This book was what I would consider “light” reading, which genre may have a place in one’s library but is not very demanding of the reader. I like stories with strong female characters or ones who strengthen as the story advances, and this book had several such endearing ones. It was entertaining to see them play off against each other, but was almost undone by the somewhat offensive characterization of the very hot young man to whom very little other than his stunning sexiness was attributed. It was a simple mystery, a running from the law story, and certainly a tale of coming of age although at a later age than usual. I read it on a long plane ride and it kept me engaged and guessing all through the story. I liked that clues were planted inconspicuously and then became relevant and important to the conclusion. I may not be the target audience for books like this as I usually go for more atmospheric novels with deeper character development which evokes empathy and a tear or two.

The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise

Review by Deborah Cherniss, 10/7/22

Driven to Distraction

What an engaging book! An improbable pair of women, at different stages of life, but both dealing with physical frailties and past mistakes, go on a sudden, urgent road trip across America, learning from each other.

The author brings to life both the pathos of the young woman whose accidental injury ends her soccer scholarship and her dreams of a professional soccer career, and the feistiness of the elderly woman, recovering from a broken hip and dealing with the physical and mental deterioration of Parkinson’s Disease.

Both have distanced themselves emotionally and hurt loved ones. Both have secrets they won’t share. And both come to trust and care about each other as they try to right their wrongs.

The writing is brisk and humorous, capturing both old and young voices and propelling the main characters, Tanner (21) and Louise (84) to an unexpected but satisfying ending.

Note: Though the book begins with an epigraph from the movie, “Thelma and Louise,” one need not be familiar with that story to enjoy this one.

The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise is a fun story with some surprising twists that I didn't see coming. It has a bit of everything, including self discovery, adventure, and romance. I very much enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone looking for an entertaining escapist read.

This book is more than just a "coming" of age story; it is also a "becoming" of who I am, or was, story (if there is such a thing), or a rebirth. When Tanner, an unsettled college drop-out, has repeated issues with her parents, she is told to leave and find her way. They help her along by connecting her with a senior who needs a caretaker. Tanner reluctantly agrees to take on the job. When Louise, a senior with issues, interviews her and somewhat reluctantly agrees to hire her. Tanner shows up for work, the sparks fly, aggravation mounts, and discovery happens. All of this leads to mystery, an adventurous get-away, pursuit by the FBI, guns, flight, and yes, even some romance along the way. What I found most intriguing is that the main protagonist is an elderly, mobility challenged woman. It is not often that you see a senior in that role. She is the mystery, and it makes for a great read. I was reluctant to put the book down. This is the first Colleen Oakley novel that I have read and I see that I may have missed some excellent opportunities that I will now seek.

Two unlikely fugitives on the run in this fun coming of age story. Full of fun characters and situations I found myself rooting for these two completely different woman hoping they would get away with everything.

The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise by Colleen Oakley is full of humor, mystery danger and coming of age, with a little romance thrown into the mix. The author begins her novel with an epigraph where Louise is asking why Thelma is behaving so sedate. Thelma says, “Well, I’ve had it up to my ass with sedate.”. The story open with Louise's daughter Jules’ conversation with the police explaining her mother’s disappearance. Jules explains her mother's age as seventy-nine, then corrects herself by saying ..."that's what she tells everyone." Her mother is actually eighty-four. And that statement immediately reveals Louise’s eccentric personality. This conversation serves to advise the reader of her mother’s unpredictable behavior in a humorous manner. This humor is shown throughout the story and gives the reader a certain relief as the novel becomes more tense
Oakley then goes back in time explaining how Tanner came to be Louise’s unappreciated companion. The pair eventually work their relationship out as she drives Louise across country to California, where the older woman wants to get to her friend Georgia.
The reader sees Tanner’s coming of age as a twenty-one-year-old girl who behaves like a twelve-year-old into a mature woman who has purpose in her life.

This author sets a lively pace for this delightful romp with Tanner and Louise. It’s a page-turner as I eagerly await what will happen next! If you are at times frustrated with your teenager or hassles with an elderly parent, he conversations between these two disparate women will ring true. It’s a witty smart novel, and I won’t say much more, because most of the fun comes from the twists and turns you won’t expect. I recommend this as a fun adventure that raised laughter and empathy for these well-drawn main characters.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. How great to spend time with this delightful and oh so-strange odd couple on the run from the law. It is laugh-out-loud funny with witty dialogue and entertaining character portrayals.

