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It Ends with Us

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This article is about the 2016 novel. For the film that is based on the book, see It Ends with Us (film).

It Ends with Us
First edition cover
AuthorColleen Hoover
LanguageEnglish
GenreRomance
Set inBoston, Massachusetts
PublisherAtria Books
Publication date
August 2, 2016
Publication placeNew York
Media typePrint (paperback)
Pages376
ISBN978-1-5011-1036-8 (First edition)
OCLC928481387
813/.6
LC ClassPS3608.O623 I84 2016
Followed byIt Starts with Us 

It Ends with Us is a romance novel by Colleen Hoover, published by Atria Books on August 2, 2016. Based on the relationship between her mother and father, Hoover described it as "the hardest book I've ever written". It explores themes of domestic violence and emotional abuse.

As of 2019, the novel had sold over one million copies worldwide and been translated into over twenty languages. In 2021, the novel experienced a resurgence in popularity through TikTok and topped sales lists for 2022 and 2023. A sequel titled It Starts with Us was published in October 2022. A film adaptation was released in August 2024, with a screenplay by Christy Hall. It was directed by Justin Baldoni, with Blake Lively, Baldoni, and Brandon Sklenar in leading roles.

Plot

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23-year-old college graduate Lily Bloom moves to Boston with hopes of opening her own floral shop. She grew up in a broken family – her late father, Andrew, would physically abuse her mother, Jenny, leading Lily to resent him, as well as resenting her mother for staying with him. She has recently given a eulogy at Andrew's funeral in her hometown of Plethora, Maine, during which she announced she would list five things she loved the most about him, then stood in silence for several seconds before walking off.

Reading through her old childhood diaries, Lily remembers her first love, Atlas Corrigan, who left to join the military but he promised to return to her. She later meets Ryle Kincaid, a charming, ambitious 30-year-old neurosurgeon. They are mutually attracted, but do not pursue a relationship as Lily is seeking commitment while Ryle is only interested in a string of casual affairs. However, once Lily successfully starts her business, they continue to meet and eventually begin a relationship.

One night, Lily laughs when Ryle accidentally drops a casserole, and he angrily slaps her before frantically apologizing. Lily is reminded of her childhood; while horrified, she decides they are different from her parents and accepts his apologies, but warns him that she will leave if he hurts her again.

While dining at a restaurant with Ryle, she discovers that Atlas is the owner and head chef there and reconnects with him, making Ryle instantly jealous despite her insistence that Atlas is only a friend. Noticing Lily's bruised eye and Ryle's bandaged hand, Atlas suspects Ryle may be abusing her. He corners her in the bathroom and begs her to leave Ryle. Ryle discovers them and the men fight violently. The next day Atlas shows up at the flower shop and Lily tells him she couldn’t be happier. He leaves but gives her his phone number.

One night, Lily and Ryle impulsively get married in Vegas, and have a stable marriage until he finds Atlas' number and pushes her down the stairs. He then confesses that he accidentally shot and killed his brother Emerson as a child, resulting in unresolved trauma that manifests in bouts of uncontrollable rage. Lily forgives him, but he later finds and reads her childhood diaries; believing she is having an affair with Atlas, he attempts to rape her, knocking her unconscious when she tries to defend herself.

Lily wakes up, escapes the house, and calls Atlas. He takes her to the hospital, where she discovers she is pregnant with Ryle's child, which she opts to keep a secret from him. She stays with Atlas for a few days while Ryle leaves for a fellowship in England, and eventually moves back home while Ryle is still out of the country. Atlas admits he still has feelings for Lily, but has suppressed them because of her marriage to Ryle. Finally understanding what her mother went through, Lily confides in Jenny about the abuse. Jenny implores Lily to leave Ryle and not make the same mistakes she did.

When Ryle returns, Lily forms a tentative truce with him and allows him to help her through the final few months of her pregnancy, but remains emotionally distant from him. Lily later gives birth to a daughter, whom she names after Ryle's late brother. After giving birth, Lily realizes she does not want her daughter to grow up witnessing Ryle's aggressive outbursts, and tells him she wants a divorce. He tearfully begs her to reconsider, but finally understands her perspective and agrees to separate after she asks him how he would react if their daughter told him she was being abused by her partner. Lily hopes she has finally ended the cycle of abuse in her family, telling her daughter, "It ends with us."

In the epilogue, Lily, who is co-parenting with Ryle, finds Atlas and tells him that she is ready to restart her relationship with him.

