An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!

✪✪✪: the vibes are mixed. fun but drawn out at the same time.

I first read Oakley a couple of years ago, having the opportunity to read The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise. This book is in a similar vein, in that its a quirky story with what might seem like, at the outset, an absurd plot. However, this plot, unlike the one in Mostly True, really felt... out there.

The book often felt like it was trying to be a lighter, funnier take on The Menu (setting, rules, type of food, type of clientele, etc) but just cannot reach the heights of that film, for various reasons. The plot is also a bit all over the place. What are the motivations? They seem to change and are always actually something else. The actions of the hostage takers are so absurd at times it took me out of the plot. Jane and Dan themselves are fine characters, but it felt like Oakley realized at some point that she had to make Jane have a ~realization~ about something and then shoehorned pieces of dialogue and action in to make it.

While this book started as fun, the premise is promising, it just gets tedious. And even the premise that the hostage takers are following Jane's book... becomes a strange plot point and doesnt ever really feel like it actually fits.

This is the first book I’ve read by Colleen Oakley, and I have to say I really thoroughly enjoyed it! I had such a hard time putting it down once I got deeper into the heist situation. I think both Jane and Dan were lovable while also being slightly infuriating at times, but I think this was a good thing as it made the whole concept of the story more realistic. I will definitely be recommending this to all of the people in my book clubs & to other friends as well!

This book was fun, start to finish! Jane and Dan are having a fancy anniversary dinner, celebrating nineteen years of marriage. Just as Jane asks for a divorce, the restaurant is taken over and everyone present becomes a hostage. Trouble is, they seem to be following the plot of Jane’s failed book.
What ensues is humorous and heartfelt, as Jane and Dan must work together to survive and protect their family. Full of twists you won’t see coming, this book is one I would recommend to almost any reader.

Ah! I just made it to my 20th wedding anniversary, and it wasn't a simple thing to do sometimes. Marriage can be a full-time job. This title was spot on and I enjoyed reading about Jane and Dan. Their relationship is tested and explored throughout the story. Oakley crafted wonderful and witty banter that made it a brilliant book. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

First I would like to thank NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group (<i>swoon</i>) and Colleen Oakley for the ARC of this book! It was truly an honor to be one of the chosen ones!

Honestly, I wanted to read this book based on its cover. It's vibrant and unlike many covers I've seen recently circulating in the book community. Once I got into the actual story, I was glad I got the chance to read it!

This story follows Jane and Dan, a married couple celebrating their 19th wedding anniversary at a high-end restaurant. Jane is an author whose debut book never even made a ripple in the book community, except for a few scathing reviews. She's fed up with her mundane life and thinks her best bet is to call it quits while they're ahead - but what she doesn't expect at dinner is for an underground climate activist group to hold the patrons hostage ... while following the trajectory of her book!

I found myself skipping over paragraphs from the last quarter of the book because it was starting to feel a little repetitive but I really loved how it ended and finding exactly who these activists were and why they were really there.

Wow okay this was exceptional… I’m honestly at a loss for words. 5 stars immediately I need the physical copy like ASAPPP

This book had me giggling so much! I genuinely thought it was hilarious. Jane felt like her marriage to Dan was on the last straw & when she goes to ask for a divorce at the restaurant there’s a hostage situation??? Like seriously what. And the fact that they knew exactly how it was going to pan out made this hilarious because they probably had the worst case of déjà vu 😂😂.

I feel like the concept of this book was super unique I haven’t read anything like it!! I don’t want to say too much so I don’t give spoilers but just know you need to read this book.

THANK YOU to NetGalley & Berkley for allowing me to read this & give my honest review!!

Thank you to @netgalley and @BerkleyPubGroup for this ARC. Jane and Dan are celebrating their 19th or 20th (depends on who you ask) wedding anniversary at a high-end restaurant at the top of mountain with one way in and one way out. During their first course, Jane asks for a divorce just as a group of terrorists storm the restaurant demanding the whereabouts of a particular diner. Jane and Dan then both notice one of the black hooded criminals is their daughter. How does this story end? Quick Read! #JaneandDanattheEndoftheWorld #ColleenOakley #BerkleyPub #March2025

I was struck most by how unique this book is. Set entirely in the same restaurant for the whole book, it could be incredibly slow, but it has enough character introspection that it doesn’t drag too much. Jane and Dan go out to dinner to celebrate their anniversary at a very upscale restaurant they can’t afford. Just as Jane has announced that she wants a divorce, a masked group bursts in and holds everyone in the restaurant hostage. As if that wasn’t surprising enough, the group’s actions are eerily similar to the plot of Jane’s failed novel.

