Reviews with content warning for Alcohol - It Ends with Us

I firstly read the pdf of the book and after completing it i just knew- I have to buy my own copy, so I can hold onto it forever.❤️
It Ends With Us is a huge emotional rollercoaster. It made me laugh, it made me cry and sometimes both at once. Like legit BIG, FAT TEARS.
I thought that it was like any other cheesy romance novel but i was totally wrong. It Ends With Us is phenomenal! It makes you fall in love, breaks your heart and forces you to reconsider your prejudged ideas about domestic abuse and violence.

(spoilers)
I absolutely loved Ryle. (Initially obv) The very first scene in the book, on the roof.. it was my absolute favourite.
The more I got into the story- the more his character grew on me until.. the incident occurred. I mean obv a toxic relationship is a straight up NO.
I mean I've never felt this conflicted over a character before.
My most fav character in the book was Atlas. His story gutted me at times. I initially didn't want his entry coz i was already in love with Ryle so he felt like a threat but.. what he and Lily had was so real and i was blown away by his commitment. Lily was a really strong character throughout the book and I loved her.

The part I didn't like was- the diary entries addressed to Ellen DeGeneres, coz they just felt so cringe & honestly I wanted to skip those.

Content Warnings

cdoubet's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Content Warnings

jupiterlee's review against another edition

Go to review page

I will admit that I put this on my list because I have heard sooo much about it. It seems to be all that anyone could talk about.

However, it really was not for me and I did not finish it. I think I realised very quickly that it was not a book that I was going to struggle with when Ryle told Lily he wants to fuck her after just meeting her: fuck-boy characters are ones that I just do not get along with. Now, saying this I do not mind smut and I don't mind a character being out there, but instantly I was questioning the intent of the book, and then when Ryle was described as "a person who does bad things", I knew there was going to be things that I did not like.

I really do think that this book should come with trigger warnings as some of the things do come slightly out of the blue, and some of the things he does is so relevant to some abusive relationships today that it can it range from subtle triggering to major triggers. I agree with book being written to highlight issues and being a medium for people to educate themselves on trauma etc but this is not a book that I feel does that, and I believe that it just uses trauma in a unproductive way.

if you are going to read this book, I really do suggest having a good read at the triggers before just in case!
**Domestic Abuse, Physical Abuse, Toxic Relationship, Emotional Abuse, Gaslighting, Rape, Relationship with a Minor, Death of a Parent**

Content Warnings

clare072's review

Go to review page

emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

Content Warnings

j_fis12's review

Go to review page

sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? N/A
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I loved this book. This book is a good representation and story of domestic violence, but there were certain parts that just felt off. For example some of the letters to Ellen I did not like reading. I also felt that some parts were written like a Wattpad story. The smut in the book was exactly what is should be, smut, but the character Ryle kept mentioning how he liked being inside of her, which was just weird to me. Also, in the last chapter, Lily tells him he wants a divorce right after she birthed a child. That just felt odd. Also I did not like how this was advertised as a romance. IT IS NOT A ROMANCE!!! If you want to read this book, know it is not a romance. I believe this book was good I really enjoyed it. However I can also see why some people may not like it.

Content Warnings

kelly_e's review

Go to review page

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Title: It Ends with Us
Author: Colleen Hoover
Series: It Ends with Us #1
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: August 2, 2016

T H R E E • W O R D S

Gritty • Emotional • Powerful

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Lily has had to work hard in order to get where she is today, leaving her small town and upbringing tainted by a toxic environment behind for big city life. Ryle is a brilliant neurosurgeon, with a dose of arrogance, a very busy schedule, and a firm no dating rule. After a chance encounter one night, Lily cannot get Ryle off her mind, despite them having very little in common. When life throws them together a second time, they cannot ignore the chemistry, and it all seems too good to be true.

As Lily starts to question Ryle's behaviour, her first love, Atlas, a boy she's never forgotten helping as a teenager walks back into her life threatening absolutely everything.

💭 T H O U G H T S

I'll start out my saying, that I personally wouldn't classify this as a romance novel. For me it's more of a dark contemporary fiction that explores various forms of love. It isn't light nor is it fluffy. What it is, is difficult to read and a realistic portrait of the heartbreaking reality faced by many in abusive relationships. It's a portrayal of how hard it is to break the cycle. Of how despite the violence and abuse, love can still exist. Of how easy it is for people to judge when they are on the outside looking in. The novel is beautiful and it is ugly, and it shines a light that abusive relationships are not black and white. I appreciated the author's note detailing the reason why she wrote this book and her deep personal connection to the content.

Colleen's writing is really good. She drew me into the story from the very beginning and I didn't want to stop reading. The characters were captivating, whether they were good or bad, and for me that's the power of great character development. I appreciated the letters Lily wrote to Ellen. To me this felt like a type of journal in which Lily shared her deepest secrets and desires, and gave insight into her past that I wouldn't have gotten otherwise. I also really liked the floral shop backdrop. And I loved how Lily grew to understand and have empathy for her mother. I also appreciated Alysa and Marshall as key support for Lily.

In my opinion, Colleen Hoover has done something important with this book. If nothing else than to show people they are not alone.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• CoHo devotees
• readers who enjoyed Love and Other Words

⚠️ CW: death, death of parent, child death, grief, emotional abuse, domestic abuse, physical abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, violence, sexual violence, gun violence, alcohol, alcoholism, drug use, cursing, sexual content, rape, toxic relationship, mental illness, PTSD, homelessness, suicide, infertility, pregnancy, gaslighting, child abuse, injury/injury detail, blood, suicidal thoughts

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"There is no such thing as bad people. We’re all just people who sometimes do bad things."

"Plants reward you based on the amount of love you show them. If you’re cruel to them or neglect them, they give you nothing. But if you care for them and love them the right way, they reward you with gifts in the form of vegetables or fruits or flowers."

"Most plants do need a lot of care to survive. But some things, like trees, are strong enough to do it by just relying on themselves and nobody else."

"Maybe love isn't something that comes full circle. It just ebbs and flowers, in and out, just like the people in our lives."

Content Warnings

livruther's review

Go to review page

dark sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

this book is definitely powerful, and it is very hard to read. i did love it, and the author’s note was beautiful. there were just a few nit picky things i didnt like.

Content Warnings

More...