Book · in order
It Ends with Us Books in Order
Colleen Hoover's two-book duology following Lily Bloom and Atlas Corrigan. Read It Ends with Us (2016) first, then the sequel It Starts with Us (2022).
It Ends with Us Books in Order โ complete list
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Why this order?
It Ends with Us is a short series to navigate: there are only two books, and the order is the obvious one. Start with It Ends with Us (2016), the novel that made Colleen Hoover a household name, and follow it with the direct sequel It Starts with Us (2022). Read them in that order, because the sequel picks up almost exactly where the first book ends and assumes you already know what Lily Bloom has lived through.
The first book tells Lily's story largely from her point of view, weaving in her teenage relationship with Atlas Corrigan through old journal entries while she navigates a difficult marriage to Ryle Kincaid. It Starts with Us, written after a wave of reader demand, returns to the same characters but splits the narration between Lily and Atlas, finally giving him a voice. That POV shift is the main thing to know: the sequel is less a continuation of plot than an answer to the question of what comes next for the two of them.
The one genuine "gotcha" is that nothing else by Hoover belongs here. Verity, Ugly Love, November 9, and Reminders of Him are all standalone novels with no connection to Lily or Atlas, so do not try to slot them into this reading list. The duology is self-contained.
If you enjoy this kind of emotionally heavy, BookTok-driven contemporary romance, Hoover's standalones are the natural next step, and authors like Taylor Jenkins Reid, Ali Hazelwood, and Emily Henry occupy nearby shelves. But for It Ends with Us specifically, two books in publication order is the entire journey.
Timeline 2016โ2022
Every entry plotted by release year โ see the gaps, clusters and revivals at a glance.
Where to play it today
Affiliate links (Bookshop.org for books, store links for games/films) slot in here.
Frequently asked questions
How many It Ends with Us books are there?
Two. It Ends with Us (2016) and its sequel It Starts with Us (2022). Together they form a complete duology, and there are no other books in the series.
What order should I read It Ends with Us in?
Read It Ends with Us (2016) first, then It Starts with Us (2022). The sequel picks up right where the first book leaves off, so reading them in publication order is essential.
Do I need to read It Starts with Us?
It Ends with Us works as a complete, satisfying standalone. It Starts with Us is an optional sequel that continues Lily and Atlas's story and adds Atlas's point of view.
Is Verity part of the It Ends with Us series?
No. Verity, like Ugly Love, November 9, and Reminders of Him, is a separate standalone by Colleen Hoover and has no connection to Lily Bloom or Atlas.
Is there a movie of It Ends with Us?
Yes. A film adaptation of It Ends with Us was released in 2024, starring Blake Lively as Lily Bloom. It adapts the first book of the duology.
Will there be a third book?
As of early 2026 no third book has been announced. Colleen Hoover has described the story as a duology, and It Starts with Us provides a closing chapter for the characters.
Last updated · Sources: en.wikipedia.org, Wikidata
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