About the Book
It Ends with Us is a contemporary romance novel by Colleen Hoover that deals with domestic abuse alongside its love story, more directly than the genre usually does. Lily has built a life on her own terms: she left a small town in Maine, graduated college, moved to Boston, and opened her own business. When she meets Ryle Kincaid, a confident and charming neurosurgeon, the relationship develops quickly. The problem is that Ryle's intensity, which initially reads as passion, starts to reveal something more troubling.
Running through the present-day storyline are excerpts from Lily's teenage journals, which document her first relationship with Atlas Corrigan, a homeless boy she sheltered in secret. When Atlas reappears in her adult life, Lily has to reckon with both her past and what her present relationship is actually becoming.
The book handles its central subject matter, the cycle of abuse in intimate relationships, without softening it into a simple villain-and-victim story. That's both its strength and the reason it's generated significant readership and discussion. It does not resolve neatly, and it's not meant to. This is not a light romance, despite the cover and the marketing that sometimes frames it that way.
Narration & Audio Performance
Olivia Song handles the dual timeline structure reasonably well. The shifts between Lily's present-day narration and the journal entries from her teenage years are distinguishable, Song adjusts her delivery to differentiate the younger Lily's voice from the adult one, which matters here since the contrast between the two timelines is part of the book's emotional architecture.
Her pacing is measured rather than dramatic, which suits the material. Hoover's prose is direct and conversational, and Song reads it straight without overselling the emotional beats. That restraint works in the heavier scenes, she doesn't underscore them with vocal theatrics, which would feel exploitative given the subject matter. Male character voices are serviceable without being particularly distinct.
If you're on the fence, the Audible sample is worth checking. Song's style is calm and consistent, which some listeners will find grounding for heavy content and others will find a little flat in the lighter romantic scenes.
The Audible Verdict
The audiobook is a solid but not exceptional version of this book. Olivia Song's narration is competent and handles the tonal shifts between romance and heavier content without missteps, but the audio format doesn't add anything the print version lacks. If you have a free credit, this is a reasonable use of it, especially for commutes or situations where you want to be read to through emotionally dense material. If you're a paid-credit decision, the print version gives you the same experience.
Listen on AudibleIs This Book a Good Fit for Audio?
It Ends with Us is a linear, single-perspective novel told in first person by Lily. That structure suits audio well, there's no jumping between narrators or complex formatting to track. The journal entry sections do require the narrator to signal a format shift, and Song manages this clearly enough that it doesn't create confusion during listening.
The subject matter, domestic abuse within a romantic relationship, is handled in prose that is direct and plainspoken rather than lyrical or technically demanding. Nothing in the writing requires you to slow down and reread a passage to parse its meaning, which means the audio format loses nothing significant in translation. This is a case where audio and print are fairly even formats for experiencing the book.
One consideration: if you're someone who processes heavy emotional content differently when read aloud versus read silently, that's worth factoring in. Some readers find audio makes this kind of material more immediate; others prefer to control the pace themselves. Neither is wrong.
Popular Listener Questions
Is It Ends with Us a romance or does it deal with heavier themes?
Both. It's structured as a romance but deals directly with domestic abuse and the psychology of staying in a harmful relationship. It's not a light read, and the ending does not follow standard romance conventions.
Is this a standalone story or part of a series?
It Ends with Us is a standalone novel. Colleen Hoover published a sequel called It Starts with Us in 2022, but this book has a complete arc and does not end on a cliffhanger.
Who narrates the audiobook?
Olivia Song narrates the audiobook. This is not an author-narrated edition.
Is the audiobook a good fit for sensitive listeners?
The book contains scenes depicting intimate partner violence. They are not gratuitous, but they are direct. If you're sensitive to that content in audio form, where pacing is less in your control, it's worth knowing before you start.
Does the story follow one narrator or multiple?
The story is told entirely from Lily's perspective, so the audiobook has a single narrator throughout. The only structural variation is the teenage journal entries, which Song distinguishes with a slightly different delivery.
Similar Audiobooks
It Starts with Us
Picks up where this book ends and follows the same characters. If you want to continue Lily's story, this is the logical next listen.
Another Colleen Hoover title with a darker tone than her lighter romances, if this book's willingness to go to difficult places appealed to you, Verity takes that further.
Ugly Love
Another Hoover novel exploring a romantic relationship with serious complications. Tonally comparable and frequently read alongside this one.
The Great Alone
Kristin Hannah's novel also explores a relationship that contains abuse within a broader love story. It's longer and more literary, but readers who appreciated how Hoover handled the subject often find this a useful companion read.
Also by Colleen Hoover, also uses a structured timeline device, and sits in the same emotional space as this book for readers working through her back catalog.
Audiobook Details
| Title | It Ends with Us |
|---|---|
| Author | Colleen Hoover |
| Narrator | Olivia Song |
| Genre | Contemporary Romance |
| Year | 2024 |
| Publisher | Simon and Schuster |
| Abridged | Unabridged |
| Cast | Single narrator |
| Author-narrated | No |
Ready to listen?
It Ends with Us is available on Audible and is a reasonable choice for a free trial credit, particularly if you want an emotionally substantial listen for a long commute or travel day.
Open on Audible