The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes

The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 388

Publisher - Penguin

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

From the author of Me Before You, set in Depression-era America, a breathtaking story of five extraordinary women and their remarkable journey through the mountains of Kentucky and beyond.

Alice Wright marries handsome American Bennett Van Cleve hoping to escape her stifling life in England. But small-town Kentucky quickly proves equally claustrophobic, especially living alongside her overbearing father-in-law. So when a call goes out for a team of women to deliver books as part of Eleanor Roosevelt’s new traveling library, Alice signs on enthusiastically.

The leader, and soon Alice’s greatest ally, is Margery, a smart-talking, self-sufficient woman who’s never asked a man’s permission for anything. They will be joined by three other singular women who become known as the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky.

What happens to them–and to the men they love–becomes an unforgettable drama of loyalty, justice, humanity and passion. These heroic women refuse to be cowed by men or by convention. And though they face all kinds of dangers in a landscape that is at times breathtakingly beautiful, at others brutal, they’re committed to their job: bringing books to people who have never had any, arming them with facts that will change their lives.



My Review

Is it no secret I love Moyes ability to tell stories, I have read all of her books (I think) and not met one I didn't like. Set in Kentucky America, money is tight, women's priorities is the husband, home and of course knowing their place. Alice has come from England to marry her beloved Benedict, thinking she is leaving one dull existence to an exciting new one in America. Not realising she is trading like for like and bound to be disappointed. Benedict lives in his overbearing fathers shadow, the family have money and Alice better know her place. Margery is one of the most outspoken in the town, not loved and has a dodgy family history. Margery with the help of Alice and a small band of ladies are helping families with books, magazines and reading materials. The mobile library will be a godsend to some and an aberration to others, leading to an incident that will change everything for them all.

Based around a true story, the Packhorse librarians where something I had never heard of and absolutely love. A band of women, travelling around their community, up the hills, to get reading materials to families, connecting a community in ways no one would have foresaw.

It is a tale of friendship, love, abuse, greed with a mix of racism, misogyny, human endangerment with the focus on making money even if it costs humans life or limb. A mixed bag, some scenes uncomfortable, because of the era women were felt to know their place and we have some plucky characters in the book and who doesn't love a strong woman or two. Loved Moyes books and this one was no different, 4.5/5 for me, very much looking forward to the next and I will be looking into the history of the Packhorse Librarians.

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Sheltering Rain by Jojo Moyes

Sheltering Rain by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 448

Publisher - HarperTorch

Source - gift ages ago

Blurb from Goodreads

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Me Before You, the basis for the major motion picture, comes the touching, unforgettable story of three generations of Irish women faced with the fundamental truths of love, duty, and the unbreakable bond that unites mothers and daughters.

Estranged from her mother since she ran away from her rural Irish home as a young woman, Kate swore a future oath that she’d always be a friend to her daughter, Sabine. But history has a way of repeating itself, and Kate now faces an ever-widening chasm between herself and her daughter. With Sabine about to make her own journey to Ireland to see the grandmother Kate abandoned, Kate is left wondering how they ever made it here, and what she can do to close the gap between them.

For Joy, seeing her granddaughter is a dream come true. After the painful separation from Kate, she’s looking forward to having time with Sabine. Yet almost as soon as the young woman arrives, the lack of common ground between them deflates her enthusiasm. And when Sabine’s impetuous, inquisitive nature forces Joy to face long-buried secrets from her past, she realizes that perhaps it’s time to finally heal old wounds.



My Review

Sabine goes to live with her grand mother, to help with her grand father, get away from the city and give her mother time to mop up after another failed relationship. Life could not be more different from her city life, telephones, boys, technology, at the farm it is routines, regimented, horses and no networking. Sabine is a vegetarian, her grand parents host hunting parties -Sabine is about to go on a journey that changes everything as she has known it.

