Helpful Score: 4
This is the first book which I have read by Jojo Moyes and I know it will not be my last. "Me Before You" was an amazing book; it was so well written, thought-provoking, and emotional. Additionally, the chain of events related to the plot of the story were a constant reminder of just how powerful love and family can influence the decisions we make throughout life. I am an avid reader. After finishing this book, I was still digesting the emotions affiliated with this publication. Once again - amazing book, amazing author. I highly recommend it.
Helpful Score: 4
Its been a long while since Ive read the perfect blend of sad and uplifting. Me Before You delivers just that.
A once corporate hot shot who loved loads of physical activities, travel, and women becomes a quadriplegic due to freak accident in which a guy in a motorbike rams into him. Two years pass, and Will cannot live with the physical and emotional pain anymore. He contemplates making arrangements for assisted suicide. The story brings forth a most uncomfortable topic in a sensitive yet straightforward manner. Will, and those who care for him, all share their points of view on the subject. The author does a magnificent job of not sugar-coating or pointing the finger at any of the points of view depicted.
Its a shame that the title and cover have a chick-lit feel to it because I think a lot of men would enjoy this read as well. Though it is infused with some humor, I did not find it to be a romantic comedy. The publisher should really rethink the blurbs and cover for the next reprint. Give it a shot, fellas.
A once corporate hot shot who loved loads of physical activities, travel, and women becomes a quadriplegic due to freak accident in which a guy in a motorbike rams into him. Two years pass, and Will cannot live with the physical and emotional pain anymore. He contemplates making arrangements for assisted suicide. The story brings forth a most uncomfortable topic in a sensitive yet straightforward manner. Will, and those who care for him, all share their points of view on the subject. The author does a magnificent job of not sugar-coating or pointing the finger at any of the points of view depicted.
Its a shame that the title and cover have a chick-lit feel to it because I think a lot of men would enjoy this read as well. Though it is infused with some humor, I did not find it to be a romantic comedy. The publisher should really rethink the blurbs and cover for the next reprint. Give it a shot, fellas.
Helpful Score: 4
This is a wonderfully written New York Times best seller about the lives of two young adults who would never have met if it weren't for a life-changing event. It's funny, very moving, and masterful. I highly recommend you read this book.
Helpful Score: 3
This is a different type of romance. Interesting characters in unusual situation leading to strong feelings that will make you (the reader) laugh out loud and also weep with the story. First book by Moyes I have read. I think I will be looking for more.
Helpful Score: 2
wow, I think I read a different book than the other reviewer. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I did not find the characters over done, rather believable, considering his losses. Sometimes it is cliché because it is what it is. I would like to know Lou and all of her quirkiness. Some of the humor I have seen in other British novels, perhaps it is just different. My cousin is paraplegic and after listening to the changes in his world, the next step to being a quad has to be huge.
I don't think I am giving anything away, since it is told early in the book, but Will is unhappy enough with his existence to be considering assisted suicide. Even if one does not believe that this should be an option, I still think the premise of why one would consider this option is well worth the read.
I don't think I am giving anything away, since it is told early in the book, but Will is unhappy enough with his existence to be considering assisted suicide. Even if one does not believe that this should be an option, I still think the premise of why one would consider this option is well worth the read.
Helpful Score: 1
This book was better than the movie. So much happens that wasn't mentioned in the book that I'm glade I decided to read it even though I saw the movie.
Louisa Clark is a character that you just can't help but fall in love with. She is so quarky in her likes and her inability to hide how she feels that she is utterly unforgettable. The story has so many harsh truths about life that you can't help but think about how relateable this story is to so many other lives. The ups and downs of caring for a quadriplegic is real and heart wrenching but what makes it worse was the fact that no matter how much Louisa Clark tries to guard her heart against a charming man who seems bent on ending his pain, she's unable to. Even knowing that no matter how much she tries Will has always been a man unto himself Louisa can't keep herself from trying to change Will's mind. She grows so much during the six months with him that you can only hope that in the end she will continue and not let what happens define her.
