Funny, twisty, engaging, fresh, real, book club gold! It takes a lot to get 5 stars out of me and this did it. Jane and Dan are 40 somethings who have find themselves in a somewhat inadvertent dinner splurge for their wedding anniversary. As the evening starts to unfold we, along with Jane and Dan get taken on a wild ride.

Jane and Dan felt like a real couple who have been married for 19 years. The inner dialogue was so relatable. This was such a fresh read, a palate cleanser to a rough week. Really looking forward to suggesting this one for my book club.

Y'all it has been A WEEK. By the time Friday came all I wanted was a tasty meal I didn't cook and a book I could lose myself in. So I headed over to a fave neighborhood spot, ordered a glass of lambrusco and dove into this one. What fabulous choices Friday Sarah made!!

The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise by Colleen Oakley was one of my favorite books of 2024, so believe me when I say I SCREAMED when I got an advanced copy of her latest, Jane and Dan at the End of the World - it is out on TUESDAY!!!

The premise for this one is delicious: Jane and Dan are going out to eat a VERY fancy and VERY VERY expensive restaurant to celebrate their 19th wedding anniversary. Jane has also decided this is where she is going to ask Dan to end their marriage. Shortly after she tells Dan she wants to divorce the night takes a more unexpected turn - the restaurant is taken over by an underground climate activist group and all the patrons are taken hostage.

But the weirdest part of all? Jane recognizes their actions and can anticipate their captors' next step...because it mirrors a book she wrote years ago, that barely sold and that she thinks even her own family never read. But that means she and Dan should be able to find a way to stop this, right?!

This was twisty, and funny and the story jumped off the page thanks to Oakley's excellent writing and storytelling. It was a perfect mix of humor, humanity, critique on life and relationships and mystery. I couldn't put it down and truly enjoyed it.

Massive thanks to the fabulous folks at NetGalley and Berkley for gifting me this advanced copy. Jane and Dan at the End of the World is out on TUESDAY and is must add to your TBR! Can't wait to hear what yall think!

Jane And Dan At The End Of The World:⁣
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Thank you @prhaudio @berkleypub for my gifted copies! #PRHAudioPartner #BerkleyPartner ⁣
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“How do you know what you’ll need out of a partner? Who you’ll be ten years, twenty years down the road? You just hitch your wagon to someone and hope you both keep heading in the same direction, through all the bumps and detours and peaks and valleys.”⁣
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Am I an author in a crippling marriage that has been held hostage on our anniversary dinner? No. Is this book so ridiculously relatable? Yes.⁣
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I loved Jane & Dan. It’s hilarious, the perfect locked room thrill, and a heavy dose of relatability. The metaphors are flying off the pages and I’m not mad at it. As a mom, the three pillars of motherhood hit pretty hard. And then I spiraled into the “did I pass this on to my children too?!” At first, I thought this would be just a slapstick type comedy, but I was mistaken. This book is so much more.⁣
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Audio is phenomenal. Hillary Huber hit every emotion perfectly. She gave the vulnerability, the sarcasm, the stubbornness, and hilarity of it all. I breezed through the audio and highly recommend. ⁣
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You know I love a dedication and acknowledgements. The very last sentence in the acknowledgement had my little heart. I just loved it so much. ⁣
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Overall, definitely contender of favorite of the year because it resonated so well for me. Again, I’m not in the middle of a heist, but this is the one. ⁣
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Out Tuesday, March 11th.

Jane and Dan have been married for nearly two decades. But lately Jane has been feeling like she’s failing as a mother, writer, and wife. It doesn’t help matters that she has also discovered Dan is keeping secrets from her. Meanwhile Dan is oblivious, making reservations at a swanky restaurant to celebrate their anniversary. Little does he know, however, that what Jane plans on ordering is a divorce.

When they arrive at La Fin du Monde, the upscale eatery, Jane can’t keep the charade going past the appetizers. But just as Jane announces the unthinkable, an even more outrageous thing occurs when the restaurant is invaded by a group of people with guns.

At first the patrons and workers have no clue as to what these people want. But as their intentions unfold, Jane is the only one who sees the events differently, noting the odd correlations between what’s happening in the present, and what she wrote in her unsuccessful novel. The parallels must be coincidental, but they still exist. Now armed with the surreal knowledge of what’s going to happen next, can Jane and Dan save their fellow hostages, as well as save their ailing marriage?

In Jane and Dan At the End of the World, underrated author Colleen Oakley pens a truly unique story which defies genres, while managing to pair a scary situation with marital strife. They say your life flashes before your eyes before you die, but there’s nothing like being held hostage together to make or break a relationship. Even though the situation itself is a scary one, Oakley smartly infuses a lot of humor to keep the situation light. This isn’t your typical survival story, nor is the story itself typical in the slightest.

It’s hard to narratives that about stale marriages while keeping the ingredients themselves fresh. But with Jane and Dan at the End of the World, Colleen Oakley manages to do just that.

