Reviews

Close Enough to Touch by Colleen Oakley

lostinfrance's review against another edition

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4.0

Just a random ARC that sounded interesting...and I am happy I threw it in my suitcase for my trip home this February.
This is the story of Jubilee (why do names always have to be stupid/obscure for chick lit!?) who is allergic to the human touch--- and her attempt to live life and return to society after hiding in her house for 9 years. She makes friends, finds a job at a library...and meets a man who is also struggling to interact with society since he lost his best friend and his daughter. I enjoyed the story a lot, especially the relationship between Aja and Jubilee. I also really appreciated that this "chick lit" was well written and had numerous interesting story lines.

Read: if you like a little meat and heft to your mental escapes in a book.

aejohnson85's review against another edition

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4.0

I really loved this book!! The premise was something different - Jubilee Jenkins is allergic to other people's touch...the main characters (Jubilee, Eric and his adopted son, Aja) are flawed but extremely likable. I was very invested in Jubilee's arc and her romance with Eric. To be honest, the only reason I gave this four stars rather than five, was due to the way the book ended. I found it wrapped up much too quickly and that the
Spoiler epilogue's time jump seven years into the future, where we discover Jubilee is fully cured from a newspaper article excerpt and her new love for Michael
was rather convenient and very rushed. I would have liked more answers at the end, but overall, I really enjoyed this book! I look forward to reading it again, as I think that I devoured it too quickly this time around!!!

skynet666's review against another edition

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4.0

Loved this book!

cmrobe06's review against another edition

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5.0

This story was just incredible, I was torn between crying and laughing every other page. The characters are incredibly lovable and you feel for them. I also found the end very satisfying.

cassidys_bookshelf32's review against another edition

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4.0

"We never know. Loving people, trusting people. It's always a risk. And there's only one way to find out if it's worth it."

Jubilee Jenkins has a rare condition that makes skin to skin contact with humans a deadly interaction for her. The risk of human touch is too much for Jubilee to handle and she becomes a recluse and doesn't leave her home for 9 years. When her financial situation becomes dire, she has to leave her house and look for employment and in a turn of good luck she lands a job at the local library. She ends up meeting Eric and his adopted son Aja, who have their own set of difficult circumstances. Their stories twist and weave throughout the book making for one wonderful story of overcoming fears and the past in order to find a true connection. 4/5🌟

knunderb's review against another edition

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emotional slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I liked the characters a lot, and the story overall was good. But I found the allergy to people a little too extreme to be believable. And the epilogue was terrible.
she threw in a random love triangle at the end that had no resolution whatsoever. It was really dumb and not at all needed.

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blee98's review against another edition

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funny sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

musfira_reads's review against another edition

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4.0

WOAH! It was really good. The feelings of the characters are well expressed. I'm glad it had a happy ending as I didn't want my heart to be broken. Really well written. Had to read 'Before I Go!' now :D

sunset8305's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5 stars. I liked the overall storyline, but I found the writing to be awfully wordy which lost me at various sentences.

ljm57's review against another edition

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4.0

A great read where the need for love triumphs over seemingly insurmountable odds. Thirty-something, Jubilee Jenkins has been a recluse for the past 9 years, avoiding all human contact. For her, it was a matter of life and death, as she suffers from an extremely rare allergy, in that she is allergic to the human skin cells of others. However, her financial circumstances change and she is forced to leave the sanctuary of her home and earn an income, no mean feat. Her struggle to overcome her fears and re-enter mainstream society, together with learning how to form relationships is the crux of this well told story. Some wonderful characters in this book.