I managed to get a signed copy of The Girl when I attended the Festival of Writing in York recently. 
 I was impressed by Jo Jo and had read Me Before You (which I still have to blog about) so decided to give this book a go. 
 I looked up the reviews to see what people thought, since this book had not officially been released yet and was surprised to see a range of mixed reveiws. A lot of readers did not like it - they called it a book of two halves. They like the first, not the second. 
 So, I decided to play it safe. I read the first part and then took a break of a week before I read the second. This was an excellent tactic! 
 Part One: 1916 
 The first half is the story of Sophie, a woman who is trying to survive the hardships of the First World War. She meets a Kommandant who takes a fancy to a picture her beloved husband Eduoard painted. Sophie is feisty, sassy and determined. She will do what it takes to help others in the hope of one day being reunited with her love. The Kommandant takes a liking to Sophie, and I won't tell you the spoiler but stuff happens...read it. 
 Can I say that I loved Sophie and felt sorry for the Kommandant. Yes, he had a job to do and was a bastard at times... but Jo Jo managed to make me see the other side. 
 The way it ends leaves you on tenterhooks... what will happen? 
 Part Two: 2006 
 Now meet Liv, the current owner of The Girl. A woman devasted by the lost of her husband 4 years earlier. A woman about to be involved in a lengthy legal challenge for the picture, now a picture valued in the region of millions - her husband bought it for 300 francs! And the one to challenge her for it is a man she accidentally meets...and falls in love with. 
 I loved the way the relationship between these two characters develops. The descriptions are vivid, intense and sensual. 
 The outcome is well thought out and for once, I did not see it coming... 
 I highly recommend this book and would urge you to read it and ignore the critics... I look forward to the next and have got to go back to read some of her other boks! 
 When will I find the time to read them all? Lol... 
 Enjoy, I hope my review is useful 
 Vanessa :)