A few years back, I came across a few pages of a Colleen Hoover book. I was mortified. In my eyes, Hoover was a disappointment to the romance genre. She seemed to pick out one flaw in a couple’s relationship, and intensified it to an unrealistic extreme. Not to mention her forced dialogue and annoying characters set up a weird dynamic in her books. Ever since then, I promised myself I would never read a Colleen Hoover book. Ever. Again.

When her novel It Ends With Us was first gaining popularity, I told myself that I couldn’t read it. But when the movie came out, and a few friends extended an invite to me, I accepted. I had no idea what it was about, but I was ready to find out.

Although it pains me a little to admit it, I really liked the It Ends With Us movie. The plot was nothing like I expected, and nothing like how it was marketed I must add. It depicted the hardships of loving someone, even when it’s hurting you. It follows many different tropes, all while navigating the harsh realities of domestic violence and an unforgettable past. 

In the book, Lily warns Ryle after the first abuse if he ever does anything like that again to her, she will leave him. In the movie, Lily seems to be in denial about being assaulted. They could have switched this acknowledgement to reach more people going through the same thing, but it portrays Lily differently than in the book. Now she is highlighted as weak and cannot do things for herself.

This movie perfectly encapsulates what it’s like to wear rose colored glasses in a relationship, where nothing really looks like a red flag. It’s both emotional, and heartwarming, in a way you’d never expect.

Although I will not encourage you to pick up a Colleen Hoover novel as your next read, I can say that the It Ends With Us movie would be something I’d recommend (strictly as a watch only of course).