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Jojo Moyes Books in Order: Where to Start with the Me Before You Author
If you’ve cried your way through Me Before You — the book or the film — and now you’re standing in front of a shelf full of Jojo Moyes titles wondering what to read next, this guide is for you. Moyes is one of the most reliably heart-tugging storytellers working today: British, warm, emotionally fearless, and very good at putting ordinary people in impossible situations and making you care desperately how it all turns out. She’s sold tens of millions of books, and a couple of them have become films you’ve probably heard of.
The good news is that most of her novels stand completely on their own, so there’s no wrong place to begin. The one thing you do want to read in order is her most famous story — so let’s start there.
Start here: the Lou Clark trilogy
Moyes’ signature creation is Louisa “Lou” Clark, and her story unfolds across three books that absolutely should be read in order:
- Me Before You (2012) — the one that made her a global name. A working-class young woman takes a job as caregiver to a wealthy young man left paralyzed after an accident, and what grows between them is funny, tender, and genuinely wrenching. It’s the perfect entry point to everything Moyes does best.
- After You (2015) — the follow-up, picking up Lou’s life as she tries to put herself back together. A gentler book than the first, but essential if you love the character.
- Still Me (2018) — Lou takes on New York City, and the trilogy finds its full-hearted conclusion.
If you only ever read one Jojo Moyes book, make it Me Before You. If you fall for Lou — and you will — the other two are waiting.
The standalones worth knowing
Once you’ve met Lou, the rest of Moyes’ shelf opens up, and there are gems throughout. A few of the most beloved:
The Girl You Left Behind (2012) weaves together a World War I love story and a present-day quest over a stolen painting — classic Moyes dual-timeline storytelling, and a fan favorite. The Last Letter from Your Lover (2008) is a swooning, decades-spanning tale of a lost love letter and the journalist who tries to solve its mystery — and it became a Netflix film. One Plus One (2014) is a warm, funny road-trip novel about a frazzled single mum and an unlikely knight in shining armor.
And then there’s The Giver of Stars (2019), a sweeping historical novel about the real-life Packhorse Librarians of Depression-era Kentucky — women who delivered books on horseback through the mountains. It’s a bit of a departure from her contemporary romances and one of her most ambitious, widely-loved books. If you like your fiction with a strong sense of history and a cast of unforgettable women, start here instead.
Her earlier standalones — Silver Bay, The Ship of Brides, The Peacock Emporium, Night Music, and others — are lovely too, and since they stand alone, you can follow whichever premise calls to you.
Jojo Moyes on screen
Part of why so many readers arrive at Moyes through the movies: she’s a genuinely successful book-to-screen author.
Me Before You (2016) became a hit film starring Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin, and it’s the reason a whole generation knows Lou Clark. A few years later, The Last Letter from Your Lover (2021) arrived as a Netflix film with Shailene Woodley and Felicity Jones. Both are faithful, lovely adaptations — and, as always, the novels have room for so much more of the emotion and detail. If a film pulled you in, the book is the richer experience every time.
Her newest books
Moyes hasn’t slowed down. Someone Else’s Shoes (2023) is a sharp, funny, feel-good novel built on a deliciously simple premise: two women accidentally swap gym bags — and, in a sense, lives. And her latest, We All Live Here (2025), is a warm, messy, big-hearted family story that shows her range as she moves further into wry, grown-up comedy-drama.
So, where should you begin?
Simple: start with Me Before You. It’s her most famous book for a reason, and it’s the doorway to the Lou Clark trilogy. From there, follow your mood — the dual-timeline drama of The Girl You Left Behind, the historical sweep of The Giver of Stars, or the feel-good comedy of Someone Else’s Shoes.
For the always-current, complete list of everything she’s written, in order, here’s your home base: every Jojo Moyes book in order.
Happy reading — and keep the tissues close.