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The Girl You Left Behind (The Girl You Left Behind #1)

by Jojo Moyes (Goodreads Author)

3.94 · Rating Details · 86,117 Ratings · 7,190 Reviews

What happened to the girl you left behind?

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 S ...more

Hardcover, 369 pages

Published August 20th 2013 by Pamela Dorman Books (first published September 27th 2012)

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Community Reviews

(showing 1-30)

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Oct 06, 2013 Diane Yannick rated it liked it

I'm probably done with this author. The storyline about Sophie and Eduoard during WWI kept me interested. The details and complications of the German Occupation seemed realistic and were thought provoking. The painting of Sophie deeply affected all who viewed it and I liked the way it linked the two plots. Sophie's persistent bravery in the face of harsh circumstances and pure evil was pretty darn amazing.

Here's the rub. That second modern day storyline just didn't cut it for me. Liv and Paul ne ...more

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Oct 19, 2012 Stacia (the 2010 club) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to Stacia (the 2010 club) by: Buddy read w/Zemira

Shelves: adult, historical-fiction, historical-romance, contemporary-romance, hybrid-multiple-genre

"It was never about the painting, Sophie."
And there it was, confirmation of my fate.

3.25 stars. I loved so many things about this book, especially the historical story of Sophie and her Edouard. Their legacy was worth at least 4 and a half stars. Unfortunately, I felt the modern day story of Liv and Paul to have floundered on for such a lengthy amount of time that it almost took the focus away from the girl in the painting (who was in my opinion the star of the book and the reason for why ev ...more

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Jan 03, 2016 Aestas Book Blog rated it really liked it

::: FULL REVIEW NOW POSTED ::::

So I’m going to be honest and say that I’m rather shocked that a) I read this, and b) I really liked it! This was a completely random book choice for me. Prior to yesterday, it wasn’t even on my reading radar. But when I read the blurb, I was intrigued by the dual storyline and decided to try a few pages… and then, even though on so many levels it’s just not my kind of book, I read it straight through to the very end!

It helped that another one of this author’s bo ...more

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Aug 15, 2012 Zarina rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is an astonishing novel which beautifully connects present and past in a tale of war and love.

The Girl You Left Behind has a dual time-frame narrative; the first part is seen through the eyes of a woman in occupied France in 1916, the second through one living in modern day London. I'm not generally a fan of historical literature, particularly one with a war setting, so I was slightly reluctant at the start of this novel. However, any doubts I had were washed away mere minutes after picking ...more

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Mar 19, 2016 Jeanne rated it it was amazing

Recommended to Jeanne by: Ami

Shelves: favorites, unforgettable, chick-lit, favorite-authors

*****5 stars!*****

I'm so glad that I'm stingy with 5 star ratings so that I can save them for when I really mean it!

The Girl You Left Behind is the story of Sophie Lefevre who is living in occupied France 1916, and Liv Halston who lives in modern day London 2006. These two women are connected by a painting, a portrait of Sophie painted by her husband Edouard, called "The Girl You Left Behind". This was quite a story, and I honestly think Jojo Moyes is in a class all her own for pulling it off. S *****5 stars!*****

I'm so glad that I'm stingy with 5 star ratings so that I can save them for when I really mean it!

The Girl You Left Behind is the story of Sophie Lefevre who is living in occupied France 1916, and Liv Halston who lives in modern day London 2006. These two women are connected by a painting, a portrait of Sophie painted by her husband Edouard, called "The Girl You Left Behind". This was quite a story, and I honestly think Jojo Moyes is in a class all her own for pulling it off. She did such an amazing job of intertwining their stories, I was completely absorbed in this book, especially Sophie's story.

It's silly that I avoid historical romance, because when done well, it's really interesting. I love this author and it took Ami reading it first and loving it for me to read it. This is my 5th book by Jojo Moyes, and I've loved them all for different reasons. The books are all very different from each other, but then I see common ties also. All of her books seem to have a character who is facing a life changing decision, or moral dilemma. I love that she isn't preachy, but she does make you think about the shades of grey when it comes to morality. People are often so judgmental, even though they have no idea what it's like to be in that person's situation. Her writing is so great, you can't help but be invested in her characters and their stories. Even if I haven't agreed with the decisions the characters make, I still empathize with them and understand where they are coming from. I feel for them. In this book, Sophie has to make a decision, I won't get into it because of spoilers, but the whole scene was so vivid and intense for me, I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about it. I couldn't sleep until I knew what happened to her. Ms. Moyes just did an amazing job of bringing this time period to life. I loved the way the story came together in the end.

