‘The Forsytes’: Who Does Jo End Up With in the Books?

The Forsytes Season 1 is off to a romantic yet messy start, and we have Jo Forsyte (Danny Griffin) to thank for that. The young stockbroking heir is content in his practical marriage to the widowed Frances (Tuppence Middleton), which made him a doting stepfather to June (Justine Moore), but Louisa (Eleanor Tomlinson) upends all of that. Jo had no idea that the lady’s maid he once fell in love with had been living in London, let alone that she gave birth to his now 10-year-old twins. (Warning: Spoilers for The Forsytes Episode 2 ahead!) 

It sets up a complicated love triangle for Jo, who is one of the main characters of John Galsworthy’s The Forsyte Saga. PBS Masterpiece’s version, according to showrunner Debbie Horsfield, is not only a prequel but a “reimagining” of the books. Already, Horsfield’s approach has made the show stand apart from The Forsytes Saga, which could ultimately mean its romances will play out a bit differently. Still, the books do give Jo a clear endgame — and it’s not who you might expect. We’re breaking down what happens between Jo, Frances, and Louisa in The Forsyte Saga books below.