Background and publication

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It Ends with Us was published by Atria Books on August 2, 2016.[1] Based on the relationship between her mother and father,[2] Hoover described it as "the hardest book I've ever written".[3] It explores themes of domestic violence and emotional abuse. However, the book is ultimately still billed as a "romance novel". The book's publisher described it as a story about "a workaholic with a too-good-to-be-true romance who can't stop thinking about her first love".[4]

On April 18, 2023, a special "collector's edition" of the book was published. It features a Q&A between Hoover and her mother and comes in hardcover with a foil embossed jacket, foil stamped binding and newly designed endpapers that wrap around the front and back covers.[5][4]

Coloring book

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In 2023, Hoover announced the planned release of a coloring book based on It Ends With Us. She later decided to cancel the project following backlash from readers, stating, "The coloring book was developed with Lily's strength in mind, but I can absolutely see how this was tone-deaf."[6] Atria Books later confirmed via the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) that they would not proceed with the publication of the coloring book.[7]

Reception

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Critical response

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In a starred review, Kirkus Reviews wrote, "The relationships are portrayed with compassion and honesty" and concluded that the novel "powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of the survivors".[8] Romantic Times stated: "It Ends with Us is a perfect example of the author's writing chops and her ability to weave together uplifting, romantic and somber plotlines. No matter your level of fandom, readers will love and respect protagonist Lily and learn something from her struggles."[9]

Sales

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As of 2019, the novel had sold more than one million copies worldwide and been translated into more than twenty languages.[10]

In 2021, the novel – and Hoover's works overall – experienced a surge in popularity due to attention from the #BookTok community on TikTok.[11][12] In January 2022, It Ends with Us debuted at number 1 on The New York Times Best Seller list.[13] It was number 1 on the Publishers Weekly adult list and number 1 overall in the first six months of 2022, selling a total of 925,221 units.[14] It was also number 1 on the Publisher Weekly annual list, selling a total of 2,729,007 copies.[15] It was the best-selling novel of 2023 too, with a total of 1,292,733 copies.[16] It Ends With Us has more than one billion tags on TikTok.[17]

Following the film adaptation's trailer release, the novel returned to number one on Amazon.[4] On August 11, 2024, two days after the film's release, the novel returned to number one on The New York Times Best Seller list.[18]

Accolades

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The novel won the 2016 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance.[19]

Sequel

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Main article: It Starts with Us

In February 2022, it was announced that Atria Books would publish a sequel to It Ends with Us in October 2022.[20] The follow-up, titled It Starts with Us, was published on October 18, 2022.[21][22] The sequel continues from where It Ends with Us ended and centers on the relationship between Lily and Atlas.[23]

Film adaptation

[edit]
Main article: It Ends with Us (film)

In July 2019, Justin Baldoni optioned the novel for a film adaptation, produced through his Wayfarer Entertainment company.[10] In January 2023, Blake Lively was cast in the role of Lily Bloom. Baldoni, who plays Ryle Kincaid, directed the film and Christy Hall adapted the script.[24][25] In April 2023, Brandon Sklenar was cast to play the role of Atlas.[26] Filming began in Hoboken, New Jersey, on May 5, 2023.[27] The film was theatrically released on August 9, 2024.[28] The film received mixed reviews from critics,[29][30] but was a box-office success, grossing $351 million worldwide against a production budget of $25 million.[31][32][33]

