Someone Else’s Shoes by Jojo Moyes
What's It About?
Two women from different walks of life find themselves learning about each other and meditating upon their current lives after their gym bags get switched.Jojo Moyes is the type of author that knows how to pull on readers’ heartstrings, especially when it comes to digging into realistic situations about love, friendships and careers. Jojo also knows how to flesh out open and vulnerable characters that readers will relate to, as they learn lessons along the way about what needs to change and how it might take bravery to seek that change.
This is the type of novel that readers will pick up and create emotional connections with as they sympathize with the characters, their wins and their losses. This book, especially, will have readers feeling for both characters and rooting for their lives to pivot. The title Someone Else’s Shoes (Pamela Dorman Books) says it all, as we follow two women living two different lives — who also find themselves living each other’s life. Nisha Cantor is the wealthy one, living what seems to be a perfect and glamorous life. Sam Kemp, on the other hand, is dealing with financial and family issues, including her husband Phil’s depression after his dad’s passing, which makes her the sole breadwinner for her family.
Relatable Characters, An Emotional Plot and Themes of Change
Jojo Moyes fans will want to pick up this one that features her strongest character development yet, as she dives in deep as to what Nisha and Sam are dealing with, especially as opposites.
The book begins the strongest part of the story when Sam and Nisha find themselves at the same gym and accidentally switch bags. Sam is distressed when she finds expensive clothing inside and six-inch high Christian Louboutin red crocodile shoes that she is now forced to wear to a client pitch for her job.
Once this happens, we see Sam gain a bit of confidence at her work meeting, which leads to success. On the other side, Nisha feels lost without her favorite shoes, especially when she finds herself locked out of her own home thanks to her husband who was threatening divorce. Nisha then realizes that her life is going to take a dramatic turn, one that will lead her through a different and less glamorous path.
As the story progresses, both women discover their own strength, thanks to close female friendships and moments where their worldview changes and they realize that sometimes everyone needs help and should reach out without shame. Someone Else’s Shoes also contains themes of fighting for your own future and what you realize and believe you deserve.
As readers learn about the characters and how their lives suddenly begin to change, there are lessons about finding the confidence to believe in your success, realizing that money is not everything and that in life sometimes sudden shake-ups happen where we must learn to adapt.
A Book That’s Perfect for Female Readers
Beyond the lessons and the plot with two vastly different characters, this book offers us the chance to learn the valuable lesson that sometimes life is not what it seems from an outsider’s perspective.
Female readers will especially enjoy the novel, one that targets more of an adult audience, who will root for both women to understand what it means to walk in each other’s shoes. They will learn that life is not always what it seems, but even during tough times, life is worth fighting for.
A lot of us understand growth and change, which is why I feel this novel will delight not only established Jojo Moyes readers, but also those who decide to give the book a chance based on its interesting premise.
Jojo Moyes is a novelist and journalist. Her books include the bestsellers Me Before You, After You and Still Me, The Girl You Left Behind, The One Plus One and her short story collection Paris for One and Other Stories. Her novels have been translated into forty-six languages, have hit the number one spot in twelve countries and have sold over thirty-eight million copies worldwide. Me Before You has now sold over fourteen million copies worldwide and was adapted into a major film starring Sam Claflin and Emilia Clarke. Jojo’s newest book, Someone Else’s Shoes, is now available in hardback, audiobook and eBook.
For more information about all of Jojo’s novels, please visit the books page here.
