Kelly and Nova own Parting Your Way, a business dedicated to helping those who are dying. They are not or do they profess to be medical personnel or lawyers. Their goal is to assist the dying with acceptance and provide the compassion and understanding that may be missing from their lives. Every client has unique needs, but each one gets a questionnaire type document so they can figure out what is needed the most.
Until Mason, a younger man comes to see Kelly, and Nova who manages the younger clients becomes his death doula. He shuns the requisite forms, but Nora can sense his pain and does everything she can to help him on his journey. They develop a strong bond, much deeper than anyone realizes. When the unthinkable occurs, Parting Your Way might become another casualty.
This book! I am not a crier, but I was so emotionally invested in the story, that I sighed loudly and sadly a hundred times. The story unfolds from multiple POVs, and when the reason for the heartbreaking ending was revealed, my heart felt broken into so many pieces. An eye-opening look at death as well as what it takes to live your life to the fullest, until the end.

The Next Thing You Know was a good book. I requested this book from NetGalley because I have a meditation and tarot teacher that is an end of life doula and I wanted to learn more about this career. I am also single with not children so you never know if you will need an end of life doula. It is a fascinating concept and I can see how this would be very helpful in many situations.

Nova Huston is one of the main characters and is the end of life doula. She knows she should not become personally involved with her clients but given the situations it would be hard not to befriend her clients and their family members. Mason Shalor becomes one of her clients. Mason is a guitar player with the debilitating condition in his hands and arms that surgery has been unable to reverse. This book has been compared to Me Before You and I believe there are some similarities. This book does not rip your heart out in quite the same way which is a good thing.

This book will stick with you for a long while after you finish it. I would give it 4.5 stars. The publishing date is March 22, 2022. I would like to thank NetGalley for an advanced copy and St. Martin's Press. #StMartinsPress #NetGalley #JessicaStrawser #TheNextThingYouKnow

THIS WAS AN AMAZING BOOK!!!
I'm a huge Jessica Strawser fan - and this book totally lives up to the bar that she's set with all previous books! I've never heard of an end of life doula before, so this was a totally new to me topic. I loved the gradual relationship between Nova and Mason - and I enjoyed Nova's backstory as to how she came to the profession that she did. While her mentorship bothered me a little because I feel that the relationship was a little one sided, I was ultimately as happy with the ending - and loved how it all came to a close . Thanks to Netgalley for providing a digital copy of this amazing book in exchange for an honest review.

As an end-of-life doula, Nova Huston’s job—her calling, her purpose, her life—is to help terminally ill people make peace with their impending death. Unlike her business partner, who swears by her system of checklists, free-spirited Nova doesn’t shy away from difficult clients: the ones who are heartbreakingly young, or prickly, or desperate for a caregiver or companion.

When Mason Shaylor shows up at her door, Nova doesn’t recognize him as the indie-favorite singer-songwriter who recently vanished from the public eye. She knows only what he’s told her: That life as he knows it is over. His deteriorating condition makes playing his guitar physically impossible—as far as Mason is concerned, he might as well be dead already.

Except he doesn’t know how to say goodbye.

Helping him is Nova’s biggest challenge yet. She knows she should keep clients at arm’s length. But she and Mason have more in common than anyone could guess… and meeting him might turn out to be the hardest, best thing that’s ever happened to them both.

Following the life of a death doula, within a romance, was hugely intriguing to me. However, I just could not connect to this story. I tried multiple times to come back to it, especially given how glowing the other reviews have been, but it just didn't grab me. It was more elevated than your run of the mill romance, which I liked, but I think there wasn't quite enough poetry to the language or strength in the relationship between the protagonists-- who we don't see with each other all that much-- to make me want to power through.

4.5 Made Me Think Stars

I have really enjoyed the three previous Jessica Strawser books that I’ve read and this one might have the slight lead to be my favorite. Strawser is not afraid to explore complex issues and this time she tackles death doulas. I think her books make excellent choices for books clubs because they raise issues and make you think which can lead to a great discussion!

