The 10 best Jojo Moyes books, rated by us

Photo credit: Good Housekeeping
Photo credit: Good Housekeeping

From Good Housekeeping

Me Before You made Jojo Moyes a household name. If you've not read this heartbreaking love story, or if you've read it and loved it but don't know which is Jojo's books to read next, here's the Good Housekeeping guide to her best novels.

Her legions of fans worldwide love her books for their mix of humour and heartbreak, romance and drama and also their relatable characters. She isn't afraid to tackle difficult topics like poverty or assisted suicide, but writes about them with the lightest of touches. Here's where to start....

The Giver Of Stars

Controversial, I know, but I think this most recent book of Jojo’s is her best. It’s a very different novel from Me Before You, but it’s just as joyous. When young Englishwoman Alice Wright moves to Kentucky during the Great Depression to marry a wealthy American, she’s a real fish out of water. It's only when she joins a gutsy gang of horseback librarians who distribute books to the poor that she finds the friendship and freedom she craves. I loved this adventure story for girls for its plucky female characters and wonderful writing.

Photo credit: Michael Joseph
Photo credit: Michael Joseph

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Me Before You

This beautiful book has sold more than 14 million copies worldwide and with good reason. This tale of love-against-the odds between an embittered quadriplegic man and the carer who is trying to give him a reason to live breaks your heart one minute, only to send it soaring again. They are both wonderful characters and you can’t help rooting for them. Keep the tissues close!

Photo credit: Penguin
Photo credit: Penguin

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The One Plus One

This unlikely love story is in the same spirit as her hugely loved novel, Me Before You, and I think it deserves better recognition for how lovely it is. It’s hate at first sight for struggling single mum Jess and self-made millionaire Ed. But when they’re thrown together on a road trip across the country – along with Jess’ sweetly geeky daughter, teenage step-son and smelly dog – a friendship flourishes between them. Except Jess hasn’t been totally honest with Ed… A funny, sweet and tender portrait of modern life in Britain, that covers some tough issues with the lightest of touches.

Photo credit: Penguin
Photo credit: Penguin

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The Girl You Left Behind

Emotional novels populated by loveable, believable characters are what Jojo Moyes does best. In The Girl You Left Behind two young women, separated by a century, both face a difficult decision. This is a hugely enjoyable, wide-ranging and believable novel, carefully researched, which takes in all the guilt, betrayal and grand passions occasioned by the First World War and two enviable romances between two impossibly romantic couples, one in the present, one in the past. Beautifully done.

Photo credit: Penguin
Photo credit: Penguin

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After You

Jojo hadn’t planned to write a sequel to Me Before You but after requests from the book’s many fans, she’s picked up the story of Lou and Will again. In After You, Lou is swamped by grief and struggling to get through the days – until a teenage girl claiming to be Will’s daughter turns up on her doorstep. This book ticks every box: lots of laughs, big emotions and a loveable heroine you really root for.

Photo credit: Penguin
Photo credit: Penguin

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Still Me

The engaging heroine of Me Before You returns for the third time. In Still Me, Lou Clark moves to New York to be PA to a trophy wife. She’s hoping to reinvent herself but the insecurities of the past remain with her, and her boss is a nightmare. The storytelling treads the delicate balance between heartbreak and hope perfectly – with a splash of humour to keep it real.

Photo credit: Michael Joseph
Photo credit: Michael Joseph

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Ship Of Brides

After World War II ended, more than 600 Australian brides are traveling to join their husbands in England. The novel follows four young women on their journey as they form friendships and secrets are revealed. A hugely satisfying read, it's full of romance and emotion.

Photo credit: Hodder & Stoughton
Photo credit: Hodder & Stoughton

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The Horse Dancer

Sarah's grandfather was once a horseman at an elite riding academy, but after his life takes a wrong turn, he turns his attention to training up his granddaughter and her horse, Boo. But when disaster strikes, Sarah is left to fend for herself - until she crosses paths with lawyer Natasha. This moving story is one of redemption and hop and will particularly appeal to horse lovers.

Photo credit: Hodder
Photo credit: Hodder

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The Last Letter From Your Lover

Spanning 40 years, this is the story of two women: Ellie, a journalist who finds an intriguing letter in her paper's archives; and Jennifer, who wakes up from an accident unable to remember anything, until a hidden letter triggers memories of the lover she was prepared to give everything up for. This beautifully written of lost love really tugs at the heart strings.

Photo credit: Hodder
Photo credit: Hodder

Sheltering Rain

Joy and her only daughter, Kate, are estranged and she knows very little about her 16-year-old granddaughter Sabine. Then Sabine turns up on Joy’s doorstep and turns her life upside down. Sheltering Rain was one of Jojo Moyes first books, written long before Me Before You. It’s not as polished as her later novels but you can see early flashes of her brilliance.

Photo credit: Hodder & Stoughton
Photo credit: Hodder & Stoughton

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