Skip to main content

SOCIAL MEDIA

Literary Friday: Close Enough to Touch *PLUS* a Giveaway!

Friday, May 19, 2017




Happy Literary Friday, My Lovelies!  This week I read one of my favorite books of the year so far, Close Enough to Touch by Colleen Oakley.  Y'all must add this title to your Summer Reading List: It's the *perfect* lake or beach read!


According to Goodreads:

From the author of Before I Go comes an unconventional love story perfect for fans of the emotional novels of Jodi Picoult and Jojo Moyes.

One time a boy kissed me and I almost died... 

And so begins the story of Jubilee Jenkins, a young woman with a rare and debilitating medical condition: she’s allergic to other humans. After a humiliating near-death experience in high school, Jubilee has become a recluse, living the past nine years in the confines of the small town New Jersey house her unaffectionate mother left to her when she ran off with a Long Island businessman. But now, her mother is dead, and without her financial support, Jubilee is forced to leave home and face the world—and the people in it—that she’s been hiding from.

One of those people is Eric Keegan, a man who just moved into town for work. With a daughter from his failed marriage who is no longer speaking to him, and a brilliant, if psychologically troubled, adopted son, Eric’s struggling to figure out how his life got so off-course, and how to be the dad—and man—he wants so desperately to be. Then, one day, he meets a mysterious woman named Jubilee, with a unique condition...

Close Enough to Touch is an evocative, poignant, and heartrending exploration of the power and possibilities of the human heart.


Add to Goodreads badge

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble



Connect with Colleen

Website | Facebook | Twitter






My Review:  This book appeals to my inner book nerd.  Jubilee is an avid reader, and she earned her online degree in English Literature.  When she's forced to leave her home for the first time in almost a decade, she runs into Madison, one of the mean girls responsible for "humiliating near-death experience in high school," at a convenience store.  When she learns that Jubilee needs a job, Madison uses her influence as a member the local library's board of directors to secure her a one there.  I confess that I enjoyed all the book/literary references and discussions throughout the book, especially the chick lit Eric reads in order to connect with his daughter.  The book also appeals to my inner comic book nerd: There are plenty of references to the X-Men Comics, and as many of my loyal readers know I am a Marvel Girl!

I love the characters in this book.  Jubilee is so inspiring...I admire her bravery and capacity to love the people she encounters in her very small world.  Eric's world is much larger and even more complicated. He is trying very hard to connect with his wayward teenage daughter, and he's determined to help his adopted godson Aja deal with his grief over his parents' tragic deaths.  Aja is such a fun character: He is precocious and extremely intelligent.  He and Jubilee bond over many things, including the X-men, books, and trivia.  

Needless to say, I also enjoyed the story.  It's heartwarming, uplifting, and enthralling.  I read it in an afternoon: I couldn't put it down!  If you enjoy family dramas, romance, and chick lit (Madison and Jubilee form a strong friendship), you will love Close Enough to Touch.  

Disclosure:  I received a copy of Close Enough to Touch from the publisher via TLC Book Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review.



And now on the the Giveaway...

Use the Rafflecopter widget below for a chance to win a copy of Close Enough to Touch.  Good luck!








Until next time...

Happy reading!
Ricki Jill



14 comments

  1. When the main character's name is Jubilee, it has to be a great read!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sounds like a good read. I'm rereading one of my favourite childhood book, The Secret Garden.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The best book I've read ( listened to) this year is A Gentleman in Moscow.
    This book sounds intriguing. Thanks for introducing it to us.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi- That book sounds like a great read. I tried to sign up for the giveaway but it won't let me past the 'entry'...and won't let me leave a comment-even though it asks for the favorite book you have read this year.
    If you can-throw my name in the mix. This sounds like a great book.
    Hope you have a great weekend- xo Diana

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh- and the best book I have read so far this year is an old 're-read'--Apple Tree Lean Down by Mary Pearce.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for the review. Sounds like just the book for my upcoming trip!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Jubilee is such a happy name for this girl, sounds like quite an interesting story!
    Jenna

    ReplyDelete
  8. When Breath Becomes Air. Excellent book!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I loved "Life After" by Kate Ganshert. It was so thought-provoking and really put me in the characters' place.
    Dianna

    ReplyDelete
  10. The best book I've read so far this year is The Night the Lights Went Out by Karen White.

    ReplyDelete
  11. i really liked Dark Matter. i didnt read as much as i liked this year but will be reading a bunch relaaxing this summer

    ReplyDelete
  12. Well, I have enjoyed The Nightingale ~ Historical Romance / Fiction during WWII

    ReplyDelete
  13. The characters, the setting - it all sounds wonderful! Thank you for your review!

    ReplyDelete

Comments are friendly!


Hello, Lovelies!

I'm Ricki Jill. Welcome! I'm honored that you're reading my blog. I enjoy sharing my creative lifestyle @ The Bookish Dilettante. For more information about my blog, please read the Start Here page. Thank-you for stopping by, and I hope you'll consider following me via email.

Labels

Follow me on Instagram