It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover: What Readers Love and Criticize

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Hardly any book has shaped BookTok like It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover. It is marketed as a love story but is above all about domestic violence, and that is exactly where enthusiasm and criticism meet. We analysed reviews and articles online and summarise what moves readers and what they criticize.

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What is it about?

After her father’s funeral, Lily Bloom moves to Boston and opens a flower shop. She falls for neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid. At the same time her first love, Atlas, reappears. Lily grew up with a violent father, and that theme catches up with her in her own relationship.

What readers value about It Ends with Us

• An honest portrayal: Many readers and critics praise how raw and honest the book is about violence in a relationship. Kirkus Reviews called it compassionate and honest in a starred review.
• Recognising instead of looking away: According to reports, readers recognised abuse in their own lives through the book. The author says she has often received such messages.
• Why people stay: A review in the student paper The Boar praises how the book shows why it is so hard to leave an abusive relationship.
• Lily as a heroine: Many readers admire her strength.
• Emotional impact: The book is hard to put down and moves many deeply.

What readers criticize

• Romanticising abuse: Critics argue that Ryle’s charm and backstory excuse his violence too much.
• Misleading marketing: According to several articles, selling the book as a romantic love triangle downplays its real subject.
• The ending: Some critics feel the abuser gets off too lightly.
• Missing warnings: Especially with this subject, many readers miss clear content notes at the start.
• Style: Some find the language too simple for such a heavy topic.

Content notes

According to the sources we analysed, the book contains domestic and emotional abuse, an attempted rape, childhood abuse and other distressing content. The end of the book points to support services for those affected.

Success

According to Wikipedia, the book had a huge second wave of success through BookTok in 2021, reached number 1 on the New York Times bestseller list and was one of the best-selling books in the US in 2022 and 2023. The film was released in 2024. A planned colouring book based on the novel was withdrawn in 2023 after heavy criticism.

What writers can learn from it

• Genre expectations are a promise. If you write about a heavy subject, prepare readers honestly through your blurb and content notes.
• Abusive characters need care. A layered antagonist is good, but the book must not seem to excuse his actions.
• A clear ending matters. With serious topics, readers pay close attention to the message the ending sends.

Conclusion

It Ends with Us is less a classic romance than an emotional novel about domestic violence. Many readers found something important in it, others feel it plays the subject down. If you want to read it, know what you are getting into.

If you are affected by violence in a relationship yourself: in the US the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available on 1-800-799-7233, in the UK the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247, and in Germany the Hilfetelefon on 116 016.

Sources

For this overview we analysed the following reviews and articles:

• Wikipedia: It Ends with Us
• Goodreads: It Ends with Us
• NZ Herald: Kritik an It Ends With Us
• The Boar: It Ends With Us, a romance novel?
• F Newsmagazine: It Ends With Us
• Foothill Dragon Press: Accurate or glamorized?

Ratings as of November 2026.

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