A wild crazy adventure with a modern retake on classic tropes. Tanner and Louise are a kooky team with just the right amount of sass and heart to make this story work.

3 stars. Too long and too much background info. Tool 25% to get to the good part. Slimmed pretty heavily bit overall sweet story with a great ending.

There is so much to love here in this heartwarming and funny look of the adventures of Tanner and Louise. It's like Thelma & Louise and Driving Miss Daisy had a love child. I absolutely loved the dynamic between angsty Tanner and grumpy Louise and how their story played out and the secrets were revealed. This was in one simple word, delightful!!

A warm story about women who are there for each other - as friends, mothers, and even strangers - that puts those relationships, rather than romance, at center stage. Just as it took Tanner and Louise time to warm to one another, it took several chapters for this book to really hook me, but I ultimately found myself staying up late to race through the second half of the book, and smiling at the reveals through the end. I haven’t seen Thelma and Louise, and wonder whether I missed some “Easter eggs” because of that, but it wasn’t enough to keep me from enjoying this book.

Tanner is funny in her panic and her horror at old people and Louise is stereotypically crusty and that makes them an unlikely and enjoyable pair as they go "on the lam" and try to reach Louise's old friend George. Little breadcrumbs are dropped along the way to clue in the reader (and Tanner) to the real story. The episode at the St. Louis Arch is funny and Tanner is such a likable character. Louise doesn't feel like a complete character or the parts of her personality don't quite cohere but the story is enjoyable enough to overlook. It's a nice vacation from today's reality.

Add this one to my "favorites books of 2022" list!

The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise is superb. I am a sucker for a novel about an unlikely friendship between an elderly person and a young adult. Louise, an 84 year-old grandmother, is a gem. She is badass, sarcastic, and stubborn. Tanner is a 21 year old college dropout who moves in with Louise to be her driver and help her after hip surgery. The two are complete opposites and do not get along. They go on a spontaneous, crazy cross-country adventure where they end up forming an alliance and respect for one another. They are both going through heavy transitions in life and end up helping one another through.

This book is an absolute delight. Colleen Oakley did an amazing job of weaving humor, heartbreak and hope together to create a fun, heartwarming story. It comes out March 28th and I promise you will love it!!

Many, many thanks to #netgalley and Berkley for the early copy!

Just a fun caper novel. Loved escaping with Tanner and Louise. The mystery of what Louise had done unraveled as their adventures went on. I enjoyed their relationship developing along with meeting their friends along the way.

This is a sweet book. It’s also pretty predictable, but enjoyable nonetheless. Great beach read or when you just want a feel good, easy read.

Louise Wilt is a feisty 84-year-old who could use the help of a caregiver, although she stubbornly disagrees with that. Still, she finds herself saddled with Tanner Quimby, a moody, unmotivated 21-year-old who, until recently, lived in her parents’ basement playing video games. Tanner would rather do anything except look after this cranky old lady. But now that Tanner has worn out her welcome at home, being Louise’s live-in caregiver will have to do. Boring. Little does she know, she’s about to embark on the hair-raising adventure of a lifetime. It seems Louise’s sketchy past has finally caught up with her, and Tanner becomes an unwitting accomplice. She’s about to learn some valuable lessons about life and being on the lam. Superb writing. Great characters. Rarely is a lead character in her middle 80’s, but Louise Wilt is my hero! Loaded with humor. Plenty of surprises and drama. There isn’t anything I don’t love about this one. What a treat. It’s definitely going into my read-again column.

I loved this book! Some reviews compared it to "Thelma & Louise", and it is a road trip featuring 2 women, but that's about the only comparison I would make. Louise is an elderly woman recovering from a hip replacement. Tanner is a young woman whose dream of playing college/professional soccer has just disappeared, and she is now rudderless. Tanner takes a job as a caretaker for Louise and gets WAY more than she bargained for. Louise has secrets, lots of secrets. They take off on a trip to California to find a friend of Louise's.

I wasn't expecting much from this book. I was afraid it was just going to descend into a predictable story about how the older, wiser woman influences the younger, untethered woman, friendship ensues, and they all live happily ever after. WOW! The story is filled with humor, emotion, secrets, lies, and lots of surprises. I could not put it down. There's a bit of that women/friend/mentor stuff, but everything else is fun and a great ride. Read this book!

