Someone Else's Shoes: A Novel

What makes a book a winner for me? When I can’t put it down, even reading while on bus or car rides, and very relatable main characters. I am happy to report that this book (my first by this author! ) ticked all the boxes. Nisha and Sam are from two very different worlds but their fates become entwined when Sam accidentally picks up Nisha’s gym bag, containing a very pricey pair of Christian Louboutin heels. Something amazing happens when Sam dares to wear the stunning shoes. She becomes more self- confident and assertive, and in turn, she sets in motion a change of events that will shake up her mundane life. Nisha is dealing with her own set of problems and while she always believed herself to be extremely confident, also finds new strength. I absolutely loved the clever plot and the supporting characters. While the ending was little predictable, I still enjoyed every minute of this wonderful, empowering story. Highly recommend! Favorite quotes: There is a shorthand in women this age, Sam realizes. There is none of the sharp elbows of their twenties and thirties, not an ounce of competitiveness. By their late forties and fifties, they’re all survivors, of death, divorce, disease, trauma, of something.” “Some days I’ve felt like I don’t even exist. It’s hard for you to imagine now, while you’re young and beautiful and everyone notices every move you make. But I seem to be invisible, these days, and when even the man you love doesn’t see you it’s . . . well, it’s pretty soul-destroying. I needed to feel like a different version of myself— and the shoes, I guess, were a part of that.”

I really enjoyed this book. I feel like I got to know the character’s personalities individually and how they blended together as they were all thrown into a chaotic situation from a simple mishap. There is humor, strong woman characters and heartwarming moments.

I am a big fan of JoJo Moyes and this was a gem find for me. A simple premise of an accidental gym bag switch, changes the lives of two women. I got it as an audio book, from the library, and the narration was perfect. There are just enough twists and turns to keep the story lively. The characters are great and it has it's laugh and cry moments. For those who call this a romance novel, I totally disagree. This is about women and obstacles and pride and determination. Hated when it was over.

This novel kept me guessing and therefore stimulated. Some parts were madcap which balanced well against the more devastating parts. It’s also a fun read!

I enjoyed this novel and was invested early on in the predicaments of the two main characters, Sam and Nisha, whose lives intertwine when Sam accidentally picks up a bag containing Nisha's Chanel jacket and Louboutin shoes. These women come from completely different social spheres, but their individual life crises felt real and appropriate for their personal situation. Each woman finds her life falling apart around her and tries to keep navigating ahead as best she can, until fate brings them together again and they forge a common purpose. The supporting characters of Jasmine and Andrea are relatable and deeply likeable. The red shoes at the center of all the drama feature prominently in a heist-like adventure segment of the novel, and this was the only part of the novel which felt a bit contrived and far-fetched for my taste. The character of Aleks is very appealing, and almost too good to be true. However, I liked and sympathized with all the characters and wanted to see how they would navigate their difficulties with their friends' support and try to restore order to their respective worlds. The plot threads were resolved and the ending was satisfying.

Ended up being okay book in the end but it took until the last 2 chapters for me to get into it. Very slow burner.

This book was a good read for my book club. The book started off slow, but then the story picked up and was a great story and had a great end.

When Sam Kemp and Nisha Cantor mix up their gym bags it sets off 448 pages of hilarious fun, serious drama, and unlikely friendships. It is a story that will remain with you long after the last page is read. The Marc Jacobs bag Sam accidentally grabs has a beautiful designer jacket and crocodile-skin-red-take-me-now Louboutin sling-backs in it. The shoes may be a bit tight and the heels too high but she can’t show up at meetings scheduled that day wearing gym flip flops and she has no other shoes. Plus those heels make her feel like a new woman. Poised, confident, a serious business woman who can close deals for the company and bring in new business for her abusive misogynistic boss. But beautiful, uber rich, germaphobic Nisha ends up with a Marc Jacobs knock-off bag containing well worn sensible dark shoes and a wet swim suit in a plastic bag. Sam’s two-man negotiation team pick her up in the company van after her work-out and rush to their first meeting of the day. Her boss changed the time of the meeting but failed to tell Sam. There is no time to go back for her bag. Nisha is sounding the alarm that someone stole her bag and demands to see camera footage of the dressing room to see who the thief is. The attendant reminds her that there are no cameras in the locker rooms. So, Nisha, wearing gym flip flops and a white gym robe, rushes to the hotel where she and hubby are staying only to find that she is barred from entering the penthouse and hubby won’t take her calls. Both women find themselves in situations way out of their comfort zones. Teammate Joel looks at Sam in ways that her husband hasn’t in years. Nisha finds herself adrift from her husband and their son who is in boarding school a continent away. Those issues are just the tip of the iceberg that threatens their homes, jobs, and lifestyles. As each woman develops new friendships and supporters throughout the story, the reader is left laughing and wondering what will happen next as there is no way these characters are going to get out of the messy situations in which they find themselves. I loved this heart gripping, fun slice of life as these women redefine friendship, power, and who they are. This is my second Jo Jo Moyes book but not my last. A five star read for me!

Jojo Moyes at her best. Tightly written with twists to the plot, compassion, humour and brilliant characters. So well tied up at the end. A very satisfactory read.

Such a great story! Have bought it as a gift for a few friends as it made me laugh! A great beach read!

Funny, witty, with a few plot twists and a new found improbable friendship of two women from two different walks of life.

Loved the book. Kept me hooked up and interested the whole time. Also love all the characters in the book.

Mysig bok, går ej att förutse vad som ska hända.