The book has two timelines, current day with Sabine on the farm with her grand mother Joy and grand father Edward and back to when Joy was a young girl (1950's), meeting Edward and what follows. A large focus of the book is relationships, personal growth, the decisions we make and the consequences that follow. Infidelity, parenthood, a love of love and focus on horses. Sabine is initially an irritating selfish teen but she grew on me a bit, her mother Kate enraged me, self worth completely tied up in men ugh absolutely infuriating.

A book that has you up and down, back and forth, opinions changing on characters frequently. Whilst I love Moyes you can see a huge difference in her writing now to this, her debut novel, it is still an enjoyable read and she is so talented in her writing abilities. A good story, strong visuals in how she conjurs up scenes and you can easily believe your are back in the 1950's and easily slide into the current day. She handles the duo timeline well and whilst I was reading one I was loathe to jump to the other and back and forth. 3.5/5 for me this time, still enjoyed it but not my favourite, if you aren't familiar with this author I recommend starting with one of her more recent books and working back.

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Still Me by Jojo Moyes

Still Me by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - < 1 day

Pages - 496

Publisher - Penguin

Source - Borrowed

Blurb from Goodreads

Louisa Clark arrives in New York ready to start a new life, confident that she can embrace this new adventure and keep her relationship with Ambulance Sam alive across several thousand miles. She is thrown into the world of the superrich Gopniks: Leonard and his much younger second wife, Agnes, and a never-ending array of household staff and hangers-on. Lou is determined to get the most out of the experience and throws herself into her job and New York life within this privileged world.

Before she knows what's happening, Lou is mixing in New York high society, where she meets Joshua Ryan, a man who brings with him a whisper of her past. In Still Me, as Lou tries to keep the two sides of her world together, she finds herself carrying secrets--not all her own--that cause a catastrophic change in her circumstances. And when matters come to a head, she has to ask herself Who is Louisa Clark? And how do you reconcile a heart that lives in two places?



My Review

Oh how I have missed Lou Clark. Guys if you don’t know, this is the third book in a trilogy, if you haven’t read the previous two please do so before reading this, you need it for the back story. Lou (Louisa) has taken the plunge and heading to a new job for a super rich family in New York, Nathan is there and promises there is no hidden secrets like before.

Oh you have to love Lou, she is so down to earth that pretty much everyone can relate to her. She gets in embarrassing situations, says the wrong things, has the same relationship issues with families, partners and puts her foot in it often. This is what makes her so lovable, she is so very human,you cringe for her, you laugh with her and you feel for her.

The new job sees her basically as a companion, go for, sounding board for her new madam who I had very mixed feelings for. Moyes has the ability to bring characters very much to life with their flaws, rudeness, humility and I bloody love the wee dog character, name and attitude!

As well as adjusting to being away from home, surrounded by ridiculous wealth, Lou is trying to juggle a long distance relationship when she meets someone who flings up many feelings from the past. Questioning her relationship, what she wants, dealing with the family dramas of her own and her new employers it is anything but dull for Lou or the readers. I woud have sank this in one sitting had life allowed for it, as it was I just grabbed it every free minute I could. I love the Clarks, I love Lou and I love that Moyes has managed to stay faithful to the heart of the story and the characters which can’t be easy with the third book. 5/5 for me this time, do I want more of Lou and the Clarks? Absolutely but if there is no more to come I am delighted to go back to the three book, Me Before You is one of my all time favourites but the whole trilogy is something special! You can get your hands on this beauty from tomorrow, 25/1/2018.

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After You by Jojo Moyes

After You by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Publisher - Penguin Michael Joseph

Pages - 407

Blurb from Amazon

***THE SEQUEL TO THE WORLDWIDE PHENOMENON ME BEFORE YOU ***


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 . . .


