Close Enough to Touch: A Novel

Jubilee Jenkins was born with a rare allergy to other people. Never being able to feel the touch of another, and terrified as to what might happen if she does, Jubilee ends up not leaving her house for 9 years. When necessity dictates that she get a job, will Jubilee be able to summon the courage to step outside?

Eric Keegan is raising his best friend's son Aja alone, after his wife left with his daughter Ellie in tow. When Aja's issues turn dangerous, will Eric be able to get him the help he needs?

After Jubilee and Eric meet and become friends, can they learn to lean on each other for the support and affection that they both crave?

Close Enough to Touch is not exactly original, but the author does a great job of bringing her characters to life. Jubilee is my favorite in the book, as her strength and determination are very inspiring. I enjoyed reading Close Enough to Touch and I look forward to the next book by author Colleen Oakley.

***4.5 STARS

Does the giddiness over a good book ever go away?
This was my first Colleen Oakley novel and honestly, where have I been? I will mostly certainly not miss another one of her novels!
This story pulled me in immediately, and not just because of the rare condition the main character lives with; I was also pulled in by the sweet, blooming romance, the small bits of hilarity here and there, and the heart-warming, but also heart-breaking, elements this novel greatly captures.

Jubilee Jenkins is unlike any other after being diagnosed with an extremely rare condition: she is allergic to humans. After a life-threatening kiss in high school, she finds comfort in her own home, becoming a recluse after not joining the outside world for nine years. However, when she hears the news of her mother’s death, Jubilee finds herself having to make face with everything she has been intentionally hiding herself from. She must now find the means to support herself and upon landing a job, she meets Eric Keegan, who is also living through his struggles in his own way.

From the very beginning, Jubilee and Eric’s relationship had me on my toes. They first meet in the library where Jubilee works and I could not stop smiling during their first interaction. Throughout the story, it was no different. The connection that the both of them share is one of the sweetest, yet heart-breaking relationships, due to the fact that they can’t touch each other for fear of risking Jubilee’s life, though it’s so strong that they were willing to risk it all if for only just one second of contact.
Overall, their small conversations (especially those regarding books!) and just the way that this romance was more of slow-burning one had me hooked! I could not have imagined it any other way, angst and all.

"I like the way he looks at me. Not like I'm an oddity, but like I'm just a normal girl, a woman. And I can't remember the last time I felt normal.”

I am still an awe of what a unique story this one was. I applaud Colleen Oakley for being so descriptive with Jubilee’s condition and also for allowing us, the readers, to really get a good look at all of Jubilee’s emotions. When she hurts, when she’s fearful of the outside world, when she longs for simple human touch, I loved that we got to see that and even feel it right along with Jubilee. The newspaper was another thing that did it for me. I loved the way the story was split by the newspaper the first features Jubilee and her rare condition. It was such an important touch that added so much more to the story and I really appreciated it being included.

Another element that I loved in this novel was that of friendships. Jubilee has spent her life in the confines of her own home and since her mother had left, she had been all alone.
Once she begins to live a life outside of her home, she bumps into old and new friends, some of which whom she slowly begins to form friendships with that no longer leave her feeling so alone.
One of my favorite friendships has to be the one Jubilee has with Aja, Eric Keegan’s adopted son. Aja’s parents, Eric’s best friends, died in terrible accident and Eric took on the responsibility of taking care of Aja. However, Aja, a troubled little boy, begins to make it hard for Eric to talk to as Aja seems to mostly keep to himself. Eventually, Aja finds himself very interested in Jubilee and her condition, that a sweet friendship begins to bloom and I couldn’t have asked for anything more. Aja is intelligent, witty, and he made this story one worth reading.

Close Enough to Touch was one of my most anticipated reads and it certainly did not disappoint. From the very first page to its last, I laughed, I smiled, I clutched at my heart and I even shed a tear or two. This novel was beautiful, angsty, and full of so much hope, I couldn’t put it down for one single second. Jubilee’s story is most definitely one to remember and if you’re in the mood for a real romance with flawed characters, who only wish to persevere in life and with each other, then this is your book!

