Phil Treagus-EvansFor those who’ve fallen head over heels for the literary magic of Colleen Hoover’s words, you’ll understand the need for this article of the best books like It Ends With Us. Hoover, with her remarkable talent for weaving intense emotions into unforgettable narratives, has been mesmerizing readers around the globe and turning them into devoted followers. Her bestseller, “It Ends With Us,” stands as a testament to her insightful writing style that skillfully blends romance, reality, and gut-wrenching life choices, leaving readers at the edge of their seats, anxiously flipping page after page.
But what happens after the final page of “It Ends With Us” is turned? Are you left yearning for more, trying to fill the void that Hoover’s masterful storytelling has left? Fear not, fellow bibliophiles! We’ve curated a list of compelling reads that echo the essence of Hoover’s riveting romance and profound life lessons. So buckle up, because this literary journey promises to whisk you away into realms of heart-throbbing romance, complex relationships, and tales that strike a deep chord, just as “It Ends With Us” did. Ready to dive in? Let’s get started!
Here are the best books like It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover…
Love and Other Words
“Love and Other Words” by Christina Lauren is a poignant exploration of love lost and found, tied together by the enduring power of words. The story revolves around Macy Sorensen, a determined pediatric resident, whose life, meticulously encased in emotional safety, starts to crumble when she stumbles upon Elliot Petropoulos, her first and only love.
The narrative flows smoothly between ‘Then’ and ‘Now’, painting an evocative picture of young love blossoming amid a shared love of books and quiet summer companionship in a San Francisco house. Fast forward to adulthood, Elliot and Macy have become strangers. Yet, their unexpected reunion brings old memories to the surface, igniting the spark of a love that was never entirely extinguished.
Why is it perfect for “It Ends With Us” fans? Like Colleen Hoover’s masterpiece, this novel explores complex themes of love, pain, and healing. The characters are beautifully flawed and relatable, and the narrative resonates with the same powerful emotional beats that Hoover’s fans are accustomed to. “Love and Other Words” reminds us, much like “It Ends With Us”, that sometimes love is messy and complicated, but it’s our willingness to confront the past and foster forgiveness that paves the way for a potentially beautiful future. Lauren’s novel will surely captivate you, leaving you with a lingering sense of hope and an enriched understanding of love in all its forms.
Wish You Were Here
“Wish You Were Here” by Renée Carlino is an enchanting tale of chance encounters, love’s uncertainty, and the transformative power of heartache. We meet Charlotte, a twenty-something yearning for purpose in a life populated by aimless jobs and unfulfilling relationships. A chance collision with Adam, a charismatic painter, stirs a whirlwind romance that ends as suddenly as it began, leaving Charlotte confounded and captivated.
Fast forward a few months, Charlotte finds herself in the early stages of a promising relationship with Seth, a charming baseball player. Yet, she struggles to extricate herself from the memory of that magical night with Adam. Upon discovery of an unexpected twist in Adam’s story, she embarks on a journey that is both physically vast and emotionally profound.
For fans of “It Ends With Us,” Carlino’s novel resonates with familiar themes. Just like Lily in Hoover’s novel, Charlotte grapples with complex emotions and choices that are far from black and white. As Charlotte explores love’s potential to both hurt and heal, readers will find themselves rooting for her, much like they did for Lily. Carlino’s skillful writing taps into the intricate dance of love and loss, making “Wish You Were Here” a novel that promises to touch the hearts of those who appreciated the emotional depth and character development in “It Ends With Us.”
In Five Years
Let’s dive into the captivating world of Rebecca Serle’s “In Five Years,” a mesmerizing tale of love, fate, and the unexpected turns that life often takes. This New York Times Bestseller elegantly weaves the story of Dannie Kohan, a meticulously planned life enthusiast and an ambitious lawyer who seemingly has everything figured out. Yet, a bizarre vision of her life five years ahead throws her ordered existence into disarray.
After an extraordinary day that includes nailing a crucial job interview and accepting her boyfriend’s marriage proposal, Dannie falls asleep only to wake up in an unfamiliar setting. She finds herself with a different man and an unfamiliar ring on her finger, all set precisely five years in the future. Although she only spends an hour in this bewildering future before snapping back to her present reality, the experience profoundly rattles her.
