Reading Order
It Ends With UsIt Ends with Us Series Reading Order
Colleen Hoover's It Ends with Us (2016) is the first book in a duology, followed by It Starts with Us (2022). The duology follows Lily Bloom, a woman who falls in love with a neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid and must confront the cycle of domestic violence in her relationship — partly through understanding the parallel in her parents' marriage and partly through reconnecting with her first love, Atlas Corrigan. It Ends with Us became one of the most discussed books in BookTok history, selling over 10 million copies years after its original publication.
Where to start
It Ends with Us
Complete It Ends With Us Book List
- 1Buy
It Ends with Us
Colleen Hoover·2016·Lily Bloom falls for neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid and must confront a pattern of domestic violence in her relationship; partly autobiographical — Hoover dedicated it to her father - 2Buy
It Starts with Us
Colleen Hoover·2022·Picks up where It Ends with Us ends — Lily begins a new relationship with Atlas and must navigate co-parenting with Ryle
It Ends With Us — Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to read It Ends with Us before It Starts with Us?
Yes — It Starts with Us begins immediately where It Ends with Us ends and requires having read the first book. The characters, relationships, and the emotional stakes of the ending all carry directly into the sequel.
Is It Ends with Us based on a true story?
It Ends with Us is fiction, but Colleen Hoover has said it was partly inspired by her relationship with her father, who was abusive toward her mother. She dedicated the book to him and has said in interviews that writing it helped her understand and have compassion for the cycle her mother experienced. The characters and specific events are invented.
Is It Ends with Us appropriate for all readers?
It Ends with Us deals directly with domestic violence and emotional abuse in a relationship the reader is meant to find romantic in its early stages. Some readers have found this combination uncomfortable; others have found it one of the most accurate portrayals of how domestic violence works in relationships that feel loving. Content warnings: domestic violence, childhood trauma.
Why did It Ends with Us become so popular years after publication?
It Ends with Us was originally published in 2016 and sold modestly. In 2021 and 2022, BookTok (TikTok's book community) drove it back onto bestseller lists, eventually making it one of the most-read books of 2022 and 2023. The film adaptation (2024, starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni) brought a new wave of readers.
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