I received this book as a giveaway through Tall Poppies writers by the author. While this was the first Colleen Oakley I read, it won't be the last! She's an amazing writer. The protagonist, Jubilee Jenkins, lives alone and has done so for the past nine years, ever since her mother married and move away, leaving Jubilee alone. Now here's the thing: Jubilee is allergic to people -- she can't touch or be touched. AND, Jubilee has become agoraphobic. When her mom dies and the checks her stepfather has been sending dry up as a result, Jubilee is forced out into the world in order to work. When she gets a job in her local library (the one thing Jubilee has always excelled at is reading), she begins to meet the people whose lives she will touch and who will touch hers in ways she never expected and for which she is utterly unprepared.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were a little bit different but still relatable and engaging.
Eric and Jubilee are characters who perhaps have learnt to hold back and say too little when there is much to be said in all areas of their life; the difficulties they face with their relationships are sensitively portrayed and it is often their understatement that makes them so beautifully crafted. The character of Aja was also really interesting and I would have liked to explore him a bit more - maybe another book?!
I was really rooting for Jubilee in this book and whilst the epilogue did seem a little rushed, I was so glad that there was one!
This was my first Colleen Oakley but it certainly won't be my last - a lovely, heartwarming read.
I read an ARC of this book

A sad and heart warming story. Jubilee Jenkens a librarian with a rare allergy that she can not touch the skin of other people because it could kill her. She wears gloves all the time to avoid being touched. Eric Keigen divorced with a daughter that will not talk to him has adopted Aja the son of his best friend that was killed in an accident with his wife. Aja has a lot of problems since his parents were killed and gets into a lot of trouble. This story is how they all connect with each other .

Oakley has a terrific touch with both language and plot - she's a great storyteller. This well written novel quickly wrapped me into Jubilee's life and then into Eric's as well. This is a well traveled plot line- woman with issues/single dad with issues and child with issues meet cute - but Oakley has elevated it with unique circumstances and most importantly, with complex characters. Aja's efforts at telekinesis and his love of the X Men make so much sense once you know the context. Try this one for a good, old fashioned read with a big heart.

Jubilee has an allergy. She is allergic to touch. Once in high school she kissed a boy an almost died. She lives alone and stays inside her house for 9 years. She finally ventures out because she needs a job. She is hired on at the library. Eric is raising his best friend's son Aja after his parents die. He and Aja visit the library and meet Jubilee. This is a wonderful story of friendship and family. I loved it! It is a different kind of love story one that pulls at your heartstrings!

What would life be like without human touch? A life of never kissing your child good-night? Of never stroking your elderly mom's back? Of never being slowly, tenderly kissed by someone you adore?

It's unimaginable for most. In Colleen Oakley's novel, Close Enough to Touch, this nightmare is a living reality for protagonist, Jubilee Jenkins. Jubilee has a rare allergy — to people. Although my dermatologist husband assured me that no such allergy exists, it did not minimize my pleasure reading this book and watching Jubilee navigate a minefield of emotional and physical bombs.

Overall, I found Oakley's writing fluid and engaging and found myself eager to always start the next chapter. My primary complaint concerns the character, Eric, Jubilee's love interest. While he is a complex, flawed character, I found his speech to be unbelievable. As in, he speaks the way many women wish men would speak to them but actually don't. He felt like a Nicholas Sparks character to me, which I didn't appreciate.

Otherwise, I enjoyed this book enough that I'm looking forward to reading her first book.

Talented storyteller, Colleen Oakley returns following her smashing debut, Before I Go (2015) with her latest poignant love story, CLOSE ENOUGH TO TOUCH – full of emotion, readers will laugh and cry and fall in love with the memorable characters.

“ . . . Love is messy. It doesn’t come to us in a perfect box all wrapped up in a bow. It’s more like a gift from a child, crayon-scrawled and crumpled. Imperfect. But always a gift just the same.”

