We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes

Welcome to the Kennedy household:

Lila wrote a bestseller about keeping your marriage alive, before discovering her ex was playing happy families with another woman. A woman she sees everyday at school pick-up.

Bill, her stepdad, moved in after Lila’s mum died. He’s kind, old-fashioned and driving her absolutely nuts.

Celie, Lila’s eldest, hates school. Hates it so much she’s stopped going. Her mother’s fine with that – because she doesn’t know yet.

Violet is nine and sings age-inappropriate rap songs, laughs at fart jokes and Lila dearly hopes she’ll never, ever change.

And Truant the dog, who has just bitten the American actor who’s suddenly landed on the Kennedys' doorstep.

This is Gene – Lila’s estranged father, and no one’s idea of a role model. He walked out on Lila and her mum years ago – and wherever he goes domestic discord follows.

Because Gene’s presence changes things in unexpected ways. Soon the girls discover a kindred spirit in a man always chasing life’s joy. Bill even loosens up. And Lila finds herself, astonishingly, dating.

Jojo Moyes is the author of my favourite book Me Before You and I have read all of her books and loved them all they all are so well researched and have such depth to the storylines so I do not hesitate to read each new release of hers.

We All Live Here is her new release and this one is very different from her previous books it was just the kind of light easy read that I needed after reading so many heavily detailed books recently. 

This book centres around the Kennedy family as Lila is on the start of navigating life after her recent separation from her husband but there is no chance of her being lonely at home because the house is bedlam with a mix of family members all bringing humour, dramatics, heartache and challenges to the household. Jojo Moyes always excels in character development and this is what shines through in this book as she takes each character and really brings their struggles to the heart of the storyline and skilfully weaves them all together in this chaotic household. 

Mistakes are made and feelings are hurt but at the same time lessons are learnt and relationships are made stronger, this is a realistic storyline that doesn't gloss over the actions and emotions after separation and this is dealt with in a brutally honest way which at times you sympathise with and at other points have you chuckling away and fully backing her ruthlessness!

I really enjoyed this book and it was the perfect book at the perfect time, I don't think this one will leave a lasting impression on me like all of her other books not because it wasn't good but because it was just a nice simple read but it didn't have a storyline that I feel will be memorable as it didn't have an impact on me.

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Someone Else's Shoes by Jojo Moyes

 

Who are you when you are forced to walk in someone else's shoes?

Meet Sam . . .
She's not got much, but she's grateful for what she has: a job she's just about clinging on to and a family who depend on her for everything. She knows she's one bad day away from losing it all - and just hopes today isn't it . . .

Meet Nisha . . .
She's got everything she always dreamed of - and more: a phenomenally rich husband; an international lifestyle; and . . . she's just been locked out of all of it after her husband initiates divorce proceedings . . .

Sam and Nisha should never have crossed paths. But after a bag mix-up at the gym, their lives become intertwined - even as they spiral out of control.

Each blames the other as they feel increasingly invisible, forgotten, lost - and desperately alone.

But they're not.

Jojo Moyes is one of my top authors and her new release Someone Else’s Shoes has been my most anticipated release for 2023 and it was sure worth the wait.

Our main characters are Nisha and Sam and their lives are poles apart but when a mishap occurs when they pick up each other’s bag at a gym neither could know how their lives are about to change. Nisha finds herself in a vulnerable and what feels like an impossible situation when her husband cuts her off from everything and her future depends on finding her shoes which were in her bag which was taken.

Sam can’t be seen in gym flip flops at work and so only one other choice, to wear the stranger’s shoes that are in the bag she has mistakenly picked up. She soon discovers that she is seen in a different light when dressed to impress, she is taken seriously and projects knowledge and power.

This book grabs your attention from the opening chapter and doesn’t let your attention waiver at any point because the author weaves so many issues, many of which are day to day relatable situations many of us have faced in our lives into the storyline from mental health, work life pressures, loneliness, infidelity the list goes on there is so much packed in to this storyline which is the perfect combination to make this a captivating read that I couldn’t put down and devoured in only a few hours.

One thing that I loved about this book is the essence of friendship and strong women showing solidarity to each other at times of need no matter how long or how well they knew each other. They came together to help each other for emotional support as well as practical support and this was really touching and empowering.

There are a great mix of characters in this storyline some characters you meet and love from the get go and there are others that take some warming to as the storyline progresses and their true characters begin to shine through. As much as I loved Sam and Nisha there was also a lot of love from me to the supporting characters, Jasmine was amongst my favourites as she was someone who had so little but was willing to give it all to help without even a little hesitation. Phil was a gem too and his part in this story was dealt with delicately but with a real insight to someone’s thoughts and emotions when facing his struggles and this will raise great awareness for this I applaud the author.

I really didn’t want to leave these women behind but the ending of the book was wrapped up perfectly. I adored this novel and although Me Before You is still a firm favourite of mine ( I really don’t think this will ever be knocked off my top spot) this is definitely up there as one of my favourites by Jojo Moyes and I can actually see this one making its way onto our screens and I for one would definitely be booking my tickets to see it. Another outstanding book that has more than lived up to my expectations.

