"It Ends With Us" Book Review

July 7, 2023

"It Ends With Us" is an interesting novel, to say the least. It meets the eye as a romance, as many other of CoHo's novels do. While the book's plot is undoubtedly based on the romance between Lily Blossom Bloom (c'mon these names are too much) with Atlas as well as Ryle, there is much more too it that just a simple romance. The book takes on topics of abuse between Lily's parents and how she had to cope with it, and the topic of abuse is circled back to more throughout the novel. 

I think this is very important to note, because although I did really like this book, it just isn't what I expected when I read my first Colleen Hoover novel (and I actually haven't gotten to reading any more since). I do still think this is an important novel for anyone to read, to learn about what it's like to truly experience something that I couldn't even begin to imagine.

The novel also takes an interesting approach to flashbacks. Flashbacks are super common in romance novels, but this book does it all differently. Flashback scenes are introduced through Ellen letters. Yes, letters to Ellen DeGeneres that she never ended up mailing. She reads these letters throughout the story to revisit her old memories. Although I like the idea of the letters, it's honestly a little random that Hoover chose for Lily to have The Ellen Show as her comfort show and for her to idolize Ellen. To each their own, I guess.

Another thing to note that I won't get to deep into is how some scenes are a little, much, for lack of better words. Mature audiences only... :/

Well, on that note, I think "It Ends With Us" is a great book, and it really sends a very important message about a topic that is hard for many people to talk or know more about. However, if you do read this novel, just go into it knowing that it really isn't all about romance. I'm super excited to read the prequel, "It Starts With Us", as well as to see the film when it comes out (although that won't be for a long time)!