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Before It Ends with Us, it started with Atlas. Colleen Hoover tells fan favorite Atlas's side of the story and shares what comes next in this long-anticipated sequel to the "glorious and touching" (USA TODAY) #1 New York Times bestseller It Ends with Us.
Lily and her ex-husband, Ryle, have just settled into a civil coparenting rhythm when she suddenly bumps into her first love, Atlas, again. After nearly two years separated, she is elated that for once, time is on their side, and she immediately says yes when Atlas asks her on a date.
But her excitement is quickly hampered by the knowledge that, though they are no longer married, Ryle is still very much a part of her life—and Atlas Corrigan is the one man he will hate being in his ex-wife and daughter's life.
Switching between the perspectives of Lily and Atlas, It Starts with Us picks up right where the epilogue for the "gripping, pulse-pounding" (Sarah Pekkanen, author of Perfect Neighbors) bestselling phenomenon It Ends with Us left off. Revealing more about Atlas's past and following Lily as she embraces a second chance at true love while navigating a jealous ex-husband, it proves that "no one delivers an emotional read like Colleen Hoover" (Anna Todd, New York Times bestselling author).
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$37.99
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ISBN-10
1668001225
ISBN-13
978-1668001226
Print length
336 pages
Language
English
Publisher
Atria Books
Publication date
October 17, 2022
Dimensions
5.31 x 1.4 x 8.25 inches
Item weight
8.9 ounces
My choice helped me realize that sometimes the hardest decisions a person can make will most likely lead to the best outcomes.
Highlighted by 13,044 Kindle readers
“You’re going to drive five miles just to give me a hug?” “I’d run five miles just to give you a hug.”
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“Our weekend special,” Atlas says. “It’s called why are you avoiding me pasta.”
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ASIN :
B09RX4B8R5
File size :
2129 KB
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"The queen of the bestseller lists." ― USA Today
“This sequel to BookTok phenom It Ends With Us stands on its own, a portrait of the dynamics of domestic violence.” ― People
“Hoover breaks hearts all over again in this stunning sequel to her bestselling It Ends with Us . . . The author’s talent for creating nuanced and empathetic characters is on full display, and fans will be especially excited to finally hear Atlas’s side of the story. Hoover is as unafraid as ever to explore the darker and more vulnerable aspects of love, expertly demonstrating the soul-deep trust required to reach happily after ever.” ― Publishers Weekly (starred)
“Through palpable tension balanced with glimmers of hope, Hoover beautifully captures the heartbreak and joy of starting over.” ― Kirkus Reviews
“This romance delivers on all the goods that has made Hoover such a sensation on TikTok: frank sex scenes, high-stakes twists, ingenious plotting and capital-D DRAMA.” ― New York Post
Chapter One
Atlas
The way ass whole is misspelled in red spray paint across the back door of Bib’s makes me think of my mother.
She would always insert a brief pause between syllables, making it sound like two separate words. I wanted to laugh every time I heard it, but it was hard to find the humor in it as a child when I was always the recipient of the hurled insult.
“Ass… whole,” Darin mutters. “Had to be a kid. Most adults know how to spell that word.”
“You’d be surprised.” I touch the paint, but it doesn’t stick to my fingers. Whoever did this must have done it right after we closed last night.
“Do you think the misspelling was intentional?” he asks. “Are they suggesting you’re so much of an asshole that you’re a whole entire ass?”
“Why do you assume they were targeting me? They could have been targeting you or Brad.”
“It’s your restaurant.” Darin takes off his jacket and uses it to pry a large shard of exposed broken glass out of the window. “Maybe it was a disgruntled employee.”
“Do I have disgruntled employees?” I can’t think of a single person on payroll who would do something like this. The last person I’d had quit was five months ago, and she left on good terms after getting a college degree.
“There was that guy who did the dishes before you hired Brad. What was his name? He was named after some kind of mineral or something—it was super weird.”
“Quartz,” I say. “It was a nickname.” I haven’t thought about that guy in so long. I doubt he’s holding a grudge against me after all this time. I fired him right after we opened because I found out he wasn’t washing the dishes unless he could actually see food on them. Glasses, plates, silverware—anything that came back to the kitchen from a table looking fairly clean, he’d just put it straight on the drying rack.
If I wouldn’t have fired him, he would have gotten us shut down by the health department.
“You should call the police,” Darin says. “We’ll have to file a report for insurance.”
Before I object, Brad appears at the back door, his shoes crunching the broken glass beneath his feet. Brad has been inside taking inventory in order to see if anything was stolen.
He scratches the stubble on his jaw. “They took the croutons.”
