It Ends with Us: A Novel

NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING BLAKE LIVELY AND JUSTIN BALDONI!

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Reminders of Him and It Starts with Us, a “brave and heartbreaking novel that digs its claws into you and doesn’t let go, long after you’ve finished it” (Anna Todd, New York Times bestselling author) about a young woman in a new relationship who can’t stop thinking about her first love.

Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town where she grew up—she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. And when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life seems too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head. But Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating” rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan—her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.

An honest, evocative, and tender novel, It Ends with Us is “a glorious and touching read, a forever keeper. The kind of book that gets handed down” (USA TODAY).

Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times and International bestselling author of multiple novels and novellas. She lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys. She is the founder of The Bookworm Box, a non-profit book subscription service and bookstore in Sulphur Springs, Texas.

For more information and for a schedule of events, please visit colleenhoover.com.

To contact Colleen and her team (Her team's name is Stephanie), please email [email protected]

"Colleen Hoover reminds readers that love is a fragile thing, built from courage, hope, and tears. Every person with a heartbeat should read this book." -- Kami Garcia, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"It Ends with Us isn't an ordinary love story. It will break your heart while filling you with hope, and by the end of this gripping, pulse-pounding novel, you'll be smiling through your tears." -- Sarah Pekkanen, International bestselling author of Perfect Neighbors

"It Ends With Us is a brave and heartbreaking novel that digs its claws into you and doesn't let go, long after you've finished it. No one delivers an emotional read like Colleen Hoover." -- Anna Todd, New York Times bestselling author of the After series

"What a glorious and touching read, a forever keeper. The kind of book that gets handed down." ― USA Today

“It Ends with Us tackles [a] difficult subject…with romantic tenderness and emotional heft. The relationships are portrayed with compassion and honesty, and the author's note at the end that explains Hoover's personal connection to the subject matter is a must-read. Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of the survivors.” ― Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW

"Fans of Hoover's emotional stories, conflicted characters and intense romances will gleefully devour her new novel. If you're a Hoover newbie, this is a great place to start. 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." ― RT Book Reviews (4 starred review)

“Best-selling Hoover’s latest valiant and compelling…novel packs her trademark emotional punch… The power and pain of the relationship will stay with readers even as Hoover offers hope.” ― Booklist

“Colleen Hoover brilliantly tackles a very tough subject matter with brutal realness and honesty that left us stripped completely raw… Confidently a 2016 Top Recommendation and Must Read.” ― Rockstars of Romance

"It Ends With Us is one of the most powerful books of 2016 and one of the most raw, honest, inspiring, and profoundly beautiful stories I’ve ever read. It’s one of those books that EVERYONE should read.” ― Aestas Book Blog

“emotional, unforgettable and extraordinary…Colleen Hoover deserves all the accolades this story will bring…. remarkable, different, honest, heartbreaking and at times agonizing reading. This is not an easy book to get through but by God, it’s rewarding…one of the best reads of this year,” ― TOTALLY BOOKED BLOG

"tackles tough subject matter with a deft and confident hand" ― Huffington Post

"her most daring novel to date…one hell of a story.” ― NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Colleen Hoover’s emotionally charged novel, "It Ends with Us," is a poignant and heartbreaking exploration of love, trauma, and the devastating cycle of domestic abuse. The story centers on Lily Bloom, a resilient young woman who has just moved to Boston with dreams of opening her own floral shop. Lily’s upbringing in Plethora, Maine, was deeply scarred by domestic violence; she grew up watching her father physically abuse her mother, a secret her family fiercely protected to maintain their respectable public image. Lily always harbored a quiet resentment toward her mother for staying in the marriage, silently vowing that she would never allow herself to be subjected to such treatment. On the night of her father's funeral, feeling conflicted and suffocated by his eulogy, Lily seeks refuge on the roof of a Boston apartment building. There, she meets Ryle Kincaid, a brilliant, assertive, and fiercely attractive neurosurgeon. The two share a brief, intense, and remarkably honest conversation, though they part ways believing they will never see each other again, especially since Ryle is vehemently opposed to committed relationships.

