This was a good one even if it made me a bit anxious 😂 I loved the concept of it and I've never read one like it before so it was fun and different

I'll be honest, the first couple of chapters had me wondering if this was just a rehash of the book, The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh, as the premise is vaguely the same. But once you get past those first few chapters, you realise it's not that at all.

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There are some minor things about this book I could complain about it, but they're mostly at the beginning.

It's an emotional book, dealing with a woman who has a terrible relationship with her parents (mostly due to her father being an absolute asshole) and has a near death experience and decides she doesn't want to just spend the rest of her days doing what's expected of her.

Nora ends up quitting her job, tending to a garden plot left to her by her deceased grandfather.

Before her near death experience, she spent hours with a man in a backroom of a store during a robbery. They had a connection but Nora chickens out contacting him and he loses her number.

Nora has decided she needs to find this man and see if the connection they had is still there.

There's a lot here and the ending was really emotional (in a good way).

I loved this one. It was very sweet and charming book. I really enjoyed the family dynamics with Nora's family. I loved seeing her growth throughout the story, The narrator was great as well.

This book started out kind of slow for me and I kept wondering where we were going… I’m soooo glad I stuck it out because right around the 20% mark it really picked up. I loved this book! I think Nora’s growth and persistence of her second chance was so beautiful.

There were parts of this book that really frustrated me on her behalf and I was so happy with the outcome of her relationship with her father. Life is never neatly tied up with a perfect bow with people finding solution and everything having resolve. I loved how realistic this book was!! - Everything just meshed so well together.

Nora November wakes up from an NDE (near-death experience) and has a new lease on life. She creates a "reverse bucket list" with things that she wanted to do after she died (since technically she was dead for a few moments after the NDE surfing accident). This list includes playing basketball, learning how to cook, gardening, and quitting her job... Oh, also-did I mention that her boss is her dad? Nora is a lawyer at November & Sons, established by her grandfather and currently managed by her father. Nora had a twin brother who died when they were very young, so Nora felt a responsibility to be the son her father lost and take over the company from him one day. However, she realized that she didn't like it and decided to do something about that. Nora adored her grandfather, and embraces the hopes he had for her when he was still alive. That's the ultimate plot of this story: thirty one-year-old Nora November growing into the person she wants to be and I loved it.

There was no part of it that ever felt like it dragged for me. I thoroughly enjoyed all of it! I thought that Nora and Jack's side story was sweet! The old neighbors in the community garden were probably some of my favorite characters-the lady was so sassy hahaha! This was a nice, easy story to listen to and I'd recommend it everyone!

I really enjoyed this book. Although a similar story to others in the genre, I appreciate how Nora's circumstances, and life altering accident put her life in the "before" versus the "after". In the before, she was pressured, and lived by, trying to reach everyone else's expectations of her. Struggling with depression, she found she was often not available for the people that mattered most to her. In the after she is determined to be a better friend, but also a better version of herself, but it still takes time for her to realize that means putting her needs and wants first at times as well.

I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoyed books like "the midnight library" or "Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine".

The audio quality of this novel was good, and it was enjoying to listen.

3.5 stars- rounded to 4 because of great audiobook narration!

This story follows Nora as she works hard to reinvent herself in the aftermath of her near death experience. Her eyes were opened to the regrets of the past and she has to work through a lot of emotional turmoil surrounding her major depression, a job she hates, an emotionally abusive family, failing relationships, and her biggest regret- a missed connection with Jack, the one that got away. Throughout the story we got occasional chapters from Jack’s POV as well, and it’s clear he is also managing his own difficult parts of life in a job that surrounds him with death/dying and trying to find a balance that will bring him joy.

There are a lot of very heavy topics in this book, and off the bat I would recommend you go into it while you’re in a good head space. Thankfully, I think I started listening to this story at a time in my life where I could appreciate Nora’s struggles and the overarching meaning of hope and believing in yourself. There is a quirky group of senior citizens interwoven throughout the book who I feel really help bring some light hearted humor. And while these topics are heavy, I also can respect the struggles these characters faced because they are so very real; weather or not you personally deal with them, it’s likely that you know someone who does or has. Julia London does an excellent job with the mental health representation in this story. The romance aspect of this book is extremely light, it’s more like an undercurrent than a highlight, but you can feel it rolling along with you as you follow Nora and Jack.

I most enjoyed how Nora took back the things in her life that she felt she missed out on, or should have tried sooner…like learning to cook, gardening, painting, and basketball. It made me really think introspectively about my life and wonder, what activities do I still have interest in trying that I may have missed out on? I’m not sure I came to any conclusions but the lesson is that it’s not too late! Our lives are only as happy, joyful, and fulfilling as we choose to make them, even when our circumstances aren’t looking positive there is hope.

As for the audiobook- it was superb! Karissa Vacker was excellent at being the narrator, all the characters, and bringing life to the dialogue. I anticipate I enjoyed this book more because of her excellent storytelling.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Muse, and Julia London for this advance listening copy!

