in Maine where she grew up—she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost 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.
With this bold and deeply personal novel, Colleen Hoover delivers a heart-wrenching story that breaks exciting new ground for her as a writer. Combining a captivating romance with a cast of all-too-human characters, It Ends With Us is an unforgettable tale of love that comes at the ultimate price.
Colleen Hoover’s latest book It Ends With Us is her most personal and powerful work yet. I’m kind of left speechless after this very emotional read, so I’ll keep this review short and sweet. You can see that the book’s synopsis is kind of vague, and I don’t want to give too much of the plot away either. Many of Hoover’s books contain some element of surprise, but this one in particular packs one hell of an emotional punch. It’s not an easy read, but an important one.
Lily Bloom moves to Boston to open her own floral (I know!) business, and soon meets Ryle Kincaid, a neurosurgeon. They bond over their recent sorrows and naked truths but try to resist their growing attraction. They soon succumb to their feelings and have a whirlwind romance. And as an added bonus, Lily gains a new best friend in Ryle’s sister Allysa. An unexpected sighting of Lily’s first love, Atlas, though brings up memories of the past and threatens her future with Ryle.
Atlas is the one that got away, and he and Lily saw each other through some hard times growing up. Lily recounts their history through her endearing journal letters addressed to Ellen DeGeneres. Atlas’s reappearance complicates matters for Lily, though I wouldn’t call this a love triangle book.
Hoover makes you question your assumptions about love, family, and relationships and makes you see the gray area. The book is dark, but hopeful too. The friendship between Lily and Allysa is a bright spot.
I knew going into this book that it would be heart-wrenching- I follow Hoover on social media and saw her posts about how difficult this one was for her to write. (Make sure to read the Author’s Note at the end of the novel) So, my mind was going to all sorts of places as I was reading trying to guess which direction it was going to go. I was not prepared for the actual raw, uncomfortable and real situations in IEWU though. Many readers will find the story so gripping (it is!) that they will want to read it in one sitting, but I had to read it in small doses. (I’m already planning an audio re-listen though)
Fans of Colleen Hoover’s New Adult books should absolutely pick this one up, and to readers who haven’t tried/liked Hoover’s books before I urge you to give it a chance. This would make an excellent book club selection. (You can also discuss spoilers to your heart’s content on the It Ends With Us FB discussion group) Now, how am I going to get over this book hangover?
It Ends With Us is on sale now! Find it:
Official Site | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Indiebound | Audible
About the Author:
Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Slammed, This Girl, Point of Retreat, Hopeless, Losing Hope, Finding Cinderella, Maybe Someday, Ugly Love, Maybe Not, and Confess. She lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys. Please visit ColleenHoover.com.
Giveaway:
Win 1 of 3 prize bundles of one signed copy of IT ENDS WITH US and a limited Everything’s Better in Boston magnet (trust us, you’ll get it after you read the book)! Contest is open until August 26th.
Thanks to AtriaBooks for hosting this tour and for the review copy of It Ends With Us!
I’ve never read anything by this author even though I’ve seen her work reviewed on so many blogs. I think I’ll start with this one after reading your review. Cheers!
I love Colleen Hoover! I can’t wait to read this book!
I keep seeing this book everywhere! I’m happy to see you enjoyed it. I’ve never read anything by this author and I thin I need to.
I don’t think I’ve ever read her work but everyone else seems to love it.
This looks great and I’ve never read Hoover. Adding it to my list.