Lovely book. Though it deals with death and the dying, there is nothing morbid about it, nothing creepy and nothing mawkish. This is actually a book about life and how to live it well. This is the first book in a very, very long time that has brought tears to my eyes but the characters are so well developed there is inevitably a sense of grief when they go.

Buy this for the introvert in your life (without being pushy), or if you want to understand the introvert in your life.

Everyone has lost someone and the confusion and thoughts that it brings can be unrelenting. This novel although not a how to handle grief handbook, definitely made going over a loss a lot easier for me to revisit. I loved clover and her musings, definitely well worth reading, a beautifully imagined story and style

Thank you to Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Loved, loved, loved this debut novel from Mikki Brammer. Clover is a death doula and throughout the novel you begin to understand how she ended up choosing this, has her career. It might sound like a depressing topic (my husband would read the synopsis and choose this book for me...saying "this sounds depressing, I reckon you will love it" but it isn't depressing at all. It is expertly delivered in such a poignant way that the novel ends up being full of heart and hope. I found myself writing down so many quotes from this book. It is a long time since I cried over a novel, but I actually cried a few times. Clover is one of the protagonists that I feel I will miss dearly. (I still miss Cyril from The Hearts Invisible Furies). Looking forward to seeing what Mikki Brammer comes up with next.

A sweet book that I think will be very popular with its hopeful themes of living life without regret. Clover is a death doula in New York, failing to deal with her own grief. Instead of getting involved with other people she numbs out at night in her cluttered flat watching nineties rom coms and spies on the perfect happy couple who live in the apartment opposite. I found the writing was too on the nose, and the death customs research a bit bluntly inserted. I felt it was a mistake to have her travel widely as a young person as it made her isolation in her thirties harder to believe (although it was elaborately explained. Clover is nothing if not self aware). Although predictable, the redemptive ending works nicely and I would be surprised if someone doesn’t make this into a film or tv drama - Clover is not a romcom fan for nothing.

Clover is a death doula, a wonderful, kind job which means she supports clients in their last days. So they don't die alone. While the job is motivating and needed is Clover using this as an excuse to step back from her own life, by consuming herself with others?

The collected regrets of clover was such a heartwarming read. I really connected with her and the characters around her. I loved that it was open and reflective about death, which I really enjoyed. It also made me reflect on how I approach death in my own social circle. From a character perspective I did feel that Seb was a bit of a dirtbag, but that might have been intentional?! And Claudia was an absolute darling. Thanks Mikki for a brilliant read.

This is a weird book but, in its own way, quite enjoyable. The central character, Clover, is in her mid-30s and has lived with her grandfather since she was six years old, following the sudden death of her parents. Lived is perhaps not the correct word since her emotional life appears to have stalled at that point. She has had no proper relationships, has few friends and at work she is a death doula, a professional befriender of the dying offering a range of support. It’s fair to say that she runs away from living, friendly people and avoids situations.

It’s an unsatisfactory life and it takes a new client and a series of events to enable her to unwrap what she has become. There’s a nice man involved and a romantic interest as Clover gradually comes to see the corner she has batted herself into since the age of six while pretending to be okay.

Along the way, there’s an interesting insight into the work of death doulas and some discussion of how people deal with death as well as something about how Clover files away final messages and regrets.

In the end it all turns out okay and Clover survives her own potential deathbed regrets to live another day!

If you're looking for a strong, emotional book you've found it. It might seem from the cover that the book is cute and beautiful. It is, it is beautiful, but also heartbreaking and reflective.

Going into this book I had no expectations as I usually don't when I read a debut from a new author. If I would've had some expectations I think they would've been met. Mikki Brammer put her entire heart and brain into this book, which paid off.

I've been trying to read more contemporary fiction for the last couple of months and this is what I love. I've been put on an emotional rollercoaster and it was worth it! From the first pages I was in love with the main character Clover, her dedication to the job was clear from the start.