One last thing, I would recommend for anyone reading this to read the prequel, Honeymoon in Paris first! I didn't realize how important that was until I read this one.

Anyway, thanks for the rec Ami. You know me so well;)

...more

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Jan 26, 2015 [~Ami~]♥Sexy Dexy♥ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: feels-butterflies, best-of-the-best, love-love-love-2015, reviewed-2015, ami-art

5 stars

I wasn't planning on writing a review for this book I thought my 5 star rating spoke for itself. But its been 9 days since I read this and I can't get this book out of my head. I love JoJo's writing. This is my favourite of hers to date (out of the 4 books I have read). BTW I love the way this book ended.

Recommend for those who enjoy
World war romance/slight historical
Heartache
Some JoJo humour
2 strong heroines told from past/present

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Sep 20, 2013 Kelly (and the Book Boar) rated it it was ok

Shelves: read-in-2013

It’s WWI and Sophie’s husband (painter Edouard) has left to fight in the war. Sophie moves back to her family’s hotel during his absence, which has now been occupied by the Germans. In an effort to maintain some semblance of normalcy, Sophie has kept a portrait of herself, painted by Edouard, hanging on the hotel wall and the local Kommandant has found himself drawn to it. Sophie will offer everything she has to become this woman once again for the Kommandant in hopes of reuniting with her spouse.

Fastforward almost 100 years to recent widow Liv. Sophie’s portrait was purchased by her late husband as a wedding gift for his new bride. Now an organization whose task is to recover artwork stolen from families during war times has discovered the painting and wants to give it back to the rightful owner. Much like Sophie, Liv will find herself risking everything in order to keep the final piece of her husband in her possession.

I’m fairly certain this will be the review that gets me some enemies. Sadly, I just didn’t feel this novel at all. I had no choice but to compare this to “Me Before You” which maintains its ranking as one of my favorites this year. “The Girl You Left Behind” just didn’t have the same kind of life. In what should have been a book that could have sent my emotions reeling (WWI, sickness, starvation, death, capture, loneliness, bankruptcy, etc., etc.), I just felt . . . . . . . nothing. The WWI story seemed like I had read something similar before one too many times and Liv’s story felt underworked. Some parts were rambly, others too brief. The back-and-forth time changes seemed out of place with over 100 pages devoted to telling Sophie’s story while you wouldn’t even know Liv existed if you had not read the book jacket. This is followed with a snippet of Liv’s story before jumping back 100 years once more. Some more time on the editor’s desk might have helped me enjoy this one more, but I think it would still be 3 stars max.
...more

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Apr 10, 2016 Nikoleta rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance

