Me Before You, Jojo Moyes, 2012

Me Before You Review

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes is a contemporary romance that sits at the intersection of love, choice, and dignity. Published in 2012, it pairs Louisa Clark, a small town caregiver, with Will Traynor, a wealthy ex adventurer living with quadriplegia after an accident. For you, this book offers humor edged with grief and a frank look at autonomy. It is warm, prickly, and unafraid of hard questions.

Overview

The setup is opposites attract: Lou’s chaotic optimism meets Will’s razor wit and despair. You will notice how Moyes builds connection through ordinary rituals: tea, movies, plans that fail, jokes that start as armor and turn into trust. The novel respects disability as reality, not plot twist, and centers choice even when the choice hurts.

Summary

Lou takes a job as Will’s companion, hoping to keep the position long enough to support her family. Will resists, then engages. Lou tries to give him reasons to stay: trips, music, small adventures. Without spoiling the final decision, the story holds the tension between love’s desire to save and a person’s right to decide. The ending divides readers because it is honest about conflicting goods.

Author

Jojo Moyes writes in clear, conversational prose with sharp comic timing. She treats her characters with respect and lets them surprise each other. You benefit from her refusal to turn pain into melodrama.

Key Themes

You will explore autonomy: who gets to choose and why. You will see caregiving as relationship, not sainthood. You will consider how class shapes options and how love can expand but not replace agency.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths: engaging voices, tender humor, and a moral center that stays steady. Weaknesses: some readers will find the ending devastating or disagree with its ethics, and a few side plots feel thin. Overall: a heartfelt novel that invites careful conversation.

Target Audience

Perfect for readers who like character driven romance with ethical weight and for book clubs that welcome disagreement handled kindly.

Favorite Quotes

Short lines stand out: live boldly, small days matter, love is not a cure.

Takeaways

For you, the key takeaway is that love can accompany a decision but cannot own it. Kindness means listening as much as fighting. Life is larger than any one plan.