Nice Work, Nora November tugged at my emotions. It is the kind of story that draws you in and doesn’t let go. It begins with Nora’s Near Death Experience. Nora is in a beautiful garden with her deceased grandfather who was the one person in her life that gave her love and support. Her dog, Roxie who had crossed the Rainbow Bridge, was also there to greet her. It was so wonderful she didn’t want to leave. But she did! Upon rejoining the living Nora’s reflection on her life (Before) was in need of a great deal of help. In the (After) Nora created a reverse bucket list to help change all the negatives. The biggest of which was finding a new job away from her domineering, narcissistic father at his Personal Injury Law firm in which he insisted she be his future replacement, something she always despised. Nora suffered from severe depression. No one seemed to understand why she let people down. In the Before it ruled her life and she was determined in this new After she would become a better person and make things up to those she let down. She has many struggles as she works her way through her reverse bucket list. The shadow of her grandfather seems to help her at the hardest of times. One item on her list was to find Jack. She met him in the Before when they both had been taken hostage and really hit it off. It had seemed like love at first sight but they lost touch with each other. This back story of Nora and Jack as hostages is a real feel good part of this story. Her life in the After was full of many regrets but she stood up to each one and bravely looked them in the face, gave it her all and kept getting up if knocked down again. Her perseverance was not only amazing but very inspiring. There are side characters that lighten the story like the senior thespians who really need Nora’s help and her grandfather’s garden plot which she had ignored in the Before and now made a point of learning how to care for. I couldn’t help but admire Nora’s tenacity and courage working her way through her new After to a life worth living. I really enjoyed this book and believe you will too. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for an ARC. All opinions are my own.

My friends. I think 42 is too old to be staying up all night reading, don't you? If you agree with me, I urge you to start reading this earlier in the day. Believe me when I tell you, you won't be able to put this down and go to bed. You will be 100% submerged in this book and won't be able to walk away until it's over.

Honestly, I loved this book so much. I loved Nora, who is recovering from her Near Death Experience and is determined to make changes in her life. But life has a way of pulling you right back to the person you were before. She is so wonderful and thoughtful and caring, willing to face her fears and the worst parts of herself...I love her so much!!

And Jake. I just want to hug him. I love cinnamon rolls, and he is the gooiest. Surrounded by death every day, but determined to find a way to give back, to find joy and peace. And so supportive!! I love him!!!!

Also, the story overall does such a brilliant job of dealing with mental health, trauma, and toxic families. It also touches on some emotional and physical child abuse in a way that is sensitive and thoughtful. An absolute brilliant book. All the stars.

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

Trigger Warnings for this novel and review:

Physical/emotional/financial abuse, diet culture, disordered eating habits, infant death, alcoholism, depression, anxiety, near-death experience, drowning, death (of beloved family member and patients), and <spoiler>suicide attempt</spoiler>.

Nora November has been gifted a second chance. After drowning on the coast of Texas, Nora was miraculously brought back to life and, after her Near Death Experience (NDE), she has decided to create a reverse bucket list to try and experience her life to the fullest. This includes the expected: take a cooking class, rediscover her love of basketball, and grow a garden in her grandfather's community plot; and some unexpected: find the man she'd had a connection with during a bodega robbery.

This book had some really powerful aspects; the depiction of taking the incredibly difficult leap to create a new life and the journey of a woman finding her passion for life again (albeit a bit awkwardly at times) were beautifully done. Nora was a compelling character, and I loved the romantic plot line!

I think the majority of my concerns would be addressed by giving the readers an opportunity to get to know Nora in the Before-- one of the biggest components of Nora's transformation is her focus on her relationships with her younger sister and cousin. However, she's continually shot down and brushed aside because of her previous habit of not following through (mostly due to her <I>clinical depression</I>, which of course doesn't mean they should forget their past hurts but also has anyone heard of support and forgiveness in that family???). The only Nora the readers know is the After Nora-- full of optimistic hope and good intentions, so I found myself getting tired of the continual refusals and bashings.

Overall, NICE WORK, NORA NOVEMBER was a good read and a fun concept!