Thank you to NetGalley, Julia London & Harper Audio for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review. This review is wholly my own & may not be reproduced.

I LOVED the synopsis for this one. Sadly, it’s being shelved as “Will have forgotten it by the time I finish typing this review.” It just wasn’t anything special that stands out. I think it could have been, but for me, it wasn’t.

In theory, this should have been a feel-good story about a woman making the best of her second chance at life & really discovering herself, which it was, in a way. It just moved too slowly & there was too much focus on banal things.

Nora’s journey just took FOREVER. I also think that the author added in too many “deep” issues for it to be enjoyable, even with her attempt to lighten the mood.

Overall, I just wasn’t a fan.

I really enjoyed this book - it's an interesting premise and Julia London handles it well. But I feel compelled to start with a warning that this isn't just an "uplifting and heartwarming story". It's far more complex than that - there's some deep stuff going on here, some dark stuff, much of which Nora doesn't really remember after her near-death experience. But as she works towards remembering those things that she's buried in her subconscious, those revelations are tempered with humor and Nora's sincere desire to try to make significant changes in her life, despite family and friends who aren't quite sure she's capable of following through. It's one of those books that makes you think about your own life and how you'd react to a near-death experience - would you embrace your current life and situation and be grateful to be back in it - or would you take stock and decide things need to change? This was excellent as an audiobook - Karissa Vacker is a favorite narrator for me, and she certainly didn't disappoint here. Bottom line - I've read a few books from Julia London, and this one definitely moved her other books higher on my TBR list.
Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Muse for providing a digital copy for an unbiased review.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus for my gifted audiobook copy.

I really enjoyed Nice Work, Nora November by Julia London. A near death experience prompts a reverse bucket list and an adult coming of age story that will pull at your heartstrings. Nora November is a relatable, likable character that is trying to find herself in the world after dying and coming back to life. She has a wealthy family and a personality that does not fit into their cookie cutter world.

A fun, summer read that is filled with real characters, real problems and so much emotion.

A light, uplifting summer audiobook, "Nice Work, Nora November" offers a charming experience, making it a perfect beach read or cozy weekend escape. While the storyline isn't groundbreaking, it is endearing and enjoyable. Choose this book if you're seeking a light, feel-good read.

Nothing like a near death experience to help you change your life. I liked how the FMC really developed and found herself over the course of the book. Sure, she had chemistry with the MMC when they first met but I don’t think she would have been truly happy with anyone back in those days because she wasn’t truly happy with her life. It was a great reminder that timing is everything and sometimes having to wait is great because you’re much more ready for something later on.

Nora looses her memory after an accident, and wants to drastically change her life. Her father and job are awful, and she wants to quit. Her dad treats her like garbage, and her mom just goes along with it. Her sister and cousin don’t trust her, because she suffers from depression and has let them down too many times in the past. Is Nora able to overcome who she used to be, and really change and become who she wants to be?

The concept drew me in - I loved the reverse bucket list idea! There were a lot of cringe-worthy moments for me and I just didn't love the main character. I also wish the mental health aspect would have been addressed a bit more sensitively.

Thank you to Netgalley, HarperCollins Focus and Julia London for this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Let me start by saying that Karissa Vacker is one of my favorite narrators and I will listen to anything she narrates. But she was the best part of this book for me. I thought that the mental health elements of the book could have been addressed with a bit more sensitivity and I wanted more for the romance aspect as well.

I really enjoyed this contemporary women's fiction/romance. Nora November drowns and is brought back to life and I adored the new perspective the experience gave her. She suffers from depression, but is inspired to reinvent herself and find the man that she met and had a connection with at a corner store robbery. While that sounds heavy, Julia weaves so much warmth and humor into the story that you can't help but smile as you read it. Filled with fun quirky characters, I couldn't help but fall in love with this novel and cheer Nora on as she finds the balance she needs and a love to last a lifetime. The audiobook is perfectly narrated by the fantastic Karissa Vacker and I recommend listening to it as her performance is spectacular.

4.5⭐️

Nice Work, Nora November is a lovely story of second chances and realizing what’s really important in life, exploring the past and mental health issues along the way. I was entertained all throughout, and by the end, thoroughly moved as well.

Karissa Vacker did an excellent job narrating the audiobook.

Thank you Julia London, Harper Muse, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

3.5 stars
This was such a fun and sweet read, and I really enjoyed it. I was inspired by Nora and her desire to be better following her near death experience.

Fun on audio.

My thanks to NetGalley and the pubsliher for the opporturnity to read and review this book.

A very good read with a cringy but loveable main character. Loved that it touched on mental health. Cute love story.

Adorable cute book that made me laugh out loud and want to strangle the family. Nora is so sweet and deserves the world!!! Just a girl trying to navigate life after a death experience.