Nova and Kelly are two death doulas working together in Cincinnati. Terminally ill people might seek a death doula to reconcile things before their death, they could be legal issues, family issues, but are often relationship issues. The doulas don’t dispense any medical care or legal advice but can be advocates for their clients. Kelly tends to do things by the book while Nova doesn’t shy away from difficult cases.

They have a surprise client one day, a younger man than they usually see at 36, but they know that a terminal diagnosis can come at any age. Nova begins to work with Mason and he’s a tough nut to crack. He doesn’t open up as much as other clients and he’s got a lot of anger that he’s now unable to play the guitar and his arms are losing strength. As Mason and Nova slowly grow closer, she struggles with how to help him say goodbye and forgive himself and others.

An angry family member gets the police involved and legal action is threatened against Kelly and Nova. The author highlights the fact that death doulas are not licensed, thus not having the protections of therapists or lawyers.

This one really got to me, and I admit I shed some tears at the end. I find myself still thinking of the characters and how life isn’t always fair. I do like the concept of death doulas, and I think a lot of us could use some help with a meaningful departure from the world.

This made for some interesting discussion with Jayme and I as we buddy read this one. I think I liked it more than she did but be sure to read her review to read why!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review. Unfortunately, I just didn’t like this book. The subject matter sounded like it would be interesting, but for some reason the story just dragged. Didn’t really connect with any of the characters. It had potential to be really good, but I think it needed better character development. It was also a little hard to follow who was speaking when. The only part I liked was when the story wrapped up at the end. I did finish the book, but it wasn’t really enjoyable.

Jessica Strawser’s novel The Next Thing You Know Has is being compared to Me Before You and A Star Is Born. You will see why when you read her latest book.
Mason Shaylor is an Indie singer-songwriter with a deteriorating medical condition which makes playing his guitar physically impossible. He seeks out an End-of-Life Doula to help him make peace with his goodbyes he is assigned to Nova Huston. The story goes back and forth between then and now. This helps the reader get a fuller understanding of both characters and their relationships.

I appreciated learning about End-of-Life Doulas, Strawser introduces the concept with compassion and empathy. This would be great for book Book Clubs.


Thank you #netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up!

Death with Dignity laws are in the books in the District of Columbia, and ten States-California, Colorado, Hawaii, Montana, Maine, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont and Washington. These acts allow for Physician assisted death-or medical aid in dying under very SPECIFIC guidelines.

Death Doulas, on the other hand CANNOT intervene medically or ASSIST with the death process-instead they step in to provide assistance in planning for the end of life-filling in the gaps that Hospice or Funeral providers cannot provide, offering grief support and companionship for Patients and their families. Although not a new practice in many other cultures, it is a newer movement in Western countries.

The synopsis of this book describes it as “A Star is Born” meets “Me Before You” and I am happy to report, that it is accurate!

Mason Shaylor, is an Indie singer-songwriter with a deteriorating medical condition which makes playing his guitar physically impossible.

He seeks out an “End of Life Doula” to help him make peace with his goodbyes, and is assigned to Nova Huston.

But when her methods are questioned and a malpractice suit is brought against “Parting Your Way”, a holistic practice she shares with its founder, Kelly Monroe, the law offers little precedence.

AND, nobody realizes that Nova is also grieving for Mason on a personal level as they had become quite close.

Although I enjoyed learning more about “End of Life Doulas”, this is a very dialogue driven story, and I didn’t find it to be particularly riveting. But the author introduces the concept with sensitivity and it is evident that she has done her research.

I DO think that this would make an EXCELLENT choice for book clubs, as I DO think the idea is misunderstood. if your group can respectfully discuss polarizing topics, this book could offer one of your more scintillating conversations.

