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It Ends with Us Reading Order.

Expert Guideby Colleen Hoover
2 Entries
Ongoing
Quick Answer

Start It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover with "It Ends with Us", then follow the publication sequence. This order preserves the intended narrative twists and world-building progression.

The complete reading order for the It Ends with Us series by Colleen Hoover. Below you'll find the authoritative guide on how to read the books in order, including publication dates and chronological timeline placements.

Official Verdict

Short Answer:
Start with "It Ends with Us"

To experience the narrative as intended, read the main sequence in Publication Order.Ignore novellas and side stories until you finish the first 3 core novels. This resolves all timeline confusion and preserves every major twist.

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Community Consensus

High Debate

"The provided comments do not discuss the book 'It Ends with Us' or its reading order. The thread appears to be a conflation of two separate discussions from r/fantasy: 1) A highly contentious meta-discussion regarding systemic downvoting, homophobia, and lack of safety for queer recommendations on the subreddit, and 2) A detailed critical analysis of Brandon Sanderson's writing style, prose quality, pace of change in his world-building (especially in The Stormlight Archive), and lack of editorial rigor due to his popularity."

Key Reddit Advice

No reading order advice is provided for 'It Ends with Us.' The only explicit reading recommendation is to start with 'Ashes of the Sun' by Django Wexler (first book of the Burningblade and Silvereye Trilogy).

Why This Order Is Confusing

Many reading lists for It Ends with Us conflict because early publishers often labeled short story collections as standalone novels, or rearranged internal chronologies for marketing. This guide follows original author intent and narrative continuity to settle the debate for good.

Can I skip the short stories?

Technically yes, but we strongly advise against it for It Ends with Us. The shorter volumes often establish the core character motivations and world-building that the main saga assumes you already know.

I watched the show/movie first — where should I start?

Ignore the screen adaptations' timeline. Start with "It Ends with Us" to see the original depth of the world. The books offer a significantly different (and usually more complete) experience than the on-screen versions.

Why do people disagree on the order?

Disagreement usually stems from the conflict between purely chronological order and publication order. Most long-term fans recommend publication order to preserve the emotional arc and mystery reveals.

Curator's Strategy

Recommended Reading Order Strategy

The authoritative way to read the "It Ends with Us" series is in Publication Order. Start with the first published book. It's the way the author intended the world to be revealed.This ensures you experience character reveals and plot twists exactly as the author intended.

Start with "It Ends with Us"Explore all by Colleen Hoover

Complete Series Reading Order

Publication Order

Preserves character reveals and plot twists exactly as the author intended. Compare →

Chronological Order

May spoil surprises but improves timeline clarity for fans. Compare →

Publication Reading Order2 Titles

Why Publication Order?We recommend reading in Publication Order (default). This follows the author's release schedule, ensuring you experience plot twists, character growth, and world-building exactly as intended without spoilers.
Best Start Here
1

It Ends with Us

Pub: 2016

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Regretting You, It Starts with Us, and All Your Perfects, a “brave and heartbreaking novel that digs its claws into you and doesn’t let go, long after you’ve finished it” (Anna Todd, New York Times bestselling author) about a young woman in a new relationship who can’t stop thinking about her first love. Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town where she grew up—she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. And when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life seems too good to be true. Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head. But Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating” rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place. As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan—her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened. An honest, evocative, and tender novel, It Ends with Us is “a glorious and touching read, a forever keeper. The kind of book that gets handed down” (USA TODAY).

2

It Starts with Us

Pub: 2022★ 3.84

Plot details hidden until you finish "It Ends with Us".

From the author of Regretting You, this riveting sequel to the “glorious and touching” (USA TODAY) #1 New York Times bestseller picks up where It Ends with Us concluded and shares what happens next for Lily and Atlas.Lily and her ex-husband, Ryle, have just settled into a civil coparenting rhythm when she suddenly bumps into her first love, Atlas, again. After nearly two years separated, she is elated that for once, time is on their side, and she immediately says yes when Atlas asks her on a date. But her excitement is quickly hampered by the knowledge that, though they are no longer married, Ryle is still very much a part of her life—and Atlas Corrigan is the one man he will hate being in his ex-wife and daughter’s life. Switching between the perspectives of Lily and Atlas, It Starts with Us picks up right where the epilogue for the “gripping, pulse-pounding” (Sarah Pekkanen, New York Times bestselling author ) bestselling phenomenon It Ends with Us left off. Revealing more about Atlas’s past and following Lily as she embraces a second chance at true love while navigating a jealous ex-husband, it proves that “no one delivers an emotional read like Colleen Hoover” (Anna Todd, New York Times bestselling author).

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is it okay to skip books in the It Ends with Us series?

We recommend ignoring novellas and short stories until you finish the core sequence. However, main sequence novels should never be skipped as they contain critical character development and plot progression.

What is the best order to read It Ends with Us?

The final answer for the best experience is to start with "It Ends with Us" and proceed in publication order. This sequence preserves character developments and plot reveals exactly as Colleen Hoover intended.

Can I read It Ends with Us books in any order?

No. The main narrative is strictly sequential. Skipping volumes or reading out of order will lead to significant plot spoilers and confusion regarding character arcs.

Are there spin-offs or companion books?

Yes, the It Ends with Us universe includes several companion works. These are marked as 'Optional' in our guide and can be read at any time without disrupting the main storyline.