Me before You, Jojo Moyes

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.

***Highly EMOTIONAL BOOK***CONTAINS SPOILS***

I must say that I didn’t know a thing about this book until I was looking for movies for 2016 and there is was “Me Before You.” I clicked on it and by the time the trailer had ended I was sobbing big wet tears. I immediately went out on a search for this book (because for me I need to read the book before seeing the movie for comparison) and sadly the book was sold out EVERYWHERE! Finally, I did find it online and I ordered it and within its arrival I went to reading, staying up three nights in a row reading and rereading parts (never good to immediately rush through a book in one sitting) and I must say WOW!

What if you were hired for six months as a companion to a person who could not walk and had little one goal…to end it all and you didn’t know till a month into the work field? Louisa Clark was looking for a job after her first job shut down, times were hard in her family and they had little money to get by except from her taking this job with complete strangers. Finding out that this man who wanted little to do with her; gave his parents just six months and then wanted to go to a place that let you die.

Characters:

Will Traynor; “Ex-financial whiz kid, ex-stunt diver, sportsman, traveler, lover.” Was hurt in a motor crash causing him to be forever confined to a chair while others waited upon him, without being able to make his own choices in life, watching while others fed him, pitied him, changed him, and cared for him. Emotionally depressed from the accident after being this great man. Having the one girl he thought would be by him come to tell him she was in love with him best friend and she “tried” to make it work with him was now leaving him to get married.

Louisa Clark also known as Lou, is an out their kind of girl that loves being different, showing her true colors through her clothes and not knowing where life will take her. Never left her home town of England for anything until she met Will. Now she is determined to do everything she can to change his mind within six months. Determined to show Will that life can still be lived for and that he can still do many things that he thought was impossible…only if he believes.

Mrs. Traynor, always worried over her son, holding it together as best she can. Hires Lou from all others because she believes this one different girl can bring light back to Will can show him that he doesn’t want to die in Six months.

Mr. Traynor (I did not like his character) only stays with him wife long enough until Will dies. Cheats on his wife. Barely does much to help his son.

Nathan, nurse for Will, shows the same care as Lou in getting him to see that life is more than a chair. But in the end changes his mind and tells Lou that its Will’s choice in the end.

Clark family. Father Clark—loving joking man. Mother Clark-always stayed busy and worries about her grandson and kids leaving the home. Treena (younger sister) always thinking of herself, believes she is more important than Lou in conversations. But in the end becomes a loving caring sister when Lou needs her.

Patrick—Lou’s boyfriend is a fit person who can think about nothing but his body and staying in shape, the typical male. He is uncaring about Lou, about her feelings. Only wants her to move in with him when he sees that she is caring without thinking to Will. Doesn’t like that she gives him more attention than she does her own boyfriend.

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With one last attempt at changing Will's mind, Lou and Nathan take him on a trip or holiday to the beach a nice place set back to where he can rest and hopefully come to see that he can live on. Lou after dumping Patrick comes to see that she has feelings for Will. and he tells him too.

"I think we can do all sorts of things. I know this isn't a conventional love story. I know there are all sorts of reasons I shouldn't even be saying what I am. But I love you. I do. I knew it when I left Patrick. And I think you might might even love me a little bit." -- Lou

sadly Will tells Lou no, even though he does love her this is not the life he wants anymore. He was someone who had lots of sex, lots of adventures, and he cares about her enough to show her that he does not want to hold her back or make her regret being with him in another six months. He wants this one choice for himself and he does not want to be held back from making that choice his own.

Lou leaves Will after the holiday trip, Will sets off with his family to finally make his wish come true to die. Lou begins to see that she made the wrong choice and didn't even get to say good bye because as the title says, she was putting herself before Will, and Will was saying "me before you."

In the end Mrs. Traynor calls Lou and flies her out to be with Will as his last request. Lou still thinks she can change Will's mind but in the end she accepts that this is his choice.

In the End an investigation is held which the Traynor's and Lou are not charged with helping Will end his life. And we also see that the story is kind of their testimony of what happened and how they showed that this was all him, He was happy in the end with being allowed to make his choice.

This story makes you think about what you have and what you don't have or could one day lose. I was crying at the end of this but I am saying GET THIS BOOK AND READ IT! 10 stars for this I loved it. it was not a sappy love story, it was filled with emotional pulls, heart break, drama, and a love lost to happiness.