'After You' By Jojo Moyes

 Murphy's Mother: Book Review 

'After You' 

by Jojo Moyes

 

Dear fellow readers

'After You' is the long awaited sequel to 'Me Before You.'

You really must read 'Me Before You' first to be able to identify properly with the characters and understand the emotions behind such a moving story.

'Me Before You' (pictured above) is a thought provoking and very emotional story of how one persons decision affects more than just one family.

Louisa 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.

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...

(Click here to read more on 'Me Before You')

The sequel, 'After You' shows how difficult it is to move on and how one decision can affect peoples lives forever.

Lou Clark has lots of questions.

Like how it is she's ended up working in an airport bar, spending every shift watching other people jet off to new places.

Or why the flat she's owned for a year still doesn't feel like home.

Whether her close-knit family can forgive her for what she did eighteen months ago.

And will she ever get over the love of her life.

What Lou does know for certain is that something has to change...

Then, one night, it does.

But does the stranger on her doorstep hold the answers Lou is searching for - or just more questions?

Close the door and life continues: simple, ordered, safe.

Open it and she risks everything.

But Lou once made a promise to live. And if she's going to keep it, she has to invite them in...

(Click here to read more on 'After You')

I must admit I was a little hesitant about reading this book as 'Me Before You' is a very hard act to follow, however I really wanted to know what happened to Louisa after Will.

This novel is full of twists and turns and certainly delivers a few shocks along the way. I just didn't want to put the book down. I loved reading about Louisa's journey and how learning to live again also helped her to start loving again.

It was great to read about the Clark family and in this book their presence brings a lot of laughter and some of the stories made me laugh out loud ( I'm not going to spoil it but the permanent marker plot was hilarious).

The chemistry Jojo portays between Lou and Sam is funny, poignant and just perfect.

The relationship between Louisa and Lily is yet another triumph as they have a great deal in common. They are both lost lonely souls with a reluctance to build relationships as they are in fear of getting hurt again. I know at first I didn't like Lily as I was very protective over Louisa and I'm sure others will feel the same, but Jojo really brings depth to Lily's character and you'll soon realise she has a good heart.

This is a very different read to 'Me Before You' and I absolutely loved it and was left wanting more.

Jojo Moyes you did it again and I'll be waiting to read what happens next...

Until next time

MM xxx

*If you would like Murphy's Mother to read and review your book or if you have any requests, please in the first instance email 'MM' at jamachin07@aol.com 



'Me Before You' blurb taken from: http://www.jojomoyes.com/books/me-before-you/ 
'After You' blurb taken from: http://www.jojomoyes.com/books/after-you/
Photo of 'After You': Murphy's Mothers own
Photo of 'Me Before You' taken from: www.amazon.co.uk