It Starts With Us (Lily and Atlas’s Story) by Colleen Hoover Book Review
In this blog, I review the highly anticipated book and story over Lily Bloom and Atlas Corrigan by Colleen Hoover called It Starts With Us. I also discuss what I liked and disliked in the book.
About Colleen Hoover:
- Formed Bookworm Box, a subscription service that provides people signed books each month and the profit is donated to various charities. Sadly, this subscription has ended.
- Top selling author
- Has wrote 23 novels and novellas so far
- This New York Times article provides more information on Colleen Hoover. In 2022, she sold 8.6 million books, which is more than the Bible according to this article. This 8.6 million is not counting It Starts With Us sales, so Hoover might finish the year with over 10 million copies sold.
What’s this book about?
Warning:
This book and this series in general goes into heavy detail on domestic abuse. This book was a little different where it also touches up on domestic abuse that occurs in the family. You will find out if you read the book, so read the book.
It Ends With Us summary first:
It Starts With Us is the second book in the It Ends With Us series. In the first book — It Ends With Us — , Lily meets a neurosurgeon named Ryle and falls in love. However, Ryle is not who he seems. Ryle seems nice around people, but he gets angry when he’s alone and the simplest things set him off. He slapped Lily, pushed her down stairs, and almost raped her. This book goes over domestic abuse pertaining to a significant other.
It Starts With Us summary:
This second book goes over the aftermath of Ryle’s abuse on Lily and how that has affected her and her choices when it comes to her new kid. Atlas’s and Lily’s point of view in the new book provide the big message on domestic abuse. You see the contrast between the two men (Ryle and Atlas) and you start to see the signs that Ryle exhibited. This book starts out and carries through the entire book that Lily is still recovering from what Ryle did. You can sense this.
Lily and several other characters like Atlas discuss in the book how she’s brave and still recovering from what happened. On pg. 114, Hoover writes this:
Nothing you have done and nothing you could do would excuse any man’s hands on you out of anger. Remember that, Lily. You made the right choice by leaving the situation. You should never feel guilty for that. Pride is the only thing you should feel.
The focus of this book is on Lily and Atlas:
You will get more information on Atlas’s life, how he got the restaurant, and how he made his way to Lily. You will also get a ton of information on how Lily is trying to recover from Ryle and what he did to her. Finally, you will get what you have always wanted: a love story between Lily and Atlas! There’s not going to be another book. She ended it with a bang and a final conclusion to this series.
This book does focus a lot on Lily, but also provides the missing details on Atlas that weren’t in It Ends With Us (the first book). You start to realize that Atlas has a dark past and has trauma too indicated in the first book, but this helps him emphasize with Lily and help her as a partner recover from her trauma. That’s what you got to do as partners. Especially with a recent divorce with an abusive man (Ryle) who is the father of Lily’s recent child.
Lily wrestles this concept of choosing between Ryle’s feelings (not seeing Atlas and potentially dating him) and her happiness with a man (Atlas) she’s loved for 7+ years. She doesn’t want to hurt Ryle because she doesn’t know what’s going to happen if he finds out she’s now having dates with the man he hates the most, but she also wants to choose what makes her happy. This is portrayed heavily in the book and provides that light that she’s strong beyond measure and brave as hell. 👊 Go Lily.
My review:
Holy shit. Wow is my review. I had high expectations for this book, and it didn’t disappoint. If it wasn’t going to be good, I’ll let you guys know. However, it was fabulous. The story, the messages, the characters, and the romance. It was all there.
There was one moment where I read until 3 a.m. because I couldn’t put the book down. I wanted to know more information and to see what happens next. I loved it. There were twists that I wasn’t expecting. I cried so many times, and I’m still crying.
If your hesitating on reading it, I would just read it. It’s what you want: the relationship between Lily and Atlas. Let’s go!
If you haven’t read the series, I highly recommend it. The topics are sad, but the topics need to be talked about. Especially domestic abuse since it happens more frequently than you think.
What did I like?
1. Domestic abuse, sexual assault, and homelessness
Hoover discusses in her books about topics that need to be talked about more: domestic abuse, homelessness, and sexual assault. These topics aren’t easy to write about or easy to read from the reader. The message is clear: if you see someone hurt or abused, help them as best as you can. Get them help if they’re willing.
Since younger readers are going to be reading this book, these topics need to be discussed with them as well. I argue that high schoolers should know more information on domestic abuse, homelessness, and sexual assault.
Second point I want to make is that It Ends With Us series has been stated it glamorized domestic abuse. I don’t think it did. The first book, It Ends With Us, provided signs that domesitc abuse was happening, and then it provided the scene with Ryle slapping Lily. In the second book, it goes over the aftermath of domestic abuse and recovering from it. The point of the series is to discuss about domestic abuse and to get help. Hoover did this by providing the signs of domestic, the actual physical abuse scene, and then Lily leaving Ryle after. One could take the physical abuse scene out, but it would downplay domestic abuse awareness and what Hoover is trying to convey in the book.
2. Healthy sex habits
In all of the romance books I read, I don’t read anything about a condom. I guess they go raw? This is what I assume. Honestly, this is a big plot hole to address and I didn’t think it was bad until Hoover wrote about condoms in Reminders of Him. I say it’s a big because you’re providing readers education. If they don’t know anything about safe sex practices, they aren’t going to know what to properly do.
Since high schoolers are reading this book, it’s especially important for them to know how to have safe sex. It’s a hard topic to talk about, but it needs to be addressed. Hoover provided a great message for this in the book.
Hoover also provides subtle information on birth control. Birth control is important, so you have the option of not having a baby when it isn’t the time. Birth control and a condom are preventative measures to prevent having a baby, but these aren’t full proof. However, the chances of getting a baby are very slim (around 0.002% chance if you use both methods).
The other information she provides in the book is getting tested. What she means by getting tested is getting tested for STD’s (sexually transmitted diseases). This way you aren’t getting anyone you have sex with any STD’s. The chance of transmitting these diseases increases if you don’t use a condom, so use a condom.
3. Atlas’s story
It made me love Atlas so much more. How was he able to survive and thrive? It was wonderful to see how he was able to turn everything around. When Atlas met Lily, Lily changed his life. This also occurred for Lily where Atlas changed her life. Both helped each other grow, and it paid off in the long term.
4. Imposter syndrome
Hoover mentions imposter syndrome in the book. I thought this was cool because in interviews and articles I read, she has admitted she has imposter syndrome. The idea that she feels like a little of a fraud and doesn’t deserve the success that has occurred for her in the last two years. However, she does. She’s a great writer and has stories that I haven’t read about. She’s talking about issues that need to be discussed like domestic abuse, homelessness, sexual assault, and healthy sex practices.
What did I not like?
Nothing. This was a well developed book with powerful and strong characters, powerful messages and ideas, and a powerful conclusion to the series.
What do you think of the book?
I would love to read your comments about the book. What did you like? What did you not like?
Reference:
Hoover, C. (2022). It Starts With Us. Atria Books.
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