There’s a confused pause.
“Did you say ‘croutons’?” Darin asks.
“Yeah. They took the whole thing of croutons that were prepared last night. Nothing else seems to be missing, though.”
That wasn’t at all what I was expecting him to say. If someone broke into a restaurant and didn’t take appliances or anything else of value, they probably broke in because they were hungry. I know that kind of desperation firsthand. “I’m not reporting this.”
Darin turns to me. “Why not?”
“They might catch whoever did it.”
“That’s the point.”
I grab an empty box out of the dumpster and start picking up shards of glass. “I broke into a restaurant once. Stole a turkey sandwich.”
Brad and Darin are both staring at me now. “Were you drunk?” Darin asks.
“No. I was hungry. I don’t want anyone arrested for stealing croutons.”
“Okay, but maybe food was only the beginning. What if they come back for appliances next time?” Darin says. “Is the security camera still broken?”
He’s been on me to get that repaired for months now. “I’ve been busy.”
Darin takes the box of glass from me and starts to pick up the remaining pieces. “You should go work on that before they come back. Heck, they might even try to hit up Corrigan’s tonight since Bib’s was such an easy target.”
“Corrigan’s has working security. And I doubt whoever it was will vandalize my new restaurant. It was a matter of convenience, not a targeted break-in.”
“You hope,” Darin says.
I open my mouth to respond, but I’m interrupted by an incoming text message. I don’t think I’ve ever reached for my phone faster. When I see the text isn’t from Lily, I deflate a little.
I ran into her this morning while I was running errands. It was the first time we’ve seen each other in a year and a half, but she was late for work and I had just received the text from Darin informing me we had a break-in. We parted somewhat awkwardly on the promise that she would text me once she got to work.
It’s been an hour and a half since then, and I still haven’t heard from her. An hour and a half is nothing, but I can’t ignore the nagging in my chest that’s trying to convince me she’s having doubts about everything that was said between us in that five-minute exchange on the sidewalk.
I’m definitely not having doubts about what I said. I might have gotten caught up in the moment—in seeing how happy she looked and finding out she’s no longer married. But I meant every word I said to her.
I’m ready for this. More than ready.
I pull up her contact info in my phone. I’ve wanted to text her so many times over the last year and a half, but the last time I spoke to her, I left the ball in her court. She had so much going on, I didn’t want to complicate her life even more.
She’s single now, though, and she made it sound like she was finally ready to give whatever could be between us a chance. However, she’s had an hour and a half to think about our conversation, and an hour and a half is plenty of time to form regrets. Every minute that passes without a text is going to feel like a whole damn day.
She’s still listed as Lily Kincaid in my phone, so I edit her contact info and change her last name back to Bloom.
I feel Darin hovering, looking over my shoulder at my phone screen. “Is that our Lily?”
Brad perks up. “He’s texting Lily?”
“ ‘Our Lily’?” I ask, confused. “You guys met her once.”
“Is she still married?” Darin asks.
I shake my head.
“Good for her,” he says. “She was pregnant, right? What did she end up having? A boy or a girl?”
I don’t want to discuss Lily because there’s nothing to discuss yet. I don’t want to make it more than what it might be. “A girl, and that’s the last question I’m answering.” I focus on Brad. “Theo coming in today?”
“It’s Thursday. He’ll be here.”
I head inside the restaurant. If I’m going to discuss Lily with anyone, it’ll be Theo.
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Colleen Hoover
Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times and International bestselling author of multiple novels and novellas. She lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys. She is the founder of The Bookworm Box, a non-profit book subscription service and bookstore in Sulphur Springs, Texas.
For more information and for a schedule of events, please visit colleenhoover.com.
To contact Colleen and her team (Her team's name is Stephanie), please email hooverink@outlook.com
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Customer reviews
4.5 out of 5
167,130 global ratings
Macie
5
what a beautiful ending to their journey...
Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2024
Verified Purchase
Lily Bloom held me captivated since the first book. Her heartbreak, pain, the trauma, and abuse she endured... i felt for her, yet I loved it ends with us (as do i love this one as well) that i could NOT put down either book... i literally finished both books in less than a 30 hour time span... I am in awe of the story this author was able to weave together and create. The emotions and feelings she instilled through me just by the words she wrote on the pages, wow, this series was truly an incredible, beautiful, emotionally raw and honest all in one. Thank you giving Lily and Altas their happy ending because they BOTH deserved that and so much more. I couldn't have asked for a better ending than the one she wrote, truly a beautiful story. I am in awe of it & an indeed excited and cannot wait to "It Ends With Us" on the big screen since having read the series, I know watching it come to life is going to be a truly beautiful sight to behold!
