EVERYONE Has Read This but Me - The Catch-Up Book Club discussion

Welcome readers to the June 2022 Modern/Classic selection where we'll be reading It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover.

This discussion will be full of SPOILERS. If you are not ready, please head over here.

In the end, does Lily make the right decision? What did you want to have happened? What would you have done?

I believe Lily made the right decision. Having been in a similar situation, I left and would do the same.

I don't typically reach for Romance books, but this had a good solid story to it. I enjoyed learning the childhood details about the main character and how that played a role into her future choices. Some of the dialog between the characters made me giggle and smile.

This book in my opinion was extremely overrated. I mean the book definitely kept me hooked but the plot didn’t sit right with me. I like Lily’s letters and Atlas but everything else was terrible. The author’s note at the end helped me raise this to 2 stars instead of one, but the book itself wasn’t all that great.

I didn’t even know It Ends with Us was in our BOTM but I read it this month and I’m glad I did cus it was really good.

I think Lily did the right choice at the end and I would have tried to do the same had I been in her situation, but a part of me wants to somehow help Ryle or at least see him live the rest of his life without such outbursts.

I'm sure i'm going to get hate for this but i just have to say it....

Ryle was definitely wrong for abusing Lily, wrong in every way....but what about what he felt? felt seeing all those letters, the tattoo the magnet the phone number he obviously might have felt conscious or cheated on.. BUT DO NOT GET ME WRONG WHAT HE CHOSE TO DO ABOUT IT WAS WRONG VERY. but instead of the domestic abuse had lily and ryle chose to talk about it instead how would that have turned out? anyone ever wonder?

I really enjoyed this, but I do feel like how it’s being promoted right now is like this casual beach read. I know it’s not some high brow classic but I was definitely surprised by the abuse after seeing this book on all these lists with other summer romance books. Hoover did a good job in making Ryle likable before the abuse because at first I was sort of defending him in my head, like oh he really just elbowed her in a reaction. I think it was important for him to not be a clear-cut abusive monster. I also liked that she included the author’s note.

I was drawn into this book, but could see the abuse coming almost immediately. Sometimes it's like that - we have an instinct about someone that a friend or relative is hooking up with but the one in the relationship can't see it at all. I thought the author was compassionate in showing how easy it is to get sucked into such a relationship and I applauded Lily's decision at the end.

The last half of the book had me sobbing every day, which meant I only read a couple of chapters a day. I absolutely loved it and it's one of my favourites now. I think it shows really well how much layers abuse can have and why it isn't always as easy to leave. Even though I knew what was coming, I still fell in love with Ryle and my heart broke when he did what he did and I'm not sure I would have been as strong as Lily

I think Lily did the right thing, for all the reasons mentioned above. It wasn’t easy but she had the strength to do it.

I just wish we had an epilogue where Ryke actually gets the help he really needs.Therapy, whatever it is. He wasn't that bad, he was just a broken little boy. (Please note that I am in no way suggesting that this justifies his behaviour.) And I believe he deserves to be happy, too.

Xvni_May wrote: "I'm sure i'm going to get hate for this but i just have to say it....

Ryle was definitely wrong for abusing Lily, wrong in every way....but what about what he felt? felt seeing all those letters, ..."

I 100% agree

Xvni_May wrote: "I'm sure i'm going to get hate for this but i just have to say it....

Ryle was definitely wrong for abusing Lily, wrong in every way....but what about what he felt? felt seeing all those letters, ..."

I think the reason this talk was not part of the book is because it was made clear the abuse was a completely different side to his rational character. You can agree that the reaction was irrational and disproportionate after the fact, but still react in the moment. So I feel that even if they talked it out it would have the same effect as his promising he would never react that way again.

Woo!! My book just came in :) excited to start reading!! Then and only then will I read these comments lol :)

Xvni_May wrote: "I'm sure i'm going to get hate for this but i just have to say it....

Ryle was definitely wrong for abusing Lily, wrong in every way....but what about what he felt? felt seeing all those letters, ..."

Well the things done in rage was the main issue so we cannot thing how things would have been if not for that.

Even if we consider that he felt cheated, As Lily said he had not right to hit her or do those things to her even if she was actually cheating on him and that is exactly what I thought of his behavior when he was giving explanation for it.

And I think the decision was best for Ryle too, if ever he would have hurt Lily so bad in his rage again that she would have died he couldn't have forgiven himself. She couldn't have given him a chance when she could have almost died cause of his rage and if she would have tolerated it and later it would have happened with or in front of her daughter it would have hurt Lily her daughter and Ryle himself too

To be honest I didn't understand the relation between his childhood tragedy and his outbursts of anger

This book made me wonder about this question: is there someone out there for everybody? or should some people really just not be in a relationship? You know how Ryle started out saying he could only handle one-night stands? And at the end, you're like... yup, maybe so.

I love the idea of being a cycle breaker. We've all been through things that we can spare the next generation from experiencing. I agree - let it end with us! It takes so much work to swallow that bitterness down and not pass it on.

Kyra wrote: "I really enjoyed this, but I do feel like how it’s being promoted right now is like this casual beach read. I know it’s not some high brow classic but I was definitely surprised by the abuse after ..."

Yes! At first I was defending Ryle, giving him the benefit of doubt and hoping it was a mistake. Then I realised the Author intentionally gave room for that doubt so the audience parallels Lily's emotions of confusion. And so we understand her decision to give him a second chance. This is also a wake up call on how easy it is to defend/justify assault especially from someone you love.

Ann wrote: "I think Lily did the right thing, for all the reasons mentioned above. It wasn’t easy but she had the strength to do it.

I just wish we had an epilogue where Ryke actually gets the help he really ..."

I would have loved some type of resolution for Ryle's character too. However I don't feel much sympathy for him. If anything, he got away with a lot of the things he did. Yes, what happened to him as a child was horrific. But since growing up, he had the resources and money to get help and didn't. Instead he got into a relationship fully aware of the dangers he was putting his partner in.
I also have a feeling Lily wasn't the first person to be on the receiving end of his anger.

I am really sorry to do this but... I couldn't get past the first chapter I found the voice in the writing so dull. I am so glad to read everyone's comments so I can learn more about what you got from the book and it seems like a really important topic to address.

I feel lily made the decision that was right for her. i do not want to edit the story, it was just beautiful the way it was.

Camilla wrote: "Ann wrote: "I think Lily did the right thing, for all the reasons mentioned above. It wasn’t easy but she had the strength to do it.

I just wish we had an epilogue where Ryke actually gets the hel..."

I agree, Ryle was sorted in haste.