It Ends with Us
| Industry | Publishing |
|---|---|
| Products | Books |
It Ends with Us is a romance novel authored by Colleen Hoover and released by Atria Books on August 2, 2016. The narrative centers on Lily Bloom, a florist whose relationship with neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid becomes abusive, complicated further when her former high school boyfriend, Atlas Corrigan, reappears. The book explores issues of domestic violence and emotional abuse. Drawing inspiration from Hoover's parents' experiences, she has called it "the most challenging book I've ever written."
By 2019, the novel had surpassed one million copies sold worldwide and had been translated into over twenty languages. Its popularity surged again in 2021 due to exposure on TikTok, leading it to top sales charts in both 2022 and 2023. A follow-up novel, It Starts with Us, was published in October 2022. The cinematic adaptation debuted in August 2024, with a screenplay by Christy Hall, direction by Justin Baldoni, and starring Blake Lively, Baldoni himself, and Brandon Sklenar.
Plot
At age 23, Lily Bloom relocates to Boston with the goal of opening her own flower shop. Having grown up in a dysfunctional household marked by an abusive father, she harbors resentment toward both parents. Following her delivery of a eulogy at her father's funeral in Plethora, Maine, she reflects on her past, including her first love, Atlas Corrigan, who had left for military service promising to return.
Lily encounters Ryle Kincaid, a charming 30-year-old neurosurgeon. Though their initial outlooks differ—Lily desires commitment while Ryle favors casual relationships—they reconnect after Lily establishes her business and begin dating.
The relationship turns abusive when Ryle strikes Lily during an argument but quickly apologizes. Despite cautionary signs, the violence intensifies. At a restaurant owned by Atlas, Lily reunites with him, igniting Ryle’s jealousy. After noticing Lily’s bruises, Atlas suspects abuse and urges her to leave Ryle. This confrontation escalates into a physical altercation between the two men.
Following an impulsive marriage in Las Vegas, the union between Lily and Ryle deteriorates after he finds Atlas’ contact information and assaults her once more. Ryle reveals that his violent outbursts stem from childhood trauma linked to accidentally causing his brother Emerson’s death. After suspecting infidelity upon reading Lily’s diaries, he attempts to rape her; she escapes unconsciousness and contacts Atlas.
At the hospital, Lily discovers she is pregnant with Ryle’s child but keeps this information private. She stays temporarily with Atlas while Ryle departs for England. Understanding the history of abuse her mother endured leads Lily to confide in her mother Jenny, who encourages her to leave Ryle.
Upon Ryle's return, they maintain a fragile peace throughout Lily’s pregnancy. She delivers a daughter named after Emerson and resolves to divorce Ryle to protect their child from harm. He accepts the separation after she challenges him to consider how he would react if their daughter experienced abuse.
In the epilogue, while co-parenting with Ryle, Lily reconnects with Atlas and expresses readiness to begin their relationship anew.
Background and publication
It Ends with Us was released by Atria Books on August 2, 2016. Inspired by Hoover's parents' relationship, she described writing it as "the hardest book I've ever written." Although addressing themes of domestic violence and emotional abuse, it is marketed as a "romance novel." The publisher promoted it as a story about "a workaholic woman involved in an almost too-perfect romance who cannot stop thinking about her first love."
On April 18, 2023, a special "collector's edition" was issued featuring a Q&A session between Hoover and her mother. This edition includes premium hardcover features such as a foil-embossed dust jacket and foil-stamped binding.
Critical response
In a starred review, Kirkus Reviews lauded the novel for its empathetic and sincere exploration of relationships, emphasizing its impactful portrayal of abuse and the resilience of survivors. Romantic Times praised Hoover's adeptness at weaving together hopeful, romantic, and serious elements, observing that readers will both relate to and gain insight from the challenges faced by protagonist Lily.
Sales
By 2019, the book had surpassed one million copies sold globally and had been translated into over twenty languages.
The year 2021 saw a significant increase in popularity for It Ends With Us and Colleen Hoover's body of work, largely driven by the #BookTok community on TikTok. In January 2022, the novel reached the number one position on The New York Times combined fiction best-seller list. It also led the Publishers Weekly adult fiction rankings and was the top-selling book during the first half of 2022, with sales totaling 925,221 copies. By the end of that year, total sales had climbed to 2,729,007 copies. In 2023, it remained the best-selling novel with 1,292,733 copies sold. The title has amassed over one billion mentions on TikTok.
Following the debut of the film adaptation’s trailer, the novel once again claimed the number one spot on Amazon. On August 11, 2024—just two days after the film’s release—it returned to the top of The New York Times best-seller list.
Accolades
The book received the 2016 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance.
Sequel
In February 2022, Atria Books revealed plans for a sequel to It Ends With Us, which was published on October 18, 2022. Named It Starts with Us, this continuation follows Lily and Atlas’s story further. It became Simon & Schuster's highest pre-ordered title ever, reflecting strong consumer interest and effective marketing efforts.
Coloring book
In January 2023, Hoover announced plans for a coloring book inspired by It Ends With Us. However, following criticism related to the novel’s themes of domestic violence, she withdrew the project within a day. Hoover admitted that the idea was "tone-deaf," and Atria Books confirmed they would not proceed with publication.
Film adaptation
In July 2019, Justin Baldoni secured film rights to the novel through his company Wayfarer Entertainment. By January 2023, Blake Lively had been cast as Lily Bloom, with Baldoni directing and portraying Ryle Kincaid; Christy Hall adapted the screenplay. In April 2023, Brandon Sklenar joined the cast as Atlas. Filming commenced in Hoboken, New Jersey, on May 5, 2023. The movie premiered in theaters on August 9, 2024.
While receiving mixed reviews from critics, the adaptation achieved commercial success at the box office, earning $351 million worldwide against a production budget of $25 million.