02/01/2023
DEBUT "Regrets," "Advice," and "Confessions" are the labels on the journals that line Clover Brooks's bookshelves. At the end of each person's life, she writes down and files their final words accordingly. It's morbid but par for the course of a death doula. Having lost her parents at a very young age and witnessed firsthand the death of her kindergarten teacher, Clover grew up acutely aware of mortality and the vulnerability it brings to even the strongest people. Her dying clients constantly remind her of life's fleeting nature and the importance of living with purpose, yet she rarely leaves the safety of her apartment. When a handsome fellow keeps showing up at the death cafés she frequents, Clover can't resist his plea for help with his dying grandmother. She soon ends up on a mission of self-discovery that changes everything. VERDICT Brammer's first novel is an interesting read, especially for those who are not familiar with the idea of a death doula. The plot seems predictable at first but takes a few unexpected turns that turn it into a satisfying experience.—Chelsie Harris
★ 2023-03-14
Clover Brooks has spent almost her whole life in the presence of death; maybe the time has come for her to live a little.
When she was 5, Clover witnessed her kindergarten teacher’s collapse, and then, when she was 6, her parents died in an accident while on vacation in China. Taken in by her maternal grandfather, she moved from Connecticut to New York City, where he raised her lovingly, if in some isolation. Now 36, she still lives in her grandfather’s West Village apartment, though he’s been dead for 13 years; works as a death doula; and counts as her only true friends her pets and her 87-year-old neighbor. Her work is emotionally challenging but rewarding; she holds the hands of the dying, then goes home to write down their last words in one of three journals: “Regrets,” “Advice,” or “Confessions.” Despite the loneliness of her life, Clover isn’t looking for a change, which is, naturally, when change finds her: first in the form of Sebastian, who asks her to spend time with his dying grandmother, and then in the form of Sylvie, who moves into the apartment downstairs. The grandmother, Claudia, turns out to be a spitfire: a former photojournalist, she left the love of her life behind when she married, and Clover, inspired by her energy and kindness, seeks closure to this tale, while also (maybe?) going on her first date ever with Sebastian and beginning a friendship with Sylvie. As she connects with others, she must also accept her lingering grief and guilt for her beloved grandfather’s death. There are so many opportunities for cliché here, and Brammer adroitly sidesteps them all. This is a beautiful tale of a vulnerable, compassionate woman who finds that, in order to care for others, she must also let herself be cared for. Even that cliché feels moving, rather than saccharine, in Brammer’s capable hands.
Walks the edge of sentimentality with poignant success.
"This weird, lovely and sweetly satisfying novel [is] engaging and accessible...Clover’s emergence from a shuttered life is moving enough to elicit tears, and Brammer’s take on death and grieving is profound enough to feel genuinely instructional." ––The New York Times Book Review
"Beautiful, poignant and the literary antidote to when life feels a little stationary." ––Jessica George, New York Times bestselling author of Maame
"This is a beautiful tale of a vulnerable, compassionate woman who finds that, in order to care for others, she must also let herself be cared for. Even that cliché feels moving, rather than saccharine, in Brammer’s capable hands." ––Kirkus (starred review)
"A comforting exploration of grief, love and human connection that is sure to appeal to fans of books that feel like a warm hug." ––BookPage
"Brammer writes with grace and heart about the complicated and complex world of grief. The Collected Regrets of Clover explores anticipatory grief, denial, anger, loss, and––as the title suggests––regret. Despite the heavy subject, though, Brammer's debut is never dark or hopeless...[and] is ultimately a beautiful story of belonging and connection and, cliché though it may sound, what it really means to live life to its fullest." ––Shelf Awareness
"The Collected Regrets of Clover is a warm-hearted, tender story of love, life-lessons and letting go. Full of wisdom, it’s a novel that handles with profound sensitivity and delicacy important questions that face us all, while fostering a joyful sense of hope for the future. Clover is a beguiling character who has so much more to offer the world than she knows, and it’s a sheer delight to watch as her horizons expand. The Collected Regrets of Clover leaves us contemplating what it means to live our lives to the full, without regrets. A beautiful, thought-provoking novel." ––Sarah Haywood, New York Times bestselling author of The Cactus
"A warm-hearted novel." ––AARP
"While this heartwarming debut novel deals with death, it never becomes maudlin, instead focusing on what makes a life worth living. Readers who appreciate seeing quirky, isolated characters come into their own, such as in Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, will find much to love in this moving novel." ––Booklist
"For all its talk of death, The Collected Regrets of Clover is never dark or grim. This feel-good story is beautiful, heartwarming and ultimately hopeful." ––Reader's Digest
"A satisfying experience." ––Library Journal
"Warm, profound, and expertly told, The Collected Regrets of Clover explores how befriending death can help enrich our lives. While infinitely poised in her role as a death doula, Clover's clumsy foray into the world of the living will have you recalling the sweet awkwardness of your first kiss and the thrill of new belonging. This is one of those special books that will leave a handprint on your heart."
