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    The Girl You Left Behind
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    The Girl You Left Behind
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    The Girl You Left Behind
    Audiobook13 hours

    The Girl You Left Behind

    Written by Jojo Moyes

    Narrated by Clare Corbett and Penny Rawlins

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Paris, 1916. Sophie Lefèvre must keep her family safe while her adored husband, Édouard, fights at the front. When their town falls to the Germans in the midst of World War I, Sophie is forced to serve them every evening at her hotel. From the moment the new Kommandant sets eyes on Sophie's portrait--painted by her artist husband--a dangerous obsession is born, one that will lead Sophie to make a dark and terrible decision. Almost a century later, Sophie's portrait hangs in the home of Liv Halston, a wedding gift from her young husband before his sudden death. After a chance encounter reveals the portrait's true worth, a battle begins over its troubled history and Liv's world is turned upside all over again.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateAug 20, 2013
    ISBN9781101630891
    Unavailable
    The Girl You Left Behind
    Author

    Jojo Moyes

    Jojo Moyes is a British novelist and journalist. She is one of only a few authors to have twice won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by the Romantic Novelists' Association and has been translated into eleven different languages.

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    Reviews for The Girl You Left Behind

    4/5

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    • 2/5
      I received this book from SheReads in exchange for a fair and honest review.The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes is a unique novel to me because it is one that deals with World War I and stolen artwork. I can honestly say that I never have read a book on that topic before!The Girl You Left Behind is told with a dual narrative. Sophie lives in France with her sister Helene, where they run their deceased parents’ hotel. It also has a restaurant, which is frequented by the locals. That is, until the Germans decide to commission the restaurant as their new dinner locale.Sophie reluctantly becomes close to the German Kommandant who seems to have a crush on her. She’s not a fan, but it’s in her best interests, and in the best interests of the family, to play along. The Kommandant also has a fascination with a beautiful painting that Edouard made of Sophie.For the full review, visit Love at First Book
    • 5/5
      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 Sophie’s portrait is given to Liv by her young husband shortly before his sudden death. Its beauty speaks of their short life together, but when the painting’s dark and passion-torn history is revealed, Liv discovers that the first spark of love she has felt since she lost him is threatened… (from Goodreads)

      Jojo Moyes’ The Girl You Left Behind was a perfect book club choice. Both protagonists are complex women forced to make some very thought-provoking decisions. As with the last book club selection, I wasn’t always sure what I thought the protagonists should do. I think this is one way in which to be a truly brilliant writer. If a character is having a hard time making a decision and I want to shake her because the right choice is so obvious, that’s just frustrating. When an author like Jojo manages to make me uncertain as well, the story seems more real and the characters become much more relatable.

      Despite starting reading around 3 or 4 in the morning, I constantly wanted to know what the characters were going to do and what was going to happen next. The details of both the WWI and the modern day settings were so vivid, I was drawn right in. Some of the scenes, including the opening, are so dramatic and so fun that I immediately started imagining them happening in a movie. Although I loved both Sophie and Liv, Sophie was by far my favorite. She’s brave, intelligent, and captivating. The description of her experience of the resistance movement in France was very well done, with a fascinating look at both the good and the bad of how people treated each other. And finding out the surprising ending of her story… Well, lets just say it was well worth the wait.

      This review first published on Doing Dewey
    • 4/5
      I love historical fiction especially around World War I and II. And I'm finding Jojo Moyes is becoming one of my favorite authors. This is about Sophie during World War I and how she and her sister try to survive the Germans who have invaded their little village. It's also about Liv, who has a painting of Sophie and she is soon in a battle to keep that portrait away from Sophie's husband's family, who Liv feels really don't care about Sophie or the portrait, they only care about what it's worth. The book starts out with Sophie and you find out what she does to survive and get her husband back. Then it flashes forward to 2006 and Liv.

      This book is about two women trying to survive life and trying to hold onto what they think is right. Jojo really pulls you into both their lives and it broke my heart what was going on with Sophie and Liv with her new relationship with Paul. I was sucked so far into this story I lost track of time. This is a love story that should not be skipped. It will warm your heart, crush your heart and then warm your heart again.

