A review by krissasaur
It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
3.0
Oh boy, where do I start? Naked Truth? I hated this book.
Then when getting to know Lily he never stops being a red flag? Lily is VERY aware of what abuse is due to watching her mom go through it, so how the fuck did she fall in love with this man. There wasn't a single scene with him that wasn't a red flag? And I get it, maybe the message here is it happens to you without you knowing it and then you get stuck in it..... SURE. BUT. That doesn't work for me in this book. The fact that Lily had a head on her shoulders to only let him hurt her, what? 3 times? And none were "THAT" serious? [1] Just makes it all the harder for me to believe she got with him, and fell in love with him in the first place. She meets him on a roof destroying furniture that doesn't even belong to him in a fit of rage. Like. That isn't normal? Not only that, he then forces himself on her and begs her to fuck him. He clearly doesn't understand boundaries?
[1] Okay, back to this. He obviously hurt her badly each time, but the first time he just shoved her and she fell on the corner of the counter, the second time he shoved her and she fell down the stairs.... third time was the most violent he was with her... But even then all he really did was head butt her which could have also been a "mistake." Not that I want any woman to go through worse, but I wish colleen would have had the guts to make him actually raise his hand to her.
My issue with this is that I find it really hard to believe someone who ignored nonstop red flags for over a year would be able to say "wow, he HURT ME, this isn't okay." after these "mild" instances. The author TRIES to dance around it, and TRIES to make Lily seem like she is making excuses..... but Lily never really does. Sure lily stays with him, but she is very headstrong on if it happens again she will leave. 3 strikes and you are out. Sure. That is how these cycles start. Excuses like that happen in real life.... but I just don't believe it at all with how Lily was written. I just don't believe with how Lily is described all through the book, through the Ellen diaries, everything, Lily would have even been with this man in the first place? It just doesn't feel RIGHT to me and I can't place it.
Also I feel like now is a good time to mention I have been in a few DV relationships. I was young and naïve, and didn't know the flags. Lily knows the flags, and tbh you don't even have to experience DV to see Ryles flags. LIKE. IDK HOW TO EXPLAIN WHAT IM TRYING TO SAY BUT IT JUST ANNOYED ME SO MUCH. I really hope at least one person reading this understands what I am trying to say, because it isn't that I don't think strong women can get stuck in situations like this, its just that I don't believe this book was an accurate portrayal of how this happens. From day one LILY KNEW. SO HOW?
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On to my second complaint, Atlas. Why did he need to be in the book at all? Sure he's sweet and whatever, but he felt like he existed just as a consolation prize for Lily in the end? He felt like he existed only to give Ryle a reason to get mad. Also the fact that he existed as a knight in shining armor to save Lily in the end kind of ruined so much for me as well. I wish this could have been more about Lily's strength as a woman, alone. She didn't need him.
Onto my third issue, convenience. Holy hell is this book BUILT off of convenience. Lily CONVENIENTLY is able to open a successful flower shop, and Alyssa CONVENIENTLY starts to work for Lily, and she is CONVENIENTLY too rich to even need a job, and ends up CONVENIENTLY being Ryles sister? OK. And then they CONVENIENTLY go to the restaurant Atlus works at who CONVENIENTLY turns out to be the owner, and he CONVENIENTLY sees her injuries. Atlus CONVENIENTLY sees Lily when he's about to kill himself which makes him stop. Lilt is also CONVENIENTLY pregnant the moment she decides to leave Ryle... and the most CONVINIENT AT ALL? Her water fucking breaks and she managed to give birth all in the span of about 20 minutes. Wow. Lucky her.
+ so much more.
Fourth. Why the happy ending? Sure she leaves him, but its a HAPPY ENDING. hsgdkjgfhsldfghls It is fine that lily is happy, but why is Ryle also technically happy? he still gets to hang out with Lily and be her friend.. ALSO UNSUPERVISED VISISTS? WHY IS SHE DROPPING HER BABY GIRL OFF AT RYLES HOUSE? ALONE? ksajdhlahkDLKAH FLKHDALKDJS F;Alds 'f
Anyway, I should stop ranting. This book drove me insane. I gave it 2 stars cause the writing. It was easy to read, and it wasn't boring. So it has that going for it.
