Colleen Hoover It Ends with Us Boxed Set: It Ends with Us, It Starts with Us - Box Set Paperback – September 26, 2023

I started reading this book after seeing the movie It Ends With Us and I figured I would be a little disappointed. Boy was I wrong. This book reeled me and I became hooked...no pun intended. Atlas and Lily were very much real for me. Their love is what we all would love to have. I'm so sad there is not a third part as I would love to read more about them from the wedding forward.Colleen, if you see this...I'm begging you to write a third book. I need a love story like theirs, in my life. I have great ideas to throw in to make it all spicy and mysterious. If you need me, I'm in Houston. I will leave the porch light on for ya!

My daughter wanted the whole series because her friends were reading the same book. So I bought her these books thinking maybe she will read about half of the series. I was surprised that she finished the whole series in two months. I recommend this book for girls in junior high.

Love the Atlas + Lily story! Was expecting more with the amount of hype around this book but it’s good anyways. Definitely had some tear jerker moments. I think the second book was better than the first though

I feel like It Ends With Us was a story that needed to be told, not for just Lily but for the men and women every day who go through the same emotional and physical abuse they endure from either their family or from their partners. And it’s deeply saddening to know not everyone gets away from their situation like Lily and Atlas did. I absolutely loved this book.It Starts With Us was the perfect ending for both Lily and Atlas. It felt great to know they finally found their ways back to each other, also knowing they finally have their happy ending.I also absolutely adore both Marshall and Alyssa’s characters in the books. Despite Alyssa being Ryle’s sister, she still did everything she could to be a good friend for Lily. And Marshall backing up his wife and Lily no matter what was a pleasure to see. Marshall’s character brought an overall refreshing presence every-time he was mentioned in the books. I also loved seeing Atlas **SPOILER ALERT** become a strong fatherly role in Josh’s life. It feels good to know the end of such an abusive cycle starts with them. Highly recommend both books.

"It Ends with Us" by Colleen Hoover has been on my TBR list forever. I had not gotten to it. Then came "It Starts with Us," the follow-up book. I added that to my TBR list. I had not gotten to that either. So now, this August comes the movie of Book #1, "It Ends with Us." I might actually get to that, so I made a point of buying this duet and reading it before the movie is released.Having finally read these two dynamic books, I see what all the buzz is about. While I have been blessed to avoid any domestic violence in my own life, I know there are many that have not been so lucky. This story deals with not only that, but also with characters who have risen above their upbringing at the hands of parents who were far less than stellar. Lily and Atlas could have followed in their parents footsteps, but they didn't. Their conviction to be better and do better, and their love for each other ultimately triumphs, but not before they each face down demons and hardships that no teens, nor adults should have to face. I found their characters so inspiring. Reading their story was rough yet beautiful and ultimately satisfying.Colleen Hoover's writing evokes in the reader all the emotions her characters deal with throughout their lives. I could feel their pain and revel in their joy as I read. I was completely captivated by Atlas and Lily's story in "It Ends with Us," and I absolutely loved their continued story in "It Starts with Us." I disliked Ryle from the beginning so I'm purposefully ignoring him in my review, easier to do here than it was to do while reading these two stories. I'd love to have a friend like Lily in my life, and wouldn't we all love to have a man like Atlas in our lives? I literally swooned over him throughout these two stories. These are grab-your-heart-and-hold-it-hostage reads with important messages that everyone should make a point to devour at some time in their life. Bravo, Colleen Hoover!

I loved both books. The first.”It Ends with Us”, I was spellbound, with the reality of domestic violence, that you can break away. I knew someone who was murdered by her ex-husband. Therefore, this brought back that we need to make sure that these books keep into circulation to help women are abused. Thank you for a beautiful written book I love there was a happy ending to Lily and Atlas. People just need to keep swimming, they will get to where they want to be.

Happiness can be found after a bad relationship. Many people can relate to these stories. We sometimes don’t understand why we are going through a difficult situation but there is hope and usually better than we ever imagined.

It Ends with Us is a compelling story of strength and resilience. At times I really wanted Ryle to get better and other times I wanted Lily to push him into traffic. Hoover does a masterful job of showing why some women in abusive relationships don't leave, or why they do leave and go to another abuser. I wanted Ryle to get better and for them to live happily ever after, but that was definitely not meant to be.It Starts with Us was extremely disappointing. It reads like a young adult or teen novel with some great adult sex scenes thrown in to make it interesting. It repeats, word-for-word, many of Lily's journal entries from the first book. I wanted true closure with her and Ryle, (whatever that would be), but that is left hanging. The whole book came across to me as an afterthought, hastily thrown together to cash in while Book Tok users were engaged. The ending left me highly unsatisfied, but it didn't leave me wanting more from these characters that were never fully developed.