3.5 *

I enjoyed this unique story. I must admit that I had never heard of a, Death Doula until I read the blurb on the book. Kudos to the author on such an innovative debut novel!

Clover is an interesting character. She has had a fascination with death since her kindergarten teacher fell over and died in front of the class. Her parents were killed in a boating accident while on vacation in China when Clover was 6 years old. She was then raised by her Grandpa in NYC and was very close to him. She's never had any real friends or a love interest and at 36 years old she's still mourning the death of her Grandfather some 10 years later. Through her work as a Death Doula, Clover collects the last words of her dearly departed clients. In a notebook she has three sections: Regrets, Advice, and Confessions. Clover thinks about these things and ponders over them a lot. Through her work Clover meets an elderly lady named Claudia. This new client will help Clover in many ways to come.

I admit the morbid talk in this story was a little unsettling for me to read but I stuck with it. It really has an uplifting message. Essentially this story is about taking hold of the reins and living life to the fullest. A touching story.

I'd like to kindly thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for granting me access to this Advance Reader Copy.

Available from May 9, 2023 and onwards

I stopped reading this book at the 32%.mark. I did not connect to the characters or story. I found nothing intriguing or thought-provoking enough to continue onwards.

This bittersweet book was a game changer for me and possibly my favorite read this year. This book is different and sets forth a new path in this genre. What if we could try to leave life behind with fewer regrets? Or are we doomed and destined to die angry and bitter and cross at the notion of all the regrets we had while living?.. this was haunting and beautiful and really makes you think.

"The secret to a beautiful death is to live a beautiful life." A compelling debut novel that juxtaposes the ideas of life and death. As Clover navigates the deaths of others, she slowly begins to find her self and really start living her life. A well written and relatable story that shows you that it is important to live life to the fullest and not regret not taking certain chances. As much as she deals with death of her loved ones, I was happy to see Clover find her happy ending.

Such a heartwarming, lovely novel, although it would be a tough read for those experiencing a recent loss of an elderly parent or spouse. Fairly predictable, although I didn't mind - it was still an enjoyable read.

Not all tropes play out the way you’d expect in this quiet, reflective tale about taking more chances. This book was completely adorable. Clover is an extreme introvert and is still experiencing grief from her grandfather’s passing. Despite Clover’s differences to my own experience, the author did a great job conveying her struggles and mindset to the reader in a way that made you feel sympathetic to her plight. I was rooting for Clover’s journey of self discovery.

I think what surprised me most about this book was how the author leveraged a few well-used tropes, like tracking down a lost lover, a well-lived older woman mentoring the young female protagonist, etc., in a new way. This story still had a few twists that kept it from being entirely predictable. It felt equally familiar (nice, cozy vibes) while also fresh and engaging.

Clover has been living her life in her comfort zone—which just happens to be dedicating much of her life to helping others die peacefully. But chance encounters with a few key people sets Clover on a path of self reflection; maybe there’s more to life than atoning for her biggest regret.

I was provided this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I received a complimentary copy of this book "The Collected Regrets of Clover" and all opinions expressed are my own. I have the kindle and audio book. I decided to listen to the audio book. This was so interesting! I really loved Clover, who is quirky and struggling to find her way. The narrator was really good. She became the characters and for me I felt like I was there with them. Although this is a book about a death doula, it is so much more. It's also about life, finding your way, finding your heart. a very unique book, I like unique.

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced
Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review

I was honestly interested in this book because the cover was so pretty. I mean look at it. And I'm happy to report the actual words are just as nice!

This book is melancholy but in the best way possible. Clover is a character I think most people can see themselves in while her situation is rare her conflict with regret is familiar. An emotional read with a hopeful and inspiring ending.
I'd recommend to fans of a Man called Ove or Before the coffee gets cold if you're looking for something a little less sob inducing.

"The Collected Regrets of Clover," by Mikki Brammer tells the story of Clover Brooks, an awkward, 36 year-old loner who works as a death doula, caring for people at the end of their lives. Despite helping people tie up loose ends when they are dying, Clover has spent most of her life in solitude, reading, watching romantic comedies, and spying on her neighbours. However, her perspective on life changes when she meets a new neighbour and is hired to care for Claudia, a photojournalist in the 1950s. Slowly, Clover comes to reflect on her life and confront her own deepest regrets..

Unfortunately, I was not fond of this book. I found it unbearably slow and at times I wanted to shake the main character, who seemed to wallow. I also could not understand why, after caring for so many dying people that it was Claudia who finally lead to personal growth. It is not a book that I would recommend.

Nevertheless, thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

This was a wonderful book about death and how people grieve. All people process things differently and Clover, a death doula, helps people not be alone as they pass from this life to another. Finding friendship and love in the end really kept me going to see what would happen next for Clover.

When socially-awkward death doula Clover finds herself being thrown into new friendships, she has the chance to reflect upon the regrets of her own life. But will she learn and grow from these new lessons, or remain comfortably sheltered?

This was definitely a heart-warming and emotional read. At times it felt a little lengthy (mostly Clover's ruminations on her past), but overall my interest never really waned. I adored the characters I was supposed to love and was irked by those I was supposed to find grating. I only wish we could have had more Claudia related stories or chapters! This would make a great TV show/book club book. I see this one becoming very popular in 2023 for sure!

