Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover

165 reviews

livia3_answorth's review against another edition

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hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5


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emptzuu's review against another edition

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THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

The depiction of the cycle of abuse is portrayed without a clear resolution. Lily's relationships with Ryle's sister and best friend intensify this challenge, making it difficult for her to break free from the cycle. The casual discussions about Ryle by Allysa and Marshall, minimizing his abusive tendencies, feel unsettling and fail to provide the necessary support for Lily's healing process. It becomes evident that Lily requires a robust support system to effectively heal, including going no contact with her abuser and anyone associated with him as a crucial first step. 

While the portrayal of Lily's legal battle with Ryle may reflect the realistic challenges faced by survivors of abuse, the ending leaves a sense of unease. It's understandable that winning a legal case against Ryle would be arduous, but the narrative's conclusion, with Ryle still involved in Lily's life, raises concerns about the safety of both Lily and her daughter. Lily's continued excuses for Ryle's behavior underscore the lingering impact of abuse and the necessity for her to prioritize her own well-being. 

Contrary to the narrative's suggestion, love alone cannot heal the trauma of an abusive relationship, especially when the only common ground is shared trauma. Seeking therapy is crucial for Lily's recovery; relying on Atlas or any external figure won't suffice. 

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kyaranelson's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5


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lovesbug787's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75


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cam_cameron44's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5


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chelle's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.5

I am glad she did a sequel to “It ends With Us” but I did find it a hard to believe story for the most part. A little bit too “it works out for everyone in the end” for me. Atlas does not seem like a realistic character. Very Gatsby waiting for Daisy. 

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sjpflock's review against another edition

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emotional tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I felt like the book got a little redundant in the format of going back and forth between Atlas and Lily's perspectives. Similarly to It Ends With Us (and probably as a product of being a mental health therapist) I just kept screaming why wasn't anyone getting professional help!? In a story about overcoming DV I felt it kind of glorified white knuckling the very serious situations the characters found themselves in. It also just all worked out very well which made it less believable. 

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stephanieluxton's review against another edition

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hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This book picks up basically where we left off It Ends With Us.

I found this book to be a relaxing read. It's not as exciting as the previous book and I believe the reason for that is that Lily's character arc is already complete.

This book is different because it jups back and forth between Lily and Atlas's perspectives. I didn't like that very much. It was fairly necessary to tell a bug chunk of the story but I just felt it took away all the tension from their relationship.

That being said, this is not a spicy book. There is very little spice. 

This book is about Lily navigating co-parenting with a narcissist and dating again. It's also about Atlas navigating his own problems with his business and family. It's about moving forward after life has been messy and picking up the pieces.

This is one of those books in which the story wasn't stand-out and might not be particularly memorable 6 months from now, but I did enjoy the process of reading it and I do think there's a demographic of people with similar life experiences that it'll really resonate with.

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veritas19's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5


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shesflippinpages's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0


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