As someone who’s been married for 32 years, I deeply appreciated the honest (and hilariously exaggerated) exploration of a long-term partnership. Oakley taps into the quiet resentments, the compromises, and the strange intimacy that comes with decades of shared life. Add a criminal standoff and a healthy dose of dark humor, and this story becomes a refreshing cocktail of chaos and truth. 🥂

I paired the audiobook and physical book. Hilary Huber was terrific. She matched the satirical tone and delivery perfectly. After a stretch of heavy, emotionally draining reads, this book hit the spot. You can’t go wrong with either format!

Read this if you like:
✨Heist/Hostage Plots
✨Satrical Takes on Marriage
✨Parenting Teens/Young Adults - big kids = big problems
✨Books about Books
✨Over the Top Domestic Drama

This book has such an interesting premise - it totally pulled me in. An author of one book recognizes a crime in progress, that she and her husband are in the middle of, because the crime is in her book! Will the ending be the same or will there be a plot twist??? It was a fast, fun read that keeps you on your toes until the last page.

Jane and Dan at the End of the World. Out to dinner at a fancy restaurant to celebrate 19 years of marriage, Jan and Dan (along with the entire restaurant) are held hostage by an environmental group. A story about extremes, family, marriage, individualism, and hope. The story did slow down a bit in the middle and it picked up again. A fun read!

**A big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic ARC and the opportunity to review this book.

This was a super fun read that sucked me in and held my attention throughout. I enjoyed this little swerve from Colleen Oakley's other (gentler) reads. Will definitely recommend!

This was a super fun read and had me laughing out loud! Colleen came to speak at my organizations author event last week and she was a massive hit! We sold out of all 300 copies of her book! Can't wait to see what she does next! This was a great story!

This was one of those books that from page one you are sucked in and the next thing you know the book is finished. I thought that it was fun and entertaining, which is exactly what I wanted in a book (and did not fully expect given the topic!) The book was weird, the characters were entertaining. I loved all the dialogue, in their heads and in real life. I thought that it was ridiculous, yet found myself laughing and questioning what I would do. It was really well written, making it a quick and fun read. If you are looking for a serious masterpiece, this is probably not it. Jane and Dan are out for their anniversary when Jane announces she wants a divorce. They suddenly find themselves in a hostage situation, and the terrorists are following the pages of Jane's book - which means Jane and Dan are the only ones that know what is coming next and how to stop it. It is far-fetched and at times completely ridiculous, but I found that to be part of the draw. It was a great book to escape life from and I will recommend it to anyone looking for a fun read. 
Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This was such a hoot! If you are a fan of Anxious People by Fredrik Backman, then I highly recommend this. I was not expecting it to be so laugh out loud funny! This entire book you follow Jane and Dan on a disastrous date and that is truly all you need to know because the magic and disruptions all come from that experience. This had everything in it - humor, action, romance, and dare I say stupidity (I mean that in the best way possible because this had so much nonsense in it).

I wasn't sure how much I'd like this book when it started - Jane was kind of a butthead (I, for one, close the lid to the toilet after use and find it weird that she had such a problem with her husband doing it!), but her buttheadedness grew on me. It's also hard to put a book down when there's suspense and a mystery (what's going to happen and why are they doing this?). It was very well-written, and I'm scared for when my son is a teenager :) I'm glad the book didn't end the same way Jane's book did!

Jane and Dan at the End of the World was such a fun, clever, and surprisingly emotional read. I loved how real Jane and Dan’s marriage felt—their frustrations, doubts, and distance after nineteen years together were so relatable and honest. Colleen Oakley does a great job showing the messy, complicated side of love and how easy it is to lose track of each other over time.

The hostage situation was such a unique and unexpected twist, and I thought the way it tied back to Jane’s failed novel was so smart. It added a lot of tension and humor without ever making the story feel silly or over-the-top. Even during the wildest parts, the heart of the book always stayed focused on Jane and Dan and whether they could find their way back to each other.

This was a fast, engaging read that made me laugh but also hit some really thoughtful, emotional notes. I loved the reminder that sometimes it takes something big, and totally unexpected, to make you fight for the people you love.

Definitely recommend if you enjoy contemporary fiction that’s a little offbeat but still full of heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for my free review copy.

From the publisher:
Jane and Dan have been married for nineteen years, but Jane isn’t sure they’re going to make it to twenty. The mother of two feels unneeded by her teenagers, and her writing career has screeched to an unsuccessful halt. Her one published novel sold under five hundred copies. Worse? She’s pretty sure Dan is cheating on her. When the couple goes to the renowned upscale restaurant La Fin du Monde to celebrate their anniversary, Jane thinks it’s as good a place as any to tell Dan she wants a divorce.

