“The Last Letter from Your Lover” by Jojo Moyes – Love Finds a Way

As those of you who have taken to reading this review site regularly doubtlessly already know, romance novels are certainly not up my alley, unless of course there is something extraordinary about them, and let's face it, there aren't that many books in any genre that could be labeled as such.

However, from time to time, either when the mood itself swings in that direction or perhaps the holidays come creeping around I do find myself in a state of mind to give one of them a chance, and in this case I had the pleasure of choosing The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes.

This is a kind of romance literature where two stories take place simultaneously, are inter-connected, and are yet happening on different timelines. To begin with, there is the story of Jennifer Stirling, who has the misfortune of one day waking up in a hospital after a terrible car crash, remembering essentially less-than-nothing, not even her own name.

As she tries to get some kind of a clue for who she is, a most important discovery is made: a letter signed simply “B”, someone (a man by all accounts) for whom she had obviously been willing to risk her own life.

Forty-three years later, we are introduced to Ellie Haworth, a journalist and somewhat of a hopeless romantic who accidentally discovers that famous letter in question.

Being somewhat easily moved and of a rather inquisitive nature, she decides to undertake a journey of her own, determined to unravel the mystery of their curious fate, and perhaps even adapt some of it to her own.

So what exactly pulled me towards this novel instead of others? To begin with, the author. As far as the quality of writing goes, Jojo Moyes is really up there with some of the best in the business, having absolutely no problem creating smooth transitions in a somewhat complex and non-linear narrative. You never find yourself wondering when and where the heck you are, nor do things ever feel abrupt or jagged.

The words aren't overly complicated but are used exquisitely-well in depicting the characters as well as the environments, both inside and out. In other words, this book suffers from no technical drawbacks, being a smooth cruise from beginning to end.

As far as the story itself goes, there is certainly no denying that the element of mystery and memory less make it a whole lot more exciting. Instead of placing the entire focus on a relationship, The Last Letter from Your Lover seems to be more about the search for it, the idealization, and of course, the fun that comes with picking up the fragments of our own mind after a deadly car accident. It just adds a layer of excitement and room for speculation for the reader.

Now, for the romantic elements of this book, I will reserve my judgment (somewhat at least) for I know it to be biased and non-representative of the general perspective adopted by those who enjoy these types of books.

However, I will say that even though it did feel cheesy and a bit forced at times, on the whole I didn't find it detrimental and some of the scenes truly were enjoyable. I can only assume that if you do enjoy stories of this genre, you'll be right at home in this book's pages.

All things considered, The Last Letter from Your Lover is a very solid output by Moyes and only further cements her legacy as being one who can deliver one engaging romance novel after the next.

If you are looking for that and perhaps a bit more poignant as well as some elements of mystery, be sure to give it a shot.

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Jojo Moyes Personal site Jojo Moyes is an English novelist and journalist hailing from London. She has the distinction of being one of the few authors to have won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award on two occasions, the first time around in 2004 for her novel Foreign Fruit, and once again in 2011 with “The Last Letter From Your Lover”.