It Ends with Us: Storyline and Book Review

It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover is a compelling exploration of abuse and domestic violence. Hoover sensitively delves into these complex topics, shedding light on the challenges of leaving such situations and the journey to freedom.

The story follows Lily, a young woman who has endured a traumatic childhood, witnessing the abuse of her mother by her father. Despite her love for her father, Lily’s feelings are complicated by his actions. She grapples with the question of why her mother stays with her father despite the abuse.

The story begins with the father’s passing and Lily’s decision not to utter a single word of appreciation for him in his eulogy. Frustrated and upset, Lily leaves the funeral. That evening, as she sits on the terrace of a tall building, wanting to have some time for herself, she encounters Ryle, a young man, who too seems frustrated about things in his life and has made his way to the terrace the same way as Lily, to vent out his anger. Lily and Ryles’s chance encounter leads them to know each other a bit more, and the two share some naked truths with each other.

Months later, when Lily opens her flower shop and Alyssa walks into her store and offers to help, Lily doesn’t know that she is Ryle’s sister. One day, when Alyssa brings her husband and Ryle to the store, Lily and Ryle get a chance to meet again. Ryle is a neurosurgeon. He is ambitious, just like Lily, who has great plans for her flower business.

Love blooms, and soon, the two of them marry.

But soon after their marriage, Lily starts facing abuse at the hands of Ryle. Every time it happens, Ryles apologises and tries to make amends for his wrongdoing. For a while, Lily is confused and unsure of what exactly is happening, until it comes to a point when Ryle discovers Lily’s childhood sweetheart, Atlas, through her old diary entries and imagines that she still loves him and takes out all her anger in the form of physical abuse on Lily.

This marks a significant turning point in their relationship. Lily also realises she is pregnant, which complicates things further. She loves Ryle. As much as she knows that what he has done is wrong, she tries justifying his actions, attributing them to his childhood trauma, her own mistake of preserving Atlas’s memories, and even her love and respect for Atlas, which she still nurtures in her heart.

All through her pregnancy, she goes through conflicting thoughts. She knows Ryle loves her. She can see the regret in his eyes, but she blames him for spoiling things when everything was going so well. She also worries about the future of her unborn child and wonders what impact taking Ryle back into her life would have on her child’s life.

Lily waits until her delivery to finally break it to Ryle that she wants a divorce and that if he loves her enough, he will agree to the decision. Ryle knows his limitations and accepts that he doesn’t deserve her.

In the end, the two separate, and Lily goes on to start afresh with her newborn daughter. Months later, she bumps into Atlas. Atlas is single and has always been in love with Lily. The two confide in each other about their feelings and acknowledge their love for each other. They decide to build a life together.

It Ends with Us is a decent read and delves into many sensitive topics, such as domestic abuse, gun violence, and lack of social support. The end note by the author, in which she shares her personal story that inspired her to write the book, is touching.

But some parts of the story are quite unrelatable, especially the initial encounter and the relationship between Lily and Ryle. I felt the lust more than the love between the two, which made it hard for me to justify the dilemma Lily faces about leaving Ryle because she genuinely loves him. The short time in which the relationship between Lily and Ryle develops, as well as the short time in which Lily and Alyssa become best friends, seemed too hurried to me as a reader.

The chemistry between Lily and Atlas was better, but that, too, lacked depth. I liked the relationship between Lily and her mother, as well as the unexpected advice she receives from her when she faces a dilemma and finds herself in a situation quite similar to that of her mother.

Overall, It Ends with Us is a thought-provoking read that prompts reflection on the complexities of relationships and the impact of past traumas.