It Starts with Us
| Industry | Publishing |
|---|---|
| Parent | Simon & Schuster |
It Starts with Us is a romance novel authored by Colleen Hoover and released by Atria Books on October 18, 2022. Serving as the follow-up to her 2016 bestseller It Ends with Us, this installment picks up where the original left off, centering on the evolving relationship between Lily and Atlas through alternating first-person perspectives. Announced in February 2022, it set a record as Simon & Schuster's most pre-ordered title to date. Hoover crafted this sequel as a gesture of gratitude toward the fans of the initial novel.
Plot
Lily Bloom’s daughter Emerson, shared with her ex-husband Ryle Kincaid, has reached 11 months of age. During an unplanned encounter in Boston, Lily runs into her former love interest Atlas Corrigan but hesitates to reach out due to reservations about Ryle. Encouraged by his friend Theo, Atlas attempts to reconnect, though Lily’s reply is brief and distant. Ryle requests overnight visits with Emerson; Lily refuses until Emerson can communicate verbally and insists that Ryle return her apartment key.
Atlas experiences vandalism at his restaurants but feels sympathy for the culprit, who turns out to be his estranged younger brother Josh, aged eleven. After witnessing their mother Sutton’s abusive behavior toward Josh, Atlas chooses to care for him rather than sending him back.
As Lily and Atlas rebuild their connection, they share a date and intimate moments—including a tattoo representing their shared history—leading to the start of a romantic relationship. Ryle responds with violence upon learning of their renewed bond, assaulting Lily and prompting her to seek refuge with Emerson at Atlas’s home. Due to continued harassment from Ryle, Lily demands that he participate in anger management and agree to supervised visits with Emerson; he consents reluctantly.
Atlas pursues full custody rights for Josh and organizes weekly family dinners involving Sutton. Six months later, Lily moves in with Atlas. A year and a half afterward, Atlas prepares for their wedding, incorporating meaningful elements from their past into his vows.
Reception
By the close of its release day, the novel had sold 800,000 copies combining pre-orders and first-day purchases. It Starts with Us debuted at number one on The New York Times fiction best-seller list for the week ending October 22, 2022. According to Publishers Weekly, it ranked as the third highest-selling novel of the year with total sales reaching 1,885,351 copies and was the second bestselling novel in 2023 with 1,244,471 copies sold.
In a starred review, Publishers Weekly described it as a "stunning sequel" that showcases "the author's skill in crafting nuanced and empathetic characters." Kirkus Reviews commended Hoover for effectively portraying "the heartbreak and joy of starting anew," balancing tension with optimism. Marianka Swain from The Daily Telegraph rated the book 2 out of 5 stars, criticizing Hoover’s writing style as an uneven blend of "twee and graphic," relying too heavily on blunt dialogue and therapeutic jargon instead of character depth. In contrast, Alice Giddings of Metro acknowledged that while it lacks some of the original's grit, it acts as "the light at the end of the tunnel."
It Starts with Us was honored as WHSmith’s Book of the Year for 2022.
Film adaptation
In 2019, Wayfarer Studios, led by Justin Baldoni, secured the rights to both It Ends with Us and It Starts with Us. After the film version of It Ends with Us premiered in 2024, Baldoni expressed openness to developing a sequel but revealed he would step down from directing duties, proposing Blake Lively as a potential replacement.