It Starts With Us is the upcoming new release from Colleen Hoover. It is the follow up to her highly acclaimed book It Ends With Us. So read on for everything you need to know about this exciting new release!
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It Starts With Us
It Starts With Us
Release Date: October 18 2022
Before It Ends with Us, it started with Atlas. Colleen Hoover tells fan favorite Atlas’s side of the story and shares what comes next in this long-anticipated sequel to the “glorious and touching” (USA TODAY) #1 New York Times bestseller It Ends with Us.
It Ends With Us Plot Recap
WARNING: Major Plot Spoilers Ahead
WARNING: This book has very sensitive subject matter and elements that may be a trigger to some people, please do not proceed to read this recap if you think this may affect you.
When we first meet Ryle he is angry. Lily is on a rooftop in Boston where she lives to contemplate the passing of her father but Ryle bursts out, unaware that she is there. Ryle is taking his anger out on a chair until Lily asks him what is wrong. He tells her that he is a neurosurgeon and that he just lost a child patient. The two talk for a while and begin to connect but Ryle tells Lily that he doesn’t do relationships and that he is only interested in a one night stand. That isn’t something that Lily is into so despite the deep physical attraction nothing happens between the couple.
With the death of her father bringing Lily’s thoughts to the past she goes back to read through her childhood journals that she wrote when she was a teenager. This is where we are introduced to a homeless boy who was squatting in an abandoned house behind Lily’s. She realizes that the boy goes to her school. Lily is concerned for his well-being living in a house in the winter with no running water, gas or electricity so she begins to help him.
Back to the present and it is several months later and Lily is living her dream of opening up her own flower shop. Someone comes in and asks for a job. Alyssa and Lily connect and soon become close friends. When Lily injures her ankle in the shop Alyssa calls her brother for help. Lily soon finds out that Alyssa’s brother is in fact Ryle. The two connect again but separate again before anything happens between them.
Lily reads through more of her journals and we learn more about Atlas, the homeless boy, and teenage Lily growing closer. As Lily is reading through her journals there is a knock at the door and Ryle has shown up at her apartment. This is despite him not knowing where she actually lived. He went to her block and knocked on every door until he found hers. Ryle begs Lily to have sex with him, with the promise that he will stop bothering if he does. Despite her reservations Lily agrees because she is physically attracted to him.
Despite Ryle’s no relationship rule he becomes obsessed with Lily and pursues her relentlessly and breaks this rule for her. Everything seems perfect at first to Lily despite the red flags and to her Ryle’s obsessive nature seems romantic.
Through further of Lily’s journal entries we learn more of Lily’s teenage years. We also find how Lily’s father becomes more and more abusive to her mother. And as her mother keeps forgiving him and taking him back Lily grows to hate her father more and more. And she grows more and more closer to Atlas.
Back in present day Lily is having lunch in a restaurant when she comes across Atlas working there after they lost touch as teenagers. Lily is surprised to see him and find that a lot of her old feelings for him haven’t died so for the sake of her and Ryle she decides it best that she avoids Atlas.
As the situation becomes more volatile between Ryle and Lily things escalate and he ends up hitting Lily. Lily is shocked and devastated, Ryle is full of remorse and promises that it will never happen again. Despite Lily’s reservations the couple declare their love for each other and stay together.
The next day when they are at his restaurant, Atlas notices Lily’s bruised face and Ryle’s damaged hand and comes to the correct conclusion. Full of concern Atlas confronts Lily but they are interrupted by Ryle. Atlas ends up hitting Ryle and throwing him out of his restaurant. Ryle accuses Lily of being unfaithful with Atlas but she promises him that she is not.
Later Atlas apologies to Lily for his outburst and gives her his number to call if she ever needs him. This gives Lily reminders of the attachment that the couple used to have when they were teenagers. Ryle ends up finding the number and the couple have another explosive argument. When Ryle goes to leave, Lily follows him and he ends up pushing her down some stairs. Lily is knocked out and when she wakes up Ryle is taking care of her. He then tells her about his brother who died when Ryle accidentally shot him when he was six. He explains as this being the reason to his rages. Lily is torn as she still loves and wants to help Ryle but she is also starting to see comparisons with her own parents abusive relationship.
