It Ends With Us - Opinion and Review

Colleen Hoover did it again! After reading Verity, I was beyond excited for my book club to choose It Ends With Us for the book to read in May! Trigger warning: rape, domestic violence, homelessness.

Lily is your typical girl living in Boston. One night, she has a chance encounter with a boy, Ryle, upon a roof in the city, and she was convinced she would never see him again. This is until she opens up a flower shop, employs a girl who won't take no for an answer, Allysa. Surprise, she ends up being Ryle's sister. Ryle and Lily were able to kindle a whirlwind romance, that to everyone on the outside, seemed perfect. However, you never know what goes on behind closed doors. Ryle has a dark side due to some unresolved (but warranted) childhood trauma, and this causes him to black out and become violent. He quickly makes up for these outbursts, but having watched her father act this way toward her mother throughout her entire childhood, she didn't know how she could end up in the same situation she swore to never be in.

Throw in an old friend of Lily's, Atlas, who was homeless while she was 16, and ended up semi-living with her (unknown to her family). This friendship turned into more, but then he leaves their hometown for Boston, where he runs into Lily one random day. Mixed with Ryle's temper, this causes more problems for Lily than she could ever imagine.

I refuse to give too much away, but this story was beautifully told. It really opens your eyes to the fact that no matter how a relationship looks on the outside, never make assumptions that they're like that on the inside. I recommend this book, big time, giving it 5 out of 5 stars, but take note of the above-mentioned trigger warnings.

Dates read: May 16, 2021 - May 18, 2021