It Ends With Us

by Colleen Hoover

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

From the day I began reviewing books, I have come across stories that made me laugh, cry and scream and they all left their mark on me in some way or the other. However, it was not until I read ‘It Ends With Us’ by Colleen Hoover that I found a story that resonated so deep within me that every time I thought about it brought tears to my eyes. The highest rating, I have ever given to any story I have read is 5 stars and I don’t give those lightly. Now if I am to be completely honest with myself and you I have to say this book deserves more than 5 stars. If I were to rate it on a scale of 1-10 I would say it was deserving of ten stars. This is by far the best book I have read in 2016.

I have to confess that this is my first time reading a Colleen Hoover novel. I have heard about her but never got the opportunity to read her work before now. I know that was a huge mistake on my part, which I will be rectifying.

When I went into this story I had no idea that it was personal to the author. However, as the story progressed, I began to wonder if she had an intimate knowledge of the events in the story. I say this because the writing depicted just that. The emotions that permeated the story was so palpable it felt as if I was seeing it all through her eyes. Every situation within this story appeared real. This was one of the most difficult books to put down. It reeled me in from the first line and I just had to find out how it all ended. Trust me, you will never be the same after reading this book.

From the moment I was introduced to Lilly, I knew she would be a character to contend with. She is smart, strong, compassionate, selfless and determined. By the end of the story, she earned hero status in my eyes. She knew that no matter how much you love someone you had to love yourself first and foremost. It was this knowledge that helped her to regain control of her life. In the end, she made the decision that would put her on the road to healing and forgiveness.
This is not the kind of story that you should rush. ‘It Ends With Us’ requires the reader to focus on the message that’s being depicted.

“There is no such thing as bad people. We’re all just people who sometimes do bad things.”

After reading this story my views about women who find themselves in the situation that Lilly faced changed. This story made me realise that these women are not weak. It is easy for someone on the outside of the situation to judge, but until you walk a mile in that person’s shoes you will never understand the pain, humiliation, and uncertainty that they have experienced.

Do not go into this story expecting a fairy tale romance as you will be disappointed. This is the type of story that may gut you, rip out your heart and render you a blubbering mess. It is a story of survival, sacrifice, love, healing, forgiveness and courage in the face of adversity. My recommendation to you is that you need to read this book.

Favourite quotes
"Sometimes, no matter how convinced you are that your life will turn out a certain way, all that certainty can be washed away with a simple change in tide".

"Everyone deserves a second chance. Especially the people who mean the most to you".

“In the future . . . if by some miracle you ever find yourself in the position to fall in love again . . . fall in love with me. You’re still my favorite person, Lily. Always will be.”

'Fifteen seconds. That’s all it takes to completely change everything about a person. Fifteen seconds that we’ll never get back".