Αυτό το βιβλίο μου άρεσε ανέλπιστα πολύ. Και λέω «ανέλπιστα» γιατί αυτό το είδος έχω την τάση αργά ή γρήγορα να το βαριέμαι. Το συγκεκριμένο όμως με κέρδισε από τις πρώτες του σελίδες. Όταν έπεσε το βλέμμα μου στην πρώτη του σελίδα, όταν το έπιασα για ένα απλό ξεφύλλισμα χωρίς να έχω πρόθεση να το διαβάσω... και ξεκινούσε κάπως έτσι «Έβλεπα στον ύπνο μου φαγητό. Τραγανές μπαγκέτες, την παρθενική λευκότητα της σάρκας του ψωμιού, αχνιστού ακόμα από τον φούρνο, και ώριμο τυρί, με τις άκρες του να α Αυτό το βιβλίο μου άρεσε ανέλπιστα πολύ. Και λέω «ανέλπιστα» γιατί αυτό το είδος έχω την τάση αργά ή γρήγορα να το βαριέμαι. Το συγκεκριμένο όμως με κέρδισε από τις πρώτες του σελίδες. Όταν έπεσε το βλέμμα μου στην πρώτη του σελίδα, όταν το έπιασα για ένα απλό ξεφύλλισμα χωρίς να έχω πρόθεση να το διαβάσω... και ξεκινούσε κάπως έτσι «Έβλεπα στον ύπνο μου φαγητό. Τραγανές μπαγκέτες, την παρθενική λευκότητα της σάρκας του ψωμιού, αχνιστού ακόμα από τον φούρνο, και ώριμο τυρί, με τις άκρες του να απλώνονται ως την άκρη της πιατέλας…» Αυτό ήταν! Έρωτας με την πρώτη ματιά. Πώς να μην εκτιμήσω μια ηρωίδα που φαίνεται τόσο καλοφαγού; (Είμαι κ εγώ μιλάω εκ πείρας…) Η αλήθεια είναι ότι φοβάμαι και αποφεύγω βιβλία που έχουν διπλές αφήγησης στο παρελθόν και στο παρόν. Νιώθω ότι αυτές οι αλλαγές πίσω μπρος ανά κεφάλαιο με πετούν έξω από την κάθε υπόθεση. Η Μοις ίσως να είχε προβλέψει ότι πολύ αναγνώστες το απεχθάνονται αυτό και το άλλαξε. Δεν έχουμε το παρελθόν και το μέλλον «μπουρδουκλωμένο». Το βιβλίο χωρίζεται με τάξη ,σε 2 μέρη. Το πρώτο μέρος διαδραματίζεται στην Γαλλία του 1916. Σε αυτό το σημείο να πω ότι το πρώτο μέρος, με ηρωίδα την Σοφι, μου θύμισε έντονα την υπόθεση του βιβλίου Suite française της Némirovsky Irène, αν και πρέπει να αναφέρω ότι ο στόχος της Némirovsky δεν είναι να γράψει μια ερωτική νουβέλα, αλλά να παρουσιάσει κοινωνικά φαινόμενα… τέλος πάντων πίσω στο θέμα μας. Το δεύτερο μέρος διαδραματίζεται στο 2006 και η ηρωίδα μας είναι η Λιβ μια ηρωίδα που έχει επιλέξει να μείνει πίσω… (για περισσότερες λεπτομέρειες διαβάστε το βιβλίο!)
Να αναφέρω επίσης ότι η μετάφραση του βιβλίου από την Χρύσα Μπανιά ήταν πραγματικά πολύ καλή!
Εν κατακλείδι πολύ ωραίο βιβλίο. 4,5/5
...more

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Jul 03, 2015 Jenna rated it really liked it

Shelves: books-for-2014, fiction, kindle, 4-stars, chick-lit

After reading Moyes novella, Honeymoon in Paris, preceding this novel, I couldn't wait to see how the characters lives played out in this engaging novel and I wasn't disappointed. Part One takes place in France during the first world war...the story of Sophie and Edouard was so fascinating that I was thrown for a loop when in Part Two the characters totally changed and the time became 2006. Once I adjusted, I realized that this was also an extension from her novella and I was sucked right back i ...more

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Nov 20, 2013 Natalie rated it liked it

Shelves: netgalley

This was totally unexpected. After reading Me Before You, I was all geared up to have my emotions raked across the rocks (in a good way), and this wasn't that. It wasn't a bad story, but it's always difficult to readjust expectations.

Sophie is an artist's wife living in occupied France. On the wall of her hotel hangs a portrait of her, painted by her husband. It's daring and sexy in a way Sophie struggles to see herself and it catches the eye of the Kommandant who craves Sophie. When she discove ...more

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Oct 19, 2014 Fenia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: books-like-drugs, my-current-book-obsessions, forever-re-reading, fluffiness

OMG. I have no words. perfection. Okay so i'm still crying and this review might suck but here we go.. I loved loved loved this book!!! I love all things old and historic,so reading about World War I,and France, was really such a blissful thing to do. The first war hasn't got that much publicity as much as the second world war,so it was interesting reading about it (i kept thinking of Downton Abbey xD ). The scenery,circumstances and characters were built so carefully. Sophie and Liv both were n ...more

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Sep 12, 2014 Tania rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

I never knew real happiness until you.

3.5 stars. In a lot of ways this reminds me of The Storyteller. It's also a dual timeframe story with one playing of in WW1 and one in 2001. I thought the WW1 story with Sophie and Edouard was beautiful, and it touched my heart. Sophie is presented with an impossible decision and has to live with the consequences. What the author did so well in this book is to really put you in Sophie's shoes, so even if you don't agree with her decision, you're unable to ju ...more

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Dec 04, 2013 Britany rated it really liked it

Shelves: mmd

Another great read by Jojo Moyes. She sure knows how to write a powerful story, all the while weaving in polarizing topics, and different topic strands & well developed characters. Most of her protagonists feel like good friends by the end of the book.

