Does Lily finally get the happy ending she deserves in 'It Starts With Us '?

“I’m exactly where I belong, being loved by Atlas Corrigan.”

It Starts With Us, the sequel to It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover, continues Lily’s story. It picks up where the first book left off, with Lily reconnecting with her first love, Atlas, after the fallout of her marriage with Ryle. As a single mother to her daughter, Emerson, Lily experiences a mix of emotions. With Atlas back in her life, she begins to consider giving love a second chance, perhaps even her first real chance at love with her long-lost soulmate. But the fear of Ryle and his aggressive behavior holds her back for a while.

Lily takes a big step by setting boundaries with Ryle for the sake of herself and her daughter. This allows her to finally open her heart to Atlas, and the two begin their relationship. The real twist comes when Ryle finds out. But the question remains, will Lily finally get her happy ending?

I was impressed with how seamlessly the book picked up the story from the first one, maybe because I read it right after It Ends With Us. I really enjoyed the two points of view in this book, especially getting Atlas’s perspective, as his life also has its share of ups and downs. Reading his side of the story felt like it completed the narrative, and the twists were interesting to follow.

However, although the book was beautiful, it felt somewhat unnecessary, plain, like vanilla. The story often felt dragged out until the end. I was expecting major twists and turns, especially when Ryle discovered Lily’s relationship with Atlas, but that part fell flat for me.

The story lacked the element of surprise that the first book had, and honestly, it just wasn’t as engaging.

My Rating: 3/5