This book gave me a lot to think about, for what it's worth we don't know when our life will come to an end, and what if we will end up regretting so much that it will cause pain to our body?
I'll definitely try to be more open about everything so I can go from this world leaving a piece of advice to someone rather than have too many regrets.

Beautifully written, this is the story of an isolated woman, Clover, who works as a death doula. Reminiscent of Eleanor Olihfant, I struggled with the character of Clover and ultimately did not finish the novel.

I am indebted to NetGalley and Viking for allowing me an early reading of this book.
This is a wonderful book. It tackles a difficult subject with empathy and a great deal of wisdom, but without sentimentality. The pain and unpleasantness of death is not denied.
Poppy is a ‘death doula’ whose job is to assist and support people as they approach death, including sharing their anxiety and pain. Over a number of years she has recorded last words in three categories: advice, confessions and regrets.
I was a little unsure about the Mills and Boon romance element but it helped to illustrate a key message: that even someone as apparently emotionally intelligent could have their own problems. In this case the fact that she had not properly grieved for her own much loved grandfather who had died thirteen or so years earlier.
We meet some wonderful people, especially Claudia, a ninety year old who had been a photojournalist in her youth, Bessie, the book shop owner loved by both Poppy and her grandfather, Sylvie, the first real friend Poppy has, and Leo, the grandfather’s good friend who keeps an eye on Poppy and gives the best piece of advice: the secret to a beautiful death is living a beautiful life.

The Collected Regrets of Clover is a touching cute story about Clover, the death doula, and her encounters with loneliness and grief; both her own and her clients. For the first 100 pages or so, I quite liked the charm of the story and the really delicate way it dealt with the topic of loss and Clover's solitude. I think there's definitely something here that can resonate with many readers, especially those looking for a story that has a certain softness regarding grief and the everlasting trauma that comes with it rather than to delve into the overly depressing hole many books seem to fall into.

However, I felt there were many things missing in the characterization of Clover. She doesn't seem to have the sensibilities that are required for someone in her profession and, in what we see in the book, she makes quite a few important blunders and oversteps a few boundaries that lead me to doubt whether she's any good at what she does to be honest. There are also quite a few moments (especially in the 2nd half) in which she severely seems to be suffering from the "I'm Not Like Other Girls" syndrome. In some cases, she's led to understanding she was wrong in how she viewed others but, most of the time, there's just a focus on her being different and, thus, better than the other characters in the book.

Overall, this is closer to 3.5 and I did find it a very easy, fluid, and well-written book. I view it as something between a YA novel and an adult book (which is odd considering the subject matter and the age of the protagonist) and if you're looking for something charming and delicate to read, I'd recommend checking it out!

Engaging and endearing, I loved this book. An interesting premise and definitely Thought-provoking. I'll definitely recommend this.

After reading the synopsis of ‘The Collected Regrets of Clover’ it was safe to say I was intrigued and it looks like this is already proving a popular choice amongst book bloggers.

Clover Brooks has forgotten how to live, which could be to do with the fact she spends her life as a death doula in New York City. Spending the last few days with someone so no one dies alone, it obviously takes its toll on emotions, and is Clover retreating from other people to cover up a regret of her own? When she meets feisty Claudia her outlook suddenly changes, will she remember how life can be an adventure again?

This book reminded me of ‘Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine’ and that’s definitely not a bad thing! Clover is a very likeable character who, for various reasons, has closed herself off from the world and any relationships since the death of her grandad. I loved the description of her relationship with her grandad, who brought her up following the death of her parents at a young age and also how she wasn’t a ‘typical’ child into ‘normal’ things which makes her more endearing on her journey through life.

Obviously death isn’t an easy subject and there is a lot of discussion within this book due to Clover’s role as a death doula but it is never depressing, instead focusing on why people should focus on living whilst they can, limiting the regrets that may surface. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend everyone delving into Clover’s world and remembering that life is for living.

