I enjoyed The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise for lots of reasons:
- humor + heart
- intergenerational friendship
- road trip adventure
- race against time
- epistolary aspect (emails)
- mentions Nebraska - my state!
Tanner and Louise couldn't be more different. Tanner is a sullen college athlete whose future is in shambles after a serious leg injury. Louise is a snarky 84-year-old widow whose daughter insists she must have a live-in caregiver as her health declines. Tanner needs a job and a place to live; Louise needs a driver to maintain her routine. Their partnership seems perfect on paper, but neither their lifestyles nor personalities align. Tanner sees and hears things that make her suspicious ... and then Louise wakes her in the middle of the night, launching them on a cross-country road trip. Are they running from - or toward - something?
In this novel, Colleen Oakley had me laughing on one page and tearing up on the next. Both Tanner and Louise are flawed, dimensional characters, and their growth throughout the story was well written. The cast of secondary characters was also great. Readers of many ages can enjoy this; it would be fun for a family multi-generational book club or buddy read.
I love that authors are writing more novels featuring strong mature characters in all their curmudgeonly glory. I'm hopeful this trend continues and expands.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the review copy.
- humor + heart
- intergenerational friendship
- road trip adventure
- race against time
- epistolary aspect (emails)
- mentions Nebraska - my state!
Tanner and Louise couldn't be more different. Tanner is a sullen college athlete whose future is in shambles after a serious leg injury. Louise is a snarky 84-year-old widow whose daughter insists she must have a live-in caregiver as her health declines. Tanner needs a job and a place to live; Louise needs a driver to maintain her routine. Their partnership seems perfect on paper, but neither their lifestyles nor personalities align. Tanner sees and hears things that make her suspicious ... and then Louise wakes her in the middle of the night, launching them on a cross-country road trip. Are they running from - or toward - something?
In this novel, Colleen Oakley had me laughing on one page and tearing up on the next. Both Tanner and Louise are flawed, dimensional characters, and their growth throughout the story was well written. The cast of secondary characters was also great. Readers of many ages can enjoy this; it would be fun for a family multi-generational book club or buddy read.
I love that authors are writing more novels featuring strong mature characters in all their curmudgeonly glory. I'm hopeful this trend continues and expands.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the review copy.
