“It Ends With Us” is a book that has gained popularity over the years thanks to the BookTok community and romance readers everywhere. The author, Colleen Hoover, is famous among young adult readers and “It Ends With Us” is being read by many because of the upcoming screenplay starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni as the main characters, set to release in 2024. However, it is at a halt due to the Writers Guild of America ongoing strike

Additionally, readers usually have opposite opinions about Hoover because of the triggering topics she writes about. And “It Ends With Us” is no different, full of emotion, pain, realization, and possible triggers, it is a considerate read.

The story follows a young woman named Lily Bloom, who is determined to start a career in Boston that she’ll enjoy and thrive in. When Lily meets a surgeon, Ryle Kincaid, something draws her to him in their brief interaction. She thinks that Ryle is her dream come true but soon realizes that he is not the perfect person she assumed. Despite his charm and good looks, he is not good with relationships, and Lily soon experiences his flaws firsthand. During that time, she finds herself thinking about her first relationship in high school with a boy named Atlas Corrigan.

When Lily gets a chance to reconnect with Atlas, her relationship with Ryle is threatened. Through the story’s plot, she has to work through her constant internal battle about what relationship she wants. 

During my first read, I instantly resonated with Lily. Many chapters include past diary excerpts from when Lily was a teen, which gave me, as a reader, more insight into Lily’s tumultuous upbringing and state of mind. I liked the excerpts because they appeal to many readers who used to or continue to write in diaries. 

Another aspect that pulled me in and motivated me to finish it in less than a day was the raw emotion it contained. Lily’s inner thoughts and actions mimic those that people face and feel daily. For many, this aspect can be very therapeutic to read; knowing that one is not alone, and others have experienced the same. 

I can’t say that there is anything that I seriously dislike about the novel. However, before reading, I did not know about the triggering topics and material that is included. Many people in the book community agree that trigger warnings about domestic violence and emotional abuse themes printed inside would be helpful for everyone. 

Unlike others who claim the book is easily predictable and some characters are shallow or lacking complexity, I enjoyed every character. I became so focused on reading what happened next that I didn’t have the time to predict what would happen. 

Ultimately,  “It Ends With Us” is a damaged love story. Colleen Hoover uses her perspective and personal experience to create a novel with a vital underlying message and themes of power, choice, personal strength, and emotion. I give this read an 8.5/10.