A review by lizgom
It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

challenging emotional sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Honestly I liked this book at first because it was entertaining. Lily’s background was referenced in a unique, although cringey way. But it’s definitely appreciated that Colleen did this in an innovative way instead of just giving us boring flashbacks. I don’t think I’m going to touch up on the guys that are a part of this book because honestly, I’m sure we’ve heard all about them on BookTok. And almost everything I hate about this book is because these men are written to be perfect so that we’re forced to like them.
Obviously we have a change of heart with Ryle, but that’s besides the point. I know many readers who were devastated by what Ryle did and even at the end wanted Lily to “suck it up” and stick with him.
I want to appreciate how Alyssa, Lily’s friend, was an amazing character that brought so much to the book even if she was a side character. I think we all need an Alyssa. But as I kept soaking up the information it was just off. I gave this 2 stars mainly because this is advertised as a romance book, and there’s nothing romantic about it. That’s not at all the purpose of this book. I hate that before reading this, everyone told me I’d love it. Did I love the ending? Yes. Did I love the book as a whole? Not really. It was as if someone was telling me their own personal story and honestly I’m sure that’s the purpose of this book.
I think that this book had the purpose to open our eyes about abuse and how people usually react when they’re in this situation or how we judge others that are there. She absolutely succeeded in doing that.
However, my low rating doesn’t have anything to do with the story or the writing (her writing is juvenile, btw). I’ll continue to rate these books this way for the sole purpose that they’re advertised and recommended and romance, when they contain SOME romance, but aren’t centered around that.
I feel abuse and trauma
are the main plots of these books so therefore we can’t be categorizing them as romance.