Book Review- It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

Have you ever wanted to read a book but not known why? I had seen Colleen Hoover's books on Instagram plenty of times, but this one stood out to me, (maybe it is the gorgeous cover) and I decided I wanted to read it. Lucky enough, a few days later I found a copy at the flea market!

I went into this book knowing it was an adult romance. That's it. I didn't know any specific plot points or tropes that might come into play, and I decided not to read the blurb on the back because I wanted to be surprised. This is the first time I have read a Colleen Hoover book, so I am unfamiliar with her writing style. Basically, I went into this novel blind.

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Because of this, when what happened happened (and if you have read this book then you know what I am talking about) I was shocked. I couldn't stop reading. I felt so much for Lily. I was mad at her while still understanding her. I was mad at Ryle while still feeling bad for him, which only made me feel worse. I wished the story could have gone differently, yet I am so thankful that it didn't.

I expected this book to be nothing more than a sappy, feel-good romance, but it is so much more than that. It brings nuance and empathy to a situation that is often judged harshly from those on the outside. A book that started as a 3 star read for me moved into 4 star territory because of this, and if you have not read this and plan to here is your warning. Spoilers are coming!

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SPOILERS AHEAD

The first time Ryle pushed Lily I was taken aback. It happened so fast. One moment they were laughing and having fun and the next the casserole dish was broken on the floor and Lily was bleeding. I experienced the same shock she did. Even worse, one of my first thoughts was about Ryle's hand and if he was too hurt to do surgery the next week. Why was I caring about his career and his life when he just pushed her?

I hate to admit it, but I have been that person who judges the women who stay in these abusive environments. I have said things like, "how could she stay with him after he did that," and "if it was me, I would never tolerate abuse." But the truth is we don't know what we would do unless it actually happens to us. As much as I wish I could fully hate Ryle, Colleen Hoover made him a character with admirable traits. This book would've been easier to swallow if Ryle had been a completely evil and manipulative sociopath, but he wasn't. Sure he was at times evil, and certainly he was manipulative in his repeated apologies, but underneath it all he was a person. I think the thing Hoover does best in this book is writing nuanced characters who are flawed, and therefore, who are human.

I felt myself wanting to yell at Lily through the pages to leave him, and even though I knew in my heart that she would, it was excruciating getting there. She accepted his apologies. She made excuses for the abuse and she swept things under the rug because she loved him, and she loved his family, and she grew attached to a life that should've been perfect but wasn't. And like too many women, she struggled with intrusive thoughts that placed the blame for what he did to her on herself. She felt responsible for guarding his happiness at the expense of her own, and she felt a need to protect his career despite the awful things he did to her.

Lily's experience opened my eyes to just how complicated yet simple situations like these are. The simple part is the wrongness of it. It is knowing that you have to leave. The complicated part is getting to that point when you actually leave. It is also the people, who are endlessly complicated. As Hoover writes, "There is no such thing as bad people. We’re all just people who sometimes do bad things."

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. More than that, I appreciated the message it sent. After reading the "Notes from the author" section, it is evident that Hoover wrote this novel thoughtfully, from the place of a girl who grew up in a house where her father abused her mother. Colleen details how her mother eventually left him, and how he grew to be a good Dad. She talks about how she used to be one of those people who judged women like her mom, but writing Lily gave her new perspective. Lily provided me with new perspective too, and I believe I am better for it. This book gets four stars from me.