I wish that the ending were different and I cried sever times during this book, but overall I loved it. Life is full of harsh truths and this book put's them out their. I loved it.....
Louisa Clark is a character that you just can't help but fall in love with. She is so quarky in her likes and her inability to hide how she feels that she is utterly unforgettable. The story has so many harsh truths about life that you can't help but think about how relateable this story is to so many other lives. The ups and downs of caring for a quadriplegic is real and heart wrenching but what makes it worse was the fact that no matter how much Louisa Clark tries to guard her heart against a charming man who seems bent on ending his pain, she's unable to. Even knowing that no matter how much she tries Will has always been a man unto himself Louisa can't keep herself from trying to change Will's mind. She grows so much during the six months with him that you can only hope that in the end she will continue and not let what happens define her.
I wish that the ending were different and I cried sever times during this book, but overall I loved it. Life is full of harsh truths and this book put's them out their. I loved it.....
This book is absolutely perfect. I haven't been so moved by a book in quite some time. I'm not "the romance type" but this book is so much more than that. I loved the characters...and felt all of thier feelings and points of view. Wonderful writing, and also a wonderful movie (I watched immediately after) but as usual the book is SO MUCH MORE, especially with this one. A lot was cut out...while not critical...reading the book was that much more satisfying. I would recommend this to ANYONE. If you've contemplated it, then read it. Beautiful.
One of the best love stories I've ever read. A very controversial subject, but very humorous and uplifting
What can I say? This is a good, good read. It's about two people who change each other in unexpected ways. I found myself deeply involved with these complex characters. They are so well developed, so realistic and face the kinds of emotions so many people face. The author writes so well that I sped through this book because I couldn't wait to see how it ended. It's a romance that develops slowly between two unlikely people and ends at the culmination of the book. Yes, I cried which is a sure sign that I became totally involved in this read. The title may lead one to expect a different book but don't let that distract you. Once I read the book I thought it was most appropriate. Give this read a whirl and see what you think.
The story centers on 2 people from different sides of the tracks... he's a wealthy lawyer who was a thrill seeker until a terrible accident changes his life forever. She is a poor, unemployed girl leading an ordinary life within the boundaries of the village in which she was born.
All that changes when his mother hires her to care for him.
This is the 2nd book of Moyes that I have read (1st The Last Letter from Your Lover- 3.5 stars ) and I truly enjoyed reading it. I was swept into the storyline immediately and my attention was held til the last page. 4.5 stars
All that changes when his mother hires her to care for him.
This is the 2nd book of Moyes that I have read (1st The Last Letter from Your Lover- 3.5 stars ) and I truly enjoyed reading it. I was swept into the storyline immediately and my attention was held til the last page. 4.5 stars
A fabulous read from start to tearing finish. The characters are well developed and while polar opposites you cannot help but fall in love with both of them. There is also a movie out by the same name and the acting is superb. My husband put it best - "that was the happiest sad movie I have ever watched".
Loved it! A must read!
Will is a man who lives a larger than life existence. That is until an unfortunate accident forces him to live his life as a quadriplegic. Lou is a woman who doesn't want anything more than her small town life. After becoming unemployed, she finds herself taking a job as a caregiver for Will. Will is depressed, cranky, and downright terrible to Lou and everyone else around him. Lou must find a way to get through to Will, if only to make her job tolerable.
I was literally sobbing at the end of it. Such a beautiful, unconventional love story. I liked how both of the main characters learned life lessons from the other. I found myself laughing along with them, crying at their pain, and rooting for them throughout the entire book. I could not put this book down. You have to read this book!
Will is a man who lives a larger than life existence. That is until an unfortunate accident forces him to live his life as a quadriplegic. Lou is a woman who doesn't want anything more than her small town life. After becoming unemployed, she finds herself taking a job as a caregiver for Will. Will is depressed, cranky, and downright terrible to Lou and everyone else around him. Lou must find a way to get through to Will, if only to make her job tolerable.
I was literally sobbing at the end of it. Such a beautiful, unconventional love story. I liked how both of the main characters learned life lessons from the other. I found myself laughing along with them, crying at their pain, and rooting for them throughout the entire book. I could not put this book down. You have to read this book!
