kbaird 's review for:

The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes
5.0
This has been my favorite Jojo book to read so far. It combines the lives of a French woman living during the first war and a modern day woman. They are both in love with a painting; the painting is of the French woman painted by her husband. The story weaves in and out of the past and present regarding these women and that painting. The French woman is found out to have gotten mixed up in something with a German guard who loves the painting as well. Liv, the woman in the present, is gifted this painting by her late husband before he passes away. Liv falls for an art tracker who is coincidentally, tracking her painting back to the painter's family. Liv is wrought with emotions as to what to do about the painting. The family wants it back but she doesn't want to give her up. The sees herself in the strong woman who is painted in that portrait. She decides to go to court to fight for her painting and starts to figure out what happened to Sophie, the girl that was left behind. Sophie's history is stretched out throughout the book so you don't know what exactly happened the her until the very end. Liv is being racked through the mud with the papers as her trial goes forward. Everyone believes that the painting was stolen and should be returned to its original family. Liv and her husband at the time, bought the painting in good faith and don't believe it was stolen. Liv becomes the subject of much hate as the case goes forward and more details about what might have happened to Sophie to take the painting away from her are revealed. Liv believes the painting was given freely and knows that she will prevail in the case. She travels back to Sophie's hometown in France looking for answers and doesn't get any. She starts to think she will fail and lose her beloved painting. The painting has become a part of Liv and she doesn't know what she would do if she lost it. The case is believed to be over when Liv's knight in shining armor arrives with last minute evidence to both clear Sophie's name and let Liv keep her painting.

This story kept me entertained throughout. I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I did. Jojo has yet again surprised me with a meaningful and epic story spanning almost 100 years. The fate of poor Sophie and what actually happened to her painting will leave you wanting more. I couldn't put this book down!