When my best friend first recommended It Ends with Us to me, insisting I had to read it, I was a bit skeptical. I’ve never been much of a romance reader and the title sounded rather ominous. But she kept raving about how powerful and impactful it was, so I finally relented and borrowed her copy. Little did I know that this unassuming book would end up completely consuming my thoughts and emotions over the next few days.

From the very first pages, I was drawn into the story of Lily Bloom, a young woman attempting to start a new life in Boston. Colleen Hoover’s writing immediately pulled me in with its raw honesty and engaging, conversational style. I felt an instant connection to Lily as she wrestled with the ghosts of her past while trying to build an independent future for herself. When she meets the charming neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid, their chemistry leaps off the page. I found myself rooting for them, even as Ryle’s aversion to relationships set off some warning bells in my mind.

As Lily and Ryle’s romance intensified, so did my sense of unease. Hoover masterfully peels back the layers of their relationship, revealing complex histories and long-buried traumas that color their present interactions. Lily’s memories of her first love Atlas and the domestic abuse she witnessed as a child are visceral and heartbreaking. I had to set the book down a few times, my heart aching for this resilient yet vulnerable young woman.

It was in the second half of the novel that It Ends with Us truly knocked the wind out of me. As Ryle’s controlling behavior escalates into physical violence, Hoover refuses to shy away from the brutal reality of domestic abuse. One scene in particular, where Ryle attacks Lily in a jealous rage, left me shaking and in tears. Hoover’s unflinching portrayal of the cycle of abuse, the conflicting emotions it elicits, and the strength it takes to break free is both gut-wrenching and necessary.

What struck me most about this novel was its refusal to adhere to simplistic tropes or easy answers. Lily’s journey is messy, painful, and at times frustrating, but always authentic. Hoover doesn’t romanticize Ryle’s abusive behavior or offer excuses for his actions. Instead, she lays bare the insidious nature of domestic violence, how it can ensnare even the strongest and most loving of people.

At the same time, she imbues Lily with incredible strength and agency, showing how she grapples with the weight of her past while fighting for a better future. The scene where Lily finally confronts Ryle and refuses to let him manipulate her any longer had me cheering out loud. Her reclamation of her own worth and identity was deeply empowering to witness.

Beyond the central narrative, I was moved by the depth Hoover brings to her secondary characters, particularly Atlas and Lily’s mother. The revelations about Atlas’s own history of abuse and his unwavering support for Lily added another layer of poignancy to their relationship. And the exploration of Lily’s mother’s experience, the way she both loved and enabled her abusive husband, was a nuanced portrayal of the generational impact of trauma.

Hoover’s writing is a perfect balance of accessible and impactful, with moments of levity and warmth woven in amidst the heavier subject matter. Her use of the Ellen DeGeneres quote “There is no justification for abuse” as a thematic touchstone was especially powerful. And the reveal in the author’s note about her own personal connection to the story, with her mother’s history of domestic abuse, made Lily’s journey feel all the more urgent and necessary.

It Ends with Us is not an easy read, but it is an essential one. It challenges readers to confront the realities of domestic violence, the insidious way it can take root in a relationship, and the incredible resilience of survivors. It’s a story about breaking cycles of abuse, claiming your identity, and learning to love yourself enough to demand better.

As someone who has witnessed the impact of domestic violence in my own extended family, this book hit me on a deeply personal level. Lily’s story, while fictional, echoes the experiences of so many real women who have faced the impossible choice between love and self-preservation. It made me reflect on my own past relationships, the red flags I may have overlooked, and the societal conditioning that tells women to prioritize romance over their own well-being.

More than that, it reinforced my belief in the power of fiction to create empathy, spark dialogue, and enact change. Books like It Ends with Us are so vital because they give voice to experiences that are often shrouded in silence and shame. They let survivors know they are not alone, and they challenge all of us to do better, to support and believe victims, and to work towards a world free of abuse.

I know this book will stay with me for a long time to come. It’s the kind of story that burrows into your heart and changes you from the inside out. I’m so grateful to Colleen Hoover for her bravery in writing it, and to my friend for insisting I read it. I will be pressing copies into the hands of everyone I know, urging them to take this unforgettable journey with Lily Bloom.

To anyone who has experienced abuse, please know that you are not alone, and that you deserve love and respect. And to everyone else, read this book. Let it crack you open, challenge your assumptions, and inspire you to make a difference. It’s a story that demands to be heard.