I loved this book! Some reviews compared it to "Thelma & Louise", and it is a road trip featuring 2 women, but that's about the only comparison I would make. Louise is an elderly woman recovering from a hip replacement. Tanner is a young woman whose dream of playing college/professional soccer has just disappeared, and she is now rudderless. Tanner takes a job as a caretaker for Louise and gets WAY more than she bargained for. Louise has secrets, lots of secrets. They take off on a trip to California to find a friend of Louise's.

I wasn't expecting much from this book. I was afraid it was just going to descend into a predictable story about how the older, wiser woman influences the younger, untethered woman, friendship ensues, and they all live happily ever after. WOW! The story is filled with humor, emotion, secrets, lies, and lots of surprises. I could not put it down. There's a bit of that women/friend/mentor stuff, but everything else is fun and a great ride. Read this book!

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance reader copy of this fun and fabulous story.
Tanner is a 21-year-old college student and athlete. She suffers a terrible accident which ends her soccer career and causes her to lose her scholarship. Tanner now resides in her parent's basement playing video games in sweats and sulking.

Louise is an 84-year-old mother and grandmother who is recovering from hip surgery. Her children are convinced she needs a live in caregiver and Tanner is hired for the job.

Neither is thrilled to be together. Tanner continues her video games and Louise drinks her vodka precisely at 5pm and does her crossword puzzles. Louise gets a mysterious phone call from her past and needs to get to the west coast in a hurry. What follows is a humorous road trip across the country in a vintage jaguar. The two women work to get to know each other as they unravel mysteries from Louise's past.

This is a delightful story with loveable female characters. Enjoy the ride!!

4.5 stars

Move over May/December romances - give me all the May/December friendships! I am a sucker for books of unlikely friendships, and The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise definitely fits the bill. It gives vibes of Thelma and Louise and Driving Miss Daisy.

We meet curmudgeonly Louise Wilt and unanchored Tanner Quimby. Tanner needs a place to stay and a job after her dreams of finishing her collegiate soccer career are shattered, and Louise Wilt needs a caretaker to get her daughter to leave her alone.

This unlikely pair finds more than they expected in each other when they take to the road in a cross-country journey racing against time. People tend to underestimate the young and the old, and Tanner and Louise come to find out they have more in common than they expected against the backdrop of a very hilarious and satisfying caper.

Many thanks to the author, Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley for sharing this gem with me. All thoughts are my own.

Think of swirling Driving Miss Daisy together with Thelma and Louise, and you have The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise!

Tanner is a brooding, directionless young woman spiraling from losing a college soccer scholarship and seemingly existing on the periphery. Louise is a quick-witted grandmother in need of an in-home assistant who hides several surprises. The two women mix as well as oil and water initially, since Louise is only patronizing her daughter in allowing Tanner to move in to help her.

One day Tanner happens to catch a news story on tv about a long-sought after criminal whose description is Louise to a tee. She barely has time to question the validity of her suspicions before she becomes embroiled in the adventure of a lifetime.

This story made me laugh out loud in public, while waiting in a doctor's office, and even brought tears to my eyes. The characters were very relatable and appealing, and the story was plausible and well-developed. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a satisfying read, or who knows of that odd older gentleman or lady who seems like there is just something about them lurking with mystery!

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for for providing me with an advance digital copy.

The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise is the buddy outlaw comedy that I never knew I needed. Funny, intriguing, unpredictable, and delightful from start to finish, I absolutely loved this!

Louise Wilt and Tanner Quimby are polar opposites thrown together through circumstance. Louise is post hip surgery and needs an aide/driver. Tanner, also struggling with an injury, has been kicked out of her parents' home and becomes Louise's aide/roommate. Yet, despite their different personalities, they find solace in each other and grow to become allies and friends on a hilarious run-from-the-law drive across the country.

I promise you, no matter where you think this story is going, you're wrong. The story is woven brilliantly through transcripts of phone calls, FBI interviews, multiple perspectives and it keeps you guessing the entire time.

The dynamic between Louise and Tanner is hilarious and the heart of this story -- the way they challenge each other, support each other, and grow is beautiful to read. The generation gap between the two is solid comedy but also lends itself well to the commentary that runs throughout the whole story of what it is to live as a woman in this world.

I will be on the lookout for more from Colleen Oakley! This book is a beautiful blend of comedy, mystery, female empowerment and friendship. What a fantastic read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Highly recommend, especially if you are in a reading slump
I have been in a reading funk. I have started so many books, and put them aside. I started The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise, put it aside, but couldn't stop thinking about the characters, kept going back, reading a little more, set aside, then ponder the characters, and then finally read the last 50 at one sitting. I highly recommend this book. Fun, shades of gray characters, interesting plot twists, great to read, especially if you are in a reading slump.