      I SO recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good book.
    • 4/5
      I found this an engaging and easy to read story which, in the first part, evokes a moving and credible picture of what life must have been like under occupation, the daily struggles to survive relentless and desperate privations; the rumours and gossip which could destroy reputations and the compromises people sometimes had to make to survive. In the second part there are two central themes, the relationship between Liv and Paul and the eventual court case to decide ownership of the painting, which Liv is desperate to hang onto because of its links with her late husband. I did find the sudden shift between these two parts, almost a third of the way through the story, rather too abrupt and, having felt immersed in Sophie’s story, it took me a while to feel engaged with Liv’s. However, the thought-provoking theme about the restitution of property to the original owners, or the relatives of those from whom it had been stolen, was one of the things which did fully engage my interest. I thought that the author managed to capture very effectively the conflicting interests of everyone involved and the moral, ethical and legal arguments which must be considered in deciding the validity of any claim. It was this aspect of the story which influenced my rating.I did think that the story was a bit too long, and that there were times when its development was too reliant on coincidences which required some suspension of disbelief but, overall, I did enjoy the book – and I especially enjoyed and appreciated Mo, a goth waitress who comes into Liv’s life, providing not only some much-needed humour, but also some words of wisdom!
    • 4/5
      We begin during WW I in a German-occupied town in France. Sophie, the wife of a painter, is the subject of one of his paintings that a German officer falls in love with. The story flashes forward to present day to a young widow, Liv, who owns the painting. The middle of the story drags a bit as we got to know Liv. I did love how it wrapped up in the end, though it was a tiny bit cheesy. It’s still a pick for me as I needed something easy to read and this fit the bill.
    • 3/5
      Having read "Me Before You" recently, I decided to try another book by this author. Whilst I enjoyed "The Girl You Left Behind" I didn't have the same emotional connection as I did with the first one. I found this novel a bit slow, and while I enjoyed following Sophie's story as she struggled to stay alive during WWI, I found Liv's story less interesting, and I didn't fully understand why she didn't want to sell the painting. Although I'm not a huge fan of epilogues, Moyes did justice to this one and I thought "The Girl You Left Behind" finished very satisfactorily.
    • 4/5
      Like all of Moyes books that I’ve read this is well written and very absorbing. This story illustrates the problems that many people, and particularly women, encountered during the war and the things that they felt they needed to do just to get food for themselves and their families. The story has at its core a picture that the husband of the main female character. This picture seems to captivate anyone who sees it but it’s a mystery as to why. As the blurb says this book captivates the heart with every page turn and it stays with you for a very long time. It draws you in and keeps you there. Moyes is definitely a very accomplished writer who doesn’t over describe things but really allows the story to shine and touch its readers. The Girl You Left Behind is a more serious story than the Me Before You series but it’s still a wonderful read and worth the time spent reading it. The story keeps the reader interested and really eager to find out what happens to all the characters. Moyes is masterful in toying with readers’ emotions keeping them reading until the end. Very enjoyable.
    • 4/5
      I'm a little blank with my review for this book. I really liked it, the modern tale was wonderful but in the past few years I have so tired of the time span between the two world wars. I find myself passing books up specifically because of this and I'm afraid of missing out on a good read in doing so. Anyway, I love Jojo Moyes and her writings, the subject she went with is so controversial now, makes me look at it from all angles.
    • 4/5
      There is a story behind every painting but rarely do we consider that when we view a painting. This book delves into the mystery of the woman in a painting hanging on the wall of the home of a young architect and his wife. The untimely death of the architect prods his wife to develop a unique relationship with the painting. Unfortunately the painting may have been stolen from the original owners during World War I and the reason the widow knows this is because the man she is falling for has been hired to return the painting to its rightful owners!

