Wend through this emotionally charged revelation of quelled hopes, misguided fears, and moxie.
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Wend through this emotionally charged revelation of quelled hopes, misguided fears, and moxie.
Tanner and Louise are the oddest pairing of road trip companions Colleen Oakley could ever dream up in this charmingly poignant Scent of a Woman meets Thelma and Louise novel.
Not a nurse by any stretch, Tanner Quimby, who was recently stripped of her college soccer scholarship after an unfortunate accident, is hired to care for octogenarian Louise Wilt while she figures out what to do with her life. At first, things seem dreadfully banal for Tanner, whose short fuse leads her to live in Louise’s home in the first place.
For Louise, sharing her space with a young, aimless stranger is a nightmare. Yet, fate has other plans. As she receives a letter that could change everything, time becomes a precious commodity.
With a pressing need to reach California before her past catches up with her, Louise faces a daunting challenge. However, her unhealed hip, a constant source of pain, threatens to derail her plans. The trip ahead is a test of her resilience and determination. Not to be underestimated, Louise, with a bit of luck, tricks Tanner into crisscrossing the middle states with her.
The ensuing shenanigans notwithstanding, this is an enthralling, if not joyful, ride into how Louise’s and Tanner’s mistakes and regrets shape their journey. It’s about how much you can learn from a virtual stranger on a five-day jaunt to escape the dull suburbs of Atlanta, risking everything for the dramatic landscape of the Pacific Coast. This is a misadventure into humanity as Tanner and Louise must confront their shortcomings, learn to deal with the consequences, and move toward a happy-for-now medium.
The unintentional friendship between them in Oakley’s endearing story is the most touching. Oakley captivates her readers with bits and pieces of back story that resonates with anyone who’s ever had a thorny relationship with a loved one or has been sidelined by a career-ending injury. While complicated, their connection is a compelling one as each yearns for respect and empathy from the other.
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Colleen Oakley is the USA Today bestselling author of The Invisible Husband of Frick Island, You Were There Too, Close Enough to Touch, and Before I Go. Her books have been named best books by People, Us Weekly, Library Journal, and Real Simple, and have been long-listed for the Southern Book Prize. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband, four kids, and the world’s biggest lapdog.
