Jojo Moyes Books in Order: Complete Novels and Reading Guide
Jojo Moyes is a bestselling British author known for emotional contemporary fiction, romance, family relationships, difficult choices, and stories about ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances.
Her bibliography includes standalone novels, historical fiction, romantic stories, and books that explore friendship, motherhood, grief, independence, and personal reinvention. Unlike authors who write one continuous series, Moyes’ novels can generally be enjoyed independently.
That makes a Jojo Moyes reading order relatively straightforward. If you want to see how her writing developed over time, publication order is the best approach; if you simply want to start with one of her most famous books, Me Before You is the obvious entry point.
Jojo Moyes Books in Publication Order
1. Sheltering Rain (2002)
Sheltering Rain is Jojo Moyes’ debut novel and follows three generations of women whose lives become intertwined when family secrets and unresolved relationships resurface. Set partly in England and partly in Ireland, the novel establishes Moyes’ interest in complicated family dynamics and emotional relationships.
Publication Year: 2002
Reading Position: Standalone #1
Key Themes: Family, relationships, secrets, motherhood
2. Foreign Fruit (2003)
Foreign Fruit, also published as Windfallen, follows a woman who becomes fascinated by a beautiful abandoned house and its mysterious history. As the past begins to influence the present, the novel explores love, loss, family, and the lasting consequences of old choices.
Publication Year: 2003
Reading Position: Standalone #2
Key Themes: Family secrets, love, history, loss
3. The Ship of Brides (2005)
The Ship of Brides is inspired by the real postwar voyages that carried thousands of war brides from Australia to Britain. The story follows four very different women aboard a ship traveling toward new lives, exploring friendship, marriage, uncertainty, and the challenges of starting over.
Publication Year: 2005
Reading Position: Standalone #3
Key Themes: Historical fiction, war brides, friendship, marriage
4. Silver Bay (2007)
Silver Bay centers on Liza McCullen, a woman living quietly on the Australian coast whose life changes when a developer arrives with plans that threaten the community and its wildlife. The novel combines romance with themes of family, environmental protection, grief, and belonging.
Publication Year: 2007
Reading Position: Standalone #4
Key Themes: Romance, family, environment, community
5. The Last Letter from Your Lover (2008)
The Last Letter from Your Lover moves between the 1960s and the present day, connecting two women through a collection of secret love letters. As journalist Ellie Haworth investigates the correspondence, she uncovers a passionate relationship that was never allowed to reach its natural conclusion.
Publication Year: 2008
Reading Position: Standalone #5
Key Themes: Love letters, forbidden love, memory, second chances
6. The Peacock Emporium (2009)
The Peacock Emporium follows Suzanna Peacock, a woman struggling with her identity and family relationships who becomes involved in an unusual shop filled with beautiful objects and complicated customers. The story examines friendship, motherhood, marriage, loneliness, and personal transformation.
Publication Year: 2009
Reading Position: Standalone #6
Key Themes: Friendship, family, motherhood, self-discovery
7. The Horse Dancer (2009)
The Horse Dancer follows a teenage girl whose life revolves around her beloved horse and her dream of becoming an elite equestrian. When a family crisis threatens her future, several characters must confront difficult decisions about love, responsibility, sacrifice, and ambition.
Publication Year: 2009
Reading Position: Standalone #7
Key Themes: Horses, family, ambition, sacrifice
8. The Last Letter from Your Lover (2010 U.S. edition)
The novel The Last Letter from Your Lover appeared in different editions and markets under varying publication dates. Its central story remains the same: a modern journalist discovers a series of letters documenting a secret romance from decades earlier.
Reading Position: Standalone
Key Themes: Forbidden love, correspondence, memory, relationships
Editorial note: Because international and U.S. publication dates can differ, readers may see slightly different years for some Jojo Moyes titles in online databases.
9. Me Before You (2012)
Me Before You is Jojo Moyes’ breakthrough novel and introduces Louisa Clark, an ordinary young woman whose life changes when she becomes a caregiver for Will Traynor, a wealthy man who has become paralyzed after an accident.
Their relationship gradually transforms both of their lives, creating a deeply emotional story about love, independence, disability, personal choice, and what it means to truly live.
Publication Year: 2012
Reading Position: Me Before You #1
Key Themes: Love, disability, independence, caregiving, personal choice
10. The Girl You Left Behind (2012)
The Girl You Left Behind connects two women separated by nearly a century. During World War I, Sophie Lefèvre risks everything to protect the people she loves; decades later, Liv Halston becomes attached to the painting that bears Sophie’s image.