Jubilee Jenkins did not wake up one morning and think she was going to become a recluse. She is allergic to other people. Born in 1989 to a single mother, she was the typical infant, and it wasn’t until she was three the issues began. Starting with hives and welts to hospital emergency room visits, and advancing to an EpiPen and anaphylaxis. The physicians were perplexed.

When she was six years old, she was diagnosed with type IV contact dermatitis to foreign human skin cells. She is allergic to other people. The only one of a handful of people in the history of the world with the same condition. Rare. She explodes in welts and hives when someone else’s skin touches hers. Anaphylaxis if she came into oral contact with another human (kissing). She almost died. A boy kissed her. The tongue swelled and throat closed.

Then three months later her mom married Lenny a gas station owner, packed a bag, and left. Sending checks, Jubilee has not left her home in nine years. She felt like a freak. Making do with ordering her food and receiving her education sitting at home online.

Her worst nightmare. Her mom dies, now she is forced to leave her home in order, to support herself. She is terrified. She needs money. She must find a job. How will she leave her home and remain safe?

She finds work at the library and meets Eric Keegan. Eric is divorced and having a problem communicating with his children. An estranged teenage daughter, Ellie and adopted son Aja.

Jubilee will soon become connected with this family in so many ways, on so many levels. Will she ever be able to have a normal human contact relationship? An experimental cure? Would it be too much to hope for? Can she fall in love for the first time at age 28?

What a delightful story and what a fabulous front cover! Can you imagine a life without touch? Three wounded souls connect in unexpected ways.

From Oakley’s debut and her background before becoming a novelist — a health journalist, having written a few articles about allergies, among many other topics, I love her insights and interest in the medical field, which is always intriguing to me since I read everything I can get my hands on and continued research when it comes to allergies.

She integrates newsworthy topics into modern contemporary family lives, allowing her characters to come alive on the pages. Interesting, absorbing, and compelling. Plus enjoy her writing style. For fans of Jodi Picoult, Liane Moriarty, Lisa Genova, Diane Chamberlain, Catherine Ryan Hyde, and Jo Jo Moyes.

As Oakley mentions in her recent interview with Atlanta Magazine: “The burden of responsibility as a parent is already really high, but when your kids have food allergies, it is a constant 24/7 level of vigilance. It’s already terrifying to let your kids out into the world, but knowing that something as little as a peanut or an egg could end their life, and you’re the sole person responsible for that, is really heavy.”

All too true, sadly enough, most people are not educated as to the life-threatening consequences of one single ingredient in a food.

On a side note:
What a timely topic and one I am well versed on. Allergies are quite the mystery. Their triggers can change without rhyme or reason. From welts, hives, and Anaphylaxis numerous times, over foods, additives, chemicals, environmental toxins, and especially, medications of any sort. One drop of cream on your skin, and it can happen. Equipped with Benadryl and an EpiPen, at all times.

I can only imagine how difficult this may be for parents with children they have to protect. When they are at school or at friend’s homes, away from their controlled environment. Many times it is frustrating, as people do not take allergies serious (especially restaurant staff, friends, and the overall hospitality, and medical industry) unless you have been through the nightmare yourself or someone close to you.

I do love my Atlanta authors! Highly recommend both books- an author to follow. A special thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. JDCMustReadBooks

I loved this book!! Jubilee, Eric and Aja are characters I won't soon forget. Wonderful warm story about relationships. Jubilee has an incredibly difficult allergy that has isolated her from others. How she deals with it, past problems with her Mom, past high school characters and sorrows and moves on dealing head on with her fears is amazing. So glad it ended the way it did! Thank you for this wonderful story!

I loved the story of Jubilee Jenkins and her impossible allergy! I was caught straight from the beginning, and couldn't wait to see what happened! I loved getting to know Eric and Aja's story, and how they all helped each other!

I loved everything about this book. Each of the characters were amazing and I loved how I could connect with each of them. While the love story was beautiful I also found I connected to the mother/daughter and father/son story lines too in a way that surprised me. Couldn't put this down!