Jane and Dan have been married for nineteen years, but Jane isn’t sure they’re going to make it to twenty. The mother of two feels unneeded by her teenagers, and her writing career has screeched to an unsuccessful halt. Her one published novel sold under five hundred copies. Worse? She’s pretty sure Dan is cheating on her. When the couple goes to the renowned upscale restaurant La Fin du Monde to celebrate their anniversary, Jane thinks it’s as good a place as any to tell Dan she wants a divorce.
But before they even get to the second course, an underground climate activist group bursts into the dining room. Jane is shocked—and not just because she’s in a hostage situation the likes of which she’s only seen in the movies. Nearly everything the disorganized and bumbling activists say and do is right out of the pages of her failed book. Even Dan (who Jane wasn’t sure even read her book) admits it’s eerily familiar.
Which means Dan and Jane are the only ones who know what’s going to happen next. And they’re the only ones who can stop it. This wasn’t what Jane was thinking of when she said “’til death do us part” all those years ago, but if they can survive this, maybe they can survive anything—even marriage.
Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley was released March 11, 2025 from Berkley.
My thoughts: I really liked the book.
The characters of Jane and Dan are an interesting portrayal of a midlife marriage and some of the thoughts that can cross someone's mind at that point. I like that they were still capable of creating plot twists in both their marriage and in the situation they find themselves in.
The premise was different. I like books that are about bookish things. That in itself was good, but adding the tension of the situation made it better. It definitely kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next.
The pacing of the book was well done. There are some brief, but necessary, lulls. These allow us to see what the characters decide to do and more of how they are feeling and thinking. As the book progresses, the pace picks up until it is really rapid at the end. This helps to give the events a sense of urgency.
Overall, I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars. I liked Jane and Dan and thought their characterization was well done. They paint a good picture of what marriage at midlife can be like against the chaotic backdrop of the events in the restaurant. And it had the humor I crave in the books I read. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy plots with action and humor.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my opinions nor my review.
