Here it is the first book review of The Publishing Guide! I’m excited I finally get to share my thoughts about this book with all of you. I promise to try and make it a short one. However, there are a lot of things I want to talk about. First, I just want to say that I choose this book for the book review because Colleen Hoover is an extraordinary author. Plus, I have already read one of her books Ugly Love.
Author
Colleen Hoover is a New York Times bestselling author and, at the moment, lives in Texas with her family. Some of the titles of this author include November 9, Ugly Love, Hopeless and Maybe Not.
Overview
When you first start reading through the book as a reader, you feel that this will be another love story filled with drama. But quickly, Lily Bloom, our main character who has a floral shop in Boston, turns the book into something completely different. Slowly, we learn about Lily’s past and how her father was abusive to her mother until he died. Just that backstory already builds up tears in my eyes. One night after her father’s funeral, Lily meets Ryle Kincaid, a neurosurgeon that clearly states he is not interested in a relationship.
Further along, when Lily opens the flower shop, she becomes best friends with Alyssa, Ryle’s sister. But, at the same time, she and Ryle decide to give each other a chance and try to be boyfriend and girlfriend. However, when everything seems to be stable, Atlas Corrigan, Lily’s first love and the one she could confide about her father during high school, appears again.
Even though feelings are overwhelming her, Lily decides to stick with Ryle, but the relationship is threatened again when Ryle starts showing minor warnings of abuse.
To keep my promise of a spoiler-free review, I’ll stop there, and the rest you will have to find out for yourself.
Keep in mind that this book gets pretty graphic about the main subject matter.
Personal Note
It ends with us in a beautiful book filled with what Lily will call ‘naked truths,’ Those things we would like to hide from the world because they carry so much pain, in this case, abusive homes. I must say that after I read the ‘Note from the Author,’ I started admiring Colleen even more than ever before, knowing she lived through a similar situation with her father.
But, I must confess that the book also hit close to home. I have people close to me who had to endure abusive partners, and after reading Lily’s and Ryle’s story, I feel guilty for judging them. For asking why they couldn’t get away, talk to someone and leave the abuser. However, this story made me realize it is not that simple. That’s why to all the women or men living through this hell, I just want to use Collen’s words and say, ‘Be bold and brave. Keep swimming.’ And for all of those who broke the cycle, ‘I want to be you when I grow up.’
Warning
Please stop here if you don’t want any spoilers!
Plot & Structure 9/10
I must say that even though the structure of the book goes between the past and the present overlooking Lily’s story is easy to follow up. Colleen has great talent, and she guides us through the entire book without allowing the reader to feel lost at any point. When it comes to the plot, I felt some parts were a little forced to keep the story going, like Lily’s and Ryle’s sudden wedding or pregnancy. I must clarify that this doesn’t mean the situations don’t match the story, but I think it all happened too fast.
Character Development 8/10
I do believe that when it comes to all the main characters (Lily, Ryle and Atlas), Collen is smart by giving us tiny bits of their personality in each chapter. By the end of the book, the reader clearly knows all these characters by heart. Alyssa, Ryle’s sister and Marshall, her husband, are an excellent addition to the mix. Plus, they keep the story going on the side. The same goes for Lily’s mom, whose perspective becomes extremely important in the book’s second half.
However, there are two characters that I never quite figured out: Lucy, Lily’s roommate and Derrin, a friend from the office. They just appear once or twice, but their roles always seem like they are filling parts of the story that are already complete without them. I think I would feel better with the book if Collen had eliminated one of them, like Lucy, and given that role to Derrin.
Dialogue 10/10
Probably the thing I love the most about ‘It ends with us’ is the dialogue. I believe it is so precise how Collen writes those internal dialogues Lily has. Sometimes is just a word, but that is precisely how a woman’s mind works. Plus, these character dialogues are where we learn the most about Ryle, his regret and his pain. In the end, this creates a predicament in the reader, not knowing if Lily should give Ryle a second chance.
Unanswered Questions 9/10
The only thing I could say for me is missing is knowing a little about the relationship between Lily and her father once she left for college. Having those details, I feel the story will be even more interesting. However, without it, the plot doesn’t feel incomplete.
Voice 10/10
Every time I read one of Colleen Hoover’s books, it brings a smile to my face because I know that authors like her will keep the book publishing industry alive for a long time. It always feels unique and fresh.
Overall, this book surpasses any expectations and brings to the table a needed perspective about abusive households. Colleen showed us through this story that breaking cycles is important to change your world. That sometimes, looking out for yourself and saying goodbye to the person you love will be the best decision you ever make.
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