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.
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.
3 Answers2025-06-26 01:59:06
I just finished reading 'It Starts With Us' and can confirm it's absolutely a sequel to Colleen Hoover's 'It Ends With Us'. This book picks up right where the first left off, diving deeper into Lily and Atlas's relationship. While the first novel focused on Lily's struggles with Ryle, this one shifts to her healing journey and rekindled romance with Atlas. The emotional depth carries over, but the tone feels more hopeful. Some references might confuse new readers, so I'd recommend reading 'It Ends With Us' first to fully appreciate the character development and subtle callbacks woven throughout the narrative.
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.
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.
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.
7 Answers2026-07-24 03:17:43
Honestly, just the thought of reading them backwards gives me a headache. The narrative whiplash would be immense. One book ends with a difficult, bittersweet decision. The next starts with the peaceful aftermath. Going from peace back to turmoil would feel jarring and unsatisfying.
2 Answers2026-07-24 19:02:12
I'm gonna be the contrarian here and say it's more of a companion novel than a strict sequel. Sure, it comes after, but its focus is so different. The first book is Lily's journey through an abusive relationship. The second is a romance with a side of co-parenting drama. It feels like it exists in the same universe and continues threads, but it's targeting a different reader emotion—hope instead of anguish.
That said, it's not a prequel. A prequel would explore the early days of Lily's parents or Ryle's background. This doesn't do that. It just continues forward on a parallel, less intense track. So maybe it's a 'soft sequel' or a 'follow-up,' but chronologically, it's post-‘It Ends With Us.’