Welcome to BookTalk! This is a review column that offers two perspectives on a current book that has received a decent amount of attention. Twice a quarter, I (Madi) will sit down with someone new to discuss a popular book we’ve both read and give our opinions on it. Stay tuned!

As you sit down on a rainy evening, tea and blanket in hand, you realize you have everything you need for the perfect night in, except one thing: a good book. Though the decision is time consuming, you settle for a romance. Colleen Hoover never misses, so your expectations for “It Ends With Us” are nothing but sky high. 

Reading the back cover, it’s described as the story of Lily Bloom who just graduated college and moved to Boston. Following her move, she meets Ryle, and begins to fall for him. What really draws your attention to this book was the mention of her first love. Flashbacks to that time are shown and when Atlas, her first love, reappears, it threatens her relationship with Ryle. As an avid romance reader, this sounds like exactly the type of book you would read. 

Stefany: Since “It Ends With Us” has gotten a lot of hype on BookTok, quickly becoming a very popular book amongst people my age, I had high expectations for it. However, after finishing it, I felt that the praise was not entirely deserved. While the book started off strong with likable characters and tropes, I thought the story was kind of one-dimensional. There wasn’t really any character exploration or depth when it came to Lily outside the love triangle. I can understand its appeal as the storyline that Hoover develops through the love interests is interesting, but there are things I think could have improved the book as a whole. 

Madi:  I felt the same way when it came to the storyline. It was very compelling but lacked what was overall needed to make it a really good book.  When I sat down with it and opened to the first page, I could not wait to really get into it. I had loved other Hoover books like “November 9” and “Verity,” so why wouldn’t I like this one? At the beginning of the story, when the main characters Lily and Ryle were introduced, I was really into it because it seemed like a typical romance book.  However, once I got further and the flashback chapters began, my expectations lowered a little bit. The main character’s letters to Ellen DeGeneres as a teen that recapped her experiences with Atlas were not my favorite. They left me confused and not able to choose which love interest I thought was better for the character. 

Stefany: I agree, the letters to Ellen DeGeneres were random and cliché. There were a couple aspects of the story that I felt were questionable as well, like Lily’s gothic flower shop. I felt that if Hoover had changed those small details, they would have improved the overall flow of the book. 

Madi: The gothic flower shop threw me off at first, as well. But despite its issues, there were many things about this book that I actually enjoyed. The main character, Lily, was very interesting. She was portrayed as a hard-working, strong and creative person that made her a very compelling character to read about. The writing was also very easy to read, which I liked because I could read it quickly without having to worry about focusing on difficult words. Hoover also did a good job at getting many of her readers to be head over heels for Ryle, and then hit us with her iconic twist.

Stefany: There’s no denying that this book holds your interest. Between the plot twist and the love triangle drama, Hoover keeps the audience on their toes. The spotlight that Hoover put on abusive relationships was also very important in spreading awareness to her younger audiences. Therefore, while her writing may not be the best, I think it’s very accessible for anyone looking to get back into reading. Especially since reading has gone out of style since the rise of social media, the fact that people my age have taken such interest in  “It Ends With Us” and reading in general, means a great deal. Hoover offers a refreshing and fun approach in her writing that many will enjoy. 

Madi: I can definitely agree with you on that one. “It Ends With Us”  is the type of book that will motivate you to read so much more, but it lacks in comparison to other phenomenal novels when it comes down to it. It is a good book for those trying to get back into the world of reading, however, readers should be cautious and look up trigger warnings beforehand, especially regarding abusive relationships. After finishing it, I can definitely say that although it had a lot of issues, it is worth the read as it is quick and doesn’t fail to provide a satisfying end.