Colleen Hoover 2-Book Collection (It Ends with Us / It Starts with Us) Review
4.8 / 5
Overall Rating
The Colleen Hoover Bestselling 2 Book Collection - It Ends with Us and It Starts with Us
Colleen Hoover became the bestselling author of the 2020s through BookTok. The It Ends with Us duology is the right entry to understanding the phenomenon.
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TL;DR
Colleen Hoover's It Ends with Us and It Starts with Us duology is the BookTok-driven literary phenomenon of the early 2020s — moving more units than any other author for several years running. Together they tell Lily Bloom's journey from a complicated relationship with Ryle to her reconnection with Atlas. It Ends with Us covers serious themes (domestic abuse, intergenerational trauma) framed in romance structure. It Starts with Us resolves the relationship arc. Whether it's good or bad, it's culturally significant; the duology is the right way to understand 2020s romance reading.
Why It Matters
Colleen Hoover dominated 2022-2024 BookTok and converted millions of casual readers into regular romance buyers. It Ends with Us specifically drew critical conversation about whether dressing serious themes (abuse, trauma) in romance structure trivializes them or makes them accessible. The film adaptation (2024) brought the duology to even broader audiences. Reading it is reading the most-discussed romance work of the decade.
Key Specs
- Author: Colleen Hoover
- Books: It Ends with Us (2016) + It Starts with Us (2022)
- Genre: contemporary romance with serious themes
- Total page count: ~700+
- Format: paperback boxed/bundle set
- Audiobook: full productions available
- Adaptation: It Ends with Us film (2024)
- Series: connected duology
Pros
- Most-discussed romance work of the decade
- Bundle pricing better than individual book purchases
- Engages serious themes (abuse, trauma) in accessible format
- Lily Bloom is well-developed protagonist
- It Starts with Us gives full arc closure that fans demanded
- Right entry to understanding BookTok-driven publishing
Cons
- Themes of domestic abuse and trauma are heavy and triggering for some
- Romance framing of abuse storyline polarizes literary critics
- Hoover's prose style is divisive — some find it functional, others find it shallow
- Page count is high for the depth delivered
- Plot beats follow predictable romance conventions despite serious themes
Who It's For
Contemporary romance readers. Anyone curious about BookTok phenomena. Readers of Taylor Jenkins Reid, Emily Henry, or Christina Lauren. Readers wanting to understand 2020s romance discourse. Skip it if you're sensitive to domestic abuse themes (content warnings apply throughout), if you primarily read literary fiction (Hoover's style is more populist), or if you've already read both books.
How to Use It
Read in publication order: It Ends with Us first, then It Starts with Us. Note: both books contain content warnings — read with awareness. The audiobook narration adds dimension to the romance storyline. After finishing, decide whether to explore Hoover's other works or move to similar romance authors.
How It Compares
Vs. Emily Henry's romance novels: Henry is more literary; Hoover is more populist. Vs. Taylor Jenkins Reid's Daisy Jones: Reid is also bestseller-tier; different style. Vs. Christina Lauren: Lauren is comparable populist romance, lighter themes. Vs. Verity (Hoover's thriller): different genre — Verity is psychological thriller, not romance.
Bottom Line
The right BookTok-phenomenon entry into Colleen Hoover's most-discussed work. Buy it as a bundle for the price savings. Skip it for trauma-sensitive readers or literary-fiction-only preferences.
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