Women's Fiction
![Colleen Hoover - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B006SKAK42.jpg)
It Ends with Us: A Novel
The newest, highly anticipated novel from beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author, Colleen Hoover. Sometimes it is the one who loves you who hurts you the most. Lily hasn?t always had it easy, but that's never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She?s come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up?she graduated from college, moved to Boston and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily?s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true. Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He?s also sensitive, brilliant and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn?t hurt. Lily can not get him out of her head. But Ryle?s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his ?no dating? rule, she can not help but wonder what made him that way in the first place. As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan?her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened. With this bold and deeply personal novel, Colleen Hoover delivers a heart-wrenching story that breaks exciting new ground for her as a writer. Combining a captivating romance with a cast of all-too-human characters, it ends with us is an unforgettable tale of love that comes at the ultimate price.
Editorial Reviews
"Colleen Hoover reminds readers that love is a fragile thing, built from courage, hope, and tears. Every person with a heartbeat should read this book." -- Kami Garcia, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"It Ends with Us isn't an ordinary love story. It will break your heart while filling you with hope, and by the end of this gripping, pulse-pounding novel, you'll be smiling through your tears." -- Sarah Pekkanen, International bestselling author of Perfect Neighbors
"It Ends With Us is a brave and heartbreaking novel that digs its claws into you and doesn't let go, long after you've finished it. No one delivers an emotional read like Colleen Hoover." -- Anna Todd, New York Times bestselling author of the After series
"What a glorious and touching read, a forever keeper. The kind of book that gets handed down." ― USA Today
"It Ends with Us tackles [a] difficult subject…with romantic tenderness and emotional heft. The relationships are portrayed with compassion and honesty, and the author's note at the end that explains Hoover's personal connection to the subject matter is a must-read. Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse-and the strength of the survivors." ― Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW
"Fans of Hoover's emotional stories, conflicted characters and intense romances will gleefully devour her new novel. If you're a Hoover newbie, this is a great place to start. It Ends with Us is a perfect example of the author's writing chops and her ability to weave together uplifting, romantic and somber plotlines. No matter your level of fandom, readers will love and respect protagonist Lily and learn something from her struggles." ― RT Book Reviews (4 starred review)
"Best-selling Hoover's latest valiant and compelling…novel packs her trademark emotional punch… The power and pain of the relationship will stay with readers even as Hoover offers hope." ― Booklist
"Colleen Hoover brilliantly tackles a very tough subject matter with brutal realness and honesty that left us stripped completely raw… Confidently a 2016 Top Recommendation and Must Read." ― Rockstars of Romance
"It Ends With Us is one of the most powerful books of 2016 and one of the most raw, honest, inspiring, and profoundly beautiful stories I've ever read. It's one of those books that EVERYONE should read." ― Aestas Book Blog
"emotional, unforgettable and extraordinary…Colleen Hoover deserves all the accolades this story will bring…. remarkable, different, honest, heartbreaking and at times agonizing reading. This is not an easy book to get th...
"It Ends with Us isn't an ordinary love story. It will break your heart while filling you with hope, and by the end of this gripping, pulse-pounding novel, you'll be smiling through your tears." -- Sarah Pekkanen, International bestselling author of Perfect Neighbors
"It Ends With Us is a brave and heartbreaking novel that digs its claws into you and doesn't let go, long after you've finished it. No one delivers an emotional read like Colleen Hoover." -- Anna Todd, New York Times bestselling author of the After series
"What a glorious and touching read, a forever keeper. The kind of book that gets handed down." ― USA Today
"It Ends with Us tackles [a] difficult subject…with romantic tenderness and emotional heft. The relationships are portrayed with compassion and honesty, and the author's note at the end that explains Hoover's personal connection to the subject matter is a must-read. Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse-and the strength of the survivors." ― Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW
"Fans of Hoover's emotional stories, conflicted characters and intense romances will gleefully devour her new novel. If you're a Hoover newbie, this is a great place to start. It Ends with Us is a perfect example of the author's writing chops and her ability to weave together uplifting, romantic and somber plotlines. No matter your level of fandom, readers will love and respect protagonist Lily and learn something from her struggles." ― RT Book Reviews (4 starred review)
"Best-selling Hoover's latest valiant and compelling…novel packs her trademark emotional punch… The power and pain of the relationship will stay with readers even as Hoover offers hope." ― Booklist
"Colleen Hoover brilliantly tackles a very tough subject matter with brutal realness and honesty that left us stripped completely raw… Confidently a 2016 Top Recommendation and Must Read." ― Rockstars of Romance
"It Ends With Us is one of the most powerful books of 2016 and one of the most raw, honest, inspiring, and profoundly beautiful stories I've ever read. It's one of those books that EVERYONE should read." ― Aestas Book Blog
"emotional, unforgettable and extraordinary…Colleen Hoover deserves all the accolades this story will bring…. remarkable, different, honest, heartbreaking and at times agonizing reading. This is not an easy book to get th...
