NATIONAL BESTSELLER
A Good Morning America Book Club Pick
A Library Reads and IndieNext Pick
A Most Anticipated Book (Parade, Huffington Post, Book Riot, PopSugar)
Goodreads Staffers' Top Three Books of the Year
"With its countless epiphanies and surprises, Oona proves difficult to put down...Oona also reminds us that life is very much in the present, not in the moments that have passed us or the ones yet to come. And that is true no matter our age."
—USA Today
"By turns tragic and triumphant, heartbreakingly poignant and joyful, this is ultimately an uplifting and redemptive read."
—The Guardian
“Oona Out of Order takes a unique approach on time travel. With each turn of a new year, we see the plot move along with unexpected yet entertaining twists and turns. We learn at the end of the day, time is of the essence and love endures all."
—Associated Press
“Oona Out of Order is beautiful and heartbreaking, a novel about the nature of time and how life marches on, that you simply must read.”
—PopSugar
"Looking for a lighthearted read? Maybe something that will remind you all to live your best life? ...A charming, quirky story about aging and self-discovery."
—Book Riot
"A charming, delightful look at how it can be possible to live in the present even when the past and future are always in flux."
—Seattle Book Review
"Oona Out of Order is a delightful read full of surprises and thoughtful retrospection....At the heart of this story lie the deep human connections Oona forges despite her strange lifestyle. These relationships, with their ups and downs, are what will keep readers on the edge of their seat."
—Harvard Crimson
“A smart, funny, time-hopping journey around the last four decades…Montimore’s meditation on what always changes and what never will sparkles with hope and heart, perfect for readers who love a quirky, thought-provoking tale.”
—Shelf Awareness
“Witty, humorous, heartwarming. Imbued with musical and cultural influences spanning decades and reminiscent of Liane Moriarty’s What Alice Forgot and Kate Atkinson’s Life After Life, Oona Out of Order is a delightfully freewheeling romp.”
—Booklist (starred review)
“A compelling page-turner…Montimore delivers a rock-and-roll love letter to 1980s–90s New York City as Oona discovers her true self through a lifetime of music and pop culture. A perfect match for those who enjoy well-developed characters with a twist.”
—Library Journal (starred review)
“Montimore sustains the concept by rooting the story in Oona’s relationships, employing sparkling humor as Oona struggles to make sense of each year’s new circumstances. This witty, fantastical exploration of life’s inevitable changes is surprising and touching.”
—Publishers Weekly
“A heartfelt novel that celebrates its implausibility with a unique joie de vivre.”
—Kirkus Reviews
"Margarita Montimore has written a dazzling novel. This madcap opera, the story of Oona Lockhart's life told in full with scope and breadth in and out of sequence but never out of tune, is the perfect read for this moment. Modern, emotional, funny, ferocious, and spun with enough light and magic to fire up the Vegas strip, Oona Out of Order lands like a meteor."
—Adriana Trigiani, author of Tony's Wife
"A fascinating and beautifully crafted tale which explores identity and relationships in one woman’s unpredictable and radically-changing world. Unputdownable and uplifting, what Montimore has penned is a treasure that will remind you of the importance of living life fully in the present."
—Kim Michele Richardson, author of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
“Oona Out of Order is haunting—a fascinating, sometimes heart-wrenching exploration of life lived moment-to-moment.”
—Emily Colin, author of The Memory Thief
Narrator Brittany Pressley recounts the story of Oona Lockhart and her transformative time travels. The story begins in 1982 in New York City as Oona is celebrating her nineteenth birthday on New Year’s Eve and soon jumps to the year Oona is 51. As the story continues, Oona travels back and forth between various periods in her life. Using tones of both melancholy and cheerfulness, Pressley engagingly describes Oona's feelings and the unexpected changes that take place. Pressley is fluid in her descriptions and adds intrigue to each decade hop. Montimore's character-driven novel is a fresh spin on time travel and the moments of self-discovery that occur throughout a life. D.Z. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine