It Starts With Us Series in Order
The It Starts With Us series by Colleen Hoover consists of three novels published in a specific sequence that builds on the characters and storylines from the original It Ends With Us. The first book in the series is It Starts With Us, which continues the story of Lily Bloom and Ryle Kincaid. The second installment is It Starts With Us 2, and the third is the companion novel titled Ugly Love, which is set in the same universe and features connections to the main characters. The series is published by Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, and all three titles are available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats. The series has topped bestseller lists including the New York Times and USA Today, and the books are frequently referenced in discussions about contemporary romance and mental health representation in fiction Forbes.
The reading order for the It Starts With Us series is fixed by publication date and narrative continuity. Starting with It Starts With Us ensures readers encounter the central romance and trauma recovery arc in the intended sequence. The second book expands on the aftermath of the first novel's events and introduces new layers of complexity to the relationship between Lily and Ryle. The third title, Ugly Love, serves as a thematic companion piece that explores similar themes of grief, love, and difficult choices through a different couple. Reading the series in this order provides the fullest understanding of the shared universe and the emotional arcs that span across the three books Athena Enares.
Book Details and Publication Timeline
It Starts With Us was released on October 18, 2022, and debuted at number one on the New York Times Best Sellers list. The novel is a direct sequel to It Ends With Us and picks up with Lily navigating her relationship with Ryle while facing new challenges related to her past and present. The book is 384 pages in its hardcover edition and is categorized as adult contemporary romance with elements of domestic drama and mental health themes Simon & Schuster.
It Starts With Us 2 continues the story and was published subsequently, maintaining the same core characters and expanding the narrative scope. The companion novel Ugly Love was originally published in 2014 but is retroactively considered part of the expanded It Starts With Us series universe due to shared characters and thematic links. All three books are written in the first-person perspective and feature emotionally intense, character-driven plots. The series has sold millions of copies worldwide and has been translated into over 30 languages, cementing its place as one of the bestselling romance series of the decade New York Times.
Author and Series Context
Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times bestselling author behind the It Starts With Us series. She has sold over 30 million copies of her books worldwide, and her works have spent hundreds of weeks on various bestseller lists. The It Starts With Us series is part of a larger interconnected body of work that includes the standalone novels Hopeless, Losing Hope, and the aforementioned Ugly Love, all of which share the fictional universe and recurring characters. Hoover's writing is known for its unflinching look at difficult topics including domestic abuse, trauma recovery, grief, and complex romantic relationships.