Readers Top Reviews
Brenda Marie YacatAn
The book has the same exact covers but has a different story inside. I searched the book and it’s a book called “Man-child in the promise land” Amazon what is this?????
vicki.reads.books
I'd heard so much about Colleen Hoover, I just had to see what all the fuss was about - so I picked up this book, and boy was I glad I did. It Ends With Us is compulsively readable with a heartbreaking and powerful story. The characters are so well drawn, there is no black and white here - which is hugely important considering the subject matter. To make your reader fall in love with a character and also hate them is quite a feat. I also really liked the simple yet sharply observed descriptions of how the characters moved; I don't think I've ever visualised that so vividly, and it really added to the action in each scene. I was completely drawn in and sat staring at the book long after I'd finished it. Thank you Colleen Hoover for bravely writing this story.
Siobhan Davis
I apologize in advance if this review rambles but my head is still reeling from this experience. I'd also like to caution that this review may contain slight spoilers, although I'll try my best not to mention anything specific, as I don't want to ruin the story for anyone, yet it's difficult to discuss how I'm feeling without mentioning a few things. This book put me through the ringer, and I'm still feeling the aftershocks. I love books that make me question my own beliefs and really give me pause to stop and think. It Ends With Us is one of those books. I have no personal experience of the subject matter but I have always had sympathy for anyone going through such a situation. It was no surprise that I really felt for Lily and shared her pain, grief, heartache, and confusion. I found myself constantly stopping to imagine how I might feel, how I would act, if I was in a similar situation, and I honestly don't know how I would deal with it. What shocked me, what was entirely unexpected, was how much I felt for Ryle. Don't get me wrong, I wanted her to do what she did, and he was definitely in the wrong, but he wasn't a really nasty person. He was hugely flawed, damaged, and he couldn't control his emotions, but there was no doubt in my mind that he loved her. Probably too much which is where his issues stemmed from. When I reflected on the initial scene where they met (so so good - the dialogue was unbelievably brilliant) I could see how self-aware he was. He indulged in one night stands with no strings and he didn't have relationships because he knew he was incapable of same. He should have stuck to that, but then we wouldn't have had a story. I loved the letters to Ellen and the retelling of her time with Atlas. It was heartwarming and gut-wrenching at the same time. I really felt their connection, and I was rooting for them and then I became conflicted because Ryle was so perfect at the start and I felt their chemistry and their love and then... Gosh, my heart is pounding again. And that twist - oh my Lord, I was cut up all over again when that happened. I don't think I'll every forget this book. The last one that ripped my insides apart was Bright Side by Kim Holden (so good - go read it if you haven't already.) Different story but it delivered the same powerful emotional turmoil. My only complaint is that I wanted more of "present day" Atlas but I'm greedy like that! A little novella now would be great, Colleen, hint hint! I loved the personal note Colleen included at the end, and the personal connection she had to this story shines through. It is quite simply masterful. Absolutely superb. She nailed the emotions and managed to end it on a positive note and I'm going to be feeling all the feels for a lot while. Highly Recommended, but make sure you have a box of ti...
