Lou Clark loves her job at the local bakery where she makes enough to help support her family. She lives with her parents, her sister and her nephew, and the money she makes at the bakery is vital to keeping them all fed and clothed. But then the owner of the bakery decides to close and Lou must find another job. She ends up taking a position as a caregiver for a quadriplegic young man named Will Traynor, who has no desire to live anymore.
Me Before You
by Jojo Moyes is an emotionally charged novel that brings two very different people together in a way that will forever change them both. At first, Will wants nothing to do with Lou, but she is determined to forge some sort of relationship so she doesn't have to sit and stare at the walls of his home for hours on end. I loved the way the two interacted at first and the way those interactions changed over time. It was a natural progression as they got to know more about each other.Lou and Will as characters were realistic in their thoughts, fears and actions. I enjoyed the secondary characters as well, all of whom are struggling in their own ways. It really is a novel of struggles and the way people deal with challenges in their lives. There's a theme of finding the balance between doing things for yourself and doing things to help others. Just about everyone in Me Before You is working on finding this balance.
I loved this story. This is my second Jojo Moyes book and it certainly won't be my last. I laughed and cried. As I said, it's a very emotionally charged book. If you enjoy contemporary fiction that gets into some tough topics about life and death, I highly recommend Me Before You.
My Rating: 5/5
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This review was written based on a copy of Me Before You that I purchased. This post includes Amazon affiliate links. It's only $2.99 on Kindle right now!
I just HAVE to read a JoJo Moyes novel! I have wanted to ever since this one was released. It sounds sooo good! Thanks for the great review -
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I think you would enjoy her books, Sue. Definitely find time to read one!!
DeleteLoved it here, too. Can't wait for the sequel!! Exciting stuff when a great author writes a new book. :)
ReplyDeleteYes! I want to read the sequel now too! We're discussing this one in book club next week. I'm looking forward to it.
DeleteThe best part about this novel was how realistic it is, like you said. Everything was so believable and I felt like they really were real people that I could be friends or be colleagues with. What was your first Jojo Moyes book? I also liked The Last Letter from Your Lover.
ReplyDeleteMy first Jojo Moyes was One Plus One. It's a great story too. Again, her characters are so real and believable. That's what I love about her writing.
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