My Review

This is the long awaited sequel to Me Before You, one of my all time favourite reads, if you haven't read it, I strongly suggest you do before reading this. It has been 18 months since we left Lou Clark and her whole life changed. Now she is working in a bar in the airport, watching people jetting off to new destinations whilst she is stuck here. Things have changed so much for Lou, she isn't speaking much to her family, she just doesn't feel much of anything and is going through the motions. One night changes everything and brings new people into Lou's life, she has some big decisions to make that will completely change her life, one way or the other.

Oh I so missed Lou and her fabulous hilarious family. Like any other book you love on one hand you really want to know what happens next to the characters however there is that fear it can't possibly live up to your expectations. Moyes has tackled this challenge head on and done a great job to be honest. Less than 30 pages in I had gasped and burst out laughing, the story throws a curve ball you don't expect and smashes down the fears carried into reading this sequel.

There are new characters as well as some from the first book and I loved catching up with them, I can't say I was loving the new character Lily and some of Lou's actions, or lack of them really annoyed me. I wanted some of her feisty strong headed personality we knew of her before to shine through, however when you think of all she has been through I feel this is an accurate representation of how she would be and act.

This book will take you on an emotional roller coaster as is Moyes trademark, allow you to reconnect with some of the much loved characters from the first book and a few surprises along the way. 4/5 for me this time, was the book worth the wait? I think so, I definitely will be recommending this book to friends and family.

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Review - Night Music by Jojo Moyes

Night Music by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - <4 hours

Pages - 416

Blurb from Goodreads

The Spanish House is known to locals as an architectural folly, and it is now nearly derelict to boot. When its reclusive owner dies intestate the Spanish House is left to his city-dwelling niece. For the recently-widowed Isabel, the house is a potential lifeline. For her neighbour Matt McCarthy, the house is revenge.


My Review

Matt McCarthy and his wife, Laura, have pampered to their neighbour, taking him meals, cleaning his sheets, looking after him and putting up with his crude comments. All for the deeds of his house when he passes on, which should be soon they think, as he has no family. As it is, it passes to his niece and children, Isabel, Kitty, and Thierry, struggling with the death of her husband and their new financial issues they move to the country and learn a new way of life. However Matt isn't about to let his dream go and soon puts his plan into action, with consequences that change the lives of everyone.

I love Jojo Moyes, her books are always really different from each other and her style is so easy to follow, it is like getting into your comfy slippers. I normally take to one or more of her characters, especially the main players, however, I didn't find this the case in this story. Whilst Matt is deplorable and his wife a willing accomplice, Isabel isn't a great character either. Still wrapped up in the grief of losing her husband, her children have clearly suffered, she makes poor choices that impacts them and seems to take an age to come together. I did like the wee shop keepers right enough and the grumpy handyman had some redeeming quality's as the tale goes on.

As it is a country book there is some animal hunting which, whilst it doesn't go into minute detail it did still make me uneasy to read it. The story has some ups and downs, personal growth, a little bit of sex, manipulation, lies, family secrets and problems just to name a few of the themes within the book.

I got through it in 4 hours so it is a good story, it just isn't her strongest although still a good tale. 3/5 for me this time, I will definitely read more by Jojo Moyes, I have read most of them already and look forward to her next.

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Review - The Ship Of Brides by Jojo Moyes

The Ship of Brides by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Publisher - Hodder

pages - 482

Blurb from Goodreads

The year is 1946, and all over the world, young women are crossing the seas in the thousands en route to the men they married in wartime - and an unknown future. In Sydney, Australia, four women join 650 other brides on an extraordinary voyage to England, aboard the HMS Victoria, which also carries not just arms and aircraft but 1,000 naval officers and men. Rules of honour, duty, and separation are strictly enforced, from the aircraft carrier's captain down to the lowliest young stoker. But the men and the brides will find their lives intertwined in ways the Navy could never have imagined.


My Review

It is 1946, brides are desperate to be reunited with their husbands, some who haven't seen they said I do and the men went off to war. The HMS Victoria is carrying weapons and naval officers and now 650 brides, coming from Australia to America. Putting such a mix together, in a confined space, under such conditions is a recipe for disaster, one the Captain can see but has no choice but to press on. Four ladies join the 650 and it is their story we follow through the voyage. Danger, lies, friendship, honor and secrets are just a few of the subjects covered throughout this tale.

I must admit, ever since Me Before You I have loved Jojo Moyes, something about her writing just draws you in to the time period and characters lives. Avice, coming from money and heading off to her new life and husband, can't help but judge along the way and flaunt her good fortune as she goes. Margaret, home girl who looked after her brothers and father after their mother left, not afraid to get dirty and muck in and takes people as she finds them. Frances, a nurse who is very reserved, cold at times and keeps herself to herself and lastly Jean, only sixteen and a live wire, quick to look for fun and find trouble fast. These ladies are shipped together for six weeks in a small cramped room and learn to live with each other and form unlikely friendships and learn how to accept each other.

The story took a bit for me to warm up to, we start in present day, an elderly lady happens upon something that takes her back to her voyage in 1946. We do not know her identity and learn the story as it goes. Once it warms up and you get to know the characters, I couldn't put it down and got through it in one day. Not her strongest novel but quite fabulous in its own right, it made me want to read about actual brides and their travels during that period of time. 4/5 for me this time, I intend on finding any of her other novels I have not yet read and eagerly await ones in the future.

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Review - The Last Letter From Your Lover by Jojo Moyes

The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 6 days

Publisher 0 Hodder & Stoughton

Blurb from Goodreads

When journalist Ellie looks through her newspaper's archives for a story, she doesn't think she'll find anything of interest. Instead she discovers a letter from 1960, written by a man asking his lover to leave her husband - and Ellie is caught up in the intrigue of a past love affair. Despite, or perhaps because of her own romantic entanglements with a married man.

In 1960, Jennifer wakes up in hospital after a car accident. She can't remember anything - her husband, her friends, who she used to be. And then, when she returns home, she uncovers a hidden letter, and begins to remember the lover she was willing to risk everything for.

Ellie and Jennifer's stories of passion, adultery and loss are wound together in this richly emotive novel - interspersed with real 'last letters'.



My Review


The book starts with a paragraph from a real life John Doe type letter, email or some other type of correspondence. Except for one which is from the books story, these are at the beginning of each chapter. The story then starts in present day with Ellie Haworth, journalist and lady in love with a man, who happens to be married. There is a little bit of info on her relationship/life before we go to chapter 2 and head back to the 1960s where we meet our main character Jennifer Stirling. Jennifer is married, wealthy and a social butterfly, she has a car accident and some memory loss. The story flicks around a bit between after the accident, before and the time leading up to it. We then come back to Ellie and how the two ladies lives interlink, via some old letters.

I quite liked this book, I have often said Jojo Moyes is one of my favourite authors. I really enjoyed reading about Jennifer's life although the story flicking between the before and after the accident did have me confused momentarily between the time periods. Ellie, we only meet briefly to start with and I can't said I was overly enamored with her character. She has no thought for anything other than herself and her married man. The bulk of the book covers Jennifer's story and then eventually we go back to Ellie. I found this a bit irksome also as by that time I wasn't interested in Ellie and just wanted to know all about Jennifer and Boot.

As Jennifer's story goes along we find out she is also having an affair and slowly the mystery unravels as to how it came to be and what happens between her and Boot. Back in present day Ellie has some thinking to do when she finds some correspondence between old lovers and reassessing her own life.

It is a lovely story with some moral dilemmas, examining adultery back in the 60s and present day. I felt, although Ellie did play a part in the later side of the story, she could easily have been dropped out of it. Or maybe had she had more written about her I may have enjoyed her part more. Either way it is a good read but not a book I would start with if you have read Jojo Moyes before, 3/5 for me this time.

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ARC - The One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

Time taken to read - 6 hours

Publisher - Penguin Books (UK)

Source - RealReaders

Blurb From RealReaders

The One Plus One is the beautiful, poignant and utterly compelling new novel by the internationally bestselling author Jojo Moyes.

