Jane and Dan at the End of the World is a sharp, laugh-out-loud exploration of life’s messiest moments. Equal parts biting satire and heartfelt comedy, it actually had me laughing out loud. The author captures the realities of marriage, motherhood, and personal failure with an honesty that feels both relatable and refreshing.

The story begins with Jane and Dan marking their 19th (or maybe 20th?) wedding anniversary at the world’s most exclusive restaurant. As Jane breaks the news to Dan that she wants a divorce, the evening takes an even more chaotic turn when a group of terrorists storms in. These criminals are so hilariously inept that it actually makes me feel zero stress at the situation and just feels really comical, and to Jane’s astonishment, the heist mirrors the plot of her failed novel almost beat for beat.

What sets this book apart is how seamlessly it blends absurd humor with razor-sharp commentary. The struggles of long-term relationships, the pressure of unmet expectations, and the glaring inequalities of wealth and privilege. Yet she tackles it all with wit and charm, delivering a story that’s really entertaining and strangely kind of warm. This book is entertaining, chaotic, and one-of-a-kind.

This book was an absolute delight to read, with relatable characters and a compelling story that pulled me in from the very first page. The plot centers around Jane and Dan, a couple celebrating their 19th wedding anniversary at a fancy, upscale restaurant when their evening takes a sudden, chaotic turn.
The narrative brilliantly explores Jane's introspections about her life choices—her roles as a parent, spouse, and writer—while Dan contemplates his own capacity for heroism in the midst of an unraveling night. What truly made this story stand out was its emotional depth combined with an edge-of-your-seat pace. The characters felt real and grounded, their struggles and reflections mirroring the complexities of life, love, and family. I found myself unable to put the book down, eagerly turning pages late into the night just to see how it all resolved.

In short, this is a fantastic read for anyone looking for a blend of drama, suspense, and heartfelt storytelling. Highly recommended!

I would give this book 6/5 stars if I could. Sometimes, some books just resonate deeply, and Oakley's 'Jane and Dan at the End of the World' was one of those. It's not a book I ever wanted (or needed) to skim to get through... and as someone with ADD who does this a lot... I need you to understand the significance. Set over a few hours at dinner and with an epilogue that I loved as well. It was like someone perfectly put into words what it is to wonder about the road not taken.

Jane's character, whom I dearly loved and wanted to hug, was not a character I knew I needed until I found her, and I will remember her for a while to come. It was a reminder to be grateful for what you have and look forward to the possibilities of what may still come in the future. Doors really aren't ever locked.. they need to be cracked open again. I will be buying a trophy copy for my shelf!!

Even though this isn't a romance... it's somewhat more literary fiction... I still feel like there were such unforgettable moments of insight into romantic relationships that I want to include in my romance roundup soon because it's SO good, and everyone needs to read it!

**Thank you to Berkley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤

I have enjoyed a lot of author Oakley's back-list, "Tanner & Louise" was great & so was "Invisible Husband..." so I was very interested in this new title, "Jane & Dan at the End of the World". Alas, it was a bit of a miss for me. Overall, I liked the premise - a long married couple coming apart and just when they're about to split up, wham, they're in a hostage situation. But it just didn't work for me - I just kept thinking of other books or movies that I was familiar with & that did it better. And I also didn't quite vibe with the MC's - especially Jane, just not likable or sympathetic enough. But I did find the restaurant take-over interesting enough to keep flipping pages to see how it turned out, so not a complete loss - it did have it's moments, so I guess a mixed review, overall & will still be interested in what the author does next. My thanks to Net Galley & the publisher for my early readers copy, always appreciate the opportunity to read these releases.

Thank you NetGalley, for this uncorrected ebook ARC of 'Jane and Dan at the End of the World' by Colleen Oakley - expected release date 03/11/2025

This was a fun read. It was fast paced and there was always something going on in the storyline, but not in an overwhelming way. The action kept me going, I was interested in what the characters were going to say and do next. I also liked all the characters, Oakley did a good job of giving enough information that you felt connected to them. Jane was a little extra at times but hey, aren't all us ladies!? I love that the plot was ridiculous, and called out as such in the way that it was.

I've read a lot of Oakley's books and I've liked them all, this one was different than her usual writing and shows her range as a writer. I didn't feel like there were any holes in her story either, she tied everything up in the end.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed reading this book and found it engaging. The sense of humor throughout was similar to mine and had me laughing. If I could write a book, I imagine it with this type of writing. Some may find the light touch on a terrorist action to be disturbing. I am recommending friends to read for the phrasing and wit of the writing.

This started out promising but quickly became outlandish and I found myself skimming a lot of the book. This was a miss for me.

2.75 stars

Quite different from her normal kind of writing style but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It was quirky and fun and definitely unique. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for read and review

I’m between a 2.5-3 star on this one. I really appreciated the plot and audience it will resonate with - I just didn’t relate and I think that made this read hard for me to stick with. Jane and Dan unexpectedly end up dining at an expensive restaurant for their nineteenth wedding anniversary. Jane is bored and unsatisfied with her life and marriage. Jane has also discovered that Dan has been cheating on her. Shortly after informing him she would like a divorce, a group of climate change activists arrive and take everyone hostage. This book fell short in terms of feeling dragged out and slow to read.

Thank you @netgalley and @berkleypub for this ARC. I was so excited to receive this book after loving Colleen Oakley’s The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise. This book has some of the same elements - crime, mystery, and unexpected twists.

