Droll, thoughtful, incisive, and relatable, This novel about a midlife couple delves into marriage, motherhood, and modern issues (the environment, privilege, etc.) in a way that'll have you laughing out loud and nodding your head in recognition. With an overall plot similar to the movie Date Night with Tina Fey and Steve Carell, and so cinematically written it needs to be its own movie, this witty novel was hard to put down. I kept snorting at the derisive humor. Even the title is a play on words. Ultimately, it's an exploration of middle-aged change in perspective, which was so satisfying! I loved this book and will check out her other titles.

a sweet book largely about marriage, but also a liiiiittle bit about eating the rich.

we meet dan and jane on their *19th wedding anniversary, as they get ready for a dinner that changes their lives, but not in the way they expect. jane has recently felt a strain on their marriage, and plans to ask dan for a divorce to seek something more ~exciting~. instead the couple gets caught in a terrorist (activist?, you choose) hostage situation at the restaurant, but the catch is-- they're acting out the plot of a book jane wrote.

this novel is incredibly difficult to sum up in a few sentences, but expect a laugh-out-loud funny, but startling realistic depiction of marriage and life navigating it. liking AND loving the person you're married to is a rare feat. from start to finish, a cleverly designed plot that didn't provide the most unpredictable twists, but one that was inventive all on its own.

these characters felt authentic and real, not so much in their backstory, but moreso in their dialogue. conversations between dan and jane felt hilariously accurate to an actual married couple's conversations (as said by a person whose been married for 2 years, not 19, but nonetheless cannot wait for a lifetime of this mundanity).

dan and jane's relationship was richly layered and i loved the pacing of slowly revealing their backstory and inherent meaning to each other, as it was layered on top of the plot occurring at the forefront of the novel.

i love the way marriage is depicted in this book!!!!!! i cannot emphasize this enough! we need more books focused on the re-kindling of couples who have been together, but still find life just as special as when they first met. let's get more of that! it's heartfelt and real and a nice change of pace to read.

my favorite part of the whole book was dan throwing the plate ultimate-frisbee-style to knock out one of the terrorist guys. so much of the comedy in this was spot on and really clever to read. and this is a highhhh compliment from me considering i never think written comedy is funny.

this is a heartfelt, but thoroughly funny read i can see books clubs buzzing about when it comes out in march 2025!

many thanks to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing Group for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!

I read Colleen Oakley's previous book, and really liked it. Jane and Dan at the End of the World was even better than the last one! 5 stars!!! It was so fun, and I can't wait for it to come out so I can recommend it to all my book friends.

Jane and Dan at the End of the World just spoke to me. It's about middle aged people, in a long-standing marriage, with children, who get their wires crossed, and, well, a hostage situation. It sounds wacky, and it is, but in the best kind of way. The dialogue is smart, and sharp and fun, and the characters feel like people you know - flawed, stuck in their routines, but ultimately decent. Will totally be recommending this one to people looking for a quick, funny read.

This book was so fun to read! It had the vibe of a classic 2010 Jennifer Anniston-Adam Sandler romantic comedy (I can literally picture them as Jane and Dan) as they navigate their marriage and mayhem that ensues on their anniversary dinner.

I love the plot and the setting of the book, and the writing was fast paced and light - I ended up finishing this book in one sitting! That's a difficult feat. My only gripe is that although this book is supposed to be about Jane and Dan, firstly it primarily feels like its about Jane, and her midlife crisis. A crisis that also gets resolved over the events of a single night. I suppose its not entirely unrealistic but I do wish we got to see more of their past and their chemistry together to root for them as a couple. Alternatively, the book maybe shouldn't be about Dan at all, its fair for it to be mainly about Jane, but I'd market it that way, because really it feels like she's the one navigating motherhood, marriage, and her professional failures primarily.

This was a fun book - a nice twist on The Menu. I really enjoyed this book - the writing, the thrill, the development. My only critique is that I am not sure why the title says "at the end of the world". However, I might have missed a detail that helps with the title. I initially thought the world was ending when I was starting this book.