      I enjoyed this story far more than I suspected I would. It was a bit slow at first and I found my interest waning but the story gets better as it goes along. About mid point I did not want to stop reading even for bathroom breaks.
    • 4/5
      I listened to this while packing for a cross-country move. It was mostly absorbing and interesting, but not so complex I couldn't listen to it while individually wrapping full china and crystal service for 12 (that is a lot of very complicated packing, trust me.) I think this is more of a 3.5, which I would have rounded up to 4 until the very end. One thing I loved about Me Before You was that it went for the hard ending, the painful ending, the authentic ending. This book was the opposite. Moyes twisted herself into pretzels trying to give everyone a happy ending (or at least an ending with a silver lining), and it just made all the big questions and hard stories explored before it seem pretty meaningless. ETA: I just looked at some reviews, and the majority of readers note that they loved the French story but not Liv's story. I felt the opposite. The French story was so cliche! Liv, while seemingly unable to behave like a grown up, seemed more real; I did not love Liv's story, but did find the questions raised interesting. Also, I liked Paul so solid romantic interest!
    • 4/5
      It was an interesting and enjoyable book. It is about the emotional attachment that two different women had for a portrait. In both cases it was a representation of a man's love for them. It alternates between the World War I era and the current era.
    • 5/5
      I loved listening to this book. It's the story of two women, one living in occupied France during WWII and the other in modern day London, who share a common bond through a painting. I enjoyed listening to both stories. Touching and heartwarming this was a great blend of historic fiction with a touch of romance. Can't wait to read more by this author.
    • 5/5
      This book was so well written. Amazingly narrated and it stole my heart. I think of these characters often and wish them happiness. I know it's silly, but that's how real they became to me.
    • 3/5
      I liked this book; didn't love it. Of the two story lines, Sophie's was far more interesting and the characters better written and more nuanced. The relationship between Sophie and Liliane, and Sophie's interactions with the Commandant had poignancy and depth. The writing vividly showed the impact of fear and gossip on a community.In the modern story, the characters are more caricatures than real people. Paul is too good to be true. Liv places more value on a $30 painting than on the custom-designed home her deceased husband built for them. She sleeps with Paul in the middle of a court case against him....really? And why was Mo in the story? Hard to come up with a rating as one aspect of the book was so much better than the other!
    • 3/5
      3-1/2 to be precise. Two plots are united by one painting. During WWII in occupied France, Sophie uses the suggestive, Matisse-style painting of her created by her husband to barter for his freedom from the Germans. Later, in present-day London the same painting is under scrutiny as a wartime theft, even though its present owner, Liv Halston believes she came to own it honestly. When she decides to fight for her right to keep the painting, the two stories merge and Sophie's fate is revealed. Throw in a love interest with the man whose company is seeking the painting's recovery and it's an intriguing read. Moyes does a great job of creating two entire sets of charactters who seem true to their circumstances and time periods, as well as weave in historical and art information. A quick entertaining read, but Me Before You was better.
    • 5/5
      Brilliantly written book bridging WW1 occupied France and contemporary London, linked by a painting whose ownership is being challenged by descendants of the painter. Shines a light on the little known occupation of northern France during WW1, which has been overshadowed by the WW2 occupation of all France.
    • 5/5
      Wow, this is an amazing book. I was not expecting so much of it. I had a good working over of the feels. And now that it’s over, I don’t even know what to think of the roles some of the characters played. This is one of those stories that I’ll loose sleep thinking about at night.
    • 5/5
      WWI, horrors of occupation, art theft, WWII and love.
    • 3/5
      Strong story with nicely developed characters. Story revolves around a small French village trying to adjust to German occupation- remember this is WW1. Small tavern becomes the dining spot for top German brass one who becomes enchanted by young inn keeper whose husband is in an internment center. A portrait and turn of the century French artists, of whom the husband is one, is the pivotal piece that creates hard choices. The book doesn’t necessarily have a happy ending but shows the reality of war and civilian populations. JoJo Moyer’s is my new go to author for a strong realistic story telling.
    • 4/5
      During WWI in France, Sophie is forced to feed the occupying German soldiers, thus becoming acquainted with the commandant. Her husband is fighting the Germans, and when she gets word that he has been captured, she comes to an agreement to have him released that involves a portrait done by her artist husband. Years later, the portrait is purchased as a gift for Liv by her deceased husband, but she learns that perhaps the portrait isn't hers at all. There are court proceedings that lead to a resolution and understanding by some of those involved. I enjoyed the book, although it tended to drag in places when in the WWI era, at least to me.
    • 4/5
      This book has two timelines - one set during WWI in France and the other in modern-day London - and the switching between those two eras always felt abrupt. This made it hard for me to really get into the story until about halfway through, but then, oh, what a story. The efforts to restore artwork looted during wartime is something I've encountered in isolated news reports, but this book brought life to the process and research. It's an good story and one to make you think more deeply about art, its power and meaning, and doing the right thing.
    • 5/5
      Captivating, pulls you in and keeps you wanting more. Outlining a power perspective for those living during war-time.
    • 5/5
