It Starts With Us by Colleen Hoover

Fiction , 2022 by Atria publishing , 320 Pages

What I Didn’t Like:

This is a sequel, a continuation of the first story (It Ends with Us). In this story I felt that the timeframe didn’t match up to the character’s actions. Ryle was a controlling abusive person in the first book. In this one he let go, yes there were points where we saw who he was. But ultimately his nature wouldn’t have gone away so quickly and allowed her to be happy.
I didn’t find myself enjoying this story as much as the first book, which is a problem with any sequel. The first book grabbed readers and sucked them in. This one missed the mark for me. It was good, but not as good and enticing as the first one.

The way she was able to accurately describe the emotions after a messy relationship and divorce. We were able to see and understand this situation from both characters’ sides.
Atlas. I love Atlas. In the last book we saw him as a protector, a piece of the past. In this one he has such depth and we get to really know him and his story. I would read a story just about him
We get to see/hear about essentially two different sides to single parenting. Lily as a single mom, Atlas and Josh, and Atlas relationship with his mother. It was such an interesting aspect because all of these were different and well described.

I think anyone would enjoy this (after reading It Ends With Us). This is a good look at a healthy relationship and moving through trauma personally and with family.