I love a good family drama, and this one delivers! Between the laughs and suspense, there’s an underlying question that challenges the stories we tell our selves - the assumptions we make that so easily become real in our head until confronted head on! The book also touches on themes of motherhood and marriage in playful way.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for this early copy of “Jane and Dan at the End of the World!”

3 hostage stars

Colleen Oakley’s books have worked for me before, so I was excited to win an early copy of this one (thank you, Shelf Awareness Sweepstakes). I think of her books as filled with memorable characters and sometimes a romance.

This one felt different from the start when Jane asked Dan for a divorce at their anniversary dinner! Then, their dinner at the exclusive La Fin du Monde restaurant is severely disrupted when armed and masked intruders storm the restaurant.

As the diners are tied up and lined up on the wall, we learn that the group is climate activists. However, they are not savvy, and the activities and even their dialogue sound familiar to Jane. How is everything happening mirroring her book—the one she wrote and thought no one read?

This insider knowledge means that Jane could try to stop the rest of the book from playing out in front of her. Some twists in this one made it interesting, and it has a unique premise. However, I didn’t resonate with these characters and get drawn into the story like I usually do with Oakley’s books. There’s definitely some humor here, but it didn’t quite work for me.

I have read (and loved) everything that this author has written, with “The Invisible Husband of Frick Island” being an all time favorite. So when offered a VERY early copy of this book, I jumped at the chance to read it, and moved it ahead of several others which are publishing much sooner-I just couldn’t wait!

So, nobody is more surprised than I am that this was a bit of a MISS for me, despite the fun and clever premise!

Jane and Dan have been married for nineteen years, (or is it twenty?) but Jane isn’t sure they will make it another year. She decides to ask for a Divorce during their Anniversary dinner at the renowned, upscale and very OVERPRICED restaurant “La Fin du Monde”.

But before they can even finish the second course, (which didn’t sound even remotely appetizing to me!) an underground CLIMATE activist group bursts into the dining room and takes everyone hostage. Their “target” had reservations at the restaurant for that night-and it appears to be a case of “Wrong Place-Wrong time” for Jane and Dan.

OR IS IT?

Could it really be a COINCIDENCE that nearly everything that the activists SAY and DO seems to be right out of the pages of Jane’s one and only published book, “Tea is For Terror”?

How can that be when less than 500 copies were ever sold?

Not liking the main protagonist isn’t a problem in a psychological thriller but it is a problem in a story like this one, and I really didn’t like Jane! I didn’t like spending time with her-and the HUMOR didn’t resonate with me either.

This was reminiscent of Fredrik Backman’s very popular “Anxious People”, another book I didn’t care for-so, if you enjoyed that one, you just might love this one too!

Be sure to read a sample of reviews as no book is for every reader and this just may be a better fit for you!

AVAILABLE March 11, 2025

Thank You to Berkley for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts!

Meet Jane & Dan, a not-so-happily married couple, out to a fancy dinner to broach the topic of divorce. Their dinner ends abruptly with the arrival of a terrorist group intending to hold them hostage. To Jane’s horror, the terrorists seem to be recreating the plot from her debut novel with lackluster sales released years prior.

I initially loved how JANE AND DAN AT THE END OF THE WORLD dropped us right in the action, but just as their marriage lost steam midway, this novel did too. Remaining in the restaurant for the entirety of the book grew stale as tension slowly seeped out of the story. I would have loved to spend more time in the past digging into why Dan & Jane’s relationship had reached the point of marital apathy.

While there were a few moments of surprise and heart, overall I didn’t connect with the story as much as her previous beloved novel, The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise. In Oakley’s author note she shares that this book was difficult to write, and that came across to me as the reader. Although this wasn’t my favorite, I have loved many of her previous books and will continue to look forward to reading what she writes next!

RATING: 3/5
PUB DATE: March 11, 2025

This seemed like a fun premise and I was enjoying myself for the first bit, but after awhile I started to just not care about the story. None of the characters are particularly likable and I found the pacing to be slow. Didn’t care much for the ending, either.

