An emotional read from the start as Mason and Nova meet for the first time. Nova is an end of life doula, skillfully helping those facing imminent death to a peaceful closure. With this storyline, there was no way to avoid the tears and sniffles as each chapter brought the inevitable closer. Jessica Strawser writes with emotion and caring of a subject that many would avoid. Not for the weak of heart, but definitely an excellent book for anyone else.

Not my favorite Strawser because this was touted as A Star Is Born, but I felt like it was very drawn out and slow. It was also too hippy dippy to me. Probably won’t recommend this one.

This book would make an excellent Book Club choice! The idea of "end of life" doulas would make for interesting conversation over wine and cheese, for sure! The author gently handles a difficult topic, with sensitivity. I assumed this would be about physician assisted suicide, but I was wrong.
It's an emotional and powerful read, filled with tears and feelings. I truly enjoyed Nova and Mason's story, even if it made me sob uncontrollably. Be sure to be in the right mental state when you start this one and enjoy the emotional roller coaster.
4 stars. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley!

This one just wasn’t for me - it is a well-written book, and I can see where others would enjoy it. However, the tragedy is revealed at the beginning, which I think prevented me from getting too invested in the story- I don’t mind a tear-jerker, but I do feel like it set me up expecting the worst the entire story.

That being said, the story of being an end-of-life doula was interesting, as well as the relationships between Nova, Willow, and Kelly.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley; all opinions are my own.

Kelly Monroe and Nova Huston are partners in their business, Parting Your Way, as end-of-life doulas. They are trained to provide comfort and support to those coping with terminal illnesses and mostly the elderly population. Kelly and Nova are polar opposites in their view and approach to life. Nova is an unconventional, free spirit compared to Kelly's organized mindset which includes being a mother to Willow. Their business is challenged when Nova accepts Mason Shaylor who is 36 years old and feels like his life is over. He was successfully living his dream as a popular musician until he develops a deteriorating medical condition which hasn't responded to several surgeries. He is despondent about his future and never being able to play his guitar again. Nova begins to work with him as he struggles with how to say goodbye as he feels his life is over. Parting Your Way has never worked with someone so young and could never imagine the repercussions that might result. This is a bittersweet story about living life with intention without regrets and the spirit to overcome all odds.

This book was an emotional rollercoaster. I loved the premise, and I was hooked from the beginning. I got a hunch about the twist about midway through and needed to keep reading to find out the truth. I did love the way the story unfolded, but there were many things happening and the differing perspectives and timelines did make it confusing at times. The big reveal at the end — the song — had me crying. What a special story. I hover between 3-4 stars but need a little more time to really think about it. Thank you for the free copy in exchange for honest feedback!

one of those that was nice to read but it won't stick with me after. lots of jumping around in timelines. I also think the musician card is over played

This book was so interesting - I felt like I learned a lot about end of life (so emotional) and it was completely different than anything I've read of late. It was bit slow for me, but that didn't stop me from finishing it because it was very heart wrenching. I was amazed at the amount of research the author did for this book! It made for a remarkable story.

I love this author but i cant survive this writing anymore, ITS TOO GOOD! and so sad. My heart is in a blender.

I thought this was a pretty good read. It was filled with many emotions. I didn't even know that there were actually "end of life doulas". Overall a good read!

*Thank you @stmartinspress for the #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.*

This is a deeply emotional book that explores some heavy topics. It’s beautifully written, like everything else this author writes. If you have liked her other books, you will definitely like this one.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review. I am guessing I requested this book based on the cover and the title...both are nice. As for the actual book, there were so many parts of it I loved...I loved the characters, I loved the setting, and I loved MOST of what happened. This was the first book I have ever read where I was absolutely blown away by a certain plot twist and I can't say that I liked it. Anyone that has read it probably knows what I am talking about and I don't want to give anything away...but it definitely hit me hard. Still a great book and still would recommend it. :) This was also my first book about a death doula and I have to say I found that pretty interesting.

I don’t know much about doulas but I feel like this was kind of a wonky representation. Not for me. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for review

Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2022
This is a unique and heartfelt tale of romance, life, death and second chances. The characters and their actions are well-drawn and honest. The alternate time periods create suspense and there is an unexpected twist at the ending. This is not something I would typically read, but it was definitely worthwhile.

SYNOPSIS: A musician facing the untimely end of his career. An end-of-life doula with everything, and nothing, to lose. A Star Is Born meets Me Before You in this powerful novel by the author of A Million Reasons Why.

REVIEW: I LOVE a book that features music. Anything with music is going to have my heart. This book has music PLUS mental health issues, so it was already starting off on a great foot! The reality is, it also did the story well too. This book will make you understand that life can be so short, and anything can happen any time. The connections and relationships we form are truly so important. While it sounded like an emotional story, I never thought that I would feel as emotional as I did while reading the book. It truly tugged at my heartstrings. Medical/body issues just get me. I'd have no problem reommending this as a read for anyone I know!

VERDICT: 3.75 STARS

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for a copy of this one!

This story was so good but had such an open ending. I wish there had been more about how Nova lived life in the after. Overall, so fantastic. I look forward to picking a copy of this up in stores.

I loved this story, and the author managed to cover *a lot* of ground with it. In a weird way, this is almost like a later-in-life coming of age story. It also tackles our ideas about death and dying, friendship, trust, family ties -- a lot.

Despite all that, I never felt like the story dragged or got too preachy. I fell in love with Nova. The central characters felt real and relatable and complex. Even though you think the author reveals the end of the (chronological) story close to the beginning of the book, she uses this to show you it's not what you think.

I really appreciated the uniqueness of this story. I've never seen a death doula in a novel before, and the story itself felt fresh and different. I also loved the complex relationships between the women, and how we see their struggles with trust and vulnerability.

That said, I had a few hangups with the mechanics. None were dealbreakers for me but I know they can be for others so I'll just say, we switch between first and third person, past and present tense, and various points of view as we bounce around chronologically. While Nova and Mason's POVs were central to the story, there are at least 2-3 characters I don't think need chapters from their own point of view. A few characters have only one chapter. The whole story could've been told in past tense because we receive obvious timeline cues through the chapter titles ("now" vs. "then", etc.). I get this is a popular stylistic choice these days but it took me out of the story too much.

The reader also has a strong sense information is being withheld in the first half of the book. Lots of hints dropped, which remind us there is a Big Important Thing we don't know about yet. This breaks the fourth wall for me and turns it into a story I'm being told rather than an immersive experience. Some readers are cool with this, others will put down a book if it lays it on too thick. The story and characters were so enjoyable they kept me going, but I did enjoy the reading experience way more after the Big Important Thing was revealed and I could really sink into the story.

I'm grateful to have received this book as an ARC through NetGalley. I'm sure a lot of readers will fall in love with this one!

A beautiful and emotional novel that will have you feeling all the feels. One that I would recommend you read.

Fans of Colleen Hoover will enjoy this insightful novel. Creative. Well researched and incredibly well written.

A heartbreaking novel featuring an end-of-life doula and the journey she helps a former musician make into the next world. So beautiful and sad.