––Emma Brodie, author of Songs in Ursa Major
"I couldn’t put this book down. The Collected Regrets of Clover is a tender, charming delight, perfect for anyone who loved The Authenticity Project or Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine." ––KJ Dell'Antonia, New York Times bestselling author of The Chicken Sisters
"What a beautiful story! I loved the premise, which was skillfully and sensitively executed. The characters are both memorable and relatable and the subject of death is handled with refreshing honesty and heartbreaking poignancy. This book will be one that I remember for a long time, and it’s a story that we can all learn something from." ––Ruth Hogan, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Keeper of Lost Things
"Clover’s story is a heartfelt and delightful deep dive into death. You will turn the last page with a fresh zest for life and absolutely no regrets." ––Annabel Monaghan, author of Nora Goes Off Script
"A poignant and uplifting novel, [and] a gentle story about facing death without fear and a call to arms for living life to the full. I defy anyone not to be moved by this warm-hearted, deeply compassionate book and its lovable characters." ––Freya Sampson, USA Today bestselling author of The Last Chance Library
"This book definitely had me thinking and reflecting on my life, made me cry, and I walked away loving the characters and rooting for Clover feeling very happy with the way the book ended." ––The Southern Bookseller Review
"Such a wonderful premise, beautifully executed. I fell in love with Clover, longed for her world to open up and cheered when she finally realised that comfort zones are designed to be stepped out of. Poignant and ultimately uplifting, I loved it." ––Jill Mansell, #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of Promise Me
"A beautiful, uplifting novel about unexpected friendship, a decades-old love story, and finding the courage to live your best life." ––Lucy Diamond, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Best Days of Our Lives
Narrator Jennifer Pickens breathes life into Brammer's debut novel. The story is told by Clover, a death doula who is more comfortable with the dying than the living--who finally learns to live. Pickens gives Clover a voice that is distant and uncomfortable with everyday interactions but compassionate and empathetic with her dying clients. Her past is revealed slowly as the novel explains how a 36-year-old woman can be totally alone in the world and how her work with the dying is awakening in her the importance of living her life. The grandfather who raised her; her elderly neighbor, Leo; and her current client, Claudia, have voices filled with love and wisdom. A conversation between the author and the narrator completes the production. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
Narrator Jennifer Pickens breathes life into Brammer's debut novel. The story is told by Clover, a death doula who is more comfortable with the dying than the living--who finally learns to live. Pickens gives Clover a voice that is distant and uncomfortable with everyday interactions but compassionate and empathetic with her dying clients. Her past is revealed slowly as the novel explains how a 36-year-old woman can be totally alone in the world and how her work with the dying is awakening in her the importance of living her life. The grandfather who raised her; her elderly neighbor, Leo; and her current client, Claudia, have voices filled with love and wisdom. A conversation between the author and the narrator completes the production. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
