Jojo Moyes, Pamela Dorman Books, December 2012
...not your typical romance novel
Set in modern day England, this story centers around Louisa Clark and the Will Traymor, a quadriplegic for whom she becomes a care giver. Lou is unemployed when she reluctantly signs up for this position. Coming from a decidedly lower middle class family she is somewhat awed to find herself working at the Castle taking care of Will the scion of an upper class family.
Lou is not particularly well suited for this job and soon finds herself challenged to work with Will. She tries to learn more about quads by joining some online support groups and works mightily to engage Will in life outside his apartment of rooms. Will is embittered by the accident that left him paralyzed. There are a number of supporting characters in this story that really add to the enjoyment. Lou has a family of eccentric but likeable members including her long time boyfriend Patrick.. The male nurse who helps Will and his parents are also well drawn characters. The central story though is the relationship between Will and Lou. I loved their dialogue, witty and engaging, it reminded of the best between Tracy and Hepburn. Both Will and Lou have secrets that are revealed and there is no chance I’ll tell them here.
This is a love story for sure, but really it is so much more than that. It examines class differences (and renders them inconsequential), the humor is real and funny. It speaks to the life altering power of true love and finally this story addresses a thought provoking ethical dilemma. I can't really list all of the emotions you will feel while reading this.
I took a break from reviewing books (not reading books) for about six weeks. I wanted to review and recommend this one because I just enjoyed it so much. Don’t be fooled by the cover this is not your typical romance novel, it would be great for a book club choice. It will stay with you long after you read the last page.
I read a copy of this book borrowed from The Free Library of Philadelphia
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