Months later, Lily’s professional dream becomes a reality as she opens a bold, unconventional floral shop for people who hate traditional flowers. By sheer coincidence, the woman she hires to help her, Allysa, turns out to be Ryle’s sister. Reunited, Lily and Ryle’s undeniable chemistry reignites. Despite his initial aversion to marriage and commitment, Ryle is entirely captivated by Lily, and their relationship quickly blossoms into a deeply passionate and seemingly perfect romance. Ryle is supportive, loving, and entirely devoted to her, making Lily believe she has finally found the perfect partner. However, as their relationship deepens, the narrative intertwines with excerpts from Lily’s childhood journals, which she addresses to talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres. These journal entries slowly reveal the story of Lily’s first love, Atlas Corrigan. When Lily was fifteen, Atlas was a homeless teenager living in the abandoned house next door. Lily secretly fed and sheltered him, and the two formed a profound, life-saving bond before Atlas abruptly left to join the military, promising to return for her someday.

The perfection of Lily and Ryle’s relationship is suddenly complicated when Lily and Ryle go out to dinner to celebrate the success of her shop and end up at a restaurant owned by none other than Atlas. Seeing Atlas again stirs up unresolved feelings for Lily and triggers an intense, simmering jealousy in Ryle. Not long after this unexpected encounter, the unthinkable happens. In a moment of frustration over a burnt casserole, Ryle violently shoves Lily, causing her to fall and cut her eye. The incident sends shockwaves through Lily's world. Ryle is immediately horrified by his actions, profusely apologizing and swearing it was a complete anomaly. Remembering her vow to never tolerate abuse, Lily is terrified, but because she loves him and sees his genuine remorse, she rationalizes the incident as a tragic accident and forgives him, mirroring the exact justifications her mother once made for her father's outbursts.

Lily and Ryle eventually marry in a spontaneous ceremony, but the shadow of abuse continues to loom over them. The violence resurfaces in a second, more severe incident when Ryle discovers Atlas’s phone number hidden inside Lily’s phone case. Blinded by rage, Ryle pushes Lily down a flight of stairs. Once again, the aftermath is filled with desperate apologies and a devastating revelation: Ryle confesses that his volatile temper is linked to a deeply repressed childhood trauma in which he accidentally shot and killed his older brother. This heartbreaking disclosure deeply complicates Lily's feelings, trapping her in a cycle of profound empathy for the man she loves and terror for her own safety. She desperately wants to heal him, convincing herself that his violence is a symptom of his immense pain rather than a fundamental flaw in his character.

The turning point of the novel arrives when Ryle finds Lily’s childhood journals and reads the intimate details of her profound connection with Atlas. Consumed by a jealous, uncontrollable rage, Ryle violently attacks Lily, culminating in a brutal physical assault and an attempted sexual assault. Terrified for her life, Lily manages to escape the apartment and desperately calls Atlas, who immediately takes her in. While recovering in the safety of Atlas’s home, Lily makes a life-altering discovery: she is pregnant with Ryle’s child. This revelation fundamentally shifts the stakes of her situation. She is no longer just making decisions for herself; she must now consider the life, safety, and psychological well-being of her unborn child.

Lily decides to remain separated from Ryle for the duration of her pregnancy, taking the time she needs to navigate the excruciatingly painful decision ahead of her. Ryle gives her space but remains hopeful that they will eventually reconcile and become a family. When Lily goes into labor, Ryle is present for the birth of their daughter, Emerson. In the immediate, overwhelming aftermath of holding her newborn daughter, Lily experiences a profound moment of clarity. Looking at Emerson, Lily realizes that she cannot guarantee her daughter will never witness abuse, nor can she allow Emerson to grow up believing that violence is an acceptable part of love. She finally understands the agonizingly complex reasons why her mother stayed, but she also finds the immense strength required to leave.

In a heartbreaking but incredibly empowering scene, Lily asks Ryle for a divorce immediately after their daughter's birth. She tells a devastated Ryle that their marriage is over, whispering to her newborn daughter, "It stops here. With me and you. It ends with us." By choosing to leave, Lily actively breaks the generational cycle of abuse that defined her own childhood. The novel concludes with a brief epilogue set a few years later. Lily and Ryle have managed to establish a functional, strictly platonic co-parenting relationship, prioritizing Emerson’s well-being while maintaining firm boundaries. One afternoon, while dropping Emerson off with Ryle, Lily runs into Atlas on the street. With the cycle of trauma finally broken and her life entirely her own, Lily is finally ready to embrace a healthy, safe, and truly loving future with Atlas, bringing the emotionally harrowing story to a hopeful and triumphant close.