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The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes

Alice Wright doesn't love her new American husband.

Nor her domineering father-in-law or the judgmental townsfolk of Baileyville, Kentucky.

Stifled and misunderstood, she yearns for escape and finds it in defiant Margery O'Hare and the sisterhood bringing books to the isolated and vulnerable.

But when her father-in-law and the town turn against them, Alice fears the freedom, friendship and the new love she's found will be lost . . .

Jojo Moyes writes such incredible and unforgettable novels, she is the author of my favourite novel Me Before You and each time there is a new release by this author I know I am going to be in for a treat. The Giver of Stars is the title of her latest release and is based on a true story which appealed to me even more.


In the mountains of Kentucky where the folk are struggling due to the Great Depression a group of ladies come together to form a Mobile Library on horseback. Margery O’Hare doesn’t follow the society rules and is a very strong willed woman who leads the team of women in their little business they become so passionate and proud of. Alice Van Cleve is a young English woman who has recently arrived after marrying the well known Bennett and after struggling to find her place in society, much to the disapproval of her husband and father in-law decides to join the women and work as one of the horse back Librarians. The woman soon began to see that not everyone agreed with the idea of the mobile library and they would meet a whole host of challenges in their way.


I found myself completely immersed in this storyline and the women’s bravery, courage and determination was commendable. Each and every one of the women who were involved in the Horseback Library were such determined and proud women who were not afraid of hard work and at times put their own safety at risk just to be able to support their community. The characters were developed incredibly well and the friendship and solidarity that was built between the women was wonderful to see.


The storyline felt deep and raw as it contained so many different hardships and struggles effect nit just these strong women but also people in their community whose lives the women touched. The author writes with such detail that I could easily picture everything in my mind and I am absolutely certain that this novel will be hitting our screens at some point as it was so vivid and intriguing it had me captivated from start to finish so it would be great to see this made into a film.


This is one of those novels that will stick in my mind for a long time to come and it certainly sparked my interest in The Pack Horse Library Project that the minute I finished this novel I was googling to find out more and was amazed at the information and pictures that I found.


What a remarkable read, if you are looking for a novel with depth, solidarity, friendship and determination at the core then this novel will not disappoint you.

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Still Me by Jojo Moyes

She knows how many miles lie between her new home in New York and her new boyfriend Sam in London.

She knows her employer is a good man and she knows his wife is keeping a secret from him.

What Lou doesn't know is she's about to meet someone who's going to turn her whole life upside down.

Because Josh will remind her so much of a man she used to know that it'll hurt.

Lou won't know what to do next, but she knows that whatever she chooses is going to change everything.

Me Before You is one of my all time favourite books and one of the rare books I have reread over again so I was look forward to the release of Still Me to see what Jojo Moyes had in store for Louisa Clark this time so I snapped up my copy from my local bookshop and headed home to jump straight in.

Louisa has an opportunity of a life time to really do what Will wanted her to do and push her boundaries and see the world when an opportunity for her to up sticks and move to New York and become a professional friend to the very wealthy Agnes. 

As Louisa is challenged in her role in keeping secrets and to partake in exercise that almost kills her she is also finding it difficult leaving Sam behind can a long-distance relationship really survive especially when a face from her past takes her breath away?

I really enjoyed this book and found myself taking my time reading this as I really didn’t want to leave Louisa again as with each book she is taken on a further exciting journey that is allowing her to find herself and I love being with her on her journey and watching her blossom. You can still rely on Lou to give us a good laugh but you can also really see the honest and genuinely caring character she is deep within always putting herself before others even when it leaves her in a vulnerable situation.

I loved having Nathan around again in this book as well as meeting some new characters like the difficult yet delightful Mrs De Witt and the ever so friendly and welcoming Ashok, I have to say I had my reservations surrounding Josh and Agnes from the get go, they didn’t warm my heart but they were great characters in this storyline.

Jojo Moyes really gets the balance right in this book with the emotional moments and her humorous antics which we had in Me Before You but that for me was missing in After You she has pulled it back again with Still Me and this is what kept me hooked and purely entertained and absorbed in the storyline from start to finish.

I have a feeling this may be the last in the series which I will be devastated about as I still feel we could have one more Lou adventure to tie everything up beautifully so I will still keep my hopes up that Jojo will grace us with one more little Lou book! If you are one of the extremely small population who still have not read Me Before You stop wasting time and go and grab a copy you will not regret it and then you will be eager to meet up with Lou again on her New York adventure in Still Me.

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The One Plus One by 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.

Jojo Moyes is a much loved author by many. I look forward to her new releases each year because she is an author whose books are always compelling reads and she never gets it wrong.

The One Plus One is about a single parent family who are living on desperate times. Money isn’t tight it is non-existent even though mum Jess is trying to hold down two jobs. Son Nicky just doesn’t fit in and is a constant target, whilst bright little Tanzie could become very successful but she needs to go to St Anne’s School but although she has been accepted one thing stands in her way ….. School fees.

