Thank you so much @StMartinsPress for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 09 May 2023)

SYNOPSIS | Clover witnessed her kindergarten teacher drop dead during a Peter Rabbit story time & ever since has felt a stronger connection & affinity with the dying than she has with the living. After her grandfather dies, she decides to become a death doula in NYC in the hopes of offering solace & peace to those nearing the end of their life.

WHAT I LIKED:
- a beautiful core message of celebrating life, making the most of every opportunity & living with no regrets
- a unique profession to learn more about
- very similar vibes to Eleanor Oliphant

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- slow moving story with a heavy focus on death that I had difficulty dipping in & out of
- inconsistencies with Clover's character as she was often portrayed extremely naively despite being 36
- I didn't need the romance sub-plot at all

This heartwarming debut novel drew me in right away. Clover is a slightly quirky and very lovable character. I was fascinated by her job and how the book spoke so frankly about death but never felt heavy or dark. I loved her self-awareness and how she learned to trust her intuition. This is lighter and sweeter than I usually like but this touched me and I really enjoyed it.

“The secret to a beautiful death is living a beautiful life.”

As an anxiety ridden 20-something who struggles deeply with the concept of mortality, this book definitely intimated me. Thankfully it proved, at times, to be cathartic. Reading from Clover's point of view was quite interesting, as she's a death doula–a profession I'd never heard of before picking up this book. Really, at its core, this story about death is a celebration of life, living well, connecting with others, and taking chances. Those are all messages I can stand behind.

If you're looking for contemplative lit-fic about life and the choices we make, this is probably right up your alley.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Format: Audio

4.75🌟 - I really really liked it!

Thank you @stmartinspress for the #gifted copy & tote!

A story of grief, healing, self-discovery, and love! A book that is quiet in nature but will leave a strong impact on you.

I resonated with Clover as a FMC, and thought this was such a lovely read! It was balanced with Clover’s personal journey of growth and her unique line of work being a death doula leaving this as a memorable read.

Comforting, heartwarming, and tender this is one that I will absolutely return to again.

This was so much more than I expected it to be, and my only regret is that I didn’t read it sooner.

It’s not a light read; there are few moments of humor and the subject matter is obviously not one of joy, typically. But it’s also not dark, or grim. It’s bittersweet, and unusual, and a little bit like watching the final tug of an invisible stitch that makes the whole seam disappear.

Clover has an unexpected occupation.

From childhood - the loss of her parents soon after watching her teacher collapse right before her eyes - Clover has found she has an unusually strong bond with the dying (and not so much with the living).

Raised by her grandfather in a snug but love-filled New York apartment, Clover floats through her days with her nose in a book or quietly observing the world around her. When her post-school travels leave her on the other side of the world when her beloved grandfather passes unexpectedly, Clover returns home with a determination that she will atone for her absence by being there for others in their final moments.

And so she becomes a death doula, her entire life consisting of little but being a supportive companion for those reaching the end of theirs.

But when she becomes unexpectedly attached to one particular spitfire of a client, the wishes of this wildly loving old woman send Clover on an adventure to find out what regrets she still has time to undo for her. As their final days together rapidly approach, Clover finds herself surprisingly willing to focus on her own regrets as well, and take the chances that could make her finally feel like her own life is one worth experiencing.

"I was still here, still living. But was I just existing out of habit?"

No, I definitely did not sob during many parts of this and use up half a box of tissues........okay, fine, you caught me!
This is one of the most beautiful, touching, and hopeful stories I have ever read. Some books just understand you in a way you didn't even understand yourself prior to reading them and this is one of those books for me. I won't go into a lot of detail about that, but suffice it to say, this book is special to me in so, so many ways, and I'm grateful it exists.

The Collected Regrets of Clover deals with grief, loneliness, isolation, and regret, but it never feels preachy. Mikki Brammer handles these topics with so much care, showing how fears can manifest into routines that feel too scary to branch out of, but how beautiful the end result can be if you slowly open up and challenge yourself little by little.

Clover is a death doula. She talks to and comforts people who are actively dying, listening to their confessions, stories, and regrets, ensuring they not only have a peaceful transition, but have someone by their bedside and aren't dying alone. The catch, however, is that she has social anxiety and rarely interacts with people outside of her job. But that changes when both a new neighbor moves into her building, and when she encounters a man at a death cafe who just so happens to have a grandmother in need of a death doula.

Clover's friendship with Sylvie is SO LOVELY. Seeing how apprehensive Clover was to trust Sylvie at first, and then build a friendship that felt so natural and ingrained in her that it became second nature to refer to her as "my friend" at the end...it was just so beautiful and powerful. I wasn't the biggest fan of Sebastian, though. Every time she brought up how there weren't any sparks with him, I think I cheered. Oops. But he was basically the reason she found such great companionship with his grandmother, Claudia, and then eventually met a guy she DID have sparks with.....so he gets points for those things, I suppose.

Finally, I absolutely love the dichotomy of Clover having such a social occupation, but going home to a dark and empty apartment. I think this separation makes so much sense for her character and is something I deeply relate to as well. She deals with so much anxiety about the unknown, about saying the wrong thing to people and people judging her. She doesn't have friends (aside from an elderly neighbor) and has never been in a relationship, and she spends so much time worrying about how little she understands people. Yet, she sits with people as they take their final breaths. As they make one last confession or share a life-long regret. What's interesting is that she says she doesn't understand how to connect with people, but what is death if not a wonderful way to forge new connections? To learn about who people were and how they lived and what they wished they had done differently; to listen intently and allow their memories to live in your actions? I like how scared Clover is to do things and meet people in her personal life, and how her guard falls down when she's at work. She thinks she's fumbling around in the dark, but her hand is actually centimeters from the light switch.