For those who relished the emotional intensity and the unconventional love story in “It Ends With Us,” Serle’s novel is a thrilling exploration of destiny and love’s unpredictable nature. Much like how Lily must navigate unexpected turns in her life, Dannie’s character will resonate with Hoover’s fans as she grapples with her bewildering vision and the impact it has on her meticulously planned life. The unexpected twists and turns in “In Five Years” are sure to captivate and move readers just as Colleen Hoover’s work does.
Things We Never Got Over
Take a step into the world of Lucy Score’s “Things We Never Got Over,” a thrilling rollercoaster of an unanticipated love story marked by engaging wit, suspense, and heartwarming redemption. This is a tale of Knox, a solitude-loving, bearded barber with a distaste for drama, and Naomi, a runaway bride who lands up in a quirky, rustic town Knockemout, Virginia, en route to rescue her estranged twin.
Naomi’s life is in shambles as she finds herself in a small town, deceived by her identical twin sister and left to care for an eleven-year-old niece she never knew she had. Enter Knox, whose mantra of a drama-free life goes awry as he reluctantly decides to help Naomi out of her quagmire. Initially planning to aid her just enough to get back to his peaceful life, things take a turn when real danger emerges.
Fans of Colleen Hoover’s “It Ends With Us” will find themselves drawn to this delightful book. Much like Lily’s complex relationship with Ryle in Hoover’s novel, Knox and Naomi’s journey is fraught with complications and emotional tangles. Their relationship shares a similar complexity and evolution, navigating through chaotic situations to uncover deeper emotions. Readers who reveled in the emotional depth and character development of “It Ends With Us” will likely find themselves equally invested in Knox and Naomi’s unanticipated love story.
Queenie
“Queenie” by Candice Carty-Williams is a brilliantly crafted novel that encapsulates the complexities of modern womanhood, identity, and the pursuit of self-worth amidst societal pressures. An entertaining yet thought-provoking read, this book tells the story of Queenie Jenkins, a twenty-five-year-old Jamaican British woman straddling two cultures while fitting perfectly into neither.
In the buzzing city of London, Queenie grapples with her identity, professionally and personally, as she navigates her way through a world that continuously measures her against her white, middle-class counterparts. Following a painful breakup, she spirals into a series of misguided relationships, each more destructive than the last, causing her to question her choices and her self-worth.
Much like Colleen Hoover’s “It Ends With Us,” “Queenie” is a rich exploration of a woman’s journey towards self-discovery and self-love amidst her complex relationships. While Hoover’s novel captures the nuance of a troubled romantic relationship and the struggle for self-worth, Carty-Williams’ novel provides a broader scope, examining cultural identity, race, mental health, and friendship in addition to romantic relationships.
Just like Lily in “It Ends With Us,” Queenie is a character that readers can connect with as she grapples with personal challenges and societal norms, making questionable decisions along her journey. This similarity in character complexity and development makes “Queenie” an ideal recommendation for fans of Colleen Hoover, particularly those who appreciate narratives that tackle serious themes with wit, honesty, and poignancy.
One True Loves
Get ready for a heart-stopping ride with “One True Loves” by Taylor Jenkins Reid. The author of “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” masterfully spins a tale that explores the breadth and depth of love, much like Colleen Hoover does in “It Ends With Us”.
What happens when your past love, thought to be lost forever, resurfaces just as you’ve allowed yourself to love again? That’s the question Emma Blair has to answer. Initially, Emma had it all, a life of exploration and thrill with her husband, Jesse. But an unexpected twist of fate leaves her a widow on her first wedding anniversary.
As life goes on, Emma finds love again with an old friend, Sam, and dares to imagine a future filled with happiness. But fate has other plans when Jesse is found alive, making her world tremble once again.
Fans of “It Ends With Us” will find familiar threads in Emma’s story. A love triangle, heart-rending decisions, and the complexity of emotions echo the essence of Colleen Hoover’s bestseller. As Emma must decide between her past and her present, the readers are taken on an emotional journey. If you’ve loved the way Hoover dissected relationships and took a deep dive into the human heart, then Reid’s “One True Loves” is an essential addition to your reading list. Reid’s knack for beautifully capturing life’s complexities parallels Hoover’s, making this novel a compelling choice for fans seeking similar reads.
