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Quick answer: If you loved It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover, try It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover, Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover, Me Before You by Jojo Moyes, The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo, Every Summer After by Carley Fortune and Sleeping with the Enemy by Nancy Price.
It Ends with Us is a romance, but it’s also a story about domestic violence and the courage to leave. Readers love its emotional honesty and its unforgettable characters, Lily and Atlas. The books below share its heartbreak, second chances and serious themes. Most are adult fiction with sexual content, and some deal with abuse or grief, so check the notes before reading.
Table of Contents
Why Readers Love It Ends with Us
It Ends with Us moved millions of readers because it tells a hard truth through a love story. Lily’s romance with Ryle feels magical at first, which makes his abuse all the more shocking, and the flashbacks to her teenage love for Atlas give the book its heart. Readers connect with Lily’s courage and her decision to break the cycle she grew up with. If you want emotional romances that also tackle real issues, the picks below will resonate.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick below shares at least one thing readers loved about It Ends with Us: its characters, its mood, its setting or the questions it raises. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious choices, and we noted the genre and who each book suits best in the table, so you can scan for the right fit before you read the blurbs.
We kept every description spoiler-free and flagged mature content where it matters, since some of these books are written for adults and others suit teens. If you’re not sure where to start, the tips near the end of this list match each pick to what you loved most.
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Genre | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| It Starts with Us | Colleen Hoover | Romance | Lily and Atlas’s story |
| Reminders of Him | Colleen Hoover | Romance | Redemption and second chances |
| Ugly Love | Colleen Hoover | Romance | Emotional heartbreak |
| Me Before You | Jojo Moyes | Romance | Tearjerkers |
| The Light We Lost | Jill Santopolo | Romance | Lifelong love |
| Every Summer After | Carley Fortune | Romance | Childhood sweethearts |
| Sleeping with the Enemy | Nancy Price | Suspense | Escaping abuse |
| Dreamland | Sarah Dessen | YA fiction | A teen-friendly pick |
| Behind Closed Doors | B. A. Paris | Thriller | Hidden abuse |
| The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo | Taylor Jenkins Reid | Historical fiction | Complicated love |
| Where the Crawdads Sing | Delia Owens | Literary fiction | Resilient heroines |
| Before We Were Strangers | Renée Carlino | Romance | Lost loves |
| November 9 | Colleen Hoover | Romance | Annual meetings |
| The Notebook | Nicholas Sparks | Romance | Classic love stories |
| Dear John | Nicholas Sparks | Romance | Bittersweet romance |
1. It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover
The sequel follows Lily and Atlas as they finally have a chance at love, while Ryle remains a threat. It’s hopeful and sweet.
2. Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover
After prison, a young mother returns to reconnect with her daughter and falls for the one person who might help her.
3. Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover
A nurse agrees to a no-strings arrangement with a pilot haunted by his past. It’s steamy and sad.
4. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
A small-town woman becomes a caregiver for a paralyzed man, and their bond changes them both.
5. The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo
Two students meet on September 11, 2001, and their love story spans years of choices and regrets.
6. Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
Like Lily and Atlas, two people who loved each other as teens reconnect years later.
7. Sleeping with the Enemy by Nancy Price
A woman fakes her death to escape her abusive husband. It’s a tense classic.
8. Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
A teenage girl falls into an abusive relationship. It’s honest and suitable for older teens.
9. Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris
A perfect-looking marriage hides a terrifying reality. It’s a darker, thriller take on control.
10. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
A Hollywood icon tells the truth about her marriages and her one great love.
11. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
A girl abandoned in the marshes of North Carolina grows into a woman caught up in a murder case.
12. Before We Were Strangers by Renée Carlino
Two former college lovers reconnect fifteen years later in New York.
13. November 9 by Colleen Hoover
Two people agree to meet on the same day every year, and secrets slowly emerge.
14. The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
A love story told across decades. It’s a classic tearjerker.
15. Dear John by Nicholas Sparks
A soldier and a college student fall in love and keep it alive through letters.
How to Pick Your Next Read After It Ends with Us
- Want more Lily and Atlas? Read It Starts with Us.
- Want more Hoover? Reminders of Him and November 9 are favorites.
- Need a good cry? Me Before You and The Light We Lost.
- Reading as a teen? Dreamland by Sarah Dessen is written for teens.
- Check content. Several of these deal with abuse.
- Take care. If the topic is personal, reach out for support.
Related: It Ends with Us book club discussion questions and what age It Ends with Us is appropriate for.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I read after It Ends with Us?
Read It Starts with Us, then try Reminders of Him, Me Before You or The Light We Lost.
Is It Starts with Us better than It Ends with Us?
Many readers find the sequel lighter and more hopeful, while It Ends with Us is more emotionally intense.
Are there books like It Ends with Us for teens?
Dreamland by Sarah Dessen deals with an abusive teen relationship in a way written for teens.