Colleen Oakley’s The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise is a warm, funny novel that mixes an unlikely friendship with a surprisingly entertaining road-trip adventure. It is a good choice for readers looking for something uplifting without being overly sweet or predictable.
Tanner Quimby is a young woman whose plans for a future in soccer have fallen apart after a serious accident. Needing a place to live, she reluctantly takes a job as a live-in caregiver for Louise Wilt, an elderly woman who definitely does not believe she needs anyone looking after her. Neither woman is thrilled with the arrangement, and their early interactions provide some of the book’s funniest moments.
Things become much stranger when Louise suddenly insists that they leave town. Soon, Tanner begins wondering whether the seemingly ordinary woman beside her might have a remarkable—and possibly criminal—past.
Oakley has fun with the mystery, but the relationship between Tanner and Louise is what makes the novel memorable. Both women are stubborn, independent, and carrying disappointments they would rather not discuss. As their trip continues, they slowly begin to understand and care about one another.
Some of the story requires readers to accept a few unlikely situations, and certain developments are easier to predict than others. Still, that is part of the book’s playful charm.
The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise is ultimately a feel-good story about friendship appearing where we least expect it. With humor, mystery, adventure, and plenty of heart, it offers an enjoyable reminder that starting over can happen at almost any age.
