The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer is a Blend of Family and Women's Fiction!

Clover has been faced with death several times in her young life but the death of her grandfather is the one that rocked her world. He was her only living relative when her parents died, he was the one who raised her, and when Clover was on the other side of the world, her grandfather died alone.

It's when and why Clover decides to become a death doula. She ensures her clients are not alone during their final days by listening to their regrets and advice, and if they feel like making any confessions, she's there for that, too. She loves being a death doula and views it as an honor and a privilege to serve the dying.

When Clover's not busy with a client, she's lost, lonely, and always feels like an outsider. She isolates herself in her apartment for days at a time with her pets and mindlessly watches videos. When she's craving something different, she goes to a death cafe or turns off the lights and uses her binoculars to watch the neighbor couple across the way. Yikes.

Then Clover meets a new client named Claudia who's a wise and well-traveled ninety-one-year-old woman with advice, a long held confession, and regrets that triggers Clover to reflect on her own life...

The Collected Regrets of Clover has left me with mixed feelings. Clover is sweet, naive, bright, yet so incredibly and painfully lonely I wanted to give her a great big hug. Then I realized she's a thirty-six-year old adult and her behaviors felt YA leaning. This combination didn't work for me.

The Collected Regrets of Clover progresses slower than I expected and although I love a slow-burn that allow deep background into characters and backstories, at 60% in, it feels repetitious. At 62% the pace picks up and everything changes but is this shift enough to alter how I felt about this story up to this point?

I love The Collected Regrets of Clover from 62% on and the ending was just about perfect but it wasn't enough to change how I felt about the story over all. It's an imaginative story with great characters that grabbed me in the beginning, lost me in middle, then pulled me back in at the end.

3.5 stars rounded down!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Mikki Brammer for an ARC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.

Thank you to NetGalley BIG time for allowing me to read this thought-proving novel. Congratulations to the author, Nikki Brammer, for a job so beautifully and poetically done!

One can tell I just loved this book. I found Clover's occupation as a death doula was very unique and so beautiful for the dying who had the privilege of being under the safety and love that only Clover could offer. I researched and indeed there are death cafes all over; even zoom meetings. Being present when my mom passed away I often told people that I felt like a reverse midwife - talking to her, encouraging her and giving her permission to go.

We learn so much about Clover and Clover learns so much about life and herself through her clients. For anyone who has ever felt "stuck" (no explanation needed) this book will help you emerge as a beautiful butterfly!

The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer had me at the hook. Clover is a death doula who collects the advice, confessions, and regrets of her dying clients. She lives life vicariously, a perpetual wallflower. She counts her elderly neighbor and furry pets as her closest and only friends, visiting death cafes in her spare time. Sounds intriguing, right?
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The first several chapters had me pulled in and fully engaged, particularly her backstory of traumatic loss. And then, something happened, though I’m not sure exactly what. As I type up these words, I’m a bit stuck, sorting out how to write the generous review I know this book deserves while also being honest about its shortcomings. I think the novel is a really solid story overall that many people will enjoy reading. Brammer speaks so honestly about death and grief. It’s a welcome escape from the toxic positivity and generic platitudes normally handed out to grievers. On that fact alone, it’s a good read.
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That said, I also found myself struggling to connect with Clover, the protagonist. I found her to be quite emotionally immature in a way that was more irritating than endearing. I didn’t really believe how forgiving her new neighbor and her potential love interest were in the face of her little tantrums and meltdowns. It seemed strange that someone who had the emotional maturity and social skill to sit with someone as they process their own death didn’t also have the same ability to have basic conversations with peers.
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All that to say, I still recommend this book. You just need to be a bit better about suspending your disbelief than I am.
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A big thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for a digital review copy ahead of the novel’s May 2023 release.