I paired this with the ALC, and I absolutely ADORED Jennifer Pickens' narration. She narrated this story with so much emotion and brought Clover's personality off the page and to life. I already loved the book, and Brammer's writing, but Pickens' narration made it feel like I was sitting with a friend who was telling me a story, instead of just listening to an audiobook.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for this ARC/ALC! I had a lovely experience reading and listening to this story <3

I apologize, I wanted to red this book, but was unable to read this book in the permitted timeframe. Life got in the way, but now I am back, so if this is released to me again, I will download, read and review it.

What a great debut. It was unique and different than other stories I have read before. Clover is a death doula and helps people during their last moments of life. Clover was a true introvert as she grew up – no friends, no romance, stayed home and became very close with her grandfather after her parents died. You learn how Clover grows to understand the world and how she wants to live her life. It’s a sweet book, ultimately light hearted and gives you lots to think about in the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and St.Martin’s Press for the ARC!

Grief is a difficult topic for me to read about and I was a bit unsure when I started The Collected Regrets of Clover whether a book that focuses so much on death and grief would be one that I could make it through. I did find it difficult at times, but I think this was such an important story and there's a lot of wisdom to be found. I would recommend it for someone who is a bit removed from an immediate trauma, but who still lives with grief as a very real presence in their lives. This was a sweet and moving story, a little bit quirky, and one to sit with for a while.

I absolutely loved our girl Clover!
What a beautiful heart
I was instantly intrigued in reading about a death doula. The compassion a person has to help someone in their final days .

This beautifully written book touched my soul and transported me to a world filled with emotion, love, and profound insights. It's a love letter to all the lonely souls that think no one cares about them . The author's elegant prose weaves a heartfelt tale that explores the depths of human connection and the power of companionship. Each page is a treasure trove of poignant moments and profound reflections, leaving me captivated and moved. This sentimental journey reminded me of the importance of cherishing the little moments that make life meaningful with the people you love.

Loved this book so much! I listened to the audio and it completely stole my heart! It was such a well written, beautiful book. I highly recommend it!

The Collected Regrets of Clover is such a sweet and unique story that also addresses so many heavy topics. Centered around Clover’s job as a death doula, this story really focuses on what it’s like to witness someone’s final moments and how grief never truly leaves us. And yet, there is still so much hope throughout the book as Clover navigates her life and building new relationships. I truly enjoyed Clover as a character and seeing the journey of her character as she steps out of her comfort zone. This story has so much heart and I know it will resonate with many readers!

Well. A death doula. A topic that I knew pretty much NOTHING about – but it left me feeling like I had just discovered one of the most compassionate careers ever!! It was a strange read for me – I spent a lot of it confused but ultimately – I enjoyed it. I absolutely adored Clover’s relationship with Leo – and the precious love story that plays out. I wanted to take care of Clover and guide her thru life because it seems as thou she was so sorely misunderstood.
A digital copy of this book was supplied by NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Mikki Brammer in exchange for my honest review.

Clover is a death doula. She is quite familiar with loss and grief as she lost her parents to an accident while they were on vacation. She grew up in her grandfather's apartment in New York City. She never felt that she fit in at school. College provided her a more varied exposure. While studying abroad, her grandfather died. She finds a book of regrets.
Clover helps individuals transition from life to death. She works by referral and is so busy that she barely has time to live her life. She meets someone in a grief support group that she becomes friends with. He asks her to see his grandmother who is near death. His grandmother shares a story of lost love with Clover. This leads Clover on an adventure that ls life-changing.
This is a wonderful story of life, death, love and what's important in life.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of those emotional books that you'll need to take a moment afterward before being able to pick up anything else.
Clover is a death doula, doing what not many can do and guiding people through their final days. But this story far from sad but rather beautiful.
As Clover so caringly guides people to focus on the beauty of their own lives, she herself is still hiding within her own grief. In her desire to help ease Claudia on her last days, Clover takes a trip to find answers to Claudia's past. And that trip becomes more of a journey for Clover as she processes how she has let grief stop her from living her own life. There are such special characters in this story besides Clover, especially Claudia, Hugo and of course, Leo.
One of the most endearing part of this book, is the journaling Clover does where she records the final words of each of her clients. Their final words of wisdom provide such hopefulness. I couldn't help but think of the important people in my life that I have lost and while I once again shed some tears for them, these tears warmed my heart.
Please don't hesitate to pick this book up. It will truly stay with you long after you finish.
Thank you so much NetGalley, Mikki Brammer and St. Martin's Press for entrusting me with a copy of this beautiful debut.

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

A well written debut about life, love and death. This one took me a little to get into but once I did, I really enjoyed the character and arc. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion

Very unique/interesting perspective - one of those books you will take wisdom from. Great storyline and character development; however, It began to feel a bit cheesy towards the end. We all have things we regret, what are you doing to keep that list from growing?

A beautiful, refreshing, and unique story. The way Beamer initiates a human and honest conversation on death, life, and the grief and joy held in both is critical and was personally much-needed.

I cried, I smiled, felt sad and am so glad I never lived in the crowded New York. Sad that family ignores senior citizens until the will is read. What an amazing job to help people die in peace. I found the book interesting and powerful.