Thank you to Bookbrowse for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Twenty-one year old Tanner doesn't want to do much but sleep and play video. In the past, she had great plans but an accident caused her to lose her scholarship and she had to come home. She is so upset with the changes in her life that she doesn't exert any energy trying to find a job or planning to go back to school. Her parents try to help her by getting her a job as a live in caretaker for an 84 year old woman who has broken her hip. Louise feels that she's capable of taking care of herself but her daughter insists that she needs a live-in caretaker. The initial meetings between Tanner and Louise don't give either of them fonder feelings about each other. In the beginning, they totally ignore each other. Tanner plays video games while Louise entertains herself and insists on her two fingers of vodka every afternoon. Soon Tanner begins to notice some strange things at the house. When she sees a news report of police looking into jewel heist forty years earlier, she's shocked to see that one of the thieves looks just like Louise. Things get even stranger when Louise goes to Tanner's room in the middle of the night and tells her that she will pay Tanner for taking her to California but they have to leave right now.. Even though Tanner has no idea what's going on, she leaves with Louise. She has no idea why they are leaving in the middle of the night but suspects that it has something to do with the jewelry heist years ago.

The road trip is their chance of getting to know each other. Gradually their negative feeling disappear and they realize that there are in this together. The banter between the two main characters is often very humorous with some laugh out loud moments. Louise is a feisty 84 year and her character provided the most laughs for me.

This charming and unique story of a developing friendship between two very different characters is heartfelt and humorous. Their road trip across the country is full of problems - like finding parts for the vintage Jaguar that they are driving but the more time they spend together, the more they learn to like and respect each other.

This is my favorite book by this author. It's a quick read with a bit of mystery, a bit of romance and two very real and lovable main characters that I won't soon forget.

Thanks to BookBrowse for a copy of this book to read and request.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for this ARC of The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise. This is my second Colleen Oakley read and once again, I find myself seeking anything and everything Colleen Oakley!
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Tanner and Louise is a character-driven story about what it means to be a friend, how to move on from hard things in life, and the power of women sticking together. The characters flew off the page - I so loved Tanner and Louise and together they were hilarious. Colleen Oakley does a really great job at weaving humor in with more serious topics and her language is so reflective. All of these factors hooked me from start to finish. I have also noticed that Oakley writes with an air of mystery; the reader will not know all the components of the story til the very hand, and that is what makes her books page-turners.
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For all the quirky humor, lovable characters, and strong females, pick this one up! This pubs on March 28, 2023!

A Book With Heart
I will take Tanner and Louise over Thelma and Louise any day! I so enjoyed this novel. The characters were engaging and realistic and the plot was fast paced and linear with just enough explanation to fill in gaps in the story. The original way the author noted her timeline on chapter headings was unique and helpful. I love a book where characters evolve, I love a book with unusual friendships, I love a book with surprises: The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise had it all! As I mature, it is refreshing to find senior characters that still have sass and vigor. I will be recommending this book to my book club, I think it will lead to a great discussion.

Oakley is the type of author that tells a story in such a manner you simply cannot stop reading. I ended up reading this in one sitting because it was wildly good!

The characterization of these two crazy characters is a delight. Louise is one you want to hate but she grows on you with every turn of the page. Tanner is angry and afloat in the world. Together they are on a crazy journey!

The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise is a fun and fabulous tale. Oakley has a wonderful imagination and weaves us into this storyline that is a hoot to read! If you want to be wowed and delighted, this book is a definitely trip! That ending totally seals the deal!

I love a book where the character(s) evolve: overcome/work through issues and grow as a result. Then, it's icing on the cake if the main characters (an elderly woman recovering from a broken pelvis and a barely 20 something struggling with forced life changes) are like oil and water (but in a symbiotic relationshi!) hiding their own secrets, fighting their own demons and then embarking on a forced road trip under the threat of legal repercussions.
It was definitely a quick read mainly because it was hard to put down.
Humor was sprinkled throughout: the conversations between the children of the elderly character and the FBI reminded me of a Greek chorus. Also, when explaining her type of emotional support to the 20 something (who felt it was lacking), her response was, "Watch Oprah if you want inspiring, I just tell the truth!" (p. 2269)
It would be a good book for a book club discussion.