I'm calling this a mystery, because the substrate was a mystery, though it didn't follow the trajectory of most mysteries (which tend to lose me in the middle as people blather on about clues and go on red herring hunts).

This vivid, tightly written novel has a mystery at the center, but it is thoroughly character-driven, as elderly Louise, with a bad hip, is jostled by her middle-aged kids into taking in a 21-year-old girl as a driver and (somewhat) aide. Without knowing that Tanner is hiding her own disability, which was life-changing, and not in a good way.

The women rub each other the wrong way, but each has an innate nature that leans toward kindness, making them both complex and appealing. Louise gets Tanner to drive her cross country by dangling verbal carrots, some of which are stretching the truth, to put it mildly. Meanwhile, there is an FBI cold case that may or may not be related, sparking a chase.

I loved the characters, the sensory details, and I especially loved, loved, loved the kindness of women toward women, without ever straying into exhortation, guilting, or preachiness. The surprises were like flavor bursts. And there were the snaps of expectations being proved wrong that made the book even better for me.

This was meant to be a chapter-or-two-a-night book, but I ended up devouring it in one read. I just loved it.

This was a fun and heartwarming novel with a mystery thrown in to the mix. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
3.5 stars

Review of “The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise,” by Colleen Oakley

This is a very well-plotted story with intriguing characters and an exciting plot!
I was immediately drawn to Louise, an 84-year-old widow whose grown children are concerned for her health, and 21-year-old Tanner, who is reluctantly persuaded to be a live-in companion and driver for Louise. They are not settling in well together, until some unexpected news causes Louise to suddenly leave for a trip across the country. Since she is unable to drive because of recent hip surgery, she convinces Tanner to drive her, with the promise of a large cash payoff when they get to California.
During their trip both find out much more about each other’s lives, but the true reason for the trip is not revealed until the final chapters. Before that reveal, the reader is treated to a series of funny events, as Louise outwits everyone they meet along the way. There is even a bit of romantic adventure for both women.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and will be looking for more from this author. This would be a good book for a book club to read together, especially if it includes members of several ages.

The Most Likely True Story of Tanner and Louise was the first book of Colleen Oakley’s that I have read. I will definitely be reading her backlist, as I LOVED her latest book. This was a heartfelt and lovely book that I really enjoyed . Once I started this book I was flipping through the chapters quickly. The book had me re~living my own teenage years, as well as laughing at a good portion of the story.. I absolutely loved the characters, especially Tanner. I liked the premise of this book and also the alternative POV’S. I felt the author did a great job with the ending, as well. 5 big stars for this one, I definitely recommend other readers read this book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

"The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise" is a fun ride from beginning to end. The story follows a young woman named Tanner, who after losing her soccer scholarship and having to move back home with her parents, is struggling to find her place in life. It also follows Louise, an elderly woman with a mysterious past, who is coming to terms with her failing health. When Tanner's parents tell her to move out, she ends up having to move-in with Louise, and become her care-taker. At first the ladies can't stand each other, but after Louise has to go on the run to save a friend, they forge a beautiful bond through the ups and downs on a dangerous road trip to California.

I loved this book! I really found myself in Tanner, because I've been in a place where I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life. Louis was so much fun! She reminded me of my grandmother. Their banter had me laughing out loud at times. I loved getting to read both perspectives on life, love, and womanhood. It really shows how different generations view these things through different lenses. There is a romantic sub-plot that I enjoyed, but the real star is the relationship between Tanner and Louise.

The only thing I wasn't a huge fan of was the twist at the end.

Overall, I would read this book again.

Quite enjoyable light mystery novel. I liked Louise’s character, and could relate to her no-nonsense way of looking at things. Tanner’s character was a bit of a stretch for me, but what the heck - it’s fiction, right? She filled a role and provided balance. The character that really bothered me, though, was august. Is there a word for a female misogynist? Cause he was all beefcake all the time. As the mom of boys, i cringed at the author’s depiction of him throughout the book as a boy toy. Ugh. The story kept me engaged and interested, and i liked the ambiguity of the last page or so. I thought this one was just slightly better than average fiction.

The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise is an utter delight! A recommended first purchase for most collections.