I loved the title of the book and the cover design too and I was prepared to love the story. I curled up with a mug of tea and initially loved it. However after a while I became rather downbeat. My mood flattened from cheery to not cheery and I admit I simply stopped reading. I was interested in the story though. I think the concept is great. I wonder then the text grew to heavily laden with her loneliness and friendlessness. I may try again but for now - not for me. I will give it three stars as I think its a good book.

``So maybe we just need to appreciate that many aspects of life - and the people we love - will always be a mystery . Because without mystery there's no magic ' , This is a very profound yet poignant truth which many of us stay blinkered too.
I was fully wrapped between every page of this book & loved Clovers character & later that of Hugo too. I truly recommend this book your life will be less of a life if you do not read it . #NetGalley, #Goodreads, #Amazon.co.uk, #FB, #Instagram, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/358a5cecda71b11036ec19d9f7bf5c96d13e2c55" width="80" height="80" alt="100 Book Reviews" title="100 Book Reviews"/>, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/aa60c7e77cc330186f26ea1f647542df8af8326a" width="80" height="80" alt="Professional Reader" title="Professional Reader"/>, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/ef856e6ce35e6d2d729539aa1808a5fb4326a415" width="80" height="80" alt="Reviews Published" title="Reviews Published"/>.

Clover is a death doula who meets Sebastian at a ‘death cafe’ - a meeting for people to talk about all things death related. Sebastian’s grandmother is dying and he employs Clover to accompany his grandmother through the final stages of her life. Clover is a very insular individual and through the course of the book we discover why she is like this and how she can possibly find a way to change.

I very much enjoyed how the characters were drawn in this book - we all need a Leo in our lives! There is something to resonate with everyone here and many words of wisdom to help us get the most of the short time we are on this earth. However, I did find the story rather bland and a predictable romantic story. Claudia was a wonderful character and she was well drawn but something was missing with this book for me. We are all different though, and if you are looking for a relaxing, fairly formulaic romance this is the book for you. It would while away a pleasant few hours curled up in a chair. I probably wasn’t expecting it to be the sort of book it was. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me access to this ARC

A very different story looking at the one guarantee in life. This was a great book with some real thought provoking moments.

This is a beautifully written book with few characters but all fantastically detailed and developed. The storyline is very unusual but feels relatable and well thought out. I really enjoyed reading this book, it would be great for a book club read as it poses many questions and subjects for discussion. I will definitely recommend

Clover Brooks is a death doula. She spends much of her life surrounded by the dying … helping to ease their passage as they take their final breaths. However, her compassion for those reaching the end means that she has sacrificed her own experiences. As she wrestles with her own sense of loss (with the help of a few kind characters and clients), Clover starts to reintegrate herself into the world of friendships and love.

This is a wise and very moving novel. Brammer examines the impact of loss on our lives … particularly unprocessed feelings associated with grief. Clover’s emotions are messily laid bare for the reader and the mixture of rational/irrational thoughts are sometimes funny; other times raw.

I have never read anything like this book and strongly recommend it.

Although it took me a while to read this off and on, I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Clover and seeing her learn from the new people she was letting into her life.
Clover is a free spirit, travelling the world learning about death in different cultures, until her grandfather passes away. She then returns home and shuts herself away, becoming a death doula to ensure others don't die alone like her grandfather did.
Unfortunately, this means she is very lonely and it comes to people to force her outside her comfort zone to see what she is really missing.
I loved With the End in Mind, so seeing this subject be portrayed in a fiction book was great to read. I liked the way death was openly talked about and how Clover helped people through the end of their lives.
Claudia was a fabulous character and I loved how her older character helped Clover as well.
Friendships, death and living well is the message in this book and I highly recommend it.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was a very interesting and thoughtful story. I enjoyed the characters. I already would like to read it again. I actually would like to read more about Hugo and his past and more about Clovers travels. I think a sign of a good book is often when you do not want to say goodbye to the characters but you are happy with the story conclusion.