it ends with us was already enough and as much as i’d like for it to simply end where it ends in that book, of course with the innumerable accolades this book has gotten from readers all over the world—that even spark the reading momentum back in the hearts of everyone i’d say—led to the birth of it starts with us.

reading the acknowledgements, coho herself stated that she never intended for it ends with us to even have a sequel and that it’ll be a standalone but after the booktok hype and the abundance of online petitions for a story in which lily and atlas finally gets their HEA, it led her to giving birth to it starts with us. with that stated, like many others have said before me, it was obvious that it starts with us is a cash grab and having read the entirety of it, i have to agree that it is written to fulfill that very purpose—aside from feeding the demands of the extremely powerful CoHorts out there of course.

i enjoyed it ends with us last year and i loved how coho managed to shine a light into domestic abuse and just portray the feelings so intensely in the book but that is until i discovered more and more dark truths that has come to light of the author herself and my opinions on her books and about her in general has definitely 360° so i will more likely critique this more in a tone that is more pessimistic rather than optimistic.

i love that coho gives lily and atlas the ending that they deserved. i do. i truly do. lily’s character deserves the world indeed especially now that she has emerson with her. but it was so frustrating reading through the progression of their relationship growing very UNSEASONED. i don’t know how to explain it except for the very word UNSEASONED. it could’ve had so much more potential in terms of development had this book been focused more on the story itself rather than satisfying the insatiable cult that has formed from the success of it ends with us and i would’ve enjoyed the story much more i think.

lily’s co-parenting relationship with ryle is such a mess as well. she shouldn’t have let ryle spend any time ALONE with emerson in the beginning. i understand she wants to let emerson bond with her father and get herself away from more problems than they already have with ryle but knowing this man’s anger issues and not having any legal boundaries set for it? good god... i mean i’m glad she came to realization of it at one point but still. this man gaslights you, pushed you into the wall in YOUR home and threatens you with court every time because he’s jealous that you have a relationship with this one specific man is more than red flag enough (as if the first book wasn’t enough as well) to not let your daughter near him, not until he’s mentally stable. but to lighten this situation up, i’m glad that even ryle’s own sister allysa is siding and protecting lily and emerson from her own brother knowing his temper and capabilities. we need more supportive sister-in-laws like allysa for real. ex or not.

the side plot to the whole love triangle was one that they did not expect and I DID NOT EXPECT. but i ended up loving it so much more than what the actual story intended to be. josh is so precious and i’m glad that he had the chance to bond with his long-lost brother after all the years that they have missed. he deserves the world indeed and i’m glad that he has someone to give that to him now and he also has a friend in theo, another favourite character of mine. so sassy, so wise, so wild for such a young age but i just LOve. HiS. MinD.

overall, would this book be worth it to get into and read? perhaps if you’re an extreme fan of coho, you’d eat up just about anything you can of her work. but as someone who’s really not into her books (exclude verity out of this, it’s the only coho book i’m willing to acknowledge the worth of), don’t waste any more of your money please