⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)
What do you get when you throw together an eighty-four-year-old spitfire with a suitcase full of secrets and a twenty-one-year-old gamer girl who’d rather hide under the covers than face real life? In Colleen Oakley’s The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise, you get a hilarious, heart-squeezing road trip that proves friendship has no age limit.
Louise hires Tanner as her reluctant caretaker, but before either of them knows it, they’re on the run—destination unclear, motives questionable, and plenty of “wait, WHAT just happened?” moments along the way. The dialogue is whip-smart, the characters are quirky and lovable, and Oakley sneaks in just enough mystery to keep you flipping pages.
Sure, some of the twists stretch believability, but honestly, that’s part of the fun. Beneath the hijinks, this is a story about found family, second chances, and learning to live out loud at any age. If you’re looking for something funny, heartwarming, and just a little off-the-wall, buckle up.
** Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for a comp. Opinions are my own.