Exposed to a death early in life to be followed quickly by the deaths of her parents, Clover is raised by her maternal grandfather. It makes perfect sense that Clover becomes a death doula. But while she eases the transitioning of the dying, she herself does not truly live. No friends, no workmates, no significant others excepting for an elderly friend of her now deceased grandfather.
In a bid to get out more, Clover starts attending death cafes where people can get together and just discuss what is seemingly a taboo subject in the United States. That's where a chance encounter leads to the expansion of Clovers life.
I loved following along with life expanding changes for Clover. And how she fought those changes as a way to protect what was so traumatized in her youth, her heart and mind. A feel good story that embraces death instead of turning away from it.
I give this 4.25 stars
Thank you to my {partner} St. Martin's Press for access to an early e-copy. All opinions are my own.

What I Liked
-we follow a single main character from the time they are six until they are in their thirties.
-In the main character we get representation for a job not often talked about in my culture through her work as a death doula being with and offering guidance for those in their final days.
-Main character is also an avid reader
-The character of Claudia, exists and honestly I simply love her
What didn't work as well for me
-The tone struck during the first half of the book was sadder than expected even with the title and topic
-I wanted more though ironically feeling of longing for more may be something the writer intended.
Who I would recommend this title for
The Collected Regrets of Clover is a great read for those looking for contemporary fiction around the topic of death and dying that addresses the topic with respect and looks at life around death with hope.

“The Collected Regrets of Clover” by Mikki Brammer
If you only read one book this year… Chose this one.
It is an interesting look a Clover’s life from age 6 to thirty-something. The first half of this story sets the stage for what is coming next, the part that had me totally glued to this story. The more I read the more my emotions were involved and yes I shed copious mounts of tears. If you have ever lost someone you dearly love, you may once again feel the touch of your loss, you may realize a touch of comfort, and, you may find another new perspective. Yes, I shed a lot of tears (especially in the last few chapters) and smiled through most of those tears. I found 2 one sentence quotes I am keeping handy for when I need a touch of comfort or a reminder that once someone is a part of your life, they are a part of your life forever. Happy Reading ! !
NOTE: This review expresses my honest opinion
I received an ARC of this story from the publisher via NetGalley

I had trouble putting this book down. It was incredibly sad at times and dealt with a lot of death, but it was also a beautiful story with fantastic character development, a hint of romance, and witty dialogue. The main character Clover experienced so much sadness in her life, so it was no surprise that she kept to herself and her tiny bubble of relationships. I felt her anxiety as she began to expand her world and rooted for her the entire way. This one will stay with me for a while. Trigger warnings include death and loss of loved ones. As someone who typically avoids "sad" books that center around death, I was surprised by how much I loved this. It inspired me to take more risks.

I connected with the main character Clover on several fronts. She was an avid reader, very content in her own reclusive environment, a bit antisocial, a melancholy air about her. From a young age she was comfortable confronting death, like when her kindergarten teacher died right in front of her and she held his hand. When her parents died on one of their many trips to another continent her grandfather raised her. The story takes place in New York City after Clover's grandfather has been dead for 13 years. Clover's job is that of a death doula. She is the person who helps the dying talk about their wishes and regrets. This part of the book was very interesting. To learn about the small things that mean so much to the dying, little acts of compassion such as keenly listening, noting what kind of funeral plans the person would want, and hearing about the things they regret. Clover would keep notebooks of her client's last words and regrets and try to do things to honor them from time to time.

Although I greatly sympathized with Clover, I had a middling interest until about the 50% mark. Perhaps it was a tad depressing following Clover around as she dodged spontaneous meet ups with neighbors and prospective romantic entanglements. However, the story took off for me with the advent of the character of Claudia, a 90-ish wealthy lady who was dying. And thus the story was redeemed with tangents that opened Clover's world up to more possibilities and less regrets.

Thank you to the publisher St. Martin's Press for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

What a beautifully written story. It really makes you think about life/death and makes you thankful for the limited time that you have on this planet with your loved ones.

Highly recommend picking this book up.

Thank you so much to Net Galley, the author, and St Martin’s Press for providing this book for my honest review. This is Mikki Brammer’s debut novel. I am speechless that this work of art is a debut. This is the most unique and inspirational book about life and death and how to truly live life. Clover, the main character, is a death doula who collects the last words and regrets of those she helps guide through their last moments. Through their stories and experiences and Clover discovering how to live her life, we are given a gorgeous novel about the true meaning of life. I highly recommend this book and I can not wait to read more from this author. Thank you so much to NetGalley, the author, and publisher.