      The Girl You Left Behind captured my attention from the very beginning. The first part of the novel is set in France during the First World War. Moyes does a great job of drawing you in and making you care about the characters and their lives of trial during desperate times. The story of Sophie and her family is powerful and moving. She has amazing strength and unbelievable courage. Her love for Edouard drives her and inspires her to be bold. Eduoard sees the beauty and boldness in her that is shown through his portrait of her. This portrait becomes a symbol of these characteristics and encourages her to keep on living with pride and strength. In the next part of the novel we are introduced to Liv who is still mourning the death of her husband, David. When Liv meets Paul she begins to feel alive again after all these years. Her new found bliss is cut short, however, when she learns that he works for a company who wants to take away her beloved painting, bought during her honeymoon with David, only to return it to the family of the artist. She decides to fight this and Paul in court despite what it might cost her in the end. Through Liv's research of the painting and the life of Sophie, we learn what became of these characters of the past. Moyes tells each story with descriptive detail allowing you to feel a part of the stories and settings. You begin to care for each set of characters and wish a happy ending for all. This is an inspiring, emotional, and romantic read that will keep the reader thinking long after it is finished.
    • 4/5
      "Once it is done, it cannot be undone."1916In 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.'2006Liv 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.
    • 5/5
      I loved this book! I love the way Moyes writes. This is the third novel of hers that I've read since March and they all amaze me for the way she can weave a story so that you get to throughly appreciate the characters because you know them so well, thanks to her all encompassing descriptions of them. I would just like to keep reading her books right now so I'm already hoping that she is nearly finished with another one and already thinking about the one after that! Thank goodness I have just found one of her earlier novels and will see how that compares to this one, fingers crossed---but she just keeps getting better and better.
    • 4/5
      Here is another very enjoyable story by the author of Me Before You. One storyline takes place during WWI and another takes place in current time. The two stories are connected by a famous painting and by two women who are desperate to hang onto what is most precious to them. I think this author has a gift for enabling the reader to see the world through the eyes of her characters. I would recommend this book to those that love a good story about human struggle and challenge. I enjoyed the story so much I read it in 3 sittings.
    • 5/5
      France - 1916 - World War 1 - The Germans are occupying a proud little village of St. Peronne. It had been one of the first towns to fall to the Germans. The Bessette family had been running a hotel, La Coq Rouge, a very fine establishment for generations. After the village becomes occupied, Sophie and her sister, Helene, continue to keep the hotel going while both of their husbands are fighting in the war. There were barely any men left in the town and the women had to take on men's work. The village had no milk to feed the babies, they were weeping from hunger and becoming ill from lack of good nutrition. The Germans were the only ones who ate well. They raided wine cellars and also took food that had been produced by the local farmers. Herr Kommandant enters the story and decides that his men will be fed at the hotel. Sophie and her family would provide meals for the German officers. Herr Kommandant becomes almost mesmerized by a portrait, in its gilded frame, hanging in the hotel - a portrait of Sophie, painted by her artist husband, Edouard. Herr Kommandant shows kindness towards Sophie and her family, but becomes consumed by Sophie. The plot becomes complex with a myriad of obstacles to overcome. Edouard is sent to a reprisal camp at Ardennes, which was said to be one of the worst. Sophie is take prisoner by the occupying German forces. The author effortlessly weaves together two stories, a century apart. The story flips over to 2006 - London - where Liv Halston is struggling to get over her husband's death, that happened four years earlier. In her living room hangs the portrait of The Girl You Left behind, given to her by her late husband, David, on their honeymoon. The story evolves around the portrait and just when you think the story is resolved , it takes on a twist, and then, yet another. Finally the resolution comes, and not what is expected. I absolutely loved the ending. This is a beautifully written story that will capture you from the beginning. The author spins a tale of twisting emotions while blending the past and the present in vivid detail. You don't want to miss this one. 5 stars. I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley for an honest review of this book. The opinions shared in this review are my own.
    • 4/5
      The Girl You Left Behind by JoJo Moyes is an exceptionally well-written work of historical fiction which is quite informative while being rather enjoyable. I preferred the WWI narrative to the modern day, but both came together rather nicely.
    • 4/5
      Read from July 22 to August 09, 2013It was a slow start with this one, but once I made it through the first part of Sophie's story and met Liv it really picked up the pace. I was more interested in Liv's story...Sophie's painting was what kept me reading though. How did it end up in Liv's home? And who is this guy that suddenly wants it? (I kept wondering why the artists family thought they deserved it? It was Sophie's painting, it was in HER family's hotel, not Eduoard's.)Definitely made me more interested in learning about are stolen during wartime. Monuments Men (the book and movie) is now of serious interest to me.
    • 4/5
      I loved this book! What a wonderful story. I've always liked reading war stories, not so much ones about how the war was fought, but rather personal stories about how the wars affected the life of an individual, and this book is a very personal story. It's the story of two young women who both fought desperately for what they loved the most. It begins in 1916 during WWI and the German occupation of France. There we meet Sophie, whose husband painted a beautiful portrait of her which she hung in her home, an inn. When her husband was missing in the war, the painting was a comforting reminder of him, even after the Germans took over her village and forced her to cook for them. She does what she can to make things a little easier for her family and fellow villagers, but ultimately makes a great sacrifice in the hopes of being reunited with her missing husband. Almost 100 years later, the portrait is given to a young English woman, Liv, as a wedding gift from her husband. He dies a few short years later and the painting gives Liv comfort as it had Sophie years before. However, the painting becomes embroiled in a controversy over who is its true owner, and Liv risks everything to keep it. The story weaves back and forth between Sophie's story and Liv's in an easy to follow way. The descriptions of life during the occupation were so vividly written, I became tied up in them almost the way Liv did in the book as she researched the provenance of the painting. The story is heartbreaking in many ways but also hopeful and satisfying in many other ways. Jojo Moyes has also written Me Before You and The Last Letter from Your Lover. They are both on my must read list now.