You ever feel the need for a human interest hostage situation story?

This was a lot of fun! Jane and Dan are a middle aged couple celebrating their nineteenth (not twentieth!) anniversary at an extremely pretentious restaurant. Jane wants a divorce, Dan probably wants a real meal, and they have no idea what's going to happen next.

Jane and Dan at the End of the World is at times hilarious, heartfelt, and incredibly real. A totally fun, refreshing read.

Jane is a wife, a mom and a not so successful author. Lately she feels disconnected. Her kids are growing up and her husband, Dan, just irritates her. When they go out for their nineteenth wedding anniversary to a very fancy restaurant Jane decides she is going to tell Dan she wants a divorce. Right as she breaks the news a terrorist group takes over the restaurant and they have to figure out how to survive.

Oakley is truly an artist. She takes the most obscure things and turns them into books that you just will think about for a long time. She writes like no one else. It’s quirky, but so good!

Things I liked about this book:
1. The pace, it’s quick and the chapters are fairly short.
2. The multiple POVs, I always love this when done well and this book did a great job.
3. The writing, it was crisp and succinct (see pace above).

Everything else fell a little flat for me. This book held my attention and I found myself wanting to read more but I was just a little meh about what happens and how it all unfolded.

To be fair though, I am in a bit of a reading slump and this did help get me out of it. It’s a good, light-hearted read.

First thank you to Berkeley and NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis: Jane and Dan go to a fancy restaurant to celebrate their anniversary. However their dinner is interrupted by a group of activists that Jane finds very familiar.

What I liked: Jane and Dan at the end of the world is date night gone wrong. They are very comfortable and stuck in their ways so going to this dinner was an anomaly from their routine. Then they are taken hostage during dinner. Jane wrote a book several years ago and things start looking familiar. She swears it is matching her book but her husband is not sure. The banter between Dan and Jane was chefs kiss. It was perfect for a long term married couple. I could totally picture both of them while reading the book. Jane was hilarious as trying to get ahead but not sure how to do so many things. It gets more complicated when they discover something about their daughter during the evening.
I love that is was very focused on the evening which made me sink in and enjoy the ride
This was my first book by the author but I know I am going to be searching out more. She writes relatable characters and puts them in situations that gets you an enjoyable experience

3.5/5

I really liked the setup here, it started out so strong and I immediately liked Jane and appreciated her sense of humor. It doesn’t take a lot of time for the action to start and I was fully invested in what would happen next at the restaurant. I was ok with the kookiness and the sometimes silly plot at first but as the book progressed, it went a little too far at times for me. I really wanted to love this as much as I’ve loved some of the authors other books but it was middle of the road for me. The ending fell flat and after such a quirky buildup I think I wanted a more explosive ending. Not my fave from the author but also not a bad read, just a little too out there for me.

Thank you, @WriterColleenOakley, @BerkleyPub, and @NetGalley for my free advanced copy.

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 368 / Genre: Fiction
Release Date: March 11, 2025

Jane is ready to ask her husband for a divorce on their nineteenth anniversary at an extremely expensive restaurant when a group of terrorists bust in and take everyone hostage. As events unfold, Jane can’t help but notice several similarities that match her one and only novel that she wrote six years prior. What is going on?

I’ll tell you what’s going on, an incredibly thoughtful and hilarious story about true love. While being held hostage, Jane and Dan have a chance to look back at their life together as well as work together as a team in a crisis situation. I also thought their daughter Sissy was so infuriating, she made me incredibly glad I don’t have any children. The whole thing is very entertaining. I really enjoyed the writing and I definitely plan to read more by Colleen Oakley.

I was totally surprised in the best possible way by JANE AND DAN AT THE END OF THE WORLD! What a hilarious, charming, quirky, and shockingly insightful and timely book about everything from the highs and lows of marriage and parenting to climate change, capitalism, and oligarchs. The humor worked for me and Oakley’s meditations on mothering daughters made me weep. I loved this book.

This was actually my first book by the author and I feel like I definitely need to check out their previous work. This was so fun! It was witty, quirky, and just over all a dang good time. I loved that it was a fresh take a on a marriage in trouble troupe with comedy and action. I think the premise was very original and that is what sucked me in from the very beginning! The pacing of the book was done really well and some great unexpected twists.

Overall, this is a fun weekend read that I think a lot of people would enjoy when they are in the mood for something easy to read!

