Very Short Summary
Boston, 2010s. Twenty-three-year-old Lily Bloom met neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid on a rooftop the night of her father's funeral.
Despite Ryle's initial reluctance to have a relationship, they fell in love and married. Lily opened her own flower shop, where she encountered her first love, Atlas Corrigan, now a successful restaurant owner.
When Ryle discovered Lily's old journals about Atlas and a memento from him, he became violent, pushing her down stairs. Atlas helped her that night, taking her to the hospital where she learned she was pregnant. Ryle left for a three-month work program in England, giving Lily time to process the incident.
Upon learning of the pregnancy, Ryle tried to reconcile with Lily. However, after their daughter Emerson was born, Lily made the difficult decision to end their marriage. In an emotional confrontation,
What if she came to you and said, 'Daddy? My husband pushed me down the stairs. He said it was an accident.' What would you say to her? What if she came to you and said, 'My husband tried to rape me, Daddy?'
Lily asked Ryle these questions, making him understand why she had to break the cycle of abuse for their daughter's sake. They arranged shared custody, and eventually, Lily reconnected with Atlas, finally ready to pursue a relationship with him.
Detailed Summary
Division into chapters is editorial.
Meeting Ryle and Early Romance
The story began when Lily Bloom met neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid on a rooftop in Boston after delivering her father's eulogy. Despite her initial hesitation, their chemistry was immediate and intense. They shared personal truths with each other, with Ryle expressing his aversion to relationships and Lily revealing her past experience of falling in love with a homeless boy.
Their paths crossed again months later when Lily opened her flower shop and hired Ryle's sister, Allysa, as an employee. The attraction between Lily and Ryle grew stronger, leading to him pursuing her despite his previous stance against relationships. After an emotional encounter where he begged for a one-night stand but fell asleep instead, they began a tentative relationship.
Just because someone hurts you doesn't mean you can simply stop loving them. It's not a person's actions that hurt the most. It's the love. If there was no love attached to the action, the pain would be easier to bear.
Opening Lily Bloom's and Growing Relationship
As Lily's flower shop flourished, her relationship with Ryle deepened. She developed a close friendship with Allysa, who worked alongside her in the shop. During this time, Lily discovered that her first love, Atlas Corrigan, owned a successful restaurant in Boston. This revelation complicated her feelings, though she remained committed to her relationship with Ryle.
Ryle and Lily's romance intensified, leading to an impulsive decision to marry in Vegas. Their wedding was attended by their families, including Lily's mother Jenny, who had survived her own abusive marriage to Lily's father. The newlyweds moved into a beautiful apartment that Ryle had purchased as a surprise for Lily.
Marriage and First Signs of Trouble
The first incident of violence occurred in their kitchen when Ryle burned his hand and Lily laughed at him. In his anger, he pushed her, causing her to hit her head. Though he was immediately remorseful and helped tend to her wounds, this event marked a turning point in their relationship. Lily was reminded of her father's abuse of her mother, but Ryle's genuine remorse and her love for him led her to forgive him.
Cycles exist because they are excruciating to break. It takes an astronomical amount of pain and courage to disrupt a familiar pattern. Sometimes it seems easier to just keep running in the same familiar circles.
During this period, Ryle revealed the tragic source of his anger issues. When he was six years old, he accidentally shot and killed his older brother Emerson while playing with what he thought was a toy gun. This childhood trauma had deeply affected him, leading to occasional violent outbursts when he felt overwhelmed by emotion.
Escalating Violence and Pregnancy
The situation escalated dramatically when Ryle discovered Atlas's phone number hidden in Lily's phone case, along with old journals detailing her teenage relationship with Atlas. In a jealous rage, Ryle physically attacked Lily, attempting to force himself on her and causing her to need stitches. During the hospital visit following this assault, Lily discovered she was pregnant.
Preventing your heart from forgiving someone you love is actually a hell of a lot harder than simply forgiving them. I'm a statistic now. The things I've thought about women like me are now what others would think.
After the assault, Lily sought refuge with Atlas, who took her to the hospital and provided her with a safe place to stay. During this time, she struggled with the decision of whether to return to Ryle, knowing she was carrying his child. Ryle left for a medical program in England, giving Lily space to process everything that had happened.
Confronting the Past and Making Decisions
During her pregnancy, Lily confided in her mother about the abuse. Jenny shared her own experiences and offered wisdom about breaking the cycle of abuse. She emphasized that true love means wanting what's best for the other person, even if that means letting them go. This conversation helped Lily gain clarity about her situation.
We all have a limit. What we're willing to put up with before we break. When I married your father, I knew exactly what my limit was. But slowly... with every incident... my limit was pushed a little more.
If Ryle truly loves you, he wouldn't allow you to take him back. He would make the decision to leave you himself so that he knows for a fact he can never hurt you again. That's the kind of love a woman deserves.
Breaking the Cycle
When Ryle returned from England, he helped Lily prepare the nursery and was present for the birth of their daughter, whom they named Emerson (Emmy) after his deceased brother. It was during these tender moments that Lily made her final decision about their relationship. She asked Ryle what he would tell their daughter if she ever came to him saying her partner had abused her.
Through tears, Ryle admitted he would beg his daughter to leave such a relationship, acknowledging that she would deserve better. This conversation solidified Lily's decision to end their marriage, though they agreed to co-parent their daughter. The story concluded with Lily running into Atlas again, suggesting the possibility of rekindling their relationship when the time was right.
It stops here. With me and you. It ends with us... My mother went through it. I went through it. I'll be damned if I allow my daughter to go through it. I kiss her on the forehead and make her a promise.