But before they even get to the second course, an underground climate activist group bursts into the dining room. Jane is shocked—and not just because she’s in a hostage situation the likes of which she’s only seen in the movies. Nearly everything the disorganized and bumbling activists say and do is right out of the pages of her failed book. Even Dan (who Jane wasn’t sure even read her book) admits it’s eerily familiar.

Which means Dan and Jane are the only ones who know what’s going to happen next. And they’re the only ones who can stop it. This wasn’t what Jane was thinking of when she said “’til death do us part” all those years ago, but if they can survive this, maybe they can survive anything—even marriage.

Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley was released March 11, 2025 from Berkley.

My thoughts: I really liked the book.

The characters of Jane and Dan are an interesting portrayal of a midlife marriage and some of the thoughts that can cross someone's mind at that point. I like that they were still capable of creating plot twists in both their marriage and in the situation they find themselves in.

The premise was different. I like books that are about bookish things. That in itself was good, but adding the tension of the situation made it better. It definitely kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next.

The pacing of the book was well done. There are some brief, but necessary, lulls. These allow us to see what the characters decide to do and more of how they are feeling and thinking. As the book progresses, the pace picks up until it is really rapid at the end. This helps to give the events a sense of urgency.

Overall, I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars. I liked Jane and Dan and thought their characterization was well done. They paint a good picture of what marriage at midlife can be like against the chaotic backdrop of the events in the restaurant. And it had the humor I crave in the books I read. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy plots with action and humor.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my opinions nor my review.

This slow burn of a story takes place over one evening. Jane and Dan are out to dinner for their 19th wedding anniversary when Jane asks for a divorce. Minutes later, a group of people barge into the restaurant with guns, holding the patrons and staff hostage. This scenario mirrors what occurs in the novel Jane wrote and published several years prior.

Wow- this book is tension building at its finest! I was flying through the pages with anxiety to see what would happen next. There are two plots happening simultaneously here- the hostage situation and what is going on between Jane and Dan. I liked the back and forth of being in their heads to learn the annoyances and cracks in their relationship. There’s a witty and sarcastic tone to the author’s writing, and I found the juxtaposition of this to the tense environment in the restaurant really interesting.

My only complaint is that the last 1/3 really went off the rails. I wasn’t disappointed per se, but it was a bit far-fetched and over the top. Overall though, this is definitely an entertaining page turner!

*Thank you @netgalley and @berkleypub for this advanced reader copy. This book is out on shelves now!

When date night goes awry…

Jane and Dan have been married for close to two decades, but have hit a rough patch that may mean the end of their marriage. When they attempt a date night at an upscale restaurant to celebrate their anniversary, the last thing they expect is for everyone in the restaurant to be taken hostage by a local climate activist group. Even more strange, they seem to be using the playbook presented in Jane’s failed novel.

After loving Colleen Oakley’s previous book, The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise, I knew I needed to get my hands on this one. Now that I have read it, I think I was maybe not the right reader for this one. While I do enjoy character-rich stories, studies in marriage, and some amount of romantic adventure, this book started out right in my zone, and then about 20% in, went way into the over-the-top realm for me. In fact, it felt so unrealistic, I struggled to connect to anyone or anything happening in the story.

I have seen very mixed reviews, some having raved and others feeling similarly to me. If this one has been on your radar, I would suggest giving it a try in case you fall into the former category.

Read if you like:
▪️women’s fiction
▪️marriage in crisis
▪️books about books
▪️romantic “adventure”
▪️stories set over one day

Thank you Berkley Pub for the advanced copy.

I adored this book. It was witty and clever without feeling so deeply rooted in the politics of why the terrorists arrive. It felt so unique in a space that often doesn’t. I’ll definitely be reading Colleen Oakley’s backlist after this!

Quirky and fun, with a long-term marriage that turns out to be a romance after all. Recommended for readers who enjoy off-beat fiction like Nothing to See Here or Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend.

This was fun, I like that it took place over a few hours which kept the tension high, I think that helped the book a lot, because if this was drawn out over multiple days, I don't think it would have been as effective as it was. Overall it was a quick read and I look forward to reading more by Oakley in the future.