This story starts off with a couple celebrating their 19th anniversary by going to an absurdly expensive and posh restaurant with an exclusive drive and a cliff side location. What sets this anniversary apart from others is that Jane decides to share her desire for a divorce. The reader is a spectator during her blasé delivery but soon must buckle up as masked terrorists barge into the restaurant, taking all the diners hostage. What ensues is a riot of comedic twists, mishaps, discoveries, and unexpected heroism. In the hopes of not sharing any spoilers, I will leave it there, but encourage you to add this one to your list! To be published on March 11, 2025!

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Jane and Dan at the End of the World delivers a very entertaining read. I enjoy all of Colleen Oakley's novels. She has an uncanny way with plot and dialogue that makes her novels unspool in living color as you read them. I think it is the way she puts very ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances and then sets things in motion. Jane and Dan at the End of the World is my favorite of her novels to date. Centering her novel on Jane, a one book author, and her husband, Dan a plodding podiatrist with a new passion, the novel takes place over the course of one evening.

Ms. Oakley's plot twists are clever and surprising. Her dialogue is realistic and laugh out loud funny.

I will be recommending this book to all my reading friends and to the book club I lead. We read Colleen Oakley's previous novel, The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise, to the delight of all of our readers. (less)

This was a captivating read that I found hard to put down. The pacing was just right, and the speed of it kept me engaged the whole time. I enjoyed the twists and I found the relationships to be intriguing.

To be honest, as a single person who has never been married, I'm not sure the husband and wife content had as much of an impact as it would have for someone who IS married – but it definitely did enough to make me check myself, because I definitely fall into the trap of thinking marriage = happily ever after/ better than being alone. This book did a great job of painting the picture of marriage dynamics, in addition to what it's like to be a mother. I have a feeling I'd be a similar type of mother that Jane is – and her internal dialogue was, quite frankly, exhausting. All of that just made Jane feel more well-rounded and believable, so as a reader, I appreciated that.

This clever read is done with a tongue-and-cheek approach to midlife and marriage, all rolled into an audience of climate activism. What's more, the book revolves around the story reflected in Jane's last failed novel attempt and a witnessing of art imitating life, making the situation a little too familiar and close to home. The story flows with emotional intelligence that only a couple of almost two decades could reveal to its readers. The outrageous gives way to an very enjoyable tale!

Jane and Dan are at a fancy restaurant celebrating their 19th and possibly last anniversary when a group of terrorists takes everyone hostage. It is quickly determined that the person they are after is not present and will have to wait for their arrival. Meanwhile, they have to deal with the chef who had a bullet in his shoulder, the police who have been called despite the nonexistent cell service, and the patrons who are not content to sit quietly. One of whom is Jane who feels like this scenario is oddly similar to the one book she’s published, and she’s not psyched about the potential ending where all the hostages die. But when she and Dan discover one of the “terrorists” is their Stanford-bound 18yo daughter, all they can think of is how to protect her and get her out of the situation.


A very engaging and entertaining story that keeps you reading to find out what’s going to happen.

Jane and Dan have been married for 19 years, and life has become ordinary—at least for Jane. Plus, Jane is sure that Dan is having an affair. Her plan is to tell Dan she wants a divorce while they are celebrating their wedding anniversary at an upscale restaurant. However, her plan backfires when an armed robbery occurs.

In classic Colleen Oakley fashion, she adds an armed robbery, a few unexpected plot twists, and several well-developed characters, resulting in hilarity. (Note: Not too many characters—I was able to keep track of them.)

I loved this book and highly recommend it.

Thank you to BookBrowse and Berkley Books for an early read in exchange for a fair review.

4.5
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the gifted e-arc of this book.

Once again, I was completely enchanted with Colleen Oakleys storytelling. Jane and Dan are out for a once in a lifetime meal at a high end restaurant to celebrate their 19th anniversary, but honestly, Jane isn't really into this marriage anymore. All of the sudden a hostage situation quickly evolves and this fancy dinner quickly escalates into a life threatening situation.

Pause.

Now this my friends, is what Oakley does so well. She writes this situation with humor and candor, yet also makes the reader a bit worried and biting their nails! The plot thickens to a point where I was sweating bullets for Jane and Dan!

Read this for a fun, light, entertaining, humorous read that has enough plot to keep you turning the pages.

This was a quick, fun read and it definitely has more than a few twists. Jane was odd but somehow totally believable as she navigated the unexpected events that occurred at her anniversary/divorce dinner. I laughed a number of times, and I was surprised more than once. Still, the ending was completely predictable, as is so often the case with a lighter read.

Brilliant, funny and gripping. I loved it. Will read more by this author. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

I misread the description of this book, so it wasn't at all what I expected, and I think maybe that was a good thing! It turned out to be the perfect combination of domestic drama (with plenty of comedy thrown in) and thriller. Jane and Dan are celebrating their 20th (according to Dan) or 19th (according to Jane) anniversary at a super fancy restaurant, and it's not going great. Shortly after Jane informs Dan that she wants a divorce, the restaurant is taken over by climate activists who hold the diners hostage. Dan wants to be a hero, but can he rise to the occasion? And what do Jane and Dan do when they make a startling discovery about the identity of one of the hostage takers?

The action is fast-paced, but there also is lots of room for character development and growth. A very enjoyable read!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved the concept of the book and was super excited to have a chance to read an advanced copy. I have enjoyed Colleen Oakley's books in the past and this one was no different. It gave a new idea to a copycat crime. The twists with the terrorists hitting closer to home was something I didn't see coming. I also enjoyed watching Dan and Jane reconnect. It had some cool twists and a very enjoyable story.