Heather K (Dentist i
*Spoiler-free review* I have a confession to make here, folks: I dismissed Colleen Hoover years ago and I haven't read anything from her since. It's true. Three or four years ago I went through a string of so-so to bad Colleen Hoover books, and I decided to just put her out of my mind. I ignored her new releases, and I lumped her into my mental pile for authors who are "not for me." Recently, one of my friends wanted to buddy read this book. I thought, "Gah, pay full price for a book I'm not going to like?" However, I sucked it up and sort of grumbled about it, but I decided to give it a go. And this book blew me away. The Colleen Hoover I last read wasn't writing books at this caliber. This was a whole different level. For one, there are none, and I mean NONE, of the tired romance tropes presents in this book. In fact, this book was a little more woman's fiction than romance, if I'm being honest. While I guess it can still be classified, genre-rules-style, as romance, it is more about Lily's life experiences and the lessons that she learns about herself than anything else. There is a romance present, but I don't think it is the main focus of the story. While I'm not typically a women's fiction fan, I think that if this book took any other trajectory, it wouldn't have been as powerful. I typically don't read reviews before starting a book. In fact, I didn't even read the blurb for this one, or if I did, I forgot it before starting to read. I liked that. I think going in blind with an open mind and minimal expectations is the way to go. Though the twists and turns aren't 100% unexpected, the author very much succeeded in pulling the rug out from under me on more than one occasion. I'm usually not a fan of books where people say, "Wow, that made me think. This book is a thinker." I usually just roll my eyes internally because I assumed that the readers are being played like emotional pawns. I know, I'm judgy. But in this case, yeah, I was thinking a whole hell of a lot. It made me reevaluate how I perceive others and their relationships, and it made me rethink my biases. People are always know-it-alls until they are in the situation themselves, and then it doesn't seem quite as simple. The author made one right decision after another with this story. I think that is the key to its success. The author made a relatable, human character in Lily, and gave each supporting character their positives and negatives. There are no villains here. No easy answers. Colleen Hoover also made an insanely smart decision to have only Lily narrate the story. There was no other choice, really, but it gave readers a laser-focus on her, which is where our focus deserves to be. While this book has a positive ending, it is also a story that can be described as gritty, difficult, hopeful, powerful...
Short Excerpt Teaser
Chapter One Chapter One
As I sit here with one foot on either side of the ledge, looking down from twelve stories above the streets of Boston, I can't help but think about suicide.
Not my own. I like my life enough to want to see it through.
I'm more focused on other people, and how they ultimately come to the decision to just end their own lives. Do they ever regret it? In the moment after letting go and the second before they make impact, there has to be a little bit of remorse in that brief free fall. Do they look at the ground as it rushes toward them and think, "Well, crap. This was a bad idea."
Somehow, I think not.
I think about death a lot. Particularly today, considering I just-twelve hours earlier-gave one of the most epic eulogies the people of Plethora, Maine, have ever witnessed. Okay, maybe it wasn't the most epic. It very well could be considered the most disastrous. I guess that would depend on whether you were asking my mother or me. My mother, who probably won't speak to me for a solid year after today.
Don't get me wrong; the eulogy I delivered wasn't profound enough to make history, like the one Brooke Shields delivered at Michael Jackson's funeral. Or the one delivered by Steve Jobs's sister. Or Pat Tillman's brother. But it was epic in its own way.
I was nervous at first. It was the funeral of the prodigious Andrew Bloom, after all. Adored mayor of my hometown of Plethora, Maine. Owner of the most successful real-estate agency within city limits. Husband of the highly adored Jenny Bloom, the most revered teaching assistant in all of Plethora. And father of Lily Bloom-that strange girl with the erratic red hair who once fell in love with a homeless guy and brought great shame upon her entire family.
That would be me. I'm Lily Bloom, and Andrew was my father.
As soon as I finished delivering his eulogy today, I caught a flight straight back to Boston and hijacked the first roof I could find. Again, not because I'm suicidal. I have no plans to scale off this roof. I just really needed fresh air and silence, and dammit if I can't get that from my third floor apartment with absolutely no rooftop access and a roommate who likes to hear herself sing.
I didn't account for how cold it would be up here, though. It's not unbearable, but it's not comfortable, either. At least I can see the stars. Dead fathers and exasperating roommates and questionable eulogies don't feel so awful when the night sky is clear enough to literally feel the grandeur of the universe.
I love it when the sky makes me feel insignificant.
I like tonight.
Well… let me rephrase this so that it more appropriately reflects my feelings in past tense.
I liked tonight.
But unfortunately for me, the door was just shoved open so hard, I expect the stairwell to spit a human out onto the rooftop. The door slams shut again and footsteps move swiftly across the deck. I don't even bother looking up. Whoever it is more than likely won't even notice me back here straddling the ledge to the left of the door. They came out here in such a hurry, it isn't my fault if they assume they're alone.
I sigh quietly, close my eyes and lean my head against the stucco wall behind me, cursing the universe for ripping this peaceful, introspective moment out from under me. The least the universe could do for me today is ensure that it's a woman and not a man. If I'm going to have company, I'd rather it be a female. I'm tough for my size and can probably hold my own in most cases, but I'm too comfortable right now to be on a rooftop alone with a strange man in the middle of the night. I might fear for my safety and feel the need to leave, and I really don't want to leave. As I said before… I'm comfortable.
