“It Starts With Us” by Colleen Hoover is book 2 in the “It Ends With Us” series. Ironically, I bought this book first at the Minneapolis airport when I was flying to Las Vegas last year. It was one of those “Who buys the sequel before they buy the first book?” kinda moments.
So, obviously, I had to go and grab the kindle version of book 1 (I was already on the plane when I realized my mistake).
This book is all about Lily and Atlas.
It picks up where book 1 left off.
Lily is now divorced from Ryle and she’s trying to make a new life. With a daughter in tow, she has to figure out how to make the shared parenting dynamic work with Ryle, while also toeing the line of what her heart wants.
This is the love story between Atlas and Lily and shows that sometimes, happily ever afters take time to grow and flourish.
I really enjoyed the dynamic with Lily, struggling to be the best mom she can be, while trying to give her ex the space he needs to be a dad. As a divorced (and remarried) woman, I know how hard this is to do. You want what’s best for your kids and you don’t want to be a jerk to your ex, but when they make your kid’s life miserable, you need to figure out when to step in.
Colleen did a great job portraying the angst behind Atlas and Lily’s romance and how hard it was for them to finally accept the fate that was always there.
In conclusion, “It Starts With Us” was a fantastic sequel – and in some ways, better than book 1. If you’re looking for a book that will keep you breathless, rooting for love to win out, this is a spectacular read.
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