“It Ends With Us” by Colleen Hoover

“It Ends With Us” will assist you through your best and worst. You will be flattered by the self confidence and great words. The potential of a relationship between two strangers in the night. Even so, do not let yourself be fooled by appearances. The darkness hides many secrets, some of them being violently true. This book is an emotional roller-coaster and a hurtful sign of awareness.

Title: “It Ends With Us”

Series: “It Ends With Us” duology

Author: Colleen Hoover

Genre: Romance

Number of pages: 376

Recommended age: +16

Star Rating: 4/5 ⭐

Today, the 25th of November, it is the “International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women”. This international day offers a voice to all the women around the world who suffered of any kind of violence. It is a day to celebrate those women’s strength and encourage them to speak up and fight for their happiness. You have more information about this day on UNESCO organization’s official website.

Due to today’s international context, I have decided there is no better time for the review of “It Ends With Us” by Colleen Hoover. This book presents us Lily Bloom’s story. A girl who grew up surrounded by domestic violence. Only to be a victim of it herself in her adulthood. It is a story about a woman’s strength to walk away and fight for her happiness.

Have you read any other book related to domestic abuse?

Sneak peek

Lily Bloom grew up in a household surrounded by domestic violence. She wished all her life she would break the vicious cycle eventually. But will she be powerful enough? Moving to Boston, Lily finds her dream man and eventually… husband to be. Shortly she will discover how similar Ryle is to her father. Lily feared she would walk on her mother’s steps and here she was… Now it is her turn: make the easier choice, stay longer and endure, or making the harder one, walking away and fighting with her inside ghosts.

The book

“It Ends With Us” is narrated strictly from the protagonist’s point of view. I would not recommend reading it before you at least fourteen years old. It presents incredibly overwhelming and violent behavior, domestic violence in this case. The sequences of violence gave me goose bumps and an incredibly wish to get faster past them. They had me crying and screaming because of their tight reality-fiction relation. I got cold feet about finishing this book, which I considered emotionally painful.

Lily Bloom

She was the kind of girl you would keep in your arms and never let go. Ambitious and yet soft. Warm and yet fearless. She was like a lily: bubbly, colorful and loyal. She had always dreamt of having her own flower shop. Maybe it was not much for many, but it was her dream. While being on the rooftop with Ryle, she even joked about her name: to be a blooming Lily with a wish of opening a flower shop. Her fate was written in the stars:)

The night’s young

Lily and Ryle met on the rooftop of their flat on a starry night. Silence and mystery. Love and trust. It was easily for them to fall for each other. He was a handsome stranger who was sharing his thoughts and feelings under the moon and the stars. Ryle just seemed got out of books. What started as a breath of fresh air shortly became a life-changing meeting.

“𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐬𝐤𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐭”.”

“It Ends With Us”, Colleen Hoover

I got into this book blindly. I ignored any channel of getting the book spoiled. It was definitely the best choice for a whole reading experience. Due to my choice, I made the mistake to fall for the roof scene. I was already in love with him and imagining the outcome of their relationship. What an outcome it was, indeed… I thought he was the nice guy the Universe sent her for all those miserable years of suffering.

He had the audacity to be the bad guy. I felt and still feel betrayed. I guess this was unexpected and… real. The abusers from real life come initially as normal people, even funny and charismatic persons. But in the end, they prove to be traumatized, emotionless, egocentric and merciless people. True monsters, if you ask me. Be always aware of your partner’s behavior and be brave enough to prevent this type of situation. It is always a better choice to leave than to endure. Love has nothing to do with pain or abuse.

“𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐞. 𝐈’𝐦 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬. 𝐈’𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞.”

“It Ends With Us”, Colleen Hoover

Lily and Ryle’s relation escalated really quickly. They started as “friends with benefits”, but realized they got addicted to each other and started dating. Their relationship was accompanied with gentle gestures and kind words. He seemed so fully drowned in her person. But when you are drowning, you remain breathless. So you panic and your instincts take control. He was jealous, egocentric, addicted to showing off. I felt like something was off, and it really was.

