Summary (from the publisher): Twenty-one-year-old Tanner Quimby needs a place to live. Preferably one where she can continue sitting around in sweatpants and playing video games nineteen hours a day. Since she has no credit or money to speak of, her options are limited, so when an opportunity to work as a live-in caregiver for an elderly woman falls into her lap, she takes it.
One slip on the rug. That’s all it took for Louise Wilt’s daughter to demand that Louise have a full-time nanny living with her. Never mind that she can still walk fine, finish her daily crossword puzzle, and pour the two fingers of vodka she drinks every afternoon. Bottom line — Louise wants a caretaker even less than Tanner wants to be one.
The two start off their living arrangement happily ignoring each other until Tanner starts to notice things—weird things. Like, why does Louise keep her garden shed locked up tighter than a prison? And why is the local news fixated on the suspect of one of the biggest jewelry heists in American history who looks eerily like Louise? And why does Louise suddenly appear in her room, with a packed bag at 1 a.m. insisting that they leave town immediately?
Thus begins the story of a not-to-be-underestimated elderly woman and an aimless young woman who—if they can outrun the mistakes of their past—might just have the greatest adventure of their lives.
My Rating: 5/5 Stars
My Thoughts:
In an amazing twist, my library received an early copy of Colleen Oakley’s latest book, The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise. I’ve read Colleen Oakley’s The Invisible Husband of Frick Island and You Were There Too, and this book definitely takes on a new genre from her romances. Comedy meets adventure when Louise Wilt’s daughter forces her to have a caretaker come into her home after breaking her hips month ago. This caretaker comes in the form of twenty-one year old Tanner, whose mother has thrown her out as Tanner’s attitude has been non-stop since an injury turned her life upside down months prior. Tanner’s life gets thrown upside down again when Louise wakes her up in the middle of the night insisting that they leave town immediately, since Louise’s past has finally caught up to her.
The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise is such a fun and unique read! Fans of Deanna Rayborn’s Killers of a Certain Age will enjoy this book for its mystery and adventure. I don’t want to be too vague, but I also don’t want to be too specific because there are so many twists throughout the novel. Tanner thinks that Louise Wilt is the most routine-driven woman that she’s ever met, but even Tanner’s senses are raised when a news clip shows a computer generated image of a woman who stole a multi-million dollar diamond back in the 1970s…and who eerily looks like Louise. With secrets between them, Louise then makes Tanner join her on an adventure to go see someone Louise must reunite with ASAP across the country.
There are so many elements I loved about The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise. The story-telling style is so fun, alternating between Tanner and Louise’s initial days living with one another and then their roadside adventures, alongside text exchange and phone calls between Louise’s adult children when their mother is reported missing and the FBI agent whose the lead on a cold case that may or may not connect to Louise. In addition, while Louise and Tanner seem like such drastically different characters, but the two begin to realize they have much more in common. Their chemistry (including their humor and sarcasm) makes for such a feel good story. I loved how Louise ultimately helps Tanner move forward with her own life and the themes surrounding female relationships & friendship.
Overall, Colleen Oakley’s The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise is a must-read book this spring! It’s definitely my favorite Colleen Oakley book!
Have you read The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise? Have you read any books by Colleen Oakley? Share in the comments!
Fangirl Fury 
I haven’t read any of her books, but now I’m interested 😀
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yay hope you enjoy!
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[…] The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise – I read this book before it was named a GMA Book Pick, 110% recommend, so unique compared to Colleen Oakley’s previous releases […]
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