Book Review: It Ends with Us  

By Colleen Hoover 

3 Stars 

It Ends with Us is a novel about the story of Lily Bloom, a young woman struggling to come to terms with difficult features in her past, while endeavouring to forge her career and relationships. Things seem to go well when she finds herself dating the charismatic neurosurgeon Ryle, but old wounds rise to the surface, and hard truths have to be met over love and abuse.  

While It Ends with Us deals with serious and major issues, most importantly the cycle of domestic abuse, it did feel a bit uneven in some respects. Hoover's writing style is very engaging and emotional, which drew me into turning the pages one after another. However, at times, the characters felt a bit too predictable or flat. Most of all, Ryle's character seemed so inconsistent, and the development felt rushed at times, which made it hard to connect with his journey.  

One thing I did appreciate was the extent to which Hoover deepened Lily's inner struggle. The book does a good job highlighting how difficult it can be to make tough decisions once your emotions are involved and challenges readers' judgments of their own in terms of love and relationships. A few times, though, the romantic aspects did somewhat hide the heavier themes, which really felt as though they could have been explored more.  

I would recommend It Ends with Us to readers who enjoy emotionally charged contemporary fiction with romantic elements. If you're looking for a book that covers tough subjects but still maintains a lighter, more accessible atmosphere, this may work. However, if your preference goes toward something a bit more subtle or in-depth about the complex issues this novel raises, it's not going to completely satisfy those readers. 

Reviewed by Alwaleed 

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