The Girl You Left Behind is actually a painting with an unresolved past. Two stories interweave telling us what happened to both women and how this single portrait of Sophie Lefevre impacted so many lives.

Sophie Lefevre, a hotel owner, ends up ...more

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Nov 27, 2015 Cathrine ☯ rated it really liked it

3.75

I liked it! A big surprise as I was not a fan of Me Before You. Plenty of good reviews from friends on this one so I’ll just add my thumbs up. It was in my OverDrive hold queue for many months and I had forgotten about it. I just love it when these long light-weight holds come in at just the right time. Just perfect for the last few days of reading. Rather than being annoyed at 2 different story lines 100 years apart, I enjoyed both of them and ended up feeling like I got a twofer. No wine ...more

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Aug 20, 2013 Patrice Hoffman rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: provided-by-netgalley

This being the second book I've read by Jojo Moyes, The Girl You Left Behind was given high hopes. Thankfully Moyes did not disappoint with her latest. Many who have read and loved Me Before You will expect The Girl You Left Behind to blow them away equally. Let me begin by saying that will not be the case here. Yes The Girl You Left Behind is a great read, but it's not the tear-jerker that is Me Before You.

The Girl You Left Behind begins in St. Peronne, during October of 1916. Those familiar w This being the second book I've read by Jojo Moyes, The Girl You Left Behind was given high hopes. Thankfully Moyes did not disappoint with her latest. Many who have read and loved Me Before You will expect The Girl You Left Behind to blow them away equally. Let me begin by saying that will not be the case here. Yes The Girl You Left Behind is a great read, but it's not the tear-jerker that is Me Before You.

The Girl You Left Behind begins in St. Peronne, during October of 1916. Those familiar with history will notice that this is during the time when Northern France was invaded by Germans. The small village of St. Peronne is where Sophie meets Herr Kommandat. He's the law of the land so to speak in this town. He can take what he wants, offer what he wants, kill whomever he wants, and save anyone he wants.

Sophie runs a hotel that she's inherited after the death of her father. Herr Kommandat comes to this hotel in search of somewhere to feed his men. He is then entranced with the woman in the painting. Sophie tells Herr Kommandat that the portrait is of her, drawn by her husband. It is all she has left, besides his letters, to remember him while he is fighting in the war. Sophie insists that someday she will be the girl in the portrait again. She'll be the girl her husband left behind.

Eventually Herr Kommandat and Sophie have an odd sort of relationship. I think he respects her fearless nature. She's appreciative of the things he can do for her. The rations have taken a toll on her family so she appears to be cavorting with the enemy. But instead, she is really hoping he will help her to free her husband.

Sophie's story is the real highlight of this novel. Her character has such strength and resilience that she's the type of character readers can really stand behind. The harsh realities of war makes her storyline most interesting coupled with Jojo Moyes great character development. I could have easily read about Sophie and her harrowing journey across war-torn Europe.

In the second half of the book we are introduced to Olivia(Liv) Halston. Liv currently is in possession of the Sophie's portrait aptly named The Girl You Left Behind. It is one of the last things Liv finds comfort in as she's coping with the death of her husband David. The only catch is that her husband has been dead four years and it seems been in a state of pause. She doesn't want to see old friends, entertain the idea of dating again, or really escape the depressing world she's created for her self. She's the exact opposite of Sophie.

There are two seperate storylines in this novel but it's obvious that the first Sophie's storyline is strongest. Her's is most engaging and interesting. Even the trial was too quick it seemed... or... just not suspenseful enough the way most trials are. This is the only flaw I can find with The Girl You Left Behind. I didn't find Liv very inspiring. I do find the love story's in the background of each story to be sufficient for those who like their heart strings tugged. I found the Liv's love life to be forced for the sake of the story and relied on fate way too much.

The Girl You Left Behind does bring to light the issue of priceless family heirlooms that were confiscated from the homes of people never to be returned again. Moments in history where people had to part with items that may have seemingly been so important begs the reader to ask themselves what's really important? Items or people? Each woman has to deal with what they can or can't live without and I think they both choose wisely. "The only thing that matters is people"

Overall, Jojo Moyes' The Girl You Left Behind is still a great novel. When I wasn't reading it I was counting down the minutes until I'd be able to read it again. Like I noted previously, in my opinion it is not the tear-jerker that was Me Before You for anyone who's basing their decision to read, or not read, on that fact alone. Jojo Moyes has definitely found her way on to the list of author's I will read whenever they decide to grace the world with another story. This novel comes highly recommended for her fans as well as lover's of women's fiction with a little history thrown in for good measure.

