Lily Bloom navigates the aftermath of her divorce from Ryle Kincaid while attempting to build a stable life for their daughter, Emerson. When she runs into her first love, Atlas Corrigan, they decide to pursue the relationship their younger selves never finished. The narrative alternates between Lily’s perspective and Atlas’s letters to his younger self, detailing his difficult past and his sibling's arrival. Lily manages Ryle’s volatile reactions to Atlas’s presence while setting firm boundaries regarding co-parenting and personal safety.
Readers who follow contemporary romance and the preceding title, It Ends with Us, read this for closure regarding Lily and Atlas. The book appeals to those interested in the logistical and emotional realities of leaving an abusive partner and establishing a healthy second chance at love. The reader walks away with a concrete depiction of how consistent communication and mutual respect look in a relationship and how individuals maintain personal growth after escaping domestic cycles.
Insights from It Starts with Us
“You’re going to pass out, Lily. Breathe.”
Atlas keeping Lily’s old letters for years feels so heavy. It shows how some people never really leave your heart. They just wait for the right timing.
“I can draw a plant, but I can’t make it grow.”
Co-parenting with an abuser like Ryle looks exhausting. Lily has to manage his temper just to keep her daughter safe. It is a constant chess game.
“It is the person who continues to show up.”
Atlas finally getting his own peace made me tear up. He spent his whole life taking care of everyone else. Seeing him choose his own happiness felt earned.
“You’re the shoreline, and I’m the ocean.”
Finding out about Atlas’s brother Josh changed everything. It forced Atlas to revisit a past he tried to bury. Family cycles are so hard to break.
- Published
- 2022
- Language
- EN