The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise
I had the pleasure of reading an e-galley of this quirky, yet heartwarming tale and what a delight! Tanner and Louise are such an unlikely pair who end up on a mapcap adventure together. As the story unfolds the reader soon finds out all is not what it seems. This is a quick moving mystery tale with a good dose of humor, a little romance, and some nuggets of wisdom thrown in. The overall theme of friendship ties it all together nicely. The character development would make this a great book club read. Truly a pleasurable read!

Thank you to BookBrowse.com, NetGalley, Colleen Oakley, and Berkley for granting me a copy of this novel to read and review.

I expected this book to follow what seems to be a standard plot in a number of books I’ve read lately - an older person meets a younger person and both of them learn and grow from the experience. While I was correct about this underlying theme, the storyline was more like a road trip movie. Driving cross country, running from the FBI, dealing with gangsters – all these were unexpected and kept me entertained. The twist at the end was a pleasant surprise, too, as we finally learned the whole story that set off this adventure in the first place. Overall, an enjoyable light read.

Funny story of Tanner who is angry with everyone. She is coerced into living and driving for 84 year old Louise. The adventure begins in the middle of the night when they set off for California in a Jaguar. Delightful characters .

While I would classify this as a light read, it's also fun and engaging. And once you've finished, you realize that the author has given us a moral lesson (or two).

Tanner and Louise are thrown together through circumstances -- Tanner is 21 and has lost her focus while Louise at 84 prefers to keep her independence despite some health issues. When Jules, Louise's eldest daughter, decides that Louise needs a caretaker, Tanner is hired -- much to the regret of both Tanner and Louise.

While the book centers on the relationship between these two strong-willed women and what happens to them (sorry, no spoilers here), I found that I had to suspend belief (a lot) regarding the storyline. Once I did that, it was easy to settle in for a good story. Tanner and Louise grew on me as characters, and I miss them already.

I would like to thank #NetGalley and #BerkleyPublishingGroup for this ARC of #TheMostlyTrueStoryofTannerLouise.

This novel grabbed me at the beginning - a smart, crotchety senior is pressured to allow a troubled girl into her life as an aide, driving her about and living in her home. For the most part it was a light, easy read, if somewhat predictable. However, the last few chapters took the story in all kinds of "topical" surprising directions, and they all felt forced and jarring to me. The "real story" could have been any one of the secrets revealed but the author threw in so many twists and turns that none of them landed.

If you are ready for a fun adventure in reading this book is a must read. You will be getting to know the two female characters and their back stories. Their adventures, the subtle and not so subtle mentoring going on, the miscommunications and the power of building confidence just shine in the dialog.

The outcomes are predictable and the plot is easy to figure out; nonetheless, it's a perfect read when you just want a good laugh and a well-told story!

As with all good stories, it even has a moral or two to share! Enjoy.

I loved The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise by Colleen Oakley!
According to Louise, 90% of a crime caper is the setup and the best ones contain misdirection and cleverness. Criminals only succeed if they are intelligent and have patience. This book is the perfect crime caper with intelligent and patient characters.
Tanner, age 21, needs a place to live and Louise’s children don’t think she is fit at 84 to live alone. In exchange for a room, Tanner drives Louise to her appointments and is just there. Each have their preconceived opinions of the other. Then, Louise receives a life-changing letter form George and Tanner sees a woman on a TV wanted poster that looks just like Louise. Is this the beginning of an adventure, or just the beginning of the setup? Among those added along the way are a good- looking man, an FBI agent, a priest, a mob criminal, and a bar tender each adding another layer to the cleverness of the caper.
On the surface this book is funny, tender, exciting, and clever. But there is a lot to unpack with each character and in each leg of the journey. I didn’t want it to end.

This book was an easy read but not truly simplistic. Tanner and Louise are quirky, endearing and lovable characters. You have a twenty-one year old self-doubting woman trying to find her footing in life (Tanner) and a wise-cracking eighty-three year old, who is self-assured and breaks all kinds of rules in the name of doing the right thing (Louise).
Colleen Oakley brings you on an unconventional road trip filled with laugh-out loud antics between two characters sixty-something years apart and a cast of friends along the way. The author explores the friendship that woman have with other woman; assumptions of people based on observations only; relationships between aging parent and their children and how we all have a degree of self doubt no matter life experiences or our age.
Tanner is the driver and Louise is the passenger in an odd-ball journey from Florida to California in which you meet well-meant characters along the way. i would absolutely recommend this book for all ages. Tanner and Louise’s journey would make a fantastic book club read.

Colleen Oakley is always an instant purchase for me, so I was thrilled to get The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise. The two strong female leads were an instant draw for me. I inhaled this one. Coming of age, mystery, some romance, it's just so much fun!