Colleen Oakley has written some of my favorite books over the years and I was so excited to get my hands on Jane and Dan at the End of the World. This story is a bit more kitschy/quirky than some of her other novels, but still very enjoyable for me. Jane and Dan are celebrating their anniversary and all is not as wonderful as it may seem on the outsiders, but what happens at this dinner certainly takes everyone for a surprise. The story is absolutely ludicrous but that's what kept me reading and reading and next thing I knew I had finished the book in a few hours. It was kooky and funny but also explored deeper themes like the evolution of marriage and motherhood. The author did an amazing job finding that balance between chaos and relatability. I was committed to the craze but also to Jane & Dans well being and rediscovery of self.

I was very skeptical of this one in the beginning, it started out slow and I was worried it was gonna be a dud. But about thirty or so pages in it took a sharp left turn into a wildly outlandish, over the top caper that I am totally here for! The plot, an author on the verge of divorce goes out to dinner for her wedding anniversary and ends up in a hostage situation suspiciously similar to one she’s published in a book, is so unbelievable that you have to be willing to suspend all disbelief for it to work. But Oakley leans into the ridiculousness of it all so hard that instead of coming off as well, ridiculous, it’s absolutely hilarious! Can you imagine being in a high stakes game of read my lips with your spouse and instead of feeling scared of the man with a weapon you’re just annoyed that your spouse can’t seem to get it together! While the plot was fantastical, the main characters were grounded with very realistic reactions and down to earth Everyman type problems which offered a great balance to the book. So while it started slow, I thought this was a thoroughly enjoyable read!

I liked this story but didn't love it. I finished the book and waited a few days to write my review because I honestly wasn't sure how I felt about it. I was a fan of The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise so I was excited to check this one out. The premise sounded unique and like a lot of fun. I will say that the story kept me very curious as to where it was going but some of the parts felt very over to top to me and had me rolling my eyes a bit. I liked this but I wanted to like it more than I did. It felt a little flat to me.

Thank you for the eArc!

This book was very entertaining BUT I must say that the genre/sub-genre might be listed a little bit incorrectly. While it is a work of (contemporary) fiction, I would classify this as a suspense MUCH more than a romance. The premise of the book begins with a date between two married people and the status of their marriage comes up a few times. But really, the primary plot here has nothing to do with romance. So, with that being said ... this would be good for fans of Amanda Eyre Ward, off the top of my head. Enjoy!

How can a hostage situation stage a rom-com? I’m still not sure how Colleen pulled that off, but she did! I laughed out loud at situations Jane had with Dan that eerily followed my own life! There were some character behaviors (one of the hostage takers in particular) that I was not there for, but I enjoyed the dynamics between the characters. Everyone in our book club discussion recommends!

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy.

Jane and Dan are headed to dinner at a super fancy and expensive restaurant to celebrate their 19th anniversary. Little does Dan know, but Jane is going to use this dinner to announce she wants a divorce. Just then, a group of armed climate activists barge in and take the entire restaurant hostage. As the evening goes on, Jane starts to realize everything seems a bit familiar, and then realizes they are basically following the plot of her book. Being that Jane knows the ending, she feels like she needs to save everyone before something really bad happens.

This book is quirky and the pacing is perfect. I devoured it in two days only because I had to force myself to put it down so I could sleep. I have never read anything quite like this and I just really didn't know where it was going to end up! I loved how the characters were all described, and honestly, the group of activists cracked me up. That was the most dysfunctional criminal group I think I've read about! However, although this book has it's lighter moments, there are definitely some more serious undertones and made me wonder what kind of ending I was heading towards.

I really wanted to love this book. The premise sounded so interesting, along with it having an excellent recommendation from a friend whose book taste I trust. This book just missed the mark for me. It's like it had an identity crisis of sorts. Was it a thriller? A romance? Contemporary? I feel like this book was just as confused as I was on what it wanted to be. The characters also fell super flat, and the pacing was super strange. Choppy, rushed, and disorganized. Still giving it some stars for a great idea.. I just wish the story was executed better.

This book has a very creative premise that I think a lot of readers will enjoy. Jane has pretty much had it with Dan and their marriage. She's feeling restless, as an author who has written just one novel, some years ago, she's struggling with her career direction too. Jane and Dan go out to dinner one night, and they are caught in a crime -- a hostage situation that is pretty serious and scary. Little by little, it dawns on Jane that the criminals are following the plot of her novel, pretty much exactly. So, Jane and Dan are the only ones who know what is going to happen next. Great story with fun, relatable characters.