Jess Thomas wants . . . . . . to be more than a single mum getting by day after day . . . to do her best for her gifted but sensitive daughter Tanzie . . . to find a way back from the loneliest place on earth

Ed Nicholls is hoping . . . . . . he won't go to jail . . . there's a way back from the biggest mistake of his life . . . something or someone will make it all go away

Jess and Ed are . . . . . . two strangers looking for a little kindness . . . two lost souls with a lot to learn from each other . . . about to find out that one plus one makes more - so much more - than two The One Plus One is Jojo Moyes' brilliant new heartbreaking novel about two people learning to take a chance on each other.

My Review


We open up the tale with Jess & Nathalie, Jess is our main character, well one of them, and Nathalie as they go about their job, cleaning. They are chatting and giving the reader an insight into Jess's life. The next few chapters bring in Tanzie, Ed and Nicky, each chapter has a name underneath the chapter so you know which person it is coming from or focusing on. The view point alternates between first and third person, this is done with ease though and actually adds to the joy of the story.

Jess is struggling to make ends meet, her husband is trying to sort himself out at his mothers whilst Jess keeps the home, finance and kids going. Working herself to the bone with two jobs, lack of time with the kids and money worries she still manages to maintain a positive outlook. When she gets an opportunity for her daughter Tanzie, to better her life, she will do anything she can to make it work.

Ed is our other big character, he has money, homes, cars and everything a geek could ask for. When his life and routine come to a halt whilst he is investigated and everything he knows is at risk, he meets someone in their hour of need. What follows is a journey that will highlight strengths and weaknesses in each of them and force them to question their chosen paths in life.

Oh.My.God I love this book! I thought after Me Before You I wouldn't be able to 5 star another book by this author as it was their peak book. I was wrong, although this is a totally different kind of book it stirred up a lot of the same responses as Me Before You. Gasping out loud (always a tad mortified when this happens, especially if people are around), smiling, laughter and tears, everything a great book should do. The ARC I got is 436 pages, I devoured it in 6 hours and it would have been quicker but I had to do some things to do in between. I was loath to put it down, I couldn't wait to find out where it was going, what else would come to light and how it played out for the characters. When I read the first few chapters, I wasn't convinced I was going to love it as I thought there might be too many characters. There are 4 centered ones, Ed & Jess are your big characters and Nicky and Tanzie feature heavily too, as well as their daft dog Norman, but as I said, the chapters are titled with their names and it is really easy to follow.

I didn't want it to end, I loved the characters and think there is someone for everyone to relate to. If not someone personally then at least one of the situations. The book covers a host of issues, single mum struggling to make ends meet, misfit kids, the misconception and judgments people make on each other, betrayal, honesty, love and loyalty to name but a few.

I try not to do big long reviews but I could talk about this book for ages. Sadly it isn't out to buy until the 27th of February 2014 which is a bit of a wait but it will be worth it. I will be buying at least two copies as gifts and this one, for me is a keeper. Thanks so much to RealReaders for sending me a paper copy of this in exchange for an honest review, it has brought a smile and keeper for me, 5/5 this time and I will continue to buy up all of this authors works.

ARC - The One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

The One Plus One by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 6 hours

Publisher - Penguin Books (UK)

Blurb from NetGalley

One single mum.
One chaotic family.
One handsome stranger.
One unexpected love story.

Join the conversation online:
#TheOneJojo

My Review


We open up the tale with Jess & Natalie, Jess is our main character, well one of them, and Natalie as they go about their job, cleaning. They are chatting and giving the reader an insight into Jess's life. The next few chapters bring in Tanzie, Ed and Nicky, each chapter has a name underneath the chapter so you know which person it is coming from or focusing on. The view point alternates between first and third person, this is done with ease though and actually adds to the joy of the story.

