It was only a matter of time before Hollywood came knocking on Colleen Hoover's door. The American author went viral on BookTok with a ferocity that should be studied. The culprits? Her bestselling 2016 novel It Ends With Us and the equally popular 2022 sequel It Starts With Us. Now, the hype is only set to increase with the announcement of a film adaptation – starring Blake Lively, no less.

But what is all the fuss about? Are the books really that good? Below, everything we know about It Ends With Us – the book and movie.

Is there a release date from It Ends With Us?

Initially the film was scheduled for a theatrical release on February 9, however this was pushed back due to the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. Instead, It Ends With Us will premiere on 21 June 2024 in the US. There's no word yet about an Australian release date.

What is the book It Ends With Us about?

It Ends With Us is a tricky novel to classify. Critics have been wary of describing it as a romance because of how the relationship between protagonist Lily Bloom and her boyfriend Ryle Kincaid paints a sensitive portrait of domestic abuse and coercive control.

The novel opens with Lily Bloom, a recent graduate who has just moved to Boston, and despite her turbulent upbringing has managed to succeed in opening her own florist. After a difficult day attending her estranged father's funeral, Lily meets Ryle Kincaid at a bar, a neurosurgeon who she is inexplicably drawn to. Despite falling head over heels for Ryle, he has no interest in serious relationships.

As the book progresses, we catch glimpses into Lily's past and learn of the emotional and physical abuse her father inflicted upon her mother. But just when Lily thinks she's escaped, the cycle of abuse threatens to engulf her and the knew life she's created.

What's the movie It Ends With Us about?

With Colleen Hoover onboard as an executive producer, it's fair to assume that the movie will stay true to the source material.

The official logline for the film is as follows: "Though coming from a complicated past, Lily Bloom has always known the life she wants. While living in Boston, she meets neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid and believes she may very well have found her soulmate. Soon, however, questions arise about their relationship, and to complicate matters her high school love interest, Atlas Corrigan, comes back into the picture, putting her relationship with Ryle in jeopardy."

Who has been cast in It Ends With Us?

As with any adaptation with a passionate fanbase, there has been some pushback around the casting of the film. Blake Lively was tapped to star as Lily Bloom, and the actress was also given an executive producer credit. However, some fans of the book have criticised the choice, believing Lively has aged out of the age bracket for Lily.

Meanwhile, Justin Baldoni will co-star alongside Lively as Ryle Kincaid while also doubling as the film's director. Brendan Sklenar from Emily the Criminal has signed on in the role of Atlas, joining other cast members Jenny Slate and Hasan Minhaj.

What is the sequel It Starts With Us about?

If you devoured the first novel in the series, the long-anticipated follow up It Starts With Us is necessary reading.

The book switches between the perspectives of Lily and her first love Atlas Corrigan (who was introduced in the original story). The novel opens two years on from where It Ends With Us left off. Lily's is learning how to juggle family responsibilities with her flower business, and has begun to entertain the possibility of entering a new relationship – though they're still connected by the choices of their past, Lily and Ryle's relationship has run its course. Is Atlas that person for Lily, and will timing finally work out in their favour? Open the pages to find out.

Buy a copy of It Ends With Us here

There's still time to read both novels before It Ends With Us the movie debuts. Pick up a copy of It Ends With Us and It Starts With Us here. Otherwise, explore the rest of Colleen Hoover's works here.

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