Publication Year: 2012
Reading Position: Standalone #9
Key Themes: World War I, art, love, sacrifice, historical fiction
11. The One Plus One (2014)
The One Plus One follows Jess Thomas, a struggling single mother trying to keep her family together. When she accepts an unexpected offer of help from technology entrepreneur Ed Nicholls, their road trip becomes a journey involving family, romance, class, and second chances.
Publication Year: 2014
Reading Position: Standalone #10
Key Themes: Single motherhood, family, romance, second chances
12. After You (2015)
After You continues Louisa Clark’s story after the events of Me Before You. Struggling to rebuild her life, Louisa finds herself pulled into a new relationship and an unexpected family situation that forces her to reconsider what she wants from the future.
Publication Year: 2015
Reading Position: Me Before You #2
Key Themes: Grief, healing, relationships, new beginnings
13. Paris for One and Other Stories (2016)
Paris for One and Other Stories is a collection of romantic short fiction rather than a traditional novel. The title story follows a woman whose planned romantic getaway unexpectedly becomes an opportunity for independence and self-discovery.
Publication Year: 2016
Reading Position: Short-story collection
Key Themes: Romance, travel, independence, self-discovery
14. Still Me (2018)
Still Me concludes the main Louisa Clark trilogy. Louisa moves to New York for a new job and finds herself caught between the life she thinks she should want and the person she is becoming.
Publication Year: 2018
Reading Position: Me Before You #3
Key Themes: Identity, independence, career, love, personal growth
15. The Giver of Stars (2019)
The Giver of Stars is a historical novel inspired by the Pack Horse Library Project in Depression-era Kentucky. Alice Wright joins a group of women who deliver books to remote communities on horseback, discovering friendship, courage, and independence along the way.
Publication Year: 2019
Reading Position: Standalone
Key Themes: Historical fiction, women, friendship, books, courage
16. One Plus One (2014)
One Plus One follows Jess Thomas and her children as financial difficulties push the family into an unexpected road trip with Ed Nicholls. The journey creates an unlikely relationship while exposing the pressures surrounding money, parenting, social class, and family.
Publication Year: 2014
Reading Position: Standalone
Key Themes: Family, motherhood, social class, romance
17. The Last Letter from Your Lover (2008)
This emotional dual-timeline romance follows Ellie Haworth as she investigates letters from a secret relationship in the 1960s. The discovery connects her present-day life with a love story that was interrupted decades earlier.
Publication Year: 2008
Reading Position: Standalone
Key Themes: Forbidden love, letters, memory, second chances
18. Someone Else’s Shoes (2023)
Someone Else’s Shoes follows two very different women whose lives unexpectedly collide after one woman accidentally leaves with the other’s shoes. Their seemingly small mistake sets off a chain of events that leads both women toward new possibilities.
Publication Year: 2023
Reading Position: Standalone
Key Themes: Friendship, identity, women, second chances, personal transformation
19. The Summer I Met You (2024)
The Summer I Met You is a newer Jojo Moyes title that explores relationships, emotional change, and the unexpected ways people can influence one another.
Publication Year: 2024
Reading Position: Standalone
20. We All Live Here (2025)
We All Live Here follows a woman whose already complicated family life becomes even more unpredictable when an unexpected person from her mother’s past appears. The novel combines family dysfunction, grief, humor, relationships, and the possibility of starting over.
Publication Year: 2025
Reading Position: Standalone
Key Themes: Family, grief, motherhood, relationships, new beginnings
The Me Before You Trilogy in Order
Unlike most of Jojo Moyes’ novels, the Me Before You books form a direct trilogy, so these should definitely be read in order:
1. Me Before You (2012)
Louisa Clark becomes a caregiver for Will Traynor, beginning a relationship that profoundly changes both of their lives.
2. After You (2015)
Louisa struggles with grief and rebuilding her life after the events of Me Before You.
3. Still Me (2018)
Louisa moves to New York and faces new relationships, professional challenges, and questions about who she wants to become.
Recommended reading order: Me Before You → After You → Still Me
Are Jojo Moyes’ Books Connected?
Most Jojo Moyes novels are standalone stories, so you generally do not need to read them in publication order.