Jane and Dan at the End of the World is the fourth Colleen Oakley book I’ve read, and I’ve loved every single one—though this might just be my favorite! This hilarious, insightful take on midlife and marriage follows Jane, who’s ready to call it quits after nineteen years of feeling unneeded as a mom and unsuccessful as a writer. When she and her husband Dan head out for an anniversary dinner at the fancy La Fin du Monde, she’s planning to drop the bomb that she wants a divorce. But things quickly spiral when a group of bumbling climate activists take the restaurant hostage—and the situation eerily mirrors the plot of Jane’s failed novel.

The twists and turns are laugh-out-loud funny, yet Oakley delivers poignant moments as Jane and Dan are forced to work together to stop the chaos. Oakley masterfully blends humor, marriage struggles, and life’s unpredictability, making it wildly relatable, especially as a mother and wife. The characters are so real, and their emotional ups and downs feel authentic. A five-star must-read that will have you laughing, crying, and cheering them on!

This book had it all - quirky characters that you expect in a Colleen Oakley book, humor and an underlying issue that may not be identified at first. That issue was motherhood and marriage and it covered so much of those feelings. Just when you think you have it all figured out, this book surprises you in the end. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I've enjoyed of all Colleen Oakley's books - they're quick reads, lovable characters and filled with humor. Her newest book kind of got bogged down in a few places but otherwise this book will not disappoint her devoted readers. Thanks for the advance read!

I was lucky enough to win an e-ARC of JANE AND DAN AT THE END OF THE WORLD by Colleen Oakley in a Shelf Awareness giveaway. Thank you for the early look, and have a safe and happy Halloween season!

Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley is such a quirky, heartfelt, and surprisingly uplifting read! The premise of two strangers on a road trip as the world is literally ending is unique, and I loved how the story balanced humor with deeper emotional moments. While the pacing was a little uneven at times, the characters really drew me in, and I found myself rooting for their unlikely bond all the way to the end. Rating: 3.5-4 stars.

Fun and entertaining. A strong beginning but fizzled out in the middle. I chuckled a few times and enjoyed the absurdity of the hostage situation. This is my second book by this author and she writes cute and quirky stories that you can't put down(even as you think to yourself "these people are nuts!") If you enjoyed her other novels or stories that cover some of life's hardships with humor you'd enjoy this book.

This book was absolutely hilarious. You wouldn't think a book about a hostage situation would be funny, but it absolutely was. The entire storyline took place over the course of one night and it was full of twists and turns. The hostage takers were multi-layered and witty and I couldn't help but laugh at them even while trying to work out why they were there. At it's heart, the book is an examination of long-term marriage and motherhood, and while I couldn't relate to Jane's feelings, I could sympathize with her. She was feeling bored, frustrated, and like a failure. But hey, nothing like being taken hostage to shake up your life! I recommend this one if you're looking for a quick, humorous read with characters that will make you chuckle as you try to figure out what is happening.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read this arc edition in exchange for my honest opinions.

Embarrassingly, I have to admit I’ve never read anything by Colleen Oakley before. I had no expectations going into this other than the synopsis and amazing cover. Let me just tell you, it is fabulous!

Jane and Dan are a 40-something married couple, going through the motions, living their lives, and about to celebrate their anniversary. They’re heading to a fancy restaurant that most people like them can’t normally afford (makes me think of a certain restaurant in Chicago on my bucket list). Things definitely do not go as planned or expected once this evening begins.

Maybe I liked this so much because it’s relatable for me; the ages, the references, et cetera. But I think it’s more than that. I think it’s because it’s an emotional and romantic story hiding under the cover of suspense, action, and hilarity. I just loved it. On I go to pick out my next Colleen Oakley read!

Definitely pick up a copy when in publishes in March! You won’t regret it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the advanced copy.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this Advanced Reader Copy of Jane and Dan at the End of the World.

Good things to know:
-This is a quick read
-It pokes fun at thriller reads that have plot holes or are poorly researched
-Relatable character who are flawed/struggling (marital problems, parenting struggles, imposter syndrome type of stuff)
-Funny

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for something quirky, cute, and quick.