The Collected Regrets of Clover: A Novel

I was pleasantly surprised at the depth of this book. As a pastor’s wife who has spent more time with the sick and dying than most, I found Clover’s interactions and observations accurate. I found the romance gave the book balance, between parts that were heavy and parts that were light and made me smile. I enjoyed seeing the growth in Clover, especially as it pertained to taking risks with relationships.

Omg, I loved this book! It was sentimental, sweet and engaging from the start. It delves into the meaning of life, death and the impact our decisions have in our life. Clover is a quirky, odd yet charming character who spends more time with the dying than those living around her. She witnessed death at an early age and built a cocoon around herself with very limited real connections. At 36 years old, Clover still lives in the apartment she shared with her loving grandfather. Despite his passing, she is unable to collect, sort and donate his belongings. She plays weekly mahjong with Leo, an elderly neighbor in her building. She works as a death doula, helping people at the end of their life transition to their next life. She meticulously documents her clients last words which she catalogs in 3 different notebooks, regret, advice and confessions. One particular client, Claudia, a former photojournalist battling cancer, becomes more than just a client. They are friends for the short time Claudia has left, and Clover finds herself on a life changing trip to find some peace for Claudia in her last days. Will Clover gain as much from the trip as Claudia?

This is a truly unusual heartfelt story. I will be thinking about these characters for a while. One lesson Clover learned that we all can learn is "Don't let the best parts of life pass you by because you're too scared of the unknown."

First book of 2024 for me and it dealt with death... A death doula with a loneliness problem- Enter Clover. This was a rather quirky read with interesting diverse cast of characters. One would think this would be dark and dreary, but there was lightness- more toward the end. It was apparent that Brammer did her research into the topic. Loved that things weren't sugar coated. Solid 3.5 stars rounded up.

Hosted by Jennifer Hataway

Fascinating book.