Friday, August 12, 2016

Book Review: It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

I read a lot and do a lot of book reviews also, but here on my blog I usually stick to Indie books. Colleen Hoover is a big-time author now, but started as an Indie author (you can read about it here: http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/pw-select/article/69455-how-one-bestselling-indie-author-became-a-book-box-entrepreneur.html). So I don't feel I'm cheating to post the review of her latest book, It Ends With Us. It's one of those books that will stay with you and you need a box of tissues while reading.


Review:
I just finished It Ends With Us and I am absolutely gutted. The writing here is raw and powerful and heartwrenching. While I love Colleen Hoover's books, I think she went just a step beyond with this story.Lily comes from the small town of Plethora, Maine. The book starts with Lily having just left her father's funeral. He abused her mother and Lily is emotionally depleted by having to provide the eulogy. Back in Boston where she currently lives, she meets Ryle, a handsome neurosurgeon, who only believes in one-night stands. Lily doesn't so they part before the obvious attraction between them can become anything stronger.

Meanwhile, Lily starts reading her teenage diaries where she wrote about her love affair with the Ellen DeGeneres show and the homeless boy, Atlas, that she meets and tries to help. The plot is woven primarily between Lily and Ryle with Atlas often an unknowing catalyst in their relationship.
This is a hard book to read. All of the main characters are finely drawn and it's easy for the reader to fall in love with Lily, Ryle, and Atlas as well as the minor characters, Alyssa and Marshall. The anguish they all go through can be hard to read, but there's also much joy and love here.

Ultimately, this is a story about forgiveness and strength. The book ends the way it must though that ending brought me to tears. There's a lot to think about here and I'm sure it will haunt me for some time to come.

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