Warning: This book includes mature content such as: sexual content, and/or drug and/or alcohol use, and/or violence.
It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover Narrator: Olivia Song
Published by Simon & Schuster Audio on 2 August 2016
Length: 11 h 11 m
Format: Audiobook
Source: Audible Purchase
Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up—she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.
Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head. But Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating” rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place.
As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan—her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.
It Ends With Us is even more emotional in audio than when I read it myself. Awesome story that needed to be told!
I’m not sure how Olivia Song managed to do this, but she made me fall even deeper in love with Lily with her excellent narration of It Ends With Us. This past weekend, my oldest daughter and I drove to the South of France for a book fest, and she hadn’t read this one yet. And CoHo was one of the authors at the fest, so we decided to listen to it on the road. Everything was OK on the way there, but I missed my cue on the way back on Sunday, and it took us a little longer than planned to get home 😉
I was already emotionally invested in the characters, and Song made me even more so. It Ends With Us took on another facet when it was so well told, and the themes slightly changed in my opinion. There is still a lot going on that I’m not going to mention at all, but standing up for yourself is something I think is very important. And Lily did this, more than once, and not necessarily in a way that was blatantly obvious. There were times when I had goosebumps, and other times when I wanted to stop the car so I could really cry! CoHo is an expert at wringing my heart and making me feel very deeply. And that is just one of the things I love about her stories.
What you should take away from this review is that no matter which format you prefer, It Ends With Us is amazing! Beautifully written, strong characters that evolve, a poignant story and a LOT of heartache. Hurry up and get started on this one, I’ve heard Colleen needs more tears for her new lake 🙂
And because I love CoHo’s stories so much, I’m giving away one copy of It Ends With Us to one of my commenters here. Winner will be chosen by random.org, and can choose their favorite format! Good luck 😉
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
About Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms
Linda is an English as foreign language teacher and has a Master's degree in English Language and Literature. She's an avid reader, blogger, compulsive one-clicker and a genre omnivore. Ever since she learnt how to read she has been seen with a book or two in her hands everywhere she goes.
Twitter: kbaby81
I really want to read this book, and I may hit the order button this weekend. I’m kinda scared that I won’t like it, but then I have to give it a try. Great review!
Oh you should read this one, Lekeisha! Maybe you will end up not liking it… but you’ll never know if you don’t read it 😉
When I saw you were reviewing this again, I wondered at you reviewing so soon. But I understand. That was a brilliant idea, listening on the way to the festival. 🙂 I’m very curious about how hearing it changed certain themes in some way. I also giggled over you ‘losing your way’ on the trip home due to the book. LOL I hope you and your daughter had a grand time and I can’t wait to hear all about it!
*BIG HUGS* and love, wifey!!
Yeah, I was amazed I actually made it straight to the right place in Bandol on the way down, but back home again things were definitely sticky 😉 We had an amazing time, and I wish she’d be able to have the week off to spend time with us both in Atlanta in May… Maybe one day 😉
Miss you lots, wifey!! *BIG HUGS*
Brandee!!! Random.org picked you as a winner!! Congrats! Please let me know which format you prefer 🙂
Dang, you present a great case for me to try this author!
Oh my gosh, Leona! CoHo is one of my top favorites! You HAVE to read her 🙂
I totally agree about the audiobook. I don’t know if I would have loved this as much if I had read it Vs. listened. CoHo has been hit or miss for me, but this one totally won me over. Glad you loved it too!
I really enjoyed reading it, too, Heidi, but the audio definitely added another layer to it!
gah with every blogger than I follow and trust enjoying this I think I am going to have to bite the bullet and read it – I’m a little scared, it sounds very emotional and well.. yeah heh
uh oh, Lily! I hope you’ll enjoy it! It is very emotional, but it also has a very strong and necessary message – or possibly more than one message, even 🙂
Thanks for sharing! I really do need to read something by Hoover. I plan to sometime soon. 🙂 Glad to hear this was great as audio too.
You make me want to inundate you with CoHo books, Lauren 😀
Many times listening to a story makes it more emotional for me, but then again, I have a feeling this one would have had you tearful anyway. 😉
I’m so curious about this situation, now. Good review, Lexxie!
This one is definitely emotional, Sophia! And I love how strength is given a different meaning in some ways…
Twitter: ailynk
I do want to know why you love CoHo, maybe hopefully I will find out one day… I’ll have to carve out some time
I hope you’ll find the time, Ailyn!
That’s great that it’s even more when you listen. I’m curious, is the author’s note included with the audio?
(I already have the book so I don’t need to enter the giveaway) 🙂
Yes, the author’s note was included!!
I won this book recently and I CAN’T WAIT for it to come! But now you have me wanting to listen to the audio too. Hmmmm …. 🙂
Oh my, Nicole! I’m excited for you 🙂
That’s nice you got to listen to this one as well, even though you missed your cue on the way back and it took you longer to get home ;). It sounds like this one is good in audiobook format as well. I keep planning to give an audiobook a try, but haven’t done so yet. Not sure if I will enjoy audio format.
I’ve never read any of Colleen Hoover’s books as I’m not a romance novel fan at all, but your review along with all of the other glowingly positive comments I’ve seen for her books makes me want to give them a try.
It’s really great that the person reading the audiobook brought new things to the story for you. I find there are some books where the audio is very weak and unengaging but it’s wonderful when you find a good book with an equally good narrator.
It Ends With Us isn’t a typical romance novel, Helia. There is some romance, and there are different relationships… and love is one of the themes, but not necessarily the way it is in romance novels that have the main focus on that…
Everyone seems to love all of these books by CoHo and I haven’t read a single one before, despite me owning one or two! I need to get into these books because I’m a character driven reader and I really like the sound of the character sucking you in D: