Author: Colleen Oakley
Series: None
Publication Date: March 28, 2023
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 352
Obtained: publisher via NetGalley
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 5/5
Bottom Line: Delightful story about friendship and life
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab
Summary: 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. ~amazon.com
Review: You know how some books and characters just bring you joy? Well this is definitely one of those books for me. From the moment I started reading the first page, I knew I was in for an adventure. Tanner has been kicked out of her house by her mom because "it's time". Luckily she can move in with a friend of the family, Louise Wilt, to be her caretaker which pretty much means being her driver to appointments and her weekly bridge game. Tanner doesn't have the first clue about caregiving but she can handle driving.
Louise is set in her ways since her husband died a few years prior and breaking her hip put a cramp in her style. She likes to be independent and do her own thing so when her daughter insists she get a live-in caretaker, she's none to happy. Plus she's a little on edge since getting a letter from someone in her past.
Tanner isn't there long before Louise is telling her to pack up her stuff and head out. Tanner really doesn't have a choice because Louise can't drive and really she doesn't have much else going on.
These 2 cracked me up. Louise has some great one-liners while making points with Tanner. Tanner is still trying to figure out her life after her accident. She's so uptight and serious which is why Louise loves to rib her so much.
This novel is full of heart, joy and laughter. It is not without some poignaint moments as well. I loved this book and it will definitely be one of my favorites for 2023. If you haven't read Colleen Oakley yet, this is a great place to start.
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