Still Me by Jojo Moyes

Well, since After You had me bawling at the end, I had to wait months before I found out just what adventures awaited Louisa Clark in New York City.  Yes, this is the third book with Louisa Clark, who became a very well known character when Me Before You became that novel you had to read, even knowing it would completely wreck you. Well, the follow up, After You, wrecked me, too.  I felt hopeful reading Louisa's adventures in New York City, and expected they would end happily. 

I'm not going to tell you if that is what happens, because that would just spoil the whole book for you.  What I will tell you is that Louisa is still on her journey to discovering just who she is, and just what makes her happy.  She's decided to accept a job, working as the assistant to a very rich woman-Agnes Gopnik- leaving Ambulance Sam, who helped her grieving heart heal.  A very new relationship, it will need to stand the test of long distance.  Anyone who's had a long distance relationship knows just how damn hard, if not impossible, they can be.  As Louisa is thrown into her job and a world of wealthy New Yorkers, she struggles to adjust to a new life and still hang onto Sam, who is a bit bewildered without Louisa.  And then there's Josh, an American who looks heart-stoppingly like Will.  And he's got an obvious interest in Louisa.  

Still Me is a fitting conclusion to Louisa's journey of heartache, love, and just plain growing up.  There's no age where we're suddenly grown up.  For Louisa, well, it appears that she still has a lot of decisions to make, and some of them will break her heart. Again. 

Jojo Moyes portrays New York City is all its vibrant, messy, busy energy. The tension in the Gopnik apartment was palpable, and while that was a large part of the plot, I preferred the last half of the novel, where Louisa's life is really shaken, and she gets to know the elderly neighbor, Mrs. De Witt, much better.  Their relationship was a gem, and one of the best parts of the novel.  

So while I won't give much of the plot away, I will say this:  Louisa comes full circle, and it's been a journey.  At times you want to shake her; other times, you  get just what she's thinking.  Will she get her happy ending?  Where will she end up? Read Still Me and find out.  At a time where women are standing up, pushing themselves forward, and demanding to live life on their terms, this novel seems very timely.  Louisa is learning to do just that, even if it means she may have to say goodbye to her chance at everlasting love. 

Ah, I always love reading Jojo Moyes' novels.  Overall, I was happy to have a conclusion to Louisa Clark's journey.  If you've read Me Before You, and After You, well, geez, of course you have to read Still Me! Please, read the other two first. It will give you a full understanding of Louisa, and how far she's come. 

A big thank you to Pamela Dorman Books/Viking for a review copy.  I don't think I could have waited any longer for this!  

Available January 30th in the U.S. in hardcover, large print paperback, ebook, and audio. 

Rating:  4/6 for a satisfying conclusion to Louisa Clark and her journey of grief, love, and starting over.  And dang it, this one made me cry, too.