Review: It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

*This post contains affiliate links.

Lily had a rough childhood in Maine, but doesn't let that stop her from working hard to achieve her dreams and create the life that she wants. She finishes college, moves to Boston, and starts her own business. In the meantime, she meets this guy she just can't get forget. As their relationship blossoms, memories come flooding back that make her question everything she knows or thought she knew about herself.

Content Warning/CW: domestic violence

My thoughts: As inspiring as parts of this book are for some people, I thought it was too predictable and cliché. I'm proud of Lily for standing up for herself and working hard for what she deserves and believes in, especially in an attempt to love a different life than what was expected.

That said, the writing left more to be desired with the suspense. I didn't enjoy the predictability of the relationships between the characters and guessing the ending correctly a third of the way into the book. There also wasn't a lot of character development either.

**SPOILERS**

Of course the first employee she hires is directly related to the mysterious man she met on the rooftop. Of course she's going to end up in an abusive relationship just like her mother. Of course she's going to randomly run into her first love and he is going to show up as her savior. And of course she's going to leave the abusive partner to break the cycle of generational trauma.

I am all for inspiring characters and plot lines, but not in a predictable and clichéd package.

I am grateful to have read such a book that is inspiring for others. I am grateful to have read this book for a different perspective than I am used to despite not enjoying the premise and lack of suspense.

What I am not grateful for is the reading slump it put me back into for the last week, though Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid is helping me get out of it.

Book Details:
Book Title: It Ends With Us
Author: Colleen Hoover
Format: audiobook & paperback
Published: August 2, 2016
Dates Read: July 4 - July 20, 2022