Jane and Dan at the End of the World
AS SEEN ON THE TODAY SHOW • USA TODAY BESTSELLER • A ZIBBY OWENS MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2025! • A GOOD HOUSEKEEPING BOOK CLUB PICK!
Date night goes off the rails when one couple gets wrapped up in a crime in progress, in this “hilarious” (People) new novel from the USA Today bestselling author.
When Jane and Dan score dinner reservations at the renowned and expensive La Fin du Monde (The End of the World) Jane thinks it’s as good a place as any to tell Dan she wants a divorce.The mother of two feels unneeded by her teenagers, and her writing career has screeched to a halt. Her one published novel sold under five hundred copies. Worse? She’s pretty sure Dan is cheating on her.
But before they even get to the second course, an activist group bursts into the dining room. Jane is shocked—and not just because she’s in a hostage situation the likes of which she’s only seen in the movies! Nearly everything the disorganized and bumbling activists say and do is right out of the pages of her failed book. Even Dan (who Jane wasn’t sure even read her book) admits it’s eerily familiar.
Which means Dan and Jane can predict what’s going to happen next. And they’re the only ones who can stop it. This wasn’t what Jane was thinking of when she said “’til death do us part” all those years ago, but if they can survive this, they can survive anything—even marriage.
Date night goes off the rails when one couple gets wrapped up in a crime in progress, in this “hilarious” (People) new novel from the USA Today bestselling author.
When Jane and Dan score dinner reservations at the renowned and expensive La Fin du Monde (The End of the World) Jane thinks it’s as good a place as any to tell Dan she wants a divorce.The mother of two feels unneeded by her teenagers, and her writing career has screeched to a halt. Her one published novel sold under five hundred copies. Worse? She’s pretty sure Dan is cheating on her.
But before they even get to the second course, an activist group bursts into the dining room. Jane is shocked—and not just because she’s in a hostage situation the likes of which she’s only seen in the movies! Nearly everything the disorganized and bumbling activists say and do is right out of the pages of her failed book. Even Dan (who Jane wasn’t sure even read her book) admits it’s eerily familiar.
Which means Dan and Jane can predict what’s going to happen next. And they’re the only ones who can stop it. This wasn’t what Jane was thinking of when she said “’til death do us part” all those years ago, but if they can survive this, they can survive anything—even marriage.
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Community Reviews
Ah, date night—the perfect time for overpriced entrées, forced smiles, and, in Jane’s case, asking for a divorce. But surprise! Instead of quietly nuking their marriage over goose barnacles, Jane and Dan get taken hostage by a group of eco-activists who may or may not have read Jane’s failed novel like it was a how-to guide. Because nothing says romance like armed environmentalists and the sudden realization that your husband might actually have read your book.
Let’s start with the good: this book is undeniably entertaining. The hostage situation unfolds with just the right mix of absurdity and tension, and Jane’s dry wit keeps the narrative afloat even when her life (and marriage) are sinking faster than the polar ice caps—oh wait, sorry, I’m getting into their rhetoric now. The banter between Jane and Dan is sharp, and watching them navigate their involuntary couples therapy session amid eco-terrorists is undeniably fun.
Now, the not-so-good: The climate change message is about as subtle as a sledgehammer to the face. Yes, we get it—the world is burning, humans are trash, and our grandchildren will be fighting over bottled water like it’s gold. But when the book pauses every few pages to shove another doomsday PSA down my throat, I start feeling less like a reader and more like I’m being held hostage alongside the characters. I came here for marital drama and comedic crime hijinks, not an Environmental Science 101 lecture.
Overall, Dan and Jane at the End of the World is a solid, quirky read with strong character dynamics and a plot that keeps things moving. If you can handle the heavy-handed climate messaging, there’s plenty to enjoy. But if you’re looking for a break from existential dread? Maybe pick something with less end-of-the-world, and more end-of-the-argument-over-who-left-the-toilet-seat-all-the-way-down. (iykyk)
Let’s start with the good: this book is undeniably entertaining. The hostage situation unfolds with just the right mix of absurdity and tension, and Jane’s dry wit keeps the narrative afloat even when her life (and marriage) are sinking faster than the polar ice caps—oh wait, sorry, I’m getting into their rhetoric now. The banter between Jane and Dan is sharp, and watching them navigate their involuntary couples therapy session amid eco-terrorists is undeniably fun.
Now, the not-so-good: The climate change message is about as subtle as a sledgehammer to the face. Yes, we get it—the world is burning, humans are trash, and our grandchildren will be fighting over bottled water like it’s gold. But when the book pauses every few pages to shove another doomsday PSA down my throat, I start feeling less like a reader and more like I’m being held hostage alongside the characters. I came here for marital drama and comedic crime hijinks, not an Environmental Science 101 lecture.
Overall, Dan and Jane at the End of the World is a solid, quirky read with strong character dynamics and a plot that keeps things moving. If you can handle the heavy-handed climate messaging, there’s plenty to enjoy. But if you’re looking for a break from existential dread? Maybe pick something with less end-of-the-world, and more end-of-the-argument-over-who-left-the-toilet-seat-all-the-way-down. (iykyk)
Jane and Dan have a date to celebrate their anniversary at a world renowned restaurant, but there's a glitch, terrorists have taken over the restaurant. What are their demands? And, is that their daughter, among the criminals? Oh, and Jane is sure Dan is cheating on her and asks him for a divorce. Things aren't always as they seem. A fun frolicking read.
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