Thank You to St. Martin’s Press for my gifted copy.,
Available March 22, 2022

You want to know what it’s like to get your heart ripped out and stomped on by an emotional fire storm of a book! This! You read this! Jessica Strawser just wrote a book that did just that to me! I have been her fan since her very first book and I always think ok, how is she going to top the last one and blow me away….then she sneaks around the corner and BOOM delivers one of the best books to date! I fell hard for theses characters and I didn’t want them to go away when I finished the book. It’s fine I’m fine everything will be fine….until I read her next book lol. I seriously can praise her and her work enough! If you haven’t read a book by Jessica Strawser you are missing out on one heck of an amazing writer! Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my arc these opinions are my very own 🥳

"The Next Thing You Know" involves end-of-life doulas/"death" doulas. I did not realize that was an occupation, but it seems that (in real life) they provide a valuable service and fill a significant need in the area of end-of-life care/planning. The story focuses on doula Nova Huston and client Mason Shaylor. Kelly Monroe, the owner of "Parting Your Way" is the more conventional, by the book, doula, and per personal policy, does not take clients under age sixty. Her business partner, Nova, is more of a free spirit, living life boldly and bending the rules when necessary. As a result, Nova tends to take on the more unconventional clients. Mason Shaylor definitely qualifies as unconventional, because he is young and seeking services for himself, and there is a question whether he is terminally ill. Mason is not very forthcoming about what is wrong with him or his prognosis, but he was a semi-famous musician (which Nova did not realize initially) with nerve damage to his arms/hands, and for which surgery failed, and he can no longer play/perform as he has in the past. He is still capable of playing guitar, but only for very short periods and with difficulty and pain. His life has revolved around his music and without the ability to write and perform music, he sees no purpose for his life. When he dies in a single-car accident and a suicide note is found in his vehicle, questions are raised as to whether his death was accidental. His mother is convinced that Nova either knew Mason was suicidal and did not take appropriate action or she was negligent, failing to see the warning signs, and essentially provided Mason with instructions on how to put his affairs in order and end his life. This brings intense scrutiny on "Parting Your Way" and Nova, as Mrs. Shaylor pushes the police to investigate the accident more closely and she goes to the media and files a lawsuit. The story alternates between events leading up to Mason's accident and the aftermath of his death, especially the toll it takes on Nova, as Mason had become more than just a client (and eventually no longer a client), and because the scrutiny will result in the revelation of a literally life-altering secret that Nova has been carrying around.

The characters in this book are great, and I really liked the interaction between Nova and Mason, as well as between Nova and Willow, Kelly's daughter. The story involves other clients utilizing Nova's service, and those relationships and interactions are quite touching, especially those involving Glenna, but also at times quite amusing (featuring Glenna). At the end of the book, the reader finds out how Mason's car accident happened and whether it was intentional/suicide. The resolution is well crafted and quite fitting for the story.

What really makes the book stand out to me is that it is very thought-provoking. Nova's life-altering secret radically transformed her life, and she began living life on her terms. Her experience, which she will eventually share with Mason, allows her to relate to and understand Mason in a way that few other people possibly could. However, she is not really as "free" and fearless as her lifestyle and attitude would suggest, which will have implications in the story. Yet, when reading about how Nova changed her life (and recognizing that this story is fictional and therefore the author can take liberties that might not be feasible in real life), I could not help but think about how I might live differently if I had the "freedom" to live life on my own terms and to what extent I can actually change my life, what constraints have I placed on myself/what constraints do people more generally place on themselves that reasonably could be removed if I/we had the courage to take the leap and live more authentic lives, less concerned with how others/society perceives us or expects of us.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC. Mason, an famous singer-songwriter disappears from the world and comes to Nova to hire her as his End of Life Doula. With no questions asked about his condition, they begin a meaningful friendship. Is he really dying, if so, from what and if not, why does he feel like his life is ending? This is such a sweet story of heartbreak and the loss of your gifts and talents. I cried the last three chapters because I couldn't handle the love and heartbreak. #TheNextThingYouKnow #JessicaStrawser #March2022 #stmartinspress

I had high hopes for this novel (specially given the great reviews that I read and its being described as a mix of A Star is Born and Me Before You): the story of a musician who could no longer play and who hires a death doula because he believes that his life is over. But for whatever reason, I had a hard time getting into the story, and it just did not grab me at all. It seemed to move way too slowly, and I could not really relate to the characters all that much. Nonetheless, I applaud the fact that the novel deals well and very sensitively with a lot of major issues.