References

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  1. ^ "It Ends with Us". Simon & Schuster. Archived from the original on May 10, 2023. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  2. ^ Kayle, Hilary S. (June 3, 2017). "BookCon 2017: Colleen Hoover: Different Endings". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on March 20, 2023. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  3. ^ White, Mara (August 3, 2016). "New Adult author Colleen Hoover releases novel 'It Ends with Us'". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on September 5, 2023. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c Chan, Tim (August 14, 2024). "Target Restocks Collector's Edition of 'It Ends With Us' as Film Adaptation of Bestselling Book Hits Theaters". Variety. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  5. ^ Hoover, Colleen (November 18, 2022). "I'm excited to announce a special hardcover collector's edition of It Ends with Us". Facebook. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  6. ^ Ronald, Issy (January 13, 2023). "Bestselling writer Colleen Hoover apologizes for planned coloring book based on domestic violence novel". CNN. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  7. ^ @AtriaBooks (January 11, 2023). "Atria Books will not move forward with the publication of The Official It Ends with Us Coloring Book" (Tweet). Retrieved June 15, 2024 – via Twitter.
  8. ^ "It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover". Kirkus Reviews. May 31, 2016. Archived from the original on February 11, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  9. ^ Carr, Tricia. "IT ENDS WITH US | RT Book Reviews". Romantic Times. Archived from the original on March 10, 2017. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  10. ^ a b McNary, Dave (July 15, 2019). "Justin Baldoni Developing 'It Ends With Us' Romance Movie". Variety. Archived from the original on September 5, 2023. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  11. ^ Italie, Hillel (September 16, 2021). "Author Colleen Hoover's word-of-mouth success". Associated Press. Archived from the original on April 15, 2023. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  12. ^ Merry, Stephanie (January 20, 2022). "On TikTok, crying is encouraged. Colleen Hoover's books get the job done". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on May 5, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  13. ^ "Combined Print & E-Book Fiction – Best Sellers – Books". The New York Times. January 16, 2022. Archived from the original on March 18, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  14. ^ Maher, John (July 8, 2022). "The Bestselling Books of 2022 (So Far)". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on July 15, 2022. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  15. ^ Milliot, Jim (January 6, 2023). "Colleen Hoover Was Queen of 2022's Bestseller List". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on April 9, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  16. ^ Milliot, Jim (January 8, 2024). "Women Ruled the 2023 Bestseller List". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on January 8, 2024. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  17. ^ Buono, Jules (August 23, 2022). "Best Colleen Hoover Books Ranked". The Literary Lifestyle. Archived from the original on March 1, 2023. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  18. ^ "Combined Print & E-Book Fiction". The New York Times. August 11, 2024. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  19. ^ Dilworth, Dianna (December 6, 2016). "2016 Goodreads Choice Awards Winners Revealed". Adweek. Archived from the original on December 22, 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  20. ^ "Atria Books to Publish Colleen Hoover's Sequel to Viral BookTok Novel, It Ends With Us in October 2022". simonandschuster.biz. February 11, 2022. Archived from the original on May 28, 2023. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  21. ^ Comerford, Ruth (October 17, 2022). "New Colleen Hoover becomes S&S's most pre-ordered title to date as campaign unveiled". The Bookseller. Archived from the original on February 1, 2023. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  22. ^ "Atria to Publish Colleen Hoover's 'It Starts with Us' in October". Publishers Weekly. February 11, 2022. Archived from the original on September 5, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
  23. ^ Haupt, Angela (October 12, 2022). "Why We Can't Stop Reading Colleen Hoover's Trauma-Filled Novels". Time. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  24. ^ Kroll, Justin (January 26, 2023). "Blake Lively & Justin Baldoni To Star In 'It Ends With Us'; Baldoni Also Directing Sony And Wayfarer Studios' Adaptation Of Colleen Hoover Novel". Deadline. Archived from the original on January 27, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  25. ^ Zhan, Jennifer (January 26, 2023). "The It Ends With Us Movie Ends Up Casting Blake Lively". Vulture. Archived from the original on January 27, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  26. ^ Kroll, Justin (April 20, 2023). "'1923' Breakout Brandon Sklenar To Play Atlas Corrigan In Sony And Wayfarer's Adaptation Of 'It Ends With Us' Starring Blake Lively". Deadline. Archived from the original on April 21, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  27. ^ Campano, Leah; Oh, Hannah (May 16, 2023) [January 27, 2023]. "Everything We Know About the Film Adaptation of Colleen Hoover's "It Ends With Us"". Seventeen. Archived from the original on June 12, 2023. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
  28. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 15, 2024). "Blake Lively & Justin Baldoni Romance 'It Ends With Us' Will Now Begin In Early August". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 31, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  29. ^ O'Sullivan, Charlotte (August 9, 2024). "It Ends With Us: The controversial blockbuster author portraying domestic abuse". BBC Culture. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  30. ^ Kingsberry, Janay; Chery, Samantha (August 21, 2024). "'It Ends With Us' is a success, but does it trivialize domestic violence?". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  31. ^ "It Ends with Us". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved December 22, 2024.
  32. ^ "It Ends With Us – Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved December 22, 2024.
  33. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (August 6, 2024). "Ryan Reynolds Vs. Blake Lively At The Box Office: Deadpool & Wolverine To Slay Again With $50M, It Ends With Us To Begin With $23M-$30M+ – Preview". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 6, 2024. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
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