...more

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Jul 24, 2012 Karen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Although I am still working my way through her back catalogue, I’ve loved this author’s books and was thrilled to receive an advance copy of her latest one.

One of my favourite genres is the dual time story – when it’s done well. I am pleased to say that Ms Moyes has covered this extremely well. I was immediately drawn in to the lives of Sophie Lefevre and her family when the story started in 1916. I had to keep reminding myself that this was set during WW1 as it was so easy to think the story wa Although I am still working my way through her back catalogue, I’ve loved this author’s books and was thrilled to receive an advance copy of her latest one.

One of my favourite genres is the dual time story – when it’s done well. I am pleased to say that Ms Moyes has covered this extremely well. I was immediately drawn in to the lives of Sophie Lefevre and her family when the story started in 1916. I had to keep reminding myself that this was set during WW1 as it was so easy to think the story was set in WW2.

The lives and difficulties of Sophie and her sister Helene were very well portrayed and the hardships suffered as a result of the German occupation of their town were so believable. Sophie, in particular, was a very engaging character and in the absence of both her own beloved husband Edouard and Helene’s husband who were away fighting for their country, she was the lynchpin of the family. The title of the story refers to a portrait of Sophie, painted by her artist husband and is one of her most treasured possessions. Unfortunately for Sophie, the local Kommandant also takes a liking to the portrait and thus both her and her family’s lives are thrown into danger when difficult decisions have to be made.

I was so captivated by Sophie’s story that I was almost bereft when her story suddenly ended and Liv’s began. I normally tend to prefer one era to another in dual time frame stories and when Liv’s story began in 2006 I was worried that I wouldn’t enjoy her story as much however I am pleased to say that Liv’s contribution was equally enjoyable. The painting of Sophie comes to the fore in Liv’s life and again is the cause of much soul searching and heartbreak.

Despite being separated by nearly 100 years the stories of Sophie and Liv are intrinsically linked throughout the book and both their characters show strength which neither thought they possessed.

I enjoyed this book immensely and would recommend this to a reader who enjoys a story where they are completely pulled in and enthralled by the characters and the storyline .
...more

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Mar 09, 2015 helen the bookowl rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Once again, Jojo Moyes has written an amazing book that entwines two lives, two eras and that went straight to my heart. From the very first page, I was captivated and I quickly fell in love with the main character, Sophie. I love how Jojo Moyes allows for the reader to follow Sophie and her story for about 1/3 of the book before we move on to modern time and to Liv.
As I said, this book deals with two time periods and it does so beautifully. We get to know the two main characters thoroughly, an ...more

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Apr 06, 2016 Ksenia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, cover-love, emotional-books, death-grief-suicide, made-me-cry, historical-fiction, books-that-linger, 2015, my-true-book-love

5+++ Stars

"All that really matters is who you love."

I finished this book a while ago. Life went on; I started reading other books, but The Girl You Left Behind doesn’t want to let me go. It lingers and I have flashbacks to some scenes or phrases from the book. It’s so wonderful! It was a long time since a book made such a lasting impression on me.

The Girl You Left Behind is two stories in one. The first story set in France, 1916. Sophie lives in a small town under occupation. Her husband Edouard ...more

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Jul 17, 2012 Teresa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Hot on the heels of her hit novel Me Before You, Jojo Moyes, twice winner of the RNA Novel of the Year Award , has struck gold again with The Girl You Left Behind. Those familiar with her back catalogue will already know what a diverse author she is, every novel is different from its predecessor – her latest offering has a dual time-frame narrative (my favourite!) an ideal vehicle to show her versatility and skill as a consummate storyteller.

Sometimes dual narratives can be distracting, disrupti Hot on the heels of her hit novel Me Before You, Jojo Moyes, twice winner of the RNA Novel of the Year Award , has struck gold again with The Girl You Left Behind. Those familiar with her back catalogue will already know what a diverse author she is, every novel is different from its predecessor – her latest offering has a dual time-frame narrative (my favourite!) an ideal vehicle to show her versatility and skill as a consummate storyteller.

