An Ivy Brownstone Review of It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

TLDR

3 out of 5 stars. It Ends with Us is a quick read and has the unrealistic touch of a classic YA novel, but Colleen Hoover skillfully navigates the touchy subject of domestic abuse, creating a plot line that will stick with you long after you’re done reading.

Where to Read

At home, in bed

Favorite Quote

“Just because someone hurts you doesn't mean you can simply stop loving them. It's not a person's actions that hurt the most. It's the love. If there was no love attached to the action, the pain would be a little easier to bear.”

Summary

Like many other readers, It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover was brought to my attention by way of TikTok. I put off reading it for quite some time, dismissing it as a YA novel that would surely be elementary, predictable, and lackluster. But after the book flooded my TikTok ‘For You’ page time and time again, I felt compelled to figure out why so many people fell in love with it.

While the book does fall into the category of Young Adult/New Adult, the subject matter is anything but lighthearted. Having only read the back cover, I was surprised to find the author navigating the more complicated and nuanced territory of an abusive relationship.

The novel follows a girl named Lily Bloom, a recent college grad who moved to Boston with ambitions to start a flower shop. She quickly finds comfort in a relationship with Ryle Kincaid, a seemingly perfect neurosurgeon. As their relationship develops, Lily encounters her first love, Atlas Corrigan, thereby threatening her relationship with Ryle, and forcing her to make hard decisions as she comes to terms with trauma from her past.

Review

Overall, Colleen Hoover did an amazing job navigating the complexities of domestic violence and brings clarity and perspective to why it is often so difficult for victims to remove themselves from abusive relationships. The antagonist’s tragic backstory is revealed later in the novel and successfully elicits sympathy for a person that one would otherwise write off as truly evil; reminding the reader of the grey area that often exists in life.

That being said, there were parts of the book that I found to be slightly odd and had me recommending to others with the caveat of ‘you just have to go with it.’ I rolled my eyes a bit when the 23-year-old protagonist, who comes from no means, decides to quit her marketing job to open an edgy flower shop in Boston. As the novel unravels the symbolic significance of flowers/plants becomes clear, as does the parallel between Lily and Atlas both coming from fractured homes, yet achieving their dreams. That being said, I felt like the story could have been grounded if she kept her job, cultivated a garden throughout the novel, and opened a flower shop in the epilogue.

It Ends with Us is a quick read and has the unrealistic touch of a classic YA novel, but Colleen Hoover skillfully navigates the touchy subject of domestic abuse, creating a plot line that will stick with you long after you’re done reading.