Review: The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes

Moyes’ latest offering brings a thrilling and genuinely poignant love story asking the reader to ponder the sanctity of the written word and immerse themselves in a tale of love, loss and passion.

Set in 1960’s London and transitioning to the present day, The Last Letter from Your Lover begins with a woman waking up in the hospital with no memory of her life following a car crash. As she gradually remembers fragments of her existence we learn, at the same time Jennifer does, that her previous life may not have been as simplistic and happy as her family and friends want her to believe.  On discovering hidden love letters addressed to herself she has no choice but to admit that all is not what it seems and she sets about trying to discover what her life was really like before her accident.   

Fast forward to 2003 where journalist Ellie discovers a stash of love letters in old library archives that speak to her as she draws parallels to her own situation.  Determined to uncover a great story, discover the identity of the letter writer and perhaps create her own happy ending Ellie searches for answers the letters can bring.

If happy endings were that simple Moyes would have wrapped up the story in a few short chapters.  What unfolds is a beautiful and at times heart-breaking tale of two lovers who face circumstances that they strive to control but continuously fall short, sometimes by the slimmest of margins.

Grievances on this genre of novel usually centre on the contrived nature of the plot, leading to a somewhat inevitable ending.   The Last Letter from Your Lover held none of the stereotypes associated with that, at no point did I feel the plot was being advanced for the sake of it.  The story was allowed to progress at more of a natural pace and the novel shines because of it.

Moyes has created an authentic and absorbing love story that will undoubtedly move you to ponder the exquisite beauty that lies in a penned revelation of adoration.  You’ll want all correspondence to occur this way once you’ve finished!