The People We Keep
Allison Larkin’s “The People We Keep” is an emotional journey that traces the ups and downs of April Sawicki’s life, beginning in a small town in New York and unfolding across locations and life stages. Larkin’s storytelling prowess comes to life as she intricately weaves a tale of resilience, belonging, and the power of creative expression.
Raised in a motorless motorhome won by her father in a poker game, April’s life hasn’t exactly been a fairy tale. After a fallout with her father, she takes the brave leap of leaving her hometown in search of a life she can call her own, a journey that parallels Lily’s escape from her past in “It Ends With Us”.
Her story unfolds in the charming town of Ithaca, where she finds not only work but also a sense of community at the local coffee shop, Cafe Decadence. Yet, she is haunted by a fear of hurting the new family she finds just as she has been hurt in the past, reflecting the emotional turmoil that Hoover’s characters often grapple with.
As April navigates life, she channels her experiences into songs, using music as a cathartic medium. The use of art as a means of expression and healing echoes the compelling diary entries that Lily writes in “It Ends With Us”.
“The People We Keep” explores themes of resilience, finding oneself, and overcoming the shadows of the past – elements that make it a perfect companion read for fans of “It Ends With Us”. Its empathetic narrative and multifaceted character development capture the essence of the human spirit just as beautifully as Hoover’s does, offering a profoundly moving reading experience.
The Stationery Shop
Marjan Kamali’s “The Stationery Shop” is a moving tale of love, loss, and redemption set against the tumultuous backdrop of 1953 Tehran. The narrative seamlessly blends historical and emotional elements, providing a resonant reading experience that will appeal to fans of Colleen Hoover’s emotionally charged storytelling.
The story revolves around Roya, an idealistic young woman who finds solace and inspiration in a local stationery shop, which becomes the setting for her burgeoning romance with the passionate and justice-seeking Bahman. The tender moments they share in the shop, their shared love for Rumi’s poetry, and their dreams for a future together echo the touching relationship between Lily and Ryle in “It Ends With Us”.
However, their romance is dramatically interrupted by the political upheaval that engulfs their nation. The ensuing chaos and Bahman’s mysterious disappearance echo the unexpected trials that Hoover’s characters often face, driving home the reality that life and love are rarely straightforward.
Roya’s journey takes her from Tehran to California and then to New England, an odyssey that might remind readers of Lily’s movement from Boston to Maine in “It Ends With Us”. Along the way, Roya carries the torch of her love for Bahman, despite the distance and decades apart.
The narrative comes full circle when fate offers Roya a chance to confront Bahman about his unexplained disappearance, a moment of reckoning that shares thematic resonance with Hoover’s novel. “The Stationery Shop” is a beautiful exploration of love and resilience, making it an excellent companion to “It Ends With Us”.
Open Water
Caleb Azumah Nelson’s debut novel, “Open Water”, offers an emotionally profound exploration of love, identity, and vulnerability that will resonate with fans of Colleen Hoover’s thought-provoking narratives. Winner of the Costa First Novel Award and British Book Award for Debut Fiction, this compelling novel celebrates and interrogates the experiences of two young Black artists navigating their way in a world that often fails to fully acknowledge them.
In a scenario that echoes the unexpected meeting of Lily and Ryle in “It Ends With Us”, two young artists — a photographer and a dancer — encounter each other in a London pub. Like Lily and Ryle, they both belong to privileged educational backgrounds but struggle with fitting in. Their stories converge into a tender love affair that reflects the poignant and passionate relationship at the heart of Hoover’s novel.
Much like Hoover’s treatment of the complex issues surrounding domestic abuse, Nelson’s narrative delves deep into the intersections of race and masculinity. The novel asks critical questions about what it means to exist as a Black body in a world that frequently reduces them to stereotypes, paralleling the challenging dynamics Hoover explores in her own work.
