4 Answers2026-07-24 01:14:08
I'm not a crier with books, but 'It Ends With Us' got me. 'It Starts With Us' didn't make me cry; it made me smile. That emotional sequence—tears then smiles—is perfect. I wouldn't want to smile first and then cry. The release of tension flows in one direction.
5 Answers2026-07-24 12:32:15
I'm always team publication order for any series, and this is no exception. 'It Ends With Us' (2016) then 'It Starts With Us' (2022). The gap between publications is huge, which actually mirrors the character's journey in a way. You get the intense, traumatic story, then a long pause, then the hopeful 'what comes after' story. Reading them in quick succession now is a different experience, but still effective.
6 Answers2026-07-24 01:26:22
I think the confusion might come from people seeing 'Starts' and thinking 'beginning.' But it's not the beginning of the story; it's the beginning of the next phase of the story. The real beginning is 'It Ends With Us,' where we meet Lily and learn her history. That book contains the true origin story for all the characters.
So the chronological order of events in Lily's life is also: Book 1 (past and present), then Book 2 (future).
7 Answers2026-07-24 12:02:14
It's like a two-act play. Act One is the devastating climax and resolution of a major life conflict. Act Two is the denouement and new beginning. You can't appreciate the quiet, hopeful tension of Act Two without sitting through the intense drama of Act One. They're a complete package, and the intermission between them (the time you spend thinking about the first book's ending) is part of the experience.
5 Answers2026-07-24 17:45:14
Let's be real: Colleen Hoover knows how to manipulate readers' emotions with precision. The order is her trap. She wrecks you in book one, making you desperate for any shred of happiness for Lily. Then, she offers book two as a balm. If you read the balm first, the wrecking ball doesn't have the same force. You have to play her game by her rules for the full effect.
8 Answers2026-07-24 01:23:41
Consider the reading order a journey. 'It Ends With Us' is the difficult, transformative path. 'It Starts With Us' is reaching the destination and learning to live there. You can't appreciate the destination without the journey.
4 Answers2026-07-24 06:50:30
I work at a bookstore, and we get this question daily. The official series order is 'It Ends with Us' (Book 1) and 'It Starts with Us' (Book 2). We shelve them together in that order.
Sometimes people see 'Starts' and think it's a prequel because of the wording. It's not. It's a sequel. The 'It' that starts is Lily's new life and relationship, which only begins after the 'It' (the cycle of abuse) ends in the first book.
It's a direct continuation, so please read them in order. You'll be deeply confused about character motivations otherwise.
4 Answers2026-07-24 13:58:12
I'd recommend reading 'It Ends With Us', then taking a break. Read something else. Let Lily's decision sit with you. Then, when you find yourself wondering about her and Atlas, pick up 'It Starts With Us'. That mimics the experience of the original readers who waited years. The sequel will feel more rewarding that way, like catching up with an old friend who finally got the happiness they deserved.
4 Answers2026-07-25 06:03:31
Seriously, just Google it. The top result will tell you. This isn't the 'Chronicles of Narnia' with competing reading orders.
6 Answers2026-07-24 20:47:17
What’s the correct order? The order that makes the story make sense. And that is unequivocally 'It Ends With Us' before 'It Starts With Us'. The sequel opens with a letter from Lily to Atlas that directly references the ending of the first book. It’s written as a follow-up, not as an introduction. If you haven’t read the first book, that opening letter will feel like you’re overhearing a private conversation where you only understand every third word. The entire book is that private conversation. Do yourself a favor and get the context first.