I went in to this one blind and I'm so glad I did!

This was way more fun than I thought it would be. Will be recommending this to others!

This book was truly an absolute delight! My favorite kinds of books are character deep dives with a plot line that moves things ahead and that is exactly what this book was. The plot was incredibly silly but somehow worked; on the night of their anniversary, Jane and Dan go to dinner at an overpriced and bougie restaurant and are involved in a hostage situation that is reminiscent of the plot of Jane’s book. From there, chaos ensues. I loved our two main characters. We learned about their lives both separate and as a married couple. It was incredibly poignant at times, examining marriage and long term relationships, and it had a lot of heart. I truly chuckled out loud while also having a tear in my eye by the end. Could not recommend this book more, as I flew through it in a day!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an advanced reading copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

Can my review simply be that 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 is the book I didn’t know I needed?! I should probably give a bit more than just that. When this book came up as an option to read from @berkleypub, I thought the premises sounded incredibly chaotic, and I needed a bit of chaos in my life, fictionally speaking.

6 years ago, Jane wrote a novel about a hostage situation at a restaurant. Unfortunately, her book was a major flop and was only read by 300 people, which may or may not include her husband, Dan. Jane is definitely not living parental or marital bliss these days. Her kids seem to be doing just fine without her, and she’s pretty sure Dan is cheating on her. As Jane and Dan sit down at the three-Michelin-star restaurant, La Fin du Monde, to celebrate their 19th or 20th anniversary (depending on who you ask), Jane announces that she wants a divorce. The divorce conversation and dinner quickly become the least of their worries when a group of activists walk into La Fin du Monde and take the patrons as hostages. As the event intensifies, Jane starts to recognize that the plot of her own novel is unfolding in front of her. What are the odds of this happening…And are they planning on finishing the evening the same way Jane wrote her novel’s ending?

I seriously did not want to put this book down. @colleen wrote such a wonderfully blended story that mixes in family drama, action, mystery , and chaos so perfectly! I definitely laughed out loud several times while reading Jane and Dan’s story and truly can’t wait to read more of her work !!
*𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘶𝘱…𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦. *

This is a quirky book, and I love quirky. It was also very poignant at times, with a unique premise that was executed very well. Jane and Dan are having marriage problems and decide to go out for dinner on the evening of their 19th anniversary. While dining out, they're taken hostage and find themselves living the plot of Jane's latest book.

I loved how original this book was. It immediately grabbed my attention and never let me go. It kept me guessing until the end, perfectly balancing the funny with the touching moments. The characters are relatable and true to life. Anyone who has been in a long-term relationship, especially those of a certain age, will see something of themselves in Jane and Dan.

The pacing was great, and I had to keep flipping pages to see what would happen next. There are plenty of unexpected twists and surprising reveals. I do have to mention that over-the-top usually isn't for me, but here, it works and works well. It's absurd at times, but I just embraced it and enjoyed the ride. What a delightful reading experience this was, and it was very entertaining, especially towards the end. If you enjoy books that are fun(ny) and thought-provoking, this is the book for you.

This was my second read by the author, I loved The Invisible Husband of Frick Island and I have The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise on my TBR, I must bump it up.

Ah, date night—the perfect time for overpriced entrées, forced smiles, and, in Jane’s case, asking for a divorce. But surprise! Instead of quietly nuking their marriage over goose barnacles, Jane and Dan get taken hostage by a group of eco-activists who may or may not have read Jane’s failed novel like it was a how-to guide. Because nothing says romance like armed environmentalists and the sudden realization that your husband might actually have read your book.

Let’s start with the good: this book is undeniably entertaining. The hostage situation unfolds with just the right mix of absurdity and tension, and Jane’s dry wit keeps the narrative afloat even when her life (and marriage) are sinking faster than the polar ice caps—oh wait, sorry, I’m getting into their rhetoric now. The banter between Jane and Dan is sharp, and watching them navigate their involuntary couples therapy session amid eco-terrorists is undeniably fun.

Now, the not-so-good: The climate change message is about as subtle as a sledgehammer to the face. Yes, we get it—the world is burning, humans are trash, and our grandchildren will be fighting over bottled water like it’s gold. But when the book pauses every few pages to shove another doomsday PSA down my throat, I start feeling less like a reader and more like I’m being held hostage alongside the characters. I came here for marital drama and comedic crime hijinks, not an Environmental Science 101 lecture.

Overall, Dan and Jane at the End of the World is a solid, quirky read with strong character dynamics and a plot that keeps things moving. If you can handle the heavy-handed climate messaging, there’s plenty to enjoy. But if you’re looking for a break from existential dread? Maybe pick something with less end-of-the-world, and more end-of-the-argument-over-who-left-the-toilet-seat-all-the-way-down. (iykyk)

To say the least, Jane is less than satisfied with her life - her dull, chafing marriage, her failed career as an author with a book that returned more copies than it ever sold, her kids are on the cusp of adulthood and don't want much to do with her - it's just not what she had envisioned. She's decided that on their 19th wedding anniversary, after they go to dinner at the ultra schmancy, exclusive, $2,000-per-meal La Fin du Monde restaurant (a far cry from their typical Macaroni Grill anniversary dinner), she's going to tell Dan she wants a divorce.

In the middle of the second course of surprisingly delectable goose barnacles, an underground environmental rights activist group bursts into the restaurant and takes everyone hostage. And, oddly enough, as events begin to unfold, they are uncannily parallel to the events in Jane's failed novel.

This literary inception in the book is something I relished as a reader, especially as Jane's novel sold less than 500 copies and there's NO WAY that these climate change activists have read her book...is there? (Dan couldn't confirm because he probably didn't read it. ) Droll and witty without being over-the-top, it was fun to be dropped in to this story and I could mentally envision it as if it was a movie. I wouldn't consider it a Romantic Comedy or Romance - more of piece of literary fiction.

However, I think what I enjoyed most about the book was Colleen Oakley's expert descriptions of marriage and motherhood from middle age. I know some readers have said they felt like they couldn't relate to Jane as a character - but I could. Jane's deep dissatisfaction with her life, parenting and marriage are louder echoes of what many 30 to 50 year old women silently feel in the roles they've chosen or fallen in to with their lives: "The monotony of it--it's exhausting. For eighteen years, I've been keeping up with all the things, the schedules and the doctor's appointments and the practices and the field trips and the permission slips and the friends and grocery shopping and the music lessons and the meals... it's all so overwhelming. Literally overwhelming; it overwhelms me to the point that I feel like I've lost myself." The mental load of motherhood, and sometimes marriage, is draining--especially when it's taken for granted and unnoticed. I liked the realistic portrayal of this in the book, of where it brings women who have given up their selves and have been living for others, whether unintentionally, or intentionally. And more than the complexities introduced by climate change, cryptocurrency, activism, and the 1% wealthy elite living off the exploitation of others, society and the world's natural resources, this portrayal of the "unlikable" and unhappy Jane is the resonant commentary that readers need to take away from the book - both from where she begins and especially how her perspective on her life evolves as the situation progresses throughout the book.

Thank you to #Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. #JaneandDanattheEndoftheWorld

Celebrating their 19th anniversary Jane & Dan are at a crossroads in their marriage. When a hostage situation takes place during their dinner at an exclusive restaurant, Jane & Dan will need to not only face their own issues but also the kidnappers.

Jane and Dan at the End of the World was just a pure joy to read! I wasn’t sure what to expect when I decided to grab this book since I’d been in a reading rut, but this was the perfect pick me up! While I didn’t love Jane, I did love the complex relationship Oakley was able to paint for us. Getting the story from both Jane and Dan was exactly what the story needed and with the short chapters helped to move the plot along quickly.

With a unique (though slightly outlandish) plot, Colleen Oakley has written a winner in my book! This book is perfect for fans of stories such as Finlay Donovan is Killing It and if you like a good laugh. I highly recommend going in blind and just letting the story go where it takes you!

Jane and Dan at the End of the World is out now! Huge thank you to Berkley Publishing for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my:

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3.5 stars rounded up. Jane and Dan at the End of the World is a chaotically good time. We meet the eponymous couple when they’re headed out the door for their nineteenth anniversary celebration at La Fin du Monde, an upscale restaurant high on a California cliff. But Jane doesn’t feel like celebrating, because she is planning to ask Dan for a divorce – and she figures why draw it out, so she drops the news during the first course of their meal. Before Dan can even formulate a response, however, a group of armed activists bursts into the dining room, taking the entire restaurant hostage. And as events unfold, Jane starts to realize that the group’s entire plan seems to be lifted straight from her failed first novel.

