Colleen Hoover has become one of the most renowned American authors in the past decade. Hoover began releasing novels in 2012 and has published 24 books with over 20 million sold. Hoover’s name began surfacing all over with her 2016 release of “It Ends With Us” which inspired the unplanned sequel, “It Starts With Us.”

During the early stages of COVID-19, people began to fill their time with reading and TikTok established a “BookTok” thread. Hoover’s “It Ends With Us” began filling everyone’s “For You Page” whether you were a part of “BookTok” or not.

“It Ends With Us” is an incredible and authentic novel that follows Lily Bloom. Told in the past and present, the audience follows Lily struggling with accepting her past to succeed in the future. Lily has not always had it easy but it never stopped her from working hard for her goals. After growing up and leaving a small town in Maine, she graduated college, moved to Boston and began her own business. So, when she meets an assertive and arrogant neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid who makes an exception to his “no dating rule,” her life seems too good to be true. As her relationship with Ryle progresses, things in their lives become complicated as Lily’s first love, Atlas Corrigan, who is the only link to her past, reappears.

“It Ends With Us,” tells the story of Lily’s life and battles dark topics that can happen in someone’s life. The novel truly enlightens an audience on navigating seemingly impossible situations and makes you realize that sometimes it is the one who loves you that hurts you the most.

Hoover has mentioned several times when she wrote “It Ends With Us” she never imagined a sequel. However, with the overwhelming popularity “It Ends With Us” received, Hoover could not resist giving her fans what they desired.

On Feb. 22, 2022, Hoover took fans by surprise with her social media announcement regarding the sequel, “It Starts With Us” which was released on Oct. 18, 2022. Before “It Ends With Us,” it starts with Atlas. “It Starts With Us” picks up right after the epilogue in “It Ends With Us.” Told in a dual perspective that alternates between Lily and Atlas, the two try to navigate where they are at in life and how they can exist together. Through the jealousy and anger of Ryle trying to win Lily back and the anxiousness Lily experiences with Ryle’s profuse control over her life, the challenges Lily left back in Maine begin to resurface. “It Starts With Us” further develops deep and dark topics that can occur in someone’s life as Lily and Atlas try to be cordial with Ryle to create some peace amid the chaos.

“It Ends With Us” and “It Starts With Us” discuss challenging topics so be certain to look up trigger warnings before reading. Both novels can be found on Amazon, in Barnes and Noble, on Hoover’s website and in most local stores.

All of Hoover’s novels will absorb your attention and make it impossible to put them down until you have finished. Be sure to check out “It Ends With Us,” “It Starts With Us” and Hoover’s other 22 novels. You will not be disappointed.