Audiobook Sample
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- Title: It Starts with Us: A Novel
- Author: Colleen Hoover
- Narrator: Colin Donnell, Olivia Song
- Length: 0.369050926
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 18-Oct
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
- Genre: Romance, Fiction & Literature, Contemporary, New Adult, Contemporary Women, Romance, Fiction & Literature, Contemporary, New Adult, Contemporary Women
- ISBN13: 9.78E+12
There’s something magical about stumbling into a story that feels like it’s been waiting for you—like finding a hidden café in a bustling city or hearing a stranger’s tale that echoes your own. That’s how I felt when I dove into the audiobook of *It Starts with Us: A Novel* by Colleen Hoover, narrated by Colin Donnell and Olivia Song. This isn’t just a sequel to the heart-wrenching *It Ends with Us*; it’s a journey back into the lives of Lily and Atlas, peeling back layers of their pasts and possibilities with the kind of emotional pull that only Hoover can muster. As a travel writer who’s spent years chasing narratives across continents, I found this listening experience to be a road trip of the heart—one I didn’t want to end.
It reminds me of a time when I was driving through the Atacama Desert in Chile, the driest place on Earth, listening to *One Hundred Years of Solitude*. The surreal landscape stretched out like a dream, and the narrator’s voice wove Gabriel García Márquez’s words into something alive, as if the story was being whispered by the wind itself. With *It Starts with Us*, I got that same shiver of connection. The story unfolds like a winding path through familiar territory—Lily’s cautious hope, Atlas’s quiet strength, and the shadow of Ryle’s jealousy—but it’s the narrators who make it feel like you’re sitting shotgun, hearing it all firsthand.
The book picks up where *It Ends with Us* left off, diving into Atlas Corrigan’s perspective alongside Lily’s. After nearly two years apart, Lily bumps into her first love, Atlas, and the sparks are immediate. She’s free from her marriage to Ryle, co-parenting their daughter with a fragile peace, and suddenly time feels like an ally instead of an enemy. But Ryle’s presence looms large, a reminder that love’s aftermath isn’t always tidy. Hoover switches between Lily and Atlas with a deft hand, revealing Atlas’s backstory—his struggles, his resilience—and giving us a front-row seat to Lily’s second chance at happiness. It’s a contemporary romance that doesn’t shy away from the messy, beautiful truth of human connection, layered with the kind of emotional depth that makes New Adult fiction sing.
What struck me most was how the audiobook experience brought these themes to life. Colin Donnell’s narration of Atlas is a revelation—you can almost hear the weight of his past in the gravel of his voice, steady and warm, like a campfire on a cold night. Olivia Song, voicing Lily, carries a brightness tempered by vulnerability, her tone shifting seamlessly from joy to quiet resolve. Together, they create a duet that feels intimate, as if they’re confiding in you over a late-night coffee. The audio quality is crisp, with pacing that lets the story breathe—never rushed, always deliberate. It’s the kind of performance that reminds me of those evenings in Oaxaca, listening to a grandmother weave tales with perfect timing, her silences as powerful as her words.
The strength of *It Starts with Us* lies in its honesty. Hoover doesn’t gloss over the complexities of love after trauma—Lily’s hesitation, Atlas’s guilt, Ryle’s volatility. It’s a story about choosing your struggles, much like Mark Manson talks about in *The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck*. Lily and Atlas aren’t just falling in love; they’re deciding what they’re willing to fight for, peeling back the onion layers of their identities to find something real. And yet, there’s a tenderness here that’s pure Hoover, a belief in second chances that feels like a warm breeze through an open window.
But it’s not flawless. At times, the tension with Ryle feels a tad predictable—his jealousy a storm cloud we’ve seen brewing before. And while Atlas’s backstory adds depth, some moments lean heavily on sentiment, risking a touch of melodrama. The audiobook’s duration, just over eight hours, flies by, but I found myself wishing for a bit more quiet reflection amidst the emotional swells. Still, these are minor bumps on an otherwise captivating ride.
Compared to other contemporary romances, *It Starts with Us* stands out for its raw intimacy. It’s less glossy than Jen Sincero’s *You Are a Badass*, more grounded than the sweeping optimism of some New Adult tales. It shares a kinship with Hoover’s own *It Ends with Us*, of course, but also with stories like *The Happiness Hypothesis* by Jonathan Haidt, where love and struggle intertwine with a clear-eyed look at what makes us human.
I’d recommend this audiobook to anyone who craves a romance that’s more than escapism—think fellow travelers who’ve loved and lost, or listeners who savor a good story with their morning coffee. It’s perfect for a long drive or a quiet evening, especially if you’re in the mood to feel the full spectrum of emotions. And if you can snag it as a free audiobook download (check sites like Audiobooks.com for deals), even better—there’s something satisfying about a great story that doesn’t cost a dime.
Listening to this brought me back to a memory I hadn’t thought of in years: a rainy night in Lisbon, sharing a bottle of vinho verde with a woman who’d just left a broken relationship. She told me how she was learning to trust again, step by step, and I hear that same cautious hope in Lily’s voice here. It’s a reminder that stories—whether from a stranger or a book—have a way of stitching us back together.
So, grab your headphones, hit play, and let *It Starts with Us* take you somewhere real. It’s not just an audiobook; it’s a companion for the road ahead.
Until the next tale,
Marcus Rivera
Until the next tale, Marcus Rivera
