It Starts with Us is a romance novel by Colleen Hoover, published by Atria Books on October 18, 2022. It is the sequel to her 2016 best-selling novel It Ends with Us. The sequel was first announced in February 2022. It became Simon & Schuster's most pre-ordered book of all time. Hoover wrote the novel as a "thank you" to fans of the first novel. Premise. The novel continues from where It Ends with Us ends and centers on the relationship between Lily and Atlas. The novel alternates chapters between the first-person narration of Lily and Atlas. Reception. In its starred review, Publishers Weekly called it a "stunning sequel" that showcases "the author's talent for creating nuanced and empathetic characters..." Kirkus Reviews wrote, "Through palpable tension balanced with glimmers of hope, Hoover beautifully captures the heartbreak and joy of starting over." Marianka Swain of The Daily Telegraph gave the novel 2 out of 5 stars, comparing Hoover's writing quality as "closer to Fifty Shades of Grey, a strange mix of twee and graphic, plus the added irritant of solemn therapy-speak pronouncements." Swain also lamented, "She, Hoover, favors blunt dialogue and inner monologues over description, subtext or character development." Alice Giddings of Metro wrote, "While it doesn't have the grit or the emotional pain and catharsis of the first book, Colleen's latest work is exactly what it needs to be, which is the light at the end of the tunnel." It Starts With Us was named W H Smith's Book of the Year for 2022. It Ends with Us is a romance novel by Colleen Hoover, published by Atria Books on August 2, 2016. It is based on the relationship between Hoover's mother and father. Hoover described it in 2016 as "the hardest book I've ever written." As of 2019, the novel had sold over a million copies worldwide and been translated into over twenty languages. A sequel titled It Starts with Us was published in October 2022. Synopsis It Ends with Us focuses on Lily Bloom, a young college graduate who moves to Boston and opens her own floral business. She develops feelings for surgeon Ryle Kincaid, who is initially reluctant towards having a serious relationship with her. As their relationship blossoms, Lily has a sudden encounter with her first love, Atlas Corrigan. This reintroduction of Atlas threatens her relationship with Ryle, and forces her to come to terms with the trauma of her past and present. Lily is forced to make a difficult decision when she is faced with an assault and finds out she is already pregnant with Ryle's child. Atlas initially helps her but both decide they cannot be around each other casually. Ultimately, Lily decides to leave Ryle for the sake of her newborn baby. She finds it in her heart to co-parent with him. At the novel's conclusion, Lily runs into Atlas and they restart their relationship. Reception In a starred review, Kirkus Reviews wrote, "The relationships are portrayed with compassion and honesty" and concluded that the novel "powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of the survivors." Romantic Times wrote, "It Ends with Us is a perfect example of the author's writing chops and her ability to weave together uplifting, romantic and somber plotlines. No matter your level of fandom, readers will love and respect protagonist Lily and learn something from her struggles." The novel won the 2016 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance. In 2021, the novel–and Hoover's works overall–experienced a surge in popularity due to attention from the #BookTok community on TikTok. In January 2022, It Ends with Us debuted at #1 on The New York Times best sellers list. It was #1 on the Publishers Weekly adult list and #1 overall in the first six months of 2022, selling a total of 925,221 units.