Me Before You

Me Before You
by Jojo Moyes

Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.

What Lou doesn’t know is she’s about to lose her job or that knowing what’s coming is what keeps her sane.

Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he’s going to put a stop to that.

What Will doesn’t know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they’re going to change the other for all time. (Goodreads)

So, I know I have tons of other books to review at this point, but I just finished this book last night and I have to tell you about it NOW.

And I can’t say too much because that would basically ruin the whole thing.

Here’s the basic story:

Will Traynor–successful business man, adventurer, lover of life–was in a major accident two years ago and is now quadriplegic.

Louisa Clark just lost her job at a local cafe. She’s looking for work, willing to take almost anything as jobs are hard to come by in her tiny town, and her family (mom, dad, grandfather, sister and nephew) depend on her financial help to get by. She’s sent by an employment agency to interview for a position as a caregiver and companion to Will.  Lou feels completely unqualified, but somehow she’s hired. Will makes it very clear from the start that he isn’t interested in getting to know Lou. He barely acknowledges her, and when he does it’s with obvious contempt. But Lou comes to realize that she’s been hired to watch over Will, essentially to keep him safe. And slowly, little by little, she manages to chip away at his hard edges. She brings life and light into his world again by just being her honest, quirky self. She takes him on adventures and she tries to show him he has a reason to keep living.

My Thoughts:

Um, wow. I loved this book. I adored it. I never wanted it to end.

It is sad, yes, make no mistake about that. I cried. I yelled at the characters. But most of the time I was crying because it was so perfect or because it was so sweet. This story hits every note perfectly, from reminding us how it feels to be young and without a plan or any sort of direction in life, to giving us a picture of love and loss, to portraying family life with all its humor and pain.

Louisa Clark is a heroine you’ll understand. She’s someone you’ll want to get behind. She understands all of your awkwardness, all of your questions about life, and she lives out loud, no apologies, no pretenses. And Will Traynor. Sweet mercy, you’ll love him. You’ll be angry at him. You’ll hurt for him and all he’s lost. But you’ll be charmed by him, by his massive heart, and by his wicked sense of humor.

This book deals with some heavy themes but it is not, in my opinion, depressing. It’s about hope and loss and love and choices. Read it. You won’t regret it.

Crush Intensity: 5/5 One of the best books I’ve read in a very long time and definitely one of my all-time favorites.

Where’d I Get It: I borrowed a copy from my sweet friend, Marlene. I think I need to buy it now.

Extra Awesomeness: The movie comes out this year. The trailer came out TODAY. AAAAHHH!!! And it looks wonderful.