What is a Death Doula? Before I picked up this book, I had no idea there was such a person; someone who spends time with a dying person, listening, helping them reflect, find peace, or just hold their hand when they have no one else.

The main character is Clover, and being a death doula is just part of her story. You will love this memorable, quirky, introverted character who has as many regrets as those she works with. The journey with Clover is one worth taking as she blazes a path forward.

“We all know we’re going to die—that’s guaranteed. So shouldn’t we be making the most of our lives anyway?” Yes, yes we should!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer in advance of the release.

First, this book hits shelves May 9, 2023. You need to find a copy.
This is a beautifully written novel with a unique premise. The main character is a death doula. Much like a birth doula who helps usher new life into the world. a death doula helps people leave this world with grace, dignity, and love. Our main character, Clover, has been fascinated with death from a young age. She lost her emotionally absent parents when she was a small child and was raised by her grandfather in New York City. Unfortunately, he dies when she is studying overseas, and her biggest regret is that she wasn't there and he died alone. Hence her career choice. She collects the last words of her clients and has them organized into three journals: Advice, Confessions, and Regrets. Clover, a quirky social recluse, finds a lonely comfort in these journals and staying moored in the past by her grandfathers belongings. This is a story of finding yourself and your people and the journey to get there. This was an easy five stars for me. Thank you NetGalley and publishers for providing a digital ARC for review.

Mikki Bramer’s 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘙𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 is a sweet story that reflects on what it means to live fully and to die without remorse. Titular character Clover has an unusual career—she is a death doula, someone who provides companionship and support to those who are nearing the ends of their lives. She has long been fascinated with customs related to dying and memorializing; she even studied about them in university and traveled around the world learning more directly about them in different cultures in her 20s.

Now in her late 30s, Clover excels in her work, but other areas of her life are lacking. She has always been an introverted, socially awkward person with unusual interests, but the death of her beloved grandfather several years ago caused her to withdraw even further from the world. She will occasionally spend time with a family friend, or try something new under the guise of following deathbed advice from former clients, but lately these things haven’t been quite fulfilling enough for her.

The book follows Clover as she takes on a new client, dips her toe in the dating world, and starts a friendship with a neighbor who has recently moved into her building. She of course struggles going outside of her comfort zone, and there are times where her character grated on my nerves because of her naïveté and apprehensiveness, but overall I found the story to be a well-written drama about living, dying, and the importance of friendship and love in both.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. This review was posted on Goodreads on April 9, 2023 here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5331723937.

If I could give this book all the stars, I would. It was such a beautiful story with a lightness to it I didn't quite expect with death being at the forefront. Clover was such a complex character and she's probably one of my new favorites. I loved the Letters to Juliet vibes toward the end of the book. I think this may be one of my favorite books I've read not just this month or year, but of all time. I cried, but also felt like I was being held in a warm hug. Brammer addressed grief so well as well as the idea that life and death are always intertwined. This book was sad, but in a different way than I expected, but also so reflective and engaging. I loved this book more than I can fully describe and I know it'll be a comfort read for me going forward. Huge thank you to St. Martin's Press for sending me an ARC to read and review.

Mikki Brammer's debut novel The Collected Regrets of Clover is OUTSTANDING!! Clover is an endearing character who will stay with you long after the last page is read.

Clover Brooks has always felt a strong connection with the dying. She actually prefers it over connections with the living. After witnessing the untimely death of her kindergarten teacher at an early age, Clover became curious about death. What was the experience truly like? Do dying people have regrets, advice or confessions they'd like to leave their love ones. When her parents are killed in a boating accident at age six, Clover goes to New York City to live with her beloved Grandfather. While in college, her Grandfather encourages her to travel the world and study abroad.

While pursuing her dream, Clover receives an email stating her own beloved Grandfather died alone in his college office. Crushed, Clover returns to New York where she becomes a Death Doula. She helps usher the dying peacefully through their end of life process. In helping the dying, Clover has actually forgotten how to live and has no life outside of her pets and her elderly neighbor Leo.

