Let’s get started with “It Starts with Us: A Novel by Colleen Hoover”
It Starts with Us is the most-awaited heartwarming sequel to It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty-three novels. The most beautiful thing about Colleen is her talent to perfectly capture human emotions and explore the darker aspects of love. The writing style throughout the It Starts with Us book is great, the plot itself is remarkable, and how everything connects to each other was crafted perfectly. It Starts with Us novel is blended with some heartbreaking moments, and those moments were beautifully elaborated by the Author.
Colleen Hoover – Author of the It Starts with Us
Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times best-selling author of more than twenty-three novels, including It Starts with Us and It Ends with Us. She was born on December 11, 1979, in Sulphur Springs, Texas, in the United States. Colleen Hoover is an American author who has specialized in writing romance and young adult fiction. Incredibly talented author Hoover has touched the lives of millions of readers around the world.
It Starts with Us: Book Summary
The book “It Starts with Us” unfolds immediately from where we were left off in the tale of Atlas and Lily in It Ends with Us. The love story continues with Atlas and Lily through “It Starts with Us”, nearly a year after their last encounter. Lily’s daughter Emerson, who she had with her ex-husband and neurosurgeon, Ryle Kincaid, is 11 months old now. Lily and Atlas run into each other unexpectedly on the streets of Boston, but the encounter is short because they are both running late. She is hesitant to text Atlas, anticipating the negative reaction of her abusive ex-husband and father of her child.
When Lily returns to her apartment one evening, she finds her ex-husband Ryle and daughter inside. He says that he wants to start having overnights with Emmy. She says Emmy will not be allowed to stay at Ryle’s apartment overnight until she can speak. Atlas’ restaurants are being vandalized but he chooses not to report it to the police because he discovers some food missing. He relates to the vandal because he too was once a hungry, homeless kid.
Atlas brings lunch to the flower shop for Lily. While he’s there, Ryle comes in unannounced. Lily gets nervous about his reaction to seeing Atlas there, so she hides him. After Ryle leaves, Atlas and Lily agree to talk on the phone later. Atlas asks Lily on a date and she agrees. While on the drive to the restaurant for their date, Lily falls asleep and instead of waking her up, Atlas start reading some of the things that Lily wrote about Atlas when they were kids. When Lily awakens, she finds out they missed their reservation.
Atlas’s mother, Sutton, shows up at one of his restaurants and informs him that he has a brother named Josh and she can’t find him. Later that night, while he was waiting at one of his restaurants, ready to confront the vandal, the vandal returns and Atlas discovered it is his 11-year-old brother. Atlas decides to return Josh to his mother but before he leaves, he sees Sutton abuse Josh. Atlas doesn’t want Josh to stay with their abusive mother so he immediately takes Josh back to his house.
Atlas brings Lily lunch again, a few days later. While there, Lily invites him to a wedding. When Atlas picks Lily up for the wedding, he notices the heart tattoo on her collarbone. After the wedding, they return to Lily’s apartment. Atlas has to leave in the morning because Josh is at his house. Ryle shows up at Lily’s apartment and sees undergarments around her living room. Ryle gets jealous and angry and pushes Lily. Lily leaves her apartment scared and picks up Emmy from Lily’s mother’s house. Lily and Emmy go to Atlas’ house.
Ryle sent Lily aggressive texts throughout the days following the incident. Eventually, he shows up at Lily’s flower shop looking for Lily. Lily lets him know she will be talking to a lawyer about his custody of their daughter. He leaves the flower shop angry. Ryle then goes to Atlas’s restaurant and punches him in the face. Atlas doesn’t engage and instead tries to talk him down. Ryle is still frustrated, but ends up leaving.
Emerson has a birthday party, and while there, Ryle asks Lily to talk. Lily declines and refuses to speak with him alone. Lily asks Allysa and her husband, Marshal, if they would be there for Lily while she talks to Ryle. They agree. When they meet, Lily tells Ryle that he needs to attend anger management classes and be supervised while he’s with their daughter. Ryle is enraged but agrees to her terms.
Meanwhile, Josh denies his mother’s requests that he come live with her when she shows up at Atlas’s house. Josh insists on living with his father in Vermont. Atlas takes Josh to see his father but Josh decides after watching his father from the car that he wants to live with Atlas. Atlas meets with their mother at his restaurant and asks her to give her parental rights to him. He also proposes they meet up for weekly family dinners at Atlas’s restaurant. Sutton ultimately agrees. 6 months later, Atlas asks Lily to move in with him and she accepts. A year and a half later, Atlas prepares for his and Lily’s wedding with Theo.
