E-ARC Review: The Girl You Left Behind

Author: Jojo Moyes

Release date: August 20th 2013

Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books

Series:N/A

Age Group: Adult

Genre: Contemporary

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

Add to your library: Goodreads

In 1916 French artist Edouard Lefevre leaves his wife Sophie to fight at the Front. When her town falls into German hands, his portrait of Sophie stirs the heart of the local Kommandant and causes her to risk everything - her family, reputation and life - in the hope of seeing her true love one last time.

Nearly a century later and Sophie's portrait is given to Liv by her young husband shortly before his sudden death. Its beauty speaks of their short life together, but when the painting's dark and passion-torn history is revealed, Liv discovers that the first spark of love she has felt since she lost him is threatened...In The Girl You Left Behind two young women, separated by a century, are united in their determination to fight for the thing they love most - whatever the cost. (via Goodreads)

I received an e-copy of this from Pamela Dorman Books through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

I've fallen in love with Jojo Moyes' Me Before You. I was so excited to read this especially there's Art involved!

The story was divided into two parts: the past and the present. Both parts were enjoyable. I was able to see the differences in both times. Moyes was able to create a vivid image of the time the Germans were superior and all. I also saw how times have changed and how modern the world was in Liv's time.

The past practically showed the start of it all. How the Germans were practically trying to kill everyone in Sophie's place, how Sophie did her best to save her family and her neighbors, how she did everything just so she'd be with her husband, Edouard again and how Edouard's painting of her landed on the enemy. I admire Sophie's bravery but I hate how naive she was. She actually believed the good in everyone else even if they were the Germans. But I cannot not admire her for her faith. It was soul-deep that I felt how she really believed that everything will turn out good. I mean, in those times, most of the people would just give up. But she didn't. She never did. I was able to feel how she really believed that she and Edouard will be together again. And for that, I really admire her. The past ended with Sophie being taken away. Uhuh, it was a little painful not knowing what happened to her immediately. But don't worry, it will be revealed little by little.

The present was quite amusing for the part that Liv was fighting for the painting her late husband bought for her. It was funny how the present people were trying to take ownership into something that wasn't seen for more than a decade. It's really peculiar in a way because during the old times, possession wasn't that much evident. I mean, people just say that it's theirs but paperworks weren't needed before.

The journey as to discovering if the painting was really stolen or not was entertaining. I was a bit shocked to know the truth about the painting. It just didn't really cross my mind. But it totally made sense in the end. Oh yeah, there's a bit of romance in here. It was sweet, really. Especially Liv and Paul were such in a hot mess. Both of them were able to see past the flaws and just let it be.

The Girl You Left Behind is a nice story about a painting that made a big difference to two women who were separated by time. It's a nice mystery, historical and romantic novel. You'll learn how one thing can actually take part into everyone else's life.

About the Author

Jojo Moyes (born 1969) is a British novelist.

Moyes studied at Royal Holloway, University of London. She won a bursary financed by The Independent newspaper to study journalism at City University and subsequently worked for The Independent for 10 years. In 2001 she became a full time novelist.

Moyes' novel Foreign Fruit won the Romantic Novelists' Association (RNA) Romantic Novel of the Year in 2004.

She is married to journalist Charles Arthur and has three children.