andersonh92's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Not quite as good as It Ends with Us, but pretty close.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse
ayshajoelle's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse
cemsreadingcorner's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This book is the sequel to It Ends With Us by the same author. It follows two people who fell in love when they were teenagers. Atlas had a dysfunctional family and had left home to be on his own when he was a teenager. He was homeless and used to stay in an abandoned house next door to Lily. Lily met him and began to help him out. They started spending time together, and they became close. Eventually, they began to date. One day, Lily’s father caught them in bed together and then something tragic happened. After that, Atlas left and joined the military. He hasn’t been in touch with Lily for years. They finally see each other again and she was dating a guy who turned out to be abusive. Atlas and Lily develop a friendship again and he tries to be there for her because of what she was going through with her boyfriend, Ryle, who she ended up marrying. After Lily married Ryle, they had a baby, and Lily lost touch with Atlas for about a year and a half. In all that time, Atlas opened up two restaurants and has been running both businesses on his own. In the sequel, Atlas and Lily run into each and the rest is history. ❤️
I enjoyed this book. It was captivating, and I loved the developing romance between Atlas and Lily. I loved the love that they had. I was rooting for them to be together and stay together throughout the entire book. I was hoping Ryle wouldn’t get in-between them and their relationship. What I loved most about this book was the way Atlas and Lily dealt with Ryle when he did what he did. I loved how they handled the situation. I feel that Lily has grown so much since the first book. She reacted to her abusive ex-husband’s shit better this time. She handled herself better. My favorite part of the book was when Ryle went to Atlas’ restaurant and did what he did. I loved how Atlas handled the situation. If I were him, I probably would have handled it differently. Ryle is a lot. My least favorite parts of the book were all the sex scenes. The book had too many sex scenes. I don’t really care for sex scenes in books (or tv shows and movies, for that matter). Other than that, the book was enjoyable. I didn’t feel like Colleen Hoover was romanticizing domestic abuse in this book, which is good because I know she did that in the first one. But thankfully, she did not do that in this one.
Wednesday, November 15, 2023 at 8:40 PM
I enjoyed this book. It was captivating, and I loved the developing romance between Atlas and Lily. I loved the love that they had. I was rooting for them to be together and stay together throughout the entire book. I was hoping Ryle wouldn’t get in-between them and their relationship. What I loved most about this book was the way Atlas and Lily dealt with Ryle when he did what he did. I loved how they handled the situation. I feel that Lily has grown so much since the first book. She reacted to her abusive ex-husband’s shit better this time. She handled herself better. My favorite part of the book was when Ryle went to Atlas’ restaurant and did what he did. I loved how Atlas handled the situation. If I were him, I probably would have handled it differently. Ryle is a lot. My least favorite parts of the book were all the sex scenes. The book had too many sex scenes. I don’t really care for sex scenes in books (or tv shows and movies, for that matter). Other than that, the book was enjoyable. I didn’t feel like Colleen Hoover was romanticizing domestic abuse in this book, which is good because I know she did that in the first one. But thankfully, she did not do that in this one.
Wednesday, November 15, 2023 at 8:40 PM
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse
clareasday's review against another edition
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Domestic abuse, and Abandonment
Minor: Infidelity
jjyork's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse
tish12's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
ATLAS AND LILY
They are lovely together.
Atlas is an amazing person he sounds so good.
I am happy to have been able to put a happily ever after, or a possible one to their on going love story and where it start to where it ended. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
They are lovely together.
Atlas is an amazing person he sounds so good.
I am happy to have been able to put a happily ever after, or a possible one to their on going love story and where it start to where it ended. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Content Warnings
Minor: Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Violence, and Physical abuse
priyarangan's review against another edition
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
ali1004's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, and Gaslighting
medini_l's review against another edition
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Child abuse, and Toxic relationship
hannahelizabeth765's review against another edition
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
It’s a decent book, but could’ve been so much better in my opinion.
In the author’s note, Colleen writes that she wrote it for the fans who just wanted to see Atlas and Lily happy together, if I had known this beforehand, I might not have read it. I loved It Ends With Us so I was intrigued as to what she would do with a sequel, but disappointed when there wasn’t much tension or build-up, romantic or plot-wise.
About halfway through I lost any real connection to the book because it just felt like a money-grab. Lily seems magically ‘over’ everything with Ryle in terms of dealing with the abuse (she still has moments of anxiety and stress due to it, but it feels superficial) and knows everything about a being an abuse victim. Don’t get me wrong, there are great messages to abuse victims in there, but they feel placed and forced instead of flowing.
Another thing: because Atlas is so perfect, it feels almost like there’s nothing to him because he doesn’t go through any character development, the only development we are simply told about occurring during his time away from Lily. There’s no stakes because he is so perfect.
In summary, it’s a fluff book about Atlas and Lily with some troubles but nothing that they don’t handle quickly or at least make seem so small because of their love for each other and because Atlas knows her so well so he knows how to cheer her up so easily instead of there being a bit of tension between them at any point. Overall, it’s a decent book and did make me cry at some points and would be a good read for someone who just wanted closure from the first book.
In the author’s note, Colleen writes that she wrote it for the fans who just wanted to see Atlas and Lily happy together, if I had known this beforehand, I might not have read it. I loved It Ends With Us so I was intrigued as to what she would do with a sequel, but disappointed when there wasn’t much tension or build-up, romantic or plot-wise.
About halfway through I lost any real connection to the book because it just felt like a money-grab. Lily seems magically ‘over’ everything with Ryle in terms of dealing with the abuse (she still has moments of anxiety and stress due to it, but it feels superficial) and knows everything about a being an abuse victim. Don’t get me wrong, there are great messages to abuse victims in there, but they feel placed and forced instead of flowing.
Another thing: because Atlas is so perfect, it feels almost like there’s nothing to him because he doesn’t go through any character development, the only development we are simply told about occurring during his time away from Lily. There’s no stakes because he is so perfect.
In summary, it’s a fluff book about Atlas and Lily with some troubles but nothing that they don’t handle quickly or at least make seem so small because of their love for each other and because Atlas knows her so well so he knows how to cheer her up so easily instead of there being a bit of tension between them at any point. Overall, it’s a decent book and did make me cry at some points and would be a good read for someone who just wanted closure from the first book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse
Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse