Member Reviews
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.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of <i>The Collected Regrets of Clover</i> in exchange for an honest review.
What a charming book! I absolutely adored Clover, Leo, Claudia and Sylvie, and kind of despised Sebastian. Clover is such an endearing character and I loved her growth throughout the novel. Though it started off a bit slow, the book soon became one that I struggled to put down. I highlighted so many passages that spoke to me and put myself in Clover's shoes as she recorded each dying client's words of wisdom.
Although this book discusses death quite a bit, it is so uplifting and sweet. I highly recommend this stunning novel!
I really liked this book. If you’re a fan of Eleanor Oliphant and/or Lessons in Chemistry, you’ll like it, too. It doesn’t delve into emotions quite as deep as these other two books, but it contains a female protagonist who is just as flawed and relatable. One of my favorite reads of 2023…
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.
As a death doula, Clover helps people move from the now to the afterlife in NYC. She lives a very closed life, she is all alone after her grandfather passes away, alone. This is what made her want to become a death doula, so that no one dies alone.
Cloves spends all her time with these people and does not have friends. Sure, the older man in the building she spends time with, but no one her age. She does not have friends, it had been hard to make them when she was often made fun of as a child.
This book was amazing. Dealing with death in an honest, frank way, made me give more thought to the life that I am living and what I would want in the end.
A heart-filled story about death, and life. Protagonist Clover has experienced a lot of death in her thirty-six years of life. Her chosen profession is that of a death doula, someone who stays with those in their last days and helps them to come to terms with their own deaths. From witnessing her kindergarten teacher die in the classroom, to losing both her parents in an accident a year later, to finally losing her beloved grandfather, the man who raised her, it's no surprise that Clover feels this connection with death. Unfortunately, her fear of getting close with others only to lose them has prevented her from truly living. Until she meets a man named Sebastian, and he convinces her to take on his grandmother, Claudia, as a client. Trying to bring peace to Claudia at the end of her life really opens Clover's eyes to her own regrets. She realizes that, though you have to take chances to experience them, friendship and love are worth all the heartache. You never know when your time will come. But if you live your life to the fullest, hopefully you won't end with many regrets.
I had never heard of a death doula prior to reading this novel. What an intriguing and beneficial position. This story is surprisingly heartwarming. In a lot of ways, I could relate to Clover. Her introverted nature stems from a fear of rejection and loss. While it's a little hard to imagine someone at that stage of life who had traveled the world, yet had never even been kissed, her fear is relatable. It was a joy to see her open up, forming friendships and giving love a chance. Her relationship with her grandfather, seen through flashbacks, was so sweet to witness. I also greatly enjoyed her interactions with Leo, Claudia and Sylvie. This story has a lovely message about what it truly means to live. It's thought provoking, and will probably make you cry. Well worth the read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
What a unique story. The Collected Regrets of Clover touches on a topic that many people in Western civilization find uncomfortable.... death. The emotional journey Clover goes on while trying to process her own grief was done perfectly, and she was a character that was easy to cheer for.
I loved a combination of touching prose and quirky humour and this definitely delivered. It's also a good read for anyone open to exploring the topic of death and grief from a fictional perspective.
Clover is a death doula living in NYC who provides her clients with companionship, comfort, and helps them find closure during the last phase of their lives.
Clover is such a beautiful, compassionate heroine and I loved witnessing her growth throughout the story. THE COLLECTED REGRETS OF CLOVER is a sentimental and thought-provoking story about self-discovery, death, and living a meaningful life. Highly recommend if you need a feel-good story.
Mikki Brammer's novel "The Collected Regrets of Clover" explores the life of Clover, a death doula whose devoted service to others has left her forgetting how to live her own life. This touching story explores themes such as loneliness, fate, and the power of vulnerability. It's a story about the importance of self-care and the need to embrace change in order to truly live. I quite enjoyed this book for the most part.
Clover is meant to be a vulnerable and relatable protagonist who carries the weight of her regrets on her shoulders. Her journey towards self-discovery and personal growth should evoke empathy and compassion from readers, but I found her incredibly frustrating. She seemed grating and immature for her age, even for someone as emotionally stunted as she was. I also thought her romance with Sebastian was unnecessary; if that component had been removed from the novel, I'm sure I would have given it a higher rating.
Despite my distaste for Clover and Sebastian, the novel's remaining protagonists are so well-defined that they alone make the novel worth reading. Mikki Brammer manages to make every other individual seem real and engaging. I'm excited to read Brammer's next book. This is a book I wholeheartedly recommend.
The Collected Regrets of Clover By Mikki Brammer is a beautiful and engaging read that is thought provoking and tries to answer the meaning of life through death, an inevitable part of our life.
Clover is one of those characters that will stay with me for a long time. As a nurse, I am often surrounded by death and dying witnessing this far more than I want to experience. It has bogged me down and has even contributed to burn out to a degree. I loved this story that resonated with me, and I immediately hung on to Clover’s journey. Clover has experienced death throughout her life from her kindergarten teacher at the age of five then the death of her parents, which brings her to NYC to live with her grandfather, and now at 36 yo living alone with a friend Leo, an elderly neighbor, her grandfather’s friend.
In this very unique read, I found in its story much needed comfort, many people will love to experience.
What an amazing story. There were so many memorable things. Clover is a death duola, which is actually a profession and one I had never heard about. Dealing with death prior to a person passing away also means you deal with their lives. However, this seems to have given Clover the chance to not deal with her life. It was an interesting tale and one I thoroughly enjoyed.
I loved this story! The characters were unique and endearing and I felt attached to them right away. While the story wasn’t a faced paced page turner, I was still very motivated to pick it up and read each day. I loved the love story that was somewhat of a side story and it didn’t feel forced or cliche. The last 20 % really tugged at my heart strings and I know that I will be thinking about it for a long time.
Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for this free copy in exchange for my honest review !
WOW what a read. the way the author attacked the topic of grief in the book blew me away. everyone has that one life changing situation you just dont know how to deal or get past. the love displayed even through the grief was well and beautifully written.