“IT ENDS WITH US ” is the book I have been adamant about never writing a sequel. I felt like it ended where needed, and I didn’t want to put Lily through more stress.
But then # BookTok happened, and the online petition, and the messages and videos, I realized most of you weren’t asking me to put them through more pain. You simply wanted to see Lily and Atlas happy. When I started playing with an outline, I quickly realized how much I needed to see Lily AND Atlas happy.” Says Colleen Hoover
It Starts With Us is the sequel to Colleen Hoover's best-selling novel It Ends With Us. Colleen stated she was not supposed to write a sequel, but her fans demanded it. This is my second book by Colleen, and I agree with her idea that there shouldn't have been a sequel. Some things are best left as they are, or they risk losing their spark.
It starts with a summary
Ryle Kincaid, Lily Bloom’s violent ex-husband, is still a surgeon, and Lily Bloom still owns a flower store. However, they are currently co-parenting a nearly one-year-old daughter named Emerson. Until Emerson is old enough to speak, Lily won’t send her to her father’s house overnight “so she can tell me if something happens.” However, she doesn’t want to fight for full custody for fear that it would turn into a costly legal drama or, worse, a physical altercation. Lily thinks her friendship with Atlas will lead to love when they cross paths. (For those unfamiliar with them, their history is presented in poignant journal entries in which Lily writes to Ellen DeGeneres, star of Finding Nemo, about Atlas’s soothing influence during her tumultuous upbringing.)
Atlas, who owns a restaurant and is unmarried, shares this sentiment. Lily isn’t genuinely free despite her divorce. Ryle’s jealousy and animosity are hidden beneath his polite exterior. To prevent conflict, Lily must carefully arrange her dates. Atlas’ mother returns with startling news in the meantime. Lily and Atlas steal romantic moments in between, which are more delightful because of their genuineness. Lily finds it challenging to manage a business, care for her children, and find time for herself.
My thoughts
The book is just good. Atlas’ life story and how things change for him are shown to us. We watch Lily balance her personal life and career while adjusting to parenting. Atlas and Lily have always had the “right person, wrong time” syndrome. However, they ultimately receive what they were due from the start.
The book didn’t reveal anything significant, unlike It Ends With Us. From that vantage point, things seemed dull. Lily was always worried that Ryle would learn of her affair with Atlas. Despite this, Atlas’s perspective does help us understand him better.
Despite everything, the book will make you laugh, cry, and, at one point, even feel your heart racing. There were several charming exchanges between the central characters. There is humor in the text as well. It Starts With Us was just as humorous as It Ends With Us.
Final Words
As previously stated, I agree with Hoover because some works are masterpieces, and Hoover’s IT ENDS WITH US is one of them. Readers would have been happy even if the sequel had not been released since Lily had made the right choice. You take very long breaks from reading this book, which is one of its drawbacks.
