Me Before You

A Novel

By: Jojo Moyes

Narrated by: Susan Lyons, Anna Bentink, Steven Crossley, Alex Tregear, Andrew Wincott, Owen Lindsay

Length: 14 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

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 boyfriend, close family - who has never 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, 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?

Cast of Narrators:

• Susan Lyons
• Anna Bentink
• Steven Crossley
• Alex Tregear
• Andrew Wincott
• Owen Lindsay

©2012 Jojo Moyes (P)2012 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"A hilarious, heartbreaking, riveting novel.... I will stake my reputation on this book." (Anne Lamott, People Magazine)

"When I finished this novel, I didn’t want to review it: I wanted to reread it...an affair to remember." (New York Times Book Review, Liesl Schillinger)

"An unlikely love story.... To be devoured like candy, between tears." (O, The Oprah Magazine)

Old Fashioned Love With a Twist

I am normally not one for romances or love stories, however I kept getting 'Me Before You, A Novel' recommended to me. It seemed as though every time I turned around another friend was telling my how touching the novel is and how it should be on my 'must read' list. I took advantage of the holiday sale and bought the book at audible, as well as the kindle book. I am the type that likes to listen and read along.

The author, Jojo Moyes, introduces us to Louisa, who lives in a small town in England which has one main tourist area which is an old castle. Louisa has been in an fairly stagnant relationship with her long time boyfriend Patrick. He has recently become obsessed with working out and they really have nothing in common anymore. She figures she'll marry him, and have his babies all the while living in the same five mile radius in which she grew up.

Louisa lives with her mom, dad, grandfather, sister and nephew in a tiny home barely built for all of them and her parents rely on her wages at the 'Buttered Bun' to help make ends meet. When Louisa is told that the owner of the 'Buttered Bun' is closing down his restaurant, she is forced to find another job. Surprisingly, she does find a job as a caretaker for the wealthiest family in town.

Louisa is in charge of looking after Will, who was once a very successful business man and a daredevil. He traveled the world and lived life by the seat of his pants. He was miserable in his state of having to be taken care of around the clock, with little control of his movement and bodily function. When Louisa finds out that the job is a contract position for six months, her suspicions arise and she figures out that Will has given his parents six months to try and convince him to continue to live, but after the six months is over, he will go to a clinic in Switzerland where there are legal procedures for people who wish to die.

Louisa and Will develop a very guarded and intimate relationship, and soon Louisa finds that her sole purpose in life is trying to convince Will that he is indeed a person that is loved and needed in this world, despite his body's failure. Does she convince him to live forever? You'll have to have a listen to find out.

Me Before You is definitely a page turner. The characters are all very earthy and I loved them all. The narration was performed by several different voices (people) and they all added their own point of view on the situation. I enjoyed this as I delved further into the characters and what their thoughts were. My heart ached for Will's mother, who of course under no circumstances wanted her son to die. This is a very emotional book and it deserves to be listened to with full attention. There is so much humanity and ultimate love and sacrifice. It provides hope to the reader that people still do care about others, and it also presents things to people who have no physical ailments. Those of us not suffering with debilitating diseases take advantage of our health, which is something we may want to think twice about.

I am rating this novel 5 stars across the board. This is not a typical romance, but instead a gritty, character building novel with a rich story line and a lot of heart.

Great read

I read a review somewhere that said the cover art and title of this book were misleading. That couldn't be more right on - the cover of this book looks like it should be a tragic love story set in the seventies and the title doesn't help that. Luckily "Me Before You" while having a dose of tragedy and touch of love story has so much more. It's a topic I don't often read about or think about, the life of a quadriplegic and the caregivers around him/her. This book really delves into the details of living a life where one is totally dependent on others to do even the most simple of daily tasks... it's not often I stop in my busy life to consider situations like this. This book looks at tough questions of assisted suicide and quality of life and it makes you think. It forces you to put yourself in someone else's shoes... what an important thing to do. This is a great read, a book you can't put down, highly recommended.

I never cry for books, except this one.

This is an exceptionally well written book that explores a challenging topic, life as a quadriplegic. I really enjoy books that explore different ways of looking at difficult topics and invite you to really think about an issue. The characters in this story were very believable and well nuanced. I never cry for books, realizing that they are just fictional stories. But if this story doesn't bring a tear to your eyes, nothing will.

addictive!

i was pissed whenever i arrived at my destination and had to get out of the car. couldn't stop listening... awesome read.

Very touching

If you're a fan of touching romance novels, I'd recommend it. Also if you like British accents.

Wonderful Insight

I feel like I got much more insight into the world of those physically challenged as well as insight into the characters' emotions. This was really well done by the author as she explores the motivations and understandings of each character.
At a certain point, I felt a little hit over the head with the message, but the relationship between Louisa and Will was involving and personal.
Loved the narration cast with everyone performing very well.
To have Will's life unalterably changed practically in an instant was a very good choice for this story as it shows dramatically the contrast of an able-bodied person with a severely limited one. SPOILER ALERT: Even though I didn't want Will to commit suicide, I totally understood why he would want to as he lived with horrible pain. I think this aspect of life...having to bear unrelenting pain...was kind of passed over with the decision he made. He mostly explained about independence and the life he used to lead, but I kept wondering how he could live with such terrible pain.
Overall, a very well-written and performed book, although I'm not so sure I'm interested in the next two in the series.

So glad I found this book.

This story is so heart touching. I enjoyed every bit of it. I laughed and cried. Very credit worthy

Another Credit Worthy

Another first in my library. I wish for a different ending but then it would be classified as nothing new. the provocative decision of Will Traynor is something I cannot reconcile with.

A very good listen and no credit regrets.

Me before you - best listen in ages!

I LOVED this book. I didn't get enough sleep while listening to it. The story kept me on edge until the end. Always rooting for the main characters. It is funny, intriguing and heart wrenching. Give it a listen!!

Couldn't stop listening, totally addicting story!

Would you listen to Me Before You again? Why?

Maybe. It's very emotional, teared up a few times, definitely worth listening to at least once!

What did you like best about this story?

I really got emotionally involved with the characters, forgot I was listening to a book. Extremely well written and told.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Absolutely!

Any additional comments?

I listened to Stephen King's 11-22-63: A Novel right before this one, and found it difficult to believe the next book could captivate me just as much. I even ordered the next King's book, "The Green Mile", just in case I wouldn't like this one. But at the end, I couldn't stop listening and glad I took a chance.