A review by mildlypretentiousreader
It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

reflective fast-paced

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

0.0

If it was possible to give a book a negative rating, I would give it to It Ends With Us. I do not understand the constant, insistent, and never-ending praise that Colleen Hoover receives for this book. tthere is nothing truly noteworthy or even objectively good about Hoover’s writing here. In fact, her surface-level writing and flat characters reminded me of cringey fanfictions. 

It Ends With Us follows our protagonist, Lily Blossom Bloom, as she navigates her 20s and her relationship with Ryle, and later on, Atlas.  The story follows the blossoming of Lily’s romantic invovlement with Ryle and how it quickly and swiftly turns abusive. We learn of Lily’s own past of witnessing the abuse of her mother at the hands of her father. As readers, we begin to root and hope Lily will escape the relationship. 

All the characters are either 1.) horrible people or 2.) horribly written. Sometimes, like in the case of Atlas and Ryle, they are both! For instance, Atlas groomed Lily. After turning 18, he calculated and waited until Lily turned 15 and immedietly slept with her. That’s weird. Ryle is just an abusive jerk who tried to rape Lily. 

There are far too many coincidences in this book to make me believe this would happen realistically. How can Lilly, a 24-year-old living in one of America’s most expensive cities, manage to afford to quit her job and buy and renovate a flower shop? What are the odds that Allysa, Lily’s best friend and employee, is the sister of Ryle, Lily’s future abusive husband? How come Atlas manages to be in Boston at the exact same time as Lily? The plot is simply way too convenient. Everything falls into place too perfectly for my liking. Nothing is truly realstic. 

Hoover’s writing is subpar at best. It’s reminiscent of middle school Wattpad books. There is no depth and no quality character development. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

I’m not too sure why Hoover decided it would be best to have Lily allow Ryle to remain in her child’s life. Clearly, she had the means and support system to take care of the child on her own and to protect the baby from its abusive father. Perhaps this choice was to show how Lily “broke the cycle,” yet it just comes off as naivety. How could you allow your child to be exposed to an abusive parent? However, I digress.