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3 people found this helpful
Paige Benjamin
5
Atlas SHOULD BE The Standard
Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2024
Verified Purchase
MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD.
This book has wrecked me. More specifically, Atlas has wrecked me. This dude should be the standard. That in and of itself is the issue, however. Does he actually exist? COULD HE, PLEASE?!
What was hard about the previous story, It Ends With Us, outside of the obvious (the abuse), was how much we had to read about Ryle and how little we got of Atlas. Funny enough, at the end of my It Ends With Us review, I revealed my apprehension about reading It Starts With Us, as I didn’t want the author to somehow ruin Atlas.
I honestly didn’t know what to expect from this book, which was the same for the previous book. I LOVE how we got to build on not only Atlas’ relationship with Lily, but also on Atlas himself and his newfound family. The scene in the car with Josh had me in a chokehold, not to mention his coconut shrimp meal with Sutton. LITERALLY BAWLED! The letter he wrote to Lily about his version of their first kiss and how his love was buried between her neck and shoulder (where her tattoo now is), I promise you, I had to stop to clutch my heart.
The way Atlas loves should be desired and experienced by everyone—not only in the receiving aspect, but in the giving as well.
Honestly, the only two complaints I would have about this book are, one, I didn’t want it to end, and two, how everything seemed to suddenly speed up at a certain point. The timeline, at times, was a little difficult to follow. It was like I could almost feel the moment when Colleen was like, okay, looks like all is well, let’s wrap this all up now.
Despite the above, for me, this was easily a 5-star story. With the exception of Ryle (who I NEVER liked, and I’m talking way before the abuse even started), I pretty much adored every character, especially the addition of Theo, Atlas’ therapist.
Unlike the first story, I can definitely see myself rereading It Starts With Us. I’m uncertain if I am willing to read any further Colleen Hoover novels, for as previously mentioned, Atlas has ruined me for any (or many) male characters moving forward.
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Kindle Customer Cindy
5
Amazing!!
Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2024
Verified Purchase
I had just finished up It Ends With Us and started immediately reading this book. I am so glad that Colleen Hoover decided to write Lily and Atlas's story! There was a bit if assumption at the end of the first book that they might end up together. But this book really brought it home!! It was also good to see the conflict that Ryle's involvement in Lily's life causes for her. We also get to know Atlas as an adult and the twists and turns that come in his life as well. It really completed the story. I am a huge fan! I loved both of these books and I highly recommend! I can't wait to start a new series!
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Cal
5
Excellent read
Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2024
Verified Purchase
I like the way this book picked up right where It Ends with Us ended. I loved this series. It addresses domestic violence in a very realistic way. The characters were very realistic as well. Can we ask Colleen Hoover to write a sequel? I’d love to follow Lily, Atlas, Emerson and Ryle further on in their adventures.
Sophie
4
Book Review
Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2024
Verified Purchase
Colleen Hoover is a New York Times bestselling author of It Ends With Us(book 1) and It Starts With Us(book 2). In It Starts With Us it begins with Atlas and Lily running into each other. Atlas and Lily may also rekindle their love from when they were teenagers. However, there is a problem with Lily’s ex-husband who believes Atlas could potentially be the reason his marriage ended with Lily which can potentially harm Lily and Atlas’s chance at a relationship. The novel is a young adult romance that involves some domestic abuse and child abandonment. The title of the book refers to how it ended with Lily and Atlas meeting again at the end of the first book It Ends With Us and in the second book It Starts With Us it begins with Atlas and Lily running into each other. Which explains why the author chose to title the novel. Additionally, throughout the book, it switches between the perspectives of Atlas and Lily in every chapter. Even though the perspective changes it wasn’t complicated for me to understand what was happening throughout the story. Having two different perspectives helped me understand the views of each character more fully. However, if it is hard for you to keep track when there is more than one perspective then this book may be more difficult. Colleen Hoover's writing captivates people who want to read novels. As the second book of a series, it wasn’t as enjoyable as the first book was, however, it still was an amazing read. The book was fast paced in certain moments but had points where it wasn’t as fast-paced. Before getting into this author's books I wasn’t reading many books, however, this book was extremely interesting and after I began reading it I finished it in a few days. I would recommend anyone who enjoys romance novels to read this book however the domestic abuse and child abandonment could be harder for some to handle. Although these are difficult topics Colleen Hoover does a good job of making them lighter and more readable, unlike the first book of the series which had more graphic scenes of domestic abuse. I look forward to more of Colleen Hoover’s novels in the future.
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