I absolutely loved The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise. There was absolutely no way that I was not going to read a new book by Colleen Oakley.
It is not that this was a bad book. However, right afterwards, and two days later, my initial reaction was "What did I just read?"
I loved the premise: a middle aged couple who is having a "mid life crisis." Jane is feeling bored and stuck and the $64 million question is whether the marriage will survive.
There is no long married couple on earth that cannot relate to this.
But then the absurd happens: they go out to dinner at a very fancy restaurant and everyone is taken hostage. Worse yet, their daughter is one of the group that does it. That is all I will reveal but there are other things about the novel that defy reality and which are never really explained. I know that coincidences happen but in a novel, we need to have some reasons why. In addition, while lots of things happen, I feel like the end of the book was neatly tied up and was a bit rushed.
That said, I enjoyed the dialogue; there was some witty banter and the character development.
Thanks to NetGalley and to Berkley for providing me with this advanced reading copy.
Three and a half stars.

Fresh, funny take on love, marriage, and parenthood... all framed within a story of a heist gone wrong at an ultra-exclusive, ultra-expensive restaurant on a Pacific-coast clifftop. It's highly entertaining and engaging, and a terrific read overall.

This book absolutely flew by for me — I couldn’t put it down! 4.5 rounded up to 5 stars.
If you’re looking for something introspective about long-term relationships/marriage, this is a book for you. Jane has lost her sense of self after spending two decades of being a mother first, a wife second, and “Jane” the individual last. I loved following along with Jane as she’s forced to reflect through the evening. This one will have you laughing just as much as it has you thinking. I think this will be a hit for fans of Fredrik Backman.

Jane and Dan at the End of the World
by Colleen Oakley
March 11, 2025 Berkley Publishing Group

Thank you @NetGally and @BerkleyPub for the advanced reader copy to review.

Ever wondered how a seemingly ordinary anniversary dinner could spiral into utter chaos? Colleen Oakley's Jane and Dan at the End of the World takes you on that wild ride, blending humor, suspense, and a touch of marital drama. This novel is a quirky mix of romantic comedy and thriller, with a dash of domestic drama. Think of it as a rom-com that took a sharp left turn into suspense territory. Fans of Colleen Oakley who appreciated the comedic suspense in The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise will find this novel equally entertaining.

Set up: Jane and Dan, a couple teetering on the edge of marital monotony, decide to celebrate their anniversary at a fancy restaurant. But instead of rekindling their spark, they find themselves entangled in a bizarre hostage situation that feels eerily familiar—almost as if it's ripped from the pages of Jane's unpublished novel. As the night unfolds, they must confront not only the immediate danger but also the underlying issues in their relationship.

What Keeps You Hooked:
Witty Banter: Oakley's signature humor keeps the dialogue snappy and the situations laugh-out-loud funny, even amidst the tension.​
Relatable Characters: Jane and Dan are perfectly imperfect, making their journey through the night's absurdities both touching and hilarious.​
Unexpected Twists: Just when you think you've got it figured out, the plot takes another wild turn, keeping you hooked till the end.

Instagram: @_BookOnTheBrightSide_
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7385688686

Quirky and fast paced, I thought Jane And Dan At The End Of The World was wildly entertaining.

Jane is a failed writer, with a marriage that has lost its spark and kids who are on the cusp of adulthood. On the evening of Jane and Dans nineteenth wedding anniversary, they head off to a super fancy restaurant where Jane asks Dan for a divorce. Moments later an activist group surrounds the restaurant and takes all the patrons hostage. Jane finds the whole scenario terrifying yet oddly familiar, it seems like their captors have taken a page out of her book. Wait a minute, is that...?

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.

#JDAtTheEnd was a total treat.
Yes, I gave it a hashtag, somehow I think Jane would approve of this 😊

I really really wanted to like this book, but I found it boring boring boring. I skipped over may of the descriptive parts. Could not wait to get to the end, only because I promised to read it. Thank you Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for te advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A huge thank you to Berkley and PRH Audio! Jane and Dan at the End of the World was a perfect read for the very long Feb (how? how is the shortest month the most agonizing?) and such a great follow-up to Oakley's The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise—one of my favorite wins from last year.

I was completely hooked by the end-of-the-world premise, especially with its focus on midlife and marriage—themes that resonate deeply but don’t often appear in such a fun, adventurous way. The setup was instantly engaging, though I’ll admit Jane didn’t entirely land for me. That said, I really appreciated the voice she was given. Marriage, uncertainty about the future, the exhausting reality of midlife—it all rang true. And honestly, I resist calling a female character “unlikable” or “irritating” when, let’s be real, midlife can be exhausting, and being taken hostage would push anyone to the edge. Jane’s voice made total sense to me!

Beyond that, I loved the humor, the slightly over-the-top, just-go-with-it hostage plot, and the clever tie-in to Jane’s book. And Dan? He absolutely stuck the landing—wrapping it all up with a perfect, well-earned laugh.