It Starts with Us Summary of Key Lessons and Review
“It Starts with Us” by Colleen Hoover is a powerful sequel to her bestselling novel “It Ends with Us.” This emotionally charged book continues the story of Lily Bloom and Atlas Corrigan, diving deeper into their complex relationship and personal growth.
Here are 10 key lessons from the book:
1. Recognize Toxic Relationships: The novel emphasizes the importance of recognizing toxic relationships and having the courage to walk away from them, regardless of emotional attachment or history.
2. Understanding Patterns of Abuse: It sheds light on the cyclical nature of abuse and how patterns of unhealthy behavior can repeat across generations, highlighting the need to break these cycles.
3. Empathy and Compassion: The story teaches empathy and compassion for others, as well as understanding that people’s actions are often influenced by their own traumas and struggles.
4. Personal Strength: It underscores the immense strength it takes to overcome abusive situations and the resilience of survivors who rise above their circumstances.
5. The Impact of Childhood: Childhood experiences and traumas significantly shape individuals’ adult lives and relationships, emphasizing the importance of addressing past wounds for personal growth.
6. Importance of Support Systems: Having a strong support system, whether it’s friends, family, or therapy, plays a vital role in helping individuals cope with difficult situations and make healthier choices.
7. Boundaries and Self-Respect: Establishing and respecting personal boundaries is crucial in any relationship. It shows that setting boundaries is an act of self-respect and is essential for maintaining healthy connections.
8. Breaking Silence: Breaking the silence about abuse is a powerful step toward healing. Encouraging open dialogue about difficult topics helps remove stigma and supports survivors in seeking help.
9. Taking Responsibility: The novel explores the complexities of taking responsibility for one’s actions, acknowledging mistakes, and actively working toward positive change and personal growth.
10. Choosing Love and Self-Respect: Ultimately, the story conveys the importance of choosing love and self-respect. It illustrates that real love should uplift, empower, and respect individuals, emphasizing the need to prioritize one’s well-being and happiness in relationships.
These lessons are woven seamlessly into the narrative, making “It Starts with Us” not just an engaging read, but also a source of inspiration and reflection for its audience.
Final Thoughts: It Starts with Us
It Starts with Us is a compelling romance novel by Colleen Hoover, published as the sequel to her 2016 best-selling novel It Ends with Us. The novel continues the story from where its predecessor ended and centers on the relationship between Lily and Atlas. Hoover’s writing style in this novel has been praised for its emotional depth and captivating storytelling.
The sequel delves into the complexities of the characters’ lives, offering a poignant exploration of love, second chances, and the challenges of navigating relationships. Through palpable tension balanced with glimmers of hope, Hoover beautifully captures the heartbreak and joy of starting over, drawing readers into the intricate emotional landscape of the characters’ experiences.
The novel has garnered significant attention, becoming Simon & Schuster’s most pre-ordered book of all time. While some critics have noted the favoring of blunt dialogue and inner monologues over description and character development, the overall reception has been positive, with readers expressing admiration for Hoover’s ability to craft a captivating and emotionally resonant narrative.
It Starts with Us Quotes by Colleen Hoover
01. “I can draw a seedling with two tiny branches. Yours and mine. We’ll be on our own brand-new, tiny family tree—one that starts with us.”
02. “In the past and for forever, you are my favorite person. Always have been. Always will be. I love you. Everything that you are.”
03. “And every time I kiss you there, I want you to remember why I kissed you there the first time.”
04. “I’ve spent my life not making bold moves when it comes to her. I wanted to make sure she knew where I stood this time.”
05. “It’s not the first time he’s mentioned I saved him back then, but every time he says it, I want to argue with him. I didn’t save him. All I did was fall in love with him.”
06. “If it takes a million kisses for her not to think about the scars that surround her heart tattoo, then I’ll kiss her there a million and one times.”
07. “My choice helped me realize that sometimes the hardest decisions a person can make will most likely lead to the best outcomes.”
08. “I prefer honesty over loyalty any day, because with honesty comes loyalty.”
09. “Yes, asking for a divorce hurt. Yes, I was heartbroken. But no, I don’t regret it. My choice helped me realize that sometimes the hardest decisions a person can make will most likely lead to the best outcomes.”
10. “I had fallen in love with her long before our first kiss, though. I loved her more than I had ever loved anyone before that moment. I think I loved her more than I’ve ever loved anyone after that moment. I think I still might.”
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