“𝐅𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧. 𝐅𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧.”

“It Ends With Us”, Colleen Hoover

When they met Atlas, Ryle tried to show off with Lily in front of him. More than that, he tried to humiliate him by saying that he was nothing more than a “pity fuck” for her. What self confident and self controlled man does that kind of affirmation? Lily was on his arm. It was the most visible clue Ryle was in advantage.

So, in the end, did Ryle truly love Lily or was she just looking good next to him? When you love a person dearly, you show them respect. You let them bring out the best in you. When there is love, there is also compassion. Hurting that person hurts you, as well. So I ask you: was it love when he intentionally physically hurt her multiple times?

“𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭. 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲, 𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞. 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤, ‘𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐰. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞?”

“It Ends With Us”, Colleen Hoover

“Sisters” before brothers

Even though Allysa was Ryle’s sister, she kept being on Lily’s side. She encouraged her to leave Ryle and fight for her happiness. This girl had so much we should cherish in a friend. Allysa was honest no matter how tough the truth proved to be. She supported the truth, not the blood. Lily was more than her best friend, but a sister she never had.

Ryle has often used his past trauma as an excuse for his behavior and deeds. He was not nearly close to a man. He was a boy in a position which helped him overpower the others. Ryle was chasing power, not necessarily in career, but upon the others. He fell for Lily’s vulnerability in front of his abuse. When he was not able to gain the desired power through mindset and attitude, he gained it abusively. Ryle could not disgust me more.

In the end, even Allysa recognized the obvious. As his sister, she still loved him. But as a woman, I think she hid a huge antipathy for his outcome as a man. Marshall’s case was also a particular and special one. He was Ryle’s best friend since forever. In contrast, Marshall worshipped Allysa’s steps and would have never dared to harm her.

Their friendship was not a reason to blindly support Ryle’s behavior. True friends are defined by their straight judge, which is not affected in any way by relations. I consider Marshall and Allysa being relying and uncontestable friends. The kind you want to have by your side.

The past that broke us

𝐿𝑖𝑙𝑦

Lily had lived all her life in an abusive household. Her father used to beat her mother up ’till she would almost faint. The woman would be blamed for any inconvenience. Due to her childhood trauma, Lily was determined to make other choices in life and love. She wished she would be nothing like her, a woman who feared leaving the danger. The girl witnessed every of her mother’s moments of suffering. Nonetheless, Lily felt powerless in the overview.

Being nothing like her mother was Lily’s biggest desire for her future self. Lily loved her, but blamed her. She chose to stay when she could have left. Her mother chose to swallow her hate, suffering and dignity. In the name of what was supposed to be love. A family should be your safe place, not a living hell. Lily, I think, often though that her mother was weak not fighting for her, if not for herself. So she made sure she would make the choice her mother never could.

“𝐀𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧, 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦.”

“It Ends With Us”, Colleen Hoover

𝐴𝑡𝑙𝑎𝑠

Atlas grew up in a toxic household. He was made to believe no one cared if he was alive or dead. Even though he was technically part of a family, he was still on his own. Running away from home, he chose the tiniest misfortune. Atlas just wished he could stop the hits, the poisonous words and the lack of care.

They led each other out of their own darkness. Proved each other they mattered. No matter how bad the outside world was, they would eventually make it back into each other’s arms. Dory from “Finding Nemo” inspired their story, gave them hope and dreams to achieve.

When life is unfair, every person needs something to believe in. A greater power which would save them eventually. I think that beside everything, we have hope. When you take a person’s hope, you take her/his all which mattered. It is the thing which remains when you were taken everything. The hope is the reason to keep moving and breathing. They were each other’s reason and hope. Dory was their common purpose, a symbol of the world in which they would lose themselves in their miserable moments.

