It ends with Us

Author: Colleen Hoover
Genre: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary.
Editorial: Atria BooksYear: 2016Ranking: 4.7/ 5

Synopsis

Lily has not always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She has come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up. She graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true. 

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, and maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant and has a total soft spot for Lily; and the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head, but Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his no dating rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place. 

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan, her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened. 

With this bold and deeply personal novel Colleen Hoover delivers a heart-wrenching story that breaks exciting new ground for her as a writer. Combining a captivating romance with a cast of all too human characters, “It Ends with Us” is an unforgettable tale of love that comes at the ultimate price.

The Author

Colleen Hoover was born December 11, 1979 in Sulphur Springs, TX. She grew up in Saltillo, TX, and graduated from Saltillo High School in 1998. In 2000, she married Heath Hoover, with whom she now has three sons and a pig named Sailor. Hoover graduated from Texas A&M-Commerce with a degree in Social Work. She worked various social work and teaching jobs until she began her writing career.

In November 2011, Colleen began writing her first novel, Slammed, with no intentions of getting published. She was inspired by a lyric, "decide what to be and go be it", from an Avett Brothers song, "Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise". Because of this, she incorporated Avett Brothers lyrics throughout the story. After a few months, her novel was reviewed and given 5 stars by major book blogger, Maryse Black. After that, sales rapidly increased, and Slammed and its sequel, Point of Retreat, both made the New York Times Best Seller list. 

Personal Experience with This Book

When I knew Colleen Hoover would release another book, I place it in my TBR immediately. I got the book in ebook because I could not wait until it came home from the United States. Colleen is one of those authors in which I trust blindly. So far, I have read 3 of her books and the 3 of them have been simply wonderful. I have yet to read her repertoire, but not because I don´t want to, I just feel afraid to go to her firsts books, because her writing has improved a lot since the first time she published a book. At some point I will read them, do not worry.

It ends with Us is simply a beautiful story. I had not even read the synopsis of the book when I started reading. I wanted to read it completely blind in order to see what was going to happen in the story. I wanted to surprise myself and I WAS.

The story of Lily and Ryle is just beautiful. From the moment they know each other until the end, as a reader you fall for this couple. But seriously you would like to find a man so compassionate, gentle and hardworking as Ryle. What makes Colleen with both characters is amazing. It makes you think a lot. That is something I like about her stories, always treat a very serious issue and it always develops it cleanly and giving the poetic touch that only, she has.

It is impossible not to fall in love with Ryle. And here people who have read the book woul be much surprised. How are you going to fall in love with a man like that? Ryle has many internal conflicts, he is not perfect at all, but he is something any woman would like to have, he loves Lily with all his heart. It broke my heart to see how he slowly destroyed her love for him, that beautiful relationship they had, it hurt to see him in pain and it hurt to know I could not do anything to help; that, as Lily, I just had to expect the best of him and that he will not do anything stupid again. Normally, one woman would not fall for a character like Ryle. I mean, he has all behaviours I have criticized for years. However, I could not help loving him. I wanted to care for him, wanted for him to improved; I wanted to see him happy. It broke my heart to see the way things went along and broke my heart to see how Lily questioned herself.

I've always said that if a man hit me I would go crazy mad and I would not see him ever again. I have always criticized women who stay with their partners despite being assaulted. I've always thought that those women have a weak character, be manipulated. However, at the end of this book, I think I can understand a little more and see how brave they are. It is not easy to love a person who abuses you, always judging yourself for not quitting, scared when he approach and scared when he leaves too, I think it takes a lot of courage to take that situation and women who make the decision and leave, it is up fight far beyond. Lily was a great character. I feel I respect her as a professional and as a person. She is a woman with character and a lot “Berraquera”, as they say in my country. A person willing to follow their dreams and to move forward no matter what.

Atlas was a beautiful character. Most of the book was part of the memories of Lily and he played a minor role. Atlas is that kind of guy who makes you fall in love just with his presence. He is loving, caring and very respectful to women. I could not help but find similar things with Ryle because both behaved in similar ways. Although I think, he was a very minor character. Appeared only when needed. I liked that Colleen never use Atlas as love interest for Lily, it was a memory and great support in times when she needed it. Only that.

This book has been the best I have read this year. I think Colleen hit a homerun with this book. If I loved Ugly Love and Confess, I ADORE this book. I think it is my favourite book so far. Then follows Confess and finally Ugly Love. I highly recommend it and think it is very much worth reading.