Clover takes a job as a Death Doula for Mrs. Claudia. Mrs. Claudia takes Clover on a journey of her life through her stories, mostly her regrets. Her stories send Clover on a journey to fulfill one of Mrs. Claudia's dying request, whatever happened to her true love Hugo. What she finds along the journey opens new doors for her and forces her to examines what she really wants out of life. Will she be brave enough to take the next steps?

This book truly touched my heart and I cried like a baby at the end! My favorite quote from Clover's Advice book, "Don't let the best parts of life pass you by because you're too scared of the unknown."

A very special thank you to St. Martin's press, NetGalley and Goodreads for providing me and ARC in exchange for my honest review. I highly recommend this novel.

Ok, wow. This beautiful book triggered a feeling in my soul I have only felt one other time in my life. That was while sitting in a dark theater watching Amelie for the first time feeling so acutely understood in my isolation. Clover is alone. Deeply alone. This kind of lonesomeness manifests a specific set of quirks that only those who have experienced it would understand. It’s a special club and Clover is surely a member.

Witnessing Clover’s healing and evolution as she cautiously connects with the world is an absolute honor. I don’t want to give too much of the story away so that I will just say that I fell in love with every nook and cranny of Clover’s world. The characters are remarkably charismatic and lovable. This book is an absolute treat and Mikki Brammer is a wildly talented author. I am hoping this isn’t the last we see of Clover! Please?

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy!

I have to admit, I am drawn to stories that explore death. Some of my favorite shows are about death: Netflix’s “Dead to Me,” Prime’s “Good Omens” & the long defunct series “Dead Like Me.” And let us not forget what Benjamin Franklin wrote, “...nothing is certain except death and taxes.” So when I read the description of “The Collected Regrets of Clover,” I knew I wanted to read it! I’m so glad I did!

Author Mikki Brammer's debut novel navigates through the world of grieving and loss. The main protagonist Clover, a Death Doula, is a compelling character who is weaving her own way through personal grief. And while one would think her job would aggravate her own grieving, she finds comfort in helping those in their last moments of life. Clover is an introvert, doesn’t have many friends, except a neighbor named Leo who is in 80s and regularly attends group meetings called “Death Cafes.” During these group meetings one could discuss death with like-minded people over coffee and cake. When I read this part of the book, I had to look this up to see if this is a real thing…AND IT IS! I found this to be fascinating; it’s such a universal thing death, we are all going to die (sorry to get be such a downer, but it’s true, right?) and along our journey we may lose people we love. So a group like this seems like a hidden gem where one could comfortably socialize and talk about the subject. As Clover says:

“Grief is just love looking for a place to settle.”

During one of these death cafe meetings, Clover gets a job and helps Claudia, a former photojournalist with terminal cancer find closure. During this journey, Clover discovers things about herself, experiences a number of “firsts” and embraces the fact that she is alive.

There were so many beautiful philosophical nuggets in this book, but one really stood out to me was this line:

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


This book was really a treasure to read. A big thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This one hits you from the very first chapter. I highly recommend this book, but only if you're in a mental space to tackle concepts of dying, what it means to be alive, and the value of deep interpersonal connection. The main character is a death doula, and I found her perspective refreshing and touching.

The Collected Regrets of Clover about a 36-year-old death doula, is an interesting, at times poignant, story which I very much enjoyed reading.

I cannot understand though how an adult whose profession is based on understanding the complex emotional feelings of her clients and their friends and families surrounding death, who provides emotional support, compassion, etc. for the job, and by all accounts is excellent at the job, is so completely shut off emotionally in her own life. Also, she is portrayed as a very independent person traveling the world prior to her grandfather's death and now she's hesitant to meet a neighbor. It just doesn't ring true despite her backstory of personal loss.

Nevertheless, this author has shown me enough promise that I look forward to reading her next book.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press for allowing me access to a DRC via NetGalley. All opinions stated in this review are my own and are given freely.

A sweet, life-affirming novel about death. Mikki Brammer’s treatment of the unique topic of a death doula is very refreshing. contemplative and educational while skillfully blending with a precious love story. A fast-paced, easy read with an extremely well-developed and lovable heroine.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this ARC.