For our December book club, I’m thrilled to share a truly thoughtful and beautiful novel: The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer. I’ll admit—at first glance, the subject matter might feel heavy. This is a fictional story centered around a death doula, her work, and her personal life. But I hope you won’t let that deter you. This book is poignant, inspiring, and deeply life-affirming in the most unexpected way. 🤍
📚 About the Book
We follow Clover, a kind, thoughtful, and quietly observant woman whose life has been shaped by loss from a very young age. After both of her parents die in an accident abroad, Clover is raised in New York City by her sweet and honorable maternal grandfather.
That early grief, paired with the later loss of her grandfather while Clover is studying abroad, profoundly shapes the trajectory of her life.
🌿 Clover’s World
Clover grows up to be practical, honest, and deeply conscientious. She becomes a death doula by trade, spending her days sitting with people at the very end of their lives—listening, comforting, and helping them prepare for what comes next.
Ironically, while Clover tends to the dying, she herself isn’t really living.
Her world is very small. She has no close friends, has never dated, and has never been kissed. Outside of her work, her only real relationship is with her elderly neighbor—an old friend of her late grandfather. Clover’s days are quiet, orderly, and contained.
🕊️ The Work of a Death Doula
One of the most beautiful aspects of this novel is how respectfully and gently it portrays the profession of a death doula. Clover chose this work because she wasn’t present when her grandfather passed away—and she wanted to ensure that others wouldn’t have to die alone.
A death doula doesn’t rush, fix, or avoid. They listen. They sit. They help people reflect, prepare, and be heard.
Over the years, Clover records her clients’ final words in three notebooks:
- Confessions
- Advice
- Regrets
She honors what she learns from them—sometimes by learning a new language, buying a perfume, volunteering, or making small but meaningful changes in her own life.
✨ When Clover’s Life Begins to Open
The story truly begins to shift when Clover takes on a new client at a pivotal moment in her life—and when a new tenant, Sylvie, moves into her building and befriends her.
Between this client and Sylvie—both lively, warm, and expansive in spirit—Clover is gently nudged toward a fuller version of life. These relationships teach her what it means not just to survive, but to live.
🤍 Final Thoughts
Despite its subject matter, this book is not macabre. It’s tender, introspective, and surprisingly uplifting. It encourages gratitude, presence, and connection. It gently asks us to consider how we’re living now, rather than someday.
The central question the book leaves you with is this: If you were to die today, what would be your biggest regret?
Readers seem divided on Clover herself—some find her deeply endearing, others find her closed-off or judgmental. Personally, I found her to be a gentle old soul, shaped by grief and learning how to step back into the world.
If you’re open to reflecting on life, even if the topic of death makes you uncomfortable, I truly believe this book is worth reading. It’s a beautiful reminder that we don’t know how much time we have—and that makes each ordinary day quietly miraculous. ✨
Happy reading, and I hope you’re soaking up the quiet magic of the week between Christmas and New Year’s. Aren’t we so lucky to be here for another one? 🎄🤍