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance reader copy of this fun and fabulous story.
Tanner is a 21-year-old college student and athlete. She suffers a terrible accident which ends her soccer career and causes her to lose her scholarship. Tanner now resides in her parent's basement playing video games in sweats and sulking.

Louise is an 84-year-old mother and grandmother who is recovering from hip surgery. Her children are convinced she needs a live in caregiver and Tanner is hired for the job.

Neither is thrilled to be together. Tanner continues her video games and Louise drinks her vodka precisely at 5pm and does her crossword puzzles. Louise gets a mysterious phone call from her past and needs to get to the west coast in a hurry. What follows is a humorous road trip across the country in a vintage jaguar. The two women work to get to know each other as they unravel mysteries from Louise's past.

This is a delightful story with loveable female characters. Enjoy the ride!!

4.5 stars

Move over May/December romances - give me all the May/December friendships! I am a sucker for books of unlikely friendships, and The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise definitely fits the bill. It gives vibes of Thelma and Louise and Driving Miss Daisy.

We meet curmudgeonly Louise Wilt and unanchored Tanner Quimby. Tanner needs a place to stay and a job after her dreams of finishing her collegiate soccer career are shattered, and Louise Wilt needs a caretaker to get her daughter to leave her alone.

This unlikely pair finds more than they expected in each other when they take to the road in a cross-country journey racing against time. People tend to underestimate the young and the old, and Tanner and Louise come to find out they have more in common than they expected against the backdrop of a very hilarious and satisfying caper.

Many thanks to the author, Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley for sharing this gem with me. All thoughts are my own.

Think of swirling Driving Miss Daisy together with Thelma and Louise, and you have The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise!

Tanner is a brooding, directionless young woman spiraling from losing a college soccer scholarship and seemingly existing on the periphery. Louise is a quick-witted grandmother in need of an in-home assistant who hides several surprises. The two women mix as well as oil and water initially, since Louise is only patronizing her daughter in allowing Tanner to move in to help her.

One day Tanner happens to catch a news story on tv about a long-sought after criminal whose description is Louise to a tee. She barely has time to question the validity of her suspicions before she becomes embroiled in the adventure of a lifetime.

This story made me laugh out loud in public, while waiting in a doctor's office, and even brought tears to my eyes. The characters were very relatable and appealing, and the story was plausible and well-developed. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a satisfying read, or who knows of that odd older gentleman or lady who seems like there is just something about them lurking with mystery!

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for for providing me with an advance digital copy.

The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise is the buddy outlaw comedy that I never knew I needed. Funny, intriguing, unpredictable, and delightful from start to finish, I absolutely loved this!

Louise Wilt and Tanner Quimby are polar opposites thrown together through circumstance. Louise is post hip surgery and needs an aide/driver. Tanner, also struggling with an injury, has been kicked out of her parents' home and becomes Louise's aide/roommate. Yet, despite their different personalities, they find solace in each other and grow to become allies and friends on a hilarious run-from-the-law drive across the country.

I promise you, no matter where you think this story is going, you're wrong. The story is woven brilliantly through transcripts of phone calls, FBI interviews, multiple perspectives and it keeps you guessing the entire time.

The dynamic between Louise and Tanner is hilarious and the heart of this story -- the way they challenge each other, support each other, and grow is beautiful to read. The generation gap between the two is solid comedy but also lends itself well to the commentary that runs throughout the whole story of what it is to live as a woman in this world.

I will be on the lookout for more from Colleen Oakley! This book is a beautiful blend of comedy, mystery, female empowerment and friendship. What a fantastic read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Highly recommend, especially if you are in a reading slump
I have been in a reading funk. I have started so many books, and put them aside. I started The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise, put it aside, but couldn't stop thinking about the characters, kept going back, reading a little more, set aside, then ponder the characters, and then finally read the last 50 at one sitting. I highly recommend this book. Fun, shades of gray characters, interesting plot twists, great to read, especially if you are in a reading slump.

