Live is precious, don’t let opportunities slip by! Clover is not new to death. Having seen it many times she decides to become a death doula. For being a book focusing so much on death this book was so bright and powerful. Live everyday as it’s your last

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book pleasantly surprised me. I initially expected the book to be a heavy read, focusing on Clover and her experiences in her unique occupation as a death doula, I went into it thinking I would read about how she was cataloging the regrets of her clients on their deathbeds. However, it ultimately delved deeper, exploring how her interactions and experiences with her clients and their families prompted her to reflect on her own past regrets and gave her the courage to shape her future.

I thought the storyline was truly unique. Clover's character was endearing, and the author masterfully conveyed the emotional rollercoaster she experienced, making it feel authentic and relatable. I also enjoyed how much the supporting cast of characters played an essential role in Clover's development. This book ultimately left me pleasantly surprised!

💐 Deeply emotional yet it didn't feel like an overly heavy read
💐 Great debut from Mikki Brammer
💐 Brought the MC full circle. I always enjoy that in a story!

Overall I'm glad I finished the book. However, for me, the first half was slow and I really did have to make myself push through. Clover seemed very young to me although she was in her 30's...that made this a slow read for me as I found myself becoming annoyed with Clover.
Due to its subject matter (death, grief, etc.) I really wanted to like this book more than j did.

Beautiful writing, beautiful story. I would absolutely recommend this for anyone who has dealt with grief. It’s full of perspective and hope. I will likely reread and recommend to others.

What started as an exploration of her own anxieties around death resulted in this beautiful debut. Journalist Mikki Brammer’s first book was everything I hoped my last read of the summer would be; heartwarming, engaging, unique, informative, and memorable. Clover is a character I won’t soon forget.

After her parents die when she is a child, Clover moves to NYC to live with her grandfather. Her life’s experiences help chart her career path as a death doula, someone who helps people navigate their final days. But Clover’s existence has been lonely and she’s found it difficult to make friends and as a woman in her mid 30s, has never been kissed or figured out how to form lasting relationships.

I absolutely loved this book. Clover’s growth and story arc felt real and I rooted for her to take risks and develop. Whether you are comfortable talking about death or avoid the topic, you will find beauty in how it’s discussed and maybe it will make you want to take chances and live your most beautiful life without regrets ❤️

Clover believes she is living her best life by playing a vital role in supporting people through their final days, weeks, and months. As an only child who lost her parents at a young age, Clover was raised by her devoted grandfather, who has also since passed away. She now resides in Manhattan, in the same apartment she has called home since she was six years old. Her days are a careful balance of work and moments of respite: playing mahjong with her neighbor Leo and revisiting the neighborhood bookstore she once frequented with her grandfather.

This book delves deep into the profound topics of death and what it means to truly live. I found it captivating from the start, though I initially approached it with some trepidation, fearing it might be too heavy and dark.

It’s remarkable that this is the work of a debut author. The story is both heartwarming and deeply touching, as we witness Clover navigating her grief over her grandfather's death while choosing to live in a self-imposed solitude.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am grateful to have finally read it. An ARC had been sitting on my shelf for quite some time, and I’m glad I picked it up. In our culture where death often carries a stigma, this book offers a thoughtful and moving perspective. It also contains some truly beautiful quotes. I hope Mikki writes another book, and if you haven’t read this one yet, I highly recommend it.

Clover is a bit odd. She is a bit obsessed with death, and has become a death doula (basically the opposite of a birth doula). Apparently this is a real thing, which is interesting, but she seemed to relish in that as a way to not connect with others. I actually enjoyed her relationships, how they progressed, and the way everything did come together at the end. Clover is much more likeable than Eleanor Oliphant (of which this book was compared to).

An amazing debut novel about loss, death, and continuing to live with an insurmountable amount of grief. The characters in this story are are wonderfully written. Clover is an amazing characater who has lost so much people she’s loved around her and dedicates her life to being there for those are are near the end of their life. Death is a difficult thing to discuss but a very real pet of life. Clover tries to find a way to be brave enough to let more people into her life. A heart breaking and encouraging story.

One of my new favorites- follow along with Clover as she navigates life, death and lots of changes. This book will suck you in from page one!

It is a beautiful melancholic love story with an unexpected premise. This is perfect for others who also have a death fixation.

A sweet story, full of sentiment and how to live while constantly trying to make death feel beautiful

This book started slow but picked up as I read/listened. It's almost a coming of age novel for a woman who is in her 30s. Clover is an interesting character who learns to stop living through others.

