Colleen Hoover’s latest, It Ends With Us, is breathtaking, intensely personal, and brave. Other books in her catalog haven’t been afraid to take on some heavy, heavy issues – the death of a child, disfigurement, controlling and manipulative relationships – but they’ve always been wrapped in a story where romantic love wins out. But in real life, romantic love isn’t always enough…sometimes you have to love yourself enough to make the hard decisions.
I can’t tell you if the book offers an accurate depiction of what someone in Lily Bloom’s position goes through. Even in the moments where I was in disbelief at what was happening (particularly toward the end), I had to take a step back. As with so many things, it’s easy to stand on the sidelines, seeing a situation for what it is and knowing what someone should do. It’s a whole other thing to live it.
Don’t rush through this book. Let it sit with you, let it sink in. It’s that important.