A review by pa0la_reads
It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I will admit. At the end of the book Colleen explains that this book is based on her mother and father. And she said that she had found it hard to understand women who stay with their abusive husbands until she wrote this book. I was the same. I might even say I still am bc I don’t think I’ll ever fully understand why unless I live through it and this would be my worst fucking nightmare if I did. 
Spoiler The first time Ryle pushed Lily so hard she hit her dead. I had to reread it to see what exactly happened bc I didn’t get it. And then I started to rationalize ‘oh, did she like get too close to his injured hand? Did he push her lightly and she was just too drunk that she lost her balance?’ And I didn’t have an answer I reread it and there was no reason why he pushed her off. But then his hand was injured (which didn’t even last long, he was able to do the surgery after all). And I’m ashamed to say that when she forgave him I forgave him too. I was skeptical but I rationalized and had I been in her position in that situation I don’t think I would’ve left him either (and that’s horrible). And I felt disgust for myself bc Ive always been told at the first sign leave… but it’s not a clear sign. Marriage is very important to me and at some point by the time the second incident happened (he pushed her down the stairs) and he gave the explanation of his older brother when she debated himself she said ‘for better, for worse right?’ And I feel like it’s kinda difficult for someone in that situation to determine how much worse is too worse. When does ‘too worse’ become ‘it’s not that bad’. By the second incident I don’t think I would’ve forgiven him like that. But I don’t think I want to know what I would’ve done.

I truly enjoyed this book bc I got an insight to what domestic abuse does to someone as a bystander to the victim and as the victim. 
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