SOMETIMES THE ONE WHO LOVES YOU IS THE ONE 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, and maybe even a little arrogant. He's also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily, but Ryle's complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. 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. It Ends With Us is an unforgettable tale of love that comes at the ultimate price. This book contains graphic scenes and very sensitive subject matter.
“There is no such thing as bad people. We’re all just people who sometimes do bad things.”
“All humans make mistakes. What determines a person's character aren't the mistakes we make. It's how we take those mistakes and turn them into lessons rather than excuses.”
“Just because someone hurts you doesn't mean you can simply stop loving them. It's not a person's actions that hurt the most. It's the love. If there was no love attached to the action, the pain would be a little easier to bear.”
Those last dang pages. I thought I had it together. I thought I was stronger than others who had read this book, but those dang last few pages had tears rolling down my face. You truly understand the meaning of the title and I had it completely wrong. It started off with a lighter note as it built the backstory and had the first spark between characters. You grew to love the passion and connection the two characters were building. The steady escalation in depth was mesmerizing. It's hard to write a good review without giving away all the little treats throughout. I will stress to NOT read the last few pages like I hear a lot of people do!
If you follow the author on any platform you will quickly grow to love her and her family antics, but you will also know how much this story meant to her. This was a story from her heart that ran parallel to her own experiences. It was obvious how much of her soul she poured into this and it made my heart hurt getting to know her through this story more than I know most friends. It was incredibly enduring and powerful. If you read one Colleen Hoover book it needs to be this one, but I will warn you that I don't know if anything else will compare after. You will 100% join me in being a #cohort and please let me know what you think. This is almost to the point I want to offer a satisfaction guarantee, but I don't have that kind of money, not that I would need any, because I don't see how someone could not fall in love with this story. It is one I will be rereading and gifting to people for years.
Here is my Q&A I went to when this released in August 2017. No spoilers revealed, but it let's you get to know the author a little and her reasoning behind the book cover (SPOILER: there is none) and other details: