Overall, I did like this book, but there were some niggling issues with that prevented my full enjoyment of the book. I had to knock off some stars from my rating due to that.

What first intrigued me about this book was the rare allergy of the main character. I have a daughter with a severe allergy that is somewhat rare, especially in the severity that she experiences it, and that affects everything she does really. So, living with that extreme of a situation due to allergies gave me an immediate connection to the book. Also, not long into the book, she starts working in a library, and I am a Librarian. Another thing, the male main character of the book has an adopted son that is clearly on the autism spectrum, and my other daughter has Asperger's. So, I was very much drawn to the book through these many connections. The book did draw me in and hold my interest. I enjoyed the relationships formed between the characters and liked the characters themselves. I kept being taken out of the story by my irritation at how the library-related things were presented, as the book perpetuates many incorrect assumptions people have about libraries and the people who work for them. I could go on and on about these details, but I won't bore everyone. This was a nit picky issue on my part, but it was annoying enough to put a damper on the reading experience for me, and I knew a star would be knocked off the rating because of it. My other issue was with the way the book ended. It jumped 7 years into the future and went in a direction that just felt off to me. I had several issues with it, and it just took away from the book for me, though, I can't spell out why, as it would spoil the book. Despite all of that, it is still worth reading. It was very good otherwise, but these were big issues for me that knocked it down a couple stars.

Have to say I was very intrigued by the synopsis of this book, the idea of a woman being allergic to human contact. In fact, the book grabbed me immediately and I had a hard time putting it down. The only thing that I didn't like is I thought the ending seemed very rushed. I felt as though not all of the plot points were wrapped up and then the epilogue jumped ahead seven years. I would have liked to have seen more resolution with the characters. I actually had to remind myself who one of the characters (Michael) was because at the end he seemed like a major part of Jubilee's new life when earlier in the book he really didn't even have a name. In essence, just one more chapter could have made a major impact on the book for me.

Close Enough to Touch by Colleen Oakley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I lost a lot of sleep because of this book. I could not put it down. I read Before I Go last year, so when I saw that Colleen Oakley had a new book, I requested an advanced copy. Boy, am I glad I did. Close Enough To Touch is great!

Jubilee Jenkins is allergic to other people. A touch makes her break out in a rash and a kiss can kill her. After almost dying from a kiss that was part of a schoolyard bet, she has carved out a tiny life herself holed up in her house for the last nine years. Then, her mother dies and the checks she had been sending Jubilee stop coming in the mail. Jubilee has to rejoin the outside world and risk being touched.

Eric is a mess. He has adopted Aja after his parents are killed in a plane crash, he and his wife are newly divorced, and his teenaged daughter won’t speak to him. He is just making it through the days until he meets Jubilee. She intrigues him like no one else and he can’t stop finding reasons to see her again.

Close Enough To Touch is the kind of romantic story that I love. There isn’t a sappy scene in the whole book. When Jubilee and Eric are together the tension is palatable but in a very real way. Both of them have so much to lose by letting down their defenses, yet I was rooting for them to do just that. The subplot of Aja’s grief and fantasy life deepened the main plot and made me want to reach into the book and hug the little boy. All the secondary character were great actually.

Loved it, loved it, loved it. I am sure we’ll be hearing much more from Colleen Oakley and I would not be surprised if this book becomes a movie someday. Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for an advanced copy of the novel.

Jubilee has an allergy to humans. Eric is trying to mend relationships with his teenage daughter and his adopted 10 year old son. Jubilee, for 9 years, has never left her home which has turned her agoraphobic. But when her distant mother dies and her monthly stipend stops, she must go out to find a job. So, she runs into an old high school "friend" who finds her a position at the library. All is somewhat well until Eric walks in with Aja, his adopted son from his deceased best friend. And a relationship ensues- but doesn't because Jubilee can't touch anyone.
Some plots tend to overextend themselves with too many social issues. This one, however, is not in that camp. There were constant issues arising such as a son who won't talk to his father, or a young woman who is still trying to get over a high school incident that put her on the track to agoraphobia. But it's real life. Issues often don't come in compartments, but happen simultaneously that permeate throughout all parts of our lives. This book was great to capture these daily occurrences without sounding contrived.

I loved this book for its main characters, their flaws, challenges and quirkiness. Jubilee has a rare allergy and hasn't left her home for 9 years. Following a strange series of events, she begins to work at the library, meeting Eric, a divorced father, rejected by his daughter and raising his adopted son, Aja. Aja is another unique character, believing in telekinetic abilities, which is explained as the story evolves. A galley to be released shortly, you won't want to miss this one.

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC.

The premise of the book is that Jubilee is deathly allergic to humans, somethings she finds out when a boy tries to kiss her in middle school. She has been living the life of a hermit until she is forced to find a job.
Then you know how it goes, misfit finds other misfit and the story changes. I thought this was a little predictable, but I enjoyed the characters - Aja and Eric - and I liked the daily struggles in the book. (Not so easy, not to have people touch you!)

This humorous novel is touching. The writing is conversational and engaging. Oakley again shows how funny, touching, and quirky life can be.

Jubilee Jenkins is one of the most unfortunate characters that I've ever read about. To not be able to experience touch of any kind would be awful. And on top of that she suffers from agoraphobia and is unable to leave her home for years.

Then there's Eric Keegan who struggles with becoming the best parent he can be while realizing that parents are not perfect.

From the first chapter of "Close Enough to Touch" I realized that more than a love story, this would be a story about a woman who needed to come to terms with the cards that life had dealt her while also getting over the fears that have overtaken her for the past nine years. And also about a man who needed to strengthen the familial bonds that evade him.

These two characters would help each other in ways that either of them probably ever anticipated.

Couple that with the smoldering heat between these two, who can't even touch one another, and you've got a beautiful story that warmed my heart.

I can't wait to read more from Ms. Oakley.