Spoiler
My first issue with the book is how the second you meet Ryle, you know he is going to be an abusive bastard. Red flags off the literal ROOF.Then when getting to know Lily he never stops being a red flag? Lily is VERY aware of what abuse is due to watching her mom go through it, so how the fuck did she fall in love with this man. There wasn't a single scene with him that wasn't a red flag? And I get it, maybe the message here is it happens to you without you knowing it and then you get stuck in it..... SURE. BUT. That doesn't work for me in this book. The fact that Lily had a head on her shoulders to only let him hurt her, what? 3 times? And none were "THAT" serious? [1] Just makes it all the harder for me to believe she got with him, and fell in love with him in the first place. She meets him on a roof destroying furniture that doesn't even belong to him in a fit of rage. Like. That isn't normal? Not only that, he then forces himself on her and begs her to fuck him. He clearly doesn't understand boundaries?
[1] Okay, back to this. He obviously hurt her badly each time, but the first time he just shoved her and she fell on the corner of the counter, the second time he shoved her and she fell down the stairs.... third time was the most violent he was with her... But even then all he really did was head butt her which could have also been a "mistake." Not that I want any woman to go through worse, but I wish colleen would have had the guts to make him actually raise his hand to her.
My issue with this is that I find it really hard to believe someone who ignored nonstop red flags for over a year would be able to say "wow, he HURT ME, this isn't okay." after these "mild" instances. The author TRIES to dance around it, and TRIES to make Lily seem like she is making excuses..... but Lily never really does. Sure lily stays with him, but she is very headstrong on if it happens again she will leave. 3 strikes and you are out. Sure. That is how these cycles start. Excuses like that happen in real life.... but I just don't believe it at all with how Lily was written. I just don't believe with how Lily is described all through the book, through the Ellen diaries, everything, Lily would have even been with this man in the first place? It just doesn't feel RIGHT to me and I can't place it.
Also I feel like now is a good time to mention I have been in a few DV relationships. I was young and naïve, and didn't know the flags. Lily knows the flags, and tbh you don't even have to experience DV to see Ryles flags. LIKE. IDK HOW TO EXPLAIN WHAT IM TRYING TO SAY BUT IT JUST ANNOYED ME SO MUCH. I really hope at least one person reading this understands what I am trying to say, because it isn't that I don't think strong women can get stuck in situations like this, its just that I don't believe this book was an accurate portrayal of how this happens. From day one LILY KNEW. SO HOW?
ak,jsdhlhgflsdkjghalkd fhglkahjdfgl;kjasdlkfghj al;kdfgjhlsdf gl;ksjdf;lkg
On to my second complaint, Atlas. Why did he need to be in the book at all? Sure he's sweet and whatever, but he felt like he existed just as a consolation prize for Lily in the end? He felt like he existed only to give Ryle a reason to get mad. Also the fact that he existed as a knight in shining armor to save Lily in the end kind of ruined so much for me as well. I wish this could have been more about Lily's strength as a woman, alone. She didn't need him.
Onto my third issue, convenience. Holy hell is this book BUILT off of convenience. Lily CONVENIENTLY is able to open a successful flower shop, and Alyssa CONVENIENTLY starts to work for Lily, and she is CONVENIENTLY too rich to even need a job, and ends up CONVENIENTLY being Ryles sister? OK. And then they CONVENIENTLY go to the restaurant Atlus works at who CONVENIENTLY turns out to be the owner, and he CONVENIENTLY sees her injuries. Atlus CONVENIENTLY sees Lily when he's about to kill himself which makes him stop. Lilt is also CONVENIENTLY pregnant the moment she decides to leave Ryle... and the most CONVINIENT AT ALL? Her water fucking breaks and she managed to give birth all in the span of about 20 minutes. Wow. Lucky her.
+ so much more.
Fourth. Why the happy ending? Sure she leaves him, but its a HAPPY ENDING. hsgdkjgfhsldfghls It is fine that lily is happy, but why is Ryle also technically happy? he still gets to hang out with Lily and be her friend.. ALSO UNSUPERVISED VISISTS? WHY IS SHE DROPPING HER BABY GIRL OFF AT RYLES HOUSE? ALONE? ksajdhlahkDLKAH FLKHDALKDJS F;Alds 'f
Anyway, I should stop ranting. This book drove me insane. I gave it 2 stars cause the writing. It was easy to read, and it wasn't boring. So it has that going for it.