He was the boy Lily took care of in sickness. She was the girl Atlas showed the light when darkness threaten to drown her. Atlas always told her to keep swimming as Dory did. They would eventually reach the shore, when life would get better.

“𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐬𝐰𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠”

“It Ends With Us”, Colleen Hoover

Lead me out of darkness

Their “break-up” was unexpected and heart breaking. When they met years later in Boston, Lily saw that he succeeded. Atlas had his own restaurant, his own life. A self-made man who deserved happiness and everything beyond. Atlas deserved his own place, to be seen and loved. She was happy for the boy she had met years before, who did not even dare smiling. The one who got tired due the weight on his shoulders. The weight of being alone in a too big world.

Atlas predicted the danger Ryle would become in Lily’s life. Even after all those years, Atlas still felt the need to protect her. His arms were, even now, her refuge. I want to think about their connection as a loving and warm place you hide yourself on winter time. The arms of loving parents and a hot chocolate. He was and would always be her forever home. Atlas was her first kiss, her first love and true home.

“𝐇𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬, 𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐮𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐬. “𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞… 𝐢𝐟 𝐛𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧… 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐞.”

“It Ends With Us”, Colleen Hoover

A girl/woman should always stay in the arms of the person who makes her feel loved and protected. She needs to be protected from monsters, not date them. No matter how adventurous and tempting a bad boy seems while you are a teenager, it means nothing if he is merciless and numb to your feelings. You should be your lover’s first choice and biggest weakness.

Remember!!! True love is not painful. Your choices are the ones who can transform love into pain, nothing else! It is easier and healthier to leave a dangerous and painful situation than enduring it. You are responsible for your own happiness, so make sure it is a constant in your life! Someone who would truly love you, would not cause you any pain or harm.

“It Ends With Us”

While being in labor, Lily kept thinking whether forgiving Ryle for her daughter’s sake would be a wise decision. But she made a promise which she swore to keep. From when she was still too young to ever think she would find herself in this position. Lily swore her daughter’s childhood would be nothing like hers. Hear her parents fighting. See her father beating her mother up.

She wanted Emerson to be a happy child. To be surrounded by two loving parents. If splitting up with Ryle meant assuring her a happy and healthy household and childhood, it was worth it. In this way, the child would never be even close to seeing her father’s moments of weakness. It was the greatest decision Lily has made in her life. She would stop the generational trauma and assure her daughter’s happiness and innocence.

“𝐈𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞. 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐈𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐮𝐬.”

“It Ends With Us”, Colleen Hoover

Trigger warnings

• Emotional abuse
• Physical abuse
• Domestic violence
• Rape
• Psychological abuse
• Gaslighting
• Verbal abuse

Related questions

Ryle and Lily named their daughter Emerson Dory Kincaid. Emerson, in honor of Ryle’s lost brother; Dory, in honor of Lily’s favorite symbolic character.

Ryle was Lily’s husband and also the one who emotionally and physically abused her. The first time he hit her, she made “the mistake” of laughing when he did not use the oven gloves and got burned. He later pushed her down the stairs and tried to gaslight her upon it. There were more later sequences when she got abused by him.

He always said that his violent behavior had started due to his childhood trauma. While being a child, he accidentally shot his brother, Emerson. This event was known to have marked him irreparably, but it still made no excuse for his behavior.

The story, fortunately, had a happy ending. Thereby, this review is three quarters a positive one, the existence of other quarter being caused by the incredibly violent scenes which I found really affecting. I feel like giving this book a four stars rating.

Colleen Hoover stated that the story had been inspired of her own mother’s experience. Lily did not end up with someone in particular, but herself. The end is more like the beginning of her journey with herself. Now, you also have the possibility of reading the continuation of Lily’s story in “It Starts With Us”, her and Atlas’ story. You would have your answer about who she ends up with in the end:) You can find here my review of “It Starts With Us”.

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