Reviews with content warning for Alcohol - It Starts with Us

Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover

63 reviews

marie_mell's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing 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? Yes

4.25

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memoirsofabooklover's review

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad 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

4.75

a beautiful closure to lily and atlas’ story. after all the pain and darkness of it ends with us, i loved being able to read about their happy ending, even with its challenges in the aftermath of their childhoods and lily’s recent past

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fkshg8465's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Certainly less impactful than the first book and much, much cuter. The ending that I wanted, but there is a hole that feels a bit unplugged with Ryle. Also loved the reintro of Atlas’s mom. Getting to know him better was satisfying.

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fi_sandison's review

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dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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manda_reads's review

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emotional hopeful 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? Yes

5.0

This book picks up where the epilogue of It Ends with Us left off. The book opens with the aftermath of Lilly's encounter with Atlas on the street. Lilly once again confides in Ellen DeGeneres through a letter about her heart being torn between her feelings for Atlas and maintaining a healthy co-parenting relationship with Ryle. Atlas, for his part, is awaiting Lilly's response to his question. Ryle and Lilly are struggling to create healthy boundaries with each other. Atlas is dealing with vandalism at both his restaurants when he gets a phone call from his mother. Their exchange is tense albeit brief. Atlas surprises Lilly with lunch at her floral shop and they agree to talk later that night. They Facetime later and Atlas asks her on a date. It doesn't take long for them to fall into their easy rhythm with each other. On another Facetime call, Lilly and Atlas discuss a lie that he told her when they were younger IE who he lived with when he moved to Boston. They go on a date and Lily gifts him her journal which he begins to read when Lilly accidentally falls asleep on their date. Atlas then decides to write Lilly a "Dear Lilly" letter. In the letter he opens up about brutal things from his past such as the abuse he suffered at the hands of his mother and stepfather. Lilly and Atlas then discuss their dreams regarding the topic of marriage. After her date ends, Lilly and Ryle get into a heated discussion about Emerson's middle name. Ryle gaslights Lilly enough to make her cry and question their divorce. Marshall talks to and comforts her.
Atlas' mother shows up at his restaurant to ask for help locating his younger brother Josh. Atlas is stunned because he didn't even know he had a brother. Suddenly, the vandalism made sense to Atlas. Atlas waits for his brother and has Lilly's second journal to keep him company. His brother eventually shows up. Atlas feeds him, they talk and Atlas invites him to his house. Lilly is struggling with co-parenting ideals. Lilly meets Josh over Facetime and Atlas tells Lilly he wants to gain custody of him. Atlas eases into the big brother role by asking Josh what he wants. Josh tells him he wants to live with his dad. Atlas says he'll see what he can do, but for now, Josh must return to Sutton. Atlas saves Josh from Sutton's beating.
Lilly contemplates how to tell Ryle that she's dating again. Lilly invites Atlas to be her plus one to Lucy's wedding. Atlas helps Josh to get his life straight. Lilly gets dressed to attend Lucy's wedding. During this time, Atlas notices Lilly's heart tattoo, leading to a calm yet vulnerable discussion between them detailing Ryle's abuse of her. Lilly and Atlas hang out after the wedding. They have a steamy yet gentle encounter.
Ryle is again enraged when he finds out Lilly and Atlas are dating. Ryle is so far into his fit of rage that he chokes Lilly. After the incident with Ryle, Lilly seeks comfort from Atlas. Ryle fights Atlas in another fit of rage. Atlas doesn't fight him back instead he gives Ryle sound advice. Lily and Atlas make plans for the future. In the morning, Atlas gets a visit from Sutton demanding he give Josh back to her. Their disagreement occurs in front of Josh leaving him reeling. Atlas takes Josh on a trip to see his father. Josh decides to stay with Atlas.
Ryle and Lily meet to discuss their visitation agreement. Atlas meets with his mother to discuss her granting him custody of Josh. Atlas writes Lilly another vulnerable "Dear Lilly" letter inviting her to move in with him and Josh. Atlas, Lilly, Josh, and Emerson get their happy ending. Sorry, for divulging a lot of the book's details again. I was trying to keep track of everything because this book has so much to absorb. Overall, this was a great duology. I love Atlas, he is such a sweet, solid man Everybody deserves to find their Atlas in life.

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