Surprising Joy

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My next read completely surprised me—in the best way. Jane and Dan at the End of the World ended up being shockingly good, mostly because I went in with pretty low expectations. I was just looking for a light, quick read, and honestly thought that if the writing wasn’t strong, this kind of story could easily fall flat. Thankfully, it didn’t at all.

This book was so much fun while still keeping me guessing about how on earth it was all going to play out. One of the first things I loved was how relatable the characters and their struggles felt. Jane sees herself as a failed author, feels stuck in her life, is dealing with her oldest child about to leave for college, and feels completely disconnected from her marriage. It’s her and Dan’s nineteenth wedding anniversary, and Dan manages to snag a reservation at an insanely expensive, high-profile restaurant.

Jane, however, is already mentally checked out of the marriage. She’s convinced Dan is too, especially after finding texts to a woman she doesn’t recognize and noticing how secretive he’s been. Before they even order, Jane blurts out that they should get divorced—and from there, the entire night takes a wild turn.

During their first course, a group storms the restaurant with weapons and takes everyone hostage. As the heist unfolds, Jane starts realizing that what’s happening sounds eerily similar to the book she wrote. Then she begins predicting what will happen next… and it actually does. At that point, Jane is convinced they’re using her book as a blueprint for the crime.

I flew through this one and couldn’t stop thinking the entire time that it would make a great movie. It was clever, entertaining, and way more enjoyable than I ever expected.

Favorite Quotes – “I just thought I would do something that mattered. Something important. Do you know what I mean? But it feels like nothing I do matters.”

“Morality isn’t an absolute; it’s situational.”

“It’s not the parenting that’s so exhausting as much as the performance of the same script day in and day out. Or maybe it’s the trying to fix all the things for all the people in her family, when she can’t even fix herself.”