A good read, even brought a tear to my eye at the end, but a little hard to follow with the bank and forth "then" and "now." Very interesting information about what it means to be a death doula.

As a postpartum doula, I have heard of end-of-life doulas but this is the first novel that has had one as a main character.

As many others have commented, The Next Thing You Know definitely has A Star is Born meets Me Before You vibes, which works just fine for me because I loved Me Before You and also A Star Is Born!

Very good book, but be prepared to cry your eyes out. What else would you expect though, going in? This is not a story you will soon forget!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I can't. I can't. I just can't. I'm trying desperately to find the words for this book and I just can't. Every time I try, my throat closes and my eyes well up with tears. That is how much that book has impacted me.

A death doula, I don't know why just the thought of it hit me like a ton of bricks and one of her clients is a famous singer who is barely recognizable.
The relationship between them is one of hope, love, strenght and so on. I'm getting weepy just writing about it.
I will come back once the book is published so that I can give a clearer review on it.
Just make sure you have tissues when you read it.

Thank you so much to the author, Jessica Strawser, the publishing company, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an early read for my honest review.

An end of life Doula and a musician who is facing the end of his career, come together in this story. This is a breathtaking, heartbreaking, emotional story which the author blends together perfectly. This book flowed very quickly and I was intrigued throughout the whole story line.

This author never disappoints, and I can't wait for the next one. 4+ stars

This book jumps back and forth between several characters past and present. It didn’t really grab my attention and I found it really hard to get into. I’ve liked this author’s past books but this one just doesn’t do it for me. I’m sure others will enjoy it.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

Thanks to NetGalley andSt. Martin’s press for ARC.

This book was definitely a tearjerker. And if you were in the mood for an emotional read like the movie, A Star is Born, then this is for you. It’s definitely a tearjerker so I have the tissues handy. This is my first novel by Jessica Strother and it won’t be my last. My only complaint is that I wish I would’ve bonded the characters a little bit more than I did. I don’t know what was off that made me not be able to do so to the extent that I had hoped for, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless

4.5 Stars

A story of life and loss that is also a story of hope, and of finding a path forward following loss. A story that also manages to be uplifting, and leave you pondering this story of a life and all of the questions left unanswered at the end of a life.

This is the first of Jessica Strawser’s books that I’ve read, and I loved this introduction. Last year I read another book that included a death doula, which left me thinking about the profound and genuine love someone must have to spend their days caring for how others prepare for the end of those days. It is one thing to care for a member of your family, and hope for a gentle end for them, it is another to make it your career.

Despite the topic, this is a story filled with an abundance of genuine, caring gestures, love and hope. Nova Huston is one of two end-of-life doulas, working with her partner, Kelly Monroe. Kelly goes by a system, a checklist of questions, answers, and a clear, defined path based on the client. Nova chooses to navigate each situation by listening for their needs, and personally connecting and caring for them. Not surprisingly, most of their clients are elderly, so when Mason, a young musician, requests their services, Nova enters the picture.

This is an emotional story, which shouldn’t come as a surprise, but it is also a thought-provoking one. The families of those involved add some drama, as well. Losing a loved one, and the pain involved for the families involved is also part of this story, as is an element of not honoring their wishes.

Ultimately, this is a story of hope, as well as the loss of hope, and love, and even the transformative power of love.


Pub Date: 22 Mar 2022

Many thanks for the ARC provided by St. Martin’s Press

I really usually like books by Jessica Strawser, but I couldn't get into this one. I think it was the subject matter and all that is going on in the world right now. I tried a second time to read it and still only got about 1\3 of the way through before I gave up. The writing and character development were great, storyline was just too depressing for me.