Book Review

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes, is a romantic novel first published on January  12, 2012 in the U.K.  It tells the story of a different kind of star-crossed lovers.

Will Trainor was a highly successful and very wealthy CEO who lived his life to the fullest. A true member of the “jet set” crowd he traveled the world experiencing everything one can when money is no object and you have the heart of an adventurer.

Suddenly his life takes a tragic turn when he is run down on the rainy street outside his home by a motorcyclist and ends up permanently disabled.

2 years later Louisa Clark, a perfectly ordinary girl living a perfectly ordinary life in small town, England, loses her job at “The Buttered Bun”.  Only 26 and not very ambitious she attempts a few low paying jobs set up by an employment service.  Much to the disappointment of her family who depend on her earnings, she leaves those jobs and her very last option is to become a caregiver to Will Trainor.

She starts the job with a heavy heart thinking that she is ill equipped to handle caring for an elderly disabled man and is shocked to learn that she has been hired to play companion to a young man cut down in his prime. Not only that, he is severely depressed  (understandably), mean, and very angry.

Despite the severity of Will’s disability and Louisa’s reluctance, they form a very strong relationship which is truly heart wrenching.

Me Before You is not your typical romance. Normally I don’t care for this  genre but it came highly recommended  by my sister-in-law, and I am so glad I took a chance on it because I loved it.

It’s beautifully written and the story is gripping. I’m partial to English writers in general, but Jojo Moyes had me feel every emotional on the spectrum. She’s definitely got a new fan in me.

Louisa is endearing and funny and despite his gruffness and angst, you can see who Will was before his accident just a tiny glimmer at a time. Even the supporting characters are fantastic, all having unique personalities and stories to tell in their own right.

Me Before You is one of those special books that only come along once in a while. I really enjoyed it and I can see why it has a film adaptation due soon. It will make a fabulous movie, if done correctly of course 😉

I give it a well deserved A and I just know many of you will like it as much as I did. Just be sure to have a box of tissues close at hand.

Rating… A+