Jojo Moyes has an amazing talent for making readers laugh and cry within the same book. In Me Before You Lou Clark is leading a safe life still living in with her parents in the small town where she grew up. Then, she gets a job watching wealthy quadriplegic Will Traynor. As she tries to give Will reasons to believe his life is worth living, a whole new world is opened for her. Together they face some laugh out loud situations as well as heartbreaking decisions. This is a story that will stay with you long after you finish the last page.
If you liked the Notebook by Sparks, you should like this book.This book was engaging, funny and sad at the same time. It's not a typical love story, but I loved it. The main character, Louisa Clark, is quick-witted and emotional. It's a great book to read when you have some downtime and want a story that falls somewhere in between heavy and light-hearted.
This is a great story, well written, full of feeling, emotion, hope and endurance. I didn't want it to end. And I want to read the sequel, plus all of the other books by this author.
** spoiler alert ** I randomly discovered this book after seeing a preview on Redbox for the movie (which I haven't seen). The premise sounded interesting and I prefer to read books before seeing the movie which often isn't as good as the original story. Having never heard of this author or read her work I was so impressed with her ability to make me feel for the characters. I still feel like they are "with me" days after I finished this book (while crying no less). She writes well and is able to make me feel and think rather than be weighed down and miserable despite the topics in the book.
I have no idea what I would think if faced with the same situation as Will, I felt for his family being asked to go along with his wishes when wanting the opposite. I wonder if Lou was on to something when she asked Will if it was harder because of the "big" life he had lived before.
I felt like I was on a journey with Lou to discover more of what she was capable of and push outside the limitations she put on her life. I just don't know how to feel about Will, he didn't deserve the life he ended up with but at the same time he wouldn't have given Lou the time of day before the accident it seems. So to finally really love someone and then still choose escape instead of the harder path I just haven't decided what I feel about that.
This is at least PG-13, language, sex (not graphic but you know it happened), heavy topics (rape, suicide).
I have no idea what I would think if faced with the same situation as Will, I felt for his family being asked to go along with his wishes when wanting the opposite. I wonder if Lou was on to something when she asked Will if it was harder because of the "big" life he had lived before.
I felt like I was on a journey with Lou to discover more of what she was capable of and push outside the limitations she put on her life. I just don't know how to feel about Will, he didn't deserve the life he ended up with but at the same time he wouldn't have given Lou the time of day before the accident it seems. So to finally really love someone and then still choose escape instead of the harder path I just haven't decided what I feel about that.
This is at least PG-13, language, sex (not graphic but you know it happened), heavy topics (rape, suicide).
If you like The a Fault in our Stars, you will love this. I devoured this in 4 days. It's a beautiful story of the dynamics of love in an unusual circumstance. It's a very sweet but sad book.
A young woman working in a small café in England loses her job. She really isn't qualified for much so she goes on an interview for a caregiver for a quadriplegic young man. Will really doesn't want her or anyone else there. When she overhears his plan to arrange his medical suicide, she attempts to change his mind and make him realize there is so much life left for him. What follows is a touching love that develops between them. Sheds light on the day to day obstacles and illnesses that the disabled face.
Marilyn M. (IndulgeYourself) -
Oh my goodness - I totally disagree with the first reviewer. I just finished this book and I think it was one of the best I've ever read. Such a deep love story under such unusual circumstances. I can't say enough about it. I could not put this book down. It was wonderfully written and I was so invested in the story. Get the tissues handy.
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes takes on the very serious, very divisive issue of the right to die. The book has characters that don't develop much, a setting of wealth that most people cannot relate to, and a one-sided picture of life in a wheelchair many reasons why the book shouldn't work. All that aside, I can give one strong reason why this book does work as a story - It makes me care about the characters.
Read my complete review at: http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2015/09/me-before-you.html
Read my complete review at: http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2015/09/me-before-you.html
Haunting. Excruciating. Beautiful. I couldn't put it down, and cried myself to sleep.
