It Starts With Us, by Colleen Hoover

Lily and her ex-husband, Ryle, have been divorced and working diligently with taking care of the baby they had together,, when she suddenly bumps into her first love, Atlas, once again. After two years of being separated, she finally has re-met Atlas at the right time, allowing herself to be selfish and say yes to a coffee date. However, Ryle does not seem to have moved on from Lily and tension arises when he realizes Lily has finally found someone better for her.

When discussing this book with my peers, many people said that there should have never been a sequel to It Ends With Us. However, I found It Starts With Us, by Colleen Hoover, to be very empowering for those who have experienced domestic abuse in the way that, sure you may have ended up with the wrong person at first, but the right person will find you in the end. This book allows Lily, our protagonist, to find true love in a healthy way and by doing that introduces a better father figure to her child. This book also dives into more with the first love Atlas and brings him more to life, adding into more detail why he was the way he was when lily was younger. I thought it was an overall great and fast read and would for sure recommend it to others.

Reviewed by Ariana G., Grade 11

Montrose Library