The major exception is the Me Before You trilogy. After You directly continues Louisa Clark’s story, while Still Me completes her character arc.
This means a reader interested in Me Before You should read the three books sequentially rather than jumping into the series with Still Me.
What Is the Best Jojo Moyes Book to Start With?
If you’re new to Jojo Moyes, Me Before You is the most obvious starting point. It is her best-known novel and introduces the emotional storytelling style that has made her an international bestseller.
If you prefer historical fiction, try The Giver of Stars or The Ship of Brides.
For a story focused on family and contemporary relationships, The One Plus One and Someone Else’s Shoes are strong choices.
If you want to experience her career from the beginning, start with Sheltering Rain and follow publication order.
Jojo Moyes Books by Genre
Contemporary Romance and Women’s Fiction
- Me Before You
- After You
- Still Me
- The One Plus One
- Someone Else’s Shoes
- We All Live Here
Historical Fiction
- The Ship of Brides
- The Girl You Left Behind
- The Giver of Stars
Family and Relationship Fiction
- Sheltering Rain
- The Peacock Emporium
- Silver Bay
- The One Plus One
About Jojo Moyes
Jojo Moyes is a British author and journalist whose novels have become international bestsellers. She is particularly known for combining romance with family drama, social issues, personal transformation, and emotionally difficult choices.
Her breakthrough came with Me Before You, which became a worldwide bestseller and was later adapted into a successful feature film. Since then, Moyes has continued to write both contemporary and historical fiction, often placing women at the center of stories about independence, resilience, relationships, and unexpected life changes.
Her historical novels, including The Giver of Stars and The Ship of Brides, also demonstrate her interest in researching real historical events and using them as the foundation for character-driven fiction.
Frequently Asked Questions About Jojo Moyes Books
What is the correct order to read Jojo Moyes books?
Most Jojo Moyes novels are standalone stories, so there is no single required reading order. However, publication order is the best choice if you want to follow her development as an author, while the Me Before You trilogy must be read as Me Before You, After You, and Still Me.
How many Jojo Moyes books are there?
Jojo Moyes has published numerous novels and short-story collections across more than two decades. Her bibliography includes standalone contemporary novels, historical fiction, the three-book Me Before You series, and short fiction collections.
What is Jojo Moyes’ most famous book?
Me Before You is Jojo Moyes’ most famous and widely recognized novel. It introduced Louisa Clark and Will Traynor and became an international bestseller before being adapted into a 2016 film starring Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin.
Do you have to read Me Before You, After You, and Still Me in order?
Yes. These three books form a continuous story about Louisa Clark. After You follows the events of Me Before You, while Still Me continues Louisa’s journey and brings the trilogy to its conclusion.
What should I read after Me Before You?
If you want to continue Louisa Clark’s story, read After You followed by Still Me. If you would rather read a different Jojo Moyes story, The One Plus One offers contemporary romance and family drama, while The Giver of Stars is a strong choice for historical fiction.
Which Jojo Moyes books are historical fiction?
Some of Moyes’ best-known historical novels include The Ship of Brides, The Girl You Left Behind, and The Giver of Stars. These books use historical settings and events to explore love, friendship, courage, family, and women’s lives.
Are Jojo Moyes books connected to each other?
Most are not. Jojo Moyes primarily writes standalone novels, meaning readers can choose individual books without following a larger fictional universe. The important exception is the Me Before You trilogy, which follows Louisa Clark across three consecutive novels.
What is the best Jojo Moyes book for a new reader?
Me Before You is the strongest starting point for most new readers because it represents Moyes’ emotional contemporary style and is her most widely recognized novel. Readers who prefer historical fiction may want to start with The Giver of Stars instead.
Does Jojo Moyes write romance novels?
Yes, romance is an important element of many Jojo Moyes books, but her novels generally extend beyond conventional romance. Her stories frequently combine romantic relationships with family, grief, friendship, social class, career decisions, motherhood, independence, and personal growth.
Final Verdict
Jojo Moyes is an excellent author to explore if you enjoy emotionally driven contemporary fiction, romance, historical stories, family drama, and characters facing life-changing choices. Most of her books can be read independently, making her bibliography easy to navigate, but the Me Before You trilogy should always be read in order.
For the classic Jojo Moyes experience, start with Me Before You; for historical fiction, choose The Giver of Stars; and if you want to follow her entire career, begin with Sheltering Rain and continue in publication order.
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