Jess is struggling to make ends meet, her husband is trying to sort himself out at his mothers whilst Jess keeps the home, finance and kids going. Working herself to the bone with two jobs, lack of time with the kids and money worries she still manages to maintain a positive outlook. When she gets an opportunity for Tanzie to better her life she will do anything she can to make it work.

Ed is our other big character, he has money, homes, cars and everything a geek could ask for. When his life and routine come to a halt whilst he is investigated and everything he knows is at risk, he meets someone in their hour of need. What follows is a journey that will highlight strengths and weaknesses in each of them and force them to question their chosen paths in life.

Oh.My.God I love this book! I thought after Me Before You I wouldn't be able to 5 star another book by this author as it was their peak book. I was wrong, although this is a totally different kind of book it stirred up a lot of the same responses as Me Before You. Gasping out loud (always a tad mortified when this happens, especially if people are around), smiling, laughter and tears, everything a great book should do. The ARC I got is 436 pages, I devoured it in 6 hours and it would have been quicker but I had to do some housework in between. I was loath to put it down, I couldn't wait to find out where it was going, what else would come to light and how it played out for the characters. When I read the first few chapters, I wasn't convinced I was going to love it as I thought there might be too many characters. There are 4 centered ones, Ed & Jess are your big characters and Nicky and Tanzie feature heavily too (as well as their daft dog Norman) but as I said, the chapters are titled with their names and it is really easy to follow.

I didn't want it to end, I loved the characters and think there is someone for everyone to relate to. If not someone then at least one of the situations. The book covers a host of issues, single mum struggling to make ends meet, misfit kids, the misconception and judgments people make on each other, betrayal, honesty, love and loyalty to name but a few.

I try not to do big long reviews but I could talk about this book for ages. Sadly it isn't out to buy until the 27th of February 2014 which is a bit of a wait but it will be worth it. I will be buying at least two copies as gifts and maybe even one for a keeper. Thanks so much to NetGalley for listing this and to Penguin Books (UK) for approving my request for a review copy. All thoughts are honest and my own.

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Silver Bay by Jojo Moyes

Silver Bay by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time Taken To Read - 4 days

Publisher - Hodder & Stoughton

Blurb From Goodreads

When Mike Dormer heads out from London to a small seaside town in Australia to kick-start a hotel development, he expects just another deal. But Silver Bay is not just any seaside town, and the inhabitants of the eccentric ramshackle Silver Bay Hotel - the enigmatic skipper Liza McCullen, her ten-year-old daughter, and her legendary shark-catching aunt Kathleen, as well as the crews of the local whale-watching boats - swiftly begin to temper his own shark-like tendencies. He is left wondering who really has the greater right to the bay's waters. As the development begins to take on a momentum of its own, and the effect on the whales that migrate past the bay begins to reveal itself, Mike's and Liza's worlds collide, with dramatic results. New, unforeseen hazards emerge to confront both the creatures and the McCullen women. How close can you get, before you end up destroying what you love?

My Review

Mike Dormer comes to Silver Bay, posing as a tourist but really sent from London to get the hotel development plans sealed and off the ground. He doesn't expect to see anything other than getting his plans sorted and money in the bank. However the little seaside town has a lot going for it, from friendly locals, including one famous lady, to the beautiful sea life. Mike ends up facing a few dilemmas and some soul searching by the end of his visit and finding out what truly matters in life.

Oh this is a great wee book. At first it took me a bit to get into it, not sure if it was because it is different, starting in the city then heading to a wee quiet town. However as the book went on I started to get a feel for the characters and caught up in their lives. I loved the focus on the marine life and learning the behaviors of the whales and dolphins through the characters eyes. After a few passages it made me want to go and sign a petition or do something to protect these fabulous creatures.

There is a few angles in the book, a build up of relationships, torment of grief and losses from the past. Ghosts that need to be faced in order for some of the characters to be able to move forward. There are a few wee twists in the book and one near the latter end I didn't see coming but totally loved. I have enjoyed Moyes writing since I started with Me Before You and continue to do so although this is very different from her last few books, they are all so different. Great once you get into it, 4/5 for me this time.

