Book Review: Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
“You only get one life. It's actually your duty to live it as fully as possible.”
7.4
Me Before You follows Louisa Clark, a small-town girl with a quirky sense of style and not much direction in life. When she takes a job caring for Will Traynor—a once-adventurous man now adjusting to life in a wheelchair after a devastating accident—the two couldn’t be more different. But as Louisa and Will’s lives become entangled, both are forced to rethink what it means to truly live. It’s a story about love, choice, and the courage to embrace life even when it’s complicated and painful.
Judging The Book By Its Cover
The edition we’re reviewing is the Penguin Random House 2012 printing, with cover illustration by Sarah Gibb. Our copy comes from after the film release and, unfortunately, includes a non‑removable sticker.
(The cover plays no part in our final rating, but it’s always fun to discuss!)
Rob appreciates the minimalist style here, feeling it’s a neat fit for the story’s emotional tone. The soft colors and simple design give it a gentle, understated look that feels approachable. On the other hand, Jess finds it a bit plain and dated. The choice of pink feels slightly off — almost like it’s trying to be sweet but doesn’t quite hit the mark. A deeper red might have given the cover more warmth and gravitas.
We also noticed the all-lowercase lettering throughout the title and author’s name. While stylistically modern, it lends the cover an almost unfinished, casual vibe — like it was rushed or left incomplete. It doesn’t quite match the thoughtful, emotional depth of the story inside.
That said, the blurb on the back is well-written — intriguing enough to draw you in without giving anything away, which we always appreciate. Overall, the cover sets a soft, romantic mood but doesn’t fully capture the complexity and emotional weight of Louisa and Will’s story.
And yes, as always, we strongly dislike the non‑removable sticker.
Closing the Book
Me Before You has a strong central pairing and a story that pulls us in from the start—but we do find ourselves wishing for a bit more from the characters surrounding Louisa and Will. Aside from those two, most of the supporting cast seems to fall into one‑note roles. That might be down to the book being told entirely from Lou’s perspective—her slightly sheltered, optimistic view of the world means she doesn’t always dig beneath the surface. Still, a deeper look at the people around them could add even more heart and texture to the story.
That said, Louisa and Will are brilliantly written. They feel just right for this kind of book—quirky, complicated, and full of contrast. One of the real joys of the novel comes from watching their relationship grow as they challenge each other’s worldviews. We root for both of them and genuinely hope they find the happiness they deserve.
Jojo Moyes’ writing is easy to fall into. The pace wanders here and there, but never in a way that makes us want to stop reading. And Louisa’s voice feels especially well done—Moyes clearly understands her deeply, and it makes her feel like someone we could know in real life.
We aren’t as keen on the occasional chapters from other characters’ points of view that pop up later in the book. They add very little and feel more like shortcuts to move the plot along, without giving us any real insight into those characters themselves.
Even so, we really enjoy this one as a whole. It hits all the emotional beats we expect from a romance without feeling too predictable, and even when we do suspect what’s coming, we’re still completely hooked. If you’re a fan of love stories that make you laugh, ache a little, and think about life’s big questions, Me Before You definitely deserves a spot on your shelf.
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