Moyes' sequel to her bestselling Me Before You (2012)which was about Louisa, a young caregiver who falls in love with her quadriplegic charge, Will, and then loses him when he chooses suicide over a life of constant painexamines the effects of a loved one's death on those left behind to mourn. It's been 18 months since Will's death, and Louisa is still grieving. She's settled in a London flat purchased with money Will left her and taken a dreary waitressing job at an airport pub. After falling off her apartment roof terrace in a drunken state, she momentarily fears she'll end up paralyzed herself, but Sam, the paramedic who treats her, does a great joband she's lucky. Louisa convalesces in the bosom of her family in the village of Stortfold, and Moyes is at her most charming here, writing with a sense of humorous affection about family dynamics among working-class Brits. When Louisa returns to London, a troubled 16-year-old named Lily turns up on her doorstep saying Will was her father though he never knew it because her mother thought he was "a selfish arsehole" and never told him she was pregnant. Louisa also joins a formulaically familiar support group that adds little to the story except as a device for her to reconnect cute with paramedic Sam, who stops by to pick up a group member Louisa assumes is his son. While developing wonderfully nuanced characters like Will's grieving parentsparticularly his mother, who forms a surprisingly deep bond with LilyMoyes weakens the novel with stock villains like Lily's narcissistic upper-middle-class mom. As the love interest, handsome, patient, sensitive Sam is too good to be true. Narrator Louisa is not quite as much fun this time around, but the optimistic final pages hint that her adventures may continue into another book. Moyes is a Maeve Binchy for the 21st century, and she has the formula down pat: an understanding of family dynamics, a nod to social issues, plenty of moral uplift, and a sentimental streak, all buoyed by a rollicking sense of humor. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Best-selling Moyes (One Plus One, 2014) captured lightning in a bottle in Me Before You (2012) with its unlikely pairing of Louisa Clark and Will Traynor. This sequel picks up the story 18 months after Will's death and finds Lou paralyzed with grief. She has returned to her family and forced herself to join a support group. If its predecessor was very much the story of Lou blossoming in Will's presence, this tale shows her gradually finding strength in his absence, helped by an unexpected person from Will's past. Though After You suffers from a Will-sized hole, it provides satisfying closure to the burning question: what happened to Lou?--Wetli, Patty Copyright 2015 Booklist

This unexpected sequel to Moyes's Me Before You reveals what happened to Louisa Clark after that book's heart-wrenching finale. Eighteen months after those events, a terrible accident sends Lou home to her family. Forced to take stock of her life after Will, she realizes it's not what he had hoped for her. So she begins to struggle up out of her grief. This book doesn't reach the emotional level of its predecessor; it lacks the intense focus on two characters that elevated Me Before You to its unique position among Moyes's works. There's a lot to follow as well. Along with Lou's journey, we see the emotional quests of her family, Will's family (including some unexpected members), a grief support group, and, of course, a new romantic interest. The many surprises and misunderstandings are all neatly tied up by the end. VERDICT A necessary book for public libraries everywhere. Moyes's many fans will line up to read more about Lou. The author's usual style is reflected, ensuring that fans of romance and family drama will be delighted. [See Prepub Alert, 3/23/15.]--Melanie -Kindrachuk, Stratford P.L., Ont. © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.