Where to Start Reading Colleen Oakley
Because all of Colleen Oakley’s novels are written as standalone stories, you have complete freedom in choosing where to begin your journey. There is no overarching chronological timeline, nor are there shared universes or recurring characters to worry about. You can read them in any order you like without fearing spoilers or missed continuity.
However, if you want the optimal introduction to her signature style, we recommend starting with one of two books:
- For a heartwarming, quirky mystery: Start with The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise (2023). This crowd-pleasing, intergenerational road trip novel showcases Oakley's strength in writing unexpected friendships, sharp dialogue, and fast-paced plots. It is widely considered her most accessible and widely appealing book.
- For her classic emotional, high-concept romance: Start with Close Enough to Touch (2017). This book perfectly exemplifies her talent for taking an unusual, almost fantastical premise—a woman allergic to human touch—and grounding it in a deeply moving, realistic search for human connection.
What to Know Before You Start
Colleen Oakley’s novels have earned comparisons to the works of Jojo Moyes, Jodi Picoult, and Rebecca Serle. Before diving in, keep these elements of her writing style in mind:
First, Oakley specializes in high-concept premises that explore human quirks, physical limitations, or strange phenomena. Whether it is an allergy to touch, dreaming of a stranger before meeting them, or simulating a dead husband’s presence to keep a widow happy, her concepts are highly imaginative.
Second, you should prepare for a blend of humor and heavy themes. While her novels are witty and often comical, they also tackle profound issues like terminal illness, grief, midlife crises, and infertility. It is common to laugh on one page and cry on the next.
Finally, as a former senior editor for magazines like Marie Claire and Women’s Health, Oakley brings a journalistic sense of observation and detail to her character building, making even the most eccentric characters feel grounded and authentic.
Colleen Oakley Books in Publication Order
For readers who enjoy watching an author's voice develop over time, following the publication order is a rewarding path. Below is the complete list of Colleen Oakley's fiction and non-fiction works in order of release:
The Standalone Novels
- Before I Go (2015) – Published by Gallery Books. A young woman facing a terminal illness spends her remaining time trying to find a new wife for her husband.
- Close Enough to Touch (2017) – Published by Gallery Books. A reclusive woman with a life-threatening allergy to physical touch takes a chance on an unconventional romance.
- You Were There Too (2020) – Published by Berkley. A woman happily married in the real world is forced to question fate when she meets the man she has dreamed about for years.
- The Invisible Husband of Frick Island (2021) – Published by Berkley. A widow continues to act as though her husband is alive, and her small town lovingly plays along until an ambitious journalist arrives.
- The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise (2023) – Published by Berkley. An 84-year-old woman with a hidden past and her 21-year-old caregiver go on a wild, cross-country road trip to outrun the law.
- Jane and Dan at the End of the World (2025) – Published by Berkley. A struggling married couple celebrates their anniversary at an isolated restaurant, only to be held hostage by eco-activists acting out a plot matching the wife's unpublished novel.
Upcoming Fiction
- In Concert (Expected February 2027) – Published by Berkley. The author's next planned contemporary novel.
Early Non-Fiction
- Love Notes: 100 Ways to Get Kisses, Cuddles and Some Really Great Sex (2010) – Published by Adams Media. A lighthearted, romantic gift book featuring perforated notes meant to be shared between couples.
Chronological vs. Publication Order Caveats
Since Colleen Oakley writes standalones, there are no chronological order conflicts to worry about. The order of events in each book is self-contained. Readers should feel comfortable picking up any book that catches their eye. The publication order is simply a timeline of her career progression, moving from the heavier, tear-jerking tone of her debut, Before I Go, towards the increasingly witty, satirical, and fast-paced styles of Tanner and Louise and Jane and Dan at the End of the World.
In-Depth Guide to Her Major Novels
Before I Go (2015)
Daisy Richmond is only twenty-seven when her breast cancer returns, and she is told she has months to live. Distressed by the thought of leaving her sweet, disorganized husband Jack to fend for himself, Daisy decides to spend her remaining time interviewing and selecting a suitable new wife for him. What begins as an obsessive, humorous matchmaking mission evolves into a poignant exploration of letting go and finding peace.
Close Enough to Touch (2017)
Jubilee Jenkins suffers from a rare medical condition: she is allergic to human touch, and physical contact could kill her. Having lived as a recluse for years, she is forced to step outside her comfort zone and take a job at a local library after her mother's death. There, she meets Eric, a divorced father dealing with the challenges of raising a troubled son. Their slow-burn, emotional romance forces both to rethink what it means to be close to someone.
You Were There Too (2020)
Mia Graydon has a happy life and a loving husband, Harrison. However, for years, she has experienced incredibly vivid dreams about another man she has never met. Her life is upended when she moves to a new town and runs into that exact man, who reveals he has been dreaming about her, too. The book delves into questions of destiny, choice, and commitment, ending on a powerful, emotionally charged note.
The Invisible Husband of Frick Island (2021)
Piper Parrish lives on Frick Island, a tiny, remote community in the Chesapeake Bay. When her husband Tom's boat goes down in a storm, Piper is consumed by grief and begins talking to, cooking for, and walking with an invisible Tom. Rather than correcting her, the entire island decides to pretend Tom is still there. When Anders Caldwell, a podcasting journalist seeking his big break, arrives on the island, he must decide whether to expose the town's mass delusion or protect the community that welcomed him.
The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise (2023)
Tanner Quimby is a college dropout who needs a place to live. Louise Wilt is an eighty-four-year-old widow whose family insists she needs a live-in companion. The two are an unlikely pair, but they quickly find common ground. When a news report links Louise to a decades-old heist, she sweeps Tanner into a high-stakes road trip. The novel is a spirited, humorous story about aging, female friendship, and second chances.
Jane and Dan at the End of the World (2025)
Jane and Dan's marriage has hit a midlife plateau. To mark their anniversary, they travel to a remote, high-end restaurant. Their dinner is crashed by eco-activists, but the hostage situation becomes absurd when Jane realizes the terrorists are copying the exact plot of a failed thriller novel she wrote years ago. As the night unfolds, the couple must work together to navigate the dangers using Jane's knowledge of her own story, rekindling their bond in the process.