Sometimes dual narratives can be distracting, disrupting the story’s flow, but here we have time to savour the story of Sophie in occupied France in 1916 with the first third of the novel dedicated to her troubled life under Nazi rule. Her artist husband, Edouard, is away fighting at the front and she and her sister, Helene remain in St Peronne, scrabbling an existence, forced to feed the German occupiers in their little hotel, Le Coq Rouge. It’s a constant battle to survive, treading the fine line between resistance and collaboration – some of the villagers quick to make assumptions if anyone associates with the enemy with Sophie, despite her best intentions, becoming the target of their gossip. Jojo Moyes succeeds in creating a living, breathing community, feeling the strain of occupation, their loss of identity.

We leave Sophie’s story at a crucial moment and are flung into present day London where Liv Halston, a young widow, is beset with financial worries and finding it difficult to move on after the death of her architect husband. Her most treasured possession is a painting entitled The Girl You Left Behind which her husband bought on their honeymoon. The girl in the painting is Sophie Lefevre and her portrait becomes the subject of a hotly contested court case as Edouard Lefevre’s descendants claim it was looted by the Nazis and therefore it should be returned to its rightful owners. Throw in a bit of romance for Liv and you have the perfect recipe for a compelling read where voices from the past have a strong impact on the present.

This is a very cleverly constructed story which drew me in from the opening pages. Once again, I preferred the historical setting of Sophie’s story to that of Liv’s modern-day travails but the narratives are designed to complement rather than compete with each other and I loved the way elements of Sophie’s story are echoed in Liv’s life.

Jojo Moyes is going from strength to strength with Penguin. The Girl You Left Behind should ensure the continued expansion of her fanbase and increased recognition for this very talented writer. Looking forward to the next one!

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Dec 24, 2013 Diane S ☔ rated it liked it

3.5 Moyes is very good at creating dilemmas and very real people who have to deal with them. In this book it is the Germans in 1916, taking over their little French town, and deciding to have Sophie cook for the Kommandant and his men. Of course she really has no choice in the matter, she is hoping to stay alive and protect her family, so that when her husband Eduard returns, they are all still alive. How much would one do to keep their family safe, to protect them and hopefully save them. That ...more

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Aug 03, 2016 Carol Brill rated it really liked it

3.5
A good easy-read, combining suspense and romance. The Girl You Left Behind is told from two different women's point of view from different points in time. The two women and their stories are linked by a portrait of a women with a mysterious provenance.
In 1916, Sophie LeFevre is a young French woman, madly in love with her
husband, who is off at war. She lives in a small French village that is
occupied by the Germans. The new Kommandant in charge of the town decides
his troops will be fed each ...more

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Jan 07, 2015 Connie rated it really liked it

Shelves: book-club-reads, on-kindle, 2014

Jo Jo Moyes may now be one of my favorite new authors. I had read "Me Before You" and was so pleased that "The Girl You Left Behind" (though totally different) was just as mesmerizing for me and left me thinking. The writing is easy and the characters came to life for me. Told from the perspective of two women living 100 years apart and never meeting they are brought together by a painting that disappeared during the war and reappears years later unable to tell its story.

I loved Sophie, living ...more

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Aug 20, 2013 Erika Robuck rated it it was amazing

370 pages devoured in three days. That is my review of THE GIRL YOU LEFT BEHIND in its simplest expression.

Truly, this dual period novel is one of the best I’ve read in this form in a long time. The tension in both the past and the present is often unbearable, and the characters are unique, flawed, and intensely likable. The stories are full of connections and surprises, and the weight of what is left unsaid brings tremendous power to the narrative.

The opening scene in occupied France during the ...more

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Dec 14, 2014 Jennifer Lane rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: men-in-uniform, book-club, historical-romance, contemporary-romance, forbidden-romance

The Mystery Behind a Painting

JoJo Moyes's masterpiece Me Before You is one of my all-time favorite reads, so I was excited to try another of her novels. While this story didn't touch me as deeply, it was still an interesting page-turner.

Do you enjoy novels alternating from the past to the present? The Girl You Left Behind starts in 1917 France, in a town German soldiers have occupied for World War I, then fast forwards to 2006 England.

Sophie Lefevre is a young married woman who tries to keep the ...more

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Nov 30, 2015 Angigames rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Dopo “Io Prima di Te” dalla Moyes mi aspettavo la perfezione, anzi la pretendevo quasi… e questa uscita era stata guardata da me con sospetto… non mi convinceva, sembrava la solita storia d’amore romantico ostacolato da tutto e tutti. Beh, mi sono sbagliata! La Moyes mi ha di nuovo conquistata e con questo libro ha dimostrato il suo talento!
Narrazione fluida, particolareggiata, precisa, altamente coinvolgente. Mentre però, Sophie è una protagonista vera, palpabile, che compie scelte non sempre g ...more

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Jan 06, 2016 Jamise rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013-reads

Powerful story of struggle, defeat, love & triumph. Jojo Moyes is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. She never disappoints and delivers a captivating story. I would actually rate this book 4.5 stars.