Loved this story.. a perfect blend of happy, sad and funny. as a nurse that has done home care for quads and paras I was impressed with the writing on that subject matter.... not a common achievement.
Book Description
They had nothing in common until love gave them everything to lose . . .
Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life--steady boyfriend, close family--who has barely been farther afield than their tiny village. She takes a badly needed job working for exMaster of the Universe Will Traynor, who is wheelchair bound after an accident. Will has always lived a huge life--big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel--and now he's pretty sure he cannot live the way he is.
Will is acerbic, moody, bossy--but Lou refuses to treat him with kid gloves, and soon his happiness means more to her than she expected. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own, she sets out to show him that life is still worth living.
A Love Story for this generation and perfect for fans of John Green's The Fault in Our Stars, Me Before You brings to life two people who couldn't have less in common--a heartbreakingly romantic novel that asks, What do you do when making the person you love happy also means breaking your own heart?
My Review
This is a very moving story and one that examines the love between two people and how they enrich one another's life in an impossible situation. I found JoJo Moyes to be a very powerful writer as she allows us to feel what the characters are going through and how they cope with their personal attraction to one another and their personal realities. Although the story is a heartbreaker and tear maker, it does have some laugh-out-loud moments that make this incredible tough read one not to be missed. I recommend this book to those who love thought-provoking, powerful but heartbreaking romantic reads.
They had nothing in common until love gave them everything to lose . . .
Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life--steady boyfriend, close family--who has barely been farther afield than their tiny village. She takes a badly needed job working for exMaster of the Universe Will Traynor, who is wheelchair bound after an accident. Will has always lived a huge life--big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel--and now he's pretty sure he cannot live the way he is.
Will is acerbic, moody, bossy--but Lou refuses to treat him with kid gloves, and soon his happiness means more to her than she expected. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own, she sets out to show him that life is still worth living.
A Love Story for this generation and perfect for fans of John Green's The Fault in Our Stars, Me Before You brings to life two people who couldn't have less in common--a heartbreakingly romantic novel that asks, What do you do when making the person you love happy also means breaking your own heart?
My Review
This is a very moving story and one that examines the love between two people and how they enrich one another's life in an impossible situation. I found JoJo Moyes to be a very powerful writer as she allows us to feel what the characters are going through and how they cope with their personal attraction to one another and their personal realities. Although the story is a heartbreaker and tear maker, it does have some laugh-out-loud moments that make this incredible tough read one not to be missed. I recommend this book to those who love thought-provoking, powerful but heartbreaking romantic reads.
Just wonderful. Read it - you will love it
My first book by Moyes. I really liked the story and the way she describes her characters. It was hard to put down, and I will definately read her other books.
This was a very endearing romance book about two people who probably would never have met on a normal basis.
Enjoyable read.
aww what a very good read!once i started i just had to keep reading.i would put this one on my kindle too.
i have her other book too last letter from her lover, but i need to read the WL book that just came today.
i have her other book too last letter from her lover, but i need to read the WL book that just came today.
Moving story!
This was a sad, gut wrenching, and heartbreaking story of Will, a quadriplegic and Louisa his caretaker. Louisa was hired by his mother to try to change Will's mind about going to an assisted suicide facility in Switzerland.
The story was very predictable and you really know in the beginning what was going to happen. However, the book is hard to put down right to the end and I must warn you to keep a box of tissues nearby!
I loved the book and can't stop thinking about it!
The story was very predictable and you really know in the beginning what was going to happen. However, the book is hard to put down right to the end and I must warn you to keep a box of tissues nearby!
I loved the book and can't stop thinking about it!
I really liked this book, very interesting subject matter, i liked the characters. i cried like a baby the last 40 pages.. but i really enjoyed the story.
Read in one day. Enthralling & very emotional. Love this authors writing. Will not give this book up.Don't miss this one. Deals with a very strong issue, but at the same time its inspiring as to what one would feel in this situation Get out your tissues.
liked this book but not nearly as much as everyone in my book club did. I found the ending predictable but well done. I think that if it had ended differently, it would have taken away a lot of what made the story special. With all that is going on in my life right now, it reitterated my life philosophy of the importance of living life fully, taking chances and not having regrets. I would recommend this for anyone who likes a non-typical love story or just a good novel in general.