I finally allow my eyes to make the journey to the silhouette leaning over the ledge. As luck would have it, he's definitely male. Even leaning over the rail, I can tell he's tall. Broad shoulders create a strong contrast to the fragile way he's holding his head in his hands. I can barely make out the heavy rise and fall of his back as he drags in deep breaths and forces them back out when he's done with them.
He appears to be on the verge of a breakdown. I contemplate speaking up to let him know he has company, or clearing my throat, but between thinking it and actually doing it, he spins around and kicks one of the patio chairs behind him.
I flinch as it screeches across the deck, but being as ...
As I sit here with one foot on either side of the ledge, looking down from twelve stories above the streets of Boston, I can't help but think about suicide.
Not my own. I like my life enough to want to see it through.
I'm more focused on other people, and how they ultimately come to the decision to just end their own lives. Do they ever regret it? In the moment after letting go and the second before they make impact, there has to be a little bit of remorse in that brief free fall. Do they look at the ground as it rushes toward them and think, "Well, crap. This was a bad idea."
Somehow, I think not.
I think about death a lot. Particularly today, considering I just-twelve hours earlier-gave one of the most epic eulogies the people of Plethora, Maine, have ever witnessed. Okay, maybe it wasn't the most epic. It very well could be considered the most disastrous. I guess that would depend on whether you were asking my mother or me. My mother, who probably won't speak to me for a solid year after today.
Don't get me wrong; the eulogy I delivered wasn't profound enough to make history, like the one Brooke Shields delivered at Michael Jackson's funeral. Or the one delivered by Steve Jobs's sister. Or Pat Tillman's brother. But it was epic in its own way.
I was nervous at first. It was the funeral of the prodigious Andrew Bloom, after all. Adored mayor of my hometown of Plethora, Maine. Owner of the most successful real-estate agency within city limits. Husband of the highly adored Jenny Bloom, the most revered teaching assistant in all of Plethora. And father of Lily Bloom-that strange girl with the erratic red hair who once fell in love with a homeless guy and brought great shame upon her entire family.
That would be me. I'm Lily Bloom, and Andrew was my father.
As soon as I finished delivering his eulogy today, I caught a flight straight back to Boston and hijacked the first roof I could find. Again, not because I'm suicidal. I have no plans to scale off this roof. I just really needed fresh air and silence, and dammit if I can't get that from my third floor apartment with absolutely no rooftop access and a roommate who likes to hear herself sing.
I didn't account for how cold it would be up here, though. It's not unbearable, but it's not comfortable, either. At least I can see the stars. Dead fathers and exasperating roommates and questionable eulogies don't feel so awful when the night sky is clear enough to literally feel the grandeur of the universe.
I love it when the sky makes me feel insignificant.
I like tonight.
Well… let me rephrase this so that it more appropriately reflects my feelings in past tense.
I liked tonight.
But unfortunately for me, the door was just shoved open so hard, I expect the stairwell to spit a human out onto the rooftop. The door slams shut again and footsteps move swiftly across the deck. I don't even bother looking up. Whoever it is more than likely won't even notice me back here straddling the ledge to the left of the door. They came out here in such a hurry, it isn't my fault if they assume they're alone.
I sigh quietly, close my eyes and lean my head against the stucco wall behind me, cursing the universe for ripping this peaceful, introspective moment out from under me. The least the universe could do for me today is ensure that it's a woman and not a man. If I'm going to have company, I'd rather it be a female. I'm tough for my size and can probably hold my own in most cases, but I'm too comfortable right now to be on a rooftop alone with a strange man in the middle of the night. I might fear for my safety and feel the need to leave, and I really don't want to leave. As I said before… I'm comfortable.
I finally allow my eyes to make the journey to the silhouette leaning over the ledge. As luck would have it, he's definitely male. Even leaning over the rail, I can tell he's tall. Broad shoulders create a strong contrast to the fragile way he's holding his head in his hands. I can barely make out the heavy rise and fall of his back as he drags in deep breaths and forces them back out when he's done with them.
He appears to be on the verge of a breakdown. I contemplate speaking up to let him know he has company, or clearing my throat, but between thinking it and actually doing it, he spins around and kicks one of the patio chairs behind him.
I flinch as it screeches across the deck, but being as ...
