Still Me

            Still Me is the third Louisa Clark story, taking the rambunctious young woman we know and love and putting her into a very new and strange place-New York's Upper East Side. In the first novel, Me Before You, Louisa's life is turned upside down after meeting and forming a relationship with Will Turner, a man she loved, but could not save. In After You, we see Louisa grieve the loss of Will and try to rebuild a new version of life as she knows it. We watch finally let new friends and a new love into her heart. This novel picks up right where After You leaves off, as Louisa leaves her family and new boyfriend Sam behind in the UK to accept a job for a super posh family in the Upper East side. The Gopkins are incredibly rich and live a very luxurious life with both the husband and wife needing personal assistants to keep their days on track. Lou's role is to be Agnes's companion of sorts, while also keeping close to help her get through life as a posh wife in NYC. 

             Lou and Sam plan to try the long distance relationship, but as everyone knows those are particularly touch, no matter how hard those involved try.Between misunderstandings and strained communications, Sam's visits to New York never seem to work out quite right, and then a horrible visit home leads to even further trouble. As per usual, Lou's plans and life never stick to the plan, new friendships and opportunities come her way. Lou begins to understand that she has the chance Will always wanted for her, the chance to decide for herself who she will be and what she wants for her life. I won't say more (no spoilers here!) about the plot. Louisa is as always an original, unique, upbeat, unusual, and assertive woman, who is headstrong, loving, and assertive. The memory of Will Traynor will always be an undeniable influence in her life, but Sam is the one who holds her heart...or does he?

               Still Me brings in some new, fresh characters, especially Mrs. Dewitt. She's the sassy mean old lady who lives down the hall from the Gopkins. In a New York setting we get to see a different side of Lou, where she whistles for cabs and explores her incredibly unique fashion sense. I am a big fan of JoJo Moyes, I think that she writes in a very readable and light way, that makes it easy to read. I loved Me Before You. I mean I loved it enough to sob in the New Zealand airport and literally give it to another traveler that was unfortunately (for them) sitting next to me while I sobbed. I knew that I had to read this book, but I also knew it wouldn't stay with me the way the first novel did. This book is strong in the sense that it could almost stand-alone, but I would still recommend reading the other two as well. 

               I loved being able to meet up with Lou Clark again. Moyes was able to create such a likable and genuine character that is so easy to relate to. Seeing her on my stomp and ground was touching, and getting to live through her following Will by seizing every opportunity that came her way was warming and fun. This novel is as pure romantic fiction; it is light and easy and a total beach read, and Lou capers through it wearing her heart on her sleeve and her bumble bee tights. 

               It's fun, it's lovely and I devoured it. Everyone should read it. 

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The Blurb

Louisa Clark arrives in New York ready to start a new life, confident that she can embrace this new adventure and keep her relationship with Ambulance Sam alive across several thousand miles. She is thrown into the world of the superrich Gopniks: Leonard and his much younger second wife, Agnes, and a never-ending array of household staff and hangers-on. Lou is determined to get the most out of the experience and throws herself into her job and New York life within this privileged world. 

Before she knows what's happening, Lou is mixing in New York high society, where she meets Joshua Ryan, a man who brings with him a whisper of her past. In Still Me, as Lou tries to keep the two sides of her world together, she finds herself carrying secrets--not all her own--that cause a catastrophic change in her circumstances. And when matters come to a head, she has to ask herself Who is Louisa Clark? And how do you reconcile a heart that lives in two places?