This book is a nice love story in the beginning. It takes you into the handicap world without being very medical. You get an understanding of the frustration, Will has when his active life is taken away from him. Confined to a wheelchair, he is miserable and takes his condition out on everyone surrounding him. When Louisa is hired as a companion, she pushes him to enjoy life within his limitations. The book then takes a serious turn when she discovers he is planning a medical assisted suicide. You'll might need tissues at the end!
This book was better than the movie. So much happens that wasn't mentioned in the book that I'm glade I decided to read it even though I saw the movie.
Louisa Clark is a character that you just can't help but fall in love with. She is so quarky in her likes and her inability to hide how she feels that she is utterly unforgettable. The story has so many harsh truths about life that you can't help but think about how relateable this story is to so many other lives. The ups and downs of caring for a quadriplegic is real and heart wrenching but what makes it worse was the fact that no matter how much Louisa Clark tries to guard her heart against a charming man who seems bent on ending his pain, she's unable to. Even knowing that no matter how much she tries Will has always been a man unto himself Louisa can't keep herself from trying to change Will's mind. She grows so much during the six months with him that you can only hope that in the end she will continue and not let what happens define her.
I wish that the ending were different and I cried sever times during this book, but overall I loved it. Life is full of harsh truths and this book put's them out their. I loved it.....
Louisa Clark is a character that you just can't help but fall in love with. She is so quarky in her likes and her inability to hide how she feels that she is utterly unforgettable. The story has so many harsh truths about life that you can't help but think about how relateable this story is to so many other lives. The ups and downs of caring for a quadriplegic is real and heart wrenching but what makes it worse was the fact that no matter how much Louisa Clark tries to guard her heart against a charming man who seems bent on ending his pain, she's unable to. Even knowing that no matter how much she tries Will has always been a man unto himself Louisa can't keep herself from trying to change Will's mind. She grows so much during the six months with him that you can only hope that in the end she will continue and not let what happens define her.
I wish that the ending were different and I cried sever times during this book, but overall I loved it. Life is full of harsh truths and this book put's them out their. I loved it.....
Well worth reading. Is it a love story? Yes and No. Quite an unusual one. I loved both main characters.
This book was better than the movie. So much happens that wasn't mentioned in the book that I'm glade I decided to read it even though I saw the movie.
Louisa Clark is a character that you just can't help but fall in love with. She is so quarky in her likes and her inability to hide how she feels that she is utterly unforgettable. The story has so many harsh truths about life that you can't help but think about how relateable this story is to so many other lives. The ups and downs of caring for a quadriplegic is real and heart wrenching but what makes it worse was the fact that no matter how much Louisa Clark tries to guard her heart against a charming man who seems bent on ending his pain, she's unable to. Even knowing that no matter how much she tries Will has always been a man unto himself Louisa can't keep herself from trying to change Will's mind. She grows so much during the six months with him that you can only hope that in the end she will continue and not let what happens define her.
I wish that the ending were different and I cried sever times during this book, but overall I loved it. Life is full of harsh truths and this book put's them out their. I loved it.....
Louisa Clark is a character that you just can't help but fall in love with. She is so quarky in her likes and her inability to hide how she feels that she is utterly unforgettable. The story has so many harsh truths about life that you can't help but think about how relateable this story is to so many other lives. The ups and downs of caring for a quadriplegic is real and heart wrenching but what makes it worse was the fact that no matter how much Louisa Clark tries to guard her heart against a charming man who seems bent on ending his pain, she's unable to. Even knowing that no matter how much she tries Will has always been a man unto himself Louisa can't keep herself from trying to change Will's mind. She grows so much during the six months with him that you can only hope that in the end she will continue and not let what happens define her.
I wish that the ending were different and I cried sever times during this book, but overall I loved it. Life is full of harsh truths and this book put's them out their. I loved it.....