However, “Open Water” goes beyond just presenting these issues, offering a potent insight into the safety found in love and the painful loss that comes when that sanctuary is shattered. This exploration of love’s comforting beauty and the feverish waves of pain it can sometimes bring mirrors the highs and lows of Lily’s love life in “It Ends With Us”.
Nelson’s ability to write with blistering emotional intelligence and soulful intensity offers a reading experience that will echo Hoover’s readers’ encounters with her works. If you’re a fan of narratives that treat love and social issues with the depth and nuance they deserve, then “Open Water” should definitely be on your reading list.
The Way I Used To Be
Amber Smith’s debut novel “The Way I Used to Be” is a potent narrative that grapples with intense trauma, unfolding in a journey of resilience, strength, and hope. If you’ve been captivated by the emotional depth and intimate storytelling of Colleen Hoover’s “It Ends With Us,” Smith’s novel could prove to be an equally enthralling experience.
In “The Way I Used to Be,” we accompany Eden through her high school years — much like we journey with Lily through her tumultuous relationship in Hoover’s novel. Eden, always adept at being good, encounters an unimaginable horror committed by her brother’s best friend. This event creates a whirlwind of emotions, turning her world upside down and altering her reality, reminiscent of how Lily’s world is thrown into chaos by Ryle’s actions.
Her once straightforward life turns complex, mirroring the dramatic shifts in “It Ends With Us”. As Eden navigates her new reality, relationships she once held dear are reshaped, and truths she once held are now questioned, reflecting the relational and personal transformations that occur in Hoover’s narrative.
The storytelling, broken down into four parts – each representing a year of Eden’s high school journey – echoes the time transitions in “It Ends With Us” and adds a layer of familiarity for Hoover’s readers. Moreover, the novel not only deals with the raw and deep cuts of trauma but also presents an inspiring journey of a young woman discovering her hidden strength, which parallels Lily’s evolution in “It Ends With Us.”
“The Way I Used to Be” is thus a resonant exploration of pain, strength, resilience, and personal transformation, evoking the profound emotions and intricate character dynamics characteristic of Colleen Hoover’s work. It’s a tale that promises to engage and move fans of “It Ends With Us” with its searing honesty and hope-infused narrative.
What is ‘It Ends With Us’ by Colleen Hoover about?
“It Ends With Us” by Colleen Hoover is an emotionally charged story that delves deep into the complexities of love, commitment, and the difficult choices one must make in the face of adversity. The protagonist, Lily, has journeyed far from her small-town roots, determined to shape her own destiny. She’s a graduate, an entrepreneur in Boston, and seems to have everything aligning in her favor, especially when she crosses paths with Ryle Kincaid, an attractive neurosurgeon who captures her heart.
However, as their relationship unfolds, Ryle’s aversion to commitment and his tormented past raise disconcerting questions for Lily. Her fears intensify when her first love, Atlas Corrigan, resurfaces, throwing her newfound happiness with Ryle into jeopardy. Through her interactions with Ryle and Atlas, Lily embarks on a journey of self-discovery and hard choices, forced to reconcile her past with her present. This poignant narrative oscillates between hope and despair, love and loss, strength and vulnerability, painting a deeply moving portrait of a woman’s struggle in a relationship marred by trauma.
Why is “It Ends With Us” so popular?
“It Ends With Us” has gained massive popularity due to its raw, honest, and poignant depiction of love and trauma. Colleen Hoover’s gift for creating intricate, believable characters with authentic emotions and struggles resonates deeply with readers. In Lily, audiences find a character who is not only relatable but also incredibly inspiring, as she navigates through her tumultuous relationship with Ryle.
The novel’s realistic portrayal of the complexities involved in an emotionally abusive relationship provides a perspective that’s both enlightening and thought-provoking. It prompts readers to confront difficult questions about love, commitment, and personal boundaries, ultimately fostering a greater understanding of such relationships.
Furthermore, Hoover’s captivating writing style, her ability to build tension, and her talent for conveying deep emotions contribute to the book’s appeal. “It Ends With Us” also resonates due to its overarching message of strength and resilience in the face of adversity. The way the story unflinchingly addresses heavy themes while still providing hope and demonstrating the power of self-love and self-respect has struck a chord with a wide audience, contributing to its enduring popularity.