Oakley’s concept for Jane and Dan is well, kind of cool, original, but its execution reads as a writer who was never sure how to flesh out its potential. I’ve never reviewed a novel in the way I’m about to: Oakley’s novel is wonderful for the first and final quarters and the half they flank, a slog, a runaway horse of a narrative, sometimes adept at steering the reins, too often bolting or ebbing. Here are the blurbish details to put some sense into what I’ve said so far, maybe:

Jane and Dan have been married for nineteen years, but Jane isn’t sure they’re going to make it to twenty. The mother of two feels unneeded by her teenagers, and her writing career has screeched to an unsuccessful halt. Her one published novel sold under five hundred copies. Worse? She’s pretty sure Dan is cheating on her. When the couple goes to the renowned upscale restaurant La Fin du Monde to celebrate their anniversary, Jane thinks it’s as good a place as any to tell Dan she wants a divorce.

But before they even get to the second course, an underground climate activist group bursts into the dining room. Jane is shocked—and not just because she’s in a hostage situation the likes of which she’s only seen in the movies. Nearly everything the disorganized and bumbling activists say and do is right out of the pages of her failed book. Even Dan (who Jane wasn’t sure even read her book) admits it’s eerily familiar.

Which means Dan and Jane are the only ones who know what’s going to happen next. And they’re the only ones who can stop it. This wasn’t what Jane was thinking of when she said “’til death do us part” all those years ago, but if they can survive this, maybe they can survive anything—even marriage.

I loved Oakley’s opening: Jane and Dan’s voices are engaging and witty. Jane’s comment about Dan’s social media ignorance, his pronouncing “meme” as “mi mi” had me guffawing. The otherwordly, posh restaurant setting and its contrast to the Macaroni Grill (lol), where Jane and Dan usually celebrate their anniversary, the protagonists’ individual ruminations, down-home-y, endearing, humble, uncertain, but loving, caring, a tad neurotic (Jane!), gormless (Dan!) drew me in. They worry about those middle-class things middle-class people worry about (Jane, a stay-at-home mom and failed writer; Dan, a podiatrist, what else?!): a balding pate, the fear of an empty nest…and then, the “activists” take over the restaurant and we have a whole new narrative, one given to farcical, shocking violence and yet, purporting to be benign about their cause.

The narrative moves in a jerky motion of action and reaction, mainly Jane and Dan’s, part-farce, part-horrible and then, a molasses pace of Jane and Dan’s uncertainties and anxieties about their marriage, family, followed by the hostages’ awkward attempts to foil the bumbling, gleefully nasty activists.

It’s a strange, wonky novel Oakley penned, an erratic, mangled allegory, something about marriage, motherhood, middle age (the three M’s!), and about our unsettled future around climate disaster and rampant capitalism and, though not a romance in any way, about love steady and steadfast and keeping your sense of humour. Not a bad achievement, but also one that never quite came together. Miss Austen agrees it’s “almost pretty,” Northanger Abbey.

Colleen Oakley’s Jane and Dan at the End of the World is published by Berkley and released on March 11th. I received an e-galley from Berkley via Netgalley. The above is my honest, AI-free opinion.

"No matter how long you've lived with someone, how well you think you know them, there are always times you look at them and think, 'Who are you?'

This was such a incredibly fun read and it's perfect for the spring/summer reading months if you're looking for something light and funny yet meaningful. For those who've been married for a number of years, have gone through many life transitions, there are elements of this story that will definitely resonate and I absolutely loved these characters!

Jane and Dan at the End of the World is a heartfelt and surprisingly funny take on what it means to truly live when time is running out. Colleen Oakley blends romance, existential dread, and sharp humor into a story that feels both intimate and expansive.

This one kicks off with a fun premise—a failing marriage, an anniversary dinner gone hostage, and a plot that weirdly mirrors the protagonist’s failed novel. It's quirky, self-aware, and full of potential for both comedy and reflection. Jane is relatable in her midlife disillusionment, and the layered dynamic between her and Dan feels authentic, even as the situation gets increasingly bizarre.

That said, while the setup is clever, the execution doesn’t quite land all its punches. The tone wavers between absurd and sincere, which occasionally muddies the pacing and stakes. The activists are more caricature than credible threat, and the plot leans hard into implausibility, which might work better for some as satire—but felt like it undercut the emotional depth of Jane’s journey for me.

Still, it’s an entertaining, breezy read with just enough insight to make it stick. It would make a fun weekend or vacation book, especially for readers who like their relationship stories with a splash of chaos and a dash of dark humor.

I received a copy of this from Netgalley. While I liked the premise, it felt a little drawn out. The 90% book takes place over the span of a few hours. I liked how the FMC was able to see her book being played out in front of her and get some vindication. Also the perspective of the police officer fell flat since it didn't really go anywhere. Overall, it was a decent book with an interesting plot.