Title: It Ends With Us
Author: Colleen Hoover
My Review: We meet Lily standing on a rooftop in Boston, contemplating her decision not to eulogize her father, who had been abusive toward her mother. There, she meets neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid, and although sparks are flying, Ryle is not the relationship type (as he proclaims). Although a little strange, I didn’t give it much thought at the time. I figured, okay, he is just a player, but this reluctance is explained later.
Fast forward to sometime later, Lily starts her own business and hires, coincidentally, Ryle’s sister. Thus, Ryle is thrust back into Lily’s life, and surprisingly, they start dating. At around this time, Lily’s first love, Atlas, shows back up in the picture (again coincidentally: they meet at Atlas’ restaurant where Lily is having lunch).
Fate seems to have brought 2 guys into Lily’s life. Lucky girl. Or is she?
Soon, we start to see the cracks in the “nice guy” façade that Ryle has carefully constructed. Since the description of the book did not mention abuse, it came as quite a surprise to me. I was definitely not expecting it. If you are a person who has suffered from abuse and would be upset by descriptive scenes of physical violence, including rape, then this book may not be for you. I have to say that I was disturbed myself. It also irks me that this book is classified as a “romance” novel. My mind does not envision an abusive relationship when I think of romance novels.
In any event, I’m sure by now you can figure out what Lily eventually decided to do about her relationship with Ryle (the title is a big giveaway in this regard). Although the abuse was difficult to get through, Lily’s strength and resilience was inspiring.
Although Colleen Hoover wrote the book based on her mother’s own true story, I was a little irked that she wrote Ryle as not the villain but instead as a person. He wasn’t good or bad but he made mistakes like we all do. He was a good brother and father but made a horrible romantic partner. That being said, does being a good father make him a good person? I don’t know. Can you be a good father if you beat the baby’s mother? That Hoover portrayed him as a sympathetic character who sometimes does terrible things was strange. Should I feel bad for an abusive person? I certainly didn’t want to, but somehow, I did not dislike Ryle as much as I should have. So, there were some conflicting emotions for me with this one.
Similarities to Conceiving Hope:
Complex Romantic Relationships: Both stories involve the main characters navigating complicated romantic relationships. In both cases, the protagonists find themselves in unconventional situations that challenge their expectations.
Unexpected Twists: Both stories contain unexpected twists that significantly impact the course of the narrative.
Parenting and Family Choices: Both stories delve into the theme of parenting and family choices. In the provided summary, Margo decides to conceive a child with a sperm donor, and in It Ends with Us, Lily faces decisions related to her family and motherhood.
Emotional Complexity: Both stories explore the emotional complexity of the characters’ relationships.
Non-Traditional Families: Both stories depict non-traditional family structures.
It’s worth noting that while these thematic similarities exist, the specific plots, characters, and settings in both books are distinct, and each stands as a unique novel with its own narrative and character dynamics, even though they explore/share some common themes. If you enjoy the themes above, you will find Conceiving Hope an intriguing and emotionally resonant read.
Olive McMahon 