CLOSE ENOUGH TO TOUCH

March 2017 Indie Next List Pick • Real Simple #1 Best Book for March • Romantic Times Top Pick

Love has no boundaries…

Jubilee Jenkins has a rare condition: she’s allergic to human touch. After a nearly fatal accident, she became reclusive, living in the confines of her home for nine years. But after her mother dies, Jubilee is forced to face the world—and the people in it—that she’s been hiding from.

Jubilee finds safe haven at her local library where she gets a job. It’s there she meets Eric Keegan, a divorced man who recently moved to town with his brilliant, troubled, adopted son. Eric is struggling to figure out how to be the dad—and man—he wants so desperately to be. Jubilee is unlike anyone he has ever met, yet he can’t understand why she keeps him at arm’s length. So Eric sets out to convince Jubilee to open herself and her heart to everything life can offer, setting into motion the most unlikely love story of the year.

“The story of three wounded souls denied the human touch they desire, expertly conceived with all the warmth and affection of an enormous bear hug. A real achievement.”
— Steven Rowley, bestselling author of Lily and the Octopus

“A witty, inventive, and bittersweet story of a reclusive young woman forced to venture into the world where complex medical issues become tangled with longings of the heart.”
— Beth Hoffman, New York Times bestselling author of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt and Looking for Me

“It’s so rare these days to find an utterly original heroine like Jubilee — one who is bravely living an almost unimaginable life. Gripping, raw, and moving, this is one of my favorite novels of the year.”
— Sarah Pekkanen, bestselling author of Skipping a Beat and The Opposite of Me

“For fans of the emotional romances of Jojo Moyes.”
—Library Journal 

“In Close Enough to Touch we meet Jubilee Jenkins, who has a life-threatening allergy to human touch, and Eric Keegan, a good guy whose life isn’t going according to plan. Colleen Oakley expertly weaves Jubilee and Eric’s stories together, ensuring we laugh a lot and cry a little as we fly through the pages. This is a heart-warming, unconventional love story you won’t be able to put down.”
— Karma Brown, bestselling author of Come Away With Me and The Choices We Make

“Oakley delivers a story that overflows with compassion, humor, and the impulsive need to read just one more chapter until you reach the very satisfying end.”
— Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author of Driftwood Summer and Coming Up For Air

“Colleen Oakley writes a unique twist on love that I couldn’t read it fast enough. With effortless charm, wit, and just a touch of heat (pun intended), Close Enough to Touch’s offbeat characters warmed my heart with tender moments and heartbreaking revelations.”
— Amy E. Reichert, author of The Coincidence of Coconut Cake and Luck, Love & Lemon Pie

“Oakley masterfully creates a high-stakes story that still feels solidly real. All of her characters are well-rounded and charming, especially Jubilee. Readers will cheer each time she takes a risk and delight in her triumphs. A romantic, sweet story about taking chances and living life fully.”
— Kirkus Reviews

“Heart wrenching and humorous, Oakley delivers an out-of-the-ordinary love story with steady quips and endearing characters…[Jubilee’s] journey from recluse to recovery is fascinating.”
— Publishers Weekly