It's not a swoony romance, but it's a more honest look at marriage (and parenting) in mid-life than most books will give you. It's laugh out loud funny. Good selection for when you want something quirky, quick, and entertaining.

What a wild ride! Jane & Dan go from boring dinner mates to almost ex-spouses to hostage victims to weirdly having planned out the attack. It was fast-paced and had interesting (though not shocking) twists all along the way. It was a fun escape with a couple you want to root for. Quick read. Loved it.

If you are looking for a fast-paced, fun, unique read, then Jane and Dan at The End of the World is a perfect pick. I'm not even sure how to describe this book, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and Netgalley for the electronic copy.

This was definitely a 4 stars for me. It was funny and also full of mystery. Every chapter had me wanting to keep reading

The Invisible Husband of Frick Island is such an underrated delight that made Colleen Oakley an auto read for me, but unfortunately this one did not quite do it for me. The premise was interesting, but the fact that entire story took place over one evening just didn’t work for me and made the characters feel less dimensional. While the FMC does reminisce on the past, the story really is focused quite a lot on the actions of that evening. The beginning was exciting, the middle dragged, and the end was meh. Honestly it was so hard for me to believe any of what was happening was *actually* happening. 2.5

This was a fun read. The description sounded super unique and when you read so many books in a year a truly original plot is exciting! Well written and entertaining.

I was very excited about the premise of this book. It sounded super unique. The beginning was good but the middle left repetitive. Then the ending was underwhelming.

(4.25/5 stars)

Jane and Dan at the End of the World is a humorous romantic suspense by Colleen Oakley.

Jane is off to a very fancy dinner to celebrate nineteen years of marriage to Dan, though she's not sure they'll make it another year. But then things start happening at the restaurant that are suspiciously like the events of her debut novel which never took off.

I had a really fun time reading this quirky book, and inhaled it in one day! I borrowed the audiobook from my local library and followed along in my physical review copy. The narrator, Hillary Huber, did a great job using different voices between characters. That really helped the characters be distinct for me.

The sense of humor and the pacing really worked for me. I felt truly propelled to continue reading to see what would happen next.

There are several times in this book where suspension of disbelief is really necessary. That being said, it would be so fun to see this turned into a movie or tv miniseries.

If you're a fan of marriage in peril situations, you should absolutely check this out!

CW: firearms, hostage situations

If you’re looking for a quick read that explores themes of motherhood, marriage, and self-reflection, all with quirky, witty dialogue, then JANE AND DAN AT THE END OF THE WORLD is the book for you.

Quick pacing and over-the-top absurdity in the best way. It was a fun, entertaining, quick read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this free copy of "Jane and Dan at the End of the World."

This book isn't exactly what I was expecting based on the blurb, but it was a very nice surprise! It was so quirky and funny yet very tender and compassionate.

Jane is beginning to miss life before marriage and kids, back when she was independent and confident. She doesn't even know if her husband Dan read the book she had published 6 years ago. And she thinks he is having an affair.

So during dinner at the ridiculously expensive End of the World restaurant, they're shocked to become hostages when an organized group takes control, waiting for a particular celebrity to arrive.

And why does this all seem so familiar to Jane? She realizes it's eerily similar to the plot of her book.

I thought it was going to be some alternate dimension, time travel-y thing, but it's a fabulous, realistic, comical, and touching exploration of motherhood, couplehood, and aging.

A really fun premise and it delivered an overall fun read,

If you’re looking for a read on the lighter side laced with a bit of humor then look no further.

This was such a fun story full of quirky characters! The story is exactly as described in the synopsis. Told in alternating 3rd person POVs between Jane and Dan who are celebrating their 19-year anniversary at one of the most exclusive restaurants ever, La Fin Du Monde (which translates to 'The End of the World", hence the title of this book) their meal was cut short when a group of terrorists/climate activists bursts in and takes everyone hostage. Everything from the way the hostage takers talk, to the high-end restaurant setting was unfolding in exactly the same way as Jane's debut novel (which flopped).

This book was entertaining and had a lot of unexpected twists. I particularly enjoyed the ending and how everything wrapped up.

There was also an interesting layer of Jane and Dan having marital problems. However, their problems seem very one-sided, with Jane constantly complaining (internally) about Dan while Dan was oblivious to Jane's unhappiness. This left me with feeling constantly annoyed by Jane...

I believe this book is being optioned for film which I think would make for a very fun comedy action movie that I would definitely love to watch.