This isn’t a thriller by any means, but I truly never knew what was going to happen next. There were several twists, one of which completely caught me off guard, and those kept me interested in the plot.

This book was funny and charming and unexpected, but not terribly exciting. I really enjoyed Jane’s inner monologue, her humor (often inadvertent) and how she caught herself thinking about things utterly inappropriate for the situation.

Things started to get somewhat convoluted toward the end for no good reason (in my opinion) which made it harder to stay invested. This was definitely unlike anything I have read before, which was fun, but I think it was trying to do a little bit too much at times.

Quite the Caper
The title was a little off putting but the book -fantastic! Even the chapters grouped under specific headings and the bomb pictures added to the suspense and delight. Jane, long married, tired of influencers' dictates, could have been me speaking. Husband Dan's unimaginative plodding along irritates her -especially when she discovers an affair. Why not ask for a divorce while out for dinner celebrating your anniversary? Her 6 year old, not well received novel added to the hilarity as the story unfolded. The serious. climate concerns were handed deftly, and did make one think. This book is a page turner with characters you won't soon forget. Who knew Elon Musk was the second richest man in the world?

Jane and Dan…your table is ready. If you’ll just follow me, please.

Jane and Dan are out on the town, celebrating their nineteenth wedding anniversary at a ridiculously expensive restaurant.

But this won’t be just another dinner. Before the second course is served two major events will occur:
1. Jane is about to ask Dan for a divorce
2. Jane and Dan are about to be held hostage along with the other diners at this high-end restaurant. (Check please!🙋🏼‍♀️)

As the group of activists begin rounding everyone up and making their demands, Jane starts to have a strange feeling. This all seems oddly familiar. As in a spot-on reenactment of her one and only published book! How could that be? It was years ago! And truth be told, virtually no one read it, including her own family!

This sounded like a fun premise and having enjoyed previous books by this author I was excited to read this one.

And while it did deliver an overall fun read, I just wish it would have been a bit sharper…a little more snarkiness.

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

Thank you to Berkley Publishing via NetGalley

Holy moly! This is officially a new favorite of mine!

‘Jane and Dan at the End of the World’ follows an author named Jane and her husband Dan during an evening that truly feels like the end of the world. They are out eating at an expensive restaurant for their nineteenth wedding anniversary. If you ask Dan, it’s their twentieth anniversary, but he is wrong, which is why Jane is planning to ask him for a divorce during dinner — until a group of activists charges into the restaurant and takes everyone dining there hostage.

It’s a terrifying situation that Jane and Dan have found themselves in, but for some reason, Jane isn’t afraid. It may be because this hostage situation is playing out exactly like the plot from Jane’s last book she wrote that didn’t sell many copies. She doesn’t even think her own husband actually read it.

While I originally gravitated toward this book due to the humorous situation at hand, I wasn’t expecting such a powerful narrative about marriage and motherhood. I found myself tearing up one minute and laughing out loud the next. The story was witty and hysterical, but it was also honest and heartfelt, depicting a couple who has drifted apart but is forced to look back on their love story during a scary situation.

This will easily be one of the most impactful books I read in 2025. Colleen Oakley, you wrote such an incredible story! This was a 5-star read for me!

In Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley I found myself laughing, relating, and quickly turn the pages to find out what happens next.

As a middle-aged, long married wife and mother, I could relate to Jane in this book so very much. It's very possible to be hopelessly in love with your husband while wanting to be far away from them at the same time.

During the anniversary dinner in which Jane plans to end her dinner with her husband, Dan, an event even more fraught takes place - they are taken hostage along with the rest of the restaurant by eco-terrorists.

Dan is moved to a different room to take care of gun shot victim, Jane is plotting to try and get help - and oh yeah, one of them recognizes one of the terrorists.

The dialogue is witty, their frustrations relatable, and the twist was very interesting. I read this in one sitting and couldn't wait to find out how it would end. (It ended how I had hoped!)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this really fun read. All opinions are my own.

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT! @writercolleenoakley

You can imagine my delight when, never having heard of Colleen Oakley (how?) I giggled my way through not one but two of her books. If you pinned me down, I’d finally relent and say that Dan and Jane at the End of the World (due out in March!) was the better of the two. But do not discount the The Mostly True Story…

THE MOSTLY TRUE STORY OF TANNER AND LOUISE 4 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
An 82-year old who needs a caregiver and a 21-year old who needs a place to live. Secrets are revealed and a madcap chase ensues. The generation gap is my favorite comedic device in this story.

DAN AND JANE AT THE END OF THE WORLD 4.5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫
A fancy restaurant (La Fin du Monde — The End of The World) on the coast in California (think Big Sur) is overtaken by “terrorists.” Dan and Jane have their own problems and their banter alone is captivating from the start. The internal voices of our main characters are witty, sarcastic and so relatable— definitely my favorite part of this story.