Clover Brooks is a 'death doula'. She has a master's degree in thanatology, the study of death and the losses brought about as a result. She lives alone in a brownstone in the West Village of New York, and has only one friend, her eighty-seven year old neighbour. She is a loner, with a dog and two cats. She loves to read, but not socialize. She was raised by her grandfather after her parent's death and she loved him dearly. When he died while she was away, she became a death doula, to help others on their final journey, so they would not be alone. Clover is hired by Claudia's grandson, Sebastian, but the family is having a hard time dealing with her cancer, and they won't talk about it. Claudia has regrets and asks Clover to help her with one of her biggest regrets, so she heads off on a cross country trip and re-examining her life, her regrets and how to move forward in a less cautious way. Sebastian and Clover become attracted to one another, and there might be love in the air. There is also a new tenant in the building, and it looks like Clover might have a friend. with all this going on, it looks like Clover's life might be changing.

This was an interesting book, one that I really liked at time, and was ambivalent about at others. Clover was a character that I had a hard time liking. She was a confident twenty year old, traveling the world, then became a mid thirties recluse with no self-esteem. I know she was devastated by her grandfather's death, but she became really annoying at times. Her role as a death doula also had her recording the last conversations with the dying and found they were often regrets, but also secrets or accomplishments. Clover grows a lot in this story and decides she needs to open up to others and live. I really liked Sebastian's character, he was my favourite and I loved how he helped Clover come out of her shell. This is Mikki Brammer's debut book and I will watch for more of her work. I enjoyed the story overall, I just wish I had liked Clover more.

Clover Brooks has long been acquainted with the specter of death, but perhaps it's time for her to embrace life's possibilities.

From a tender age, Clover has been touched by loss: witnessing her kindergarten teacher's collapse at five, followed by the tragic death of her parents in a vacation mishap in China at six. Raised by her devoted maternal grandfather in New York City, she finds solace in the quiet routines of her existence. Now, at 36, she continues to reside in her grandfather's West Village apartment, maintaining her role as a death doula—an emotionally taxing yet fulfilling vocation. Her closest companions are her pets and her elderly neighbor, her only confidants in a world marked by solitude.

Despite her contentment with the status quo, fate intervenes in unexpected ways. Sebastian seeks her assistance in comforting his ailing grandmother, Claudia, while Sylvie becomes a new neighbor downstairs. Through these connections, Clover embarks on a journey of self-discovery, grappling with her own grief and guilt while forging new relationships and confronting her past.

In Brammer's skillful hands, what could have descended into cliché blossoms into a poignant narrative of vulnerability and resilience. As Clover navigates the complexities of love, loss, and human connection, the story strikes a delicate balance between sentimentality and genuine emotion, leaving a profound impact on the reader.

A heartfelt exploration of life's fragile beauty, "Walks the edge of sentimentality with poignant success" is a testament to Brammer's ability to infuse familiar themes with depth and authenticity.

💐The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Braumer: Clover is a death doula with no life of her own, who is pushed out of her comfort zone by a client and finds a new lease on life, and (you guessed it) romance. Fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman will probably life this one.

“The Collected Regrets of Clover” is a beautiful book, and also a very thought-provoking book. Clover is a death doula, which she describes as helping people die with dignity and peace, which can involve helping them reflect on their lives and work through unresolved issues. Clover keeps a series of journals in which she writes down the final words of her clients, which fall into the categories of advice, confessions or regrets, as well as things she found particularly noteworthy about them during the time she spent with them. However, her job, her journals, and her general interest in death traditions and rituals are also a way of hiding from life. She has always been a loner, never good at making friends. She does not really venture out of her comfort zone. Yet, her interactions with her newest client, Claudia, as well as other events I will let the reader discover, will finally push Clover to open herself up and try to really embrace life, so she has fewer regrets when her time comes.

The message of the book is quite poignant. We don’t know how long we have to live, but yet we often let fear, societal expectations, etc. hold us back from chasing our dreams, trying new things, taking risks, or even just telling others how important they are to us, leaving us with regrets for missed opportunities.

Clover, is our protagonist and death doula. We follow her as we accompanies the dying and attempts to make sense of all the last words and shared wisdom of those she serves. Definitely a tough read if you're grieving, but the novel offers a fresh perspective on death.

Clover is an inspiration for considering accompanying another person on their journey and transition from this life to what’s next. The novel flows and draws you in. Beamer’s characters are compelling and interesting. They draw us in and make us care. Bravo!

Enveloped in warmth and emotion, this book delivers a delightful journey of love and connection with its endearing characters. While I found myself deeply enamored with the protagonists, I yearned for a deeper exploration of their intricate personalities. Nevertheless, the overall experience was immensely enjoyable, leaving a lasting impression.

The Collected Regrets of Clover is a story of a woman who helps those transition from this life to death, and how to accept it gracefully and come to terms with it. Throughout her journey of healing others, she then heals parts of herself she did not know needed healing.
This is a story that will leave you to examine your relationship with death and make you view how you are living your life.