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Review - Foreign Fruit by Jojo Moyes

Foreign Fruit by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time Taken To Read - 5 days

Blurb From Amazon

When a group of bohemians take over an Art Deco house in the 1950s seaside town of Merham, Lottie Swift and Celia Holden are as drawn to its temptations as the rest of the town is appalled. They set in place a chain of events which will have longstanding and tragic consequences for all.

My Review

The book starts off with Lottie Swift and Celia Holden, set in a small town in the 1950s. Lottie lives with Celia's family and is treated as Celia's sister although the whole town still see her "for what she is". The girls do everything together until Celia leaves for London and meets the man of her dreams. When she returns home Guys presence threatens everything Lottie holds dear.

The story flips forward 50 years to Daisy, life was perfect until her partner decides he can't handle life with a baby and walks out on them and their business. Daisy pulls herself together to work on the Art Deco house in the small town Lottie and Celia resided in, that caused so much controversy, and soon the past and present catch up.

I found this story really slow to get started with a big build up on the main characters, Lottie and Celia. Just when it finally got going we flipped to present day when I really wanted to keep going with the girls. The story with Daisy starts up really quickly though and I enjoyed reading how she dealt with her partners departure. The story is really well written and Jojo Moyes does really well to link the two together. I would have liked to have seen the book be a bit thicker to be honest and get more clarification on Celia and what happened than what was given, although they say a great author always leaves the audience wanting more and I do love her books so I guess it is a win win. I was a bit disappointed with how the book ended but this is a personal preference as the people who have also read it seemed to really enjoy it. 3/5 for me and I will continue working my way through her books.

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Review - The Peacock Emporium by Jojo Moyes

Peacock Emporium by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time Taken To Read - 2.5 days

Blurb From Goodreads

In the Sixties, Athene Forster is the most glamorous girl of her generation. Nicknamed the Last Deb, she is also beautiful, spoilt and out of control. When she agrees to marry dashing young heir Douglas Fairley-Hulme her parents breathe a sigh of relief. But within two years rumours have begun to circulate about Athene's affair with a young salesman. Thirty five years on, Suzanna Peacock is struggling with her glamorous mother's legacy. At odds with her father and his second wife, struggling in a stalled marriage, she returns to the place of her birth to find that the ghost of her mother, in differing ways, still haunts them all. The only place she finds comfort is in her shop, The Peacock Emporium, a coffee shop-cum-curio store, decorated in her own image, which provides a haven for other misfits in the town. There she makes perhaps the first real friends of her life, including Alejandro, a male midwife, escaping his own ghosts in Argentina. But the spectre of Athene and the shop itself combine to set in place a chain of tragic events, forcing Suzanna to confront the feelings she has disguised for so long - and her family, in their varying ways, finally to deal with the events of the past. And Suzanna discovers the key to her history, and her happiness, may have been in front of her all along.

My Review

The story splits in time, we visit the past to get some of the background story then come to the present with Suzanna and the build up of her character and story which eventually all links together. Suzanna is the main character but this didn't become apparent until later on in the story. Whilst I did enjoy this story I found the first bit slow going and it wasn't until I got through a chunk of it and the picture pulled together that I really started to enjoy it.

Suzanna is unhappy, her life has been turned upside down and in a bid to get her to come to his way of thinking her husband helps her set up a shop which becomes The Peacock Emporium. It brings together a small town and helps Suzanna learn who she is and find love, friendship and to enjoy others company.

I disliked Suzanna to start with but once you understand more about her family life and watch how her character grows, you tend to warm towards her. There are a few unexpected surprises and shocks and we visit the past again near the end where my questions I had been left with were all answered ( I was worried I was going to be left hanging). The second half of the book comes together really well and I loved how it all came together. I really like this authors way of writing so will continue reading through her books as I do enjoy them. Slow to start but worth keeping with, 4/5 for me.