I was up late many nights giggling—Oakley’s “voice” is definitely up my alley. She makes absurd plots completely believable with characters that arc and satisfying endings.

Thanks to @netgalley and @berkleypub for the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Oh. my gosh. Colleen Oakley, what a gem you are. This book pulled me in right from the start, making it hard to set aside. The writing was sharp and captivating, and the characters felt real—imperfect yet relatable, which added richness to the story.

At its heart, the book revolves around Jane and Dan, a couple navigating 20 years of marriage. Dan scores a booking at the most exclusive (and undeniably pretentious) restaurant in town, only to realize that what he assumed was a complimentary meal was actually just a reservation. What begins as an upscale dinner spirals into chaos when climate activists storm in and take the diners hostage.

Although the hostage situation adds an element of suspense, the real focus is on the characters themselves. Jane's journey of rediscovering who she is—beyond being a wife and mother—takes center stage, while Dan’s frequent cluelessness brings both levity and depth to his role in the story.

I really enjoyed the author’s approachable and engaging style, which made diving into the narrative effortless. This was my first time reading her work, and I’m excited to check out more of her other books soon.

Mmm 3.5 maybe. The ending fell flat for me but I thought it was a fun & different story.
I enjoy this author

Colleen Oakley’s book takes you on an unexpected journey with a delightful blend of tension and humor. Despite the unfortunate interruption of Jane and Dan’s anniversary dinner when terrorists take over the restaurant, Oakley manages to weave a captivating story that explores profound themes while delivering side-splitting belly laughs.

Thank you to Colleen Oakley, Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book!

ane and Dan have been married for 19 years, and although they are on their way to a super swanky restaurant for their anniversary dinner, they are pretty much going through the motions. In fact, Jane is planning to tell Dan that she wants a divorce. She has barely broached the subject in the middle of the appetizer course when a group of masked, assault-weapon-wielding activists invade the restaurant, confiscate everyone's cell phones, and demand complete compliance with their orders. That's scary enough, but then the surprise identity of one of their captors raises the stakes exponentially. But even in her terror, Jane starts to notice that the situation feels familiar - because it's almost identical to the plot of the one (failed) novel she published six years ago.

"Jane and Dan" is a weird mash up of marriage-in-peril drama, suspense thriller, and wacky satire. I know it's just a novel, but I'm on edge these days and easily offended. In particular, the POV chapters from a bumbling police deputy who is excited to experience his first real crime (including a gunshot wound and everything!) made me see red. Similarly, without spoiling anything, the ultimate fate of the activists demonstrates either the author's naivete or her privilege.

If I were feeling more charitable towards the world, I would note that Oakley does an decent job of showing how Jane and Dan gradually remember why they love each other as they work together to avert the worst-case scenario. There's a heartfelt message about learning to trust that your kids will be okay even if you can't protect them 24/7 anymore. And the final reveal of why life is imitating Jane's art is undeniably clever (if incredibly far-fetched).

This was an interesting story. The cover was misleading as to what you are about to read. This is my first book by this author and it was enjoyable but I didn't have a strong connection to any character. It started out strong and had a few exciting chapters but overall just a decent read that left me wanting some changes in the story and unanswered questions.

I adored Colleen Oakley's previous book, The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise so I was thrilled to read an advance copy of her newest book Jane and Dan at the End of the World. On their 19th (not 20th) anniversary, Jane and Dan are going to an exclusive, isolated restaurant to celebrate the milestone. Mingling with some of the richest and most out-of-touch members of society, the meal starts smoothly enough, just as their life begins to go off the rails.

When a group of climate activists take over the restaurant and hold its staff and diners hostage, Jane can't help but notice the similarities between the situation she is in and an unsuccessful book she wrote years before, right down to the terrorists conversations. This gives Jane the advantage of knowing what might happen next, though whether that knowledge will help her or be the end of her, she isn't sure.

This book was fascinating on many levels and I generally enjoyed the characters, their interactions and even the far-fetched (you have to suspend some disbelief in this one, for sure) situations they found or put themselves into. At the same time, Oakley has a lot to say about family, marriage, climate and the effects of children growing up and moving on.

I didn't enjoy this as much as Oakley's Tanner and Louise, but I did enjoy it. I definitely found myself wanting to know what would happen next and whether or not anyone was going to get out of this restaurant. The ending was a bit silly, but I'd rather silly than sad any day. I think if you like Oakley's writing, you're going to enjoy this adventure as well.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advance copy. Jane and Dan at the End of the World publishes on March 11, 2025