Sometimes it is the one who loves you who hurts you the most.
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.
After having read Verity, my friend suggested this other one by the same author, citing that it was also very good. I overall quite enjoyed this book! It may not be for everyone, but I definitely enjoyed the story and the twists that came with it. It’s kind of a romance book, but in my opinion it’s also quite the thriller. After reading this I’m not surprised at all that the author was able to write Verity.
It Ends With Us is the story of Lily, who has a rough childhood and is forced to navigate adulthood quite isolated. On her journey to success, she meets the neurosurgeon Ryle, who turns her life around in more than one way. Ryle has a “no dating” rule, which intrigues Lily. This book follows the journey of Lily as she navigates romance, business, exes, and (TW) abuse.
The characters were quite excellent in this book. Each character was memorable and had their own quirks and imperfections, and it was easy to believe that they were real and experiencing these very real problems in their lives. I didn’t love the main character to be honest, and didn’t totally relate, but that of course doesn’t defeat whether a book is good or not. The characters were great in acting as a conduit for the story, and I particularly enjoyed the way the relationships were built between the characters. I personally particularly liked the relationship between Lily and her mother and how that developed.
The pacing and suspense in this romance book were great. I found myself reading it very quickly, and always on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next. A lot of things happen, and there are many twists and turns. There are some expected paths, and other unexpected turns. I really enjoyed the mix of the two and I think that made for a great story.
The way the book handled abusive relationships and generational trauma from abuse were also well-presented. While I am not an expert on such matters, I was definitely afraid the book would openly condone the trope of loving someone and forever forgiving their abuse. I wasn’t sure how the book would deal with this, and I have to say I felt that it really dealt with it well. I don’t want to spoil the story, but I would definitely recommend giving this one a read just because I feel like it really handles a common trope well.
Overall Recommendations
It Ends with Us is a romance story that also classifies in my opinion as a type of pseudo-thriller. Lily, a child with a lonely past, navigates adulthood and work life as she faces difficulties in her present and from her past. She meets Ryle early on, who is attractive but seems to be emotionally unavailable. And what is with her ex, Atlas, who mysteriously appears from the past? The book handles abusive relationships well and honestly it was a great read. This is one that I recommend!
Down the Rabbit Hole 