When a possible solution arises to be able to help with the financial struggle all hope rests on a handsome stranger. Their fate is in his hands.

This was yet another fantastic read by Jojo Moyes that I couldn’t put down. This book had a more uplifting, fun feel to it compared to the author’s previous books which was nice to see a different side to her writing and I lived it. Although there was a light side to the storyline this was weaved around lots of family struggles, financial crisis, broken homes and bullying to name but a few and so I am sure there is something in this book that everyone can relate too.

I liked the light humour in this book I know I sure won’t be rushing to eat a Kebab anytime soon!

The four main characters in this book were all a joy to read. They were all very different, Jess was a strong, hardworking character who was a great role model ( most of the time!) Ed was a true gentleman underneath it all. Tanzie was a bright little spark and Nicky bless him was a quirky little lad who hasn’t quite figured out where he belongs in the world yet.

It is quite clever how most of the book is set on a car journey and yet it still managed to keep me entertained the whole time when I would have thought it could have got tiresome as I would have thought there is only so much that can happen on a car journey but I was well and truly proved wrong.

It was great to see a different side to this authors writing style and although this doesn’t beat Me Before You ( but honestly could this book ever be beaten!) it was still a fabulously entertaining read.

Kindle       Hardback

The Girl You Left Behind

I read my first Jojo Moyes book back in January and it blew me away. Me Before You is easily my best read of 2012 so far so when I heard that Moyes was releasing another book I couldn’t wait to dive into her writing world again so imagine my joy when I received an early review copy, needless to say it didn’t sit on the side awaiting my attention!

The cover of this book is a similar style to her previous book and I love both of the covers they are definitely something that would catch my eye in the book shop.

The first part of the book made for quite a compelling read for me we meet Sophie who is living in France in 1916 but their little village has just been overtaken by the Germans and without her husband Edouard around Sophie is forced to prepare food for the Germans in Le Coq Rouge much to her dislike. Edouard is away at war and Sophie has not had any correspondence from her husband for sometime so when the Kommandant shows a soft spot for her and a great interest in the painting of Sophie that her husband painted of her that hangs on the wall so she wonders if she can use him to try and attempt to get her husband out of danger.

The second part of the book is when we meet our other heroine Liv this time we have jumped to 2006 and we see a reappearance of the painting of Sophie. The painting now belongs to Liv and was a gift from her husband David who has passed away. Liv is heartbroken and struggling financially then to top it all off she now has a court case over her head when it arises that the painting may have been illegally looted and so Liv stands to lose yet another thing close to her heart.

I fell quickly into the storyline from the start of this book. It is easy to warm to each of the characters especially Sophie whose emotions shine through in this book. It is apparent early on that she would do anything to try and get her husband home but you cannot predict the lengths she would be willing to go through to make that happen. She seems like such a strong and feisty character when we first meet her not taking the Germans actions and requests lying down but as the story moves along and she interacts more with the Kommandant  we start to see a softer more vulnerable side to her which only makes us warm to her the more.

Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy the second part of the book as much as the first I felt like this part was a little to drawn out and at times my interest started to waver that is until we have small snippets of Sophie creep up again. I didn’t warm to Liv as much as Sophie but we all usually favour a character in a book and for this book it has to be Sophie who is my favourite heroine. Although I enjoyed this book and it is a very touching and interesting storyline, I can safely say my tissues are still in place!

This is yet another beautifully written compelling read from Jojo Moyes and after reading The Girl You Left behind I am still a firm fan but this has not knocked Me Before You off the top spot.

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Me Before You by JoJo Moyes

January was a low month for me when it came to books being released, my big problem was I was going on holiday and needed to stock up on my books! The one that did catch my eye and I had heard good things about was Me Before You, I had never read any of JoJo Moyes previous books but I was eager to try this book to see if it was as good as people had said.

Plot

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 Opinion
I came accross this book in WHSmith in the paperback chart and the first thing I have to say about this book is I love the cover as it gave no indication as to what to expect from the storyline but yet the colours used on the cover instantly pulled me in.
From the first chapter of this book I was HOOKED as Moyes has such a realistic and natural flow to her writing, which makes it a believable storyline that just keeps flowing along beautifuly.

This is a true romance story through and through and what sets this book aside from other romance books is the unique storyline. The two main characters in this book are Lou and Will and I found that both of these characters are very likeable and they felt very life like that towards the end of the book they feel so familair they are like friends of ours.

I loved the different emotions the storyline brought out in me, there were times when I laughed out loud and there were also times when I cried behind my sunglasses!! There really are some heartbreaking moments for both of our characters during this book.
It was amazing how Moyes managed to take such a delicate subject matter which could have made for a very depressing read and yet still managed to bring some humour out in the book so that the book didnt feel too deep all the way through the book.

In my opinion this is a sensationally moving read that has to be next on your to be read list and easily gets a full 5 stars from me!