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ARC - The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes

The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time Taken To Read - 3 days (work got in the way)

Blurb From Goodreads

What happened to the girl you left behind?

In 1916 French artist Edouard Lefevre leaves his wife Sophie to fight at the Front. When her town falls into German hands, his portrait of Sophie stirs the heart of the local Kommandant and causes her to risk everything - her family, reputation and life - in the hope of seeing her true love one last time.

Nearly a century later and Sophie's portrait is given to Liv by her young husband shortly before his sudden death. Its beauty speaks of their short life together, but when the painting's dark and passion-torn history is revealed, Liv discovers that the first spark of love she has felt since she lost him is threatened...

In The Girl You Left Behind two young women, separated by a century, are united in their determination to fight for the thing they love most - whatever the cost.

My Review

The book starts with Sophie Lefevre in 1916, France. The war is already well underway and Sophie's family and town are feeling the effects. Their men are gone, there is little food, curfews, beatings and violence - all that goes along with war. Sophie is a strong, brave lady who does not take kindly to the Germans and what they stand for and often puts herself on the line to challenge them. Slowly the town starts to question her loyalty and her love and longing for her husband soon gets her into a situation that may cost her her life.

Just under halfway through the book we switch to London 2006 where we meet Liz. A young woman who has been through a lot in the past 4 years. She finally lets her guard down and meets a man but as fate would have it, a bombshell is about to be dropped. A painting her late husband bought her on her honeymoon is being sought by the Lefevre family as an heir loom stolen by the Germans during the war. The girl you left behind has more than monitory value for her and she will fight them even if it means losing everything, including her new man.

I loved this story! I was annoyed when we left Sophie and skipped to Liv as something big had just happened and I loved her character, I wanted to know what has happened. However I soon got into Liv's story and after a while the two link up as they are joined by the history of the painting. Two women caught up in love, one sacrificing herself for her husband and the other to honor and do the right thing for the painting of the girl you left behind.

I would have got through this in a day had I not had to work, I found it hard to put down as I was hooked into both stories and wanting to know what happened to Sophie and if Liv will get what is rightfully hers. This story covers many aspects, betrayal, love, honor, bravery, war, friendship and the lengths that some people will go to for what they love. The story crosses over two time periods but it is done so well and is really easy to follow. I do enjoy this authors style of writing (this is the second book I have read of hers and it won't be my last). A really enjoyable story that will leave you thinking, what would you have done. Great for a book group I would think, 4 out of 5 for me. Thanks to Real Readers for giving me an ARC copy of this book and the opportunity to review it.

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Review - Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Time Taken To Read - 1 day

Blurb From Goodreads

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.

My Review

Oh. My. God! I loved this book (she says recovering from a whole host of emotions!)

Louise (Lou) Clark has lost her job, her options of a new one at the job center are rubbish until one comes in to be a private carer. Going in with no experience and the idea of looking after an old man she sykes herself up and finds it is nothing like she expects. Will is a grumpy, cheeky, angry, young man who isn't interested in a whole lot since his accident leaving him a quadriplegic. Lou and Will have to find a way of working together and soon changing each others lives as they know it.

This book had me hooked from the first handful of pages. The banter and attitude between these two is brilliant. Lou is basically a misfit, take me as you find me kind of girl, Will was a high powered business man with a lust for life and everything physical. Two years since his accident and he is still in a world of anger, hurt, annoyance and pain (not to mention the health issues). You couldn't pick two more different people to be thrust upon each other and watching their relationship and how they respond with each other was captivating.

The writing is so smooth and powerful you can see the characters coming to life and pulling reactions that I can honestly say I haven't experience many times (if ever before) and I have been devouring books for years. I think this book struck so much emotion with me as I could relate to each of the characters and where they were coming from but mostly it is just a fantastically written book. My first encounter with this author and I will definitely be reading her again, 5/5 for me!

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