USA Today’s top 100 books to read while stuck at home social distancing From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Giver of Stars, discover the love story that captured over 20 million hearts in Me Before You, After You, and Still Me. They had nothing in common until love gave them everything to lose . . . Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life—steady … 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 ex–Master 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?
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The book was extremely slow to start. It was not until chapter seven, I actually begun to ‘get into’ the novel. If it was not for my friend’s encouragement to keep on reading, I would have missed a deeply inspiring novel on living life on ones terms, learning to accept other’s life choices ( being non-judgmental), and how repressed trauma molds and affects ones future. I highly recommend this novel, then view the movie of the same title.
I absolutely loved this book. It was funny, heartbreaking, frustrating, and beautiful !! The book follows the life of a unconventional girl named Louisa and her quadriplegic boss Will. The author does an exceptional job of describing the limitations, frusrations, and possibilities for quadriplegics and those caring for them. She was also able to explain a very taboo subject (assisted suicide) with insite, understanding, and emotion. I give the author tremendous credit for making me feel every emotion so powerfully, I cried, laughed, wanted to throw my iPad, but mostly I felt how we can’t judge anyone until we have lived what they have or been instrumental in there care and lives. This was a beautiful story of love, loss, forgiveness, hope, and living. It has become one of my favourite books to date. I have also watched the movie and it was one of the best book to film adaptation I have seen.
I really enjoyed this book. It gives you some perspective on someone’s life after an accident and what would you do in the same situation.
I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy this story, which I suspected might be nothing more than a heart-tugging tear-jerker, but was very pleasantly surprised. Sure, there are heart-tug moments in it, but so much more. I loved it.
3.5
This book consumed me. I couldn’t stop thinking about the characters and their journey, in the middle of the night, while I was driving, all the time. Even now, I’m in a book fog.
While I can respect endings that aren’t perfect, this one had me pretty disappointed. I thought I might read the next book, but after the ending of this one, I don’t think I have the desire.
This author is an amazing writer, and I am curious about her other books outside of this series, as this is the first I’ve read from her.
This book was incredible. So many mixed emotions and questions found their way to the surface as I read this story. I laughed, I cried, but most of all I really loved the story.
This book has stayed with me. It’s utterly heart-breaking. I still can’t get over the ending (no spoilers!) It’s very rare for me to feel so moved by a story that I can’t move on to another book for a little while, but that’s how this made me feel. It’s a superb read and a beautiful story.
At first, I watched the movie and practically cried my eyes out, and now that I’ve found the book. It’s going to be a long and tearful night.
LOUISA
“Lou” is a relatable character for any of us who are non-fashionistas or those who are idling in life without any set plan or goal. She’s also bound to strike a chord with people who have experienced trauma. Lou’s journey to survive the man she’s employed by and then save the man she loves was put together in an organic, compelling way.
WILL
Being quadriplegic has to be one of the most physically and emotionally difficult ways to live. Maybe it would be easier if you were born that way. But to be fully healthy and then have your health and mobility taken away—not because of your heavy drugging or risky life choices or mafia ties or anything you have direct control over—but because of an accident, would crush most people. And Will is in that camp, without a doubt. Can Lou’s love bring him back to a place where he can learn to see the silver linings in his life (one of which being that fact that he survived the accident at all)?
This is the question hovering over the entire story.
THE STORY
This is a classic opposites-attract romance between two people living in two different decades of their lives (20s and 30s) as well as two different socioeconomic statuses who come together through necessity. Though it takes some time for them to warm up to one another, they finally come to a place of mutual respect. And then things take a dark turn just as love starts to blossom between them.
SELLING POINTS
Romance: It’s got this in spades, of course! In it’s purest form. Erotica-seekers won’t find much to chew on here.
Wit Battles: Pretty low definition in most cases, but I found Will and Louisa’s head-butting hilarious and organic.
Peel-Away Plot: There’s more to this story than first meets the eye. If you enjoy a layered plot that breaks your heart and makes you gasp at each level, this book will be a joyful struggle to read.
The Ending: I won’t spoil anything for you. Suffice it to say that this ending is not at all what you’d find in a more cookie-cutter romance. I love Moyes for this. It’s a respectful, satisfying, and (most importantly) realistic ending that leaves you with a lot of thinking (and a little crying) to do!
This is one of the most emotional books I have read in a long time, if not ever.
Mixing personal tragedy with love across the social divide.
This is a book about friendship, love, patience, ambitions and many more things.It is rare to find a book that has the ability to make the reader look at life through a different lens, forcing us to re-examine our values, prejudices, morals and ethics. Yes, you’re gonna cry but this book made me also laugh a lot . Lou’s family is so crazy!
Will is also so sarcastic and you will love it.
Although a tragic love story, it was also very moving. The characters obviously deeply cared about each other and wanted to make life better for the other and, by doing so, enriched each other’s lives.
This is my favorite book of all time.
Amazing sad romance story. I recommend it so much. Its so cute. Nothing about sex. Its just about this paralyzed man that falls in love with his caretaker. They fall in love and go on many trips. He still chose to die after because he was not happy with his life in a electronic wheelchair. Really sad and beautiful book. Made me cry reading it Amazing characters! Amazing plot! Amazing everything! Please read! It WILL change your life! There is also a movie about this book and I also recommend that one too!
Absolutely love. Left me wreaked but I could not put it down
Love this book
Not usually my kind of book. It was for the book group and I enjoyed reading it.
Loved it
Loved this book.
*Be warned, this review may contain spoilers*
I am just after reading Me Before You by Jojo Moyes and I must say I am utterly devastated. I honestly used up whole box of tissues, no joke. I did not even go downstairs to greet my boyfriend like I usually do when he comes over. I only had few pages to go and did not want to put the book down. When my boyfriend came up to my room, he saw me crying. Not even the pretty kind (if there is such a thing). It was the red eyes and blotchy face kind of ugly crying. He told me that I look like someone who just lost a family member. In a way, I did.
I got extremely emotionally invested in the two main characters. I felt Louisa’s pain like it was my own. I felt Will’s want for people to understand and come to terms with his decision. I felt his frustration with people that tried to make decisions for him. It was just a heartbreakingly beautiful story. Although it was pretty obvious from the beginning that this story will not have a happy ending, as the story goes on and you see these two characters getting closer with each chapter, you cannot help but hope that Louisa ends up changing Will’s mind. I completely understand and support Will’s decision, and I probably would do the same if I ever happen to be in his position. That does not make the story any less heart breaking.
It was beautiful to watch how Louisa and Will fall in love. The way it happened was so believable and I fell for it, hook, line and sinker. It is not insta-love kind of story, instead these characters’ relationship starts off on the wrong foot until they eventually start to tolerate each other, and then they gradually fall in love.
I think the most upsetting part was where Louisa professed her love to Will and he told her that no matter how he feels about her, he will still go through his plan. I felt so sad for Louisa, especially when she started to question her own self-worth. She thought that her love would have been enough to change Will’s mind, but unfortunately it was not. Oh God I wish it was. The end would not be as tragic otherwise.
Another part that got me full blown ugly crying was the last part, where Louisa travels to Paris and reads her letter from Will, accompanied by croissants and a large café crème.
I heard that there is a sequel to this book, but I do not think I can bring myself to read it. To read how Louisa falls in love and finds happiness with someone other than Will does not sit well with me. Although this book did not have a happy ending, it was the perfect ending and I cannot imagine it ending in any other way. I honestly cannot wait for the movie adaptation to come out in June. I will make sure to bring full box of tissues. I only hope that the movie will do this book a justice, because it deserves nothing less.
It made me sad, but I understood.