Books like It Starts with Us

A tender, healing exhale of a romance that rewards readers with the gentle, hard-won love story they’ve been waiting for. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with It Starts with Us.

tender
healing
cautiously optimistic
warm

01
It Ends With Us
Colleen Hoover
A breathless romance that slowly tilts into a devastating, empowering exploration of the impossible choices we make to break cycles of pain.
Shares:
- earnest
- vulnerable
02
Reminders of Him
Colleen Hoover
A devastating but ultimately healing exploration of guilt, forgiveness, and the desperate fight for a second chance at love.
Shares:
- earnest
- hopeful
- vulnerable
03
Beach Read
Emily Henry
A sun-drenched, banter-filled exploration of creative burnout and the terrifying vulnerability of letting yourself believe in happy endings again.
Shares:
- earnest
- hopeful
- vulnerable
04
People We Meet On Vacation
Emily Henry
A sun-drenched, banter-filled exploration of the terrifying leap from platonic soulmates to true love.
Shares:
- warm
- earnest
05
After We Collided (After Series, Book 2)
Anna Todd
A feverish, emotionally exhausting rollercoaster of toxic love and desperate apologies.
Shares:
- earnest
06
P.S. I Still Love You
Jenny Han
A cozy, emotionally tender exploration of what happens after the happily-ever-after, wrapped in the scent of freshly baked snickerdoodles.
Shares:
- tender
- earnest
07
Normal People
Sally Rooney
An achingly intimate portrait of two people who cannot stay away from each other, yet constantly fail to speak their minds.
Shares:
- tender
08
The Flatshare
Beth O'Leary
A tender, slow-burn exploration of how shared spaces and Post-it notes can build a foundation for profound emotional intimacy.
Shares:
- tender
- warm
- hopeful
09
All we ever wanted
Emily Giffin
A gripping, character-driven exploration of the moral fault lines that crack open when privilege and parenting collide.
Shares:
- earnest
- reflective
10
The Five-Star Weekend
Elin Hilderbrand
A sun-drenched, bittersweet exploration of friendship and grief, served with a side of coastal glamour and culinary delight.
Shares:
- warm
11
If He Had Been With Me
Laura Nowlin
An achingly nostalgic exploration of childhood bonds and the devastating weight of what if.
Shares:
- earnest
- reflective
12
Things We Hide from the Light
Lucy Score
A steamy, small-town romance that balances quirky charm with the heavy, tender work of healing from trauma.
Shares:
- earnest
- healing from trauma

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