I found this an easy compelling read but I wasn't blown away by it at all, 7/10 for me.

 I have received this book from Real Readers.  I love dual time books and as I really enjoyed Me Before You, I am really looking forward to reading it. 

I *think* this may be my new book groups current read, although, as I'm typing I'm now thinking it may be Me Before You...................I really should check!

sazzymch:

I *think* this may be my new book groups current read, although, as I'm typing I'm now thinking it may be Me Before You...................I really should check!

I too think it might be the Me Before You one as well Sarah as this books hasn't been published yet in paperback and I can't see any details for it in hardback.

The book starts with Sophie Lefevre in 1916, France. The war is already well underway and Sophie's family and town are feeling the effects. Their men are gone, there is little food, curfews, beatings and violence - all that goes along with war. Sophie is a strong, brave lady who does not take kindly to the Germans and what they stand for and often puts herself on the line to challenge them. Slowly the town starts to question her loyalty and her love and longing for her husband soon gets her into a situation that may cost her her life.

Just under halfway through the book we switch to London 2006 where we meet Liz. A young woman who has been through a lot in the past 4 years. She finally lets her guard down and meets a man but as fate would have it, a bombshell is about to be dropped. A painting her late husband bought her on her honeymoon is being sought by the Lefevre family as an heir loom stolen by the Germans during the war. The girl you left behind has more than monitory value for her and she will fight them even if it means losing everything, including her new man.

I loved this story! I was annoyed when we left Sophie and skipped to Liv as something big had just happened and I loved her character, I wanted to know what has happened. However I soon got into Liv's story and after a while the two link up as they are joined by the history of the painting. Two women caught up in love, one sacrificing herself for her husband and the other to honor and do the right thing for the painting of the girl you left behind.

I would have got through this in a day had I not had to work, I found it hard to put down as I was hooked into both stories and wanting to know what happened to Sophie and if Liv will get what is rightfully hers. This story covers many aspects, betrayal, love, honor, bravery, war, friendship and the lengths that some people will go to for what they love. The story crosses over two time periods but it is done so well and is really easy to follow. I do enjoy this authors style of writing (this is the second book I have read of hers and it won't be my last). A really enjoyable story that will leave you thinking, what would you have done. Great for a book group I would think, 4 out of 5 for me. Thanks to Real Readers for giving me an ARC copy of this book and the opportunity to review it.

I received this from Real Readers too, and finished it this morning.  Still gathering my thoughts for a review, but I absolutely loved it.  Also loving the fact that there are loads of her books that I haven't read yet!

alison44:

Also loving the fact that there are loads of her books that I haven't read yet!

I'm jealous!  I adore her writing and wish I had her whole back catalogue yet to read!  I hope you enjoy the books.

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JoJo Moyes: The Girl You Left Behind

Often when you approach a writer for the first time it takes a chapter or two or even three or four to ‘get into’ the book. I’ve lost count of the times when I’ve had to really persevere with a book. It’s often been worthwhile and I’ve ultimately enjoyed the read. With this book though I was thoroughly ‘into it’ after a few paragraphs and I felt it boded well.

Although the setting is WW1 it felt like WW2 descriptively although I have no doubt Ms Moyes did her research thoroughly. I couldn’t lose this feeling at all throughout the novel. Maybe I've read too many holocaust books; fiction and non-fiction, for those were the images that intruded into my head. (I am sorry to say also I did keep getting mental pictures of the TV sitcom ‘Allo ‘Allo during some of the café sequences!) However that didn’t detract at all from my enjoyment of the tale.

We seem obsessed today with pigeon holing everything. So I pondered exactly what genre this book would fit into. Historic fiction? In part. My knowledge of WW1 France was certainly enhanced but the modern day sequences deny it a place wholly there. Romance? Certainly. The girl gets the guy in both timeframes, that was almost contrived, yet in a romantic novel, isn’t that what you want, what you yearn for? Chick lit? It dips its feet in there for sure but never totally stays there. Courtroom Drama? Yes to that too. And I think that’s why I liked as much as I did, purely because it can’t conveniently be genre stamped.

The characterisations were predictable for me in that it felt as if they were people I’d read about before but with different names and circumstances with slightly different details. But that isn’t intended as negative criticism, I quite enjoyed that. Similarly the narrative felt like several stories I’d read before fused into one. But I enjoyed the company of both Sophie and Liv and wished there was a bit more of Mo.

I think the book was well written overall. There is a danger that using more than one time frame can become confusing but I felt it worked seamlessly here. This book isn’t unique, it isn’t ground breaking, and I doubt it will win awards but it is a thoroughly enjoyable story to lose yourself in and immerse yourself in the tangled lives of others and end up with a satisfactory conclusion.

Just finished this one (thanks to Annie for putting it on the mob lib!) I really enjoyed it!  I loved Sophie's story so much, and loved how parts of her got filled in even in Liv's story!  I have to admit to not loving Liv's story as much, nothing to do with the story, but for some reason, the style of writing felt so different, that it put me off slightly!  Not sure if it was just the switch in tenses, or something else, but it never seemed to flow as well for me as the 1917 sections did!  It didn't ruin the story too much though, once I reacclimatised myself, and the story was good enough to keep me reading despite feeling awkward!

Nat

Just finished this one (thanks to Annie for putting it on the mob lib!) I really enjoyed it!  I loved Sophie's story so much, and loved how parts of her got filled in even in Liv's story!  I have to admit to not loving Liv's story as much, nothing to do with the story, but for some reason, the style of writing felt so different, that it put me off slightly!  Not sure if it was just the switch in tenses, or something else, but it never seemed to flow as well for me as the 1917 sections did!  It didn't ruin the story too much though, once I reacclimatised myself, and the story was good enough to keep me reading despite feeling awkward!

Nat

This is a dual time frame novel and the new book from the author of the hugely successful `Me Before You.'

I really enjoyed curling up and getting lost in this very romantic and engaging story. Most of all I loved the historical storyline, learning about Sophie's life with Edouard prior to World War I, and her daily life during the war, struggling to keep herself, her sister and her sister's children safe and well during the German occupation of their town in France, whilst her beloved Edouard is fighting at the Front.

A talented artist, Edouard painted a portrait of Sophie which catches the eye of the new Kommandant of the occupying forces in their town. Once a successful, thriving hotel in the town, Sophie's home and place of work is now being used to replenish the strength of the enemy soldiers, under the Kommandant's instructions. As he spends more time there, Sophie begins to wonder if his interest in her may offer her a way to see Edouard again, but she takes an enormous risk.

Liv is a bereaved widow still enduring the heartbreak of losing her talented archictect husband at a young age and after only a few years of marriage. Prior to his death, her husband had given the beautiful portrait of Sophie to Liv as a gift almost a hundred years after the events affecting Sophie occurred. Liv is struggling to make things work and despite a chance encounter that hints at potential new love at last, events involving the portrait may scupper this almost as soon as it has begun.

Both storylines held my attention, but I felt very drawn into the historical element, and would love to see the author return to this sort of period again. The ending was very satisfying and heartwarming. I understand the wide appeal of this author and appreciated her very readable style, and I liked this novel even more than Me Before You. I found this a captivating story, complete with much intrigue, tension and romance.