Thank you to Bookbrowse for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Twenty-one year old Tanner doesn't want to do much but sleep and play video. In the past, she had great plans but an accident caused her to lose her scholarship and she had to come home. She is so upset with the changes in her life that she doesn't exert any energy trying to find a job or planning to go back to school. Her parents try to help her by getting her a job as a live in caretaker for an 84 year old woman who has broken her hip. Louise feels that she's capable of taking care of herself but her daughter insists that she needs a live-in caretaker. The initial meetings between Tanner and Louise don't give either of them fonder feelings about each other. In the beginning, they totally ignore each other. Tanner plays video games while Louise entertains herself and insists on her two fingers of vodka every afternoon. Soon Tanner begins to notice some strange things at the house. When she sees a news report of police looking into jewel heist forty years earlier, she's shocked to see that one of the thieves looks just like Louise. Things get even stranger when Louise goes to Tanner's room in the middle of the night and tells her that she will pay Tanner for taking her to California but they have to leave right now.. Even though Tanner has no idea what's going on, she leaves with Louise. She has no idea why they are leaving in the middle of the night but suspects that it has something to do with the jewelry heist years ago.

The road trip is their chance of getting to know each other. Gradually their negative feeling disappear and they realize that there are in this together. The banter between the two main characters is often very humorous with some laugh out loud moments. Louise is a feisty 84 year and her character provided the most laughs for me.

This charming and unique story of a developing friendship between two very different characters is heartfelt and humorous. Their road trip across the country is full of problems - like finding parts for the vintage Jaguar that they are driving but the more time they spend together, the more they learn to like and respect each other.

This is my favorite book by this author. It's a quick read with a bit of mystery, a bit of romance and two very real and lovable main characters that I won't soon forget.

Thanks to BookBrowse for a copy of this book to read and request.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for this ARC of The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise. This is my second Colleen Oakley read and once again, I find myself seeking anything and everything Colleen Oakley!
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Tanner and Louise is a character-driven story about what it means to be a friend, how to move on from hard things in life, and the power of women sticking together. The characters flew off the page - I so loved Tanner and Louise and together they were hilarious. Colleen Oakley does a really great job at weaving humor in with more serious topics and her language is so reflective. All of these factors hooked me from start to finish. I have also noticed that Oakley writes with an air of mystery; the reader will not know all the components of the story til the very hand, and that is what makes her books page-turners.
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For all the quirky humor, lovable characters, and strong females, pick this one up! This pubs on March 28, 2023!

A Book With Heart
I will take Tanner and Louise over Thelma and Louise any day! I so enjoyed this novel. The characters were engaging and realistic and the plot was fast paced and linear with just enough explanation to fill in gaps in the story. The original way the author noted her timeline on chapter headings was unique and helpful. I love a book where characters evolve, I love a book with unusual friendships, I love a book with surprises: The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise had it all! As I mature, it is refreshing to find senior characters that still have sass and vigor. I will be recommending this book to my book club, I think it will lead to a great discussion.

Oakley is the type of author that tells a story in such a manner you simply cannot stop reading. I ended up reading this in one sitting because it was wildly good!

The characterization of these two crazy characters is a delight. Louise is one you want to hate but she grows on you with every turn of the page. Tanner is angry and afloat in the world. Together they are on a crazy journey!

The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise is a fun and fabulous tale. Oakley has a wonderful imagination and weaves us into this storyline that is a hoot to read! If you want to be wowed and delighted, this book is a definitely trip! That ending totally seals the deal!

I love a book where the character(s) evolve: overcome/work through issues and grow as a result. Then, it's icing on the cake if the main characters (an elderly woman recovering from a broken pelvis and a barely 20 something struggling with forced life changes) are like oil and water (but in a symbiotic relationshi!) hiding their own secrets, fighting their own demons and then embarking on a forced road trip under the threat of legal repercussions.
It was definitely a quick read mainly because it was hard to put down.
Humor was sprinkled throughout: the conversations between the children of the elderly character and the FBI reminded me of a Greek chorus. Also, when explaining her type of emotional support to the 20 something (who felt it was lacking), her response was, "Watch Oprah if you want inspiring, I just tell the truth!" (p. 2269)
It would be a good book for a book club discussion.