Me Before You by JoJo Moyes

Honestly, I expected to hate this book. With all the ads on the subways and buzz I thought it would be yet another book that is so beloved by everyone and hated by me. I was very wrong.
I found myself helpless against the pull of the story and the characters. Yes it had the every so slight hint of romance novel, but at the same time it was real.
The novel follows Lou Clark a happy small town waitress in England, who is unexpectedly fired from her job. Left unemployed and with the need to pitch in to the family income, she takes a job as a caregiver to the son of a wealthy family.  Through caring for Will, a thirty-something ex-financial whiz, Lou learns about herself and is slowly pushed outside of her comfort zone.  Though Lou has a wild spirit and loves people, she is resistant to change.
Will is tested too, as Lou pushes Will to embrace life even though it is now limited by his mobility and medical issues.  Moyes does a great job of showing their lives in a realistic light and without over the top sentiments or I love yous. Instead she provides a beautiful coming of age story of self discovering that applies to both of her main characters. Me Before You is a lovely, heartfelt, and engaging read.  Perfect for a lazy summer day.