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Mar 16, 2016 Ana rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, historical-fiction

Sophie's story- 4 stars
Liv's story- 2 stars

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Nov 14, 2015 Bonnie rated it liked it

Shelves: romance, dual-timelines, war-wwi, arcs-netgalley, z-2013

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
A copy of The Girl You Left Behind was provided to me by Pamela Dorman Books for review purposes.
______________________________

"Once it is done, it cannot be undone."

1916
In the midst of WWI, a small French town is overtaken by the Germans and Sophie and her sister Helene are forced to make the soldiers extravagant meals every night. When the portrait of Sophie that her husband painted of her catches the attention of the Kommandant, he begins showing her a kindness not af My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
A copy of The Girl You Left Behind was provided to me by Pamela Dorman Books for review purposes.
______________________________

"Once it is done, it cannot be undone."

1916
In the midst of WWI, a small French town is overtaken by the Germans and Sophie and her sister Helene are forced to make the soldiers extravagant meals every night. When the portrait of Sophie that her husband painted of her catches the attention of the Kommandant, he begins showing her a kindness not afforded to any others. Sophie decides to take advantage of that kindness in hopes that she will be able to help free her husband from the ravages of the prison camp. For his help though, it will come at a steep cost.

'Sometimes life is a series of obstacles, a matter of putting one foot in front of the other. Sometimes [...] it is simply a matter of blind faith.'

2006
Liv is still grieving for the husband she lost unexpectedly 4 years prior. She meets a man that she feels she could actually move on and be happy with only to find that he's been searching for a long lost painting that Liv's husband gave to her while on their honeymoon. He was hired to recover the painting when the descendants came forward when she was discovered as being stolen from the family during WWI. Liv begins researching information on the girl in the portrait in hopes to uncover the truth behind it's origins.

I'm a huge fan of dual narrative stories, especially when you have a wonderful mix of old with the new. This is perfect for fans of historical fiction and/or contemporary because you get both genres intertwined. I personally was a bigger fan of the 1916 storyline and all the aspects of WWI, plus I felt Sophie's story was simply a better written and riveting tale. Sophie's story was heartrending as war tales typically are. Liv's story was equally distressing but lacked a clear understanding why she was so adamant about keeping the portrait.

I picked up this story after being thoroughly enchanted by 'Me Before You' however, this is a vastly different type of tale with much more focus on the historical aspects. I would recommend this read to fans of Sarah Jio and Susanna Kearsley as both typically focus on dual narratives and/or the blending of past and present.

The Girl You Left Behind is the tale of two women, both surviving trying times, joined through decades by a remarkable portrait. A portrait that brings to light what's right and wrong and how there is oftentimes a middle ground, a grey area. ...more

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Sep 12, 2016 Connie rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, romance, england, spring-2014, france

A beautiful portrait entitled "The Girl You Left Behind" connects two engaging love stories in a historical novel full of moral ambiguities. The book opens in 1916 in a German-occupied French village. The villagers are hungry and cold, and they are not sure which of their neighbors are trustworthy. Sophie Lefevre and her sister are told to cook dinner for German soldiers in their hotel's restaurant every evening. Sophie's husband, an artist who is now a soldier in the French army, had painted he ...more

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Aug 27, 2013 Angela M rated it really liked it

Shelves: cgca-2013-14

I read The Girl You Left Behind by JoJo Moyes because I really loved her book Me Before You. While they are two completely different stories, Moyes demonstrates in both of these books her amazing story telling capabilities. In Book I of The Girl You Left Behind, Moyes tells the sad and horrific story of Sophie, her family and neighbors of a small French town and how they suffered through the German occupation during WWI. Sophie's plight for me was in some ways reminiscent of Sophie's Choice by W ...more

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About Jojo Moyes

Jojo Moyes 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 mar ...more

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“Sometimes life is a series of obstacles, a matter of putting one foot in front of the other. Sometimes, she realizes suddenly, it is simply a matter of blind faith.” — 91 likes

“There is a whole lot more to life than winning.” — 64 likes

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