It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover: Thorough review

Have you ever wished you could go back and choose a different path? That's exactly the opportunity Lily Bloom receives in Colleen Hoover's highly anticipated sequel to her TikTok-sensation novel "It Ends with Us." As someone who devoured both books in a matter of days, I can tell you that "It Starts with Us" delivers something rare and precious in the world of sequels—a story that both honors what came before and offers something entirely new.

The Story Continues, But Differently

"It Starts with Us" picks up exactly where "It Ends with Us" left off—with Lily Bloom coming face-to-face with her first love, Atlas Corrigan, after finalizing her divorce from Ryle Kincaid. But don't be fooled into thinking this is simply a continuation. While the first book took us through the heartbreaking reality of falling in love with someone who hurts you, this sequel explores something equally complex but far more hopeful: how to build something new when your past still lingers.

The narrative unfolds through alternating perspectives of Lily and Atlas, allowing us—finally—inside the mind of the character readers have been collectively swooning over since the first book. This dual perspective adds richness to the story, showing us how two people with complicated histories navigate the delicate process of reconnecting.

A Different Kind of Love Story

What makes "It Starts with Us" so refreshing is that it's not about the thrill of new love or the drama of toxic relationships. Instead, it's about the quiet courage it takes to try again after trauma. It's about setting boundaries, respecting them, and building something healthy from the ground up.

Atlas and Lily's connection feels like coming home—but a home that's been thoughtfully renovated. Their history gives their interactions a depth that new relationships often lack, while their growth as individuals allows them to approach each other with new wisdom. The result is a love story that feels both familiar and brand new.

There's a particular scene where Atlas asks permission before even holding Lily's hand that sent shivers down my spine—not because it was dramatically romantic, but because it represented everything her previous relationship wasn't. These small moments of consideration and respect are portrayed as the true foundation of romance, a refreshing perspective in a genre often dominated by grand gestures and passionate intensity.

The Reality of Co-Parenting

One of the book's greatest strengths is its nuanced portrayal of co-parenting with an ex who caused harm. Lily's navigation of her relationship with Ryle for the sake of their daughter Emmy is portrayed with remarkable realism. There are no easy answers or perfect solutions—just a woman doing her best to protect both her child's relationship with her father and her own hard-won boundaries.

Hoover doesn't take the easy route of villainizing Ryle completely, which would have simplified the story but stripped it of its complexity. Instead, she shows how people can be both harmful and human, and how maintaining appropriate distance can sometimes be the most compassionate choice for everyone involved.

Atlas: The Man, The Myth, The Legend

If you fell in love with Atlas from Lily's memories and brief encounters in the first book, prepare to fall even harder. Getting inside his head reveals a man whose goodness runs deep—not in a one-dimensional, too-perfect-to-be-real way, but in a way that feels earned through his own struggles and choices.

His backstory is expanded in ways that clarify why he and Lily connect so profoundly. Both shaped by childhood adversity, they recognize in each other not just the wounds of the past but the strength it took to overcome them. Atlas's perspective also reveals how long and how patiently he has loved Lily, adding layers to what could have been a simple second-chance romance.

Perhaps most emotionally affecting is witnessing how Atlas builds his life in ways that honor his younger self. His restaurant, his mentorship of a young man in circumstances similar to his teenage years, his careful approach to relationships—all reveal a person who has processed his past rather than being defined by it.

The Supporting Cast That Steals Scenes

While Lily and Atlas form the emotional core of the story, the supporting characters add texture, humor, and additional perspectives that enrich the narrative. Lily's mother, who has her own journey of growth after enabling Lily's father's abuse, provides moments of both tension and reconciliation.

Allysa and Marshall continue to be the kind of friends everyone deserves—supportive without being enabling, honest without being cruel. Their unwavering presence in Lily's life offers stability amid the changes and challenges she faces.

We're also introduced to new characters who quickly become essential to the story. Without spoiling too much, Atlas's family connections develop in unexpected and moving ways that add another dimension to his character and create some of the book's most tender moments.

The Courage to Choose Differently

At its heart, "It Starts with Us" is about the courage it takes to break cycles—whether they're cycles of abuse, patterns of behavior, or limiting beliefs about what we deserve. Lily's journey isn't just about finding love again; it's about trusting herself to choose better this time. It's about recognizing that the red flags she once rationalized are actually deal-breakers worth honoring.

There's a powerful moment when Lily reflects on how different her life might have been if she had chosen Atlas years ago, but rather than dwelling in regret, she acknowledges that she wasn't ready then to make that choice. This acknowledgment—that we can only make decisions based on who we are at the time—feels like giving readers permission to be gentle with their own past choices as well.

More Than a Romance

While the developing relationship between Lily and Atlas provides the narrative drive, "It Starts with Us" is ultimately about something bigger than romance. It's about creating safety—for ourselves, for the people we love, and for the next generation. It's about redefining strength not as endurance of harm but as the courage to say "no more."

Hoover doesn't shy away from showing the ongoing impact of trauma, even after the immediate threat has passed. Lily's hypervigilance, her careful consideration of how her actions might trigger Ryle's anger, the way she anticipates problems before they occur—these details ring painfully true for anyone who has experienced similar relationships.

Yet the book is never heavy-handed or preachy. These insights are woven naturally into a story that balances heavier moments with humor, hope, and genuine connection. The result is a novel that feels both important and immensely readable.

The Final Word

"It Starts with Us" accomplishes something remarkable: it gives readers the satisfying conclusion they craved while still acknowledging that real life rarely offers perfect endings. Some wounds don't completely heal, some people don't fundamentally change, and happiness often comes with complications attached.

But within those realistic constraints, Hoover gives us a story about choosing bravery over fear, boundaries over compromise, and love that builds up rather than tears down. She shows us characters who have been through the worst and still believe in the possibility of the best.

If "It Ends with Us" broke readers' hearts (and it did, spectacularly), then "It Starts with Us" tenderly pieces those hearts back together—not into what they were before, but into something new and stronger, marked by the breaking but not defined by it.

For anyone who has ever wondered if past choices have determined your whole future, this book whispers a powerful truth: it's never too late to start again. And sometimes, the most beautiful beginnings come after what we thought was the end.