The Collected Regrets of Clover is a beautiful, heartfelt exploration of grief and loss. Clover is a death doula who spends more time with the dying than the living. But even though death is something she faces day in day out, she's been unable to fully face the loss of the most important person in her life: her grandfather.

With vivid characters and heartwarming and heartbreaking moments in equal measure, I would recommend this to anyone interested in big conversations around life and death, the meaning of life, different cultural interpretations of death, how we process (or avoid processing) loss, and how we talk (or don't) about death and grief.

It's poignant, emotional, and touching, with so many sprinklings of wisdom throughout and ends with such a lovely, hopeful message.

I adored the way the author incorporated the final words of so many of the people Clover helped at the end of their lives as little reminders to the reader to take life by the horns and live life to its fullest. Because while there may be no way for us to come to the end of our lives with zero regrets, at least we can know that we tried and that we lived.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for gifting me an ARC of this beautiful book! I was deeply moved by this story.


Trigger/Content Warnings: death, grief, terminal illness, loss of a parent, drug abuse

In Mikki Bramer's debut novel, she creates a very relatable tale of a vulnerable, compassionate woman who finds that, in order to care for others, she must also let herself be cared for. This fictional story gives us a window into the life of Clover Brooks, a death doula, that much like a midwife assists pregnant women with labor, she helps the dying with death. From the day she watched her kindergarten teacher drop dead during a dramatic telling of Peter Rabbit, Clover felt a stronger connection with the dying than with the living. After the beloved grandfather who raised her dies alone while she is traveling, Clover becomes a death doula in New York City, dedicating her life to ushering people peacefully through their end-of-life process. Clover spends so much time with the dying that she has no life of her own, until the final wishes of a feisty woman client send Clover on a trip to uncover a forgotten love story––and perhaps, her own happy ending. As she finds herself struggling to navigate the uncharted roads of romance and friendship, Clover is forced to examine what she really wants, and whether she’ll have the courage to go after it.

Hear me out -- once you start reading this intriguing book, you won't be able to put it down. I started reading this book on NetGalley and was so fascinated by it that when the reading time ran out, I sought out the book on Amazon and bought it because I liked the story so much and wanted to finish it. I'm so glad I did and it's a keeper in my home library! You should definitely add it to yours as it's a worthwhile and heart warming read.

The Collected Regrets of Clover has left me with a mix of emotions. Clover is portrayed as sweet, naive, and bright but also a very lonely person you want to hug. Then you realize that Clover is a thirty-six-year-old adult behaving like a YA book. This was a total turnoff.

The pacing of The Collected Regrets of Clover was very slow. While I appreciate a slow burn that delves into character backgrounds and histories, it took until about 75% of the book for the pace to pick up, and then suddenly, everything seemed to fall into place magically.

The initial ten pages held promise, but then the story felt flat/boring until it suddenly regained momentum towards the end. I had hoped to form a connection with Clover, but instead, I found her to be a contradictory character, making it difficult for me to love her.

Clover Brooks has always felt a strong connection with the dying. As a small child she watched her kindergarten teacher dropped dead. She has a job as a death doula. She meets one interesting lady who challenges her to take an interest in art and photography. Clover lost both of her parents at a young age and her grandfather raised her. She is searching for love in New York City. Eventually she finds love and a new career. This book was a page turner.

I loved this book so much! It really makes you think about what you want from your life. Clover was awesome.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!!

I really loved this book.

Clover does not have many friends, aside from her elderly neighbor, but her talents lie as a caring and comforting death doula.

One professional encounter, a new neighbor, and a 'death cafe' are about to change Clover in ways she never expected.

LOVED LOVED LOVED.

I maybe should've seen this coming due to the topic, but I wasn't expecting to sob my way through the last quarter-ish of this book. Whew.

Mikki Brammer writes about an extremely sad character with an extremely sad life story...but somehow infuses it with laughter and light and love. This is a story of hope -- that it's never too late to change your life, and that people really *can* change their own lives, given the right set of circumstances and support. It's also a story about the importance of finding community, whatever that might mean for you, and to look your fears straight in the eye.

I'll be thinking about this book for a long time.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
"The Collected Regrets of Clover" by Mikki Brammer was a beautiful & touching debut novel that was about life & learning to live it.
I highly recommend this book & I can't wait to read what this author decides to write next.

Clover is a thirty something woman who works as a death doula. She has led a rather isolating life after her grandfather, whom raised her, died when she was traveling. She begins making connections with a few people who help her start living her life again.

I loved this book and it is one of my favorites so far this year. I really enjoyed Clover and I felt the moments with her when she was trying to overcome social anxiety. The author’s writing style was wonderful and the overarching message in this book makes you stop and think and evaluate if you are living the life you want to lead.
I love a story of a woman finding herself.

🍀death/dying
🍀 female lead character

I recommend this to people who like books with a quirky female lead (such as Eleanor Oliphant or The Maid).

“If you want something you don’t have, you have to do something you’ve never done.”

“Don’t let the best parts of life pass you by because you’re too scared of the unknown.”

Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.