Lively stars alongside Justin Baldoni, who also directs the film.

It Ends With Us author Colleen Hoover had especially strong praise for Blake Lively‘s performance in the big-screen adaptation of her best-selling novel.

In a conversation with People, Hoover opened up about her experience serving as an executive producer on the film, noting that the process has been “absolutely incredible and surreal” for her. She explained that everyone who has worked on the film has been dedicated to making the adaptation as faithful and heartfelt as possible.

The author noted that Lively gives a “captivating, stunning and emotional” performance in the lead role. “There aren’t enough words to describe her phenomenal talent,” she added. “Blake Lively truly brought Lily Bloom to life in a way that exceeded all my expectations.”

Hoover continued, “When I wrote Lily’s character, I thought I had a fairly solid image in mind, but Blake’s portrayal added so much depth and complexity to the character that I didn’t even anticipate.”

It Ends With Us follows Lily as she works to overcome a traumatic childhood in order to embark on a new life. When a chance meeting with a neurosurgeon named Ryle (Baldoni) takes place, they spark a connection. But, when her first love, Atlas (Brandon Sklenar), reappears in Lily’s life, her relationship with Ryle is challenged.

Elsewhere in the conversation, Hoover explained that the “most impressive” part of the Gossip Girl star is “her ability to convey her character’s internal conflicts and external challenges with such nuance and subtlety,” adding, “I am in awe, truly. I couldn’t be more grateful for her incredible performance.”

Baldoni also took a moment to praise his co-star and lead actress, noting that people were going to be “blown away by her portrayal.”

 

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“It’s so nuanced, it’s so unique, it’s so beautiful,” the Jane the Virgin star said. “I don’t want to give away too much, but I believe it’s Blake Lively as you’ve never seen her before,” adding that there “wasn’t a part of this production that [Lively] didn’t touch and have influence on. … Everything that she put her hands on and her mind to, she made better.”

Hoover released It Ends With Us in 2016, but it gained a new life in 2021 when it blew up on “BookTok.” Its popularity on the platform made her the best-selling novelist in the U.S. at the time, with more than 20 million books sold.