Such a fun read!

Jane and Dan are celebrating 20 years of marriage, but it may be their last anniversary - either by divorce or the hostage situation they are stuck in at the restaurant they were celebrating at. The hostage takers are not particularly savvy and the whole thing is a mess. However even inept hostage takers who have guns can be dangerous.

I’ve seen a lot of great reviews for this one, it’s supposed to be funny and quirky and I am all in for a quirky book. Unfortunately I didn’t laugh so much while reading it, and in many places I found the pacing so slow that I was a little bored. I loved the author’s last book so I was eagerly anticipating this one, but it just missed the mark for me (I will still read her next because I do like her writing style). I do wonder if the audio would have enhanced the experience.

3.5 stars

Thank you to Berkeley and NetGalley for the ARC to review

This book was so fun and fast-paced, it gripped me immediately and had to keep reading to find out what happened!

If you enjoy the movies Big Trouble and Date Night, you will enjoy this comedy about a couple on the brink of divorce surviving a terrorist attack on the restaurant they are dining at. And - plot twist - the events of the evening happen to follow the plot of the book the main female character wrote.

I thought this book - along with the action - really highlighted the experience of being married, having kids, and having to reimagine who you are without them. The running jokes and references throughout this book were entertaining and ending of the book was wrapped up so perfectly - it was such a satisfying ending.

This is a perfect book for when you need something that will entertain you, hold your attention, and also give you moments to self reflect.

I’d love to hear this book in audio format (and also it would be a hilarious movie).

Note: There was a reference to Harry Potter/JK Rowling that wasn’t necessary to the plot. I would recommend removing in solidarity for our trans community.

This is my first and will not be my last book by Colleen Oakley. I’m not usually a fan of divorce stories, but this was very unique and I loved it. Middle marriage is not easy and Oakley brought to light many familiar feelings but in a way that made them easy to process through. The humor definitely helped with that. The family dynamics were another part I was particularly interested in as my kids are in similar stages.

This was my first time reading a Colleen Oakley book and it was kind of a miss for me. It wasn’t for me, but that doesn’t mean it’s not for you. I put it down several times because it just wasn’t holding my attention. The premise of the book sounded very intriguing and funny, but once reading it, it just felt long?

Jane and Dan are out to dinner for the 19th (or 20th?) anniversary at a very boujee restaurant. Before their food is even served Jane asks for a divorce, as she believes Dan is cheating on her. While still in shock after receiving their first course a group of people come into the restaurant and take it hostage, only something about the way things are going is too familiar to Jane. She wrote a book years ago and this is playing out just like her book.

Thank you NetGalley, Berkley Publishing and Colleen Oakley for allowing me to read an advanced complimentary copy of the book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I’ve read and enjoyed Colleen Oakley’s books in the past, so I was looking forward to this one. However, it missed the mark for me.

Sure, it was entertaining at times, but I found the entire plot to just be wildly far fetched that I couldn’t really like the characters because it was just all so over the top.

It was like one of those really badly acted Netflix movies that you watch just for entertainment because you know going in it will have zero substance.

A heartwarming and life affirming book that made me smile and laugh. Well plotted, entertaining, cute
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I gave Jane and Dan at the End of the World 3.75 stars / 5.
I found the book to be a delightful insight to marriage, motherhood, and just the general disappointment of getting older and feeling unaccomplished in life. Jane’s internal monologue felt very real, and her dynamic with Dan made me laugh out loud on multiple occasions (because of course her husband doesn’t know what a pressure cooker looks like or how to leave the toilet lid up).
I found the plot unique and JUST detailed enough. I was pleasantly surprised by the little twist at the end!

I think this will be a perfect beach read this summer!

This was fun. I burned through it and finished it in 24 hours. It was very meta - an author who has to live out the plot of her novel. It was light, funny, but also has the stakes of a thriller with the hostage situation as the main plot. It definitely hooked me from the first chapter.

The plot also bounced around a lot (in a good way), which kept me engaged. Even though it’s set over the course of just a few hours, I didn’t get bored. This book was made to become a movie. It has all the energy of a big action film with an ensemble of comedic actors.

Overall, would absolutely recommend. Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for an advance copy. It’s out March 11. Opinions are my own

Jane and Dan have been married for 19 years and plan to celebrate with dinner at the fanciest restaurant on the west coast. Jane is bored with her mediocre life and also plans on asking Dan for a divorce during this dinner. Wild right? Well, one course in and the restaurant is taken hostage by a group of armed masked men. Wilder right? This book only gets crazier from there. I. Could. Not. Put. It. Down. This has to be one of the most entertaining books I’ve ever read and I wish I could read it all over again for the first time. This would be a perfect pick for a book club read.
Thank you to the publisher for the complimentary ARC. I loved it so much that I ordered a hardcopy for my collection.