(Commonwealth Union)_After “It Ends With Us”, a turbulent take on contemporary romance by Colleen Hoover blew up on #booktok and #bookstagram, fans have been eagerly waiting for the release of the sequel titled “It Starts With Us”. Naturally so, when the book came out last month, eager readers grabbed the story with both hands and reveled in the fantasy of their favorite characters.
If you’ve read It Ends With Us, you’ll understand what the author is trying to get at, by including the anti-climactic plot line of an abusive husband in the form of Ryle Kincaid who physically and verbally assaults his pregnant wife Lily Bloom upon the discovery of her intense high-school relationship with Atlas Corrigan. Atlas himself is quite an unorthodox protagonist with a troubled childhood salvaged by Lily who falls in love with the homeless guy as they seek their refuge within the comfort of the Ellen Show.
It Starts With Us amplifies the plot by bringing Atlas back into the picture, as a successful chef owning and running two popular restaurants in Boston. While Lily has full custody of her daughter Emerson who is now a year old, she allows visiting rights to Ryle who happens to be the biological father of her daughter. In the midst of trying to navigate her business, and single-handedly raise her one-year-old, Lily is confused between wanting to pursue a future with Atlas, and remaining civil with her ex-husband for the sake of their daughter.
The book is a rollercoaster of emotion, as expected by CoHo, and delves into the depths of turmoil in order to get to true happiness. There is significant character growth on Atlas’s part as he himself is on a journey to settle the troubles of his past, by discovering the existence of his 12 year old younger brother, gaining his custody and resolving issues with his estranged mother in order to achieve true happiness. Lily and Atlas both make peace with their broken pieces as they meet in the middle, creating their own happy space and as CoHo would say – they’ve finally reached their shore.
The book is a solid 4.5/5 and a must read if you loved the prequel. A whirlwind of cheesy romance, layers of trauma and the perfect balance of emotion make this a gripping read.
P. S – if you fell in love with Atlas Corrigan in the first book, you have no idea what’s going to hit you this time.
