Review: It Starts With Us by Colleen Hoover
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It Starts With Us by Colleen Hoover is the sequel to It Ends With Us. And if you find those titles a bit confusing, you’re not alone!
Just to be clear – this book I’m reviewing here – It Starts With Us – is book #2 in the “It Ends With Us” series.
The “It Ends With Us” series has turned out to be a runaway success story for Colleen Hoover. In fact, the first book in the series – “It Ends With Us” apparently has a movie adaptation in the works. So you’ll be able to see on on the big screen at some point.
I’ll be honest – I was late to the Colleen Hoover party.
In fact, I didn’t read the first book in this series until quite a while after it was published. Because honestly, I just didn’t see what all the hype was about. But, I finally caved and read the first book because my book club chose it a few months ago.
You really cannot read either of the books in this series without reading them both. Meaning, if you read one you absolutely must read the other. That being said, you must also absolutely read them in order of publication.
My review of It Starts With Us includes a short synopsis of the book along with my honest opinion about it. And, as always, my three Rs of book reviews. Should you read, reread, or completely reconsider reading It Starts With Us by Colleen Hoover?
Contents
Who Is Colleen Hoover?
If you’re an avid follower of literary discussions across various online forums like Facebook groups and Instagram communities, the moniker “CoHo” might have caught your attention. It’s an endearing nickname that fans have lovingly coined for none other than author Colleen Hoover.
Rest assured, the intention behind this affectionate alias is nothing but admiration. Colleen Hoover has amassed a huge following. Her books have consistently earned the coveted title of #1 New York Times bestseller, adding her name to a long list of popular and talented authors. Her pen gracefully navigates through diverse genres, encompassing the realms of romance, young adult fiction, and psychological thrillers.
Colleen Hoover lives in Texas and shares her life with her devoted husband and the joyful company of three vibrant boys.
Summary of It Starts With Us
Before “It Ends With Us” it all started with Atlas Corrigan. This eagerly awaited sequel to the profoundly moving #1 New York Times bestseller “It Ends with Us,” written by the masterful Colleen Hoover delves into Atlas’s side of the story and tells us what came next for him and what comes next for Atlas and Lily.
Having found a fragile equilibrium in co-parenting with her former husband, Ryle, Lily’s world is jolted when her paths cross once more with her first love, Atlas. Nearly two years of separation have given them a chance, a chance that Lily seizes, saying yes to Atlas’s invitation for a date.
However, her elation is swiftly dampened by the realization that, although no longer bound by marriage, Ryle remains a prominent figure in her life—and Atlas Corrigan represents a presence that Ryle will undoubtedly resist in the lives of his ex-wife and daughter.
Shifting between Lily’s and Atlas’s viewpoints, “It Starts With Us” picks up seamlessly where the climactic epilogue of the gripping phenomenon “It Ends with Us” left off. Peeling back the layers of Atlas’s history and accompanying Lily on her journey to grasp a second shot at genuine love, all while navigating the complexities of a possessive ex-husband, this book cements Colleen Hoover’s status as an unrivaled purveyor of emotionally charged storytelling.
Review: It Starts With Us by Colleen Hoover
When I was about halfway through the first book in this series (It Ends With Us), I honestly didn’t think I would make it to the end of that book, much less into the sequel which is this one that I’m reviewing. You can read my review of It Ends with Us if you want to know why.
However, I’m glad I stuck with it because if I hadn’t finished the first book, I would have never made it to this book.
It Starts With Us – What I Liked
For me, personally, It Starts With Us was like a breath of fresh air after reading It Ends With Us. That opinion is completely contrary to other reviews that I’ve seen, however, I just did not love the first book. I think I kept reading it just so I could eventually get to this book. And I’m oh so glad I made it here.
It Starts With Us starts right off where the first book left us. And where that first book left me was wanting to know more about the relationship between Lily and Atlas. This book delivered perfectly on that wish!
We get a lot of this story from Atlas’s point of view here, and I enjoyed that because I really liked Atlas. I wanted a forever-after for Lily and Atlas in the worst way because I thought they deserved it.
I still loved Lily’s ridiculous name – Lily Bloom for a florist! Couldn’t have been more perfect.
It Starts With Us – What I Disliked
This book still had Ryle. And I still disliked Ryle immensely. Although I must say that I didn’t dislike him as much as I did in the first book. Still, I think Ryle was a jerk who treated Lily so very badly, and I was worried that she would be mistreated again just because Ryle was around.
There was still a theme of domestic abuse here. And I still disliked it.
I thought this book was a bit predictable, however, everything was tidied up for a nice ending which I felt I needed after the first book which left me feeling so unsettled.
It Starts With Us – Read, Reread, or Reconsider?
And now, for my three Rs of book reviews. Should you read, reread, or completely reconsider reading It Starts With Us by Colleen Hoover?
Read
Review of It Starts With Us – Conclusion
I was completely satisfied with the way this book ended, and I can’t imagine skipping this one after reading the first book in the series.
Despite the fact that there were many things I disliked in the first book, I felt much better about the story in general throughout this book and I was glad that I stuck with the series all the way through the second book.
So, if you’re in doubt – I definitely recommend reading It Starts With Us by Colleen Hoover. But, you must read this one after you have read the first book in the series. And you might also enjoy Reminders Of Him, which is a standalone book, not part of a series.
And speaking of Colleen Hoover, did you know she writes thrillers too? If you like thrillers, see what all the fuss is about over Colleen Hoover’s book Verity.
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