What a great read! I could not put this ebook down once I started reading it. I will definitely recommend this book to be brought into my library for my patrons.

Book Review: Nice Work, Nora November by Julia London

I was very lucky to receive this book as an Arc reader from Net Galley. At the start I was a bit worried I wasn’t going to enjoy the book but I was thoroughly surprised! I loved seeing the growth of Nora throughout the book, she worked so hard on herself to become the best version of herself. The representation of mental health was done very well. While this book dealt with heavier topics such as mental health, suicide and addiction, there was also lighter/funnier parts of the book that didn’t make it too triggering for me, but they are just some of the triggers to be aware of before going in! I think this book will show a lot of people that starting over or not knowing where your going in your early thirties is okay and while it can be daunting you can over overcome it with the right steps. I feel like many women will see parts of themselves in Nora and if you do then just know you are doing amazingly and it will all work out! 🤍🤍

After nearly drowning, when Nora wakes up from her coma, she decides she’s going to do things differently. She makes a bucket list of items of what she wants to do after she almost died. They are mostly small things like learning to cook and taking up the garden plot that her late, beloved grandfather died. There are some harder things, such as being a better sister and a better cousin, which in the Before times, she struggled with since depression made seemingly easy tasks insurmountably difficult. Oh, and she wants to track down the guy she was trapped with for several hours while they were held hostage during a botched robbery.

This is fun and fast and light and a nice reminder that if there are things you would like to do with your life, you only have a limited time to do them. There are also extraordinary coincidences, but again, fast and fun, so we won’t worry too much about real-life accuracy.

NetGalley provided an advance copy of this novel, which RELEASES JUNE 4 2024.

Nora had a near-death experience (NDE) by drowning in the sea. After waking up from a coma, she decided to make a ‘reserve bucket list’ for things she wanted to do after NDE, like learning to cook, paint, be a better sister and cousin, reconnect with the guy she met a year ago, search for a new job, and revive her grandfather’s garden.

Nora’s family was not supportive. ‘The before’ Nora struggled to keep up with her family’s expectations, which led to her spiral into depression. ‘The after’ Nora wants to change it; she wants to live her life to the fullest. ‘The after’ Nora’s journey was not easy either, but she was determined to change her life for herself and her sister and cousin. I was rooting for Nora, and it was good to witness her growth throughout the book.

Jack works in a hospice. A patient left him a plot in a community garden, and he started growing plants, finding it therapeutic. He regrets not contacting the girl he met a year ago. Jack and Nora are living parallel lives. They’ve almost crossed paths several times, but they’ve never actually met.

There was some romance in the book, but it was not the main focus of the plot.

This book is about self-discovery and standing up for yourself.

The pacing of the plot was medium. I liked the simplicity of the writing. I liked the plot, but I felt the ending was rushed.

TW: Mentions of death, self-harm

Nora November is a mess. She barely survived a major accident and is trying to get her life the be the way she wants it. Poor thing is a wreck and creates disaster after disaster on her way through a “reverse bucket list.” I felt terrible for her and how she had to deal with the people around her but I also felt terrible for the people around her who have dealt with her fallout. Everything comes around and is resolved by the end but it is often times painful to read about all her experiences. But on top of that it is a tender read about a person trying to find herself. A person who has led a life so wrong to her that she is shedding her past to create a brighter future. I was cheering for Nora to get through the mess and find the better life at the end. It was funny at times and heartbreaking at others. A quirky read full of hope.

Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.

Nora has had a near death experience (technically, she did die for a few minutes) and is now determined to do all of things she did not get to do. As Nora sets off to repair relationships and her grandfather’s garden, she makes many mistakes, gains confidence, and learns more about what is important to her. The story covers many heavy topics (including abuse, suicide, alcoholism) but manages to have a lighter tone largely due to Nora’s growing belief and determination that she can build the life she wants to have.

Overall, an enjoyable read though I would have liked more time with Nora and Jack, with Nora and Gus, with Nora and Lacey, etc. 3.5 stars.

