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It Starts with Us

It Starts with Us is a 2022 romance novel by Colleen Hoover and the sequel to It Ends with Us.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

It Starts with Us is a 2022 romance novel by Colleen Hoover and the sequel to It Ends with Us. Published by Atria Books, it continues the story of Lily and Atlas and alternates between their first-person perspectives. The book was released on October 18, 2022, and became Simon & Schuster's most pre-ordered book of all time.

Background

The novel was announced in February 2022 as a sequel to It Ends with Us. According to available sources, Hoover wrote it partly as a response to reader demand for more of Lily and Atlas's story.

Plot

The book begins after the events of It Ends with Us and follows Lily and Atlas as they reconnect and navigate their lives after Lily's divorce from Ryle. The narrative is told in alternating chapters from both characters' perspectives.

Publication

It Starts with Us was published by Atria Books on October 18, 2022. Sources list the original English edition as a 336-page paperback with ISBN 978-1-66800-122-6.

Reception and sales

The novel received major commercial attention before release and became Simon & Schuster's most pre-ordered book. Its popularity was tied to the success of It Ends with Us and the existing fan base for Hoover's work.

Key facts

  • It Starts with Us is a sequel to Colleen Hoover's 2016 novel It Ends with Us.
  • The story continues the relationship between Lily and Atlas after the ending of the first book.
  • The novel alternates chapters between Lily's and Atlas's first-person narration.
  • It was announced in February 2022 and later became Simon & Schuster's most pre-ordered book of all time.
  • Hoover described writing the novel as a thank-you to fans of the first book.
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Canadian context

Colleen Hoover's books, including It Starts with Us, have been widely sold and discussed in the Canadian book market, though the available sources here do not provide Canada-specific publication or sales data.

Frequently asked questions

What is It Starts with Us about?
It continues Lily and Atlas's story after the events of It Ends with Us, focusing on their reconnection and relationship.
Is It Starts with Us a sequel?
Yes. It is the sequel to Colleen Hoover's It Ends with Us.
Who wrote It Starts with Us?
It was written by Colleen Hoover.
When was It Starts with Us published?
It was published on October 18, 2022.
What genre is It Starts with Us?
It is a romance novel.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_Starts_with_Us
    Supports: Author, genre, publisher, publication date, pages, ISBN, sequel status, alternating narrators, announcement timing, commercial pre-order record, and Hoover's comment about writing it for fans.
  2. Google Books — https://books.google.com/books/about/It_Starts_with_Us.html?id=eIjXzwEACAAJ
    Supports: Synopsis, sequel positioning, Lily and Atlas as central characters, alternating perspectives, and publication metadata.
  3. SparkNotes — https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/it-starts-with-us/summary/
    Supports: Plot summary beginning where It Ends with Us left off and the alternating viewpoints of Lily and Atlas.