I’ve never read a book quite like this before. Jane and Dan reads like women’s fiction, satire, and an action-thriller, with a dash of climate-related social commentary, all at once. Although the stakes are high, the writing is light-hearted and fun, with whip-smart, witty dialogue. I enjoyed both Jane and Dan as characters; their interactions and struggles – individually, as parents, and as a couple – felt realistic. I wish the secondary characters had been fleshed out a bit more – I’ve would’ve liked to get to know some of the other diners a bit better.

While the book doesn’t get too deep or insightful, Colleen Oakley does offer up some relatable observations about marriage and parenthood. Things become a bit convoluted plot-wise in the second half of the book, but overall, this is a fun, light-hearted romp balanced with a few moments of danger and tenderness. This was my first book by Colleen Oakley, and I really like her style and will definitely dig into her backlist. Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for the early reading opportunity.

Marriage is hard. But finding out your husband might be cheating and getting taken hostage in the same night? That’s next-level.

Jane’s ready to call it quits with Dan after 19 years. But before she can break the news over dessert, a group of chaotic climate activists storms the restaurant—and their plan sounds way too familiar. Like, ripped-straight-from-Jane’s-failed-novel familiar. Now, she and Dan are the only ones who know what happens next, and stopping it might be the one thing that saves their marriage.

This book is wild. Hilarious, fast-paced, and somehow deeply heartfelt, it’s part hostage thriller, part rom-com, and fully unputdownable.

I adored The Invisible Husband of Frick Island, so I was BEYOND thrilled to receive an advanced copy of Oakley’s newest book! I was hooked from the first page, obsessed with the dual points of view from both Jane and Dan as they experienced an entire life’s worth of stress in one evening. Oakley’s writing style and sense of humor stand out and elevate an already excellent plot.
This book is a blend of slice-of-life, romance, and thriller. Jane and Dan have been married 19 years and are getting ready for a date night. Jane has decided they’re getting divorced, Dan is oblivious. Despite their obvious disconnect, they have an easy banter and deep connection to each other that feels incredibly realistic. As their night progresses from odd to complete insanity, they’re both reminded of the strong foundation their relationship has been built on.
And if you’re thinking “I’m really not looking for a book about a married couple reigniting their spark,” first of all, shame on you. Second, there’s also a full heist plot complete with bombs, helicopters, hackers, and a SWAT team. So there should be enough action and suspense to keep just about anyone interested!
Thanks to Berkley for the free book and Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

If you’ve followed Colleen Oakley’s work, you will see shades of the quirky, relatable, deeply human characters we expect from her, but Jane and Dan is clearly a “level up” in her writing prowess. This book is twisty, hilarious, introspective, and unputdownable. Somehow, she has managed to weave a tale where life imitates art, and back again. Something about this book feels deeply personal to the author, and yet manages to hit on experiences that every woman of a certain age, at a certain point in marriage and motherhood grapples with- but make it terrorists? Jane and Dan is absolute perfection, and I am grateful to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for my gifted ARC.

Jane has been feeling a little stagnant. Her writing career is decidedly unsuccessful, her teenagers don’t need her anymore, and she’s pretty sure her husband Dan is cheating on her. When Jane and Dan celebrate their 19th anniversary at the exclusive La Fin du Monde restaurant (an anniversary Jane is sure will be their last), they have no idea about the turn things are about to take. Because before the second course is served, an underground climate activist group bursts in and takes everyone in the restaurant hostage. But there’s something oddly familiar about everything that’s taking place: everything the hostage takers do and say is uncannily similar to Jane’s spectacularly unsuccessful first (only!) published novel, leaving it to Jane and Dan to save the day.

This novel’s premise and execution are so quirky that I can honestly say I have never read anything else like it! As a woman at a similar stage of life, Jane is so relatable even when she’s unlikeable. Their marriage – the boredom, the bickering, the banter – feels completely authentic. The bumbling hostage takers add moments of hilarity while they try to execute their “eat the rich”-style mission. I loved how cleverly the story touched on marriage, rediscovery and reconnection, and giving your children independence all against the clever backdrop of the heist. Someone needs to make this book into a movie right now!

Many thanks to Berkley Publishing Group for providing me an advance copy of this book.