Thank you to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

Wow! Very thought provoking read. Nora November has a near death experience while “surfing” while on vacation. After months of brain and physical rehabilitation she returns to life as an attorney. Only problem is she does not want her old life back. Nora goes on a mission for a reverse bucket list. Very moving read. I was given an advanced reader copy of this very well written book by NetGalley and I am freely sharing my review.

I picked this book up because I recognized the author's name...but not as a woman's fiction author. I thought she wrote romances (?). This is a deep dive in family disfunction. There are books all over right now about living with or growing up with a narcissist, but this is one of the best I've read.

A lovely and inspiring tale of second chances with a winsome heroine that made me want to be her friend. I love the idea of a reverse bucket list and I loved how resilient Nora was.

always love a sparkle of romance and that was here, too!

It was an uncommon read for me.
On one hand, I really liked the dysfunctional family’s dynamic and all the drama that unfolded throughout the story. Nora’s parents and sister, especially, are sometimes horrible to her but it did not bother me with the sister as much as it did with the parents. I thought the sister was rude but honest and I valued her honesty. Nonetheless, her parents were just terrible to her. There was nothing but selfishness and concern for their image behind their rough words. Nora’s relationship with her grandfather was healthier and sweeter. Nora’s evolution throughout the story was also interesting to read, even though she was sometimes a bit too optimistic for me. It felt forced.
On the other hand, I did not care very much about the «romance» aspect of the plot. It disconnected me from the plot a little, and it felt way too rushed and insta-lovey for me.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Good book that had a few slow parts in it. Nothing bad just slower in the pace of the book. good for someone but not my cup of tea.

⭐️⭐️From Harper Publishing: Nora November is alive--but she wasn't always. She was once clinically dead, having spent several minutes under water after a terrible surfing accident she doesn't remember. What she does remember from her time in a coma is her grandfather, who passed away over a year ago. And a beautiful garden. And the most delicious tomato she ever tasted.
Now that she's awake again her life has been cleaved in two. In the Before, Nora lived like a ghost, drowning under the weight of her parents' expectations. In the After, she's determined to accomplish the things she left undone before she died. Her reverse bucket list is simple: she wants to learn to cook and be a better older sister to Lacey. She wants to quit her terrible job as a personal injury lawyer at her dad's firm. She wants to bring Grandpa's now-neglected garden back to life. And she wants to find the guy she met in a corner store months ago--the one she never called but never stopped thinking about.
As Nora's attempts at a new life prove disastrous at best, her mission to fulfill her reverse bucket list leads her to a reckoning with the truth she almost hid from herself.
*****************************
My review: Early in the book Nora's jerk of a father tells her she's "playing a victim". This from a man to his daughter after she almost died. Nora's parents are horrible, awful humans and I almost didn't finish the book because they enraged me so much.
The slow way that details of Nora's Before life came forward was frustrating. The truth was relatively obvious but still dramatic when things spilled out. I wanted to like Nora and support her but my disgust with so many around her was distracting. Catherine and Jack and Gus and James were lovely enough, but they didn't offset Nora's horrific rich, entitled, selfish parents.
Nora did grow. She became a better person but then overall tone of the novel was so depressing I had a hard time wanting to finish it.

⭐️⭐️Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Publishing for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for my review.