For the next few days things seem to improve but then Ryle confronts Lily again over her friendship with Atlas. He ends up hurting her physically again and almost raping her. Lily manages to escape and calls Atlas. She is so badly hurt that Atlas takes her to the hospital where she also finds out that she is pregnant.
Lily goes to stay with Atlas for a few days. When she is at work in her flower shop Ryle shows up and tells her that he is going to London for three months. Meanwhile Atlas confesses to Lily that he still has feelings for her but wants to give her space so that she can deal with the many issues she has to confront.
Eventually Lily tells her mother and Alyssa (her friend and Ryle’s sister) about her pregnancy. She was initially reluctant as she was worried they would persuade her to take Ryle back. But they both agree that she is doing the right thing in leaving him.
When Ryle returns from London he learns of the pregnancy. He begs for Lily’s forgiveness and promises to change. Lily says that she won’t make a decision until the birth but agrees to let him act as a father. Right up until the birth Lily is torn between what to do and keeps Ryle at a distance. When she gives birth to a baby girl she realises that she needs to break the cycle and she doesn’t want her daughter to grow up witnessing an abusive relationship as she herself had. So she decides to divorce Ryle and we learn that it ends with us actually refers to Lily and her daughter ending the cycle of abuse.
Almost a year later, having had time to heal, Lily meets up with Atlas and tells him that she is ready to start a relationship with him.
What We Can Expect From It Starts With Us
Not much is known as yet of the plot details or synopsis of It Starts With Us but we do know that the story is going to be told from the viewpoint of Atlas who we met in It Ends With Us.
Atlas features heavily in It Ends With Us. When we first meet him he is a homeless teenager whom Lily helps and then the young couple eventually grow closer and fall in love. The relationship is cut short when Atlas moves away and they lose touch. Nine years later the couple meet again when Lily goes to Atlas’ successful restaurant. Atlas then becomes her protector from her abusive husband, Ryle. At the end of It Ends With Us we see Lily and Atlas eventually get together when they are both in a better place.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Colleen Hoover’s next book?
Her next release will be It Starts With Us, the follow up to It Ends With Us. It will be released in October 2022.
Is there a second book to It Ends With Us?
Yes, there is a second book to It Ends With Us, it’s called It Starts With Us and it will be released on October 18 2022.
Is It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover a stand alone book?
It Ends With Us was originally a stand alone book but there is now a sequel that is due to be released on October 18 2022 called It Starts With US. However, It Ends With Us can be read as as a standalone book as it does reach a satisfying conclusion and doesn’t end on a cliffhanger.
What is It Starts With Us about?
Whilst not much is currently known about It Starts With Us, we do know that it will tell Atlas’ side of the story.
Which book is First It Ends with Us or It Starts with Us?
The first book in the series is It Ends With Us, It Starts with us is the second book in the series.
Are they going to make a movie for It Ends with Us?
Yes, there is going to be a movie for It Ends With Us. It is being developed by Justin Baldoni (star of Jane The Virgin). Not much else is known about the movie at the moment but Baldoni announced that he has commissioned the project and that the first draft of the script had been written. Baldoni has also stated that he thinks it important that the movie is directed by a woman.
About Colleen Hoover
Colleen Hoover is the best selling author of over twenty three novels including Ugly Love and Verity. She is also a New York Times Bestselling Author. Colleen lives in Texas, where she was born in Sulphur Springs. Her first two books Slammed and Point Of Retreat were originally self published after which she was offered a contract by Atria Books.
Colleen even has her own nonprofit book subscription service called The Bookworm Box. There is even a store of the same name in Sulphur Springs, Texas where every Colleen Hoover book on the shelves is signed. So if you are a number one Colleen Hoover fan it’s definitely worth a visit.
