Book Review for The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise by Colleen Oakley

 The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise by Colleen Oakley

 

Publication March 28, 2023

 

Taken from Goodreads:  Twenty-one-year-old Tanner Quimby needs a place to live. Preferably one where she can continue sitting around in sweatpants and playing video games nineteen hours a day. Since she has no credit or money to speak of, her options are limited, so when an opportunity to work as a live-in caregiver for an elderly woman falls into her lap, she takes it.

One slip on the rug. That’s all it took for Louise Wilt’s daughter to demand that Louise have a full-time nanny living with her. Never mind that she can still walk fine, finish her daily crossword puzzle, and pour the two fingers of vodka she drinks every afternoon. Bottom line -- Louise wants a caretaker even less than Tanner wants to be one.

The two start off their living arrangement happily ignoring each other until Tanner starts to notice things—weird things. Like, why does Louise keep her garden shed locked up tighter than a prison? And why is the local news fixated on the suspect of one of the biggest jewelry heists in American history who looks eerily like Louise? And why does Louise suddenly appear in her room, with a packed bag at 1 a.m. insisting that they leave town immediately?

Thus begins the story of a not-to-be-underestimated elderly woman and an aimless young woman who—if they can outrun the mistakes of their past—might just have the greatest adventure of their lives.

 

My Thoughts:  I almost did not read this book. I am not sure why but it just did not sound like a book I wanted to read.  BUT… I did pick up the book and I am so glad I did.   It was a one day read for me.  I could not put it down. 

 I laughed at Louise and Mrs. Wilt’s adventures.  I cringed at the reason why they had these adventures.  But, oh what adventures they had.  I loved how they interacted with each other; you could see their age difference but you could also see how they did care about each other. 

 The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise had me turning pages as fast as I could read.  I recommend picking up with fun and unique story and falling into all the adventures.

 Thank you NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.

 

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Meet Colleen Oakley (Taken from her website):  Colleen Oakley is the USA Today bestselling author of The Invisible Husband of Frick Island, You Were There Too, Close Enough to Touch, Before I Go, and the forthcoming The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise (March 2023). Colleen’s novels have been longlisted for the Southern Book Prize twice and Close Enough to Touch won the French Reader’s Prize. Her books have been translated into more than 21 languages, optioned for film and have received numerous accolades including:

*Indie Next List Pick Jan 2015, March 2017 and Jan 2020

*Library Reads Pick 2020, 2021

*Top 21 Books of 2020 by O Magazine

      *TODAY show Best Summer Read

*People magazine Best New Book

*Us Weekly “Must” Pick

       *Inaugural pick of the Emily Giffin book club

*Romantic Times Top Pick

*Library Journal Big Fiction Debut

*Publisher’s Lunch Buzz Books

*In Touch Weekly: Grade A

*Pop Sugar’s Books We Can’t Wait to Read

*Real Simple’s Best Books List

*Bookbub’s 12 New Books to Read If You Love Jodi Picoult

A former magazine editor for Marie Claire and Women’s Health & Fitness, Colleen’s articles and essays have been featured in The New York Times, Ladies’ Home Journal, Women’s Health, Redbook, Parade, Woman’s Day, Fitness, Health, Marie Claire and Martha Stewart Weddings. A proud graduate of the University of Georgia’s school of journalism, Colleen currently lives in Atlanta with her husband, four kids, and a terrier mutt named Baxter.