Unfortunately, this book is not for me. Nora was such a sad woman, with a terrible family. Honestly, they all felt like caricatures- the bully, the socialite, the alcoholic, the lesbian. Even Nora’s colleagues and the elderly thespians were typical and unsurprising. The description of Nora’s NDE included almost every stereotype of life after death I have ever heard. After the first third, I skimmed to the end, and was surprised at how long it took for the romance to show up in any major way. I would classify this as women’s contemporary fiction with a hint of romance. I prefer deeper character development and a more realistic plot. Even though this one was a miss for me, I do wish all the best to the author and publisher. I am sure there are many readers who will resonate with Nora and appreciate her story.
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for the eARC to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this story in exchange for my honest review! Meet Nora November: lawyer in her father's law firm, daughter to smothering/indifferent/judgmental parents, grieving her grandfather's death, and generally stuck in her unhappy life until she has an NDE ("near death experience"). We follow her as she adjusts to her new "After," and as she struggles to remember just how and why she died. As she works to reconcile her new lease on life with her old self, she comes to understand that her old "Before" life is like a familiar but ill-fitting coat that everyone seems to want her to continue to wear. Those readers who struggle with the lows of depression will recognize Nora's constant fight to pull herself out of her self-doubt and sadness. In her "After," Nora also looks for Jack, having met and clicked with him during a hostage situation during her "Before." Jack, who works as a hospice/palliative care aide, has his own difficulties coping with the heaviness of his job, and also must strive to look for brightness in the dark. With two elderly parents in hospice I may not have been in the best headspace for this book, with its themes of death and sadness and regret. But I couldn't help but focus instead on the inter-twined themes of love and hope and redemption in amongst the despair. I feel, so much, for Nora and I so admire her perseverance in the darkness and self-doubt. I was rooting for her to keep going and find her way, and to keep looking for the silver linings even when life threatens to drag you down. Both she and Jack are aided by a great cast of supporting characters as they both work towards becoming who they want to be. I loved this book!

Nice Work Nora November is not the story I was expecting. Billed as “uplifting and heartwarming” on Goodreads and “hilarious and heartwarming” on NetGalley, it was not really those things for me, particularly hilarious. I don’t remember laughing once. For me it was a realistic depiction of a young lawyer with depression whom everyone in her life had given up on. Her father was unimaginably cruel, controlling, and self-important. Her mother was harshly judgmental. Her sister Lacey and her cousin Gus had their own problems and no longer trusted Nora’s promises, which while understandable was still hard to read. This book is the story of how Nora tries to rebuild her life after a near death experience. She creates a reverse bucket list: a list of things she regretted not doing after she died. I thought this was a fabulous premise. However, the road to discover who she is and what she needed to be happy was not only bumpy, it was also demoralizing, sometimes isolating and filled with many negative experiences. To be honest, so many bad things happened to her, she turned into a bit of a caricature for me. I admired her determination, even though it flagged. I was proud of her when she finally stood up to her father. Jack and Nora’s story was cute, but the romance was practically non-existent and completely underwhelming. Overall, all of the things came to be a little too much for me. I was upset often as I read the book. For me, that means Julia London’s writing was powerful, but it just wasn’t the story for me.

A gentle warning: This story mentions suicide.

***Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Muse and Julia London. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own.***

"Wholesome and sweet" perfectly describes "Nice Work, Nora November". While the plot may be somewhat predictable, it doesn't detract too much from the overall enjoyment. The quirky elements add a touch of charm, although they may not be to everyone's taste. I honestly found the novel to be a bit cringy at times, but it still managed to keep me engaged enough to cruise through to the end. Overall, if you're looking for a light-hearted movie with a positive message, this one fits the bill.

Thank you, NetGalley for providing me the ARC.

It's an unexpected joy to find a book that so poignantly describes mental illness.

After a near-death experience (affectionately called an NDE), Nora November has a new lease on life. She writes a "reverse bucket list" for all the things she wants to do after her death, including but not limited to regrowing her grandfather's garden, learning to cook, playing basketball, making amends with her sister, and finding her one that got away.

And she fails at all of it. She lacks a green thumb and kills a fellow gardener's beloved plants in the process. She almost burns her sister's kitchen down. She injures herself playing basketball for the first time in over fifteen years since she's now in her thirties. And her sister doesn't forgive Nora right away for the ways Nora checked out during depressive episodes. Depression may explain why Nora was not a good sister, but it doesn't forgive the hurt. I loved that message so much.

I feel like there are a lot of times that literature, particularly romance-adjacent literature, tries to "solve" mental illness. A partner fixes it, the meds are a miracle, etc.. This isn't what happens here. Nora has to work so hard to keep from backsliding, and it made me feel seen as someone who has to work daily to continue to be happy or content. She fulfills the dreams of her reverse bucket list in unique ways, after trying and failing over and over again. Much of her fulfillment comes with surrounding herself with good people and letting go of the negative ones. It's an uphill battle, but a worthy one.

In short, there's a lot of strong messages here. Ones that I needed and ones that many could use.