First Two Chapters
So, in Chapter 1 a woman calls the police, stating that her eighty-four year old mother has vanished--none of her usual cronies have seen her, and she lives several hours away. She wonders if her mother was abducted but the chapter ends with "Though she knew deep down that Louise Constance Wilt had never done anything against her will in her entire life."

In Chapter 2 we meet Louise, whose will is being thwarted by the one thing none of us can avoid (except by dying) namely, age. We also meet the new housemate her children have forced on her. Finally this chapter introduces a letter and while we don't know what it says, the chapter ends with Louise realizing "she was going to have to run". Ok, I'm hooked, but its time to go back to work, more later.

Zooming Through the Rest
This book was a fun read and I devoured it in one evening--so much for blogging through the book.

There were so many things that made me smile/laugh: The mother of a college student asking a police detective who thought a phone had been accidently left behind, if she knows any 20 year olds, pointing out that their phones are practically appendages. The old lady telling the college student that life rarely goes as planned and we can either mourn the life we had or live the life we have. Louise wanting to be called Mrs. Wilt because it reminded her of her late husband.

On the other hand the whole resolution part of the plot was so....unbelievable. By the end of the story we know Louise's secrets, and no I don't really think real life goes down that way. But Tanner's ending was also hard to believe.

I'd like to thank the publisher for providing a review copy via NetGalley. Grade: B

This was a first class read! It read quickly, it unfolded beautifully and believably, it had surprises rather than predictability, and it is a book I can recommend to any age. A story about an unhappy 21 year old and an unhealthy 84 year old worked! I predict this will be popular, passed from one reader to the next.

The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise is definitely not just mostly an exceptional book with mystery and intrigue throughout its whimsical yet mostly believable pages. With an eighty-four year old and a twenty-one year old on a cross-country road trip-each more headstrong than the other escaping from justice. Secrets and daring risks plague them at each turn with even romance thrown in for the imagination. I loved it.

Thank you Berkley for an eARC of this very funny and entertaining read!

Synopsis: When twenty-one-year-old Tanner’s dreams get crushed after a terrible injury, she loses her soccer scholarship and is forced to take a gap year from school. Needing money and a place of her own, she takes a job as a live-in care giver for an elderly woman named Louise. The two have absolutely nothing in common and at first, spend their days ignoring one another. That is until Tanner is watching the news and sees a lead in a jewelry heist case nearly four decades later and the women looks like a carbon copy of Louise. Around the same time, Louise gets a call from someone from her past causing her to wake Tanner up in the middle of the night, pack up, and leave town. What starts as a road trip on the run turns into an odd but special friendship you will not be able to get enough of.

Thoughts: While the concept of this book was quite bizarre and nothing like I read before, I could not get enough of the story! It was unique, charming, witty and funny. I loved Tanner and Louise’s unexpected friendship, the suspense embedded into the plot and all the unexpected twists. And the ending was GREAT! As this was my first Colleen Oakley book, I need to decide which from her backlist I’m going to read next.

Read if you like:
-Road trips
-Cozy mysteries
-Women helping women
-Thelma and Louise

I blew through this early read in less than 24 hours, and was engaged the whole time! This story approaches themes of expectations (What do we expect from the elderly? What do we expect from women, particularly of certain ages, what is the cost of challenging these expectations?), assumptions (what do we infer about people based on their appearance, their perceived limitations, their surface presentation, their age), and unconventional friendships (an elderly woman and a younger woman, both vulnerable and dependent in their own way), it also has enough of a mystery to keep one guessing while charmed by the flawed, but ultimately endearing characters. I’ve been reading a lot of dark and heavy novels lately and this was a welcome respite, while still having substance and provoking both thought and emotion. I think it will appeal to a wide range of readers as it doesn't shy away from themes of family, finding our place, the importance of friendship, whether it is more moral to follow the rules for the sake of following them, or to eschew the rules in favor of doing what's "right," it dips it's toes into women's issues without ever feeling overbearing or telling the reader how to feel.. There is a lot of humor throughout the book, and I found my son asking me frequently about the book as I was chuckling to myself a lot.
Tanner and Louise will keep you guessing where they are going, in life, in friendship, and in unraveling a cold case mystery. I really enjoy stories that include quirky and unconventional friendships, such as this one and found it easy to read without being overly simplistic. In my opinion this book is a great choice for when you want to have a quick read that keeps you involved. This was exactly what I needed!