It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover

4.5/5

Before It Ends with Us, it started with Atlas. Colleen Hoover tells fan favorite Atlas’s side of the story and shares what comes next in this long-anticipated sequel to the “glorious and touching” (USA TODAY) #1 New York Times bestseller It Ends with Us.

Lily and her ex-husband, Ryle, have just settled into a civil coparenting rhythm when she suddenly bumps into her first love, Atlas, again. After nearly two years separated, she is elated that for once, time is on their side, and she immediately says yes when Atlas asks her on a date.

But her excitement is quickly hampered by the knowledge that, though they are no longer married, Ryle is still very much a part of her life—and Atlas Corrigan is the one man he will hate being in his ex-wife and daughter’s life.

Switching between the perspectives of Lily and Atlas, It Starts with Us picks up right where the epilogue for the “gripping, pulse-pounding” (Sarah Pekkanen, author of Perfect Neighbors) bestselling phenomenon It Ends with Us left off. Revealing more about Atlas’s past and following Lily as she embraces a second chance at true love while navigating a jealous ex-husband, it proves that “no one delivers an emotional read like Colleen Hoover” (Anna Todd, New York Times bestselling author).

Just as it wasn’t easy to write a review of IEWU it is not easy to write one for It Starts With Us, but for very different reasons.
This is a story we know and that people were happy about the way it ended, with of hope of what it was to come. Now, this story may have been written due to a request (and some fan pressure, let’s be honest) and might not be completely necessary but I do feel it adds to the story. I understand the need to know for sure that Lily was having a proper ending, a well-deserved happiness. That is why I think this book was a good idea and even more because we get to know Atlas’ side of the story.
Atlas is a lovely character, and we love him for all of his qualities. Getting to know how he felt about the whole situation Lily went through, about their joined past and their possible future together, it was very sweet and heartwarming to read.
Knowing why CoHo wrote this story, I still was anxious about the ending so I did have a little bit of anxiety while reading, just because I wanted. No, I needed it to have a good ending.
Overall I really enjoyed it and I think it ended it the right way (although that last line was very cheesy indeed, I agree with Theo). However, it did not have the same impact as the first book and it was predictable but I see that as a positive thing because this second part is just what we needed, something hopeful, something filled with love and kindness. If you read and liked the first book, I recommend reading this one just so you can fall more in love with Atlas.

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