Review: It Ends with Us

It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 BIG HEARTBREAKING STARS

There is no such thing as bad people. We're all just people who sometimes so bad things.

Wow this book. What an emotional journey. This was one of the hardest and most raw books I've ever read. It was so real and riveting . I couldn't get enough of it. I couldn't stop reading yet I didn't want to keep reading. Such a different experience. Reading a Colleen Hoover book is like going through an eye opening journey and this one was no different and was one of the hardest but most worthwhile to battle through.

All humans make mistakes. What determines a persons character aren't the mistakes we make. It's how we take those mistakes and turn them into lessons rather than excuse.

It was so sad but I can't begin to express enough how IMPORTANT <\i> this book is. Every female needs to read this. Every single girl should read this and understand the importance of this novel. Actually, everyone with a pulse should read this book.

Imagine all the people you meet in your life. There are so many. They come in like waves, trickling in and out with the tide. Some waves are much bigger and make more of an impact than others. Sometimes the waves bring with them things from deep in the bottom of the sea and they leave those things tossed onto the shore. Imprints against the grains of sand that prove the wave have once been there, long after the tide recedes. That was what Atlas was telling me when he said "I love you." He was letting me know that I was the biggest wave he'd ever come across. And I brought so much with me that my impressions would always be there, even when the tide rolled out.

The best way to fully grasps the importance of this story emotionally is to go into it blind. It follows Lily who meets this amazing neurosurgeon named Ryle and they fall head over heels in love. But Ryle has a dark past and that begins to interfere with their relationship in this worst way. Then Atlas, Lily's first love from when they were teenagers makes an appearance and everything Lily has been building gets shaken.

"Just because someone hurts you doesn't mean you can simply stop loving them. It's not a persons actions that hurt the most. It's the love. If there was no one attached to the action, the pain would be a little easier to bear.

The way that Colleen Hoover writes puts you right in the situation that Lily is in head first and makes you fall in love with both Ryle and Atlas. And it's so twisted because of the kind of guy one of them turns out to be.

I'm sure you didn't miss me like I missed you, but sometimes the things that matter to you most are also the things that hurt you the most. And in order to get over that hurt, you have to sever all the extensions of my pain, so I guess that what I was doing. I was just trying to save myself a little bit of agony.

In between this passionate love story that's going on with Ryle and Lily we get these sweet innocent flashbacks of a life with a sixteen year old Lily and Atlas. Atlas who is this homeless boy who finds hope and a home in Lily. And Lily who is living a nightmare of home life and seeks comfort in him. Those stories were my favorite.

"Lily," he whispers, still holding me tightly. "I know this is the last thing you need to hear right now. But I have to say it because I've walked away from you too many times without saying what I really want to say."
He pulls back to look down at me and when he sees my tears, he brings his hands up to my cheeks."In the future...if by some miracle you ever find yourself in the position to fall in love again...fall in love with me." He presses his lips against my forehead. "You're still my favorite person, Lily. Always will be."

But I still loved the blooming relationship between her and Ryle. Ryle who is arrogant, smart, charismatic. These are two VERY different relationships and the deeper we dig into the relationship with Lily and Ryle the harder that relationship becomes and the tougher it is to read.

Maybe love isn't something that comes full circle. It just ebbs and flow, in and out, just like the people in our lives. Just because we didn't up on the same wave, doesn't mean we aren't apart of the same ocean.

Two other very important relationships is the friendship she has with Allysa, who I loved! Her and Marshall were amazing friends and their interactions were so much fun to read. The other significant relationship was between Lily and her mother. I loved, loved their scenes together, especially the last one!

Sometimes even grown women need their mothers confront so we can just take a break from having to be strong all the time.

Then the cuteness of the Dear Ellen letters.

just keep swimming

All in all, this was definitely the most important Colleen Hoover book and is a complete MUST READ. I laughed, I cried happy tears then a lot of sad tears. Then the authors note at the end just breaks your heart even more. So many times I had to close the book and walk away because this book makes you feel so many different emotions and at times, not the good kind. Thank you Colleen Hoover for sharing your families story with us by being brave and bold. Truly and an unforgettable love story.

"Cycles exist because they are excruciating to break. It takes an astronomical amount of pain and courage to disrupt a familiar pattern. Sometimes it seems easier to just keep running in the same familiar circles rather than facing the fear of jumping and possibly not landing on your feet.
My mother went through it.
I went through it.
I'll be damned if I allow my daughter to go through the it.
I kiss her on the forehead and make her a promise. "It stops here. With me and you. It ends with us."

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